Im not sure if this has been covered, BUT
Why oh Why is Our Diesel more than Petrol, when every country in the link below its Petrol is more expensive
in the list for October 2011, we are also 2nd Highest on cost for Diesel, at 3 euro cents less than Norway, who btw is 20 euro cents dearer on Unleaded then the UK.
Ive always wondered as to why, as isn’t Diesel more economical than Petrol?
PinkLadyTrucker:
Im not sure if this has been covered, BUTWhy oh Why is Our Diesel more than Petrol, when every country in the link below its Petrol is more expensive
http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/fuel_prices_europe.html
in the list for October 2011, we are also 2nd Highest on cost for Diesel, at 3 euros less than Norway, who btw is 20 euros dearer on Unleaded then the UK.
Ive always wondered as to why, as isn’t Diesel more economical than Petrol?
In the long run yes. It used to be that you could get a diesel car and save money with it over time because Derv was so cheap but not it’s pretty much reversed. They still are economical though, just much dearer.
North America is the same, it’s down to supply and demand, more diesel is used than petrol, therefore more people need to buy diesel, so they can charge more for it and nobody can do SFA about it except park their vehicles and not buy diesel, that won’t get you far (no pun intended) 
PinkLadyTrucker:
Im not sure if this has been covered, BUTWhy oh Why is Our Diesel more than Petrol, when every country in the link below its Petrol is more expensive
http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/fuel_prices_europe.html
in the list for October 2011, we are also 2nd Highest on cost for Diesel, at 3 euros less than Norway, who btw is 20 euros dearer on Unleaded then the UK.
?
Cents, not Euros. €20 is about £17.50. 
Only since the fuel protests of 2000 has diesel been dearer than petrol. 
Revenge perhaps? 
Long before the Shogun & Discovery drivers jumped on the gas bandwagon, Holland and Belgium were running gas powered Volvo 440 cars because the price of petrol was so high.
I discovered this when I took mine to Belgium for a couple of weeks while working there. I had to get a mortgage to fuel it up.
Diesels are still more economical than petrol and as long as you get a big enough engine they are as quick. Forget the 3 cylinder diahatsu diesels though, 90mpg but takes a week to do it 
We emigrated to Oz in 1974 and diesel was dearer then, and it’s still the same now, even though loads of trucks had petrol engines… ■■■■■■■ ridiculous.
The Government (Some years ago, Maggie? Major? Blair?) upped the duty on diesel when the press got into a tiswas about particulates from diesel exhausts
G8YMW:
The Government (Some years ago, Maggie? Major? Blair?) upped the duty on diesel when the press got into a tiswas about particulates from diesel exhausts
Yep, I think that’s where at least part of it stems from, and also the fact that you get more bang for your buck with diesel and our governments don’t like people getting a good deal, couldn’t care less about the effects on the haulage industry either 
Diesel in the UK has always been more heavily taxed than in Europe.
Spain’s the place to be if you’ve got a thirsty petrol car, I paid 1.27 euros/litre when I was last there. Can’t stay for very long though given their job availability situation!
Anyone watch panorama bbc 1 last night.It related to fuel theft.spokesman for the producers stated fuel in the uk was one of the cheapest in the eu at source and confirmed it was the tax that hiked up the price,he also stated it would be going up again in january possibly by as much as 4p a litre,is there no end?
regards dave.
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing ■■■■■■■■
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]
Well said mate, couldn’t have put it better.
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]
In France and now Spain you can get an essential users tax rebate on your diesel, which further reduces the costs. I think it’s also availible to other nations hauliers who fill up in these Countries, probably a few hoops to go through first though.
muckles:
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]In France and now Spain you can get an essential users tax rebate on your diesel, which further reduces the costs. I think it’s also availible to other nations hauliers who fill up in these Countries, probably a few hoops to go through first though.
It is, the people who used to reclaim my foreign VAT would also claim that back from France for me.
Coffeeholic:
muckles:
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]In France and now Spain you can get an essential users tax rebate on your diesel, which further reduces the costs. I think it’s also availible to other nations hauliers who fill up in these Countries, probably a few hoops to go through first though.
It is, the people who used to reclaim my foreign VAT would also claim that back from France for me.
Who did you get to do you foreign VAT recovery and how much did they charge?
muckles:
Coffeeholic:
muckles:
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]In France and now Spain you can get an essential users tax rebate on your diesel, which further reduces the costs. I think it’s also availible to other nations hauliers who fill up in these Countries, probably a few hoops to go through first though.
It is, the people who used to reclaim my foreign VAT would also claim that back from France for me.
Who did you get to do you foreign VAT recovery and how much did they charge?
It was a firm in Padborg Denmark, can’t remember their name now. It was who Euroshell used, they sent my original invoices direct but I could also get them to recover other VAT from non Euroshell invoices such as from DKV or UTA cards. They took a percentage of the recovered VAT which varied from country to country. Quick paying countries like Germany it was a lesser figure than for really slow paying countries like Italy.
Edit. Just remembered the name of the firm. FDE
Coffeeholic:
muckles:
Coffeeholic:
muckles:
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]In France and now Spain you can get an essential users tax rebate on your diesel, which further reduces the costs. I think it’s also availible to other nations hauliers who fill up in these Countries, probably a few hoops to go through first though.
It is, the people who used to reclaim my foreign VAT would also claim that back from France for me.
Who did you get to do you foreign VAT recovery and how much did they charge?
It was a firm in Padborg Denmark, can’t remember their name now. It was who Euroshell used, they sent my original invoices direct but I could also get them to recover other VAT from non Euroshell invoices such as from DKV or UTA cards. They took a percentage of the recovered VAT which varied from country to country. Quick paying countries like Germany it was a lesser figure than for really slow paying countries like Italy.
Edit. Just remembered the name of the firm. FDE
Thanks. 
DKV have a similar thing, but my boss rejected it because he thought it cost to much. But I thought 80-90% of something was better than 100% of nothing. The other problem is that than can only recover transport related costs and we have a lot of hotels and other expenses to recover.
He told me he’s asked the lad he’s got in the office to do it, but I doubt he really understands his experience is as a parts man not an accountant. I want to get it sorted as it give me more ammunition when I ask for a pay rise.
check Gordon Brown’s first budget. I had just bought my first diesel car, and he stuck the tax up, making diesel dearer than petrol. That was the same time he raided my pension ( well, not just mine!!)
muckles:
Coffeeholic:
muckles:
Coffeeholic:
muckles:
OVLOV JAY:
The difference is the government. The rest of the eu see their hauliers as vital, cars for their people essential to get to work etc. So they don’t charge the earth. Our lot see us as a cash cow. They need it so we’ll make a quid or two off the back of it. Why do we pay vat on our energy bills when they are essential, not luxury? Because the gov are robbing [zb]In France and now Spain you can get an essential users tax rebate on your diesel, which further reduces the costs. I think it’s also availible to other nations hauliers who fill up in these Countries, probably a few hoops to go through first though.
It is, the people who used to reclaim my foreign VAT would also claim that back from France for me.
Who did you get to do you foreign VAT recovery and how much did they charge?
It was a firm in Padborg Denmark, can’t remember their name now. It was who Euroshell used, they sent my original invoices direct but I could also get them to recover other VAT from non Euroshell invoices such as from DKV or UTA cards. They took a percentage of the recovered VAT which varied from country to country. Quick paying countries like Germany it was a lesser figure than for really slow paying countries like Italy.
Edit. Just remembered the name of the firm. FDE
Thanks.
He told me he’s asked the lad he’s got in the office to do it, but I doubt he really understands his experience is as a parts man not an accountant. I want to get it sorted as it give me more ammunition when I ask for a pay rise.
The lad in the office will have to be able to read and understand forms and legal requirements in several languages as well as the rules and time limits for each country, they are all different. I can usually find my way around a set of regulations and I did 90% of my own accounting but I wouldn’t even think about tackling foreign VAT reclamation myself.
Most countries were around the 10% mark, Italy was nearer 20% and as you say 80 - 90% was better than nothing when all I had to do was sign and return a few forms they would send me occasionally.
I can recommend FDE, I always had very good service from them. You have one person who deals with your account, they speak fluent English and you end up on first name terms with them.
Wheel Nut:
Long before the Shogun & Discovery drivers jumped on the gas bandwagon, Holland and Belgium were running gas powered Volvo 440 cars because the price of petrol was so high.I discovered this when I took mine to Belgium for a couple of weeks while working there. I had to get a mortgage to fuel it up.
Diesels are still more economical than petrol and as long as you get a big enough engine they are as quick. Forget the 3 cylinder diahatsu diesels though, 90mpg but takes a week to do it
I used to have 1 of those Daihatsu 3 cylinders! I bought it tax free in germany when i was in the army (as did many other young privates!). It did me proud on many trips back to UK and was cheap as chips to run! I do have a look sometimes on ebay etc to see if there are any still about as would be ideal for a work commuter for me.