# Running a diesel car on vegetable oil



## mazlester (Oct 30, 2010)

I am about to move to Spain and am bringing a Land Rover Discovery over with me.
A friend used to run it on vegetable oil and I was wondering if anyone knew if it was legal in Spain to do so.

Is anyone else doing it and how do you find it? Do you have to mix your vegetable oil with white spirits or is it okay on its own?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

was it illegal to do so in the Uk? I guess it was and so would guess it would be illegal here too.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

In UK you can make up to 2500 litres of biodiesel a year for your own use without paying duty or VAT.
I don't know what the law is in Spain.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Joppa said:


> In UK you can make up to 2500 litres of biodiesel a year for your own use without paying duty or VAT.
> I don't know what the law is in Spain.




Ohh interesting

How would they know when you had used up your allowance?

.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> Ohh interesting
> 
> How would they know when you had used up your allowance?
> 
> .


It works on the honesty system. You tell them how much more you've used & pay the duty on it.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

mazlester said:


> I am about to move to Spain and am bringing a Land Rover Discovery over with me.
> A friend used to run it on vegetable oil and I was wondering if anyone knew if it was legal in Spain to do so.
> 
> Is anyone else doing it and how do you find it? Do you have to mix your vegetable oil with white spirits or is it okay on its own?


If you google it you'll be able to find out all the info. If you've got a common-rail diesel engined vehicle it's not even worth thinking about. most manufacturers won't honour gtee's on new vehicles if you use bio-diesel.


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## mazlester (Oct 30, 2010)

Perhaps I should phrased my question better. 
Yes it is legal in the UK. 
I have already been on various websites on how to do it. 
I was really after helpful comments / advice from people who have / or do it already in Spain.


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

Even though I am not 100% sure about the local laws, then I can assure you that Spanish police are about 20 years behind the rest of Europe. They have simply no equipment to check what kinda fuel you have in your tank. The local police drive cars which are 15 years old with squeaky brakes. 

Fuel tax avoidance is something that is not their prioritiy, since petrol stations don't sell agricultural fuel. Cooking oil costs more than diesel in the UK. I really wouldn't worry about it. Especially, since Spanish diesel is so sulphur rich that it does not meet any EU standards.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> Even though I am not 100% sure about the local laws, then I can assure you that Spanish police are about 20 years behind the rest of Europe. They have simply no equipment to check what kinda fuel you have in your tank. The local police drive cars which are 15 years old with squeaky brakes.
> 
> Fuel tax avoidance is something that is not their prioritiy, since petrol stations don't sell agricultural fuel. Cooking oil costs more than diesel in the UK. I really wouldn't worry about it. Especially, since Spanish diesel is so sulphur rich that it does not meet any EU standards.


All petrol stations sell agricultural diesel. It's gasoleo 'B' ( red diesel in the uk ) & is the only place you can buy it.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> Even though I am not 100% sure about the local laws, then I can assure you that Spanish police are about 20 years behind the rest of Europe.


I respectfully suggest_ you _may be about 20 years behind in terms of what is going on in Spain today.


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> All petrol stations sell agricultural diesel. It's gasoleo 'B' ( red diesel in the uk ) & is the only place you can buy it.


Well, Canaries must not be a part of Spain in this case. I live in the agricultural part of Gran Canaria and I am yet to see diesel fuel that is substantially cheaper from the normal one. Yes, there is car diesel and truck diesel, with the price difference of about 5 cents/litre but I am yet to see a gas station selling gasoleo "B", unless one has to specifically ask for it.


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