General DiscussionUse this forum to discuss MINI topics which are not related to other forums. Posts may be moved from here to alternative forums by the moderators without notice
Fuel prices are getting ridiculous again, most garages charging over 90p a litre!
It wont be long before we are paying over £1 a litre now. OK, I understand that oil prices are increasing, but oil companies are also making record profits! And the government aren't doing much to help, only holding any increases, making that look like they're doing us a favour!
As a protest, not buying any fuel is obviously not an option! However, us MINI owners and freinds of could club together and refuse to buy from certain garages??
Has there been any talk of this previously on MINI2.com? I have had e-mails in the past about similar protests.
Trouble is, it is not the fuel companies that are causing the problem - it is the 80%+ duty that we have to pay to the government thats causing these high prices.
MINI One Convertible Hot Orange, Full Aero Kit, Heated Sports Seats, X-Lites, etc
it is getting out of hand again - I've been hoping for fuel protests to kick off but nothing so far, not even talk of action
I think when we buy petrol we should refuse to pay the tax portion - would be interesting if it could be co-ordinated such that everyone refused to pay it for a day - the garages would grind to a halt within minutes
Although certainly not as bad as your fuel prices, we're being gouged over here in California as well. And in our case it's pure profit for the oil companies as our fuel tax (or duty) is quite low compared to yours. Like your side of the pond, no one seems to be able, or willing, to do anything about it. This despite the fact a video was aired on our news awhile back of a meeting of oil industry leaders admitting they were keeping supplies short to keep the price up. This was shot by a news team with a concealed camera.
One of the guys in our club figured out that you're paying about $8 dollars a gallon for fuel over there. You guys have my sincere sympathies. At those prices I don't know how you afford to drive at all
As much as I would love to join in on the complaining, I hear it is much worse for countries outside the US. So I won't... I just hope we get through this... Yet, I wonder why our governments have waited so long to start researching additional ways to power cars! It has already hit the fan, should we not have been searching before this? Enough whining...
If you boycott any garage then this won't work. If anything you'll bankrupt the independent garage owners and be forced to buy more fuel from the huge supermarket chains that sell crappy petrol.
Why is this?
(1) Well if you boycott Esso and buy from Shell then the same amount of fuel is being purchased. If anything more fuel will be used as people drive further to find Shell garages.
(2) When you buy fuel from your local Esso garage the fuel may not have been transported from the nearest Esso refinery as that could be hundreds of miles away. All the major Fuel companies have reciprocal arrangements to supply the nearest garages to their refinery. The only difference is the additives that may or may not be added to certain brands of fuel. That's why you'll see Shell, BP or Total tankers at Esso Refineries. Therefore if you boycott Esso then demand will rise at Shell garages and the same tankers from the local refinery will divert to supplying Shell garages. The net outcome at the local refinery is the same amount of fuel being supplied to the market.
There is just one moon and one golden sun; And a smile mean friendship to ev'ryone; Through the mountains divide, and the oceans are wide; It's a small world after all.
Also no matter where or who we buy our fuel from the GOVERNMENT is still getting the same amount of revenue from TAX! It is the ridiculous amount of tax we pay in this country is what gets me most of all.
We should be pressuring the government to cut tax on fuel by at least 30%. We seem to forget that this is our country, we should have a say in how it is run and how we want it funded, just beacuse tony and his gang say something doesnt mean we have to agree or put up with it, thats democracy my friend!!
Fuel is getting expensive, and it's very annoying to watch it get dearer on a weekly basis!
I know the tax level is scanalous over here, but I've said it before - if tax comes off petrol/diesel it's going to have to go on something else. Pure and simple maths.
I paid over $1.30 /L for Ultimate the other day... I know thats nothing like you UK guys are paying, but nonetheless, when you consider I was paying $1.10 or so when I first bought the car just over a year ago, it starts getting scary.
Once again, I cant comment on your situation, but I was listening to an interesting section of the radio the other morning, and the analysts they had on were saying, come crunch time, consumers as a whole still werent complaining enough about the soaring prices of fuel, and as a result, there was no reason on Government or anyones part to try and curb the rises.
Make of that what you will, but I think its going to take a class action - either against a particular fuel company or the Government, to get anything to change...
In the meantime, I'd say its only going to get less and less affordable to run a car. That said - I dont drink, and I dont smoke - so the liquid I pour into my fuel tank every week I consider as my enjoyment. I love the car and the club too much to worry about fuel anymore. So I guess that means I'll be bending over and taking it up the tailpipes whatever they charge. Either that, or I'll close my eyes as I hand my eftpos card over
Some say he loves gaming and that he also loves house work..... All we know is, he's called The ScottyB!
Quite franky the British are apathetic about complaining. We'll happily whinge but very few people are prepared to instigate any form of direct action. Contrast that to our French neighbours who are prepared to bring things to a standstill.
I think that the UK is fairly unique in that a high proportion of our vehicle parc is comprised of company cars. And a large percentage of these people don't have to pay for the fuel and support garages that charge high prices. These drivers don't see any direct impact on their wallets even though wholesale prices of everyday goods will rise as a result of higher fuel prices.
There is just one moon and one golden sun; And a smile mean friendship to ev'ryone; Through the mountains divide, and the oceans are wide; It's a small world after all.
I seem to remember that Gordon Brown, postponed putting tax on fuel this year to September again year, so they can get their greedy mits on more of our money. And push the price up even more. probably to fund their 80 odd days of summer holiday this year. Oh and the freeloaders that cannot be even bothered to do a days works and claim benefits (Ihave no problem with genuine claimants, just the lazy chav/assylum seeking freeloaders)
I feel for our European comrades who are paying fuel prices that would make me masking tape my number plate and then drive off afer fueling.
While I was in Japan, it was 115 yen then in two days jumped to 128 yen per litre. 128 yen = $4.43 U.S. per gallon or 64.4 UK pence.
When I left the U.S. in mid-July, I was paying $2.49 a gallon (3.79 litres per U.S. gallon) and when I came back three weeks later, it went up to $2.78!!! I almost choked on the way back home from the airport!!! $2.78 = 1.53 UK Pounds = 40.3 pence per litre. (an increase of 4 pence per litre since I left).
Now I know you would dream of 40 pence a litre, but a few summers ago here in Detroit, fuel was 89 cents a gallon! (.49 pence = 12.9 pence a litre) So, by looking at it that way, you can see how the average American also has fuel shock!!! Add to that, most of us have no viable forms of public transport and it all goes down hill from there. Not to mention an oil tycoon as a president...
C'mon GM and BMW, let's go! Get that Hydrogen Project going!!!
***BMW-AG Rocks!!!***
Portsmouth FC Can Thank Sunderland...What a Farce!!!
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Fuel Prices - Getting Ridiculous Again (UK) 
You guys have my sincere sympathies. At those prices I don't know how you afford to drive at all 
