Sydney Petrol Price Cycles

Windows7forever on 24/05/2013 - 15:45

I filled up last week for $1.27c with standard E-10 unleaded petrol and noticed that all the servos around my area have jumped up to $1.45 - $1.47c + seemingly overnight!

In the past we usually saw a gradual increase in prices by a few cents per day to anticipate a price rise, but now it just seems to get bumped up by around 20c overnight. Cheap petrol on Tuesdays is also an antiquated memory of the past as it no longer occurs and is completely random. What they are conspiring is to create uncertainty in the minds of consumers and force them to pay more than they should because they get stuck on an empty tank.

This high-low price cycle seems to be occurring every few weeks. Based on past behaviour, petrol will stay on the high until atleast the middle of next week before it starts falling again.

This behaviour by the petrol companies is asinine, greedy and sneaky.

I have been trying to synchronize my petrol refills with the low period of the price cycle to avoid getting stung. I have also been taking full advantage of my 5% paywave rebate to make it more affordable to fill up my car(Thanks ING!).

I applaud the independents who don't play greedy price games and try to keep their petrol prices more stabilised, transparent and predictable, not randomly up and down or fluctuating from one day to the next which is leading to complete chaos and unpredictability.

Automotive

Comments

  • mrkorrupt on 24/05/2013 - 18:01
    +1

    this is incorrect, the price since i have got my car (2004) works on a cycle whereby the start of the Petrol cycle it starts off at 149.9c (current) and will stay there for about half a week, then it will drop by 10c-14c to 139.9c - 135.9c then it will drop about 2-3c every day - 2 days until the cycle is over. I monitor petrol prices very closely as well so i know them very well. The petrol price high / low difference is between 15c - 25c.

    also the weekly cycle change in price

    eg. This week
    Wednesday Night 149.9
    Saturday Night 135.9
    Sunday Night 131.9
    Monday Midday 129.9
    Tuesday Midday 127.9

    The independents play the same game but they buffer it at both ends and delay it by a day or two.

    eg. Independent will go between 149.9 to 146.9 and will only go as low as 133.9 and will keep it there for 24 hours before going back up slightly….

  • tonyjzx on 24/05/2013 - 18:16
    +2

    theres no cycle any more

    just buy when its cheap… if i see a screaming price i fill the tank

    fin

    • retiredfeline on 24/05/2013 - 18:28
      +1

      There is, it's just very wonky and affected by various factors like whether a long weekend is coming up, or school holidays start. See the ACCC graphs.

      @OP Tuesday night low? That was in the mists of time. It hasn't been a 7 day cycle for years now. Also the cycle doesn't need any conspiracy to explain. Price rises are sudden because when one servo does it, the others follow quickly to not miss out on profits. But they are reluctant to drop, so the curve is sort of a reverse sawtooth.

      • tonyjzx on 24/05/2013 - 18:34

        those seasonal cycles telegraph themselves quite clearly though… you do know when a long weekend and school holidays start dont you?

        i rarely buy from the chains now and especially ignore the supermarkets dockets

        i know a few independents that are always cheap and use mobil so why even bother

  • Paul Atreides on 24/05/2013 - 18:55

    3 days ago, i filled up at 107.7, today it was 127.7, bad day to fill up but no choice

    • shortgum on 24/05/2013 - 21:58
      +1

      madmouse58, where do you fill up at 107.7?

  • akred on 25/05/2013 - 08:55
    +5

    Bookmark this on your phone: http://transition.accc.gov.au/fuelwatch/public/sydney.jpg

  • aim54x on 06/06/2013 - 07:58

    Use don't use our car that much…. but we have noticed that fuel is no longer the most expensive on the weekend….. We do try to holds out until we see cheapish fuel.

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