Tag Archives: fuel prices

Voters warn no carbon tax on fuel

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man at petrol pump

Would you support a carbon tax if it means an increase in fuel prices?

The inaugural NRMA Motoring & Services More4Members Cost of Living survey has found almost two-thirds of people will not support a political party that proposes a Carbon Tax if it means fuel prices will increase.

The survey of around 1,200 Members found the following:

  • 60% will not vote for a political party that introduces a Carbon Tax that forces up the price of fuel.
  • 87% said their cost of living was higher than 12 months ago, while two-thirds were suffering from stress as a result.
  • 55% believe the cost of living will increase substantially over the next 12 months, while 15% said they had taken on a second job or were working longer hours to cover expenses as a result of increasing costs.
  • The average household spent an extra $50 on groceries compared with last year, with 82% highlighting they eat out less than they did 12 months ago.
  • Almost 40%  would like to see the Federal Government reduce power costs, another 19% want to see downward pressure on interest rates and 18% want to see reduced fuel costs.
  • More than 42% used discount vouchers in order to save money, with almost a third admitting to using vouchers frequently. And 85% of people who used discount vouchers used them for fuel.

NRMA President Wendy Machin said the NRMA would seek assurances from the Australian Government that the Carbon Tax would not force up the cost of fuel and cause further strain on families struggling with the cost of living.

“Our members are struggling under the cost of living pressures and it is the NRMA’s responsibility to fight to ensure that every cent increase on a litre of petrol brought about by the Carbon Tax is offset by a reduction in the fuel excise,” Ms Machin said.

“The NRMA surveyed our Members because we wanted to ask average Australians about the real effect of rising costs and the ways they look to save money.

Would you support a carbon tax if it means fuel prices will increase?

Petrol prices continue to rise (Updated – 31 March)

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petrol pump

Motorists should brace themselves for petrol prices up to $1.50 per litre.

Petrol prices have been steadily increasing in the last few weeks and are predicted to reach a two-year high of $1.50 per litre in the coming weeks.

Despite the high prices, research done by the NRMA have shown there are times during the week when petrol prices drop.  Saturday morning is the cheapest time to buy, and Monday afternoon is the most expensive.

Savings can be as high as 10c to 12c a litre between the most expensive and the cheapest, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on daily petrol prices and try to buy when prices are low.

UPDATE: Petrol prices are now heading for $2 a litre and families should start saving money now.

An NRMA BusinessWise analysis found $2 a litre would add almost $2500 to the annual petrol bill for a Toyota Hilux driver from Penrith to the CBD, and $2000 for a Ford Falcon driver. A Campbelltown family with a Holden Commodore Berlina would pay an extra $1700 and $2210 if they lived in Gosford (via Daily Telegraph).

How have the higher petrol prices changed your driving habits? Do you seek out the cheapest petrol prices or just fill up when you’re running low on fuel?

 

Overcharging for petrol

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ACCC petrol commissioner Pat Walker last week revealed Coles Express service stations are the most expensive.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s survey, Coles Express had the highest petrol prices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Mr Walker said the commission had identified about 30 Coles Express sites in Sydney that were selling petrol for 155.9 cents a litre, when the average price was 143.3 cents a litre. According to News.com.au, Coles was selling petrol in Melbourne for up to 14 cents more than the city’s average.

Mr Walker advised motorists to shop around for the best price, as those who use shopper dockets may not be getting the discount they think they are.

“It is important that consumers do not automatically rely on their petrol discount voucher to necessarily deliver the lowest price,” he said.

NRMA President Alan Evans said, “The Petrol Commissioner has done well to catch and shame Coles for their over-pricing; he now needs the powers to do something about it.”

Mr Evans said that bad press alone is not enough, as oil companies have grown immune to it. He believes the Commissioner’s powers must therefore be extended so he can:

  • • Force oil companies to drop their prices when they are over-inflated;
  • • Force oil companies to artificially keep their prices down to compensate motorists who have been over-charged;
  • • Fine oil companies.

Have you noticed some service stations regularly being more expensive than others?

The diesel price rise

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As recently as six months ago, one of the main incentives for buying a diesel vehicle was the perceived savings on fuel compared to a vehicle using unleaded petrol. But now it’s not uncommon to see the price of diesel up to 25 cents more than regular unleaded, leaving many owners of private diesel vehicles wondering if it was all worth it.

Several factors have contributed to the diesel price rise.

The main reason for diesel being consistently more expensive than standard unleaded petrol is that most diesel is sold under contract to fleet operators, mainly for heavy vehicles. This means the volume sold at your local service station is low, leaving retailers little incentive to discount.

Also previous Government regulations allowed diesel to contain 500 particles per million of sulphur. This has recently been adjusted to allow only 50ppm resulting in the production costs of diesel and unleaded petrol being quite similar.

Diesel prices are also kept high by demand in Asia, where most transport uses diesel.

Many Australians holidaying in New Zealand come back wondering why diesel is significantly cheaper there than it is here. However, Trans-Tasman diesel prices cannot be compared, as diesel in NZ is not taxed at the point of sale. Rather, diesel vehicle owners are required to pay a Road User Charge (RUC) in distance travelled slots, making the actual cost of the journey much more expensive than it appears at the bowser.

Manufacturers and the Government may be pushing diesel as a ‘green’ alternative to petrol, but owners and potential buyers are probably questioning if diesel is indeed a fuel of the future.

What are your experiences with buying diesel? Do you still find it worth the money, despite the recent price rises?

Using Premium Unleaded Petrol

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Have you ever used Premium Unleaded petrol in your vehicle instead of Regular Unleaded? Did it seem to go further, dollar for dollar? Did it have any noticeable effect at all?

If your car is optimised to run on Regular Unleaded 91 RON (Research Octane Number), then using PULP may have a marginal effect on the fuel consumption and cost saving.

So if, hypothetically, a vehicle was designed to operate on any octane (which is never the case), using 98 RON would give a seven per cent increase in power or a seven per cent decrease in fuel consumption compared with using 91 RON. Cars that are designed to run on PULP 98 RON may still run on 95 RON but you may lose around three per cent of power, or increase fuel consumption by this amount.

Therefore, if ultra premium fuel costs more than seven per cent more than 91 RON, is it economically unwise to use it?

Have you used Premium Unleaded and noticed any improvements in your vehicle’s fuel economy or performance?