One reason I use Aspen

[GardenKit]

Another example of stale petrol cropped up today. It was a Tanaka brushcutter that had not been used since last year and would not run. What a mess!

The stench of stale petrol is still with me, it wont wash away.

One picture shows the gungy mess of the fuel filter, the others show the swelled pump diaphragm and metering diaphragm from the Walbro carb.

New fuel lines, diaphragms and filter and its running great now, on Aspen.

[likeitorlumpit]

Jury still out on Aspen

We certainly have no machine problems that would warrant switching. I don't understand all these stale fuel issues. It's never happened with our kit- wonder why!!

[GardenKit]

Jury still out on Aspen

We certainly have no machine problems that would warrant switching. I don't understand all these stale fuel issues. It's never happened with our kit- wonder why!!

i agree with you, Likeitorlumpit, most pro users wont have a staleness issue as they have a quick turn round of fuel, and from being arbtalkers they are aware of the need to keep it fresh.

 

The problems come mostly from domestic users who have no awareness and very low turnover.

 

Although the tanaka mentioned above is used every year, it is not used much and 5 litres of petrol will be sufficient for several years use.

 

The petrol put in this machine when last used last year was already several years old.

 

I post this sort of thing to show the doubters that there really is an issue.

 

I do recomend Aspen, as I am a firm believer in its many benefits, but in truth any FRESH petrol is ok to prevent the extremes pictured.

[Andy Collins]

Ok it seems the nearest dealership to stock Aspen is now 21miles away, so a 42mile round trip for an already expensive product. I called into an ex supplier, who also runs a very large Arb team, and asked why they no longer stock it. The reply is that they had a pallet load on sale, and it just didn't move...it would not sell. I was looking to try it out. Easy to criticise a product without trying it I thought, so give it a go. Ummmm no that's just not going to happen when availability is dwindling, rather than increasing. I dont have the facilities to store a large volume of highly flammable material, and why would I when there is such a facility a couple of miles away at a cheaper price, a service station!! sorry Aspen, but I'm out without getting in.

[GardenKit]

The supply issue is a problem Andy. There are an ever increasing number of stockists and volume sold nationally is increasing quite impressively.

 

I agree that there is no local supply then it is difficult to even test the product which is a shame. Many of those who have gone out of their way to get some have been sufficiently pleased with the result to buy a supply direct from Anglo American.

 

Your local supplier did not sell his pallet, but that does not mean it does not sell.

 

The footfall through my small shop has, I estimate just about doubled in the last year because of our largest selling item which is Aspen.

 

I took one pallett last september and only expected to shift one or two pallets a year, but am just getting to the end of my 16th pallet. That equates to nearly 1000 cans.

 

So it Is a worthwhile product, with many advantages, but nobody is trying to force anyone to buy it. It is totaly up to you and all other prospective buyers to justify the cost to yourselves.

[Pedroski]

Same issue here - round trip is just too far, postage is just too expensive. Even buying 30 litres in one go, with postage factored in it comes out £23 for each 5 litre can! I really want to try Aspen but I'm NOT going to spend time and money, burning fuel, to drive 40 mile round trip to get it from my nearest supplier! Perhaps I should get it by the pallet and sell it on, but I don't have the storage facilities either

[Andy Collins]

It must be a regional thing perhaps. You state the number of outlets is increasing, yet apart from one in my area, everyone listed no longer stocks it. So maybe the company keeps all outlets registered as stockists on their list in order to make it appear that there is a growth, sort of a marketing propaganda?

[GardenKit]

Andy, I cant comment on the accuracy of Aspens dealer list, I do know we were updated ONTO it quickly.

 

Yes, it surely is regional, like many other things. My wife likes to shop at ASDA but there is not one locally, but in Cornwall where we often go there are two within about 15 miles.

 

Bit like Aspen here in East Devon, two stockists now within 10 miles.

 

I appreciate Pedroski,s comments on delivered price at around £23.00 per can. Its a lot of money, but I get customers travel 15 miles to me to get one can, so that is even more expensive in the end.

[teepeeat]

Must check what I paid for mine, but thought it worked out just over double the price of petrol for a direct delivery of 75 ltrs from Anglo American (and saved on having to buy 2stroke)

I was under the impression it is available in 200 ltr drums??

 

Lower cost of petrol is mainly down to economies of scale and a long established, efficient delivery system.

I believe that in parts of Scandinavia you can get aspen out of a pump.

 

As an intermittent user, aspen has definitely solved many niggles with my machines.

 

For the doubters - why has Stihl bothered to come up with its own version of Alkalate fuel? (someone did mention the name on another thread, but forgot it already:blushing:)

 

Go on Husky users - thats a good bone to chew on :lol::lol:

[agg221]

I am lucky on this in that my local dealer is only 2miles from where I work, and my wife drives right past it on her way to work, so if anyone wanting to try it happens to come close to Haverhill I'll happily pick them up a can on the way and they can pick it up from here.

 

I am an occasional user (mostly milling) and realised that I was throwing away more unused fuel than I was using on some occasions. I tried mixing by the tankful and using the rest in the mower, which was fine in summer but I tend to mill in autumn and winter for preference as it slows down surface checking when air drying, so didn't have much use for it in the mower.

 

The real problem though was that I have twice had problems with fresh pump petrol. The first was in the very early days of formulation change which caused the problems (c.1998), so it wasn't well understood. My 064 was of sufficient interest to Stihl that they wanted it back to assess the failure, and concluded it was the fuel (not my mixing, or it being stale, actually the quality from the supplier) but this being several months later there wasn't a lot I could do except change the pot and piston. The second occasion took out the 064 and the 066 on the same day - a few days later was when the news story broke about all the issues nationally with silicone in the fuel, but again impossible to prove, so I had the 066 repaired at my cost and gave up on the 064.

 

Having had these problems (probably I've just been unlucky) caused me to rethink the cost equation, so when I became aware of Aspen through this site - actually after the 066 failed again, due to the botched repair following the previous failure, I added up the fuel-related costs and decided that you could buy an enormous amount of Aspen for the price of the pots and pistons I'd got through due to fuel problems.

 

The pro user is far less exposed to stale fuel issues, but one contaminated tanker-load at the pumps, or the tank being low when you happen to fill up, so it picks up water from the bottom, formed due to condensation, could take out a lot of high cost machinery. It won't affect cars so the supplier won't know, and it's virtually impossible to prove anyway without an oil analysis laboratory, and you won't be covered under warranty as it's a fuel problem.

 

Everyone has to make their own assessment of the risk of the above happening, but since it happened to me, it made my own calculation much easier. The lack of stinging eyes and sore throat were just an added bonus!

 

Alec