Would you pay 1p/litre extra ....

steve-L

Near my home are two Shell garages
They are right opposite each other on a single carriageway road and 10m (max) to a roundabout.

One of these is usually 1p/litre cheaper .....

Milk is the same price .... and the other day I popped in the expensive one to buy a pint.
The guy asked me if I had any fuel and I was a bit stuck for what to say. I ended up saying er.... just the milk thanks but it struck me as so weird.... why would I pay up to an extra 65 pence (more than a pint of milk) to fill up when I can just cross the road?

I got to wondering why anyone would use the garage when you can plainly see it's 1p/litre more expensive?

I guess if your only buying 5l its only 5p..... but don't people who habitually put in 5l do so because they are on a tight budget?
Perhaps its people 'considerably richer than thou'.... trying to show they can afford to spend extra ??? (To be fair there was a Ferrari filling up)....

First time I used the cheap one was when I moved in...

I was driving a 7.5 tonner (for the first time in years) but to be fair I used it because it had more space to manoeuvre and given my lack of practice and the fact the reverse gear was screwed I might have actually paid the extra £1 to stick in 100l.

Other than that...???
I personally find it almost an affront?

McCoy

I'm guessing that a lot of people simply fill up where it's convenient rather than concerning themselves with a 1p per litre difference.

I think you answered your own question to be honest - the majority of people aren't on so tight a budget that they need to worry about spending £30.30 as opposed to £30.00 for the same amount of fuel.

Tilt

I would 'vote with my feet' and deffo go for the cheaper fuel.

A._Badger

In my town there are two filling stations and the difference is not 1p but currently 8p per litre. Still, plenty of locals patroinise the garage that adds essence of unicorn to its fuel.

LittleMax

I never understood why people paid more for petrol, and why petrol companies offered promotions, until I took the pool car out from work with the fuel card. Then the penny dropped;-)

chicken_licken_3

We have a similar set up round my way, one garage on one side of the road is always 1p/2p a litre cheaper, cross the roundabout same chain (BP) more expensive.

Diesel can vary up to 3p per litre so, as a diesel driver, I like to get it for the cheapest price!

The only thing I can see setting them apart is the cheaper site doesn't have a Costa coffee machine (for me that's a good thing saves me even more as I would've generally always bought a Latte in addition) to my fuel, possibly a magazine, loaf of bread etc.

There has been talk of the cheaper site closing though

Johnny_Barnes10

Tilt wrote: »

I would 'vote with my feet' and deffo go for the cheaper fuel.

Snap, unless it was Tesco. Wouldn't want to lose my points!

Rolandtheroadie

Lifes too short to shop around.

I've only filled up at a petrol station a few times in the past 2 years, but I use the village petrol station because if I dont, it'll shut and when I really need it, it wont be there.

Sure, use the other one as you're saving 65p a tankful, but once the other ones gone, and you're paying more as theres no competition, it'll even itself out.

Tilt

scotsman4th wrote: »

Lifes too short to shop around.

I've only filled up at a petrol station a few times in the past 2 years, but I use the village petrol station because if I dont, it'll shut and when I really need it, it wont be there.

Sure, use the other one as you're saving 65p a tankful, but once the other ones gone, and you're paying more as theres no competition, it'll even itself out.

Not exactly 'shopping around' though is it... when the garages are opposite each other!

Joe_Horner

Depends how much aggro, and how inconvenient for the people you hold up, it is to turn across traffic for a 65p saving.

steve-L

McCoy wrote: »

I'm guessing that a lot of people simply fill up where it's convenient rather than concerning themselves with a 1p per litre difference.

I think you answered your own question to be honest - the majority of people aren't on so tight a budget that they need to worry about spending £30.30 as opposed to £30.00 for the same amount of fuel.

Yet many of those people have debt?
I think that your correct except its 'don't want to worry about 30p'?

I'm perhaps a little fastidious over saving money ... I don't go over my mobile tariff, have sky or virgin TV... but then I have no debts and a decent amount of savings... (perhaps those 30p/s do add up like granny used to say about looking after the pennies)

I tend to think that 30p here and a pound there all adds up at the end of the month.

I also am perhaps a little obsessive over fuel? Since I get 45p/mile on expenses (up to 10k) the more I can keep of the £4,500 TAX FREE the better... hence i nearly always tend to empty the tank so I can take maximum advantage of the supermarket fuel vouchers....

But not crossing the road to fill up (or even put in 30l) is a bit like seeing 30p on the floor and not bothering to pick it up?

In my town there are two filling stations and the difference is not 1p but currently 8p per litre. Still, plenty of locals patroinise the garage that adds essence of unicorn to its fuel.

Which is at least understandable through ignorance of knowing its all the same plus/minus the additives.
I can see why people might get suckered in.... but 8p!!!!!
Even if they only put in 30l that's £2.40. As you say... must be essence of unicorn?