Yelkcub

There are a number of interesting posts in reply to my original post but the one thing that most people seem to have not concentrated upon is that the price is so vastly different - in the UK it is heading towards £1.20 / Ltr whilst in Canada it is averaging $1.10 / Ltr (subject to location, etc) {$1.10 = £0.73 based on £1=$1.5}. This allows for a strong dollar; if the conversion rate was nearer £1=$2 then the price would be £0.55 / Ltr (approximately .

That is approximately 64% higher which whilst one can argue about fuel comsuption, vehicle efficency, etc the fact is that to buy a similar commotity is vastly cheaper in Canada. This suggest that the UK driver is (for want of a better expression) being ripped off once again.

Any thoughts?

Yelkcub

printer

Yes. It's all relative to how much you earn and how far you drive and how frugal the vehicle is blah blah. It's never as straightforward as $1.10 versus 1.20. Some will be quids in and others will be no better off in Canada if you look at it as how much of you income is spent on fuel.

Yelkcub

Sorry the straight forward comparision is very relevant - if I have exactly the same car in Canada and UK and drive similar journeys and thus are comparing apples with apples and not apples with oranges, the UK driver is having the rise taken out of him with regard to the cost of petrol. Petrol / diesel has similar production costs in both countries yet one pays far less. Rip off GB comes to mind. This doesn't just affect individuals at the "fill up" level, it affects everyone as petrol / diesel powered vehicles are used to deliver most goods to shops, etc with the associated delivery costs. The only way you avoid this is to grown your own food and make your own clothes but that is hardly practical when you live in a city is it!

printer

So how many people living here actually drive the same car with the same engine and do the same mileage as they had/did in the UK. I bet the figure is extremely small. I know people that are earning the same in dollars as they did in pounds (50,000 UKP now 50,000 CDN) The cost difference is not much in this case to these people.

dboy

Doesn't change the fact that it's priced higher in the UK. I personally drive less than the UK. . As for earnings, there's going to be a broad range of those of us that are earning more, some less and I imagine many about the same.

I do agree that Brits tend to get carried away when they first move here and buy bigger cars (and homes for that matter), but that's a matter of choice, as is chosing to live in a rural area, where one would be more dependent on the auto. Still have to compare apples to apples though.

Jingsamichty

Swings & roundabouts, innit?

The Governments have got to get their money from somewhere. In the UK they've loaded up petrol & car tax - quite rightly, because it's a tiny country with a relatively comprehensive public transport system, at least compared to Canada/US.

In Canada, the Government takes it's buck from higher booze prices, flight taxes, whatever...

You can't cherry pick items from 2 different countries overall taxation regimes, it's definitely not 'apples with apples'.

Almost Canadian

Because the government in the UK wants its revenues increased to pay for standard cost prescriptions, all of the tax credits working families get, maternity pay, statutory sick pay, the welfare system, so it taxes the living hell out of everything, petrol being one such thing. You can't have your cake and eat it

iaink

The climate plays havoc on rotors I think, that and the salt. Hard for brakes to take sudden heat from sitting overnight at -20some, they seem to warp alot here, but maybe thats Subaru specific. I dont think being on the brakes at the lights while in "D" puts any significant wear on them, but the lack of engine breaking in an auto must add to the work load.

iaink

I would have done, but I couldnt afford a Subaru when I was in the UK...

Jingsamichty

I always slip into "N" at lights, and take my foot off the brakes and put on the handbrake. I can't help thinking that sitting still in "D" with your foot on the brakes for ages doesn't do the brake hoses any good, or the gearbox & clutch either for that matter.

Almost Canadian

Why not just put it into "P", no need for handbrake then

iaink

Probably putting more wear on the tranny slipping it in and out of D to N and back then there is spinning the torque converter at low revs while sitting on the brakes in D?

Hopefully there is no clutch in your auto box... not unless its a fancy twin clutch VW/ exotic one anyway...

iaink

I hate that...sitting behind when you get the reverse lights flash at you on the way from P to D.... I dont trust canadian drivers enough that they are not actually going to reverse into me!

Jingsamichty

Calgary is mostly flat. I don't actually need to put the handbrake on very often - slipping into "N" is usually sufficient.


I'm sure it's better for fuel economy... Plus it means I don't fall into the extremely annoying habit of people spending an entire red-light cycle inching forward to close that 30 foot gap they left when pulling to a stop.

Yelkcub

But if they charge more for Booze and flights they are (at the end of the day) luxuries. Petrol / Diesel / Gasoline is a necessity. You might argue that you can chose to drive but it still effects you. For example you don't chose how your food is delivered to the supermarket. In most instances the knock on affect of gas / petrol prices is hidden. Those firms selling your accommodate the cost of shipping in the retail price; they don't take it out of their bottom line you know.