LPG conversion DOES work...

[defonsecca]

Just passed the 130k miles mark in my 2002 Alfa 166 "Busso" 3.0 V6. I had it converted to LPG when i first got it at 92k miles in Sept 2020 = 38k miles ago.... and the only issue I've had is needing new spark plugs a bit earlier than normal - LPG can be a bit hard on plugs.

Negligible difference in power / performance. Zero difference in (wonderful) noise. Huge difference in running costs @ 80p / litre.. The conversion price of £1500.00 paid for itself after 8 months / about 12k miles of savings over petrol. And it still runs soooo sweetly.

In a thirsty car that you're going to keep & doing lots of miles.... LPG is a god-send.

Au revoir LPG doomsayers!

[Krikkit]

Which kit did you go for? Does it switch over to petrol on WOT?

[eltax91]

Apart from the fact all the stations are vanishing! I converted an accord at 55k and ran it until 177k. Huge savings, decent car, ran just fine apart from fairly frequently replacing injectors (Prins LPG ones).

There used to be half a dozen places close to me (M1 J22) to get LPG, now there's 1, a flo gas depot in town that's only open 8-6 Mon-Fri. All the actual petrol stations have ditched LPG as/ when it came to spending any money on tank maintenance because the demand isn't there.

[Durzel]

LPG = Betamax
Electric = VHS

[Evanivitch]

defonsecca said:

Just passed the 130k miles mark in my 2002 Alfa 166 "Busso" 3.0 V6. I had it converted to LPG when i first got it at 92k miles in Sept 2020 = 38k miles ago.... and the only issue I've had is needing new spark plugs a bit earlier than normal - LPG can be a bit hard on plugs.

Negligible difference in power / performance. Zero difference in (wonderful) noise. Huge difference in running costs @ 80p / litre.. The conversion price of £1500.00 paid for itself after 8 months / about 12k miles of savings over petrol. And it still runs soooo sweetly.

In a thirsty car that you're going to keep & doing lots of miles.... LPG is a god-send.

Au revoir LPG doomsayers!

How are you finding the availability?

[larrylamb11]

It's only a god-send if you can actually get it...... I used to run an XJ6 on LPG, giving a petrol equivalent 30mpg. BUT all the LPG filling stations that were vaguely convenient closed one after another in the space of about 18 months leaving just one that required a 20 minute detour to get to.... It's not like I live in the middle of nowhere either....
When the effective range of the tank was only about 150 miles that got tedious pretty quickly, particularly when that one pump was often out of order.....
I gave up at that point, sold the Jag and haven't looked back. I won't go back to an LPG car again as the savings and hassle are no longer worth it.
If you can make it work for you, good on you - make the most of it while you can. Unfortunately, for the majority, I fear LPG is not the answer.

[Durzel]

I just had a look at where I'd need to go too, and it looks like it would be a 15 mile trek. Doesn't sound like a lot but when you're having to drive somewhere specific purely to fill up it would get a bit annoying, I think.

[paradigital]

Durzel said:

I just had a look at where I'd need to go too, and it looks like it would be a 15 mile trek. Doesn't sound like a lot but when you're having to drive somewhere specific purely to fill up it would get a bit annoying, I think.

Interestingly this is how I now view filling with petrol, even though it’s only 2 miles out of the way coming home from/driving to work.

When you start filling up overnight with electricity on your own driveway, even a few miles of wastage seems pointless.

I love how my MK1 TT V6 sounds, but I’ve put off filling it up for the last three commutes now, as compared to my Model 3 it’s just a PITA.

Edited by paradigital on Monday 8th August 19:06

[tamore]

larrylamb11 said:

It's only a god-send if you can actually get it...... I used to run an XJ6 on LPG, giving a petrol equivalent 30mpg. BUT all the LPG filling stations that were vaguely convenient closed one after another in the space of about 18 months leaving just one that required a 20 minute detour to get to.... It's not like I live in the middle of nowhere either....
When the effective range of the tank was only about 150 miles that got tedious pretty quickly, particularly when that one pump was often out of order.....
I gave up at that point, sold the Jag and haven't looked back. I won't go back to an LPG car again as the savings and hassle are no longer worth it.
If you can make it work for you, good on you - make the most of it while you can. Unfortunately, for the majority, I fear LPG is not the answer.

my experience too. ran a couple of omegas with LPG years back, LPG was peanuts and pretty widely available. just not the case generally now.