Diesel V Petrol Prices
Discussion
As I’m now an old duffer when I started driving in the mid 60’s diesel was a few coppers cheaper than petrol per gallon. I recall it was then justified by saying that petrol was more expensive to refine. As we all know it’s now considerably more expensive.
I recently passed a filling station where petrol was £1.51 a litre and diesel £1.73 a litre.
In old money that’s £1 a gallon more expensive!
How can the oil companies possibly justify this? (Other than to say that they can because of their virtual monopoly!)
I recently passed a filling station where petrol was £1.51 a litre and diesel £1.73 a litre.
In old money that’s £1 a gallon more expensive!
How can the oil companies possibly justify this? (Other than to say that they can because of their virtual monopoly!)
gardeners26 said:
As I’m now an old duffer when I started driving in the mid 60’s diesel was a few coppers cheaper than petrol per gallon. I recall it was then justified by saying that petrol was more expensive to refine. As we all know it’s now considerably more expensive.
I recently passed a filling station where petrol was £1.51 a litre and diesel £1.73 a litre.
In old money that’s £1 a gallon more expensive!
How can the oil companies possibly justify this? (Other than to say that they can because of their virtual monopoly!)
I'm confused by your belief that it needs to be justified.I recently passed a filling station where petrol was £1.51 a litre and diesel £1.73 a litre.
In old money that’s £1 a gallon more expensive!
How can the oil companies possibly justify this? (Other than to say that they can because of their virtual monopoly!)
As a serial petrol owner, I have lived through the jibes about my cars doing under 30 mpg and being 'no faster than the diesel in the real world because of torque'.
Now, my 2.0 turbo petrol estate has all the torque, enough power, does 40+ mpg (48 on a motorway run), and is still supping from the green pump, which now happily also costs less than the alternative. Shame that it almost sounds like a diesel however, unlike the old port injection '6's of 20 years ago.
Now, my 2.0 turbo petrol estate has all the torque, enough power, does 40+ mpg (48 on a motorway run), and is still supping from the green pump, which now happily also costs less than the alternative. Shame that it almost sounds like a diesel however, unlike the old port injection '6's of 20 years ago.
Just swapped from a 1.5 diesel to a 1.4 turbo petrol (both Renault). With the petrol I set the cruise control to 70MPH and averaged 46MPG, the diesel would have averaged about 60MPG.
However, diesel is between 20 and 25p a litre more expensive so the difference in cost between them isn't actually that much. The petrol has 130BHP and 190 Nm @ 2250 rpm, the diesel 86BHP and 200 Nm @ 1900.
The petrol is SO much smoother and quieter to drive, I hadn't quite realised how agricultural and harsh a 4 cylinder diesel is.
No way would I ever go back to diesel now unless I was doing significant mileage a year.
However, diesel is between 20 and 25p a litre more expensive so the difference in cost between them isn't actually that much. The petrol has 130BHP and 190 Nm @ 2250 rpm, the diesel 86BHP and 200 Nm @ 1900.
The petrol is SO much smoother and quieter to drive, I hadn't quite realised how agricultural and harsh a 4 cylinder diesel is.
No way would I ever go back to diesel now unless I was doing significant mileage a year.
Joey Deacon said:
Just swapped from a 1.5 diesel to a 1.4 turbo petrol (both Renault). With the petrol I set the cruise control to 70MPH and averaged 46MPG, the diesel would have averaged about 60MPG.
However, diesel is between 20 and 25p a litre more expensive so the difference in cost between them isn't actually that much. The petrol has 130BHP and 190 Nm @ 2250 rpm, the diesel 86BHP and 200 Nm @ 1900.
The petrol is SO much smoother and quieter to drive, I hadn't quite realised how agricultural and harsh a 4 cylinder diesel is.
No way would I ever go back to diesel now unless I was doing significant mileage a year.
My experience is different. Small petrol @70 sounds like you’re revving the nuts off it. Skoda Superb under 2k rpm. 60+ mpg average @ £30 a year tax.However, diesel is between 20 and 25p a litre more expensive so the difference in cost between them isn't actually that much. The petrol has 130BHP and 190 Nm @ 2250 rpm, the diesel 86BHP and 200 Nm @ 1900.
The petrol is SO much smoother and quieter to drive, I hadn't quite realised how agricultural and harsh a 4 cylinder diesel is.
No way would I ever go back to diesel now unless I was doing significant mileage a year.
I should replace it, but nothing is worth the hassle at the moment..
James6112 said:
My experience is different. Small petrol @70 sounds like you’re revving the nuts off it. Skoda Superb under 2k rpm. 60+ mpg average @ £30 a year tax.
I should replace it, but nothing is worth the hassle at the moment..
Apples and oranges. My old MKIII Superb (2.0 TSI 220) was pulling 80mph at those revs rather than 70mph, and would hit 50mpg on the motorway driven normally. Plus I spent up to 30ppl less than I would have to on diesel. I should replace it, but nothing is worth the hassle at the moment..
As you can see from the average speed, I didn't even spend much time on the motorway on that run, either... Much more refined, quiet, and fun on the back roads than the stinking clattery diesel that preceded it!
Edited by rainmakerraw on Tuesday 21st February 18:43
Fastdruid]Worth mentioning as well with modern diesels that adblue will decrease your effective mpg as well[1 said:
. Depending on how much you use and how cheaply you get it can be "worth" a good 5mpg.
[1] ie increase your cost per mile.
[1] ie increase your cost per mile.
I've just ticked over 13000 miles in my diesel Volvo, and had to top up adblue for the first time. Bought a drum from Eurocarparts for £20 and the car took about 4/5ths of that - hardly a big expense.
yellowbentines said:
Fastdruid]Worth mentioning as well with modern diesels that adblue will decrease your effective mpg as well[1 said:
. Depending on how much you use and how cheaply you get it can be "worth" a good 5mpg.
[1] ie increase your cost per mile.
[1] ie increase your cost per mile.
I've just ticked over 13000 miles in my diesel Volvo, and had to top up adblue for the first time. Bought a drum from Eurocarparts for £20 and the car took about 4/5ths of that - hardly a big expense.
Some cars however will use 6-8%, If your car was doing 50mpg but used adblue at 8% then rather than needing 8 litres over 13000 miles you'd need 94litres. At the £2 you paid that's £188 and if you work that back based on the current avg price of diesel being £1.6885 it would work out as an equivalent mpg of 45.67. Obviously if you only pay 48p/litre of adblue (a quick google suggests this is the cheapest you can get it) it's better as works out to be less than 2mpg difference (48.88mpg)
Many reasons.
The difference in price is because of scalping by the fuel retailers, Ukraine/Russia, the dirty fuel that it is and also at this time of year diesel is in more demand because of heating fuel.
I'm often amazed at regional variations - petrol is 137.7 and diesel 157.7 in mid-Kent. But even at £1 more expensive, I got 65 emmpeegees driving 350 miles home from Manchester farting around via the East Coast in the Passat with still 2/3rds of the tank left.
The difference in price is because of scalping by the fuel retailers, Ukraine/Russia, the dirty fuel that it is and also at this time of year diesel is in more demand because of heating fuel.
I'm often amazed at regional variations - petrol is 137.7 and diesel 157.7 in mid-Kent. But even at £1 more expensive, I got 65 emmpeegees driving 350 miles home from Manchester farting around via the East Coast in the Passat with still 2/3rds of the tank left.
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