3 tips to save money on petrol in Queensland


The cost of putting fuel in our cars has risen significantly in the last year, as petrol prices suffer from the market volatility caused by the pandemic. The unfortunate truth is that fuel prices are likely to continue to rise for the foreseeable future, with inflation and as fuel scarcity becomes a bigger and bigger problem. 

There are a few ways that you can combat these rising prices with your driving and refilling habits:

Time it right

There is an old piece of wisdom that fuel is more expensive on the weekends, and that early weekdays are the cheapest. This is no longer true, new research has found that fuel cycles are less predictable than ever, ranging from 7 to 54 days depending on where you live. 

The one thing that is consistent across cycle times and places is the price increase and decrease trends. Fuel prices are quick to skyrocket and very slow to come down again. This means it can be challenging to fill up at the lowest point in the cycle because if you wait too long, you could see the prices spike again.

If you’d like to keep a closer watch on the price of fuel over time, the ACCC’s price watch website is an incredible resource. It has data on all Australian capital cities including Brisbane, which works on a fairly long cycle.

Go to the right places

Most fuel retailers are required to report their prices immediately after changing them, which means you can find this information online and use it to help inform where to go to get the best fuel prices. 

In Queensland, the best website to keep track of fuel prices is the RACQ Fair Fuel Prices website. You can find the fair current price in your specific location, as well as the cheapest locations near you. 

Drive more efficiently

In addition to making sure you always fill your car up at the lowest prices, driving more efficiently means that you will need to fill up less often, saving you even more money.

There is one tiny tweak that you can make to your driving habit which will vastly improve your efficiency is to be more considered about accelerating and braking. Pressing your pedals less often, and more softly will burn less fuel as you drive and lead to more savings. 

Using the air conditioning less is another way to save your car’s fuel. In some newer car models, air conditioning runs off the battery, but in all slightly older can models, your air con is using fuel. 

You also want to ensure that your tyres are fully inflated, increasing their rolling resistance and decreasing your bill. Check them at least once a month with the machine at most petrol stations to ensure they have the correct pressure in them. If you notice over time that one tyre is deflating quickly, it might be time to get that tyre replaced. 

Ensuring that your car is well maintained and checked regularly by a mechanic is another way to ensure it is running as efficiently as possible. The team at Pearson Automotive are your local mechanic Milton and can help keep your car in great shape. Come see us today for a vehicle service quote or Milton car repair.

 





Posted in Latest Posts on Jan 14, 2022.