LPG Conversion

katykitten

Im thinking of having my vauhall meriva auto converted to LPG as petrol is due to rise again, how do i find out where i can get this done, roughly what should i pay and how long does it take and also where LPG stations are located - if i cant get the gas easily there is no point really! Also do i have to tell my insurance company?

Any other MSE's experiences would be good to hear of

DaveMacD

In order of questions...

1. Not sure.
2. If memory serves, it used to cost a fair bit £1000+, but there used to be grants from the govt. depending on the age of the car.
3. Again, not sure, but I would probably allow a full day or two.
4. A lot more places than you used to get them. Try checking the websites of the major garages. A lot of Shell garages carry it now. Where in the world are you?
5. YES! Absolutely, it's a huge modification, so it'd be very silly not to let them know

katykitten

im in formby, northwest coast between liverpool and southport

thanks

BenL

Here is a link to LPGA approved installers http://www.drivelpg.co.uk/AI/index.php?zone=merseyside

The website has lots of info on it about conversions as well that should help.

How many miles do you do a year?
How many years are you keeping the car?

There are satnav links and also you can see on this map http://www.drivelpg.co.uk/map/index.php for filling.

LPG isn't for everyone though and it takes quite a lot of miles to get the money back.

I cover about 30,000 miles a year now after moving house and intend on keeping my Astra for a long time. Bought it new and converted it in oct 09 just after it was 3 y/o.

It's a 1.6 Petrol (you can only really do petrols) 2006 model

My installation is a german kit froma manufacturer called PRINS. These are a highly regarded system.

My installation took 3 days at a place in Hull and was £1600.

LPG at the moment for me is 57.9p a litre, petrol being an average 111p a litre.

In order to get back the install cost it will take me 40,000 miles. Not really a problem and after this period the savings are all mine.

On petrol my car does 44mpg (properly calculated on a spreadsheet using my own real world figures), the LPG installer calculator advises you get 80% economy (LPG hold 80% of the energy of petrol for the same volume). I should get 35mpg, day to day it gets 33/34 so pretty good.

After 10,000 miles I had saved £406 compared to what i would have used at 44mpg using the cheapest fuel I go near.

Yes, you need to tell your insurance company. I am with Directline and pay no additional premium. My installer was approved so I got a conformance certificate. Some people say the LPGA is a bit of a scam but it gave me confidence to go ahead.

I drive past my local LPG station morning and night so I don't make any detour - big benefit as I didn't want to be put out.

The tank on mine goes under the boot floor (see pic). I have no spare wheel now, just a can of tyre weld. It holds enough gas for me to do 330 miles, just over 40 litres i think. I fill up every 3 days.

There are no government grants available.

For me, it works out the car is doing equivalent of about 70mpg of petrol, if the gap between the cost of the fuels rises this will increase.

I debated whether to change to an old diesel pug 106 as I could get 65ish mpg out of an old one before but in the end I paid up, kept my much bigger, much nicer car.

I get a small reduction in road fund licence.

There is extra servicing, my kit is 20,000 mile servicing, about £100.

Some engines require extra lubrication, I have flash lube on mine to keep the upper cylinder lubricated. Petrol already has these or similar additives. I get my stuff on ebay and a litre lasts a few months at £12.

You do also use about £10 petrol a month. LPG cannot be used to start a car. It takes 1 mile of driving for me to have enough heat in the system for the gas to vaporise so it can be used.

LPG works well for me in my circumstances, its not for everyone and its not a miracle cost saving solution - until the initial investment is paid off.

I was lucky to have the money upfront ready to spend, if not I probably wouldn't have done it or not at least as quickly and would have kicked myself for the next 40,000 miles that it could have been paid off.

The place I got mine done has this savings calculator http://www.autogasyorkshire.co.uk/savings-calculator.php

Its pretty accurate from the figures I have collated before and since. I logged petrol costs etc for 2 months before and have got 5 months worth of LPG figures.

Any questions, just repost and I'll have a go at answering.

katykitten

thanks so much for all that info - will go on line and see where my local lpg stations are as dont want to go out of my way, plan on keeping the car for another couple of years
thanks again

Hintza

BenL wrote: »

In order to get back the install cost it will take me 40,000 miles. Not really a problem and after this period the savings are all mine.

Good synopsis Ben.

My only caveat (and I'm sure it will be fine but you never know) is if they change the duty rate on LPG.

katykitten

eeeew hope npt!

Inactive

Not forgetting the LPG Tank takes up a fair old lump of space in your car.;)

hartcjhart

when more and more people convert to LPG then the gov WILL put the duty up to cover the loss on other fuels,Just as they did with diesel when more people started to run diesel cars:mad:

katykitten

we cant win!!

BenL

Hintza wrote: »

Good synopsis Ben.

My only caveat (and I'm sure it will be fine but you never know) is if they change the duty rate on LPG.

Yes, this is a slight concern. The info I saw when looking into it was that the government had re-affirmed its commitment until 2012/2013 I think that there will be no massive hike and the gap between the petrol and lpg duty will decrease by 1p a litre a year.

It can never be guaranteed though what they will do.

With the budget coming up next week (and then probably a bad news emergency budget by any winning party after the general election) the position may change.

I am hoping LPG is still enough under the radar.

It was one of the reasons I dived in and did it back in October, no point hanging around and i've now recouped over 1/4 of the cost.

The payback period would extend but again in my circumstances with keeping the car and the mileage it will stil be worth it.