Fuel Price

There is a worldwide shortage of food that's been developing for a while. Poor Northern Hemisphere harvests. For the poorest people on earth probably more of a problem than fuel shortages. UN figures are that world food prices rose 13% in the first quarter. So there is a good market for Australian produce. Again, not much transparency behind price rises.
 
There is no shortage of crude oil at the moment and prices are back to around $100 a barrel but distillate is in short supply both in Europe and America. European distillate stocks are the lowest since 2008 and there are fears the UK will have to introduce rationing. Unusually for American refiners in the summer driving season they are giving priority to distillate production. We seem to have escaped this problem at least for now.
Customers putting their hopes in the electric car may find waiting time due to critical materials shortages, now graphite.
 
Here is a 407 Coupe at a salvage auction in Melbourne. Other than a few side scratches showing it looks tidy with 180K. However, the fuel light is on, so that could be the major fault here and perhaps the real reason for going to salvage?
 
Here is a 407 Coupe at a salvage auction in Melbourne. Other than a few side scratches showing it looks tidy with 180K. However, the fuel light is on, so that could be the major fault here and perhaps the real reason for going to salvage?
Mmm the Berlingo's tank is getting low too.😉
 
Did a run up to Bendigo today, after a lot of overnight rain, very heavy at times, but by morning the weather cleared to a beautiful fine day, spent some time at The Bendigo Library with the local genealogy group, looking at how to use the library resources to research the available history and documentation held in official records.
 
Had trouble adding the latest fuel prices to the above post and the fact that Diesel seems to have become dearer at the pump than 98 RON. is that trend the same in all states or just Victoria. While I was driving in Bendigo, I didn't notice elevated prices there or long lines of motorists filling up.

Ken
 
Where I am, 98 is currently 2.07 to 2.12; diesel is about 2.07, but as always is cheaper in western suburbs with lots of independents.
 
I'm at the Sunshine Coast at present, we did see E10 along the way for $1.53. Didn't note the price of diesel but Fuel Spy is indicating $1.79 to $1.91 for most of Brisbane. The servo near home was $1.57 on Thursday for E10 and Fuel Spy says it is $1.79 today. It is a long weekend up here though.😉
 
Oil Price.com says diesel is in crisis mode in Europe and America. Stocks in America are very low and diesel at $5.16 a gallon is $1 more than petrol. Supplies tight in the North East. Europe is increasing diesel purchases from the Middle East but only a fraction of diesel imports from Russia. Chinese demand is lower because of covid there but when it returns to normal there will be supply pressures on price. Still talk of possible future rationing in Europe. Oil has had five months of steady price increases. Predictions of $2.50 a litre for diesel later in the year may not be unrealistic.
 
Most of our diesel comes from South Korea where there is the most efficient refinery in the world according to a friend who works for a Japanese oil company. Guess where most of their oil comes from. A free oil change to the first correct answer.
 
Passing by our local 7-11 store I was shocked to see that RON 98 was shown as over $3 a litre ! :eek: but somewhat relieved that their Special Diesel was cheaper than that!:rolleyes: Still have most of a tank so won't be going out to COSTCO till probably next week.

Today I was speaking with my daughter in Tasmania and when she told me she was going to fill her Megane with 98 I mentioned the 7-11 figure just to prepare her for the shock! as she fills with 98 most times.

She rang me back to tell me that her local United Garage Mowbray, had a pump price of $2.15 a litre and on top of that she gets another 4 cents a litre off by producing her RAC T membership card, so she had filled up her tank and it cost her $70, she was quite pleased with that, and like me she was also happy to pass by a BP Garage that was charging $2.20 a litre for 98.:eek::mallet: But even at those lower prices it is still an extra impact on her personal budget.:rolleyes:

They don't have that so called oil company "Discount" cycle in Tasmania, so you fill when and where you get it cheaper. It might of course go up tomorrow, so get it while you can at the best price.. She claims that the State has put aside their state excise tax to coincide with the Federal temporary 22 cent reduction of excise. Unusual for Tasmania.

I wonder how that compares with other states of Australia, are motorists being given extra relief at the Bowser

Ken
 
Passing by our local 7-11 store I was shocked to see that RON 98 was shown as over $3 a litre ! :eek: but somewhat relieved that their Special Diesel was cheaper than that!:rolleyes: Still have most of a tank so won't be going out to COSTCO till probably next week.

Today I was speaking with my daughter in Tasmania and when she told me she was going to fill her Megane with 98 I mentioned the 7-11 figure just to prepare her for the shock! as she fills with 98 most times.

She rang me back to tell me that her local United Garage Mowbray, had a pump price of $2.15 a litre and on top of that she gets another 4 cents a litre off by producing her RAC T membership card, so she had filled up her tank and it cost her $70, she was quite pleased with that, and like me she was also happy to pass by a BP Garage that was charging $2.20 a litre for 98.:eek::mallet: But even at those lower prices it is still an extra impact on her personal budget.:rolleyes:

They don't have that so called oil company "Discount" cycle in Tasmania, so you fill when and where you get it cheaper. It might of course go up tomorrow, so get it while you can at the best price.. She claims that the State has put aside their state excise tax to coincide with the Federal temporary 22 cent reduction of excise. Unusual for Tasmania.

I wonder how that compares with other states of Australia, are motorists being given extra relief at the Bowser

Ken
Hi Kenfuego.

Your post expresses concern over the added cost of choosing 98 RON on your daughters personal budget.

If that is the overriding factor then she has some choices. You didn't mention which engine is fitted in your daughters Megane, but unless 98RON is specifically nominated, then she could choose 91RON fuel at a lower cost to her personal budget.

If the engine in her Megane has a knock sensor, then she can confidently choose 91RON or 95RON, both likely at lower cost than 98RON. I strongly suspect that she won't be able to perceive any difference in driving experience or fuel economy with any of the discussed fuel choices.

So I suspect that the added cost of 98RON is not hurting her budget enough to cause her to reflect on the choices she does have available and to change her (economic) behaviour.

The marketers and vendors are laughing all the way to the bank with 98RON.

Re your last point about relief at the bowser.
My personal opinion is that any relief is not going to last for long. Owners of vehicles that are larger than needed, and consume lots of fuel, will increasingly be squealing to anybody that will listen to them. Maybe next time they consider which vehicle to purchase the fuel consumption will move to a higher position in the features and benefits criteria.

Cheers.
 
Diesel in the part of Canada I live in is the same price as 95-99 RON, occasionally a touch less. Roughly $2.28 CAD/L. Our diesel car averages 4 L/100 km so even if it was $3 or more per L it'd be OK for us.
 
Oil Price .com reports an extreme shortage of diesel in the Nth-East US with prices - $US 5.540 a U.S. gallon, a difference of $1.20 a gallon over premium grade petrol.
European refineries now report a shortage and spiking prices for naptha.
As a surprise, European refiners are reporting "exceptional" profits (their term). Who'd have guessed?
Markets and prices remain nervous but at present fluctuate from $US 103 to $107 z barrel with short term spikes well above on rumours.
 
I filled up the 605 yesterday at the local Shell, first time in about 10 years that I have been anywhere near those scalpers. Put 70l of 95 in it because it was $1.90, which for some reason was 2c or so below the local independents.

Today it is $2.34 for exactly the same stuff. That is a $30 difference on that tankful.
 
Hi Kenfuego.

Your post expresses concern over the added cost of choosing 98 RON on your daughters personal budget.

If that is the overriding factor then she has some choices. You didn't mention which engine is fitted in your daughters Megane, but unless 98RON is specifically nominated, then she could choose 91RON fuel at a lower cost to her personal budget.

If the engine in her Megane has a knock sensor, then she can confidently choose 91RON or 95RON, both likely at lower cost than 98RON. I strongly suspect that she won't be able to perceive any difference in driving experience or fuel economy with any of the discussed fuel choices.

So I suspect that the added cost of 98RON is not hurting her budget enough to cause her to reflect on the choices she does have available and to change her (economic) behaviour.

The marketers and vendors are laughing all the way to the bank with 98RON.

Re your last point about relief at the bowser.
My personal opinion is that any relief is not going to last for long. Owners of vehicles that are larger than needed, and consume lots of fuel, will increasingly be squealing to anybody that will listen to them. Maybe next time they consider which vehicle to purchase the fuel consumption will move to a higher position in the features and benefits criteria.

Cheers.
I also use 98 RON in the old Laguna, it can run on 91 RON. but I'd rather not run it on that for any length of time. The specified fuel is 95 RON but after years of observing and checking prices, I think that is the rip off petrol fuel where oil companies pad out the price. There used to be a five cent difference between grades, but when you watch the pump price closely as I did for years it is 95 that would increase by 25 cents, would it be that a popular specified fuel IS the most manipulated..:rolleyes: Strangely enough as most of our then travelling was between Melbourne and Echuca and other more remote country areas, often 98 fuel seemed to be left at a stable price by Service Station operators so as the 95 price difference shot up, comparatively the better value fuel was 98 and you could always shandy that with 91 RON fuel.

Dianne (Australdi) is pretty astute and used to Sell Renaults, and at that Dealership all cars on the lot were fueled with 91 RON as a cost reduction margin. Generally both of us have found the higher RON fuel does give better mileage, and better cost effective economics than 95 RON. With the Fuego that was very noticeable though I suspect part of that is the volatile additives that get re-breathed in the engine through the charcoal filter and very noticeable sweet running on a full tank of 98 (used to run real well on the old 100 octane too when that was around. :)

Budget effects different people, sometimes you cut your cloth according to real needs, cutting out long trips, chasing special price food, avoiding little luxuries, growing your own garden produce and pooling/trading your home grown food as she does, mending clothing and making do with what you have. People with disabilities often have to drive particularly in Tasmania where public transport opportunities are sparse and medical facilities in remote locations.

We who are lucky and can absorb or mitigate higher fuel costs don't have to face those choices always look out for those whose circumstances, need a bit of help as a way of paying it forward in our small way. :)

We are truly in a lucky country to be able to do that.

Ken
 
I can't comment on the cars mentioned on here as running on premium unleaded and any potential for reduced performance on lower octane rating fuel. However I clearly recall reading a road test by either Wheels or Modern Motor on the (new at the time) 760 Volvo Turbo.
They did a series of acceleration tests and were bewildered to find it's performance was all but identical to its naturally aspirated brethren.
It turned out the previous motoring journalist had filled the car with standard unleaded prior to returning the vehicle to Volvo. They subsequently filled it with premium unleaded and the remainder of the report was spent extolling the virtues of the big Volvo's "turbo power". So certainly in this instance the use of lower octane fuel had a dramatic effect on reducing vehicle performance.

I read an interesting article on Australia's fuel quality (in particular 91 octane) compared to other western countries. The article is 11 months old, however the relevant standards are unchanged.

 
My old fuel agent told me that the octane rating was merely advisory and sometimes could be as low as 89. He also said that country tankers were loaded from different tanks and he thought anything that was sub standard went up country.
I certainly know the 504 hated 91 which is all we can get in bulk delivery.
 
Hi.

Here are some basic calculations that illustrate the decrease in fuel consumption needed just to break even with increasing fuel costs. I have extended the table up to $3.00 per Lt, as that is what Kenfuego has mentioned in post #192.

I have based this on 7Lt per 100km fuel consumption, but the percentages apply for other rates of fuel consumption relative to the cost/Lt.

Lets assume that you can purchase 91RON for $2.00 per Lt, 95RON for $2.10 per Lt and 98RON for $2.20 per Lt- in column A.
Lets also assume that your engine can run on 91RON but you are prompted by the marketers and choose 98RON.

So start at the Blue reference cost of $2.00 per litre, relative to this your engine would need to consume 10% less fuel (column D) just to break even with the extra $0.20 per Lt fuel cost. I don't believe that using 98RON over 91RON will achieve a 10% reduction. I also don't believe that the fuel consumption will alter much at all, as the fuels all have the same calorific heating value.

Furthermore if your objective is to reduce the cost on personal budgets, then you are better to choose the lowest cost RON fuel that your #engine can run on, than believe the marketers that 98RON may reduce your fuel consumption. As you progress further down the orange part of the table, it is an increasingly impossible spiral to achieve.

In the top green part of the table, this is what you can reduce your expenditure by if the cost per Lt is less than the reference cost.

Based on the industry average of 15,000km that vehicles travel per year, column E indicates the total yearly cost of fuel. So in my example above, a $0.20 increase per Lt of fuel cost will add another ($2,310 - $2,100) = $210 hit on your personal budget.

#You would need to follow your vehicle manufacturers recommendation.

Cheers.

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