Fuel price discussion thread (was ‘chaos’)

[TW]Fox · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:49

lordrobs said:
It just seems odd to me that someone is willing to pay a big premium to get a performance car but <£10 increase on a tank of fuel gets them drafting trucks at 56 mph

You'd be surprised at how few people look at what a car costs to run and whether it's worth it versus the alternatives when deciding what to buy.

For many of these people, it will be because such costs are inconsequential and they are happy to absorb them. But for others the lack of research ends up with driving at 56mph or changing cars every 3 weeks at an even greater cost, which also gets ignored.

I don't fully agree that once you've bought anything other than a 1.2 Fiesta you've no right to be bothered about how much money you waste on fuel and therefore there is no need to ever take steps to drive efficiently, but sitting behind trucks is getting to the 'Why did you buy that car?' side of the argument.

dlockers · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:50

[TW]Fox said:
You do realise that for every 10p it drops you'll save £5 on a typical full tank on a plug in hybrid? It's a nice saving to have for sure but surely isn't worth planning and limiting your journeys just avoid buying a full tank of another week?

You and Rroff should team up on giving money away (y)

200sols · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:51

Probably pay for the insurance monthly as well.

[TW]Fox · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:52

dLockers said:
You and Rroff should team up on giving money away (y)

I'd go out of my way to save £5 on a tank of fuel - I'm completely on board with the idea of saving money where possible.

But avoiding filling your car up and instead not making various journeys because you're waiting for the price drop before buying a tank of fuel is the sort of thing that I felt needed a quick reminder of, in context, how little he's saving by doing that. Especially given it's likely his plug in hybrid has a smaller than average fuel tank anyway, making the cost per tank saving of a 10p a litre drop in price even less.

Over time, that £5 a tank really does begin to add up. But this isn't about over time, it's about what he's doing as a one of this week because of the impending price drop following recent falls in wholesale fuel prices.

dlockers · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:54

Right, but if he doesn't need to fill the tank until next week ('need' being stronger than 'want') then what difference does it make. It is a "free fiver" with literally no meaningful impact to his life.

[TW]Fox · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:55

dLockers said:
Right, but if he doesn't need to fill the tank until next week ('need' being stronger than 'want') then what difference does it make. It is a "free fiver" with literally no meaningful impact to his life.

It has an impact - in order to not fill until next week he has had to limit his car usage this week. That's the entire point.

I’ll just have to limit my journeys

If he wasn't going to use the car anyway then obviously it makes perfect sense to wait a week. But that isn't the case here, hence the discussion.

dlockers · 25 Jul 2022 at 12:59

And clearly he didn't need to make those journeys otherwise he wouldn't have proposed the option.

MoSCoW, ya know?

413x · 25 Jul 2022 at 13:02

Fill up once every couple of weeks. Was 188 couple Of days ago. Still high

chroniclard · 25 Jul 2022 at 13:15

lordrobs said:
It just seems odd to me that someone is willing to pay a big premium to get a performance car but <£10 increase on a tank of fuel gets them drafting trucks at 56 mph. Fuel wasn't exactly cheap when they got the car so if fuel price was such a worry why not get a 118i M Sport? They'd probably have saved that <£10 a tank with the difference in fuel economy between the two cars.

Well, our car is not exactly economical. Averages about 24 around town and can get much less on short trips if you shoe it a bit. But if I do longer trips(thankfully its not often), I will drive economically. I essentially just set the travel assist(smartish cruise control) to 65 and its a relatively easy 45mpg and a nice stress free journey. Maybe they just want to save a few quid now and again.

Andrew Moore · 25 Jul 2022 at 13:39

Jonnycoupe said:
1st world problems, a lot of people dont have that luxury of choice.

An observation and a snip in to how it affects me and the general area is just that.

I was fortunate enough to get a plug in hybrid. It wasn’t because I had a crystal ball and could see this happening and even if I did, the cost of electricity is significantly more expensive than it was so it’s not like I’m riding in to the sunset on unicorns and rainbows. It was because I thought why not. Does it benefit me now? Sure, to an extent but certainly not as much as it would have if energy wasn’t also an issue along side the cost of fuel. Is that a reason for you to be negative with the above comment?

When talking about the grass being greener, consider what is happening on the other side of that fence too.

Jonnycoupe · 25 Jul 2022 at 15:21

I didn’t mention any grass. Plus your dilemma is hardly chaos.

sandys · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:30

lordrobs said:
It just seems odd to me that someone is willing to pay a big premium to get a performance car but <£10 increase on a tank of fuel gets them drafting trucks at 56 mph. Fuel wasn't exactly cheap when they got the car so if fuel price was such a worry why not get a 118i M Sport? They'd probably have saved that <£10 a tank with the difference in fuel economy between the two cars.

Perhaps the performance car is bought for performance reasons outside of the daily grind and they just tolerate the commute costs and would prefer to reduce as generally there's no fun to be had on most commutes.

Doobedoo · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:34

sandys said:
Perhaps the performance car is bought for performance reasons outside of the daily grind and they just tolerate the commute costs and would prefer to reduce as generally there's no fun to be had on most commutes.

Can’t do more than 70 anyway can we guys

sandys · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:37

Doobedoo said:
Can’t do more than 70 anyway can we guys

The experience with my GTA V6 on a cross country drive would suggest I didn't need much more than 60 to enjoy the screaming V6, blimey, even in 30 zones I would be in lower gears than I needed to be because it sounded so good, so juvenile, but it was hard not too, great way to waste fuel

Doobedoo · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:40

sandys said:
My experience on my GTA V6 on a cross country drive would suggest I didn't need much more than 60 to enjoy the screaming V6 blimey even in 30 zones I would be in lower gears than I needed to be because it just sounded so good, so juvenile but it was hard not too, great way to waste fuel

Why not got to pay the cost to be the boss. Still buying a v6 just to slipstream a lorry makes you look as much of a Wally, as a guy who drives with the top down while wearing a hat and a scarf because it’s 5c outside.

sandys · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:43

I wouldn't slip stream a lorry in an Italian car, the paint won't take it

but I was certainly Mr light foot going to work, other times, full on mentalist

dlockers · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:43

Doobedoo said:
Why not got to pay the cost to be the boss. Still buying a v6 just to slipstream a lorry makes you look as much of a Wally, as a guy who drives with the top down while wearing a hat and a scarf because it’s 5c outside.

You are suggesting you need to be booting it if you own a V6? :confused:

Doobedoo · 25 Jul 2022 at 16:45

dLockers said:
You are suggesting you need to be booting it if you own a V6?

He mentioned v6 after. We were talking about the msport obviously those that drive such cars are usually 2 inches from your rear bumper.

lordrobs · 25 Jul 2022 at 17:06

Doobedoo said:
makes you look as much of a Wally, as a guy who drives with the top down while wearing a hat and a scarf because it’s 5c outside.

I resemble that remark :cry:

MissChief · 25 Jul 2022 at 17:14

lordrobs said:
I resemble that remark

Has to be said, if you have a convertible you should have the top down every chance you get.