ekka Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 As of today my local filling station is charging £1.37 per litre for diesel,and then I find that some camp sites are charging anything up to £25- £30 per night, is the time fast approaching to ditch the Motorhome, buy a car that will give me 60mpg and book into Travel lodges at sometimes as little as £19 a night, what do others think. :-( :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs p hancox Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 i know what you mean it takes a brave man or woman to enter a petrol forecourt these days!! I have joined petrol prices .com they send a weekly email on best prices in your area, It does not make alot of differnce but it all helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Apart from my original question, are we likely to find our vehicles become a liabilty that fewer and fewer people will want to buy, don't fancy a tent at my age ! ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Many people (quite rightly) getting concerned now. Last time this hapepned there was widespread action but aimed in different directions such as the Pipeline Card which I joined and have never heard any more of. The latest idea I have received by e-mail is that as many people as possible should now boycott the two major petrol companies for A YEAR not just a few day or a week in the belief that if sufficient people were to do this the two companies would have no option but to reduce prices which, in turn, would reduce prices with others to compete. Ther is a view that if left unchallenged prices could rise to as much as £1.50 a litre! David Sorry - also meant to add that we have already decided that we will start to use CL's more than sites and restrict the travelling to other vparts of the country except on longer breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 My take is that this is down to our mate Dave and Clegg, lets face it the actual fuel price is probably 70p per litre, the rest going on tax and duty which they keep putting up, and lets face it does not personally affect them at all, thats where the protests should be aimed, but we know that it will do no good unless you count the protesters in the millions marching down Whitehall, as we are such an apathetic bunch they know that will not happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I cant see the parallels with a Travel Lodge and if that was the option then the whole idea of travelling about would be shelved. Just as substantial sized car residuals have increasingly been impacted by fuel cost so to an extent will MHs. High drag versions, Lutons etc probably will feel the draft more? We can in many cases better cut our cloth to suit our means and not travel so far and linger longer particularly if opting for lower priced sites, such as CL, CSs. What are we looking at 4 miles/£, even sicker viewed like that.:-( We will inevitably be more conscious of controlling fuel cost but for sure the current levels are not making us give up; its our life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 I had just put this up for debate and comment against the fact that some CLs charge almost full facility camp site fees, I recently stayed at one that charged £15 only because there was no other alternative on my planned route all that was provided was a cold water tap, Morris leisure now charge £25 at their Shropshire site, another once favourite stopover for us. The thing is as we have all our own facilities on-board what suites us best is the French aire system, trouble is it is now going to cost me the best part of £100 just to get to Dover. Perhaps the answer lies in extended stays to offset the mileage costs, what do others think ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Have a look at the "UK Fuel prices" thread & link to sign the petition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Whilst agreeing with most of the comments, you cannot compare a long holiday in the motorhome with a few nights in a Travelodge. We do both, and whilst if you book well enough in advance yes, you may get good deals on TLs but for bed only...you still have to get your food, and if you want brekkie at the TL, I think thats about £5 each, then your evening meals out......? Apart from this ,Motorhoming is more a way of life for many/most of us i suspect. Equally, condsider the fuel cost as a %age of the whole holiday costs, and you will find that whether using the motorhome or hotels etc everything will have increased considerably over the years. We keep a fairly accurate log of all the costs for our main motorhome holidays- OK yes, they are in France, but prices there have risen pretty much in line with UK, but these few figures indicate that the 'fuel content' whilst increasing year or year, is not going to have of itself a 'make or break' effect..... (allprices quoted in Euros!) 2009. 61 nights total cost €3300 fuel €300 site fees €1270 (2016 miles) 2010. 40 nights total cost €2100 fuel €311 site fees € 626 (1800 miles) so even if fuel increses by say 10%, we are only looking at €30 or so, which as a percentage of the whole holiday costs is about 1%. Somehting else worth taking into account is that having bought the motorhome, it costs a huge amountevery year to simply keep it on the road even if you don't go away in it.....so the 'additional' extra cost of fuel has again to be considered as a %age of the whole running cost. I do however accept that maybe for very short trips in the UK - and this is where we utilise Travelodges - there can be better value perceived, especially as it is far easier to park a car than the motorhome at most destination (other then campsites!) in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCC Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 During the major fuel protests of 2000 the Conservative Party organised a day of action on 29 July. In 2007 David Cameron gave fuel protestors his support and promised a “fair fuel stabiliser”: a proposal to limit the price of fuel was part of the Conservative manifesto in the last election. That's life. Increasing the tax on fuel is a very easy way of raising money and they can pretend that it's all for environmental reasons. If anyone is looking for cheap fuel near the M1 / M25 interchange, continue a few miles South down the M1 to junction 5, Watford; double back up the A41 for about half a mile and there is a roundabout with Sainsbury, Asda and Shell garages on the corners. They generally tend to match each others prices (even Shell, they can do it if they need to) and normally offer the cheapest fuel for miles around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I agree that Fuel prices are rapidly becoming unaffordable. As ALL goods now travel by road, (a crazy decision by a previous Government). Inflation is set to skyrocket as Transport Companies recoup their loses. Do ANY of 'them' know what they are doing ?? it does'nt appear so to me. A move up out of recession looks a long way away. Will I give up the Motorhome and 'Follow the crowd' on a package holiday ? I would rather have my teeth pulled out without anesethetic. NO. 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 It's not quite as black as everyone makes out, in real terms fuel prices aren't much different now to what they were in the sixties & seventies. When I had my first car in the late sixties petrol was about six bob a gallon & I was earning about 10 quid a week. Have a look here: http://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/reports/Petrol_Prices_1896_todate_gallons.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Ah the sixties when I could have a pint and a fag in my local, now its closed down like so many others. Simple pleasures like going out in my converted Commer camper, no worries about overhanging a parking bay with the threat of a £90 fine, or a wheel clamp. No height barriers like I encountered on almost every car park on Anglesey on a recent visit. No speed cameras where I may stray over 30 mph at 2 am in the morning but still expect the same punishment. I think what I'm trying to say is Motor-homing in the UK seems to present ever more problems with these latest fuel hikes. I love my "van" but it seems I am ever more likely to enjoy the likes of Scotland, and France, where Motorhomes are welcomed, not treated by most of our local councils to be actively discouraged ( Powys ) in my area being the exception, or perhaps I'm just turning into a grumpy old man ! ! ! :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Diesel still only £131.9 down the road from us. No we wont give up the Motorhome we value our independance to much, even though we can book Travel Lodge at £9 a night. Got enough fuel in the tank to get us well into Spain Next month then diesel is cheaper in Morocco. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 I must invest in a bigger fuel tank then seeing as a full tank will get me about 400 miles, and to get into Spain from Calais is about 700 miles before I could take advantage of those cheaper prices in Spain. Mmmmmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 lennyhb - 2011-01-21 12:43 PM It's not quite as black as everyone makes out, in real terms fuel prices aren't much different now to what they were in the sixties & seventies. When I had my first car in the late sixties petrol was about six bob a gallon & I was earning about 10 quid a week. Have a look here: http://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/reports/Petrol_Prices_1896_todate_gallons.pdf Aye... ah recall when tha go an' cud buy a new suit, an ovvercoat, two pair o' gud boots, get blind drunk, 'ev fish 'n chips an' still 'ev change outera sixpence..... But, this still doesn't change the fact that both the government and the large petro-chemical companies are making vast amounts of money on the sale of fuel. The ongoing effect is that inflation will soar and, at some point, the Bank of England will be under increasing pressure to increase the base rate to try and control 'inflation' (which is going up in quantum leaps as a direct result of fuel prices) and then all our mortgages etc will increase.....inflation will rise....base rates will rise..... The phrase "the lunatics have taken over the asylum" springs to mind. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I don't know if its my imagination but often we have found the cheapest diesel to be Shell which I do like. Usually it matches or in some cases is below the prices charged by supermarkets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Just filled up today at Morrisons Beverley East Yorkshire 63 litres @ 130.9 came to £82.70 - I must be getting old, it seems not that long ago you could have changed your car for that! But at least it gets us away, whoopee do! :-D barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bojitoes Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 We are off to Spain on Tuesday and although I had a route planned in my head: Calais, Rouen, Poitiers, San Sebastian, Salamanca, Granada I am now thinking, even at this late stage, of diverting via Luxembourg to fill up at about 1€ per litre. I probably need to do a cost benefit analysis first to see if additional mileage / tolls will significantly reduce savings and I guess it will be a little colder going via Eastern France? Any thoughts appreciated Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 So you`ll all be voting for the Greens then and dropping pound coins into the collecting tins of Friends of the Earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 I have to say to “Mirage” when I posed a reasonable question about fuel costs and the likely impact on other Motorhome users I was rather hoping to be enlightened by other opinions, or get some genuinely useful opinions we could all share. Not sure if your comment is sarcasm, or a joke, but doubt I'll bother posting again. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 ekka - 2011-01-22 10:52 AM I have to say to “Mirage” when I posed a reasonable question about fuel costs and the likely impact on other Motorhome users I was rather hoping to be enlightened by other opinions, or get some genuinely useful opinions we could all share. Not sure if your comment is sarcasm, or a joke, but doubt I'll bother posting again. :-( ,Hiya Ekka, Don't take some of the Sarcastic remarks to heart,most are meant in a jovial way but dont come across that way, and I think this is a touchy subject matter just now, Myself ,I have said in one of the other fuel related threads,that I will be quite Happy to give the tax man the tax proceeds from the tank full of Diesel it will take me to get to the Ferry, there after it will be somewhat cheaper in France at least 30 pence cheaper if not more,I dont intend to go chasing the cheapest Fuel, just the most reasonably priced , I carry an M/T 10 litre fuel can and will fill it when I come across really cheap diesel,but in the Main,I think you may be happy with the fuel prices across the channel. and Please dont be put off posting on threads they are here for EVERYONE to use,and there are some really helpful and nice people on here Honest. safe journey,s ............Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 If the tax on road fuel is intended to be "green" and cut co2 etc. How come jet fuel, red diesel, and other fuels are taxed a lot less or even not at all.(Apart from VAT that is). If we were French we would have blockaded a few strategic places by now, and probably burnt a few cars as well. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyfletcher Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I know the cost is high, but there is so much difference across the country. Why isn't there a maximum fuel price per litre that can be governed by an external body? cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 hallii - 2011-01-22 11:21 AM If the tax on road fuel is intended to be "green" and cut co2 etc. How come jet fuel, red diesel, and other fuels are taxed a lot less or even not at all.(Apart from VAT that is). If we were French we would have blockaded a few strategic places by now, and probably burnt a few cars as well. H I don't think that anyone really believes that it is a 'green' tax. It's simply an easy way to collect money to reduce the national debt. Fuel prices are very unlikely to be reduced until about two weeks before the next election, which is 4 years away ! I don't think there is much to be gained from boycotting any particular oil company as most of the excessive prices, in this country, are due to tax. Trouble is that anyone who can claim for fuel on expenses ( such as MPs) simply pass the charges on and are largely unaffected whatever the price. But remember that we are " all in this together " so at least we know that the MPs are 'very concerned' on our behalf. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.