Are filling stations ripping off 'Diesel' motorists?

Question

As petrol pump prices climb well over the £1 a litre mark, Diesel is priced even higher - but why? Surely diesel which requires less refining etc. is cheaper to produce than petrol - so why are they charging so much more for it? Looks like a cynical rip off to me!

Answer 1

Diesel used to be much cheaper than regular and premium gasolines back in the 70's and 80's. It used to be considered waste product from refining fuels. That's why it was so cheap... it was considered garbage. Beginning in the 90's and 00's tighter emissions standards in Europe and North America required diesel to be refined much more to remove the sulfur and particulate matter from the fuel. So, you can thank tighter emissions standards for why diesel now costs more per litre (or gallon) than all other fuels.

Answer 2

EXTRA WAY TO MAKE MONIES, THERE WAS A TV SHOW REPORT I BELIEVE IT WAS 20/20 OR MAYBE 60 MINUTES BUT ONE OF THE SHOWS DID A STORY ON GAS AND THE REPORTERE DISCOVERED THAT IT COST THE TO REFINE GAS AND DIESEL AS IT DID IN 1912, AND THE ONLY REASON FOR IT TO BE HIGH IS DUE TO INFLATION AND MONEY HUNGRY GREEDY CEO'S. PRETTY SAD, BUT HOW MUCH LONGER CAN WE HANG ON WHO KNOWS, BUT I DO KNOW I AM PRETTY MUCH TAB OUT!!!!!

Answer 3

all motorist are being ripped off by this government they know diesel is more efficent so charge more. so much for thier green policy

Answer 4

a government rip off

Answer 5

Okay, the real reason diesel is higher is because European vehicles are now using so much diesel that you're actually exchanging diesel for gasoline with the US.  I believe about 40% of new vehicles are diesel in Europe now.  Refining diesel is slighty, very slightly, cheaper than gasoline, but refining time is getting more expensive and this adds to the cost of all petroleum products.

Add to this the worldwide demand for diesel far outpacing gasoline and it's easy to see why diesel is rising so quickly.  The Chinese and Indians are using massive amounts of diesel to churn their economic engines, which impacts costs elsewhere on the globe.

The US refining network is geared to gasoline and needs crude for gasoline and has surplus diesel.  Europe needs crude for diesel and has surplus gasoline.  The added demand has increased price, combined with the additional cost to transport the fuels across the Atlantic.  

I know that here in the US, refineries use the spring months to perform major annual maintenance, which puts a strain on an already maxed out network.  The result is high spring prices for all fuels.  People go beserk every single spring.  Unfortunately, it's the best time fo year to shut down for work, with the heating season over and summer driving season yet to begin.

I know it sucks that fuel costs are so high, but if we weren't exchanging, it'd be even worse.

Answer 6

we are taxed to death.

Answer 7

No most of the money you pay in fuel is in fact tax and so the petrol station does not really make a lot on it. In factthey are little more than a tax collector

Answer 8

another reason our goverment sucks...

Answer 9

diesel has always been significantly more expensive than unleaded. i can't really tell you why but it is.

Answer 10

I'm old enough to remember diesel being 1/2 the price of petrol. And then they started making diesel cars, and the government realised they should rip off diesel drivers as much as petrol drivers. It really is a complete p*ss take...

Answer 11

it is due to the density of the diesel its much heavier than petrol so hence by weight you cant get  as much on the tanker and therefore more trips to get the quantity to the filling station

Answer 12

I may be wrong, but I think deisel is more expensive then regular gas because it pollutes more. It may be worth it, though- I have a friend who has a deisel car, and he gets around 60mpg. I have a regular car, and I get around 25. That means my friend is paying around 6 cents a mile (at 4$ a gallon for deisel), while I'm paying 12 cents a mile at 3$ a gallon.  It may be more expensive to fill up, but he's saving money in the end!

Answer 13

this drives me crazy, this is my pet hate, my blood is boiling..etc etc.

diesel in the past was always cheaper than petrol, still is in europe, first the gov were (and still are) shafting us, now add to that the fuel retailers are shafting us, there's no excuse, the fuel duty is now the same on both, it's bloooooooody ridiculous, the cheeky sods.