Fuel Prices

[Mex-Busnut]

It's too bad I'm not closer to Tijuana, otherwise Pemex would be getting more of my money.

John

John:

I hate to disappoint you, but Pemex is selling diesel to us down here today at the equivalent of U. S. $3.44 a gallon, so you wouldn't be saving as much as in the old days. Early last year we were paying $2.97.

And in Tijuana you would be seriously risking your life with all the drug war-related violence. I use a Mexican-made 2007 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (turbo diesel) as my daily driver. Thankful for its consistent 50+ miles per gallon on the highway.

[eagle19952]

I feel bad for the Canadians,  they come south and buy THEIR oil for less than they can buy it at home for!
                                        JIm

and they have a bunch of crude...I think Venezuela id where thr cheap stuff is..

[Iceni John]

John:

I hate to disappoint you, but Pemex is selling diesel to us down here today at the equivalent of U. S. $3.44 a gallon, so you wouldn't be saving as much as in the old days. Early last year we were paying $2.97.

When I was in Mexico earlier this year I saw that some, but not all, Pemex stations were selling two grades of diesel.   Are they two different cetane levels, or is one cleaner-burning or ULSD, or does one have less dead rats in it, or what's the difference?   Here there's only ULSD #2 for sale, but I sometimes wonder if different areas have different cetane levels or different additives to suit the local smog-nazis.

It's interesting that you have a MX-made diesel VW.   I saw very few private diesel cars anywhere in MX, and I've heard that in the DF you're actually not allowed to own a diesel car?   Why?   Mind you, to make up for that I saw several older 2-stroke Dina buses still in revenue service, including an immaculate Olympico leaving Toluca and a few newer ones in Cordoba.   Yeah!

Juanissimo  

[Oonrahnjay]

. I use a Mexican-made 2007 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (turbo diesel) as my daily driver. Thankful for its consistent 50+ miles per gallon on the highway.   

    Me, too.  Except mine is an '03 ("ALH" - fuel pump engine, no "aftertreatment").  But mine is German-built - it replaced a Mexican-built '02 that a drunk driver totalled.  It's never been as good as the Mexican car was.  Fill it up?   15 gallons, good for almost 1000 miles.

[Mex-Busnut]

When I was in Mexico earlier this year I saw that some, but not all, Pemex stations were selling two grades of diesel.   Are they two different cetane levels, or is one cleaner-burning or ULSD, or does one have less dead rats in it, or what's the difference?   Here there's only ULSD #2 for sale, but I sometimes wonder if different areas have different cetane levels or different additives to suit the local smog-nazis.

It's interesting that you have a MX-made diesel VW.   I saw very few private diesel cars anywhere in MX, and I've heard that in the DF you're actually not allowed to own a diesel car?   Why?   Mind you, to make up for that I saw several older 2-stroke Dina buses still in revenue service, including an immaculate Olympico leaving Toluca and a few newer ones in Cordoba.   Yeah!

Juanissimo  

Juanissimo:

I really have no idea what you might have seen, unless maybe somewhere somebody is selling biodiesel (which I have yet to see in Mexico) I have never seen another grade of diesel except normal #2 anywhere in Mexico. And I have been in every one of Mexico's 31 states except Baja California Sur. (I have been to Baja California Norte many times.) Even in the maritime ports (I used to do translation for a company from Houma, Louisiana that rented tugboats and crew boats to Pemex) I only saw #2 diesel fuel.

On Mexican pumps there are only three colors:
1. Green is Regular Unleaded.
2. Red is Premium Unleaded
3. Black is diesel.

if the outside Pemex sign does not have a black strip on it, you know without pulling in it has no diesel fuel.

A few of the larger stations have added a blue stripe indicating they also sell propane for vehicles.

Mexico City (Distrito Federal) has no law forbidding diesel automobiles. In fact, my 2007 Jetta was purchased in April 2013, and had D. F. plates on it from new until I bought it.

The only diesel automobiles you will see here are VW Jettas, Boras, Passats, Golfs and Audis. There are a number of Nissan pickup models and Ford vans with diesels. I used to have a 1963 D-190 Mercedes Benz car made in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

[bobofthenorth]

Exactly Jim.  3 weeks ago I paid $3.43 for dyed diesel in Port Angeles and was glad to do it.  Its a paying trip for me to run the boat all day to cross to either Port Angeles or Roche Harbour rather than getting raped by my local dealers.

[belfert]

    Me, too.  Except mine is an '03 ("ALH" - fuel pump engine, no "aftertreatment").  But mine is German-built - it replaced a Mexican-built '02 that a drunk driver totalled.  It's never been as good as the Mexican car was.  Fill it up?   15 gallons, good for almost 1000 miles.

You get over 60 MPG out of a TDI with ULSD?  I had a 2003 Golf TDI and the absolute best I ever got was about 45 MPG on a long trip.  Mine was automatic.  Most TDI owners I know lost significant MPG with ULSD.

[Mex-Busnut]

You get over 60 MPG out of a TDI with ULSD?  I had a 2003 Golf TDI and the absolute best I ever got was about 45 MPG on a long trip.  Mine was automatic.  Most TDI owners I know lost significant MPG with ULSD.

Your problem was the automatic transmission. It eats fuel economy.

[belfert]

Your problem was the automatic transmission. It eats fuel economy.

It is still pretty unusual for a TDI with ULSD to consistently get over 60 MPG.  I find it hard to imagine an automatic would drop mileage by over a third.  A TDI fanatic locally said he lost 10 MPG when ULSD came out.  My Golf TDI by the time I traded it for a larger vehicle was only averaging 35 to 36 MPG which was tough to swallow with diesel often $1 a gallon more than gas at the time.  I think I paid as high as $4.59 or $4.69 for diesel at one point in 2008.

I imagine the newer 6 speed automatics do better.  I would buy another diesel in a heartbeat if they made one in a vehicle the size of a minivan.  On a road trip I can get upwards of 28 MPG in my gasoline minivan as it is.

[Barn Owl]

Not just speculation, also the devaluing of the dollar has as much to do with this as anything.

[Mex-Busnut]

I imagine the newer 6 speed automatics do better.  I would buy another diesel in a heartbeat if they made one in a vehicle the size of a minivan.  On a road trip I can get upwards of 28 MPG in my gasoline minivan as it is.

Actually: Volkswagen DOES sell a TDI in a passenger or panel minivan.

[belfert]

Actually: Volkswagen DOES sell a TDI in a passenger or panel minivan.

They sell this in Mexico, but not in the United States.  VW has discontinued their minivan in the USA which did not have a TDI.  The USA minivan was actually made by Chrysler for VW.

[Tony LEE]

"Mexico City (Distrito Federal) has no law forbidding diesel automobiles."

True, they treat everyone the same - can only drive on alternate days.

Just to make you all feel a lot better about your US$4 a gallon, here in Iceland it is about US$2.50 a litre so just a bit dearer.

[chessie4905]

  Did their fuel rise in recent months due to the country's financial/debt crisis?

[luvrbus]

Mexico is the largest buyer of diesel from the US they buy 80% of their diesel from here they ship the crude here we refine it ship it back so the price is going to be close, some times they are slower on raising the price it eventually get there though then sometimes the price of fuel is higher than the US