Where is all the premium unleaded fuel?

Barney, I catch the bus 3 times a week and drive in twice a week … what does that make me?

I’ve not noticed any significant issues in getting premium (98) in Canberra. I can only think of once in the last 3 months or so that the servo I went to (Shell Dickson) didn’t have any.

I have only put 98 in my cars for about the last 4 years. Only real issue I had with finding 98 was when touring in Tasmania.

I filled up tonight with 98 from the new Caltex on the Barton Hwy.

he would have to find one first. One that comes at the time youn need it and actually shows up, isn’t jammed in like a sardine can and doesn’t visit half the suburbs in canberra before getting to the destination.

anyway, i’d say 3 out of the 5 times (weeks) I visit the servo to fill up they’re out of premium no matter where.

Catch a bus, you wanker.

a lot of the cars that require premium unleaded would likely not allow you to use E10 under warranty – a common error.

No vehicle manufacturer gurantees the fuel system component of their engine, that is left up to the fuel supplier, therefore the onus of responsibility falls to whomsoever pumped the fuel into the vehicle, and where they did it at.

Therefore your vehicle is not covered under warranty regardless if you pump fuel reserved specifically for the sultan of Brunei, or the shit they pump towards normal people like you or I.

Try barking up another tree.

The Caulfields generally use Vortex98 or BP Ultimate. Never had any ongoing supply issues around Canberra with either company.

The ACCC aparently did survey a number of servos in the last couple of weeks (Sydney I think) to confirm their tanks were indeed very low/empty.

The cynic in me immediately arrived at the realisation that of course the major oil companies would never allow the possibility of being caught out by an audit. Simpler to just not send the required tanker loads to the servos in the first place, and claim refinery breakdowns for the problem. It will require a mole to blow the whistle on unaccessed tanks of high octane fuel ‘lost’ in refineries, waiting for a bit of the heat to cool, and profits to improve.

The greed of our current society to screw every last dollar from the public will ensure that these companies will use every tactic to increase their income. The Howard Gov’s only concern was to protect the income of these majors, and the return to their shareholders. I fervently hope that Labor will steer a more middle path.

My thoughts on Woolworths/Coles and the banks engender similar cynicism.

I’ve also been told by people who know what they’re talking about to not let E-10 near my Mini Cooper S …

Assuming we’re talking about reasonably high performance cars (I’m assuming this given the ‘requirement’ of 95+ RON fuel), I wouldn’t be touching E-10. Higher octane rating than standard, but lower energy content (so you get to pay 1/2 a cent per litre less but use the fuel quicker. Gee, what a bargain. Clouds of ‘smug’ optional of course).

Not sure how you’d go with E10 – a lot of the cars that require premium unleaded would likely not allow you to use E10 under warranty. I was told flat out that I could use any unleaded fuel on offer EXCEPT Shell “V-Power Racing” which was higher octane (100) but very expensive and with 5% ethanol blend which the leasing company said was off limits.

Not sure about the class action suit, it would be difficult in the first instance to even prove damages I’d think, and I’m sure there’s some fine print that would cover lack of availability. It’s similar to when you hand over an eftpos card to a cab driver and he can’t get a mobile eftpos signal – you need to pay via some other method.

Mind you my lease company always reminded me that I can pay elsewhere, produce a reciept and be reimbursed if completely necessary. Anyone who has to deal with reimbursement or petty cash on a regular basis knows how fun this can be.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

Use some octane booster, that way you can just use unleaded and add the booster.

E10 has a 95 Octane rating. Not quite the 98 that you’d expect form premium, but certainly better than 91 that you get from normal unleaded. Shell in Fyshwick sells E10. And it’s cheaper too.

My parents have had the same problem at their local Woolworths bowser. When quizzed, the counter guy said “There is no Premium in all of Canberra”. They then travelled down the road to the Mobil and filled up with Premium.

Think I read something that the oil companies are saying they have ‘run out’ on the cheap fill-up days forcing people to cop higher prices over the weekends.

Supposedly ACCC are meant to be getting powers forcing servo’s to open up their tanks and prove they have ‘run out’

I’ve had same problem in past 2 days – the new Coles Express at Gungahlin (Shell ???), and the servo at Dickson – no premium fuel. A simple explanation on the pump or shop window would be nice, but zip in that regard.

As I filled up my usual $10 (small car, work from home so I don’t need much fuel), I had flash-backs to about 1985 when I first started driving; petrol was 48 cents a litre. A station selling at 55 cents was regarded as expensive. I’m sure others can remember even cheaper prices.

Thanks Nate and VY, I have not used the octane booster before but have noticed how rough the car runs on regular.

As an aside, Nate, I’ve often wondered what the legal scenario would be if I were to sue BP for their failure to supply me with premium any time every time. Considering BP is part of my lease agreement surely the onus is on them to have the correct fuel available at all times (for lease holders at least).

A class action maybe!

Use some octane booster, that way you can just use unleaded and add the booster.

AFAIK all Shell servos in NSW/ACT/Vic have been out for at least 2 months. BP in Civic was out a week ago but have it back “in stock” again.

Last week I drove past Shell and BP in town because they were out of the good stuff … drove out to Caltex in Mitchell on the way home and they were closed; think I rolled into the garage with 500ml left in the tank 🙂

I did read an article about a broken refinery … but that was dated January 2007 – so unless that’s the one that’s still causing problems? Doubt it takes 14 months to get a spare part in.

Shell are still out (well, as of Wednesday night they were.)

Right on Caf. Ask your leasing company to switch to Fleetcard.

Shell were out for about a month at the start of the year, so I switched to Caltex.

You should be able to get a card for more than one company? I know Rhodium offers basically all the big names, and you can pick which fuel it’ll cover (regular + premium etc).

Tell your leasing company that you want a fuel card you can use at more than just BP sites – having to stick to one brand must really be a pain when you’re travelling around out of Canberra. “Fleetcard” seems to be a good one.

I’ve had the same problem before with Shell/Coles Express. Leasing company told me to grab some octane booster in these situations and chuck it in with the standard unleaded, as lubricants etc are chargable to the fuel cards. Not that they really cared, they just didn’t want me telling Holden when I took it in for a service that I’d been using the ‘cheap stuff’…

And not limited to BP.

There appears to be a shortage of the ‘good stuff’ across most of Eastern Australia.

Apparently a refinery issue – a catalytic ‘cracker’ broke down.