The True Cost of a Warm Cabin
If you leave your car idling for 15 minutes every frosty morning this winter, you are burning through about 22.5 litres of wasted fuel. At current Canberra prices, that habit will cost you around $48 over a three-month winter for a standard petrol car, and well over $85 if you drive a diesel ute.
When the temperature drops below zero in the nation's capital, it is tempting to start the engine, crank the heater, and head back inside while the windscreen defrosts. But modern fuel-injected engines do not need to "warm up" before hitting the freeway. In fact, idling gets you zero kilometres per litre, causing unnecessary wear and tear on your engine components while unnecessarily draining your fuel tank.
Breaking Down the Figures
Research shows that a typical 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine uses between 0.6 and 1 litre of petrol per hour while idling. Larger engines, such as those found in V8s or heavy utes, can consume up to 2.0 litres per hour.
Let's look at what that means at the bowser right now. Unleaded 91 prices are 6.2% higher in Canberra (214.98 cpl) than in Geelong (202.37 cpl). If you waste 22.5 litres of U91 over winter, that is $48.37 up in smoke. For those running premium fuel in the ACT, the waste is even costlier, with Premium 95 sitting at 234.70 cpl and Premium 98 at 241.73 cpl.
Diesel drivers face an even steeper penalty. Diesel sits 4.6% higher in Canberra (255.59 cpl) than in Perth (244.30 cpl). If your diesel ute burns 1.5 litres an hour idling in the driveway for 15 minutes each morning, you are throwing away nearly 34 litres of fuel—costing you $86.26 over the winter months.
A Smarter Way to Defrost
The fastest way to warm up your car's engine is actually to drive it gently. Instead of relying on the engine to melt the frost, keep a scraper or a spray bottle of lukewarm water (never boiling, which can crack the glass) in the boot to clear your windscreen manually. It takes less than two minutes and saves you from paying a premium at the servos.
If you must idle to clear heavy fogging, try to keep it under three minutes. Modern vehicles circulate oil within seconds of starting, meaning prolonged idling is simply an outdated behaviour that costs you money.
Check Your Local Prices Before You Fill
While cutting out the morning idle will save you cash, so will knowing exactly where to fill up. Nationally, U91 prices currently range from 169.9 cpl to 194.5 cpl, a difference of 14.5%. Even within Canberra, prices fluctuate between stations.
Before you pay your rego or head to the pump, take a second to check the latest prices. You can easily find the cheapest fuel nearby using the FuelRadar map at fuelradar.com.au/map or by downloading our app on iOS and Android. With reported fuel prices Australia-wide, complete with update times where available, it is the simplest way to ensure you aren't paying more than you have to.
