Suitable base pickups for demountable Romahome

I've just had a chat with my garage about the imminent E10 fuel introduction. They have suggested I look for a post 2011 (E10 compliant) replacement vehicle. So, might members know what flat bed pickups would do the job, that have been imported since 2011. My own Piaggio Porter/Hijet has only just been imported again but with left hand drive! (Note the demountable Romahome has a rear overhang). Thanks.

Why? You only need to use Super Unleaded which is staying as E5. Certainly don't need the faff of getting a newer vehicle. I imagine the Piaggio is the best bet though unless you come across a diesel Daihatsu.

Roddy wrote:Certainly don't need the faff of getting a newer vehicle.

Agreed. Pay a bit extra for E5 fuel rather than a new vehicle.  But the problem is that E5 will be retained at larger high-turnover petrol stations, meaning when campervan touring in far flung remote places I'll be worrying where to find E5 fuel.  

The RAC website says -  "...owners of these vehicles will face higher fuel costs – and will also have to hunt out those forecourts that still sell E5. Some retailers will also not have the capacity to be able to provide both E5 and E10 fuels on forecourts, so the impact is likely to be most keenly felt by those with incompatible vehicles in rural areas."

I'm very frustrated with the government for late notice and not being clearer on all this. Most people I know aren't aware of the change.

I too have a Romahome on the back. Plus the luxury of LPG, if I can find garages that sell it. I believe that some sort of additive is available. I suppose it will not be long before we have definitive answers about what parts need changing to suit the E10. What boils my pee, is not that we are being told to save the planet, but that countries like China, India, The USA, and Russia, just carry on regardless. Our efforts are futile while the big players don't care. Whoever thinks that electric cars is actually green energy must be on the point of being certifiable. Apart from all the rare materials being exploited , nobody is considering the energy and emission costs to produce the batteries, or to produce and distribute the electricity to charge them. Again, we are trying to do our bit, but being influenced into importing or building monstrous sizes of vehicle that our roads are incapable of carrying, and I am sure they are not fuel efficient.

Roddy wrote:I believe that some sort of additive is available

Sorry to sound like a doomster - but I spoke to someone who deals with fuels and they said that an additive can't fix the imbalance. Instead of an additive, an impossible "reductive" is needed!  I hope he is wrong and science comes up with a fix. Let me know if you hear of anything.

I'm so incensed with the poor notification of this change (having just before covid paid for a transporter to do a 400 mile round trip to collect a donor vehicle with replacement engine and gearbox), that I have written to my MP to complain! If I'd have known I would have instead invested in a E10 compliant!

Anyone know where to import Daihatsu Hijet/Piaggio Porter 1.3 right hand drive? A UK Hijet importer from Japan only does 660c and told me that this is the max cc produced in Japan. A current Piaggio Porter 1.3 importer only does left hand drive.

Does this mean that there are no recent right hand drive Hijet/Porters in the world?

Piaggio are Italian, they made most of the european Hijets under licence. They were as common as Transits when I was there last.

PFM wrote:Piaggio are Italian, they made most of the european Hijets under licence. They were as common as Transits when I was there last.

Have Italian Piaggio made any right hand drive Porters in the last few years?  I can only find left hand drive! Appreciate advice.

A (very) quick google comes up with this: https://piaggiocommercialuk.com/
I've never dealt with them as have never bought a brand-new van.

I found Piaggio Commercial UK earlier - but their imports are left hand drive!

You could always wait for an Xbus!

that looks really interesting,  if it is as good as it sounds I would definitely consider one.
I am with you Roddy - we are sleepwalking into oblivion, people don't understand what a monumental task it will be to wean ourselves off fossil fuels (energy captured from the sun over millions of years.)   For perspective;

Although happy doing basic DIY, I've decided that I personally wouldn't want to do vehicle alterations. When I previously changed my base pickup from a Bedford Rascal to Daihatsu Hijet it was simply a case of sliding my pod from one pickup bed to another; then four securing bolts over identical drop side hinges. From my research it seems that there are now no exact matched recent 1.3L right hand drive base vehicles available (including imports).

Whilst putting a board down on a bed to elevate over cab is within my capability, making new vital fixings that don't align with the traditional hinges is not. It seems the DSFK, Fiat Doblo Dropside etc would require fixing/cutting alteration. So, can someone able to do these alterations be recommended please?

I wouldn't worry too much about E10  Have run on it in France for many years in My 1953 MGTD when E5 is  not available in supermarket service stations.
There has been some research at Manchester University on the effects of E10  (Dr Paul Ireland  I Think )  its a bit like the Millennium Bug Scare and Unleaded petrol  not as scary as the press make out.     will affect some rubber and other products  but so will E5

Thanks Ed for reassurances. I've also read your Dr. Paul Ireland recommendation.

My retirement plan was to spend the whole of next summer motoring around the continent doing big miles. So, is E5 type fuel still commonly available in Europe? Would such extensive motoring be too risky if only E10 readily available?

What I find hard to believe is that if Europe has had E10 for a while, why can't £billion revenue Piaggio/Daihatsu tell us of E10 compatibility!  I've tried but they don't reply!

Hi Chatterbox, Due to covid its a couple of years since last trip to the Med. I would hazard a guess that over 50% of big supermarket fuel stations ( the only place to buy petrol at a decent price ) will have E5 on at least one pump. though E10 is becoming more the norm. I have run a Piaggio porter Euro 4 compliant on E5 since 2013 and I see no reason why it should not run on E10 without any problems. as, if there were going to be any problems with fuel lines etc it would have shown up by now. Bear in mind that there must be thousands of these little vans running around Italy and they are not all going to suddenly put their wheels in the air and die because their favourite drink is no longer available.
If you are still worried try contacting an Italian Porter dealer in Italy if you are nice and write in Italian you might get an answer, but keep it brief as Italians are always in a rush.

Ed wrote:If you are still worried try contacting an Italian Porter dealer in Italy if you are nice and write in Italian

Have already tried this - wrote a couple of concise lines in Italian to Piaggio HQ with no response!  As you remark, thousands of older Porters are running in Italy yet no one can advise us!!  Anyone got links with Italy?