New Van - Diesel Engine Question.

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Neddog

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Hi All,
I am in the process of looking at a newish or new van to purchase such as the Marquis Majestic 125. It a great compact van the only downside for me is that there is no alternative to the diesel engine and as far as I can see that is the same for all new camper vans - they are still using diesel engines. Some cities across Europe are considering bans on older models and the UK Government proposing charging zones for ageing diesel cars and councils introducing various diesel surcharges. With that in mind, £40,000 plus is a lot of money for a vehicle that is using a fuel that will eventually be phased out or am I missing something?? Any advice most appreciated.
 
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Over the next few years electric motorhomes will get more popular but if you don't go in city centres you will be fine

I know what you mean though, spending a lot of money on something that will be very gradually phased out.
 
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At present there is no viable alternative to the Diesel engine for a motorhome sized vehicle. The best you can do is buy new with a Euro 6D engine and wait for the authorities to ban their use. Alternatively buy ancient and accept you will pay congestion type charges now but won't have paid anywhere near so much for the vehicle.

I think Ford in the Transit have started to look at some form of hybrid. Not aware that any MHs are yet built on this. Perhaps in a year or two and other manufacturers might alsodo something. But with most MHs based on the Ducato chassis?

There have been a couple of experimentations of electric motorhomes. Those are inevitably limited by travel distance before a recharge. Most motorhomes charge the leisure battery whilst driving along from "spare" conventional fossil fuel power, you will be limited to sites with EHU. Most sites won't have recharge capacity for a van at your pitch. What if you are a wildcamper?

Reality is that we may be approaching the end of the current motorhome era and in the next 5-10 years we could all be looking for some new environmental way of enjoying our leisure time if mass travel goes out the window as Extinction Rebellion have their way.
 
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Euro6 compliant engine in new motorhomes are ok in cities. Electric motorhomes are on the way as Fiat have the base vehicles. The price increase is stupid and the range ok for shopping.
 
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No, I don't think you're missing anything but there's very little option but diesel if you want a m/h.
From what I've read the virus scare has caused the demand (and s/hand prices) for m/hs to rocket.
Obviously you can reduce your financial risk and depreciation by buying a used one. Few diesel engines in m/hs wear out. With new you are likely to spend too much time in the first year getting warranty issues sorted so if you do buy new get it from a dealer local enough to be convenient to leave it there for a few days at a time. It's my understanding that only the supplying dealer will honour repairs and correction of faults under the maker's warranty.
There is already an electric alternative......


Nev on tour.jpg

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Just go to city and find a park and ride, or as we did in Rome last year, parked up near Tivoli, and caught a train into centre. Much easier than trying to navigate a busy city.
 
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The diesel motorhome is likely to be with us for a very long time yet. As twenty plus year old Motorhomes still sell for 10's of thousand pounds, I cannot see any immediate alternative to the fossil fuel engines on homes which are treasured and polished however old they get.
An additional problem, as yet, is the sheer weight of motorhome bodies which often equate to a fully loaded commercial van all the time. So far the batteries available for cars are very heavy and with a 3.5 ton weight limit for most drivers, it may be some time before overcoming this restriction.
I do understand the cost factor and buying something which will one day be outdated but in the meantime you could be enjoying a diesel van which most likely will be coming up for replacement about the time electric vehicles come on stream.
 
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You could buy an American C class.... 6.8ltr V10 or 7.2ltr V8 petrol engine.... Then you would wish it was diesel. ::bigsmile:
Diesel will be around for years to come and its only cities where they'll be banned. .
The Gov are planning on banning ALL fossil fuel vehicles in the next 20 years everywhere.
 
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rosalan said:
The diesel motorhome is likely to be with us for a very long time yet. As twenty plus year old Motorhomes still sell for 10's of thousand pounds, I cannot see any immediate alternative to the fossil fuel engines on homes which are treasured and polished however old they get.
An additional problem, as yet, is the sheer weight of motorhome bodies which often equate to a fully loaded commercial van all the time. So far the batteries available for cars are very heavy and with a 3.5 ton weight limit for most drivers, it may be some time before overcoming this restriction.
I do understand the cost factor and buying something which will one day be outdated but in the meantime you could be enjoying a diesel van which most likely will be coming up for replacement about the time electric vehicles come on stream.
Click to expand...

Apparently the restriction on 3.5t license would increase to 4.5t for an electric van to account for the batteries.
Can’t see this would be any different for a small motorhome in this class.
 
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Diesel and petrol vehicles will be around for many years. Imo the deadline of 2035 when all new vehicles have to be electric only (no hybrids) is wildly optimistic, and if anything used fossil fuel vehicles would increase in value.

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Off da Grid said:
Apparently the restriction on 3.5t license would increase to 4.5t for an electric van to account for the batteries.
Can’t see this would be any different for a small motorhome in this class.
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Agreed but my understanding is the battery weight would be excluded from the curb weight so the while the true weight may be 4500kg, the weight on paper would still be 3500kg.
 
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Neddog said:
Hi All,
I am in the process of looking at a newish or new van to purchase such as the Marquis Majestic 125. It a great compact van the only downside for me is that there is no alternative to the diesel engine and as far as I can see that is the same for all new camper vans - they are still using diesel engines. Some cities across Europe are considering bans on older models and the UK Government proposing charging zones for ageing diesel cars and councils introducing various diesel surcharges. With that in mind, £40,000 plus is a lot of money for a vehicle that is using a fuel that will eventually be phased out or am I missing something?? Any advice most appreciated.
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Whilst new build diesel vehicles will eventually be faded out (15years) old ones will still be in the road. If your going to invest in a MoHo try and ensure it is an EU6 engine that will possibly make it more acceptable. And if you are really concerned then buy an EV that can tow and a caravan,
 
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Coolcats said:
And if you are really concerned then buy an EV that can tow and a caravan,
Click to expand...

I forget where I found a long thread on that topic. Aside from the present premium cost of buying EVs especially big SUV ones with enough towing capacity, the key point is when this has been tried with an EV towing a trailer or caravan the range drops dramatically. But still a potential solution if you need the assurance that the OP is seeking.
 
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I think the 2035 cutoff date only applies to cars, not commercial vehicles, construction equipment and agricultural machinery.
I would have no concerns buying a diesel vehicle in the next 10 years and probably a lot further in the future.

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PeteH said:
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!. Dirty stinking Waste polluters! Left behind more crap at each of their "events" than all the alleged Mucky Motorhomer`s put together!.
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Whilst I support ER principles there are some activities that are questionable, but then again there are many more activities undertaken by Corporates and individuals that cause far more pollution and environmental damage than ER could ever do.

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SpeedyDux said:
I forget where I found a long thread on that topic. Aside from the present premium cost of buying EVs especially big SUV ones with enough towing capacity, the key point is when this has been tried with an EV towing a trailer or caravan the range drops dramatically. But still a potential solution if you need the assurance that the OP is seeking.
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Indeed and it maybe that a Hybrid upgrade could help in the future for older vehicles Diesel / Hydrogen I am it saying its perfect but I suspect options will appear for the future.

Diesel Engine with Hydrogen in Dual Fuel Mode: A Review
 
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Personally, unless there's some dramatic discovery in the field of longevity medicine, I'm not going to be bothered about diesel being "phased out" in 2035, even if I believed it would actually happen for m/h's.

Understand the concern of the younger generation though.
 
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My first "experience" of diesel power. Ford Thames 4D. 1950`s Coal Lorry. Now that was a Handful, Unassisted brakes, No power steering, and a Steering wheel the size of a dustbin lid. Cab Heat? Your kidding,!. Engine I think was by Perkins?. The Petrol version had the Flathead V8 used in the Pilot.

The Winnebago (avatar). Had the V10 6.8 "gasser" (petrol to you and I.) 8.2mp(US)g

"Uncle", actually one of Dads mates. had 3 or 4, ex wartime, Lorries working on Quarry work, in the 50`s they where all petrol.
 
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Jev88 said:
Yes. In warfare you don't want different fuels. They would have used diesel if the powertrains existed.
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Strangely enough, the Germans, not only had Diesel motive power in their Tanks. But also had the Jumo (Diesel) engine in the JU88? Bombers.
 
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Sid52 said:
I think the 2035 cutoff date only applies to cars, not commercial vehicles, construction equipment and agricultural machinery.
I would have no concerns buying a diesel vehicle in the next 10 years and probably a lot further in the future.
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In this and other posts cut-off dates have been mentioned but they have omitted the fact that the cut-off dates refer to the sales of new vehicles not the use of existing vehicles

So even buying a diesel in 2025 a quality MH should still be good till 2050. At least I hope our 17 year old will last another 8 years, but I think longer.

Only panic when you hear the order PANIC !

Geoff
 
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