How much do you spend on fuel?

[Dod101]

Everyone is getting just a bit too tetchy. The OP can tell us but I would have thought that the point of the poll was simply to get some idea of how much fuel is costing in relation to the other running costs. For the purposes of the poll, maybe we ought to say whether depreciation is to be called part of the running costs or not. I would elect not because of the differing views of how to calculate depreciation and views on what it is.

Dod

[AF62]

Everyone is getting just a bit too tetchy. The OP can tell us but I would have thought that the point of the poll was simply to get some idea of how much fuel is costing in relation to the other running costs. For the purposes of the poll, maybe we ought to say whether depreciation is to be called part of the running costs or not. I would elect not because of the differing views of how to calculate depreciation and views on what it is.

Dod

As depreciation is likely to be the largest part of owning a car then excluding it would seem odd.

[tjh290633]

We have two cars, my wife's is a Suzuki Splash, 59 registered, which I have just refuelled at 157.9p/litre, having passed a Shell station with 170.9p/litre showing. Her car has cost 14.81p/mile for petrol over the 12 plus years that we have had it, over 24,567 miles to today's refuelling. The total cost has been 97,72p/mile, including depreciation, servicing, taxes, insurance and fuel. That makes 15.16%.

My car is a lso a Suzuki, an S-Cross, 17 registered but bought in late 2019 at 13,900 miles, and is now at about 22,200 miles. The petrol cost is 12.34p/mile over the 8,300 miles to date, with a total cost of 98.12p/mile, made up as above. That is 12.57%.

Regarding depreciation, I normally allow 25% on the initial cost and adjust it on disposal to refelct the actual depreciation. On the S-cross, I see that I have allowed 12%, because its predecessor was written off after 6 years and that is what it worked out at. If I change that for the S-Cross I get 130.68 for the total cost and the fuel becomes 9.44%. The Splash has been written down using 25% and that is clearly way out. If I change that to 12%, the total cost falls to 88.58p/mile, of which petrol is 13.72%. The rersidual value is then much more realistic, although I may give it to a grandchild when its time comes, in which case it will be written down to zero.

TJH

[Dod101]

Everyone is getting just a bit too tetchy. The OP can tell us but I would have thought that the point of the poll was simply to get some idea of how much fuel is costing in relation to the other running costs. For the purposes of the poll, maybe we ought to say whether depreciation is to be called part of the running costs or not. I would elect not because of the differing views of how to calculate depreciation and views on what it is.

Dod

As depreciation is likely to be the largest part of owning a car then excluding it would seem odd.

Depends what the OP meant. And as you can see it is doubtful if we could all agree on how to define it. I am trying to avoid saying it is sirely cash out of pocket expenses but of course someone will come along and say if you do not include depreciation as an out of pocket expense you are deluding yourself. I would have though that for the purposes of the poll, excluding it would be sensible, although scrapping the poll might be even more sensible.

Dod

[AF62]

Everyone is getting just a bit too tetchy. The OP can tell us but I would have thought that the point of the poll was simply to get some idea of how much fuel is costing in relation to the other running costs. For the purposes of the poll, maybe we ought to say whether depreciation is to be called part of the running costs or not. I would elect not because of the differing views of how to calculate depreciation and views on what it is.

Dod

As depreciation is likely to be the largest part of owning a car then excluding it would seem odd.

Depends what the OP meant. And as you can see it is doubtful if we could all agree on how to define it. I am trying to avoid saying it is sirely cash out of pocket expenses but of course someone will come along and say if you do not include depreciation as an out of pocket expense you are deluding yourself. I would have though that for the purposes of the poll, excluding it would be sensible, although scrapping the poll might be even more sensible.

Dod

Not sure why it is difficult to define - what did it cost you to buy less what do you expect to sell it for divided by the expected years of ownership - but what do I know.

[Dod101]

I have nothing further to add. It is up to DrFfybes if he wants to clarify this.

Dod

[jfgw]

I did add things up once and now, as a rough rule of thumb, I double the fuel cost to find the total cost of ownership.

A car I bought about 25 years ago cost 5p per mile in depreciation.


Julian F. G. W.

[88V8]

on a e-bike (over 3,000 miles per year), but servicing cost for the e-bike are running at 10p/mile, ......I bet it won't be cheap to change (new cassette, chain, chain ring and possibly shifters too) but should reduce ongoing costs.

This is astounding. Our p-bike (pedal) has cost zero over the last 21 years.

You should post your experience to the Cycling forum for those who are interested in the e-bike scene.

We, or rather I, recently ordered one for the OH, it has no gears, pedal assist only, and a Gates belt drive.
I had never contemplated that it would cost anything but the electricity.
The things that the advocates of e-bikes don't tell you.....

Did you know it would eat your wallet??

My last attempt...depreciation"...

If one buys a new car then depreciation is the greatest ownership cost.
But I agree that day-to-day one does not think about it.
Our three cars due to their age are depreciating at zero, zero, and dunno but probably going up in value rather than down.

There is also a large cost difference in fuel %age if one does a low mileage as some cars require a degree of periodic servicing regardless of mileage.
It's all a bit of a muddle.

V8

[Gersemi]

If one buys a new car then depreciation is the greatest ownership cost.
But I agree that day-to-day one does not think about it.
Our three cars due to their age are depreciating at zero, zero, and dunno but probably going up in value rather than down.

V8

Actually at the moment your car doesn't need to be that old to be going up in value. I recently checked the prices of cars similar to my 7 year old car as I was renewing my insurance and found they are currently selling for similiar prices to what I paid for it four years ago. So at the moment I haven't suffered any depreciation on it!

[Dod101]

I see that Sunak is reported as looking at reducing fuel duty by 5p a litre in his upcoming statement. That will alter the results of the poll but also seems to me to be daft. Why is the price so very high? Because of a worldwide shortage. The answer to that should not be to reduce the cost and thus encourage more demand. price increases should act as their own rationing mechanism and encourage more use of public transport.

Dod

[marronier]

Ask a motorist "How much their fuel costs " and they will base their calculation on the pump price , but if their vehicle is capable of 10 miles per litre and only achieves 8.5 mpl then a litre of fuel will cost £1.82.This works out at an extra £4.00 per 100 miles travelled , so easy on the throttle and foot brake.

[pje16]

Ask a motorist "How much their fuel costs " and they will base their calculation on the pump price

What other price would you use ?
It's not hard to work mpg and most on here are financially savvy

[Breelander]

It's not hard to work mpg and most on here are financially savvy

Some of us are sad enough to keep records and spreadsheets.
At my last fill up, two weeks ago, my petrol cost in pence per mile was touching 16p. I get 45.8 mpg out of my VW Polo and do between 4,000 and 5,000 miles a year.

[pje16]

It's not hard to work mpg and most on here are financially savvy

Some of us are sad enough to keep records and spreadsheets.

That's not at all sad - unless we are a small club
I have one called miles and costs
Fuel and cosumption rate on one sheet , everything else I spend on the car on the other

[Arborbridge]

I'm a bit on the "cusp" this year at 55% . But it does depend which period is under consideration. Including the covid period, I think the average is virtually 50%.

Arb.

[daveh]

It's not hard to work mpg and most on here are financially savvy

Some of us are sad enough to keep records and spreadsheets.
At my last fill up, two weeks ago, my petrol cost in pence per mile was touching 16p. I get 45.8 mpg out of my VW Polo and do between 4,000 and 5,000 miles a year.

Yes saddo dave has spreadsheets for all his recent cars and a notebook for before I got into excel.

So my present 2l diesel Yeti owned since 2017 has averaged 44.74mpg and cost 12.82p/mile for diesel (recent fills are up to 16p/mile) running costs are 13p/mile depreciation not yet known

1.2l diesel Fabia 14-17 57.81mpg 8.96p/mile fuel 6.28p/mile running costs 17p/mile depreciation
1.9l diesel Fabia 09-14 59.82mpg 9.78p/mile fuel 8.1p/mile running costs 6.7p/mile depreciation

[redsturgeon]

on a e-bike (over 3,000 miles per year), but servicing cost for the e-bike are running at 10p/mile, ......I bet it won't be cheap to change (new cassette, chain, chain ring and possibly shifters too) but should reduce ongoing costs.

This is astounding. Our p-bike (pedal) has cost zero over the last 21 years.

You should post your experience to the Cycling forum for those who are interested in the e-bike scene.

We, or rather I, recently ordered one for the OH, it has no gears, pedal assist only, and a Gates belt drive.
I had never contemplated that it would cost anything but the electricity.
The things that the advocates of e-bikes don't tell you.....

Did you know it would eat your wallet??

V8

As I mentioned in my reply, I would imagine Gates belt drive should easily last tens of thousands of miles.

John

[daveh]

on a e-bike (over 3,000 miles per year), but servicing cost for the e-bike are running at 10p/mile, ......I bet it won't be cheap to change (new cassette, chain, chain ring and possibly shifters too) but should reduce ongoing costs.

This is astounding. Our p-bike (pedal) has cost zero over the last 21 years.

You should post your experience to the Cycling forum for those who are interested in the e-bike scene.

We, or rather I, recently ordered one for the OH, it has no gears, pedal assist only, and a Gates belt drive.
I had never contemplated that it would cost anything but the electricity.
The things that the advocates of e-bikes don't tell you.....

Did you know it would eat your wallet??

V8

As I mentioned in my reply, I would imagine Gates belt drive should easily last tens of thousands of miles.

John

I wasn't expecting it to be so expensive on maintenance - I had a previous Whyte e-bike, which I gave to a friends daughter so she could get out cycling when I got the latest one. that hadn't cost much in maintenance - new wheel paid for by tesco when I hit a massive pothole by the side of an inspection cover in the Tesco car park and some repair when I was hit by a car. But I was only doing ~1000 miles a year on that bike, and it was a 9 speed so a heavier duty on the gearing parts.

Not sure how a single speed with belt drive would work for the type of riding I do as I need the gears for the hills.

[redsturgeon]

on a e-bike (over 3,000 miles per year), but servicing cost for the e-bike are running at 10p/mile, ......I bet it won't be cheap to change (new cassette, chain, chain ring and possibly shifters too) but should reduce ongoing costs.

This is astounding. Our p-bike (pedal) has cost zero over the last 21 years.

You should post your experience to the Cycling forum for those who are interested in the e-bike scene.

We, or rather I, recently ordered one for the OH, it has no gears, pedal assist only, and a Gates belt drive.
I had never contemplated that it would cost anything but the electricity.
The things that the advocates of e-bikes don't tell you.....

Did you know it would eat your wallet??

V8

As I mentioned in my reply, I would imagine Gates belt drive should easily last tens of thousands of miles.

John

I wasn't expecting it to be so expensive on maintenance - I had a previous Whyte e-bike, which I gave to a friends daughter so she could get out cycling when I got the latest one. that hadn't cost much in maintenance - new wheel paid for by tesco when I hit a massive pothole by the side of an inspection cover in the Tesco car park and some repair when I was hit by a car. But I was only doing ~1000 miles a year on that bike, and it was a 9 speed so a heavier duty on the gearing parts.

Not sure how a single speed with belt drive would work for the type of riding I do as I need the gears for the hills.

It could be internal gears rather than single speed.

John

[88V8]

It could be internal gears rather than single speed.

Oddly enough OH's present bike has a 5-speed hub gearbox, but the electric has or will have, one gear.

Some of us are sad enough to keep records .....

I used to.
In the 70s.
In a notebook OH bought me.
It was one of the Mr Men series, entitled Mr Fussy's notebook.

V8