MSE's 2011 Petrol/Diesel Cost Diet Challenge: Put your money where your pedal is!

thriftymoo · 12 January 2011 at 3:14PM

i think what martin maybe had in mind when he started this thread was for people to share tips on saving money on fuel. - not to start an arguement about taxation and how rubbish our road system may or may not be etc etc

des077 · 12 January 2011 at 3:35PM

i'm thinking of getting a small motorcycle like a cub90 or a cg125 these will do in excess of 100mpg and they cost £15 a year road tax plus cut through traffic and brand new from £2000 or below but theres always second hand ones, but if your only doing short runs you could get an electric bike for about £500 with no tax or insurance costs and just pennies to charge.

kalamath · 12 January 2011 at 3:43PM

We have two cars = one company car the other Big Heavey Shogun. Used for pulling trailers etc. Also when off road. So there is a local company selling BIO diesel - Duty paid and road ready - no conversion required. Produced from reclaimed waste oil (chip shops etc) The fact it is based on bio rather than mineral - the exhast gases are less harmful and polute less. Better lubrication and the engine runs quieter. Best bit 94p per litre. The fuel duty is a stealth tax and is now getting silly with the added 2.5% VAT. The government could abolish it if they wanted - however they are pointing the finger at labour and saying its all their fault. So sad - not what we need right now.

Just my 2p worth - well 2p plus 2,5% extra vat !!!

spendaholic · 12 January 2011 at 3:48PM

Petrol is one of the biggest issues for me at the moment. For an experiment I bought a bus and rail pass for 2 weeks, but it took me 90 minutes to get to work, 12 miles away, and 90 minutes to get back, and I only work 3.5 days per week. I decided it would be cheaper to stick with the car after all. If needs must, i.e. if the car fails or if the weather worsens again, at least I know I can get to work by public transport if necessary.

So I'm looking for other ways to save and you'll see from my sig that my debt is gradually coming down - I entered into a paid-for FMP in June 2 years ago and it's the best thing I ever did (even the £20 the finance company get a month is worth it for the £200+ in interest and charges they're saving me). I think I've saved, and saved and saved where I can, and I freelance on top of my part time job to earn more where I can.

I'd love a bike, but that would mean initial outlay for the bike and a shed to lock it up in, and I'd have to build my fitness gradually in order to manage the work commute, plus there are the road safety issues where there aren't designated cycle lanes.

I have a Citroen Saxo Desire 1.1 that does about 30 to the gallon. The tank was costing me £30 to fill. Now it's costing me £45. This means my monthly budget for fuel has gone from about £40 to about £60+.

I need to take some of the weight out of my boot and get some air into my tyres, and I only drive for journeys of 2 miles or more. I live in a semi-rural village, but will try and multi-task on journeys, such as get my shopping on the way home from work as I pass the supermarket anyway.

I think this is a great challenge. Good luck!

SixSpeed · 12 January 2011 at 4:17PM

Just started a new job and my commute has increased from 28 miles to 98 miles per day so the challenge is definitely on !

I've been using petrolprices.com for the last few years and planning fill ups around best prices. This has worked well - saving on average 2 to 3p per litre. I'm not sure how this will work out with my increased mileage which will be mostly on main roads and Motorway. I

have been getting 35 mpg from my 3 litre diesel so should be a good measure to see if I can make any savings.
(Before anyone suggests it: I can't afford to change the car yet!)

I'm going to try all the suggested methods to save fuel and see what I can save - best of luck to all who try.

malkypaul · 12 January 2011 at 4:47PM

Hi All

I had a 3.9 Disco Horrendous 17ishGPM, until it got nicked, (many thanks to the teeleaf), i got a tax exempt (pre1972) Landrover series 2a with a V8 for all my towing jobs, and as a daily commuter a nissan micra and to save even more money/tax i converted to LPG which gives half the pence per miles, best thing i ever did.

If you are really serious about saving money and the environment Gasify, you could always visit the Centre for Alternative technology as well at Machllyenth in Wales.

Many Thanks

Malkypaul:rotfl:

geordie_ben · 12 January 2011 at 5:10PM

I've got a 1.9 TDI Golf, X reg, currently getting about 45mpg.. the typical price around here for diesel seems to be 130.9 a litre

I need to blow my tyres up
Stop the erratic driving
and looking into Bio-Fuel..

hubert_cumberdale · 12 January 2011 at 5:51PM

i run an old petrol car that gets about 40 - 45mpg

run it as light as possible seems to be my only thing and the tire pressures

just getting round to fitting my hydrogen generator to it to see if they do actually work hope i dont explode - im not sure if they do work but it will be a fun experiment.

malkypaul · 12 January 2011 at 6:12PM

Hi All

To all you people thinking of useing this Biofuel it has to be mixed 50:50 with Diesel or it will ruin your engine. Mineral Diesel is a lubricant, Biofuel isn't!!!

Not much of a saving when you have to replace your engine.

Malkypaul on LPG:rotfl:

hubert_cumberdale · 12 January 2011 at 6:15PM

i used to use homebrew biofuel on my diesel but used to put a 1/4 tank with 3/4 real diesel i wasnt brave enough to go any higher

MSE's 2011 Petrol/Diesel Cost Diet Challenge: Put your money where your pedal is!

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