Is it better to buy petrol or diesel for 195 than 200? Here's how the pump's meter works

  • Motorists often claim they are conned at the refuelling stations, which includes getting less petrol than the amount they paid for.
Petrol
Motorists often claim they are conned at the refuelling stations, which includes getting less petrol than the amount they paid for. (REUTERS/Sahiba Chawdhary)
Petrol
Motorists often claim they are conned at the refuelling stations, which includes getting less petrol than the amount they paid for.

When you visit the refuelling stations, it is a common sight to find motorists across India buying petrol or diesel of odd amounts such as 195 or 575 instead of the amount in multiples of 100, which in this cases are 200 or 600, respectively. This strategy, the motorists claim is effective to avoid being conned at the refuelling stations.

It is true that many motorists claim they have been conned at the refuelling station, which includes getting less petrol than the amount they paid for. The question is, whether buying petrol or diesel of an odd amount is really an effective trick or just a misconception? Here is a quick guide for you to understand how the petrol pump meters actually work.

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How petrol pump meters work?

Petrol pumps use pre-set codes for common fuel dispensing volumes such as 100, 200, 500, and 1,000. These codes are entered with a single button press, saving the attendants time and effort. However, this may lead many motorists to believe that they receive less fuel when purchasing petrol or diesel of abovementioned amounts.

Also Read : Think you're being conned at petrol pumps? Key tips to prevent that

However, in reality, petrol pumps use a flow meter system. This system dispenses petrol or diesel in litres, with all calculations based on litres only. The software in the fuel dispensing machine converts litres to rupees based on the set petrol or diesel rates and the dispensed quantity of the fuel.

Hence, whenever the consumer is buying fuel of 100, 500 or 1,000; he or she is getting the volume of petrol or diesel that is available for the paid amount, calculated based on the rate of the particular fuel on that day. There is no guarantee of receiving more fuel by avoiding round numbers and opting for odd figures. Hence, to ensure accurate fuel dispensing at the petrol pumps, the vehicle owner can request fuel in litres and pay the exact amount for that.

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First Published Date: 13 Jan 2025, 11:47 AM IST
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