Running on red

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terrier

New Member
Posts
6
A friend says he runs his defender 90 on red diesel all the time.What kind of fine can he expect if he is caught?.
 
I thought farmers used to get away with it if registered as agricultural vehicle- but any other use your screwed.
 
As has been said he looses the motor then goes to court and dont forget you are cheating the almight revenue and customs so will be hit hard big fine and possible crushing of motor.Dont think its a case of they dip the tank so you could fit a hidden second tank as VOSA can now undo a pipe or the fuel filter and the imortal words "can you explain sir why your filter is coloured red other than using red derv" spring to mind.As Fanatic has said its ok for an agricultural motor ie tractor,combine etc
 
Add to that red diesel is inferior, so much so that even some modern tractors like JD's have trouble running on the stuff, I wouldnt put it in a TD5 or TDCI. That said a TDI would be fine I'm sure.
 
Add to that red diesel is inferior, so much so that even some modern tractors like JD's have trouble running on the stuff, I wouldnt put it in a TD5 or TDCI. That said a TDI would be fine I'm sure.


Rubbish. Red diesel is simply normal road fuel that has had a marker dye and certain marker chemicals added to it..
 
I thought farmers used to get away with it if registered as agricultural vehicle- but any other use your screwed.

For cars, other trucks, vans etc: not "get away with it", its an entitlement IF the vehicle is registered as a limited use vehicle. There's various rules that have to be strictly met, though. Free tax too.

Obviously, tractors and other machines which are ag use by design, are entitled to run red diesel if used in farming etc.
 
It's feasible to change the taxation class of a land rover to "agricultural vehicle". This will enable you to run it on red diesel, be MOT exempt and have free road tax. Conditions apply though and if you're caught abusing it they'll throw the book at you just like they would anybody else they think is evading duty.
 
Limited use vehicles
You can tax your vehicle in the ‘limited use’ tax class if it’s used solely for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture or forestry and:

it’s used on public roads only in passing between different areas of land occupied by the same person
the distance it travels on public roads in passing between any two such areas does not exceed 1.5 kilometres

From Agricultural, horticultural and forestry vehicles exempt from vehicle tax : Directgov - Motoring

You'll need to visit your local DVLA office to change it over.
 
Rubbish. Red diesel is simply normal road fuel that has had a marker dye and certain marker chemicals added to it..

Thats what I always thought until John Deere started having problems with tractors that wouldnt run right, sometimes so I'm told they even de rate to protect themselves. Apparantly they will run just fine on white diesel but that would be bloody expensive farming!! There are additives on the market from a few companies (JD sell their own) but they are also not cheap when you have a big tractor drinking hundreds of litre's a day.

I realise a landy is no John Deere but the principals of the potential problems are the same.

Fuel conditioner improves engine performance
 
Thats what I always thought until John Deere started having problems with tractors that wouldnt run right, sometimes so I'm told they even de rate to protect themselves. Apparantly they will run just fine on white diesel but that would be bloody expensive farming!! There are additives on the market from a few companies (JD sell their own) but they are also not cheap when you have a big tractor drinking hundreds of litre's a day.

I realise a landy is no John Deere but the principals of the potential problems are the same.

Fuel conditioner improves engine performance

Aye but that's out of date and not strictly true. Red diesel has to meet the same sulphur content rules as normal road fuel and as a result it's now refined in exactly the same way as roaad fuel and a marker dye added to it afterwards..

Red Diesel and the Fuel Quality Directive | Regulations & Safety | Information & Advice | RYA
 
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