Is petrol really this expensive? (I don't drive but it seems a lot)

[MidnightSun77]

I offered to pay my friend's petrol costs when she visits. It's approx 150miles each way, she drives a very small old car (can't remember the model but it's not one that would use a lot of petrol).

She says her petrol will cost £60. Is this reasonable for 300 miles?

I don't mind paying, but it's more than I expected especially as I'll also be paying for all meals out, drinks, taxi fares, day-trips etc.

My car is pretty thirsty and does 450ish miles on £65 of fuel.

Why are you paying for everything?

That doesn't sound unreasonable, particularly for an old car.

I don't drive so can't comment on petrol costs, but why are you paying for everything OP?

That's 27.5 miles per gallon working on £1.20/litre. Which is rubbish for a small car. Sounds like she's having you over a barrel (of oil).

My new car does 389 miles on £40 of petrol

Crikey. I drive a 3 litre sports car and a full tank, £50, gets me that far. I know as I go to my sister's, 220 miles away on just over 3/4 of a tank. Yes, I have set the trip thingy to see how far it and checked

Offer her £20, if you really think you owe her anything over and above meals, drinks, taxi fares, day trios etc. But I think you are mad, your visit expenses outweigh her petrol, but the look of it.

Shouldn't be much more than about £40 I reckon. But again toy shouldn't be paying it all.

Shes ripping you off btw if you're paying for everything! Not a friend but a user there!

My car is quite old and small and 300 miles for me would be around £40

My car would easily use that and more.

Not sure why you're paying for HER to come and see YOU though, why isn't she paying her own petrol money?

In the real world, and depending on the route, 27.5 Mpg from an old car is entirely credible.

Try this op. www.theaa.com/driving/mileage-calculator.jsp

My little skoda cost me just under £50 (something like £49.12) to fill up at the moment. Last time petrol was £1.11).

Use the aa mileage calculator then only fair thing is to spilt the cost in two. Take it you dont visit her?

Is seems rather inflated. I would have expected around £40 at most (unless big vehicle).

There is a fuel calculator available online. Do you know what make/model/year her car is?

I agree it would be more like £40 than £60, unless it was a REALLY uneconomical car, and if it's a small one, that sounds unlikely.

even at £40 would it not be cheaper for her to get the train or bus?

It depends on the car, the roads, and how she drives. My 2 litre Alfa used less petrol on the motorway than my 1.2 Punto.

Sorry! I thought it was 300 miles each way! Dies sound a but overinflated. The cost of fuel varies a fair bit though. A little rural indrpendent (there are some left) can be 10% more than a supermarket.

Fwiw, my mum pays my fuel when I visit. It's a 550 mile round trip.

Thanks for responses everyone

Reason I'm paying for everything is she can't afford the trip otherwise, she recently lost her job and the visit was planned ages ago. I don't mind paying as a one-off, I just don't like to think she's exaggerating petrol costs.
I suggested train but she said that would cost more.

Not sure what the make/model/year of car is. She'll mainly be driving on motorways, she's quite a cautious driver so unlikely to be driving fast.

research the train fare. Travel off peak and it could well be cheaper.

60mph is about the most economical speed.

I drive a small car which is 18 years old, and £60 doesn't sound too far off the mark, especially if it's on country roads, or roads with a lot of stopping and starting. On a motorway it would cost a bit less. She may be counting on filling the tank once each way, and figure that it costs £30 a time.

Midnight, I don't drive any more so not up to date with prices, but if the car has a teeny engine it's plausible that she'd use a lot of petrol 'pushing' the car at 60mph.

I would say £40 tops for 300 miles.