Should I buy a diesel 'van or not?? (1 Viewer)

[Jim]

Our last RV we had converted to LPG from new and it returned the equivalent of 18 to 20 mpg and no problem in the LEZ.

Sounds Great Larry, someone else is enjoying it now though

 

[suavecarve]

I've heard a rumour that the government have plans to tax white vehicles and very soon will be fitting water meters to your tanks and waste tanks to levy water and sewerage charges. Just a rumour.

Its the Sh!t and shower tax

 

[Detnor]

I'm sure there will be plenty of diesel engined vans being sold at the NEC next week.

 

[EX51SSS]

Our last RV we had converted to LPG from new and it returned the equivalent of 18 to 20 mpg and no problem in the LEZ.

Ah sorry, I'm no mechanic (as you may have guessed) but it generally ran on LPG but also able to run on petrol. 20mpg on LPG and 10 mpg on petrol (on a good day with a favourable wind). I have a diesel and no problem with LEZ either

 

[ianandkath]

I went petrol and with my LPG conversion I am paying about 50p per litre

Very happy bunny

£0.41/litre near me

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[EX51SSS]

£0.41/litre near me

Yes, similar price near me. The problem with us is that we couldn't travel on the Eurotunnel with LPG powered and SWMBO won't go oversea with putting Pepper in a cage so it would be staycation for us.

 

[ianandkath]

Yes, similar price near me. The problem with us is that we couldn't travel on the Eurotunnel with LPG powered and SWMBO won't go oversea with putting Pepper in a cage so it would be staycation for us.

swmbo does not like the tunnel so we go on the ferry. no problem on dover/calias with the dog

 

[EX51SSS]

swmbo does not like the tunnel so we go on the ferry. no problem on dover/calias with the dog

Yes, fair comment but don't have an option with ferry. Dog in cage full stop.
I prefer the ferry but I do like the train. However, I'm not bothered as long as it gets me on holiday in May.

 

[Larrynwin]

Ah sorry, I'm no mechanic (as you may have guessed) but it generally ran on LPG but also able to run on petrol. 20mpg on LPG and 10 mpg on petrol (on a good day with a favourable wind).

Ah sorry, I'm no mechanic (as you may have guessed) but it generally ran on LPG but also able to run on petrol. 20mpg on LPG and 10 mpg on petrol (on a good day with a favourable wind). I have a diesel and no problem with LEZ either

Not at present

Weight is also a consideration with mpg, my RV was 6577kg , 25+mpg highly unlikely whatever the engine pulling that weight.

 

[EX51SSS]

Not at present

Weight is also a consideration with mpg, my RV was 6577kg , 25+mpg highly unlikely whatever the engine pulling that weight.

In all honesty, it doesn't bother me because except for the occasional stopping off on the way to France, if we go to London, we do so by train except once when we went to Wembley and drove down in petrol engined car.
I've got an Umwelt and I'll probably get the French sticker but I probably won't go within the areas of the particular cities anyway.

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[Larrynwin]

In all honesty, it doesn't bother me because except for the occasional stopping off on the way to France, if we go to London, we do so by train except once when we went to Wembley and drove down in petrol engined car.
I've got an Umwelt and I'll probably get the French sticker but I probably won't go within the areas of the particular cities anyway.

Mine is diesel too as are most , be awhile before restrictions enforced.

 

[Fellraven]

My advice buy what suits you best and enjoy it while you can.
Whatever you buy the powers that be will screw you.
Only a few years ago we were all encouraged to buy the new modern fuel efficient clean running diesels. Now we've all bought them hey presto they're the spawn of the devil and we're being penalised for being stupid enough buy them.
If we all changed to petrol vehicles tomorrow the powers that be would just invent another pack of lies to tax us to death.
Cynical moi? Never

Since the study of the detrimental health effects of nanoparticles (nanotoxicology) is still in its infancy, and the nature and extent of negative health impacts from diesel exhaust continues to be discovered. There is little controversy, however, that the public health impact of diesels is higher than that of petrol-fuelled vehicles despite the wide uncertainties.[50] This is from Wikapaedia. Do you have any evidence that the powers that be are inventing packs of lies regarding air pollution?

 

[WSandME]

Latest "LEZ" rules apply to petrol vehicles.
They're coming for us (motorists) all.
I do have sympathy, because it's plain that motoring emissions are literally killing thousands.

 

[Forestboy]

Since the study of the detrimental health effects of nanoparticles (nanotoxicology) is still in its infancy, and the nature and extent of negative health impacts from diesel exhaust continues to be discovered. There is little controversy, however, that the public health impact of diesels is higher than that of petrol-fuelled vehicles despite the wide uncertainties.[50] This is from Wikapaedia. Do you have any evidence that the powers that be are inventing packs of lies regarding air pollution?

Well thank you Mr CopynPaste.
If you read my post properly instead of taking one phrase in isolation it was saying that whatever you do the powers that be will screw you.
Don't think there can be any dispute about that but you believe what you want so will I.

Now I'm off to Landow to race some very very fast dirty stinking polluting cars around the circuit.

 

[pollensabob]

Hydrogen might be the answer,but will need huge investment with all the technical hurdles implicated with it.

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[Janine]

Hydrogen might be the answer,but will need huge investment with all the technical hurdles implicated with it.

The powers-that-be would soon find a way of taxing fresh air

 

[Feltwell]

I run a converted LPG car, simply because it would be astronomically expensive to run it on petrol - mpg in the low 20's at best! At 55p a litre for LPG though - and that's gone up in the last month, it was closer to 50p - 20mpg becomes more bearable, the equivalent of running in the 40's for mpg on petrol or diesel. Plus of course the pleasure of driving a V8 powered car!

As for choosing a new van, I'd buy a diesel, any change is not going to happen quickly.

As a matter of interest, did you know that you can get LPG conversions for diesels? It's not like a petrol conversion though. On a petrol vehicle, it always starts on petrol and warms up on petrol, then switches to LPG. Usually it's then running 100% on LPG - although on a few cars it's 95% LPG / 5% petrol. You can switch back and forth at will, so you never get stuck if there's no LPG, just run on petrol.

The diesel conversion once switched over runs on about 70% diesel / 30% LPG. You'd need to be doing serious mileage to justify it, plus you've got to find somewhere to put the LPG tank, so I doubt it is a financially viable option for the vast majority of motorhomes - but it is available.

The problem now with LPG conversions is that cars are getting harder and harder to convert. It's a shame - my car has ridiculously low emissions at MOT time, it is a cleaner fuel. No doubt though if it became really popular the government would kill it off by taxing it to the same levels as petrol & diesel.

 

[funflair]

I have just registered for tickets for the commercial vehicle show at the NEC so may well go along and see what is the latest tech on truck and van chassis as I know there is a move towards hybrid diesels to get into city LEZ's.

I call it homework for the next van but don't tell Mrs funflair.

Martin

 

[Detnor]

Had a think and decided that if I had reacted to everything going on in the world I'd never have done anything. I remember the first time I worked on a ship sailing down the Californian coast, about 1983, seeing the brown haze over Los Angeles, it hasn't really changed. I was about to say you don't know what's round the corner so don't put anything off, then I thought who am I talking to! My advice is to go for whatever suits you.

 

[magicsurfbus]

And now a quick word from the Diesel Commercial Vehicle Manufacturer's Federation:

In short, not a great deal of choice at present. Having just bought a diesel MH that could last us until we croak I couldn't see any other practical option.

The new VED regime seems to penalise polluting cars far more than larger vehicles. MHs (that are traditionally classed as PLG or PHG) aren't paying any more than before.

European environmental restrictions are often based on Euro engine standards, so the higher Euro number your engine has, the fewer limits you'll encounter.

Maybe some folks will have to content themselves with parking the diesel MH on the outskirts of large cities and using public transport to the centre and back, but until an alternative is found for diesel commercial vehicles it's difficult to foresee any huge problems for general touring.

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[Fellraven]

Well thank you Mr CopynPaste.
If you read my post properly instead of taking one phrase in isolation it was saying that whatever you do the powers that be will screw you.
Don't think there can be any dispute about that but you believe what you want so will I.

Now I'm off to Landow to race some very very fast dirty stinking polluting cars around the circuit.

Didnt think there was any need for name calling. Can you explain how "the powers that be" are screwing me? Who are the "powers that be"?

 

[Forestboy]

Didnt think there was any need for name calling. Can you explain how "the powers that be" are screwing me? Who are the "powers that be"?

Oh dear you obviously didn't appreciate the use of 5 Smiles which is normal for a tongue in cheek remark, as is common on Fun or used to be.
Obviously offended you so I apologise.
Perhaps I should add a comical warning in future as well as Smiles.
Here's a picture of a Porsche from yesterdays track day perhaps this'll cheer you up.

 

[PeteH]

"Track Days" where amazing, right up until the "Sky/Grass"- "Sky/Grass" Thump!!. Ouch that Hurt! moment!. At which point, I decided that I was now too old and a lot more fragile!, so I leave it to the "Boys".

 

[nicholsong]

Yes, fair comment but don't have an option with ferry. Dog in cage full stop.
I prefer the ferry but I do like the train. However, I'm not bothered as long as it gets me on holiday in May.

Drop the wife off at Ashford with dog, some Eurostar still stop there, take MH on ferry, meet at other end. Simples.

Geoff

 

[nicholsong]

Latest "LEZ" rules apply to petrol vehicles.
They're coming for us (motorists) all.
I do have sympathy, because it's plain that motoring emissions are literally killing thousands.

Are you possibly confusing the 'Congestion Zone', denoted by signs with a large 'C' and which is only the very central area of London, with the LEZ, which is virtually all areas inside the M25?

There is already a charge for all vehicles to enter the Congestion Zone. There is a proposal to levy an additional charge of £10 for diesel vehicles and petrol vehicles over 10 years old.

I know of no plan to extend the LEZ restrictions to any petrol vehicles.

Geoff

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[GWAYGWAY]

£0.41/litre near me

68 p per litre in Dover That is the ONLY one in the area so I have to fill my heating gas there, I haven't seen it much cheaper elsewhere.

 

[ianandkath]

68 p per litre in Dover

thanks @GWAYGWAY , ill fill up at home on my way to dover

 

[Reallyretired]

Just sent off my application for one of those French stickers. Hope its OK as reducing the scan of my reg document to 200Kb (the max size the site allows) renders it pretty well unreadable.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Just sent off my application for one of those French stickers. Hope its OK as reducing the scan of my reg document to 200Kb (the max size the site allows) renders it pretty well unreadable.

Best of luck with that one, The site WILL NOT accept anything all bigger than 200. In the end i took a phote of the logbook with my phone and emailed it to myself made a file and sent that to them . It was accepted and I got my confirmation back by email from them saying so.

 

[WSandME]

@nicholsong

Are you possibly confusing the 'Congestion Zone', denoted by signs with a large 'C' and which is only the very central area of London, with the LEZ, which is virtually all areas inside the M25?

There is already a charge for all vehicles to enter the Congestion Zone. There is a proposal to levy an additional charge of £10 for diesel vehicles and petrol vehicles over 10 years old.

I know of no plan to extend the LEZ restrictions to any petrol vehicles.

Geoff

Looks like I'm mistaken, but how I got there I can't remember. However, I was shown a link...
BROKEN LINK
Which is TFL's checker, according to which, my car won't be allowed except by (extortionate) charge.

This page does not show anywhere that it is NOT the current checker, and only seems to apply to a future scheme: ULEZ. Another(?) scheme, as set up by Sadiq Khan...
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ution-charge-in-october-says-mayor-sadiq-khan
says £10 extra charge, by 23 October this year, so yes, there will be constraints on Petrol vehicles in London. That's £10 over and above the Congestion charge.

I'm not sure I have the full picture yet, and I'm now questioning why I even care . I'm extremely unlikely to drive my current car or MH into the proscribed areas after they're introduced .

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