Wol

Higher octane petrol - Shell VPower and BP Ultimate - has been unobtainable anywhere round here this last ten days: Bowral, Moss Vale, Unanderra, Albion Park etc.

I phoned Shell today and they said the NSW refinery was out "for unanticipated maintenance" - but that it only supplied Shell.

There's something going on somewhere, but I don't know what: anyone heard anything?

Vim Fuego

It's caused by the rush of people moving to Queensland, it will pass when they realise that the place is under 3 feet of water and head back

arkon

Apparently there are only 2 refineries, both with some kind of problem. Some think it's a stunt to push prices even higher as the cost of crude fell.

walaj

it was in the SMH over the long weekend for Australia Day about the shortage. I filled up at Caltex with 95 last week with no prob (priced 6c above oct92, which is now the norm round here (2yrs ago was 4c)

why

it's the scandalous things they do with petrol prises...ie lie to everyone so they can charge what they like when they like......it's going pear shaped very quickly

better polish up your push bike and check the brakes work!!!!!!

Wol

Oh, surely not, Arkon! The petrol companies do try and keep prices down to the minimum - look at the way the pump prices drop during the week <g>.

Wol

OK - didn't see that.

Incidentally, the SMH isn't available round here today, either.

No petrol, no paper - how are "working families" going to cope?

Potato_potato

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...006784,00.html

moneypenny20

At least they can still buy lettuce with the money saved

Potato_potato

I've tried all types of Premium petrol and I get the best performance and fuel consumption with Mobil 8000.

I used BP Ultimate for a while and liked it but found it to be the most exxy. I know many people who swear by Ultimate and will not use anything else.

V Power (shell) has the worst fuel consumption for me.

I can't use 95 as it makes the engine make a weird ticking noise.

Wol

I use either - when available <g> - 'cos Mrs Wol insists that the engine will disintegrate if I don't put the most expensive stuff into it......

Red_V_Roger

Its called 'pinking' in old money and its a sure sign of ignition problems due mainly to low octane.

Potato_potato

Thanks. happend when it was new, no problems with ignition. Mechanic says it due to the car being a high performance 300kw V8 - it's meant to only run on premium with high octane. Accidentally filled it with 95 twice before, hence the noise.

Red_V_Roger

My Toyota Hiace Camper with 315,000K's on it doesn't half go up hills better when its got the higher octane in it...!

I still drive it slow enough though to wind everyone up behind me!

Pomster

When I last counted there were more than two: Kwinana (WA) Bulwer Island (QLD) Kurnell (NSW) Clyde (NSW) Geelong (Vic).

And strangely enough, periodically refineries need to be shut down for maintenance. Rather like cars only far more complex.
Shutdowns are usually planned and more imports are scheduled, but they cannot always keep up with demand as the next nearest non-Australian refinery is 12 days away, by tanker.