Ferry Question

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DITTRICH

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S205 C200SE & W202 C230K
This summer it looks like I'll be taking the ferry rather than the Tunnel in order to cut costs. The tunnel has limits on the amount of reserve fuel I can take [2x10l metal containers]. Are there any limits for ferries? This takes on a new significance because the fall in sterling makes all fuel west of Poland more expensive than in the UK. Latvia and Lithuania are almost as expensive as the UK. Russia 43p and Poland 79p. Norfolk Lines and Brittany Ferries don't allow fuel cans AFAIK buried in their T&C's.
Les
 
Another thought is whether it's worth it for the hassle given it would only be 20 litres of extra fuel - impact on channel crossing plans, additional weight, reduced storage, etc might mean it's not worth the savings you'll make.
 
This website gives you french fuel prices

So a litre of diesel at Calais is 91c....petrol €1.13 That diesel is still cheaper than in the UK and petrol isnt that expensive to worry over a 20 litres...:D
 
EUR1.13 / 1.07 = 106p / litre vs 90p in the UK.
I understand that the savings wouldn't be much between France and the UK (£3) but they are much more pronounced towards the east. Fuel prices vary along my route from 43p (Russia) to 122p per litre (Holland). It's not about saving £3! Much more is at stake.
Filling up in Russia at 43p/litre or Poland at 79p/litre makes sense. For example, 30litres would see me home from the Polish border at 79p/litre over 1,100kms avoiding paying 107p - 122p/litre in western europe.
You have to appreciate that the journey is 6,150km roundtrip at 12km/litre = 511 litres at a target cost of £353 equivalent to 69p/litre. Every 10p difference in average price is worth £51!
I'm worried that if I use the ferry I won't be allowed to take the metal cans at all (full or empty). Norfolk Line state that they confiscate empty fuel cans.
Of course I could fly and hire a car in Moscow for 30 days (£900) but then you've got paperwork, insurance (£extra), what happens if you have an accident (in someone else's car), unknown reliability of car, mileage limits... Basically I lose 4 days for the priviledge of driving my own car in Russia.
Les
 
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Another factor to take into account is European Diesel is a different spec to UK diesel both in terms of cetane rating and additives and gives greater power and mpg than its UK equivalent, so why would you take an inferior fuel to Europe with you when a superior product is available locally and cheaper?
 
Are you 100% sure on your fuel prices - that French Govt website has diesel around the 90c mark. That is cheaper than the UK. I appreciate you will not be in France for long but Belgium is usually even cheaper than France. Netherlands can be expensive whereas Germany I have no idea about. You can get through Netherlands without filling you should be ok...IMHO
 
Well your not supposed to but what you do and what you are meant to do are very different things.

The odds on being searched on the ferry. Non existant and customer wouldn't care because its nothing to do with them what is in the T&C's of a ferry company.
 
Still, Belgium is the cheapest. We always try to refuel in Belgium but be aware- not next to the motorway (not that I care as I'm not looking for a cheap petrol 10 miles away ;) )

We have bought some Diesel (better mpg as suggested) in Brugge and was cheapest in Europe (up to Germany, but had to buy some fuel in Netherlands as we have visited my sister)!

Cheers
Chris
 
I was going from the AA fuel report for March 2009. I'm using the C230K. If the E300D was a 5 speed auto I'd use it instead. However it's 4 speed and the fuel economy deteriorates at higher motorway speeds to that of a 5sp petrol auto. If I had the time, the E300D would win hands down [15km/litre] vs C230K [12km/litre]. Thanks for the links to fuel prices. You're right about Holland prices though! Exchange rates are up/down 5% from one month to the next and it's difficult to predict things. I have already downgraded hotels, cut out Vilnius and reduced the number of days for each way from 4 to 3. Before I used Hiltons and Scandics - now its independent hotels more off the beaten track.
Les
 
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Cheapest way to France by ferry is usually Norfolkline Dover=>Dunkirk. I usually go a unsociable hours and it's never more than £30 return.
 
James Rothwell said:
Cheapest way to France by ferry is usually Norfolkline Dover=>Dunkirk. I usually go a unsociable hours and it's never more than £30 return.
Click to expand...

I am leaning towards using this route exactly as you suggest.
Les
 
Yeah, we usually take 2AM ferry on Fri :) So maybe one day GTG on the Norfolk Line Ferry? :)
Missus finishes work@20, quickly to get take-away Chinese and GO to Dover! (from Exeter 2,5h)

Cheers
Chris
 
We now always use Norfolk Lines - use to use Speedferries but any winds and they get cancelled
 
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