I'm after a bit of advice if possible.

 

We're off to France in a short while and I'm worrying about fuel.  The Vectra needs V Power or an equivalent with a similar rating (98 will do also), otherwise it throws a hissy fit if it is run on 95 Ron apparently.  I'm not willing to find out if this is the case and try cheapo supermarket or unknown brand fuel when the car is loaded with the five of us and a boot full of stuff.  I'm willing to pay for quality fuel but it appears that there are only two Shell stations on our route from Calais to Bayeux and I'm not 100% sure they even stock V Power.

 

Have any of you been to France recently and if so which companies sell the higher rated fuels for cars that need them? 

 

Cheers,

 

Andrew.

 

p.s. I will fill up in Folkestone but that tank will be used up getting to our destination & pottering about in the time we are there, so I'll need to fill up whilst in France too to get back to Calais.

98 RON is widely available on the autoroutes and hypermarkets so getting the fuel should be no problem, but its way more expensive than 95RON and more expensive than here.

It will run fine on 95

Ecu will just retard itself so not as much power

Doubt you'd even notice tbh

Could be worth sticking a few litres in over here to see how it runs?

Thanks for the replies.

 

I've been reliably informed by a chap that services the VXR Vectras for a living that the earlier cars could run on both but the later versions - like mine - really don't like 95ron.  It's not worth it to me to run a bit of 95 to see what happens as it's quite happy at the moment.  I don't want it to go all Vauxhall on me.

 

Since the original post I've spoken to someone who lives over there and it seems that as well as 98 there's also 100ron stuff available too.  I'll stop panicking now & focus on memorising the equivalent kph & mph speed limits on the autoroutes.

If you are that worried you coukd also carry an additive to boost the 95 ron should you be caught out?

Most fuel retailers seem to have Big Ron.

My Fabia 100 BHP saloon has a 10 to one compression ratio and is recommended to run on 98 Ron (Although it will run on 95). I run it on Shell V-Power over here and when in France it runs fine on Total Super.

In fact, I find that it doesn't run as well in France on UK purchased Shell V-_power - difference in temperature and dissolved water in the air ? So I don't fill the tank in the UK before getting on the ferry. It's cheaper and safer doing that. Super in France is about £1.23 litre and if you have a rough crossing you don't want the contents of a full tank slopping everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

Nick

Edited 30 July, 201411 yr by Clunkclick

Surely full tanks do not slop,

but half full tanks do!

When the ship pitches, negative "G" induced in the car on the way down is more likely force the contents of afull tank up the overflow. On a really rough crossing, when cars in the bow and stern are chained down, you'd be surprised how much comes out on a long crossing.And the heavier the car the harder it lands on the car deck. Also helps to run lighter if you get loaded to one of those inclined ramps

Long-term weather forecast for August predicts more unsettled weather - jet stream has moved south - expect more storms

 . . . . . . . . . . . . Have any of you been to France recently and if so which companies sell the higher rated fuels for cars that need them?  . . . . . . . . .

 

.

 

We were in France for the last two weeks of June.  My vRS ran quite happily on  supermarket 98 RON over there and it is readily available.  The price was around 1.58 euro per litre, which at the current exchange rate is about the same as over here, if not a little cheaper.

 

Branded fuel is available in garages in towns and cities and at services on the Autoroutes and National routes who charge up to 20 cents per litre more that the supermarkets.

When the ship pitches, negative "G" induced in the car on the way down is more likely force the contents of afull tank up the overflow. On a really rough crossing, when cars in the bow and stern are chained down, you'd be surprised how much comes out on a long crossing.And the heavier the car the harder it lands on the car deck. Also helps to run lighter if you get loaded to one of those inclined ramps

Long-term weather forecast for August predicts more unsettled weather - jet stream has moved south - expect more storms

 

Out of hundreds of channel crossings alone inc in some horrific weather where ferry has had to turn around a couple of times and being trapped off the coast unable to dock for hours when they shouldn't have sailed at all, I have never seen a car chained down once, end cars chalked just! Motorbikes and lorries get strapped/chained down as routine as they can both fall over. Where have you seen cars being chained down and how did they go about doing it? 

Out of hundreds of channel crossings alone inc in some horrific weather where ferry has had to turn around a couple of times and being trapped off the coast unable to dock for hours when they shouldn't have sailed at all, I have never seen a car chained down once, end cars chalked just! Motorbikes and lorries get strapped/chained down as routine as they can both fall over. Where have you seen cars being chained down and how did they go about doing it? 

Never seen a car chained down, but back in the old days when we used the Hovercraft, the crew tied every car down with webbing straps over the tops of the tyres.

 

It worked but I've seen cars damaged in rough weather, 'cos they were being chucked around on their suspension!

 

DC   

Never seen a car chained down, but back in the old days when we used the Hovercraft, the crew tied every car down with webbing straps over the tops of the tyres.

 

It worked but I've seen cars damaged in rough weather, 'cos they were being chucked around on their suspension!

 

DC   

Hover seems like a life time ago now. What a sight those bloody big things were though just hovering off their slips! Good reason to restrain in those big yokes indeed, decks were lined with the lock in rail things for them. Must look on youtube for some reminiscing  

My Fabia 100 BHP saloon

Nick

so you're the muppet who bought a Fabia with a boot then

Never seen a car chained down, but back in the old days when we used the Hovercraft, the crew tied every car down with webbing straps over the tops of the tyres.

 

It worked but I've seen cars damaged in rough weather, 'cos they were being chucked around on their suspension!

 

DC   

had a very rough winter crossing once on a DFDS ferry from Harwich to Cux, alarms were going off all night from below deck, had to come close to Holland so a helicopter could take off a patient, then a prop went. Longest crossing ever and the crew were rushing about triyng to find strops

Hover seems like a life time ago now. What a sight those bloody big things were though just hovering off their slips! Good reason to restrain in those big yokes indeed, decks were lined with the lock in rail things for them. Must look on youtube for some reminiscing

if you like the skirted stuff, you'll love the Ekranoplan. Google it. Caspian Sea Monster

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_effect_vehicle

 

Ah, the Ekranoplan - I haven't seen that for ages.  What an immense piece of kit that is.

 

Don't worry about the crossing lads, we're using the tunnel so in theory it should be nice & smooth.  I feel seasick on Pontefract boating lake, never mind the open sea so I thought it best to avoid the whole experience of seeing my breakfast twice. 

 

The only concern I have with this method of crossing to France is the Mrs & her irrational fear of enclosed spaces.  I may need some chloroform for that one.  Good news that the French have decent fuel too then as I'll probably need a fair bit now doubt.....

Never seen a car chained down, but back in the old days when we used the Hovercraft, the crew tied every car down with webbing straps over the tops of the tyres.

 

It worked but I've seen cars damaged in rough weather, 'cos they were being chucked around on their suspension!

 

DC   

Bet these wished they had! 

 

Maybe asking if you can go in one of the full height "for coaches" carriages will help. The car class ones aren't big once the compartment door are closed.

My favourite mode of crossing was the late lamented Speedferries catamaran to Boulogne.

Cheap and fast - £19 per leg and 55 mins crossing time. (I have a very low boredom threshold)

With no foot passengers or coaches full of rampaging schoolkids. Mostly quiet, and the buns and coffee were reasonable. You could find a paper from the "we are too important to wait" lounge.

Landfall convenient for town centre, within walking distance of the restaurants, or onward travel via the A16 or RN42. And Boulogne is actually a nice place for a day or two. At least 5 starred restaurants within a few miles. Lots of things for kids around and about. Lots of things for adults too, nice hinterland to mooch round or towns to visit. Military history in spades.

Big loss.

Wasn't always smooth, but it was not the slow heaving you get on the boats.

Apparently the French Police are very hot on the speed limit and I read an article where they stated that they checked the manifests to spot the fast cars...

Since the original post I've spoken to someone who lives over there and it seems that as well as 98 there's also 100ron stuff available too.  I'll stop panicking now & focus on memorising the equivalent kph & mph speed limits on the autoroutes.

 

When we went over to Prage we ran Sharkrider's vRS on 100RON and certainly went very well

so you're the muppet who bought a Fabia with a boot then

Not being a fully paid member of the Campaign to Cover Rural England in Diesel Particulate Matter, the petrol engine's flexibility (I find having a 1,000 RPM rev range between changes, as on diesels,  a bit limiting and I wasn't interested in weight training just for my left leg) and economy was more to my liking - At the time, I thought paying at an extra £4,000 for 30 BHP difference was a bit over-the-top.

 

Nick

Edited 31 July, 201411 yr by Clunkclick

Bet these wished they had! 

 

That's just a bit of mild roil.  I'm talking 8 hours, Southampton to Cherbourg of  constant pitch and roll, with the bow going up and down 40 feet each way and chained down motor caravans slamming into the deck on each down stroke. Where the water pressure on the bow was so great that it forced its way through the two sets of deck doors and partially flooded the forward lower car deck.

 

They probably avoid bad weather nowadays, because of the  prospect of receiving a deluge of anguished notes from the boy racer's mummies.

 

Nick

Edited 31 July, 201411 yr by Clunkclick