Cost of Fuel in USA versus Europe

Tom Hatfield · Post by **Tom Hatfield** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:49 pm

I was just talking with someone about the cost of owning/operating a car in the UK. She said fuel is $8 a gallon, and a license for the smallest available car is £2,000. Is that true? Licenses in the US are like $12 . . . which kind of explains why there are so many morons driving around, but still.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:05 am

The license doens't cost that much (I don't believe) but it is the insurance premiums you need to pay to legally drive, espeically if you are a younger driver, that can cripple anyone driving.

Trantor · Post by **Trantor** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:10 am

I'm not quite sure Tom, but it sounds alright. Getting a driver's license here in Germany requires lots of lessons in theory and practice and will cost about 2000 € I guess. Fuel is like 1.10 to 1.30 € right now per litre. Considering one gallon is about 4.5 litres, what you heard sounds very realistic.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:12 am

Oh yes, driving lessons are also quite expensive too

Parallax · Post by **Parallax** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:29 am

$8 a gallon is an exageration if we are to use Trantor's numbers. A gallon is 3.8L so with the euro at $1.30 it works out to $6.40 a gallon, which is about 2.5x what you'd pay in the US these days. Of course since you won't need your car to go everywhere (unlike here!) and your average european car gets much better mileage than your average american car, I wouldn't be surprised if the monthly gasoline budget for an average family on both sides of the ocean turned out about the same.

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:48 pm

Yes, but Trantor is neglecting a small detail - Germans have a tendency of thinking that they have the most unfortunate cost for fuel in the world. Every time I'm going to UK by car I'm reminded unpleasantly that this is not true.

Trantor · Post by **Trantor** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:09 pm

I wasn't necessarily neglecting that Lunever. I just assumed that the UK and Germany would have roughly equal prizes, at least compared to the US. In fact, I've heard that fuel prizes are even more expensive in the UK than here in Germany, but I suppose the difference is much smaller than the difference between either of those countries and the US.

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:11 pm

Right, fuel is generally much more expensive anywhere in Europe than in the US. Yet, the differences within Europe are often subtle. For example I pay the same in UK as in Luxemburg - just in pence instead of in cent

Joramun · Post by **Joramun** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:12 pm

Once I manage to create a fuel bomb in DM...

Ok, I leave now.

Des · Post by **Des** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:58 am

An Imperial (British) gallon is 4.5 litres whereas as US gallon is 3.8 litres. Fuel in the UK costs about 90p per litre, so at $2 per GBP, a US gallon is just under $7 and an imperial gallon just over $8.

MitchB1990 · Post by **MitchB1990** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:05 am

$3.20 per gallon here. Cant even fill my tank with $20 anymore. It's really sad, that I don't have a job or any other source of income too

.

Kain · Post by **Kain** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:33 am

Back when I was driving a Neon (about 10 years ago) it cost me $10.00 to fill up and it lasted me about a week.

Now in a Caravan, $10.00 doesn't even give me a quarter tank and fuel costs me about $80.00/ week.

I think my next car will have a turbo diesel engine.

Post by **cowsmanaut** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:50 am

lessons here were about 200 bucks canadian. Gas jumped to 3 digits far to fast and has kept going.. perhaps we don't need to pay as much as those of you in the UK. However, for us it has been feeling a lot like we are being screwed.

http://www.vancouvergasprices.com/

ian_scho · Post by **ian_scho** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:22 pm

I'm glad you split this from the Changing Man thread, guys. I was getting quite emotional over the fuel prices...

Post by **Gambit37** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:04 pm

I have no idea why it even started on that thread, it had nothing to do with it in any shape or form...

Des · Post by **Des** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:49 pm

High fuel prices encourage more fuel efficient vehicles which must be good for the planet. I am of course a hipocryte as I drive an Alfa Romeo that only does 25MPG. Fortunately these days in Euroland you can get cars that are thrifty on fuel byt still go like hot snot. For example a diesel Seat Leon FR see http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/R ... 549&page=2 - 47MPG but also 170 BHP and 0-60 in 8 seconds. I can live with that

Tom Hatfield · Post by **Tom Hatfield** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:54 am

It was based on your mention of commuting to work and public transportation in general.

Post by **Gambit37** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:36 am

Oh!