Discussion
McSatan said:
Porsche Cayenne S on LPG. Average about 15mpg (often less,) but with fuel at <70p per litre and 350bhp, that's entirely acceptable
A mate of mine has just bought a turbo S and is looking at getting that converted now. All it took was watching me fill mine up and seeing the litres go up faster than the pounds!I have often filled up alongside V8 variants of all members of the LandRover/Range Rover stable.
These (big V8s from RR, BMW, Audi, etc) cars are often available at near giveaway prices because of the associated fuel bill. However the LPG conversion costs are pretty much fixed. Ball park £1250 for a 4cyl, add £125 per cyl above that. And then watch the savings roll in.
The public have been sold on the "merits" of low CO2 diesels. But diesels are only 'clean' when you use cats, DPFs and now SCR (AdBlu). All of this tech adds weight and cost. And they're only driveable thanks to the abomination that is the dual mass flywheel.
These (big V8s from RR, BMW, Audi, etc) cars are often available at near giveaway prices because of the associated fuel bill. However the LPG conversion costs are pretty much fixed. Ball park £1250 for a 4cyl, add £125 per cyl above that. And then watch the savings roll in.
The public have been sold on the "merits" of low CO2 diesels. But diesels are only 'clean' when you use cats, DPFs and now SCR (AdBlu). All of this tech adds weight and cost. And they're only driveable thanks to the abomination that is the dual mass flywheel.
rocknrollrich said:
HustleRussell said:
Considered LPG'ing my old 525i which I have decided is a keeper, but I think I've decided against it for the following reasons;
-don't want to make a load of holes in the bodywork / underside for installation, making more places where rust can get in
-probably ought to retain my spare tyre
-problems with insurance, ferries, chunnel etc
-reduced power and MPG on gas
-the car would still use petrol, another factor forgotten by many.
-increased weight, complexity, servicing
-the car has a very low value so could be written off by a tiny bump
-the 525i is actually reasonably efficient on normal 95 RON.
Use one of them can's of wheel spray that replace the spare. It can inflate the tyre and use it at reduced speed to get you to a garage to get the tyre sorted. -don't want to make a load of holes in the bodywork / underside for installation, making more places where rust can get in
-probably ought to retain my spare tyre
-problems with insurance, ferries, chunnel etc
-reduced power and MPG on gas
-the car would still use petrol, another factor forgotten by many.
-increased weight, complexity, servicing
-the car has a very low value so could be written off by a tiny bump
-the 525i is actually reasonably efficient on normal 95 RON.
Insurance isn't an issue. If the car's been done properly and registered correctly, insurance is no difference. Ferries are fine with LPG, granted the chunnel isn't. And oddly, in the states, they won't allow lpg cars to park in underground car parks...
To reiterate what others have said, power loss is not a big issue on bigger cars, and besides, you can always flick it back to petrol whenever you feel like. But you don't notice the power loss, especially when cruising on the motorway.
Servicing of the LPG system is cheap, once a year, circa £60. Normal servicing of the car remains unaffected as they don't touch the LPG system.
I ran an Audi S8 with the 4.2 v8 for ages with LPG. It was only a single point system and you noticed it when you put the boot down, it instantly flicked back to petrol as the LPG setup couldn't handle the power. But for general cruising on the motorways it was brilliant, returning about 20mpg. Took it to the south of france for the family hols last year, 2600 miles and she was perfect there and back.
Insurance I am sure is fine with many companies but I know there are several who simply won't quote on LPG equipped cars.
Ferries are fine- mostly. Some companies don't allow it, or at least didn't when I last looked into it. I think SeaFrance was one of them.
I think bullet points 1, 6 and 7 are my main problems with it.
And also- dare I say it- There is always that looming threat on the horizon of the tax going up on LPG.
There's always been the threat of increase in tax but the government try and promote it on ecological grounds.
I've paid much less in the past (31.9) but it's still worth it at 62/l
First converted in '98, done well over half a million miles on it now in about 11 cars and vans.
@ 10p/mile saving that's fifty grand.
Favourite was a Jag x300 3.2 also had a TR7 3500v8 (never happy) Mostly VW Transporters.
Currently running a '97 1.4 Polo at 8p/mile
Eta
I use rubber string for punctures, don't even take the wheel off
I've paid much less in the past (31.9) but it's still worth it at 62/l
First converted in '98, done well over half a million miles on it now in about 11 cars and vans.
@ 10p/mile saving that's fifty grand.
Favourite was a Jag x300 3.2 also had a TR7 3500v8 (never happy) Mostly VW Transporters.
Currently running a '97 1.4 Polo at 8p/mile
Eta
I use rubber string for punctures, don't even take the wheel off
Edited by Alan461 on Thursday 24th July 21:07
Just calculated my savings now I've been running the A6 on lpg for a couple of months. On petrol, I was averaging 20.43mpg. On gas, I'm (so far) 17.67mpg. Best so far on gas on a motorway run has been 22.1mpg. Using average economy and assuming petrol to be 129.9ppl and gas to be 69.9ppl, I'm saving just under 38%. That'll do :-). Would probably be greater savings but I've moved house this year and do a lot more short runs than I used to.
Being a sad geek after being shocked at yet another price drop at the pump over the last month now 64.9ppl vs 69.9ppl last month, I was just looking at some spreadsheets from years back I had when deciding what vehicle to go for.
Back in 2008 LPG was 54ppl locally, petrol 88ppl and diesel 99ppl, in 2011 LPG 69ppl, petrol 130ppl and diesel 137, I can't say what petrol and diesel have done in the interim years but it I know LPG has stayed roughly 68-70ppl and is now the cheapest in the 3 years since I got an LPG vehicle and petrol is still around the same as it was 3 years ago.
The shocking change is that from 2008 to now gas has gone up 10ppl where as petrol and diesel has gone up around 50ppl.
Back in 2008 LPG was 54ppl locally, petrol 88ppl and diesel 99ppl, in 2011 LPG 69ppl, petrol 130ppl and diesel 137, I can't say what petrol and diesel have done in the interim years but it I know LPG has stayed roughly 68-70ppl and is now the cheapest in the 3 years since I got an LPG vehicle and petrol is still around the same as it was 3 years ago.
The shocking change is that from 2008 to now gas has gone up 10ppl where as petrol and diesel has gone up around 50ppl.
edward1 said:
Being a sad geek after being shocked at yet another price drop at the pump over the last month now 64.9ppl vs 69.9ppl last month, I was just looking at some spreadsheets from years back I had when deciding what vehicle to go for.
Back in 2008 LPG was 54ppl locally, petrol 88ppl and diesel 99ppl, in 2011 LPG 69ppl, petrol 130ppl and diesel 137, I can't say what petrol and diesel have done in the interim years but it I know LPG has stayed roughly 68-70ppl and is now the cheapest in the 3 years since I got an LPG vehicle and petrol is still around the same as it was 3 years ago.
The shocking change is that from 2008 to now gas has gone up 10ppl where as petrol and diesel has gone up around 50ppl.
Check your local Calor centre for their price. Mine is now 60p a litre, against c.68p at all the local petrol stations.Back in 2008 LPG was 54ppl locally, petrol 88ppl and diesel 99ppl, in 2011 LPG 69ppl, petrol 130ppl and diesel 137, I can't say what petrol and diesel have done in the interim years but it I know LPG has stayed roughly 68-70ppl and is now the cheapest in the 3 years since I got an LPG vehicle and petrol is still around the same as it was 3 years ago.
The shocking change is that from 2008 to now gas has gone up 10ppl where as petrol and diesel has gone up around 50ppl.
Another big saving.
I've been trying to work out if it's worthwhile on my 1992 Talbot Express camper. It uses a single carb so hardly the most modern thing but very simple and keeping the speed down to 50-55 manages about 25mpg on a long run but under 20 when towing the Locost.
On one of the Talbot forums somebody mentioned a place that installs LPG for about £600-700 which sounds rather cheap to me but maybe it's because the engine is so basic and there's so much space under that chassis. If it can fuel the heating, cooking and hot water that would be a massive bonus...
On one of the Talbot forums somebody mentioned a place that installs LPG for about £600-700 which sounds rather cheap to me but maybe it's because the engine is so basic and there's so much space under that chassis. If it can fuel the heating, cooking and hot water that would be a massive bonus...
CDP said:
I've been trying to work out if it's worthwhile on my 1992 Talbot Express camper. It uses a single carb so hardly the most modern thing but very simple and keeping the speed down to 50-55 manages about 25mpg on a long run but under 20 when towing the Locost.
On one of the Talbot forums somebody mentioned a place that installs LPG for about £600-700 which sounds rather cheap to me but maybe it's because the engine is so basic and there's so much space under that chassis. If it can fuel the heating, cooking and hot water that would be a massive bonus...
The worse your vehicle is on fuel, the more worthwhile LPG becomes.On one of the Talbot forums somebody mentioned a place that installs LPG for about £600-700 which sounds rather cheap to me but maybe it's because the engine is so basic and there's so much space under that chassis. If it can fuel the heating, cooking and hot water that would be a massive bonus...
SpeckledJim said:
CDP said:
I've been trying to work out if it's worthwhile on my 1992 Talbot Express camper. It uses a single carb so hardly the most modern thing but very simple and keeping the speed down to 50-55 manages about 25mpg on a long run but under 20 when towing the Locost.
On one of the Talbot forums somebody mentioned a place that installs LPG for about £600-700 which sounds rather cheap to me but maybe it's because the engine is so basic and there's so much space under that chassis. If it can fuel the heating, cooking and hot water that would be a massive bonus...
The worse your vehicle is on fuel, the more worthwhile LPG becomes.On one of the Talbot forums somebody mentioned a place that installs LPG for about £600-700 which sounds rather cheap to me but maybe it's because the engine is so basic and there's so much space under that chassis. If it can fuel the heating, cooking and hot water that would be a massive bonus...
Just finished converting the Mrs gas guzzling Cadillac to LPG so a 3.6 litre 255bhp V6 is now doing the cost equivalent of 50 plus mpg .
I'm buying LPG at an average of 60ppl at the moment and we too are off to the Italian lakes in a couple of weeks time so will be screaming down there in the Caddy with the AC on full blast not caring a jot about the price of fuel or consumption levels.
Its amazing how liberating it is to not have to worry about fuel costs. I reckon changing the Mr's Skoda to the Caddy will still give her an annual fuel cost saving of £750 on her commute and she gets a 155bhp increase in power for the Traffic Light Grand Prix.
Cheers,
Tony
I'm buying LPG at an average of 60ppl at the moment and we too are off to the Italian lakes in a couple of weeks time so will be screaming down there in the Caddy with the AC on full blast not caring a jot about the price of fuel or consumption levels.
Its amazing how liberating it is to not have to worry about fuel costs. I reckon changing the Mr's Skoda to the Caddy will still give her an annual fuel cost saving of £750 on her commute and she gets a 155bhp increase in power for the Traffic Light Grand Prix.
Cheers,
Tony
As has previously been posted the less efficient your vehicle the bigger the savings, hence lots of larger capacity vehicles being converted. What I don't understand is the motivation to convert low powered small engined variants. Often when looking in the classifieds at already converted cars I come across things like a 1.0l nissan micra or equivalent that has been converted. The payback must take forever.
edward1 said:
As has previously been posted the less efficient your vehicle the bigger the savings, hence lots of larger capacity vehicles being converted. What I don't understand is the motivation to convert low powered small engined variants. Often when looking in the classifieds at already converted cars I come across things like a 1.0l nissan micra or equivalent that has been converted. The payback must take forever.
Seen a few of these. When I was self employed I did a lot of travelling, mainly within West Mids (15,000+ miles pa) and used a Fiat Panda Multijet; because the work involved home visits, most of the driving was in housing estates and residential areas - all ideal stomping ground for small city cars. An LPG car would have been a mega saving on my running costs. Think of someone like a district nurse or a home carer who does a lot of driving but rarely sees a motorway; a bahn-stormer would be virtually useless to them, especially when you factor in the disadvantages of DPF-equipped diesels.Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff