Why do people fill up at motorway service stations?
Discussion
I was low on fuel tonight, and quickly stopped at Birch services to see how much it was. £1.57 per litre.
While stopped for just a minute I checked to see if there was another fuel station nearby. 4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
Most cars even on reserve fuel will do 40-50 miles until they are actually empty. So there's no reason why somebody would find themselves in a situation where they haven't got enough fuel to get off the motorway to a local station.
While stopped for just a minute I checked to see if there was another fuel station nearby. 4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
Most cars even on reserve fuel will do 40-50 miles until they are actually empty. So there's no reason why somebody would find themselves in a situation where they haven't got enough fuel to get off the motorway to a local station.
aturnick54 said:
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
I think it's this - and convenience if you are in a hurry and don't want to leave the motorway. I rarely do it, maybe once every ten years. As you say, in this day and age it is very easy to find e.g. a supermarket petrol station not far off the motorway. aturnick54 said:
I was low on fuel tonight, and quickly stopped at Birch services to see how much it was. £1.57 per litre.
While stopped for just a minute I checked to see if there was another fuel station nearby. 4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
Most cars even on reserve fuel will do 40-50 miles until they are actually empty. So there's no reason why somebody would find themselves in a situation where they haven't got enough fuel to get off the motorway to a local station.
To make a £20 difference, you'd be dispensing 74 litres. Anyone putting that amount of fuel in a car has a big car and likely cares more about the convenience of getting going again quickly over seeking out cheap fuel.While stopped for just a minute I checked to see if there was another fuel station nearby. 4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
Most cars even on reserve fuel will do 40-50 miles until they are actually empty. So there's no reason why somebody would find themselves in a situation where they haven't got enough fuel to get off the motorway to a local station.
With 74l of fuel (more than the tank capacity of my car) I can drive off the edge of the motorway network in the UK, in any direction, from any point on mainland UK.
Personally I don't really care what the fuel costs -- my time is more important. YMMV.
CraigyMc said:
To make a £20 difference, you'd be dispensing 74 litres. Anyone putting that amount of fuel in a car has a big car and likely cares more about the convenience of getting going again quickly over seeking out cheap fuel.
With 74l of fuel (more than the tank capacity of my car) I can drive off the edge of the motorway network in the UK, in any direction, from any point on mainland UK.
Personally I don't really care what the fuel costs -- my time is more important. YMMV.
I've always planned trips to avoid paying Motorway fuel prices, and now I'm a pensioner cost is more important than time! With 74l of fuel (more than the tank capacity of my car) I can drive off the edge of the motorway network in the UK, in any direction, from any point on mainland UK.
Personally I don't really care what the fuel costs -- my time is more important. YMMV.
With either my ukfuels card or bp fuels card i pay a fixed price regarless of the price displayed on the pump, and that price is cheaper than the cheapest supermarket fuel, so filling up wherever its convenient isnt a problem in my vans or diesel cars.
Fuel card costs 20 quid a year and worth every penny
On a long journey depending when you are low on fuel often a cheap station might be a 25 or 35 minute diversion off the motorway, especially if traffic is busy. Filling staions off the motorway but close to the motorway still tend to be dearer than supermarkets so to save a few quid you have to take a bit of a diversion.
My petrol car and motorbike have small tanks so the exta miles to save a couple of quid would be a false economy.
As I am getting older I value my time far more than i used to, I just do the mental maths, I think 80 quid an hour plus vat, is it worth wasting half an hour to save maybe 15 quid if you are lucky? Nope.
Fuel card costs 20 quid a year and worth every penny
On a long journey depending when you are low on fuel often a cheap station might be a 25 or 35 minute diversion off the motorway, especially if traffic is busy. Filling staions off the motorway but close to the motorway still tend to be dearer than supermarkets so to save a few quid you have to take a bit of a diversion.
My petrol car and motorbike have small tanks so the exta miles to save a couple of quid would be a false economy.
As I am getting older I value my time far more than i used to, I just do the mental maths, I think 80 quid an hour plus vat, is it worth wasting half an hour to save maybe 15 quid if you are lucky? Nope.
Edited by OldGermanHeaps on Sunday 18th May 22:05
aturnick54 said:
I was low on fuel tonight, and quickly stopped at Birch services to see how much it was. £1.57 per litre.
While stopped for just a minute I checked to see if there was another fuel station nearby. 4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
Most cars even on reserve fuel will do 40-50 miles until they are actually empty. So there's no reason why somebody would find themselves in a situation where they haven't got enough fuel to get off the motorway to a local station.
That’s a significant chunk of motorway drivers.While stopped for just a minute I checked to see if there was another fuel station nearby. 4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Which makes me wonder, aside from company or fuel card drivers, why would anybody pay for fuel at a motorway service station? Other than poor forward planning and laziness.
Most cars even on reserve fuel will do 40-50 miles until they are actually empty. So there's no reason why somebody would find themselves in a situation where they haven't got enough fuel to get off the motorway to a local station.
I used to have a fuel card for work. The price per litre was negotiated nationally with Shell, it didn't matter where I filled up the price the company paid was the same and it wasn't what was on the pump. We could use other suppliers but Shell was always the cheapest.
I'd often fill up at Cobham services because it was convenient and cheaper than say using a Texaco closer to home.
I'd often fill up at Cobham services because it was convenient and cheaper than say using a Texaco closer to home.
CraigyMc said:
To make a £20 difference, you'd be dispensing 74 litres. Anyone putting that amount of fuel in a car has a big car and likely cares more about the convenience of getting going again quickly over seeking out cheap fuel.
With 74l of fuel (more than the tank capacity of my car) I can drive off the edge of the motorway network in the UK, in any direction, from any point on mainland UK.
Personally I don't really care what the fuel costs -- my time is more important. YMMV.
In fairness with a tank that big, there's no reason why you can't plan stops anyway on a longer journey to somewhere unfamilar.With 74l of fuel (more than the tank capacity of my car) I can drive off the edge of the motorway network in the UK, in any direction, from any point on mainland UK.
Personally I don't really care what the fuel costs -- my time is more important. YMMV.
But even if you're filling a bike up. It might only be a few quid more, but you are still paying significantly more than you should be paying
Sensibleboy said:
If it's business miles the driver might not be the one paying for it.
Depends if they have a fuel card or are paid mileage.When paid mileage, personally I'd still rather save a few quid and fill up at a local station. The 45p per mile is also supposed to cover wear on the car, not just the fuel cost.
OldGermanHeaps said:
With either my ukfuels card or bp fuels card i pay a fixed price regarless of the price displayed on the pump, and that price is cheaper than the cheapest supermarket fuel, so filling up wherever its convenient isnt a problem in my vans or diesel cars.
Fuel card costs 20 quid a year and worth every penny
On a long journey depending when you are low on fuel often a cheap station might be a 25 or 35 minute diversion off the motorway, especially if traffic is busy. Filling staions off the motorway but close to the motorway still tend to be dearer than supermarkets so to save a few quid you have to take a bit of a diversion.
My petrol car and motorbike have small tanks so the exta miles to save a couple of quid would be a false economy.
As I am getting older I value my time far more than i used to, I just do the mental maths, I think 80 quid an hour plus vat, is it worth wasting half an hour to save maybe 15 quid if you are lucky? Nope.
I don't understand the £80/hr reference. Is that what you value your personal time at? (Even though you're not paying or taking that amount to/from yourself). Or is it that you could be earning £80/hr if you weren't stuck in the car driving to where you need to get to?Fuel card costs 20 quid a year and worth every penny
On a long journey depending when you are low on fuel often a cheap station might be a 25 or 35 minute diversion off the motorway, especially if traffic is busy. Filling staions off the motorway but close to the motorway still tend to be dearer than supermarkets so to save a few quid you have to take a bit of a diversion.
My petrol car and motorbike have small tanks so the exta miles to save a couple of quid would be a false economy.
As I am getting older I value my time far more than i used to, I just do the mental maths, I think 80 quid an hour plus vat, is it worth wasting half an hour to save maybe 15 quid if you are lucky? Nope.
Edited by OldGermanHeaps on Sunday 18th May 22:05
Either way, with adequate/basic planning, the most efficient fuel stops can be factored in to a journey to maximise savings and minimise added time. Granted, if money is not an issue then efficient fuel stops are irrelevant.
aturnick54 said:
4 minute drive and 1.4 miles away was a Texaco. Very easy to get to, and the fuel there was £1.30 per litre. 27 pence per litre cheaper just for a small amount of effort. That's nearly a £20 saving on a single tank.
Most motorway junctions are victims of congestion. Could easily lose a lot more time queuing. Unless you are very poor there will be all sorts of ways in which you waste money, and all sorts of other ways that you spend a disproportionate amount of effort in trying to save it.
I have been filling vehicles up with fuel for more than 45 years and have never paid any attention to the price of it throughout that time. I do however recoil in disbelief from the idea that some people pay extra for someone to unscrew the plumbing connections from their old washing machine, and reconnect the new one that has just been delivered…
I have been filling vehicles up with fuel for more than 45 years and have never paid any attention to the price of it throughout that time. I do however recoil in disbelief from the idea that some people pay extra for someone to unscrew the plumbing connections from their old washing machine, and reconnect the new one that has just been delivered…
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff