When I was 15 in NZ back in the 60s petrol was 2 shillings & 6 pence a IMP gallon or 25 cents after decimalisation. But then average wages were 17 to 20 quid a week.

Unleaded 91 has just gone up to $1.96 a litre from $1.70 something a week or so ago. 95 & 98 are well over $2.00. The latest oil prices are now are the benchmak Brent Crude at $US114.20/barrel 10 minutes ago,
 
Last edited:
I remember when petrol was less than £1 per gallon.

when I started it was 33p a gallon.

It was around 1979/1980 when it broke the £1/gallon, I remember it as I naively thought I would never see it go that high.

Have a look at the table attached below showing price per gallon for every year since 1896 and see if it matches your memory.
 

Attachments

Last edited:
As a younger driver, I never experienced that. The first time I had to fill up, Diesel was 2.20€ per liter (started in 2022). It got down to more reasonable prices like 1.55€ Euros a couple of months later but hearing how the prices were just a decade or two ago sounds crazy to me. In Germany fuel is highly taxed (>60% of the gas price are taxes and >50% of Diesel are taxes). According to some people, the state of Germany makes approximately an extra 12 million Euros per day because of these higher prices. A lot of people ask to lower taxes in this extreme situation but the politicians simply don't care. You can't get anything below 2.03€ per liter this morning.
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20260309-WA0008.webp
    IMG-20260309-WA0008.webp
    224.6 KB · Views: 4
It was around 1979/1980 when it broke the £1/gallon, I remember it as I naively thought I would never see it go that high.

Have a look at the table attached below showing price per gallon for every year since 1896 and see if it matches your memory.
When beer went over a pound a pint , I said to myself , " right , time to stop drinking " yeah ! like that happened ? 🤪 Not.
 
There is a difference between an Englisch gallon and an American gallon? 😂😂😂 Thank god I live in Germany where we have the metric system everywhere
Just to add to the confusion a US gallon is 8 pints, the same as Imperial gallon, but a US pint is 16 fluid ounces rather than 20 on the imperial system.
 
? Bit stumped for an answer , tis my native tongue, although I would imagine its translatable to any language repeated throughout the world.
sorry, your post beat mine, I was referring to the picture in Germany of fuel prices, with types in English.
 
The nearest independent local garage (6 mi or so) has had diesel at £153.9/l and 4-star at £143.9/l since about last Wednesday or Thursday. Tomorrow they are to start rationing sales. I note Asda (~14 mi) this morning have turned off their price board. Tesco (~13 mi) are 2p/l cheaper than the local garage (who are normally cheaper than Tesco).
 
Support us by becoming a Premium Member

Latest MG EVs video

MG4 EV Refresh + NEW MG4 EV Urban - UK arrival dates, prices, specs (2026)
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom