Tank Tourism Is Usually Not Worth It

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

Can you save money by refueling abroad? The ADAC pursued this question in numerous model calculations.

Refueling abroad - in view of the ever higher petrol prices, trips to Luxembourg, Poland or Austria seem attractive to stock up on cheaper petrol there. However, the savings are often only apparent - says the ADAC, which has examined fuel tourism in numerous model calculations. Because: Many motorists underestimate the costs per kilometer driven towards the border.

The sticking point is kilometer costs

A vehicle in the lower middle class, such as a VW Golf, Opel Astra or Ford Focus, incurs an average of 18.5 cents of pure operating costs per kilometer with an annual mileage of 15,000 kilometers and a holding period of four years. This means the costs caused by the moving car, such as fuel costs, the proportionate workshop and tire costs as well as the kilometer-dependent portion of the depreciation. Fixed costs such as taxes and insurance as well as the time-dependent portion of the depreciation are not taken into account.

So if someone drives 20 kilometers to refuel in a mid-range car and 20 kilometers back, that puts a burden on his wallet with 7.40 euros. With a tank filling of 50 liters and an assumed price difference of 15 cents per liter, the savings compared to the domestic gas station are initially 7.50 euros. But: minus the operating costs, there is an advantage of only ten cents - pretty little for the time spent.

Only worthwhile near the border

A mid-range vehicle, such as the Mercedes C-Class, VW Passat, or Dreier BMW even costs 22.7 cents per kilometer, according to ADAC. The 40-kilometer journey costs 9.08 euros. A tank filling of 60 liters with a price difference of 15 cents per liter brings an apparent saving of nine euros, but actually a loss of eight cents.

And finally: an upper middle class car like the Audi A6 or Peugeot 607 devours 26 cents per kilometer. For 40 kilometers of driving, EUR 10.40 is due. With a price difference of 15 cents and a 70-liter tank of fuel, the driver has ten cents less in his wallet.

Almost always, according to the ADAC, the following results: Refueling abroad is only worthwhile for those who live directly in the border area and / or if there are large differences to the German price. And even then everyone has to decide for themselves whether it is worth the time invested in refueling.