RACV calls out price pain for diesel drivers

As most Victorian motorists take advantage of lower petrol prices, RACV says diesel vehicle drivers are still being taken for a ride.

RACV Senior Vehicle Engineer Nicholas Platt said diesel vehicle owners are paying more than 10 cents a litre more than those driving petrol vehicles.

“The wholesale price of ULP fuel is currently 97 cents, and the average price of a litre of unleaded petrol is around $1.28, but diesel prices remain largely unchanged at an average of $1.39,” Mr Platt said.

“There’s no reason for this, service stations seem to be taking advantage of diesel vehicle drivers. The price of diesel fuel doesn’t go up or down in a price cycle like unleaded petrol, so the owners of diesel-powered vehicles are being unfairly penalised,” Mr Platt said.

“One in five vehicles on our roads is diesel-powered, with tradespeople and transport companies tending to use diesel-powered vehicles, so ultimately it will be consumers who end up paying for these higher fuel prices through the goods and services they need.”

While it wasn’t great news for diesel vehicle drivers, Mr Platt said the unfolding COVID-19 crisis would most likely cause world oil prices to fall even lower.

“We are seeing the cheapest wholesale price for years, with analysts predicting further falls,” Mr Platt added.

“But that’s cold comfort for diesel users, especially farmers and people living in regional Victoria. Since the start of the year, the profit margin for diesel has blown out from just over 10 cents a litre to more than 30 cents.

“Not only do many regional Victorians own diesel vehicles, they are also dependent on diesel to run generators, tractors, harvesters and all types of machinery,” he said.

RACV advises the owners of diesel vehicles to shop around for the best deal; use fuel apps and comparison websites, such as RACV’s Fuel Watch, to find the cheapest prices.

“Even a saving of one or two cents a litre can make a big difference,” Mr Platt said.