Our large local Tesco fuel station closed this early morning, Devil Oil or Petrol. All 8 x 3 pumps.
I was only checking the Swift’s tyres anyway. Then I glanced at the tank indicator Mmm…50%. That would do us two weeks.
Never the less, this wee Devil kept nagging, so after a trip to 3 other stations whose Qs were not onto the road (!) I got a full tank ( just 4.5 gallons) top up of E5..at a price gouger penalty of course. Shades of the 70’s here we go but our news broadcasters are assuring us there is actually plenty fuel. Perhaps, perhaps not. But that’s us for a month at least so we can keep out of everyones’ way.
Same thing every time. Everyone makes a run on the pumps so all the fuel ends up in cars instead of in petrol station tanks. Same amount of fuel…different location based on panic buying.
I guess it might annoy you to know that a couple days ago I filled up for £0.69 per litre on this side of the pond? I do wish though they would allow alternative fuel conversions here in the states. There was a company about 15 years back that was making hydrogen gas conversion kits using metal hydride tanks for gas storage…was really neat conversion, any gasoline engine could be converted to run on hydrogen gas. The EPA here doesn’t allow this type of conversion for use on public roads since it requires emissions changes. Its meant to prevent conversions using fuels dirtier than gasoline…but it prevents conversions using cleaner fuels as well(the only byproduct of hydrogen gas is water).
I live just south of Nashville myself currently. Chicago to New Orleans is going to be a bunch of straight open highways for the most part though unless you take the back roads, not nearly as fun as driving in the UK(or at least not nearly as fun as driving in Scotland, I never made it much farther south than Hadrian’s Wall during my trip). Here in TN though the back roads are pretty winding, hilly and narrow though.
The MX-5 comes off SORN tomorrow and I only have a quarter of a tank. It looks like I’m in for a bit of a shock, the last time I put fuel in a car which was last July.
Our local Asda are causing the queues, they’ve had most of the diesel pumps locked off for two weeks now, they queue at just the two open. So it effectively causes petrol customers to get in line too. The excuse, they are down because of a technical problem, load of rubbish it’s rationing by them. Big hike in price over the weekend, slapped 10p on per litre. I won’t give more money than I have to, I just stuck £20 worth in, they are loving it folks filling to the brim, get another tanker full in
Roadtrip in our MX-5 planned for June. Obviously we’re a bit unsure just how this will go…… the ferry (Rosslare to Bilbao) is booked on a non-flexi basis, so that will be a considerable loss if fuel is simply not available or even rationed, and we decide not to go. I am assured that SUPPLY won’t be an issue, merely COST….. but who really knows?
Still, I guess this is a “first-world problem” in the midst of it all.
Guess people will be pretty envious of me, my Mk1 has about half a tank of fuel - not just any fuel either, it predates E5/E10 being introduced so it’s bound to be even more valuable ! (or.. varnishable?).
I wonder if currently it’s as cheap to go to the continient, a quick petrol trip to Dublin or Calais…
UK gets petrol* feedstock (crude) from UK, Norway, USA, Algeria and Nigeria and it’s refined in the UK.
Spain gets it from USA, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Nigeria and it’s refined in Spain. We’re heading to Spain in May in the car and watch events with interest.
So neither rely on product from the Middle East however free market pricing does apply.
*UK no longer has any diesel refining capacity so it comes from elsewhere
Aviation fuel is a bit more tricky as the UK mainly gets it from Kuwait, The UAE and Saudi Arabia which also brings significant uncertainty.
Its only done 4,300 miles since bought new in June 2023. About 130 miles per month @ circa 46 mpg ( 1400cc Soft Hybrid) dry days only since when scooting about. 8.1 gallon tank for lightness. So yes…It’ll last well beyond. I use its leccy assist & prodigous turbo torque given it’s piddling capacity. Pointless in exceeding 3.5k rpm and it does 70mph on cruise at… 2,600 rpm off boost ! My days of mincing right foot to the Wilton are gone. It does at about 60/70% effort what my Mk1 & Mk2.5 did “extended”. Not quite as much fun though.
! My days of mincing right foot to the Wilton are gone. It does at about 60/70% effort what my Mk1 & Mk2.5 did “extended”. Not quite as much fun though.