With the rise in petrol taxes for Auckland drivers - and road user charges for the rest of us - how much we shell out at the pump is again a big talking point.
The majority of drivers are spending well over $100 a month on fuel to fill up their vehicles, according to new research.
Canstar Blue’s survey of nearly 2200 New Zealanders shows that more than half of us (52 per cent) spend between $100 and $249 on petrol every month.
Drivers also said they were prepared to go out of their way in search of a fuel bargain. More than half (53 per cent) keep a watchful eye on fuel prices, 65 per cent will drive up to 10km to buy cheaper gas, and 56 per cent will buy fuel based on when service stations offer significant discounts.
But it doesn’t seem fuel prices are getting us out of our cars and onto public transport. Only 10 per cent of those surveyed said they were using public transport more now than 12 months ago.
Canstar Blue General Manager Jose George said: "Fuel costs often make up a large slice of the household budget, so it’s no surprise many of us keep a close eye on petrol prices or drive a bit further to buy cheaper fuel. The regional fuel tax for Aucklanders and rising road user charges mean higher petrol prices are here to stay.
"It will also be interesting to see whether the price rises will lead to more customers leaving their cars at home and using public transport over the next year."
Canstar surveyed almost 2600 Kiwis across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction. The outcomes reported are the results from 2195 customers who have refuelled at a service station within the last month.
Meanwhile, Canstar announced that South Island chain NPD has won its annual Most Satisfied Customers Award for petrol and service stations.
"NPD was the only brand that won 5 stars for overall satisfaction, appearance and cleanliness and price of petrol," said George.
"It’s also interesting to note from our survey that appearance and cleanliness was a bigger driver of satisfaction (31 per cent) than the price of petrol (27 per cent)."