# Fuel prices whats the future for motorhoming



## pat62 (Jan 19, 2010)

Having only just bought a motorhome which was like a extra mortgage !! 

It would be interesting to hear your views on what effect the hike in fuel prices will have on motorhoming

This is a tad selfish ! but the fear for me is that they will make newer motorhomes so fuel efficient that it will make 2005 models such as mine worthless !!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

pat62 said:


> Having only just bought a motorhome which was like a extra mortgage !!
> 
> It would be interesting to hear your views on what effect the hike in fuel prices will have on motorhoming
> 
> This is a tad selfish ! but the fear for me is that they will make newer motorhomes so fuel efficient that it will make 2005 models such as mine worthless !!


In a way I hope you are right although I will be in the same boat because it will mean we will be weaning ourselves off oil and there will be hope for future generations. Did you see Branson on the box last night on the science programme bang goes the theory?


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*MPG*

Hi

I don't think that a motorhome could ever be very fuel efficient due to the lack of aerodynamics.

Prices for fuel will rise no doubt, but at the end of the day, savings can be made in other areas should the need arise.

For example, four years ago, I took a motorhome to Italy for the first time.

Today, it costs me no more as I go toll free all the way, use Tesco deals for the sea crossing and, dspite a larger van, my mpg is about the same.

Russell


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## pat62 (Jan 19, 2010)

Didnt watch TV last night... I suppose they best case scenario would be making older engines more fuel efficient with an upgrade !!


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## blongs (Jan 12, 2009)

Until the base commercial vehicles start going diesel hybrid you'll be safe.

I had a look at an electric smart car in Geneva the other weekend and its range was 85 miles or something. Not enough range to get me to work and back so i'll continue to use LPG in my car day to day.

I last filled up Freddy Jnr motorhome in Jan and still have 1/2 a tank left. It uses nothing sat outside!

The extra expense of tax just gets put onto the holiday budget for me, similar to French Tolls. 

If I fly somewhere they add extra airport duty on so any leisure travelling incurs extra expense. I just prefer driving.

If anything, I will cut out other purchases that may help the overall economy so I can fill Freddy and go adventuring.

The dryer part of our washer/dryer is broken, that's not getting replaced until late summer now as we have fun to have - unless they start a washer scrappage scheme next.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

They are predicting that fuel will be £2.00 by Xmas.
It doesn't seem long ago when they said £1.00 and that filled us with dread but we cope (the economy didn't but that's another story) so I think we will cope with £2.00.
There will always be a market for the older Motorhome but the prices do seem to be falling for the secondhand market.


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi Pat & Jackie

We are on the brink of an oil crisis. 

Don't worry just do what you want to do before its too late. 

It will not be a matter of how much fuel costs, it will not be there to buy.

Best Regards
Broom


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## pat62 (Jan 19, 2010)

Aye we are doomed were all doomed !


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## HikerG (Nov 20, 2009)

I don't think you need to worry just yet. Motorhomes generally seem to hold their value quite well and I've not heard of any sales slump as a result of high prices. Even at todays prices which are still high this forum contains a number of American RV owners who accept lower MPG figures than is typical from a European model. 

Having said don't worry it's certainly worth monitoring the situation and perhaps upgrading every few years. The worry would be if a completely new technology came along that made diesel powered motorhomes look expensive or completely outdated and it would then be about selling at the right time before the bottom dropped out of the market. 

I seem to remember a similar thing with film SLR cameras. When the first digital SLR for under £1000.00 came out most serious photographers seemed to stay with their film SLR's but it was not long before almost everyone switched over to digital and film SLR's that used to cost in excess of £1000.00 body only were suddenly appearing on Ebay for just a couple of hundred pounds. 

As with most things in life if you always worry about what might be around the corner you would probably never bite the bullet and do anything. If a product seems a fair price for the service and enjoyment it will give you then it's probably the right thing to buy it.


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## pat62 (Jan 19, 2010)

Thats a good way of looking at it .... be positive !


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

*fuel price*

This might look a bit odd on the back of a M/H :- http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-cars.html
A bit extreme but needs must as they say 

Gets around another of our gov's never ending tax on fuel, how would they tax logs????


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

As far as the long-term for fuel prices is concerned, the only way is up. 10 years from now, even £2 per litre of diesel might look really cheap.

You had better hope the Tories win the 2010 general election, because the financial markets have lost faith in Labour's intention to halve the fiscal deficit during the next Parliament. Sterling could be heading for a major crisis. Oil is priced in $USD so there could be a sharp rise in fuel prices after the election, if the result is a hung parliament or Labour win.

There are already a few small motorhomes that can achieve 40 mpg or even 50 mpg. Thinking that bigger motorhomes (4500-5000 Kg and 8+ metres length) will get much above the current 24 mpg mark requires a giant leap forward in propulsion technology. I can't see where that will come from. The current best turbocharged diesel engine and transmission technology probably doesn't have much scope left for improved fuel efficiency. A few percent at best.

That only leaves significant weight reduction, and better aerodynamics, as giving the best scope for the energy efficiency gains we will need to keep MHing affordable in the age of expensive energy. Each family could have an annual energy allowance so you would have to allocate that between (say) central heating your home, or driving, flying etc.

I see the main MH market in 5 or 10 years being for lightweight, aerodynamic, sub-6 metre MHs with a MAM of 2500-3000 kgs, powered by sub-2 litre turbo diesel engines, capable of 40-50 mpg. Payloads will be very limited. Prepare to diet! :roll: 

SD


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

I do not expect more than a slight, gradual increase in fuel efficiency with MHs. Fact is, it is not even aerodynamics itself, it is sheer size that matters. And size reads cross section. The cross section area which has to be pushed against the air drag while driving is THE determining factor for an MH's fuel efficiency. Of course you can make MHs less tall, or less wide, but there are limits. After all, you still want to be able to stand up inside. 

From the engine side, there is not too much change to be expected, either. The humble combustion engine has its physical limits, and modern diesels are operating already quite close to it. 

Hybrid drive is certainly an option to increase fuel efficiency. And in future hybrid MHs there would even be the possibility to double-use the hybrid battery as a leisure battery. However, as MHs are typically more used on longer hauls than in stop-and-go traffic, I would not expect more than perhaps 5-10% MPG increase.

All in all, I do not expect that fuel efficiency will have a significant influence on MH depreciation. 

Emmissions, however, might be a completely different issue! The introduction of the German "Umweltzone" policy, which effectively bans many older MHs from a growing number of urban areas, has had a serious and adverse effect on the 2nd hand MH market! And has IMHO also contributed to the recent collapse of the market for new MHs, because potential buyers of new MHs were not able to part with their existing vans for a reasonable price anymore.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## paulmold (Apr 2, 2009)

locovan said:


> They are predicting that fuel will be £2.00 by Xmas.


Fuel reaching £2 per litre by last September was being predicted at the beginning of last summer but came nowhere near and we still haven't reach the dizzy heights that prices reached during the fuel strikes of a few years back and that didn't stop us using our cars so we will still keep finding a way to carry on.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

paulmold said:


> locovan said:
> 
> 
> > They are predicting that fuel will be £2.00 by Xmas.
> ...


Fuel costs will be kept under control by supply and demand and I do not believe it will be £2 a litre by Christmas. The Government make most of their money by duty which is paid on the amount of fuel sold not the cost of it. It is not in their interest to damp down demand no matter how green they tell you it is. Drivers can help by using the cheapest outlets, I never us BP because I found them expensive.
Many motorists have no choice but to drive and the more money they pay out in fuel the less to spend on the nicer things in life. The nett effect is that shops go out of business, councils get less income from businesss rates and car parks. Oil is what lubricates the economy and any govreernment meddles around at their risk.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Most of us me included will just carry on and pay what ever price it is.

I get about 21 MPG if I am careful, if the cost goes up a lot I guess we will stop closer to home more often  


Richard...


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

We just did about 80 miles of a 100 mile journey on the motorway today, and we passed not a single motorhome. About 20 passed us though, most of them going like the clappers - and that is without doubt the most effective way to get lousy fuel economy. 8O 

I set the cruise control at an indicated 56mph (which is what most of the lorries were doing) and trundled along with them quite happily without being a nuisance to them.

The engine is a 2.2 130bhp Peugeot which has done just over 500 miles now, so if anything I expect the fuel economy to improve a bit as it loosens up.

I know from experience that if we did the same speed as those who hurtled past us we would be lucky to get 25mpg on the trip meter.

In fact we got 35.1mpg.

Q.E.D.

Dave


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

I do wonder who these "they" people are who are always ready with a doomsday speculation...probably the same people who last week were saying it'd cost £100 to insure a typical dog against biting someone when it's already included as a throwaway item in dog health insurance costing £130/yr...

I believe tax on diesel is 56p duty + 17.5% VAT, which on 120p/litre would make the underlying cost of the diesel approx 46p/litre (ie diesel is 46p, duty is 56p, VAT is 18p). 

Fuel duty is going to rise, but even if they went extreme and hiked by 10p/litre (that's the worst case I've seen predicted, believe the core expectation is 2p/litre), to get to £2/litre overall the cost of the untaxed diesel would need to rise to £1.04, or to put it another way ibe 2.25x what it is today. It might happen over a few years, but it's pretty unlikely before Christmas (note I say "unlikely" rather than "impossible"...lest anyone reads this in a few months' time!).

Note also that in USA fuel duty/taxes are far lower, so any increase in the price of fuel itself is felt more directly. Obama would be looking at riots if it went up by that much.

Paul


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## machilly (Feb 10, 2007)

As this Government has one of the highest taxes on fuel in Europe the answer is simple vote the B*&^*rs out, after all Gordon Brown has all but destroyed the economy in Britain.
He killed the pensions, now he will do the same to sterling...
Only my opinion, but thae facts are there..

As for fuel prices, living full time as we do in our Motorhome, and travelling all over Scotland to do our business, we get paid to do it, so if it hikes a bit too much I shall just put my prices up.
and live in Spain in the winter

regards


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

machilly said:


> As this Government has one of the highest taxes on fuel in Europe the answer is simple vote the B*&^*rs out, after all Gordon Brown has all but destroyed the economy in Britain.
> He killed the pensions, now he will do the same to sterling...
> Only my opinion, but thae facts are there..
> 
> ...


So tax will be much cheaper then if the Tories get in.

Who do you think you're kidding.

Paul.


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## jimmyd0g (Oct 22, 2009)

machilly, do you really think that if the Tories do get in, even with a decent working majority, that there will be a reduction in fuel tax? Personally I doubt it.
Although I disagree with you on that first bit, you do make an interesting point i.e. that because you use your mh for business you will pass any increase in fuel costs onto your customers (I'm paraphrasing, not quoting direct) &, to my mind, this is part of the problem. So many users of fuel can reclaim the costs - either as a business expense from their employer, or against tax if self-employed - that the fuel companies know they can increase the price with impugnity & there will be very little reduction in the quantity actually sold or risk of national outcry.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I have the Fiat 2.8 JTD(mgw 3500kg) and the difference in fuel economy between 55mph and 65mph is significant.

At the lower speed cruising on the motorway I can get 28mpg,at the higher speed it goes down to around 20 mpg.

I am normally quite happy to sail along at 55 mph until the HGV drivers start playing silly b*****s,getting too close up my rear end and then trying to overtake and taking a couple of miles to get past :x .

I could understand their impatience if it meant they would arrive any quicker,but in reality they are doing about 1 mph faster than me,so ultimately if the motorway is busy I end up doing 60 mph just to keep out of their way.Those truckers are costing me extra diesel money :roll:


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## Spooky_b329 (Jan 24, 2009)

Won't make much difference, if people can afford to run around doing 15k a year on the school run and shopping trips in the car, a few thousand miles in a motorhome ain't gonna make much difference...just need to budget more carefully 

It may be controversial, but in my eyes, fuel prices will only be too expensive when the kids are told to walk to school, commuters drive at 50-55mph on the motorway or get pedalling, and you either walk to do the shopping or get it delivered!

Wakk...do 56 or 57mph and the truckers won't have to overtake you! Just pick one that takes your fancy and tag along behind it...its effectively cruise control


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

As i have prevoiusly stated and observed. the speculators have set a goal price that they will then sell their shares at.

When the price gets close they sell like crazy and the price comes down.
It is not new by any means. Bankers and bonus`s ring any bells.

wakk 44
so it `s you holding all the hgv`s up is it.
i have a 2.8 cheyenne and the best economy was 24 mpg, with an extremely light foot for hundreds of miles on a motorway.


Dave p


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Sounds like another excuse to go full timing to me! The biggest expense for us when going anywhere is the fuel to get there and back. Costs next to nothing once you arrive in say France or where ever if your only doing a hundred miles a week. Oh and the fuel abroad is cheaper (at the moment!)

I bet the general election does make a difference. If we cant decide who we want then I reckon it will spell trouble on the markets and for the pound and that can only mean trouble for us. 

Brown has to go if only so I dont have to look at his miserable fizog any more!


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

rayc said:


> paulmold said:
> 
> 
> > Drivers can help by using the cheapest outlets, I never us BP because I found them expensive.
> ...


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

I think you guys are all missing the point, the pachyderm in the parlour if you will - The EU has just passed a motion to reduce CO2 levels by 30% compared to 1990 levels and is to be achieved in all member states by 2020. This fantasy is beyond comprehension but you can bet your bottom dollar that we will be looking £3.00 per liter before long and then 4 then 6 - Travel will soon be a luxury we simply can't afford.

Vote any of the LibLabCon and it won't make a jot of difference to EU governance.

By comparison the US will be voting for a possible 4% cut some time next year...


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

They will care when they are out of a job because the company has gone bust due to rising prices and the Mondeo has to go back.

One poster mentioned that they simply put their prices up. Well great if you can. I am self employed and can only get away with charging half of what we could 5 years ago as the business isnt there like it was and the fuel prices are much higher.

Gone are the super fast sports cars and on the drive a diesel Golf and Diesel Micra (which will do over 80mpg at 60mph and Im not joking).


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## sheringham (Mar 24, 2006)

Do you really care what the price is? 
If you can afford to Buy, Tax, Insure, Service, MOT, sundry repairs and replace cam belts as and when. 
Say the increase in fuel prices tomorrow is 10p per litre it would still be less than 5% increase on the cost per mile driven.

Anyway you cannot take it with you and when you are sitting in your retirement home, dribbling down your front, you MAY just remember what a fantastic time was had when we were hale, hearty and diesel was only £* .** per litre.

And if you think the blue muppets, in waiting, will change anything....dream on.


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

Let us assume that you buy a van for £35k which does 22mpg and fuel is £1.20 per litre. You travel 4k miles per year.
If fuel goes up to £2 per litre that will cost you an extra £655 a year.
And you could expect the cost of 5 year ownership to be around £4k a year excl. of fuel. Your van should then be worth £23k.

Now lets assume that they produce a similar van that does 40mpg. and none of the other numbers change. 8O The new fuel-economy van will save you about £735 a year to run and will be worth £23k.

To make your van a similar cost to run over the next 5 years you would have to cut the value from £23k by £3,700 making it worth £19,300.

Not that much different but that assumes that the new-economy van is going to sell for the same figure now as your thirsty van and I don't think that is going to happen...

Bottom line is that you risk loosing £3,700 over 5 years in this doomsday scenario. (IMHO :roll: )
Patrick


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Dont forget the unforseen costs that all add up.

Just got Hank the Tank back from the garage today as he needed a new Barry proof rear axle and a few other bits.

total bill £2660. and now all I am hearing is how diesel is going to be £2 per litre. Well thanks very much! Why did I join this thread? Im already fed up.

Im off.

to cry into my invoice.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

barryd said:


> They will care when they are out of a job because the company has gone bust due to rising prices and the Mondeo has to go back.


I retired last year from a multi national company and had a company car. It doesn't matter what the driver does as the companies are demanding economies. It has become uneconomical due to tax reasons for the driver to have a fuel card which includes private mileage so there is every incentive for them to use the cheapest fuel for their private use. In addition the company had preferable rates with a prefeered fuel supplier so the dearest pump price is not neccessarily the dearest when charged to the company.
There are al ot of myths about such as company car drivers do not care if there is an damage to the car as the company insurer will pay. I can assure you that all claims are looked at and someone with a bad claims record will be out of a job.
The company are now only replacing cars at 4 year intervals with the lease mileage set at 100,000 mile instead of the 3 year 75,000 miles previous. This will lead to a shortage of the 3 year old ex fllet cars that are desired now. The extra year will take its toll.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

sheringham said:


> Do you really care what the price is?
> If you can afford to Buy, Tax, Insure, Service, MOT, sundry repairs and replace cam belts as and when.
> Say the increase in fuel prices tomorrow is 10p per litre it would still be less than 5% increase on the cost per mile driven.
> 
> Anyway you cannot take it with you and when you are sitting in your retirement home, dribbling down your front, you MAY just remember what a fantastic time was had when we were hale, hearty and diesel was only £* .** per litre.


Hear. hear. hear............ too many folk moan about the cost of fuel and then spend thousands on gizmos that will never pay for themselves in a month of blue moons.

My van did 6000 miles last year (not all by me I only did about 2500 of them) at about 30mpg according to the OBC.
That's about 1000 litres so even a 10p/litre increase is only about £100 - the *****ing thing lost more than that as soon as I turned the key for the first time.



> And if you think the blue muppets, in waiting, will change anything....dream on.


I think the blue meanies is a better description (but that doesn't mean they aren't still muppets as well).


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Done 28000 miles in our 2.3 jtd adria twin in the 3.5 years we've had it. Haven't measured economy all that time but on trips to France etc, bombing down the autoroutes at 80mph (reasons given on other threads - time constraints the main thing) we have still averaged 27-28 mpg. I'm happy with that and even at our relatively high mileage the increase would be annoying but wouldn't stop doing what we do.

Griff


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

We use the mh more at weekend track days now. Even so we have to be reasonable in the distance that we travel.
One track day a month may turn into one every 6 weeks.

South of France may turn into Brittany and Normandy.

Dont worry, just sit in the garden and watch the property increase in value. Downsize for retirement , take the largest lump sum from pension pot. And spend the kids inheritance. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

dave p


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## Delores (Feb 21, 2010)

Can't I just run it on chip fat....?

 :lol: 

(Smells nicer too!)


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

The other option.

Sell mh
Sell Wifes car
Sell SLK

Gives us about £44k

Go back to being a tugger

Good choice of towcars and caravans for that amount of cash

Or even a lot of hotel rooms

DAve p


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Prices*

It never ceases to amaze me how much complaining people do about the price of Petrol, Diesel and LPG.

More amazing is how it never seems to slow anyone down.

I drove along the M56 today, around 11am at 60-65mph. I never overtook one car but plenty went flying past me, obvioulsy in the 70-90+Range.

I was coming home tonight and passing Manchester Airport in the rush hour, the gantry lights were flashing *50* Que Ahead.

Drivers were cutting each other up, swerving in and out of lanes, the usual. One driver in a Golf was driving very iratic. I carried on in a nice controlled manner. When I got to my turn off junction, I rolled up to the traffic lights just as they were changing to green, the Golf driver had been waiting in front of me on red!.

The road at the side of my house (well street actually) is a 30mph limit. It has to be one of the maddest rat runs in the area, with speeders averaging mid forties MPH and often double that. All rushing home or to the pub to complain about high fuel prices I guess.

and that is my view!

TM


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Hotels*



DTPCHEMICALS said:


> The other option.
> 
> Sell mh
> Sell Wifes car
> ...


"Or even a lot of hotel rooms"

Stick to the Caravan Idea Dave, at least you know who has slept in the beds!.


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## pat62 (Jan 19, 2010)

When I bought my M/H I was surprised when he told me that they only average 25 mpg...I was always thought you would get a lot more with diesel. I suppose its the extra weight


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

pat62 said:


> When I bought my M/H I was surprised when he told me that they only average 25 mpg...I was always thought you would get a lot more with diesel. I suppose its the extra weight


It's the fact that you're driving a vehicle with the aerodynamic qualities of a house brick. And if you have a large luton over cab bed then it is almost like a fully open parachute.
Gerry


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

pat62 said:


> When I bought my M/H I was surprised when he told me that they only average 25 mpg...I was always thought you would get a lot more with diesel. I suppose its the extra weight


Partly Pat, but it's more about the cross sectional area when viewed from the front.

As I and several others have said, speed is the major factor.

Try holding a large sheet of hardboard (say 4' x 4') up against a gentle 5mph wind. That needs exactly the same force as if you were moving along the street at 5mph in still air - _but you would look a right plonker and the neighbours would phone for the men in white coats!!_ 8O :lol: :lol:

Now do the same in a strong wind when the trees are bending over. That will still be only around 30 - 40mph, and if you are able to hold it at all you may be amazed at the force it needs. (Don't try it in a 60mph wind or you will be blown off your feet.)

Now imagine holding up a sheet of hardboard as big as the frontal area of your van!!! 8O 8O 8O

Dave


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## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

Just to illustrate the point, a year or so ago we travelled on a length of autobahn for about 50 miles - I had accidently reset the trip so got the mpg for that part of our travel - it worked out at 37mpg. Great, I thought. 

A week or so later we were coming across Belgium in a right hooley. Out of curiosity I looked at the 'current' mpg - it was about 14/15 doing only 45-50mph. So the first one must have been a following wind!!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

A lot can be done with shape though I can take my foot nearly off of the throttle in 6th on the flat and still be exceeding 70mph (Van weighs 2700kg 2.6m tall 2.1 m wide).

A luton a flat top and a flat rear are also drag problems along with the frontal area.

So low profile vans are becoming more commonplace even in tag axle sizes. Have you seen the banana shaped tops of lorries perhaps thats the shape for the future


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

I have already started taking steps to cut down on wasted expenditure, Last year as some of you will know after 30 + years of motorhoming I sold my MH and bought a 5th wheeler, Why? 1, I can get around without towing a toad and paying extra Road Tax / Insurance / maintenance, I already had a Nissan Navara to tow it with so No extra purchase there needed, On sale of my MH there was more than enough money to pay for the Brand New 5th wheel and have all the extra luxuries fitted that I wanted including Automatic self leveling jacks AND still have change in the thousands.
Next I am going to buy an American Truck that is converted to LPG so that all my costs will come down, Why American, 2 reasons, the first is that they have Long Bed pick up's, the second, I drive more miles in Europe than in the UK so a left hooker would be better for me.


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## roamingsue (Aug 23, 2008)

If you reduced your average speed by say 10 or even 5 miles an hour & practice smooth driving avoiding braking etc you can really make a difference to motoring expenses.

Plus accidents drop.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> We use the mh more at weekend track days now. Even so we have to be reasonable in the distance that we travel.
> One track day a month may turn into one every 6 weeks.
> 
> Sell mh
> ...


Hey Dave

You wont get nearly that much for your van now that you have admited on here that you take it track day racing!

Is it fast then?


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

One point worth a mention is that the January on January figures show that China INCREASED its oil consumption by a massive 28%
Maybe that is what is driving up oil prices.

At the other end of the scale Venezuela has billions of barrels of cheap oil but we won't buy it cos their leader is one of the bad guys (when I was there last year fuel was $0.06 per US gallon (yes that's six cents or around 1p per litre - retail)

I can see why the yanks and others want China to join in the great global warming myth. We can't have the Chinese pinching all the oil can we.... :evil: :evil:


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

People used to moan about the price of beer everytime it went up. One old chap said, "I'd pay £1 a bubble to get five minutes peace and quiet from the wife and kids"

When it comes to diesel for the motohome I'm in the same frame of mind, the amount of enjoyment my wife and I get from our van is not measureable in financial terms. What price can you put on a lifetime of memories. We bought our van to use it, not to sit at home polishing it and admiring it.

Of course financies are not a bottomless pit, so we have prioritised our touring enjoyement above anything else.

Lets be honest, motorhomes aren't a luxury, they are an addiction.
We've just been up to Ravenglass for the weekend and I'm now looking forward to my next fix.


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## pat62 (Jan 19, 2010)

It doesnt sound like a 2005 1.9 Fiat ducato averaging 70 mph is going to get me 25 mpg !


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## machilly (Feb 10, 2007)

No I don't think the prices will come down under any of the Parties, however as Sterling is dropping under the incompetence of this Brown government, anything would be better than us all going down with a sinking ship.

This must be the worst Prime Minister and Chancellor in History.

As for the EU and thier CO2 reductions, and taxes, I personally think it is still all a con, all we are doing is lining the pockets of Fat Cat politicians and Big Bosses.

Many years ago when I was an apprentice mechanic, my journeyman who was in my opinion the best mechanic i ever knew, told us that as an apprentice with Wimpey (the housebuilder), the apprentices of which he was one managed to develop an engine which ran on soap bubbles.

I believe there must be other such ideas that have been shelved by the petrol companies, and governments because it would destroy a huge revenue stream.......if not we might need to convert the motorhome to be pulled by horses, anyone know where I can get cheap riding lessons?


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## SteveJa (Mar 3, 2010)

The government has just spent millions by giving people cheap cars via the scrappage scheme.

Now they've all got their shiny new motors, they're going to get the money back via fuel duty. No surprise there really.

Next time you're filling up at Tesco's, maybe have a word with the folks in the new Hyundai i10 at the pump ahead. You're paying for their new car..


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## some-where-in-oxford (Apr 18, 2006)

*fuel duty*

If in a few years time if they develop engines that will do 100+ mpg, we will all be buying less petrol and diesel.

So if we buy 50% less fuel, that will be 50% less profit for oil companies and 50% less fuel duty for the government.

So then what happens, bet fuel price and duty goes up to adjust for this.

Anyone like to guess what fuel will cost once we get to 100mpg?


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