Petrol costs, Ford Transit travelling Poznan to Wales and then returning

Harry:

Who cares? Get the AA to take you for free. It's very easy: all you do is take out AA fuve star Europe, install a small tap somewhere in the fuel line, drive about 40km into your journey, stop to turn the tap off and then run the engine til it dies. Then you call the AA and get their repair guy out. He'll probably assume that either the fuel pump is knackered or the fuel line is clogged. Either way he's not going to be able to fix it there and then. Which means you get a free tow to where-ever you're going. Really does cut down on the fuel costs: I did from just past the Polish border to Slupsk on less than the smell of an oily rag!

EnglishpoznanThreads: 14 Posts: 152 Joined: Apr 21, 09	Sep 25, 09, 16:22 / #
could somebody tell me how much roughly petrol would cost in a ford transit from Poznan to Wales and back to Poznan cheers in advance

beazeeThreads: - Posts: 46 Joined: Sep 9, 09	Sep 25, 09, 16:27 / #
Average: 13L/100km petrol http://www.autocentrum.pl/spalanie/ford/transit/v.html Distance: 1718km one way http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=from:Pozna %C5%84+to:Wales&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=42.495706,90.263672&ie=UTF 8&z=6 0.1317182= 446.68 Around 500-550L total.

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07	Edited by: wildrover Sep 25, 09, 16:28 / #
What size engine you got in your transit...might help us to figure out the costs....somebody has bound to have done the journey in a similar vehicle....

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07	Edited by: dnz Sep 25, 09, 16:29 / #
I usually budget on around £200 each way from Cornwall to Poznan in a 7 series BMW so if you budget about the same you should have some change, are you running petrol or diesel? From a different perspective i did it on £120 in a 1.8 mitsubishi colt but that was driving like a saint. Also use norfolkline from dover to dunkirk as its loads cheaper.

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07	Sep 25, 09, 16:32 / #
Englishpoznan: how much roughly petrol would cost Looks like he has a petrol motor......diesal would be more economic of course....

EnglishpoznanThreads: 14 Posts: 152 Joined: Apr 21, 09	Sep 25, 09, 16:45 / #
Thanks for the reply's, it's not my transit so am unsure of the engine size but it is petrol. i was just trying to price something up but if it's about 200gbp each way it's too expensive!!

drew128Threads: 3 Posts: 64 Joined: Jun 3, 07	Sep 25, 09, 16:56 / #
If its petrol then thats going to cost, diesel is much cheaper than petrol also here and in the rest of europe for your journey, I think dzn is going to be right at £200 a trip for fuel. I would hate to think what a petrol Transit would do per litre. Thats old school fossil fuel abuse......

EnglishpoznanThreads: 14 Posts: 152 Joined: Apr 21, 09	Edited by: Englishpoznan Sep 25, 09, 17:07 / #
And how much roughly would the same trip cost in a diesel van?? Sorry maybe i should explain what I'm trying to do. I need to get a pallet weighing 600kg from Wales to poznan and I can't get a quote cheaper than 275gbp (which seems on the high side to me?) So I thought it might be cheaper to borrow a friends van and do it myself.

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07	Sep 25, 09, 17:18 / #
you're probably going to be looking at 35 mpg average from a modern diesel transit, depends where in wales you are coming from but from Calais to Poznan its 700 miles so you're probably looking at 1000 miles each way, diesel on the continent is about 90p per litre so say £4 every 35 miles you'll need 28 gallons, say 30 for arguments sake thats £120 in fuel + £30-60 for the ferry and then loads of red bull to keep you awake, it might not work out any cheaper in all honesty, What about getting that guy delphian raves about to give you a quote?

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Sep 25, 09, 17:19 / #
Englishpoznan: And how much roughly would the same trip cost in a diesel van?? Who cares? Get the AA to take you for free. It's very easy: all you do is take out AA fuve star Europe, install a small tap somewhere in the fuel line, drive about 40km into your journey, stop to turn the tap off and then run the engine til it dies. Then you call the AA and get their repair guy out. He'll probably assume that either the fuel pump is knackered or the fuel line is clogged. Either way he's not going to be able to fix it there and then. Which means you get a free tow to where-ever you're going. Really does cut down on the fuel costs: I did from just past the Polish border to Slupsk on less than the smell of an oily rag!

drew128Threads: 3 Posts: 64 Joined: Jun 3, 07	Sep 25, 09, 17:32 / #
We moved over from West Yorkshire to Southern Poland in a long wheelbase van via Hull-Rotterdam, I guess 1,4000 km one way, I guess somewhere around 160 litres, a diesel Renault. You can do AA route finder maps on the net to find out the route and distance, work it out on UK fuel prices and you will be quids in. Then factor in the ferry, one pallet at around 600kg is not a big van at all, something like a Ford Connect might do it, but sounds like you will need to someone let you have a van for nowt for best part of a 5 days. The price of a ferry normally increases if it goes over 6.5 meters in total length, thats really only going to be maxi vans league. The most cost effective way would be to get a PL company to bring it back as part of as a back load, part of some groupage, lots of traffic going to or past Poznan. You would not be able to do Poznan and return to Wales in a car for that sort of money I am sure.

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07	Sep 25, 09, 17:58 / #
drew128: We moved over from West Yorkshire Oh , i am not the only Yorkshireman in Poland then.....I am from Scarborough originally , but lived in Leeds for 22 years before moving to Polska...Before moving to Polska i was involved in taking aid to a kids home here , so iwas able to sling in some of my personal stuff along with all the stuff that i had collected for the kids home...I got a Polish trucking company that was going back to Polska empty to take the whole lot for free...unlikely people will do this for everyone , but you might find somebody delivering to the UK who will be happy to cut their costs by taking something back for you...

beazeeThreads: - Posts: 46 Joined: Sep 9, 09	Edited by: beazee Sep 25, 09, 18:02 / #
There is a chap making Poland <-> Ireland routes twice monthly. He must be passing Wales. He's charging 2e/kg gross weight. As soon as I find his details -> pm them 2 you

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07	Sep 25, 09, 18:29 / #
dnz: it could save me a fortune on my fuel bill. Only problem is.....if you use the breakdown service too often they will refuse your renewal of membership...I had three breakdowns in one year with an old Landrover i had...got a letter warning me i could lose cover if i used them too often....

EnglishpoznanThreads: 14 Posts: 152 Joined: Apr 21, 09	Sep 25, 09, 17:22 / #
Harry I like your style!!!!! DNZ I have tried to contact that guy but so far no joy, will keep trying though because delphi did say he was pretty good.

EnglishpoznanThreads: 14 Posts: 152 Joined: Apr 21, 09	Sep 25, 09, 17:35 / #
Thanks for that Drew. Do you have any idea how would be a good way to search for a Polish company that would be able to sling it on as part of a backload??

drew128Threads: 3 Posts: 64 Joined: Jun 3, 07	Sep 25, 09, 17:49 / #
Sorry Englishpoznan, no idea who would be in your area. Perhaps some of the Poznan people can chip in, no idea how soon you need this done, but have a look around and see what PL wagons are in the area, make a note of the companies. Its either that or finding out if someone is vanning over their stuff to move to the UK and hitch the pallet a lift to Poznan, if they are doing this one way, then a few quid is going to help them take the sting out of a one way move to the UK. I do think that price you have been quoted is a bit steep, are you on top of a mountain somewhere?. If it was me I would be looking to source a van that was dropping in the UK and would take one pallet to get home quick without hanging around looking for a return load, I couldn't hazard a cost of that, but better than a freight forwarder in the UK for sure. It all depends if the cargo needs to be insured as well of course.

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07	Sep 25, 09, 18:04 / #
Harry: Who cares? Get the AA to take you for free. It's very easy: all you do is take out AA fuve star Europe, install a small tap somewhere in the fuel line, drive about 40km into your journey, stop to turn the tap off and then run the engine til it dies. Then you call the AA and get their repair guy out. He'll probably assume that either the fuel pump is knackered or the fuel line is clogged. Either way he's not going to be able to fix it there and then. Which means you get a free tow to where-ever you're going. Really does cut down on the fuel costs: I did from just past the Polish border to Slupsk on less than the smell of an oily rag! I've did this with the 7 series when i bought it with a knackered box, limped it onto the nearest motorway, transfailsafe came up on the screen the aa delivered me a skoda and i drove home, my car was delivered to my door later that evening, my mate fixed it for £30 and job done. BTW that is an ace idea harry, do they ask many questions when doing this? it could save me a fortune on my fuel bill.

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]	Sep 25, 09, 19:12 / #
Englishpoznan: DNZ I have tried to contact that guy but so far no joy, will keep trying though because delphi did say he was pretty good. No luck so far? I've got his English number somewhere, I'll see if I can find it for you. One suggestion I've seen is to try the lorries going back from the UK empty - as far as I know, many of them don't have backloads and would probably do it for peanuts. But even I can't see anyone doing it for less than 275 pounds :( (have you tried looking into getting it shipped by sea?)

AjbThreads: 12 Posts: 340 Joined: Jul 14, 08	Sep 25, 09, 19:15 / #
Hey, i just had some stuff deliverd from UK by: http://atrans.wikidot.com/ Delpi recomended him.. really cheap, good service, he moved our 42in TV plus a box full of stuff for £35.. although if u know someone who speaks Polish, get them to call him as his english isnt great (Thats what he said anyhow) Will probly work out cheaper than driving a van here your self!

drew128Threads: 3 Posts: 64 Joined: Jun 3, 07	Sep 25, 09, 19:21 / #
As wages are lower than western European transport, you will see many trucks from the East parked up waiting for backloads, its not common to have a Brit sitting a truck for 3 days waiting for something to move. There are many freight forwarders who make the money selling loads to move to people trying to cover or make a small profit on the return trip. The £ is pretty bad at the moment I think, so I cannot see it being a bargain. I am really thinking the cheap way is catch someone with a hire van stuck in the UK from moving to Blighty and pay the cost of a one way trip to Poznan. Good luck

delphiandomineThreads: 42 Posts: 9,954 Joined: Nov 25, 08 [Suspended]	Sep 25, 09, 19:29 / #
drew128: As wages are lower than western European transport, you will see many trucks from the East parked up waiting for backloads, its not common to have a Brit sitting a truck for 3 days waiting for something to move. Tell me about it, I've heard stories of them waiting up to a week in some cases to get backloads. That's just mental, I definitely can't imagine Brits abroad waiting for a week just to get a load back - maybe a few hours, but definitely no longer.

b8hoven	Sep 25, 09, 19:30 / #
Also if you are adding 600kg of weight to the van then you will use a lot more fuel! 275 quid is not that bad for 600kg.

drew128Threads: 3 Posts: 64 Joined: Jun 3, 07	Sep 25, 09, 19:53 / #
Well if the drivers wages are x number of wonga and the fuel and ferries are x number of wonga then how long a truck is standing waiting for a load is the difference between that and if is worth hanging around waiting for a load. Its less likely that a UK truck would do that as the driver and other standing costs are too high. Someone like Willie Betz who supplies the auto trade will want to keep trucks in the right places as thats the JIT business, he can afford to pay Eastern drivers or perhaps he does not pay if they are not moving, if thats the case then no UK driver would do that. If your passing a MSA at the weekend I bet there are dozens of eastern euro trucks parked up waiting for the weeks business to start.

andrewwrightThreads: 18 Posts: 113 Joined: Dec 27, 08	Edited by: andrewwright Sep 25, 09, 20:57 / #
hi English poznan This might help a bit,I drove from new Quay west wales in oct last year,ford transit but 2.5 deisel ,filled up carmarthen £65,then again in belgium 45 euros,german polish border 45 euros then top end poland north bydgoszcz 200pln around about £180/£200,my adive book your ferry when you get to the port due to traffic(coming back here in july this year 3hrs 3km in germany)we found the ferry cheaper, took 23hrs,have done a return but to north yorkshire and back to ilawa about the same price,hope this helps a bit,Ferry is about £115-£120 each way but booking a straight return would be cheaper

drew128Threads: 3 Posts: 64 Joined: Jun 3, 07	Sep 28, 09, 09:39 / #
dnz has talked about Norfolkline for crossing the channel, as it happens we have a van going to the UK and did some ferry booking last night. The price is very good for a car, but imputing a van into the system even as private went from 47€ to 200€, bit strange, but it appeared to be for private use, anyway got the same cheaper price from LD Lines, so the van goes that way.