Now that we have some 8 weeks and lots of kilometers under our belt we are finding lots of service stations in cities that you canât access with a long caravan. The entry and exit are too sharp or the diesel bowser is in the middle of the pumps. We now make sure that we fill up at every stop sans van.
Maybe Wiki Camps can be stretched to rate Service stations?
Also am taking the state govt to task about lack of roadside stops on Sydney motorways. Coming from the north there is a servo on the motorway at Wyong then it takes 2 1/2 hrs to get to Pheasants nest. Apart from a now woeful stop just past Campbelltown.
In contrast Melbourne has great stops with Service Centreâs close to every entry and exit from the city.
Anyway generally a happy camper, but there is a lot to learn.
RustyD said
01:54 PM Dec 12, 2017
In the cities its even hard to find the diesel bowser. On the other hand, small rural towns may have a lot of diesel and one each of 91 / 95. Ive had to use the truck bowsers on many occasions with my Ranger and van. Some even have a standard / high flow switch so that implies that diesel cars/light trucks with long loads can use them.
Cupie said
02:57 PM Dec 12, 2017
I always carefully survey the local servos to identify those that I can get my 21'6" van & 4WD into & more importantly, out of, without doing damage to the rig or the servo.
(edit) My problem is exacerbated by the filler being on the drivers side & sometimes I have difficulty getting the hose to reach across the width of the 4WD. Can't stop too close to the pump or the van tail may swipe the end bowser if I have to exit too sharply. (axles close to centre on my van)
Getting in is usually OK but as you swing to exit, the van sometimes comes close to the bowser or its protective bollard. I have been known to reverse out or to swing wider to put the rig in a better position to miss the bowsers. I think that the trick in those situations is to stop as close as possible to the outside of your lane.
Parking right in the centre of the lane between rows of bowsers helps but makes you unpopular with others as it usually will block two complete lanes.
I have been known to come in by the wrong direction to get a pump on my correct side where it gives me a good exit path.
There's a lot of servos that I don't even bother with.
Even then I have been caught a couple of times.
eg. A servo in Cloncurry where I dragged the rear on the roadway as I exited (I must be a slow learner as I have done it twice) & another at Camooweal where I got stuck on the home made shade over the bowsers. A local zoomed in with their beaut ute & blocked my exit route. I should have just waited. Fortunately SWMBO could lean on it to move the top enough for me to get out with just a minor scrape on a window.
ps .. I use ULP so don't have the hiflow bowser issue
-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 03:04:55 PM
msg said
03:57 PM Dec 12, 2017
Remember the trips through Sydney. Have my own toilet, but had to continue on for the 2/12hrs to reach the stop at Campbelltown because there was nowhere to stop in between. what a pain. Always avoid Sydney now and take the inland routes to QLd.
-- Edited by msg on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 04:00:08 PM
mezza56 said
03:59 PM Dec 12, 2017
Can you use a truck stop app ( their servos aren't tight ) or is there a general fuel app? On our GPS ( garmin) it has fuel stops , but I trust them not . Some pretty dodgy fuel stops on it .
We have a long range tank now so its not as bad, we fill it every time it gets down to say half but I still feel pretty comfortable if not, knowing we can travel for another 350klms still towing the van .
JayDee said
05:40 PM Dec 12, 2017
We find that the Woolies S.Stn are the most difficult for us to manouver.
We also have a 23 ft with a cruiser, so we look for the servo with plenty of access.
I also negotiate a number of time the following.
I need 100 litres of fuel and will fill up if you let me fill my water tanks.
Have not had a knock back to date. Ask politely and ye shall receive.
As an aside... when BP takes over the Woolies Servos I think that the 4 c deal will be scrapped.
Plus if you check Coles prices that seem to be higher than woolies.
Petrol here in Brisbane and suburbs is Unleaded $1.49.9a litre.
I paid $ 1.06 a litre about 4 weeks ago. sameservo.
Here is where a Royal Commission is needed to being these big oil companies into line.
Jay&Dee
-- Edited by JayDee on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 05:45:29 PM
Desert Dweller said
06:56 PM Dec 12, 2017
Agree that the Woolworths Service Stations are the tightest. In Victoria the Liberty Service Stations are the easiest in our opinion.
moamajohn said
07:56 PM Dec 12, 2017
The remedy is very simple .We always make sure our tank is full before we get any where near a large town.We nearly got caught in Cobar when I saw a large servo ,however the dip at the entry point would have clearly had our van bottom out !! I cant be bothered looking at the price of fuel when touring, I always look for something on our side of the road and easy access. I always carry a glove as the diesel pump can be very dodgy and smelly at times .The servo at Bourke even had gloves on the bowser ! Cheers.
Dougwe said
08:54 PM Dec 12, 2017
I always start looking for a servo I can get into when half full/empty. I don't have a hiflo inlet so makes it even harder. That said, I made up an adaptor to go from hi to lo flo and that helps heaps.
As for Sydney I have a servo each side I fill up at no matter what.
So far so good.
wasn_me said
05:38 PM Dec 13, 2017
What cheeses me off, is when I pull into a servo & there's no sign at the end of the bowser row to tell what fuel is in that row, especially with the van on. I'm with Dogwe I start looking when the guage hits the half way mark. I carry a 20 lt jerry for emergency. Only had to use it twice.
Eaglemax said
06:45 PM Dec 13, 2017
Funny, oir hhyundai i30 diesel hatch has a high flo take filler hole but some larger vehicle dont
Rip and Rosie said
07:20 AM Dec 14, 2017
My pet hate....after hard to find diesel pumps that are smelly and dirty.... and squeezy layouts....is the location of the air hoses.
Need to check the van tyres? so need to plan that one.
Cupie said
07:48 AM Dec 14, 2017
Rip and Rosie wrote:
My pet hate....after hard to find diesel pumps that are smelly and dirty.... and squeezy layouts....is the location of the air hoses.
Need to check the van tyres? so need to plan that one.
Yes .. good one.
I carry my own reliable gauge & compressor. It's just not practical to use servos for van tyres (or Tires in my case .. Yank brand rubber LOL).
Ron-D said
07:58 AM Dec 14, 2017
My pet hate with service stations is seeeing people washing there windscreens with those squeegee things supplied in buckets,don't they realise that there contaminated with dirty fuel residue...
brickies said
09:20 AM Dec 14, 2017
New Woolworths service station are a nightmare with caravan in tow , Most time I fill in the country and often they are cheaper than city .
darjak said
12:29 PM Dec 14, 2017
About filling up with truck diesel :- It has a lower Cetane level than premium diesel.
When travelling from one place to another we use Fuel Map and can be very selective
as our fuel range is between 1200>1600ks (towing) depending on conditions.
Only totally fill right up when it's worth it or going remote. It doesn't always pay to
carry the extra weight.
Darrell
Hylife said
03:19 PM Dec 17, 2017
We must live in different worlds (hey, its possible!) because every fuel outlet I've ever been to, always has the diesel bowser on the outside, especially positioned so, because predominantly it is larger vehicles that require diesel.
As for end of row signs displaying what bowser pumps what fuel, there are industry standard bowser nozzle colours, look for the black and orange, that is usually always diesel.
Be careful of BP who deliberately chose to use the Yellow for regular 91RON on their Premium 98RON.
Dickodownunder said
04:01 PM Dec 17, 2017
edited Post below
-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Sunday 17th of December 2017 04:18:34 PM
Dickodownunder said
04:05 PM Dec 17, 2017
Dickodownunder wrote:
I found when travelling in more rural areas I used where possible these outlets. The sites are set up for trucks and quite often they have an office which is attended during the day or a couple I have been to which have remote credit card facilities. The price is generally reasonable as well.
It's even worse when you take both diesel & LPG like I do. Some are really good (Woolworths) where both are in the same row. Granted getting out in some stns can be touch & go.
Yes truck stops are good provided you take care on the higher fuel flow pumps & in Puma, Super-flow pumps.
I always carefully survey the local servos to identify those that I can get my 21'6" van & 4WD into & more importantly, out of, without doing damage to the rig or the servo.
(edit) My problem is exacerbated by the filler being on the drivers side & sometimes I have difficulty getting the hose to reach across the width of the 4WD. Can't stop too close to the pump or the van tail may swipe the end bowser if I have to exit too sharply. (axles close to centre on my van)
Getting in is usually OK but as you swing to exit, the van sometimes comes close to the bowser or its protective bollard. I have been known to reverse out or to swing wider to put the rig in a better position to miss the bowsers. I think that the trick in those situations is to stop as close as possible to the outside of your lane.
Parking right in the centre of the lane between rows of bowsers helps but makes you unpopular with others as it usually will block two complete lanes.
I have been known to come in by the wrong direction to get a pump on my correct side where it gives me a good exit path.
There's a lot of servos that I don't even bother with.
Even then I have been caught a couple of times.
eg. A servo in Cloncurry where I dragged the rear on the roadway as I exited (I must be a slow learner as I have done it twice) & another at Camooweal where I got stuck on the home made shade over the bowsers. A local zoomed in with their beaut ute & blocked my exit route. I should have just waited. Fortunately SWMBO could lean on it to move the top enough for me to get out with just a minor scrape on a window.
ps .. I use ULP so don't have the hiflow bowser issue
-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 03:04:55 PM
Remember the trips through Sydney. Have my own toilet, but had to continue on for the 2/12hrs to reach the stop at Campbelltown because there was nowhere to stop in between. what a pain. Always avoid Sydney now and take the inland routes to QLd.
-- Edited by msg on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 04:00:08 PM
Can you use a truck stop app ( their servos aren't tight ) or is there a general fuel app? On our GPS ( garmin) it has fuel stops , but I trust them not . Some pretty dodgy fuel stops on it .
We have a long range tank now so its not as bad, we fill it every time it gets down to say half but I still feel pretty comfortable if not, knowing we can travel for another 350klms still towing the van .
We find that the Woolies S.Stn are the most difficult for us to manouver.
We also have a 23 ft with a cruiser, so we look for the servo with plenty of access.
I also negotiate a number of time the following.
I need 100 litres of fuel and will fill up if you let me fill my water tanks.
Have not had a knock back to date. Ask politely and ye shall receive.
***************************************************************
As an aside... when BP takes over the Woolies Servos I think that the 4 c deal will be scrapped.
Plus if you check Coles prices that seem to be higher than woolies.
Petrol here in Brisbane and suburbs is Unleaded $1.49.9a litre.
I paid $ 1.06 a litre about 4 weeks ago. sameservo.
Here is where a Royal Commission is needed to being these big oil companies into line.
Jay&Dee
-- Edited by JayDee on Tuesday 12th of December 2017 05:45:29 PM
I always start looking for a servo I can get into when half full/empty. I don't have a hiflo inlet so makes it even harder. That said, I made up an adaptor to go from hi to lo flo and that helps heaps.
As for Sydney I have a servo each side I fill up at no matter what.
So far so good.
Need to check the van tyres? so need to plan that one.
Yes .. good one.
I carry my own reliable gauge & compressor. It's just not practical to use servos for van tyres (or Tires in my case .. Yank brand rubber LOL).
My pet hate with service stations is seeeing people washing there windscreens with those squeegee things supplied in buckets,don't they realise that there contaminated with dirty fuel residue...
When travelling from one place to another we use Fuel Map and can be very selective
as our fuel range is between 1200>1600ks (towing) depending on conditions.
Only totally fill right up when it's worth it or going remote. It doesn't always pay to
carry the extra weight.
Darrell
As for end of row signs displaying what bowser pumps what fuel, there are industry standard bowser nozzle colours, look for the black and orange, that is usually always diesel.
Be careful of BP who deliberately chose to use the Yellow for regular 91RON on their Premium 98RON.
edited Post below
-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Sunday 17th of December 2017 04:18:34 PM
Yes truck stops are good provided you take care on the higher fuel flow pumps & in Puma, Super-flow pumps.
Happy travelling,
Warren