Friday 15 / November / 2024
Muscat: Drivers being hit hard in the pocket shelling out for super fuel at the pumps might finally be able to save some cash with the introduction of M91 fuel.
Can you save money with M91? Find out here
The new MOGAS 91 or M91 fuel looks set to master the market in Oman, with up to 85 per cent of all cars on Oman’s roads able to use the new fuel. The new fuel will be rolled out across filling stations by November 1 and many drivers say they will go for the cheaper option – if the price is right. Motorists and retailers are anxiously awaiting the final price for the fuel.
Read here: M91 petrol from next month in Oman
The Undersecretary of Ministry of Oil and Gas, Salem Al Aufi, announced the launch of the new MOGAS 91 yesterday. It is set to replace regular grade fuel otherwise internationally known as M90.
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According to Al Aufi, 70 per cent to 85 per cent of the Sultanate’s vehicles can run on the new fuel grade as it is the minimum requirement most vehicle are capable of handling.
The top five selling vehicles in Oman can all run on M91, according to a website created by Orpic for drivers to select the best fuel for their cars.
Toyota models like Hilux, Land Cruiser Pickup, Land Cruiser SUV, Prado and Corolla can all use the new fuel.
The Hyundai Elantra, among the top-10 selling cars in the country, can also use the new fuel.
Dodge Ram, Jeep Wrangler, Honda Accord, Suzuki Swift, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Veloster and all BMW models beside the M series can run on M91 fuel.
However, M95 is considered the optimum fuel grade for some models such as Land Rover Discovery, Mitsubishi Pajero, Porsche Cayenne and the BMW M series. As news spread about the launch there were mixed reactions from drivers, fuel station attendants and car dealerships.
Predicting the outcome, once the fuel station is fitted with the new fuel, Mohammed Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, who manages a petrol pump at Ghala, said that more and more people will go for M91 fuel if the quality is good and if it is cheaper than super.
“Right now more and more (people) are going for regular fuel as the costs of petrol have gone up considerably,” he told Times of Oman on Sunday.
A large section of residents, however, said that they want to check out the new fuel once it is on the market. “If it is better than regular petrol (M90) then why not? I hope it would not be bad for my car,” asked Arshad, who drives a 4X4 in Muscat.
Second hand car dealers, however, said that mileage will be kept in mind before anyone goes for it.
“People here want cheap cars which run on regular fuel and also give long mileage. It remains to be seen whether this fuel can give everything,” said Khalil, a used car salesman based in Muscat.
With fuel prices at an all-time high, many nationals and residents are buying smaller, more fuel efficient cars, according to car dealerships. “Our customers have reduced the purchase of expensive vehicles for this reason. They are not buying six cylinder and eight cylinder cars because the fuel is expensive,” said Fuhad Al Farsi, Senior Sales Manager, Oman Trade Establishment.
Efficiency issue
“These days, they are buying smaller cars - around 1.6, 1.8 or 2.4 litre vehicles. When it comes to bigger cars, they always ask how much petrol the car is going to consume. At the moment, the market is not in a good condition,” he added. Though the news sounds good for some, others are not so thrilled.
Abdul Aziz, a taxi driver, says that if M91 comes with high costs, it will not be welcomed by taxi owners. “Although M91 may have a better fuel quality, taxi drivers don’t drive performance cars and even M90 does well in their vehicles. If the fuel is going to cost more than the regular M90, I don’t think it would be good for us,” he explained.
He added: “If priced significantly higher, it would have an effect on taxi customers who are already getting fewer due to bus services.”
On the other hand Seby Maliakal, Manager of Toyota Parts said, “When I use the current fuel in my vehicle, I feel a lot of loss in power. I got back the same power when I started using Super. When they are saying that the octane content is higher, I feel the vehicle should give a better performance than Regular petrol. “As far as price difference is concerned, even if it’s a seven or eight baisa difference, it makes quite a difference over a 70 litre tank,” he added.
According to Al Aufi, consumption levels for regular grade petrol increased to 80 cubic metres per month which is a 270 per cent increase as of August 2016.
“We were monitoring the usage by the consumers for regular petrol and realised there is an increase of consumption for the regular petrol,” said Al Aufi.
“Before changing the prices, the regular petrol (consumption) did not exceed 20 cubic metres per month whereas the super grade petrol used to exceed 350,000 cubic metres per day,” he added.
He added that the change of name from regular to M91 and super to M95 also has a psychological factor which influences drivers to go for the better fuel even though the cheaper one is just as good as it is also the minimum required fuel grade that is compatible for certain vehicles.
When asked about pricing the fuel, Al Aufi explained, “We do not have a price yet and the regulating authority did not have a meeting. The fuel will be priced in the same formula as it has been done every month since January.”
A website launched by Orpic determines which grade of fuel best suits the vehicle. Drivers would input the brand, make, engine capacity and year of make and the website would then determine whether M91 or M95 best suits the vehicle.
A ministry spokesman said drivers should consult their owner manuals, if in any doubt over the best fuel for their car’s engine.
