Avoiding motorway fuel prices

geoffeales
geoffeales Forum Participant Posts: 322

A new trick I picked up from a fellow vanner last year, when you have a long trip and your tank's not quite big enough to make it in one, (like mine from Weston-s-Mare to Glasgow last week) fill a jerry-can at your local supermarket and top-up from that. With motorway fuel the price it is this can make quite saving. 

This second tip may not go down well with everyone, especially you eco-warriors, but instead of chucking expensive degradable loo-paper into your "chemo-lavvy", we've started using supermarket stuff and bagging it up with clean-wipes etc. in nappy-bags. 

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Comments

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,300 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #2

    Not into journeys of that length now. However, when we did I would prefer to leave the Motorway to fill up. In the case of the above journey Rhehed at Penrith is fairly easy to get into with a van and somewhat cheaper than the motorway. Google street view makes it easy to check out stops and any access problems. Now we have a MH we could make it without refuelling but I have had enough at 300 miles.😂

    As far as the loo paper is concerned, we only use the supermarket cheap stuff, it breaks down fine. The expensive Thetford stuff is a bit of a con

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #3

    Carry a Jerry can full of diesel/petrol? Really? Not on your nelly!

    All soft toilet paper will dissolve in liquid and won't clog up the cassette. Steve is right. I'd no more bag it up separately than I’d stick pins in my eyes.😆

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #4

    We use the Rheged fill up too! smile

  • Supreme840
    Supreme840 Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited October 2019 #5

    Thought getting away with the caravan is supposed to be fun & relaxing!?!

    how much does carrying around a (20L?) jerry can of stinking fuel save in the long run?

    as for bagging up used toilet paper, No Thanks! 

     

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #6

    It's pretty easy to ask Google for supermarket fuel pumps within a mile of motorway junctions. 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited October 2019 #7
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  • Rufs
    Rufs Club Member Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #8

    Wow!!!! potential fire ball if involved in an accident.

    for a few pence saved on loo rolls this seems a bit extreme, prefer to use site facilities for No 2's if at all possible. Some countries in Europe you are not supposed to put loo paper down the toilet but dispense in the bin provided, gruesome !!!

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,665 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #9

    Have always used supermarket cheapest toilet paper, and flushed it.

    When going north or south on the M6 we usually top up at Tesco, about 1 mile off J43 at Carlisle, good access for large outfits.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #11

    Always leave the motorway to fill up

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2019 #12

    Some Greek islands but not a problem ..... until you return home, wipe your bum and are looking for a bin!

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,032 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #13

    Wow, two top tips.  My current brain is only using Microsoft 7, so I hope when I update to an IOS 12 model it remembers them.........🤪

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited October 2019 #14
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  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited October 2019 #15

    find a service station that sells Esso and use the card. As for the other, no thanks but if I get a dog could you follow it around and get some practice. surprised 

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited October 2019 #16

    I no longer drive for the long distances that I used to --  200 --> 250 miles is enough for me now, so I'll nearly always find a decent fuel supply close to me when I find my site.

    As for the second idea -- Is it really First of April already undecided

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #17

    One advantage of a motorhome is that it has a range of about 500 miles and I never drive anywhere near that far in a day. Also easy to nip off the motorway to a convenient supermarket if I need fuel. 

    As regards the toilet paper - too much information!!!

    David

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
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    edited October 2019 #18

    I can't think of anywhere in my car or caravan it would be safe and wise to carry a jerry can of fuel, even if I thought doing so had any merit.

    Whilst I greatly resent paying over the odds for fuel, if I need to I would pay it but only buy enough to do the task in hand, never fill up. Doing that, surely the additional cost can't be more that buying a jerry can to avoid paying the extra, and far far less hassle?

  • geoffeales
    geoffeales Forum Participant Posts: 322
    edited October 2019 #19

    No this is not a wind-up, I'm not mean or daft thank you. I thought we were here to try and help each other along? It's a 10 litre can which is designed to carry fuel safely, weighs very little and there's absolutely no smell. Thanks for the tip about loo paper and laundry capsules David

  • footlooserv
    footlooserv Forum Participant Posts: 106
    edited October 2019 #20

    M4 J36 south  Bridgend out of town shopping centre  for Sainsbury in the out of town shopping center. Last cheap fuel going to and from Pembrokeshire where we live. Always fill up here. Do not use Sarn Park services on the north although they have now dropped their price a bit.

    If towing the right hand pumps are best for exit.

     

    I f towing best to use the correct signs down to next roundabout about south again about 500m. I normally cut in to the centre but easy to be in the wrong lane with a caravan and then end up in the parking area for the shops

     

  • Goldie146
    Goldie146 Club Member Posts: 2,448 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #21

    Sorry if I misunderstood.

     

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #22

    My car has a 100 litre tank which is more than enough for a day's towing!  If we're doing a long trip, we always plan it so that we stop overnight after 200 to 250 miles and I find a fuel station then - after we've set the van up. Being retired means we are not in a rush and the 200 mile hops on a long journey just form part of the holiday. I would never contemplate using motorway fuel stations.

    As for the second suggestion - if you also picked then up from a fellow caravanner - I would suggest he was taking the.....?

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited October 2019 #23

    Just Checked my A_Z GB & NI Super Scale A3 Atlas and there is a blue Fuel Pump legend on the major roads where the fuel stations are.

    Not hard therefore to adjust your driving to pull off m-ways or dual carriageways to find your required Go-Juice.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2019 #24

    @ richardandros My car has a 100 litre tank which

    I bet that hurts the wallet when you fill that from empty surprised

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #25

    Yes it does! It's the Touareg Escape - the off-road version - with a bigger tank than normal.  I usually fill from a quarter full and it's just under £100 (at the moment). Other than towing, I don't do that many miles so a tankful usually lasts about a month - even considering we are away for a week every month.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2019 #26

    The tank on my ML isn't much smaller at 93 litres so it's not far behind ... hence a Smart for commuting smile

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited October 2019 #27

    Returning to the OP's subject, there's a Tesco Superstore with easily access fuel pumps about 1/2 ml from M6 Junction 43  Carlisle, and another for those travelling North on the M74 Junction 10, Lesmahagow.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited October 2019 #28

    Yep, so's mine and a 30l adblue ( some extra weight when both full )frown

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited October 2019 #29

    My tank is 210 litres, then again my daily drive is a Unimog😂😂

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited October 2019 #30

    Actually I found that when using regular fluids there was often some undissolved paper. I don't find this with the Lidl bio washing tabs

  • Rufs
    Rufs Club Member Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2019 #31

    ah!!! but TW said "soft toilet paper" i dont think cut up pieces of the Times falls into that category yell