Oh heck! I have to admit, I've never gone far enough without pitching to have to fill up the car whilst towing the van. But I will be in July! It's all a learning process and I'm probably worrying unnecesarily and all will be fine, but...
Is there a right and wrong way of pulling up and filling up? What do I need to check re. entrance and exit? For example, I couldn't achieve this at my local Tescos for eg. as there is a very sharp bend (a loop back on yourself,ok for cars) to exit the filling station. I've seen a motorhomer having to do a five point turn to get around that corner!
I'm worried I might break something in the process (either the caravan or the filling station!!!) and have visions of unhitching the caravan and going off to fill up then coming back and hitching the caravan up again! Which is always an option, but I'd rather get it right.
A stupid question for those who have done it, but I haven't so I thought I'd better admit my ignorance and ask the question!
Fill the car up before you hitch up is preferable,and when your towing waituntil your half full then look out for a filling station which has easy access/exit.
If your travaling a long way you will more than likely be useing the motorway so you should have no problem getting on to the forcourts there is always of room for a car towing a caravan.Ian
------------- Sandy Gulls caravan site
Mundesley
North Norfolk
1st July to 22 July
Thanks for that advice, Falfa and Ian. I always fill up before I go, but have never gone far enough to have to fill up on the way before. I know the motorway filling stations are a bit bigger, but the price of petrol there is astonishing! LOL. Best to try the first time on a big one though!
Going up the M6 to Carlisle, then heading towards Stranraer. I've done 160 miles without running out, but this is 250, so I won't make it. Any big filling stations on the A75?
There are no height restrictions so you can rule that one out so the only other main concern is the width, so as long as you don't get too near the fuel pumps I can't really see there being a problem. It sounds more like of a bit of lack of confidence here but what it boils down to really is basic common sense. Trying to enter a forecourt in a tiny village may prove somewhat difficult but like the others have said, most garage forecourts have good entry and exit points so the best policy is use the appropriate fuel station (preferably on the left hand side) on the major A roads if you want to avoid the motorway refuelling stations which I totally agree with due to the excessive prices.
You won't have a problem if you stick to filling stations on main roads, I only had a problem once (with a much longer caravan/car combo than yours) when I had to wait for a van in front to go first before I could get round.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
I was new to this also until i made the 350 mile trip to Cornwall last summer. Pulled straight in and out without a problem
Alternative is to unhitch your caravan at the side of the road outside the station, fill up and then hook back up - bit of messing about, but not as messy as running out of fuel
If your only a few miles short of your cars towing range, why not take a couple of filled petrol/diesel cans with you and fill it up yourself in a Lay-by. We used to do this when we towed up from Derbyshire to the Lake district in our 4x4, we would be running with the gauge on red by the time we exited the motorway, so we always pulled over and tipped in the can fulls to get us upto Park Coppice, then reversed the process to go home.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
thanks for all your help! I will look out for the filling station after Gretna as that is where I'm going to be getting empty I think.
I don't like the thought of carrying petrol in the boot of the car, although I used to when I was going regularly 450 miles to the highlands!
I watched someone with a chelsea tractor towing a huge caravan pull in to to fill up at a little station off the A55 near Penmaenmawr last year. I was actually just pulled in with my didy caravan over to one side for a loo break. I watch amazed, and thought, if he can do it, so can I! I didn't need petrol though, and it was an awfully tight manoever!
Provided you choose the pump wisely, you shouldn't have any trouble getting out of most filing stations. They have to get tankers in there, so a caravan is not going to be a problem. You should try filling an LPG tank as they tend to put the LPG pumps in the corner.
Motorway filling stations are the easiest, but tend to be expensive. If you have to fill up in one then I would get the minimum you need to get to your destination then when you are on site you can fill up somewhere cheaper.
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Topic: Best way to fill up with petrol?
I always fill up before I go, but have never gone far enough to have to fill up on the way before. I know the motorway filling stations are a bit bigger, but the price of petrol there is astonishing! LOL. Best to try the first time on a big one though!
