Buying a BMW X5.... 4.8i with LPG or 3.0d

[Adam-b]

For the spec I want (sport, heated seats, panoramic roof, 7 seat, dvd, media pack etc......) I can get a 4.8i for around 3-4k cheaper than the equivalent car with the 35d twin turbo engine and 2k cheaper than the 3.0d engine.

The cash I save in buying the car I would use towards an LPG conversion, plus I get a nice V8 noise and fuel costs shouldn't be too different between petrol and diesel. Insurance isn't a problem cost wise for the 4.8.

Not having looked into LPG a great deal, does anyone have any help/advice?

[TomM]

A colleague of min has the 4.6is with LPG, and it's been an absolute pig and cost her thousands - sure, this may be a one off, but the engine management light on her X5 is lit .....a lot!

I am a V8 owner (Audi) and love it, but will be chopping it in for a diesel X5 later this year.

[RmartinR]

Personally i'd stay away from LPG, to me it just seems that although by now you would think that you could have LPG fitted and have no problems, you'd be wrong! It just seems like it's bodged onto cars, not properly retro fitted!

I am talking from my experience with cars in Australia to be fair, so it might be different in the UK, as Aussies do seem a bit lazy haha.

Martin

[tomsugden]

In my experience LPG is only as good as the person that fitted it. I've had two LPG landrovers. One was a PITA throughout my ownership, the other was completely reliable after I took it to a company that knew what they were doing, and they fettled it.