Sound Off on Current Diesel Price

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
From a couple days ago. A typical price for RUG, while ULSD is $3.149-$3.199 almost everywhere and sometimes higher.

This is the normal time of year for diesel to rise in price relative to gasoline, what with the harvest season in full steam and an increased demand from tractors, combines, trucks, and soon additional locomotives and tugboats moving barges. Also there are a million more school buses on the road, and in some states where heating oil is still used, consumers will be filling their fuel tanks.

And one more factor: winter gasoline is cheaper than summer gasoline.

 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Sinclair, a blast from the past in these parts. I remember the dinosaur shaped bath so when my oldest brother worked at one of those stations
 

El Dobro

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
NJ
TDI
2017 Bolt EV Premier, 2023 Bolt EUV Premier
Rug's at $3.19, while diesel's still holding at $3.39 at the Wawa.

We have a couple of Sinclairs in North Jersey and the both have Dino sitting out front.
 

kennethsime

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Location
California
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon GL TDI 5-Speed Baltic Green
We have a couple of Sinclairs in North Jersey and the both have Dino sitting out front.
First Sinclair I ever was along I-80 somewhere in the middle of Wyoming. I figured it was a Rocky Mountain chain. One day I realized there's one in the suburbs out here - not sure how long it's been there, but there is a massive Dino out front.
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
First Sinclair I ever was along I-80 somewhere in the middle of Wyoming. I figured it was a Rocky Mountain chain. One day I realized there's one in the suburbs out here - not sure how long it's been there, but there is a massive Dino out front.
I was surprised to discover that there are 1600 Sinclair stations -- I never thought there were that many. The company's HQ is in Salt Lake City. There are only a handful of Sinclair stations east of the Mississippi.
https://www.sinclairoil.com/find-sinclair-station-near-you
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh

Mozambiquer

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Location
Versailles Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Touareg V10 TDI, 2012 Audi Q7 V6 TDI, 1998 VW Jetta TDI. 1982 VW Rabbit pickup, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 2005 VW Passat wagon TDI X3, 2001 VW golf TDI, 1980 VW rabbit pickup,

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I don't think fuel taxes in the US have changed for quite some time.
Fed taxes no. State taxes have gone up in both SC and NC. SC rasied their fuel taxes a dime a few years back but are doing a two cent phased roll-in over a five year period. I think the end result will put them just over NC. Means I may have to stop boarder hopping for fuel.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Two cents a year? That's hardly noticeable. I always maintain that fuel costs aren't that significant a part of automobile ownership, but then I encounter days like last Saturday when I drove 150 miles without really going anywhere. So maybe they do matter, even when getting 50 MPG.
 

vandermic07

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
Two cents a year? That's hardly noticeable. I always maintain that fuel costs aren't that significant a part of automobile ownership, but then I encounter days like last Saturday when I drove 150 miles without really going anywhere. So maybe they do matter, even when getting 50 MPG.
Your post made me look at my TCO for the Golf. I have owned it for over 10 yrs

Fuel Costs: $18,615
Maint Cost: $11,209
Purch Cost: $7,800
Miles Driven by Me: 267,729
TCO/mile: $0.141

Fuel has definitely been my largest cost but I also purchased my car used @ 10yrs old with 93K miles. Maintenance costs seem high but that's what I spent. Would be interesting to see others TCO breakdown.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
First, you drive 2.5 times the national average. Second, if you'd bought the car new (dieselgate notwithstanding), depreciation would have met or exceeded the fuel cost, most likely. Either way, I think what you've spent for the miles driven constitutes a bargain.

I also wonder what you paid in insurance and taxes in that time period. If you carry full coverage, insurance could be the second highest line item cost.
 

Ragdude

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2021
Location
Phx
TDI
2015 VW Golf SEL TDi
I used to date a girl in LA who moved home to Phoenix for a few months. I would always do my utmost to hold out until first gas station in Arizona, just past Blythe, before refilling to save the $15-30 or so over refilling in California.
Just did this (in reverse) going from Phx to Long Beach a couple weeks ago. You californians have a lot of money judging by fuel prices
 

kennethsime

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Location
California
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon GL TDI 5-Speed Baltic Green
Just did this (in reverse) going from Phx to Long Beach a couple weeks ago. You californians have a lot of money judging by fuel prices
Minimum wage is a bit higher here, but so is cost of living (taxes, cost of goods, etc). Ultimately, I think "the squeeze" is worse here than it is in a lot of places, but not too much. In other words, we may juggle more money, but we certainly don't have much to show for it.
 

vandermic07

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
I also wonder what you paid in insurance and taxes in that time period. If you carry full coverage, insurance could be the second highest line item cost.
I guess I never put Insurance/Registration in my spreadsheet. Still less than half of Maintenance.

I dropped full coverage in 2016 @ $600 per yr. now i pay $225 per yr for liability. $4125 for 10 yrs. Insurance is cheap in rural PA. It would be less if my commute was less than 10 miles per day.
Yearly Registration is around $36 per yr I think. $360 for 10 yrs.

Updated TCO
Insurance/Reg: $4,485
Fuel Costs: $18,615
Maint Cost: $11,209
Purch Cost: $7,800
Miles Driven by Me: 267,729
Real TCO/mile: $0.157
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Insurance is cheap for you. Mine is pretty cheap now, too, but it helps to have one driver and several cars.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
I guess I never put Insurance/Registration in my spreadsheet. Still less than half of Maintenance.

I dropped full coverage in 2016 @ $600 per yr. now i pay $225 per yr for liability. $4125 for 10 yrs. Insurance is cheap in rural PA. It would be less if my commute was less than 10 miles per day.
Yearly Registration is around $36 per yr I think. $360 for 10 yrs.

Updated TCO
Insurance/Reg: $4,485
Fuel Costs: $18,615
Maint Cost: $11,209
Purch Cost: $7,800
Miles Driven by Me: 267,729
Real TCO/mile: $0.157
What about depreciation? Couldn't sell the car for 7800$ today....
 

vandermic07

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
Insurance is cheap for you. Mine is pretty cheap now, too, but it helps to have one driver and several cars.
I am shocked to hear what others pay per yr that live a few hours away near the cities. Comp here usually costs more than collision here because of deer.

What about depreciation? Couldn't sell the car for 7800$ today....
With the rust on it, probably looking a $1500-2000 value. It has 361k miles. Im planning on running it till its unfixable.

Updated TCO
Insurance/Reg: $4,485
Fuel Costs: $18,615
Maint Cost: $11,209
Purch Cost: $7,800
Depreciation: $6000
Miles Driven by Me: 267,729
Real'er TCO/mile: $0.180

Is that better?
 

crashtested

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Location
Nelson, BC
TDI
2016 Q5 TDI Technik, 2014 GSW CL 6MT (RIP), 2004 Jetta GLS 5MT (sold), 2010 GSW HL 6MT (buy back)
Fluctuating but steady between $1.329 - $1.359/L (CAN) in Southeastern BC.
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
With the rust on it, probably looking a $1500-2000 value. It has 361k miles. Im planning on running it till its unfixable.

Updated TCO
Insurance/Reg: $4,485
Fuel Costs: $18,615
Maint Cost: $11,209
Purch Cost: $7,800
Depreciation: $6000
Miles Driven by Me: 267,729
Real'er TCO/mile: $0.180

Is that better?
Are you double-counting purchase price and depreciation? Purchase price is not a cost of ownership, but depreciation is.

Your maintenance costs seem too low. When I do my own TCO calculations, they average about 22 cents/mile.
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
The wholesale/terminal/rack price of ULSD is about 26 cents/gallon from the 1st of September. That is about the same as the increase for the November futures market.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Diesel is down a few cents here. Rug dropped a dime and has held for the last couple of weeks and still abouta nickle cheaper than deisel.
 

vandermic07

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
West Central Pennsylvania
TDI
01 Golf 5 spd, 03 Jetta Wagon
Are you double-counting purchase price and depreciation? Purchase price is not a cost of ownership, but depreciation is.

Your maintenance costs seem too low. When I do my own TCO calculations, they average about 22 cents/mile.
I dont know what way is right.

Thats everything in my spreadsheet. The only thing its missing is washer fluid. Ive kept good track of my numbers. Ive done 3 TB's, Luk Clutch, 2 intercoolers, 3 suspension rebuilds. No turbo, injectors, or or IP replacement yet.

I might look for or start another thread for TCO in the MK4 section

To keep on topic.
USLD 3.65 in Fallscreek PA off I 80
 
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El Dobro

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
NJ
TDI
2017 Bolt EV Premier, 2023 Bolt EUV Premier
The Wawa went up to $3.53 on diesel, while RUG is still holding at $3.19.
 
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