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In the last week have you used a shopper docket to save money on your fuel?
Click here to vote in our poll.
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MotorMouth is here to get you a better deal on fuel.
Click here to tell all your friends and help them enjoy the savings as well.
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Hello again from the team at MotorMouth.
More gyrations in the fuel markets this month with unleaded fuel dropping to $80AUD per barrel which is fantastic news for motorists, and diesel coming down to about $72AUD per barrel. Hooray!
This month we’re talking about bio-fuels. NRMA Insurance has sent us a very interesting article on bio-fuels which you can read below.
For those of us who will be watching Bathurst this weekend the introduction of an E85 fuel blend (85% ethanol and 15% unleaded) in 2009 for all V8 Supercar teams now means cars will need to stop up to 8 times for fuel instead of 6 stops in the past.
Which brings us to an interesting point. Using ethanol blended fuel might be cheaper, but check your car for any disadvantage in the distance you get per tank. Saving 3 cents a litre might sound attractive for E10 over normal unleaded fuel, but it might not we worth it if the extra fuel consumption outweighs the initial savings.
We’re also conducting a review of the fuel types advertised that we collect on price boards. This is because 95 RON unleaded and 95 RON ethanol blend unleaded are not the same fuels. We’ve had concerns in recent times that some fuels on price boards are not as clear about their make up as they could be and consequently sometimes even we are getting it wrong.
We want to make it as clear as possible for motorists to find the cheapest fuel near them, and that the fuel type and price we quote is the same fuel type available for sale…so stay tuned for further developments.
Finally, I heard yesterday about a fellow who has scheduled a much needed yet minor knee operation for this Friday so that he would be immobile for Saturday and Sunday, which just happens to coincide with hours and hours of coverage from the Bathurst 1000.
That’s dedication.
Cheers
Sean Rennick
MotorMouth
If you have any suggestions then please send your feedback to
feedback motormouth.com.au |
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This article is supplied by NRMA Insurance.
A guide to ... ethanol and biodiesel
Ethanol-blended fuel is being touted as an antidote to rising petrol prices and diminishing oil supplies. While it has its merits in some applications it is by no means a magic solution to the car world’s energy woes.
Most ethanol produced in Australia is derived from the waste of sugar cane, corn and grain crops. There are also studies underway to try to make ethanol from municipal waste which, if successful, could reduce the amount of landfill. For now though, ethanol is derived from grain based crops.
Because of ethanol’s high alcohol content it can be used as a fuel in most modern car engines. In Australia, many petrol stations now offer fuel that is a blend of 10 per cent ethanol and 90 per cent regular unleaded (E10). Indeed, the NSW government has mandated that E10 will replace regular unleaded by 2010.
Many motorists are initially attracted to E10’s cheaper price, but is it a false economy? Ethanol has 34 per cent less energy than unleaded petrol. While the octane rating of E10 is similar to premium unleaded (94 to 95 octane) it does not have the same energy density. In other words, you have to burn more to get the same amount of energy as regular fuel.
So that means a tankful of E10 petrol will not get you as far as a tankful of regular petrol, which in many cases negates the modest cost saving. Generally speaking, most cars that run on regular unleaded can run on E10, but if in doubt contact a mechanic or check with a dealer that services your brand of car.
A small number of E85 outlets have begun to appear in Australia. As the name implies, this is fuel with an 85 per cent blend of ethanol and 15 per cent regular unleaded. Car engines must be modified and specifically designed to run on this fuel. To date only Saab has engines which can run on E85 in Australia. More are expected to follow.
The Australian V8 Supercar motorsport championship also switched to E85 in 2009 and the teams anticipate the race cars will be required to make two extra pit stops (from six to eight) to complete the distance in the famous Bathurst 1000 race in October.
Ethanol-blended fuels don’t like starting in cold weather (below 11 degrees Celcius) and in Sweden where E85 is popular, fuel companies produce E75 during winter.
Australia was the 10th biggest producer of ethanol in the world last year, largely thanks to the Federal Government’s Ethanol Production Grants. The program commenced on 18 September 2002 and is available to ethanol producers until 30 June 2011.
Ethanol Production Grants are paid to ethanol producers at a rate of 38.143 cents per litre. To claim the grant, ethanol must be produced entirely in Australia from biomass feedstock, which is to be used in, or as, a transport fuel in Australia.
In the same way ethanol is being blended with unleaded petrol to reduce the cost and dependence on oil supplies, vegetable oils are being blended with diesel to create bio-diesel.
In Australia, some oil companies offer diesel blended with 2 per cent vegetable oils (B2) and most diesel engines can run on this mix unaffected. Be sure to check with the manufacturer of your vehicle if in doubt, as biodiesel could affect any warranty claims regarding the engine and fuel system.
Indeed, the NSW Government has mandated all diesel fuel will be B2 biodiesel by the end of 2012. A small number of outlets offer B5 (5 per cent bio-diesel) while B20 (20 per cent bio-diesel) is available to commercial operators by special arrangement. B2 diesel is not harmful to most diesel engines, but B5 and B20 is not suitable for some of the latest generation diesel engines from Europe.
Because of the chemical makeup of biodiesel, and the potential for separation over time of the mixture, biodiesel may not be suitable for vehicles that are used infrequently and sit idle for some months.
About NRMA Insurance
NRMA Insurance is a provider of insurance products, including car insurance and home insurance in NSW, ACT & TAS. |
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These articles proudly supplied by carsguide.
Land Rover LRX for city
The first Land Rover designed for the city and not the country will hit Australian showrooms within 18 months.[Read
more]
Mini E electric: review
The BMW Group has produced about 500 Mini E vehicles which run on mains electricity stored in a battery.
[Read
more]
BMW new diesels: review
Diesel power is set to drive BMW sales further over the next few months. In the past five years since introducing oil-burning engines to its fleet in Australia the German brand has increased the proportion of diesel sales to 34 per cent.
[Read more]
Volvo S60 brakes for kids
It's a new Volvo S60 and it uses an updated and improved version of the City Safety system that already helps XC60 drivers avoid low-speed rear-enders.
[Read more] |
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The average, lowest and the highest Unleaded prices
for September 2009 in each city were:
| City |
Average |
Lowest |
Highest |
| Brisbane |
124.7 |
110.5 |
148.9 |
| Sydney |
122.1 |
108.5 |
136.9 |
| Melbourne |
124.1 |
111.5 |
135.9 |
| Adelaide |
121.7 |
107.9 |
137.9 |
| Perth |
121.3 |
111.4 |
136.9 |
| Hobart |
128.3 |
114.9 |
138.8 |
| Canberra |
127.3 |
117.9 |
139.9 |
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The price leading service stations for Unleaded in each city in
September 2009 were:
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| Brisbane |
| Service Station |
Caltex/Woolworths |
| Address |
| 725 Webster Rd & Gympie Rd |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Sydney |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for
month |
113.0 |
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| Melbourne |
| Service Station |
United |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Adelaide |
| Service Station |
Caltex/Woolworths |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Perth |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for
month |
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| Hobart |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for
month |
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| Canberra |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for
month |
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The average, lowest and the highest Diesel prices
for September 2009 in each city were:
| City |
Average |
Lowest |
Highest |
| Brisbane |
121.4 |
100.0 |
143.9 |
| Sydney |
121.2 |
109.9 |
145.9 |
| Melbourne |
118.8 |
107.9 |
129.7 |
| Adelaide |
121.3 |
109.9 |
133.9 |
| Perth |
125.5 |
117.7 |
137.9 |
| Hobart |
128.2 |
121.9 |
134.9 |
| Canberra |
124.4 |
122.7 |
133.9 |
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The price leading service stations for Diesel in each city in September 2009 were:
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| Brisbane |
| Service Station |
Freedom Fuels |
| Address |
| 79 South Pine Rd & Kremzow Rd |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Sydney |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Melbourne |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Adelaide |
| Service Station |
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| Address |
| 369 Prospect Rd & Audrey Av |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Perth |
| Service Station |
United |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Hobart |
| Service Station |
United Bridgewater |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Canberra |
| Service Station |
BP |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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The average, lowest and the highest LPG prices
for September 2009 in each city were:
| City |
Average |
Lowest |
Highest |
| Brisbane |
58.1 |
49.5 |
64.9 |
| Sydney |
53.1 |
45.9 |
66.7 |
| Melbourne |
52.9 |
41.9 |
59.9 |
| Adelaide |
58.5 |
47.7 |
64.9 |
| Perth |
58.3 |
46.9 |
68.9 |
| Hobart |
67.4 |
60.7 |
69.9 |
| Canberra |
53.4 |
50.7 |
59.9 |
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The price leading service stations for LPG in each city in September 2009 were:
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| Brisbane |
| Service Station |
Freedom Fuels |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Sydney |
| Service Station |
7 Eleven |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Melbourne |
| Service Station |
South Melbourne Discount Fuel |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Adelaide |
| Service Station |
Liberty |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Perth |
| Service Station |
BP |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Hobart |
| Service Station |
United Bridgewater |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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| Canberra |
| Service Station |
BP |
| Address |
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| Suburb |
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| Average Price for month |
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