How popular is an LPG Conversion in the UK?

How popular is an LPG Conversion in the UK?

Author
Discussion

Biker's Nemesis

38,788 posts

209 months

Monday 6th September 2010
quotequote all
Hedders said:
Biker's Nemesis said:
I used to fit LPG conversions to Cars, vans and taxi's during the mid 1980's.

Prices for supplying and installing the kits was around the £250 mark with a 60 litre tank.
With inflation that must be about £600 today. Wanna do my Car?
Sorry, I haven't done any LPG conversions for over 20 years.

stephen300o

15,464 posts

229 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
redtwin said:
stephen300o said:
My dad had two Jeeps on gas, two pumps and a blown engine latter... he now has a diesel.
What sort of pumps?. Fuel, oil, coolant or other?.
The gas pump thing broke a couple of times on the first one but when it worked it was better than the second Jeep, which took an age to switch over to gas for some reason, then a spark plug failed and damaged the block.(various other non gas related problems with the second Jeep too so my Dad fancied a change)

Fordo

1,535 posts

225 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
Dino D said:
I wonder what the future of lpg will be as already some engines (VW 's FSI) cannot be converted at all.
And why do manufacturers not offer LPG prepped cars with a half size petrol tank to free up space for a LPG tank?
I imagine the reason is that would probably push the price of the car up the the price of the diesel equivalent- and most average joes would then opt of the diesel as the fuel is more widely. So its kind of why manufacturers don't do it and why lpg will remain niche.

I remember around 2000/ 2001, i think the government offered some kind of tax break or some sort of inceptive to manufacturers to offer factory fitted conversions- hence why theres a lot of factory fitted volvos / vauxhalls- i think even mg rover did a few, from that era, floating about in the classifieds.

Sadly the wise old government dont offer any incentive any more, so the car makers dont bother. Nothing at all to do with fact the government make more money from people buying petrol or diesel. Nothing at all to do with that. At all.

Hedders

24,460 posts

248 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
Biker's Nemesis said:
Hedders said:
Biker's Nemesis said:
I used to fit LPG conversions to Cars, vans and taxi's during the mid 1980's.

Prices for supplying and installing the kits was around the £250 mark with a 60 litre tank.
With inflation that must be about £600 today. Wanna do my Car?
Sorry, I haven't done any LPG conversions for over 20 years.
smile


Silver940

3,961 posts

228 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
Someone I know at work's got LPG in his modified Golf GTi and he loves it. What puts me off is that you can't go through the Eurotunnel with an LPG tank in your car.
That'll be me biggrin

Dino D

1,953 posts

222 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
stephen300o said:
redtwin said:
stephen300o said:
My dad had two Jeeps on gas, two pumps and a blown engine latter... he now has a diesel.
What sort of pumps?. Fuel, oil, coolant or other?.
The gas pump thing broke a couple of times on the first one but when it worked it was better than the second Jeep, which took an age to switch over to gas for some reason, then a spark plug failed and damaged the block.(various other non gas related problems with the second Jeep too so my Dad fancied a change)
Sounds a bit like a poor quality conversion if gas pumps were failing - the quality of kit is important. Also it is best to convert a car that is in good shape to start with...nit sure a Jeep is a good one, even new...








OK, I retract the unfair, unjustified stereotype that Jeeps are cack. It's just something I read on the internet...

Dino D

1,953 posts

222 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
Fordo said:
Dino D said:
I wonder what the future of lpg will be as already some engines (VW 's FSI) cannot be converted at all.
And why do manufacturers not offer LPG prepped cars with a half size petrol tank to free up space for a LPG tank?
I imagine the reason is that would probably push the price of the car up the the price of the diesel equivalent- and most average joes would then opt of the diesel as the fuel is more widely. So its kind of why manufacturers don't do it and why lpg will remain niche.
In UK maybe but in Greece diesel is banned for private use in the major cities - good thing too as the amount of E class/Skoda taxis belching out black smoke is enough - who said modern diesels were clean....LPG hasn't taken off much as petrol can be scarce at the best of times so lets not even think about LPG!!

What about all the environmentalists in UK that want to be green - surely there a few million of them now that would like to green and buy an LPG converted car out the box....sorry, I forgot they all driving Prius' on their green electricity...

A friend of mine in Holland has a 2,5T Volvo XC90. He tells me conversion cost there is 4k euros and then his annual car tax will go UP from 1k to 2k Euros because of the conversion - anyone know if that sounds right - seems ab it odd?

redtwin

7,518 posts

183 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
quotequote all
I am seriously considering a Jeep as my next car and obviously the LPG equipped ones are appealing, just curious what others who have run them have encountered.

I don't think it is all bad for Jeeps and LPG, pretty sure Quinny on here has a Grand Cherokee with LPG and last I heard he had no issues. Occasional Jeep forum lurking hasn't turned up too many LPG/Jeep woes.

Strange that a sparkplug issue damaged the block though, valve/head damage is usually the outcome of a poorly running or incorrectly setup system.