Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: clarkson on February 09, 2011, 07:27:33 pm

Title: fuel
Post by: clarkson on February 09, 2011, 07:27:33 pm

 hi
just had a shock, managed to get 100 pounds of diesel  in my tank(vivaro ) it was on fumes but still.

 first ten customers tommorow just to pay for the diesel for the week.

 makes you think about your prices.

 cheers

 john

Title: Re: fuel
Post by: dave.e on February 09, 2011, 07:34:22 pm
I know how you feel mate i to have a vivaro and fed up with putting £30 every few days :'( wish they would bring it back down to a pound a litre  :-\
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Paul Coleman on February 09, 2011, 07:35:11 pm

 hi
just had a shock, managed to get 100 pounds of diesel  in my tank(vivaro ) it was on fumes but still.

 first ten customers tommorow just to pay for the diesel for the week.

 makes you think about your prices.

 cheers

 john



I've never forgotten what I paid to fill a Trafic (same as yours) last time diesel was this expensive.
It was £108.59 and that was filling the 90 litre tank to the brim - so I had a few litres still in the tank when I started but didn't want to risk going lower.  On average, a tankful will last me nearly 2 weeks.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: prestige cleaners on February 09, 2011, 07:38:18 pm
when i started driving 16 yrs ago it was 60p a litre for petrol
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Paul Coleman on February 09, 2011, 07:41:49 pm
when i started driving 16 yrs ago it was 60p a litre for petrol

When I was a kid, I remember my dad going ballistic because petrol hit five bob (25p) a GALLON.
Mind you, it's fair to say that the council rent was only about 3 quid a week too  :) .
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: dave.e on February 09, 2011, 07:52:11 pm
Never mind guys this time next year we will all be paying £1.70 a lt  :'(  i think i am going to use one of the;s

(http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu184/s2none/812BIKE.jpg)
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: mileslake on February 09, 2011, 07:54:52 pm
when i started driving 16 yrs ago it was 60p a litre for petrol



When I was 16yrs old 50p would last me all week on my moped. Was 1974 though
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: chopsie on February 09, 2011, 08:00:41 pm
stick some cherry in it, its half the price  ;)
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on February 09, 2011, 08:05:29 pm
when i started driving 16 yrs ago it was 60p a litre for petrol


it was 60.9p per litre when I passed back in 98 lol
the annoying thing is crude oil isn't as expensives as it was back in 2007-2008!
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: windowswashed on February 09, 2011, 08:14:38 pm
Even red diesel is getting pricey now. Tempted to put red in the wrong filler neck ;D
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle on February 09, 2011, 08:19:00 pm
Normally put in £80 a fortnight in me transit  ;D    & now that i've got rid of most my out of town work, it might drop to £70 a fortnight  ;D


few years ago when i was using RED it was 62p a litre (before any of you moan, i was caught, and paid my fine) , now its upto 78p a litre :o
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on February 09, 2011, 09:03:58 pm
i do between £40-70 a week
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on February 09, 2011, 09:10:51 pm
Anyone tried heating oil?
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: prestige cleaners on February 09, 2011, 09:14:13 pm
little tip. change oil, fully synthetic, filter, fuel filter, and air filter, last time i did it i got 100 miles out a tank!

not sure if glow plug change would help? anyone know?
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on February 09, 2011, 09:26:10 pm
little tip. change oil, fully synthetic, filter, fuel filter, and air filter, last time i did it i got 100 miles out a tank!

not sure if glow plug change would help? anyone know?


Thats very good on fuel  ;D ;D ;D  :P
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on February 09, 2011, 09:27:24 pm
i do between £40-70 a week



I spend the same





Matt
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Dean Taberner on February 09, 2011, 09:43:41 pm
I spend aroind £200 a week in the 2 vans :(
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: chopsie on February 09, 2011, 09:51:46 pm


few years ago when i was using RED it was 62p a litre (before any of you moan, i was caught, and paid my fine) , now its upto 78p a litre :o

What did u get fined?
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: scud on February 09, 2011, 10:07:59 pm
little tip. change oil, fully synthetic, filter, fuel filter, and air filter, last time i did it i got 100 miles out a tank!

not sure if glow plug change would help? anyone know?

 Glow plugs are used for heating the deisel before starting, they have no bearing on how efficiently the engine runs once started.

  It will take a while to get your money back changing all the fluids and filters extra to your service intervals, it wont stay that effiecient for long.

  Make sure that it is ok to run on fully synth oil, soem engines aren't designed for it, but I would think most modern deisels will run it ok.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: prestige cleaners on February 09, 2011, 10:16:52 pm
im changing them every 6months now instead of 12. costs about £60 all in. plus engine gets less wear.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Jackal on February 09, 2011, 10:21:34 pm
Normally put in £80 a fortnight in me transit  ;D    & now that i've got rid of most my out of town work, it might drop to £70 a fortnight  ;D


few years ago when i was using RED it was 62p a litre (before any of you moan, i was caught, and paid my fine) , now its upto 78p a litre :o




what fine did you have,did they take your vehicle aswell,

some of you lads must do some driving round spending this much on fuel, i put £10 -£20 a week no wonder why you need charge high prices
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Klean07 on February 09, 2011, 10:41:51 pm
This is the kind of thing we want but in van form. Im sure one of the big boys will start making commercial vans etc electric sometime soon.

http://www.nissan.co.uk/?cid=pselectricvehicleUK_enelectricvehiclelocuk&kw=Nissan_leaf#vehicles/electricvehicles/leaf
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: George P on February 09, 2011, 10:57:26 pm
ford do a electric transit that does 100 miles on a charge, can be charged in 4 hours, not practicle for many but its a start towards better mileage, i think vauxhall vivaro has been done too and that mileage was better but this may not be on sale yet (not sure)
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on February 09, 2011, 11:17:12 pm
Electric, petrol, diesel etc. won't make any difference. It will still be taxed to death once mainstream, nothing more sure than that guys.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Scrimble on February 10, 2011, 10:39:28 am
i fill my van with LPG, vauxhall combo with a 350l tank, 66p litre 50 litre tank just over 30 quid fills it and it does 29mpg average,


there are ways of reducing fuels costs moaning about the price of diesel is not one of them!
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: STEVE-UK on February 10, 2011, 11:25:46 am
you mean like one of these

www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2010/02/23/135616/Mercedes-Benz-unveils-electric-Vito.htm
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Klean07 on February 10, 2011, 12:33:25 pm
Doesnt bother me that much because I only average 50 miles a week for business and probably the same amount for social/domestic. However wouldn't it be good if there were more commercial vans that were lower on tax etc. I pay only £30 a year road tax for my Megane but can still get 120 mph if I wanted too.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: SPE on February 10, 2011, 05:42:04 pm
Save fuel then.  Don't drive a mile more than you have to.  Plan your route with a map rather than guessing from memory.  I bet you a quid that if you look at the routes you've followed this week you could drop 10% of your mileage.  I did it last year and was horrified at some of the routes my mental map thought were short.  That'll turn your £100 fill into a £90 fill.
agreed, and drive like a chauffeur
you'll be suprised how much further your tank will take you when you're not braking hard and accelerating all day long in traffic.
And now the mornings are getting a bit brighter I'm hitting the road earlier before school run and starting at my furthest customer even if it means having a coffee and sitting in the van for half an hour before I start, I prefer it that way to the stress of rush hour traffic and the constant stop/start.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: elite mike on February 10, 2011, 06:00:20 pm
why not add your support for these

http://www.fairfueluk.com/
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: lcwalker on February 10, 2011, 06:10:03 pm
My brother does building and bought a vivaro but didn't keep it long as his reckons it's one of the most expensive vans he's had to run, they seem to be very popular but i wasn't impressed.
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: clarkson on February 10, 2011, 07:21:44 pm

hi
I think the vivaro is a superb van and dont think there is much between the transit sized vans on fuel.

Has anyone looked at the next size down like transporter,expert ,vito. etc.

I had a scudo as well wasnt much better on fuel, and could nt cope with the payload the viv has on it most days.

 theres not much that can carry a ton of water poles hoses and and two guys. i suppose we just swallow the pill on the fuel. at least we can claim it back think of the employed people paying out of net income.

regards

 john
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: prestige cleaners on February 10, 2011, 07:45:51 pm
that is true, free fuel! forgot about that!
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: dazmond on February 10, 2011, 11:03:39 pm
this is why ive built my whole round within an 8 mile radius!


i dont put more than £20 a week in diesel in my kangoo.thats includes one night collecting as well!!in fact its more like £15 a week.


regards


dazmond
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Sean Dyer on February 11, 2011, 08:10:17 am

hi
I think the vivaro is a superb van and dont think there is much between the transit sized vans on fuel.

Has anyone looked at the next size down like transporter,expert ,vito. etc.

I had a scudo as well wasnt much better on fuel, and could nt cope with the payload the viv has on it most days.

 theres not much that can carry a ton of water poles hoses and and two guys. i suppose we just swallow the pill on the fuel. at least we can claim it back think of the employed people paying out of net income.

regards

 john

you get your fuel money back???

not really , you get away with paying tax on it is all, your still saying bye bye to 80 % of the money earned for fuel... id rather pay the tax and have the rest sat in my bank than burned up in fuel tank

i wish they gave us the money back
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: clarkson on February 11, 2011, 09:30:43 am

 Hi Sean
 of course this is what i mean. but arent you forgetting VAT, national insurance at what 8% on group 4, and you assuming 20% tax rate?

 Also its symantics i know but i never look at turnover as the figure i have made, iam only interested in profit.

 Turnover is vanity and all that.  I have a basic cost base i apply to jobs or a days window cleaning and look at what ive made after wages vat and expenses are taken out. My income is whats left its the true figure.

from that perspective i have had 100%of my fuel paid outside of my income.

As i say you are correct the tax man isnt knocking on my door with a cheque for 100 to fill the van up.

iam still however better off than a factory worker who grosses 240 looses a chunk, then has to goto the garage to fill up.

cheers

john
Title: Re: fuel
Post by: Sean Dyer on February 11, 2011, 12:14:12 pm

 Hi Sean
 of course this is what i mean. but arent you forgetting VAT, national insurance at what 8% on group 4, and you assuming 20% tax rate?

 Also its symantics i know but i never look at turnover as the figure i have made, iam only interested in profit.

 Turnover is vanity and all that.  I have a basic cost base i apply to jobs or a days window cleaning and look at what ive made after wages vat and expenses are taken out. My income is whats left its the true figure.

from that perspective i have had 100%of my fuel paid outside of my income.

As i say you are correct the tax man isnt knocking on my door with a cheque for 100 to fill the van up.

iam still however better off than a factory worker who grosses 240 looses a chunk, then has to goto the garage to fill up.

cheers

john

fair enough :)

some people do actually believe they some how get evrything back, was just checking :)

i dont worry about vat as not registered so have to just pay it out anyway

Title: Re: fuel
Post by: clarkson on February 11, 2011, 12:54:02 pm
 hi
 its ridiculous if you think about it, we pay 20% tax 8% ni and then nearly everything we buy is subject to vat at 20%. thats 48% taxation on most of your salary.

 of course fuel is the worst how much of my 100 tank ful is duty ?

  cheers

john