BP Ultimate Price Gouging

[Trump]

Originally Posted by pcamz

Yeah that's the performance vehicle tax at play.
It's a PITA that it works out more expensive to add octane booster to 91 also.
Plus from the octane boosters I can find most don't guarantee a big enough jump at the recommended dose....
Also anyone notice that BP says it cleans the dirt out, I mean seriously??
No one ever gets dirt in the fuel or engine.
Soot/Carbon deposits sure, but they won't say that as it may mean something it can't really be proven to do ACCC anyone?

Fuel will always have some sediment in it, clean storage tanks will mean minimal sediment, dirty old ones will have a lot more. It is why fuel filters are fitted to cars. Even still, some does get past the filter and becomes a deposit within the fuel system, in addition to carbon deposits on the valvetrain and intake ports.

I always run BP 98 in my car, so I'm yet to notice any change in the engine's running characteristics. With my current driving pattern, I'm getting 750km out of a 60L fill and that corresponds to about two weeks between fills.

[vztrt]

I use to run bp98. But i just run mobil 98 now. Car goes just as hard slighty cheaper and closer to home.

Personally dont see any benefit in ultimate....maybe if the turbo was tuned on it.

[jimt3te50]

Filled up the XY with the stuff too, today. $198.00 for a fill, 142L. It got me 315 miles last week.

[Brian_H]

Hey boys and girls,

Here's two vids that will entertain (and educate?) you all for more than a good few minutes. This guy, John Cadogen, is the real deal - no BS whatsoever - you'll enjoy this if you haven't seen him before. An engineer by trade (among many other things) - he calls it as he sees it, refreshingly . . . enjoy . . .

WARNING - VERY colourful language alert!

Which Fuel Drives Your Dollar Further?
http://autoexpert.com.au/buying-a-ca...dollar-further

BP Ultimate Advertising Fail:
http://autoexpert.com.au/buying-a-ca...premium-petrol

Cheers guys, - Brian.

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by jimt3te50

Filled up the XY with the stuff too, today. $198.00 for a fill, 142L. It got me 315 miles last week.

And worth every cent?

[Bossxr8]

Cost over 91 to refine it into 98 is 2-3 cents a litre. The price they charge to the public is nothing but a complete ripoff.

[kazawaki]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

When I bought my first V8 I had plenty of people telling me I was mad for buying a fuel guzzling V8, my reply was "I know that, when I bought it I lost the right to complain about poor fuel economy"

If youre going to make the choice to buy a premium level car that needs the premium fuel, you made the choice to accept the higher fuel costs.

Exactly i drive my 2014 pursuit like it was ment to be driven and it averages 20 litres average,i also have a supercharged motorcycle that averages 8 litres per 100 ks and i dont care as its fun.

[Shonky.]

Is the margin in the Shell 98 lower than BPs

(Only ever used ultimate so wouldn't know)

I will change I reckon if it's less

[PepeLePew]

More and more new vehicles especially as we move to higher volumes of imported vehicles need/want/desire 98. Not like a fuel company to milk that, that'd never happen. My GS uses 10.3/100 average, but regardless of whether its 20 or 10 or 5, i DON'T like being taken for a ride. I have electricity companies that'll do that for me.

[PepeLePew]

Originally Posted by Shonky.

the provision of petrol is more like an essential service than a discretionary good

as such there should be more intervention than other goods, for which I agree with some of the free market economists in this thread

its a right pain in the *** having to drive past price gouging servos to get to one with a fair price

I believe BP are pulling the p155 their 98 product; what was the quote I saw on a pump the other day, "busts dirt in 2 tanks" or some such drivel

how very scientific, knob ends

Free economy doesn't work real well in some places, even larger ones. Since our friends the Shahin group have become more dominant in Adelaide discounting just isn't as aggressive as it used to be, far from it. And while it's acknowledged anti-competitive behaviour occurs in the industry, Joe Q Public can never retrieve what has flown out of his wallet when organizations such as the RAA publicize it and suddenly there is a lull in the spikes, only for them to rise again once the fur settles.. And the government just scurries into a corner and maintains its silence.

I don't know what drives the difference bw 95 and 98, and don't pretend to know. But too often it's just compounding the reaming we are already subject to on a regular basis.

[blackf6]

Retracted.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

Free economy doesn't work real well in some places, even larger ones. Since our friends the Shahin group have become more dominant in Adelaide discounting just isn't as aggressive as it used to be, far from it. And while it's acknowledged anti-competitive behaviour occurs in the industry, Joe Q Public can never retrieve what has flown out of his wallet when organizations such as the RAA publicize it and suddenly there is a lull in the spikes, only for them to rise again once the fur settles.. And the government just scurries into a corner and maintains its silence.

I don't know what drives the difference bw 95 and 98, and don't pretend to know. But too often it's just compounding the reaming we are already subject to on a regular basis.

The two things that compound the reaming are not Oil Companies or other organisations lack of enforcement, its peoples lack of intelligence and laziness. Even at the high end of the price cycle in Adelaide at the start of school holidays, whilst other petrol stations had unleaded at $1.26 etc, Costco had petrol at around the $1.02 mark. Now logic would tell you that there shouldnt be a petrol station within 20 to 30 kilometres of Costco that would have sold any petrol during this time, but i can assure you that the other 300 or so (and that is just a guess), in that catchment area still sold alot of petrol. I also understand that not everyone has a Costco card but 1-The savings in petrol are easily offset by the card cost and 2- There are a few other stations around that area that come close to matching Costcos price.

People always complain about how they get ripped off by others, but they always neglect to say that maybe they are just lacking a little in intelligence. Sadly - Rich / Intelligent people only exist because we have poor / un intelligent people.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by Brian_H

Hey boys and girls,

Here's two vids that will entertain (and educate?) you all for more than a good few minutes. This guy, John Cadogen, is the real deal - no BS whatsoever - you'll enjoy this if you haven't seen him before. An engineer by trade (among many other things) - he calls it as he sees it, refreshingly . . . enjoy . . .

WARNING - VERY colourful language alert!

Which Fuel Drives Your Dollar Further?
http://autoexpert.com.au/buying-a-ca...dollar-further

BP Ultimate Advertising Fail:
http://autoexpert.com.au/buying-a-ca...premium-petrol

Cheers guys, - Brian.

Cadogen is only on about what he has dealt with, he is just spinning one small side of his storys.

If you could plug in to your cars computer and drive about for a tank full of fuel and then just retrieve a print out that showed what was going on in your own engine under all driving conditions, regarding how much the timing was being retarded at times, then you would have the information on what fuel your engine truly does need.

If the knock sensor has to kick in to call out to the computer too retard the timing then the fuel you are using is no good and will need a higher octane, it's mainly just as simple as that.
Because the engine tune is not operating at optimum tune then is it.

Running higher octane is worthless if your car does no need it.

Your car may state you can run 91 by the car company, and yes it can but 95 may be what it truly needs to run at it's optimum.
The car company's just put the 91 spin on to attract customers, because most people complain like hell if they have to pay the extra $ for that type of fuel.

Is it cheaper to run 2010 Falcons on 91 octane I do think it's true, but if 95 octane was only 5 cents more then 91 octane you would be both better off performance wise and also value for money in fuel using the 95 octane I am sure, not to mention help in saving pollution and paying 11 cents more a litre for 95 is to much for the average Joe to fork out for so they will not do it.

[BENT_8]

Yawns...100% Propane from Supagas..104 octane...60.9cpl, wheres the problem

[Carrion]

I hate queuing up for fuel. I am more than happy to pay for that privilege.

PS and Gold Class when I go to the movies.

[sprintman1]

The short lived Shell V-Power Racing 100 RON was good and usually over 100 RON but this new BP is a bit of a surprise. Missus commented today that Forester "goes better" what have I done to it? Pity they don't sell it at Costco price levels...

[el andrew]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Same deal in Canberra, consistently 20 cents per litre more than 91. The answer to your question is, because they can. It's a business and businesses are out to make money, if people keep paying it they will keep charging it.

At the height of fuel costs i paid $1.86 for 98 once, just copped it sweet as that's part of owning a high performance car

The annoying thing about Canberra is that the petrol in general is more expensive that the surrounding regional areas! When I drive to Adelaide I fill up at Yass.

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Yawns...100% Propane from Supagas..104 octane...60.9cpl, wheres the problem

Because its easier to get BBQ refills from BCF?

[Rastus]

Always thought that it should be mandatory to show the prices of ALL fuels they sell on their boards, so you'd then know what you're going to be paying that for premium fuel before pulling in.
Just recently the ACCC or some government body told Coles & Woolies that they will no longer be able to have their "discount" fuel on the board as it's unfair to other servos. Pffft, gimme the 95 & 98 prices listed instead then! Neither of the cars in my garage run on 91.

[Blem]

Originally Posted by jimt3te50

Filled up the XY with the stuff too, today. $198.00 for a fill, 142L. It got me 315 miles last week.

There's your problem Jim.
You need to find a service station where the person comes out & fills the car with standard, then checks the oil & cleans your windscreen.
Brings a tear. Service...

[axe]

On a slightly unrelated note, I was in a BP near Newcastle and noticed that they don't have E10 at the bowser anymore. When I asked the person at the servo she said they no longer offer it.

Does this mean that BP isn't selling E10 or are hiding ethanol in their other blends to meet the NSW mandate? If they are putting it in the 91, 95 or 98 octane blends there wasn't any signage telling people about it.

Anyone know if petrol retailers are legally obliged to tell customers if a fuel has ethanol in it?

[blackf6]

BP sells the branding to sites as a "go green agreement". The site is legally bound to be branded BP and recieve BP fuel. Not all sites sell e10. If e10 is present, it I'll be marked at point of purchase. BP prides itself on fuel quality. And blending fuel is not permitted ex terminal.

[Mercury Bullet]

91 is $1.50 a litre where I live.

98 is unobtanium.

Anyone know who's fuel Puma 98 is?

[Perko]

Price gouging? At the end of the day people it's product differentiation and trying to build a premium product. BP are upselling the fuel's "advantages" so that it encourages people to buy their fuel and not use commodity products. This is business. If you like the premium product then you buy it. If not, you don't. When in business everyone knows that if you fail to present something new then you have to fight in the market based on price.

The market will dictate what happens. Personally I have been a long term user of BP Ultimate. Yep the premium is annoying at times, but I am happy to continue buying because I trust the product.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Pilko FNQ

I have to get my Ultimate 98 in 44 gallon drums originally filled and sealed in Brisbane and trucked to Cairns where the BP depot takes it to another transport company who trucks it to Weipa. Worked out at $3.12 a litre.

Have you no other options??? Is 95 available?

If it is, is using 95 and an octane booster in each tank an option?

[Sabantien]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

91 is $1.50 a litre where I live.

98 is unobtanium.

Anyone know who's fuel Puma 98 is?

Don't they all come from the same source anyhow?

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. When I lived on the northside of Brisbane I was right near the Puma depot, and they had unmanned pumps with only 98 or diesel. Often the 98 was cheaper than 91 anywhere else, and I ran into no problems with the fuel.

[superfly]

Originally Posted by sprintman1

I thought the same until I ran two full tanks through our Forester. 550kms from the second tank, never seen that before and noticeably smoother. Cleaner injectors/valves maybe?

In some cars (even non turbo) the higher octane fuel can be worth buying. Not only do you get better performance but also fuel economy. So the higher price is worth it. In the 90s, I had a 4cyl Hyundai Sonata and it benefitted from the high octane. A guy at work had the same car, I told him to use premium. At first he refused (didn't want to pay the higher cost). I told him I would pay him the extra if he didn't notice any difference. Sure enough, he noticed the same as I did.

I did do fuel dyno testing in the early 2000's with my WRX. At the time, Vortex 98 and BP Ultimate were very similar but Optimax made the car run a lot richer so we had to tune it to get more power out of it. Which then meant if you'd tune on Optimax and filled it up with Ultimate, it would ping its head off.

[2002au]

filled the f6 up today with bp 98 as usual. Was $1.34.
91 was like $1.18.

Worth it cause the sututututu makes me happy

[Express]

I filled up with Ultimate a half an hour ago at BP Woy Woy on the NSW Central Coast @ $1.479/L.

[blackf6]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

91 is $1.50 a litre where I live.

98 is unobtanium.

Anyone know who's fuel Puma 98 is?

Puma imports their fuel. The same ships as BP/ Caltex. Additives are added at the terminal.