Spring school holiday drivers stung by peak petrol prices   
Herald Sun
September 26, 2017

   

DRIVERS have been hit with a peak in petrol prices for the start of the school holidays.

In a blow to families on road trips, unleaded fuel in Melbourne was yesterday selling for as high as 142.9c at scores of petrol stations.

Outlets in holiday hot spots including Mornington, Rosebud, Rye and Healesville were among the most expensive areas.

The average metropolitan price was 140.2c a litre — the highest in almost six weeks.

“Unfortunately the peak of Melbourne’s price cycle has hit at the worst possible time for a lot of people as school holidays have recently started and it is the lead up to a long weekend,” comparethemarket.com.au spokeswoman Abigail Koch said.   


However some bargains remained, with some outlets in suburbs including Taylors Lakes and Bulleen yesterday still selling for as low as 112.4c a litre.

Filling up a 60-litre tank at the most expensive sites compared with the cheapest stripped an extra $18.30 from hip pockets.   

Ms Koch said that unless a cheaper outlet was nearby, drivers should try to hold off on filling up until after Friday’s AFL Grand Final eve public holiday.

Prices should slowly start easing again over the weekend, she said.

“The timing of the peak appears to be part of the regular cycle where prices fluctuate from a peak, fall slowly to a low point, then rise to a peak again,” she said.

“It appears to be coincidence rather than conspiracy.”

Ms Koch said Melbourne’s average price had increased incrementally from 115.2c per litre since September 19.


“When prices are at their peak like now, think about topping up rather than filling up all the way if you can.

“Don’t wait until the petrol warning light comes on because typically that means you are more likely to panic buy than shop around.”

Drivers should also make the most of fuel comparison apps to see where the cheapest options are.

New research from comparethemarket.com.au, based on MotorMouth data, has revealed Essendon North/Tullamarine (120c), Dandenong and Mulgrave (120.3c), Moorabbin (120.6c) and Oakleigh/Camberwell (120.8c) were Melbourne’s cheapest unleaded petrol regions on average from mid-June to mid-September.

The CBD/South Melbourne, Greensborough/Ivanhoe, Hawthorn and Croydon/Mitcham were the costliest for the quarter, with average prices ranging from 121.8c to 122.9c per litre.

....wait till Sunday to fill up....they might charge double

Here in Perth, the petrol prices always go up on Tuesdays then slowly fall by about 2 cents per litre per day until the cheapest day on Monday.

Until about 5 or 6 years ago the cheapest day used to be Wednesday and the price went up on Thursday then the fuel companies changed it without notice, of course. I bet a lot of drivers got caught out paying more that week.

At least here in WA the petrol price now cannot be changed until midnight each day. I remember years ago seeing the price go up at noon every Friday (sometimes by about 15 cents per litre) to catch everyone filling up for the weekend.

We pay some of the highest prices for petrol, power and internet in the world.

Vehicles are nearly twice the price as in the US

Our food costs are 30% higher than many other countries

Yet
We have our own resources ( owned by foreigners)
We have tons of food (sold to other countries at a fraction of the cost we pay)
We gave away our vehicle induztry (because our politicians all have no brains to maintain industry in Australia)

Thank you grubberment
May you all rot in hell for eternity

I filled up with diesel yesterday for $1.25 and took Mrs Gs car this morning and filled it with 91 for $1.13 and saw plenty of places at that price, I also saw places selling E10 for $1.45

Shop around!