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Motorists could be forgiven for thinking they might be in for an expensive festive season on the road, with unleaded prices around $2.00 per litre at many outlets in Adelaide this week.
That’s because almost half of motorists (48%) aren’t aware of how long Adelaide’s unleaded price cycle is – according to RAA’s latest fuel survey.
The survey found around one in five drivers mistakenly think the price cycle lasts around a month or more, and another one in five think it lasts less than one week.
RAA is reminding drivers that Adelaide’s unleaded price cycle lasts approximately 2-3 weeks – meaning prices should begin to fall at many outlets in the lead-up to Christmas, if the cycle follows its usual rhythm.
Filling up when prices are near the bottom of the cycle instead of the top could mean a saving of around $20 on a 60-litre tank.
Recent average unleaded prices in Adelaide have been cheaper than 12 months ago – averaging around $1.75 in the past 30 days, compared to $1.82 at the same time last year.
With the wholesale price expected to remain stable heading into Christmas, any prices around the $1.70 mark are likely to be a good buy for drivers.
RAA members can also now save 10c per litre at more than 46 outlets across metropolitan and regional South Australia. A full list of retailers, and terms and conditions, is on RAA’s website.
RAA fuel expert Peter Nattrass urged drivers to use live fuel prices if they want to save money this summer.
“Christmas is an expensive time of year and the last thing you want to be doing it overpaying for fuel,” Mr Nattrass said.
“Our research shows almost half of drivers aren’t sure how long Adelaide’s fuel cycle lasts, so we’re reminding them that every 2-3 weeks, the average price in the metro area fluctuates quite a bit.
“At the moment, prices are high at many outlets, so if there isn’t a cheap site near you, we recommend waiting to see if they fall in the lead-up to Christmas, before filling your entire tank.
“A price checking app like the free RAA app is the best way to keep an eye on the cycle and make an easy saving at an expensive time of year.
“If you use RAA’s Fuel Trends feature, you’ll see where we currently are in Adelaide’s cycle, and therefore where prices are likely to head in the coming weeks.
“Contrary to what many drivers think, there is no ‘cheap Tuesday’ or one day of the week that is best to buy.
“If you’re heading away or live regionally, there isn’t a cycle in most regional areas, but not all towns will have the same price.
“Some hotpots like Mount Gambier or Berri/Barmera have more competition than other towns, so prices are often lower than other regional locations, which is why it pays to use an app.
“Use the app, check the prices before you leave, and make an informed choice to save money.
“It could mean an extra meal at the pub for the family while you’re away.”
The free RAA app also sends push notifications to users when prices are detected to be low or rising across Adelaide.
To sign up for pricing alerts, RAA app users just need to tap on the Fuel Prices feature, set their fuel type to unleaded 91 and opt in to fuel price notifications in their app settings.
The RAA app’s fuel price feature is available for free – whether users are an RAA member or not.
According to RAA’s latest fuel survey, SA drivers are saving a collective $58 million per year just by shopping around for the cheapest fuel.
For diesel drivers, the recent average price in Adelaide is 10 cents more expensive than this time last year – $1.85 compared to $1.75. But relief could be on the way in coming weeks, with the wholesale diesel price falling by around 10 cents in the past fortnight.
Motorists can compare fuel prices using the RAA app or website
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