Request for Information: Fuel Discounts

WookieMonster on 26/01/2022 - 10:22

Hello fellow OzBargainers,

OzBargain has a new Wiki page for fuel discounts!

After recently spending too long writing a comment to explain the overly complicated situation regarding Woolworths Group gift cards and Caltex Woolworths / EG Australia service stations earlier this week, I thought it would be a good idea to compile information on fuel discounts onto a single page, similar to how we have a Wiki page for discounted gift cards.

I have used my knowledge of existing schemes and a previous forum post regarding fuel discounts to build out the content on this page. However, I am only one OzBargainer, and I will not pretend for a moment that I know about all the fuel discount schemes under the (Australian) sun, which is why I'm asking for your help!

If you have new content that should be added to page, please feel free to update the Wiki page or leave a comment on this thread and someone will update the page accordingly. However, if you have new content, it would be great if you could also include a link to the offer.

The new Wiki page is set up so that a service station (or its network, e.g. Ampol, Costco, United) is allocated its own section with the following information:

  • Loyalty Scheme
  • Fuel Discount Offers - both long-term (ongoing) offers and short-term (promotional) offers
  • Gift Cards (particularly discounted gift cards)

Please note the following are missing from the Wiki page at this stage:

  • Fuel charge cards: I've opted to leave out fuel charge cards (e.g. AmpolCard, BP Plus, Shell Card), because they generally cannot be used in conjunction with most fuel offers, plus they are generally only issued for fleet cars or ABN holders. If you think it is still worth including fuel charge cards, please leave a comment.

  • A number of Shell Coles Express offers, as they are now expired:

  • Viva Energy 5c/L (for Geelong winning matches in the AFL/AFLW) and Shell V-Power 5c/L: these ended in 2021 and I cannot find any evidence these schemes are continuing in 2022.

  • 7-Eleven helicopter fuel locks: I have left this off the page for now, as I was not sure whether this was something helicopter pilots would want me to promote more widely. Please let me know whether or not it is worth including on this page.

  • Discounts on gift cards (where applicable): I don't want to start including potential discounts on gift cards on this new page, as I want the discounted gift card page to remain the single source of truth on OzBargain.

If you have other suggestions on how this new Wiki page can be improved, please leave a comment. I have set this page up for the benefit of the OzBargain community (and maybe my sanity), so I welcome the OzBargain community giving their feedback!

Thanks,
WM

Automotive

Comments

  • Neoika on 26/01/2022 - 10:30
    +5

    Thanks for the work đź‘Ť

  • El cheepo on 26/01/2022 - 10:38
    +5

    Underrated original comment.
    Great detail in your write up!

    No suggestions from me but i have to say, thanks for the hard work!

  • capslock on 26/01/2022 - 10:48
    +6

    Discounts help a little but the real savings are in taking advantage of the petrol price cycle and using price comparison sites like PetrolSpy.

    • avoidfullprice on 26/01/2022 - 12:30

      Except in ACT and NT where they don't have price cycle

      Source: the NRMA petrol price spokesman what his name Peter Koury

      • WookieMonster on 26/01/2022 - 12:37

        TAS also does not have a fuel cycle.

        Wait, are you saying that there are fuel cycles in regional areas of NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA too? I thought fuel cycles only existed in their capital cities.

        • avoidfullprice on 26/01/2022 - 13:29
          +1

          I said nothing. NRMA guy points out the jurisdiction which doesn't have price cycle. Places he didn't mention I won't assume there is price cycle.

          But goes to show what capslock saying doesn't apply everywhere unfortunately

    • WookieMonster on 26/01/2022 - 12:39
      +1

      Price comparison sites are awesome, particularly if you live in an area with mandatory fuel price reporting. If you don't (like me), it is only as accurate as the data inputted by members, but it can still be a useful litmus test. However, I remember during last year's lockdowns that PetrolSpy was mostly useless for my area, as there were very few people driving around and reporting prices.

      Price cycles don't exist where I live (yay?), so discounts are more important. As I see it, fuel discounts are another tool you can use to get cheaper fuel, alongside price comparison sites, fuel price cycles and 7-Eleven helicopters.

  • burningrage on 26/01/2022 - 11:33
    +1

    With the Shell V Power / Viva Energy, if you join their V-Racing Membership on at least Bronze level I think, they said they will give you fuel discounts. $65 for Bronze.

    I don't know how much of a discount though (is it 4c? 5c? 8c?). If anyone with insight, maybe can share. Could be worth it despite $65.

    https://shop.djr.com.au/join-team-mates/

    • WookieMonster on 26/01/2022 - 12:49

      Thanks for the info, that would definitely explain why I couldn't find anything about Shell V-Power for this year.

      I've added it to the Wiki, with TBC added for the fuel discount and the locations where it can be redeemed. If it is anything like [[https://www.shell.com.au/motorists/motorsports/terms-and-conditions/svprtappdiscounts.html|last year's offer]], it would be 5c/L.

    • forged on 26/01/2022 - 22:05
      +1

      Assuming 5c discount, you'd have to drive quite a lot (1300L/year of fuel) for it to be worthwhile. At 8L/100km you'd have to drive over 16,000(!) km.

      • burningrage on 27/01/2022 - 09:55

        Yeah. Roughly $1 saving every 20litres. Probably worth it if you have gas guzzlers (12.5L/100km type like CX9, Hilux, LandCruiser, etc).

        12.5Lt/100km = 10,400kms before breakeven although you get merchandises as well (Caps, stickers, membership card, etc lol)

  • avoidfullprice on 26/01/2022 - 12:26
    +1

    Sweet, thanks WM. Now there is a wiki link we can post to subsequent poster who would categorically defend they don't know it exists or the search result doesn't show :)

  • immrnonamehello on 26/01/2022 - 13:11
    +3

    Are these discounts really worth spending time/effort for if another random fuel station down the road may just be 10c+ cheaper?
    Like in NSW the NSW fuel check app works quite well, not sure about other states but I think 5c/7c or whatever discounts are generally not that impressive just because the stations that offer these deals are probably more expensive anyway.

    • donga100 on 26/01/2022 - 13:30
      +2

      That's why you need a wiki page with the discounts for all of them so you can choose the cheapest on petrolspy and then apply the discount on top.

    • Neoika on 26/01/2022 - 13:33

      A simpler strategy: 7 Eleven plus one or two local servos of your choice.

      I always prioritize to fill up @ Woolworths/EG owned servos as I can redeem EDRs earned from multiple promos.

    • Savas on 26/01/2022 - 17:10

      no

    • WookieMonster on 26/01/2022 - 22:06
      +4

      I think the utility of these fuel discounts is largely dependent on where you are.

      It looks like you are in Sydney, and Sydney has a (relatively) competitive fuel market with plenty of competition and choice. In this scenario, driving 2-3km down the road would make sense, as you'd pass plenty of fuel stations and some of them (particularly independents) are likely to be 8c/L or 10c/L or 12c/L cheaper than the bigger brands (e.g. Ampol, EG, Shell Coles Express) in the area. Even when taking into account fuel discounts, you're most likely still better off going to an independent down the road.

      However, if you look at Canberra (and I tried to make sure the map was at the same zoom level as the one for Sydney), it is nowhere near as dense as Sydney in terms of the number of fuel stations in a given area, so there is a lot less competition between fuel stations. PetrolSpy indicates the vast majority of fuel stations are between 171.9 and 177.9 for U91 this evening, but it gets noticeably cheaper out next to Canberra Airport and in Fyshwick, with Costco being at 156.7 and the nearby EG and Caltex both being at 162.7. In this case, fuel discounts play a bigger role in saving extra money on fuel. Personally, I'd just go to EG next to the airport and use my Woolworths fuel vouchers and discounted WISH or AmpolCash gift cards, as it will overall be cheaper than Costco or the Metros in Fyshwick (at 163.9).

      If you take to the extreme and look at Goulburn as an example, there is not a lot of choice. Ignoring the overpriced Shell Coles Express and EG just off the Hume, one of the Metros is selling U91 for 159.9, the EG, Ampol, BP and 7-Eleven are all at 161.9, and Shell Coles Express is 162.9. In this scenario, it makes sense to look at available fuel discounts and see what discounts you have available to you, because the EG and Shell Coles Express accept Woolworths and Coles fuel vouchers (respectively), the Ampol accepts the 3c/L NRMA discount, and the 7-Eleven would only be cheaper if you have access to a helicopter, so what you have available to you in terms of discounts would dictate where you go if price was the most important factor. (I think this example also neatly demonstrates that Shell Coles Express charges a premium compared to the competition pretty much anywhere you go. Who even goes there for U91, besides people who have Shell charge cards?)

  • bluesky on 26/01/2022 - 16:41
    +5

    Impressive write-up :-) A lot of work has gone into this, it will be very useful indeed!

  • DamonT on 27/01/2022 - 07:39
    +2

    Thanks OP for all the hard work! The detail is amazing.

  • gr70 on 27/01/2022 - 08:37
    +1

    I have a Shell card and always thought you couldnt use them for the discount (which is true) - but recently found out you can get the 8 flybuys points (so long as you have the docket and choose the option in the flybuys app).

  • saltypete on 27/01/2022 - 08:59
    +2

    Completely awesome! Thank you for doing all of this.

  • Mark1159 on 27/01/2022 - 09:37

    Melbourne based - use PetrolSpy.
    OzBargainer with V8 Mustang.
    Exclusively run 98 Fuel. Carefully monitor fuel usage and find inferior mpg with “no name” fuel outlets.
    Never an issue with established well known name brands.

  • OzHunterNSW on 27/01/2022 - 13:04

    Go back and revise your post…. cut out about 2,000 words

    • terrys on 27/01/2022 - 17:05

      If it's to much bother to read, the pertinent [tl:dr] for effortless consumption was used as the second sentence. I wouldn't feel up to rewriting it even if such help was requested.

  • John Kimble on 27/01/2022 - 20:09
    +1

    Nice work!

    Is Coles Express still paper receipts? Has anyone been successful just taking a photo of the barcode and showing them the photo? Or using Stocard?

    • WookieMonster on 27/01/2022 - 20:29

      Shell Coles Express is still issuing paper fuel vouchers. However, Flybuys members in WA can activate the fuel offer in the Flybuys app (which is part of a trial). When you visit a WA Shell Coles Express, you can choose to redeem a 4c/L discount, 8 bonus Flybuys points per dollar, or an in-store product offer.

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