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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: kr1s77 on 25 February 2008, 10:48

Title: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 25 February 2008, 10:48
Hi all,
i've been toying with this idea for along time, a few years infact. so this time i decided to bite the bullet and do it. i've just got back from dropping the car off at a LPG conversion approved garage, should have it back in a few days. mpg is supposed to be better, cheaper fuel, same performance.

still a bit unsure what to expect from it when i get it back  :undecided:
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Ridg on 25 February 2008, 12:05
mpg is supposed to be better, cheaper fuel, same performance.

the fuel is cheaper, and you should get the same performance, however the mpg is normally about 80% of what you would get on petrol, but as its 1/2 the price you'll save money over having a petrol.

how many miles you doing a year? and how much is the conversion?
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Mikester on 25 February 2008, 12:28
I know petrol is flamable and all, but im not a fan of having gas in my boot really!

Does it really give the same performance? Im pretty sure with my driving style i could ruin it.

Also does MOTs and services cost more?
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 25 February 2008, 16:08
i do about 230/240 miles a week, so thats about 12500 per year. the cost of conversion is £1200. they recomend service every 10,000 miles at £40. mot will still be the same.
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: saul79 on 25 February 2008, 19:19
only gas i got in my boot is nos
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Mikester on 25 February 2008, 22:50
only gas i got in my boot is nos

NOS and a turbo!?
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Pete Taylor on 26 February 2008, 08:23
The LPG gas in the boot will be a lot safer than the petrol in a plastic tank under the car ;)
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: eightyeightmph on 26 February 2008, 10:46
Dad's got LPG conversion on his JEEP, couldn't afford to run it on petrol! Get's near enough the same MPG, like for like performance (4.0L) but obviously gas is almost 1/2 the price.

Only thing is it does need the regular services otherwise it starts to run rough compared to the petrol.

Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Mikester on 26 February 2008, 12:03
Im not sure what it is, but i just like the principle of running on petrol. I dunno, just me i guess. Anyone agree?
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 26 February 2008, 16:20
i know its not everyones cup of tea but its costing me £50 per week in petrol, so it was try this or sell the gti. which i don't wanna do  :cry:
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: saul79 on 26 February 2008, 19:47
buy a cheap runabout to drive to work in and keep the golf for weekends .
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: monzablue16v on 26 February 2008, 21:17
false economy that saul money saved in fuel you waste on insurance and tax and mot and such :(
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 26 February 2008, 23:28
driving to work aint the problem, as work is nearly 2miles away. it's the weekend and when i'm not at work, when i'm driving around all over the place
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Mikester on 26 February 2008, 23:50
driving to work aint the problem, as work is nearly 2miles away. it's the weekend and when i'm not at work, when i'm driving around all over the place

I restrict myself, and say, right, im not guna put petrol in the car for so many days and make it last.
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Rmachines on 27 February 2008, 12:58
Quote
Im not sure what it is, but i just like the principle of running on petrol. I dunno, just me i guess. Anyone agree?

I know what you mean,  Although LPG seems a good idea i doubt i would ever do it!  What ever any one says im pretty sure the pros out weigh they cons and in the end it will save a lot of money but... its an awfull lot to pay out at once!   I would think about it if i ran a nice newish family car but on my golf ... nah  :smiley:
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: AlanD on 27 February 2008, 13:05
Its all determind on payback time and how long it would take you to save £1200 worth of petrol. If its going to take like 3 years to earn it back then no chance, but say you save it back in 1 year, then ever yeary after your laughing and I dont care what anyone says if im paying 60p (or whatever it is) a litter for LPG they can stuff themselves.
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 27 February 2008, 14:21
i'll roughly be saving £25 to £28 per week. so it will take about 12/13 months to pay for itself. it's 44p per litre as proposed to petrol at 103.9p
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: AlanD on 27 February 2008, 14:26
So that would mean that in two years time, you will have saved £1200 ? I cant see any cons with this? Its just a case of having £1200 there in the first place. I know if I had £1200 sitting about I wouldnt spend it on the LPG no matter how sensible it is because id rather spend that money on a remap, coilcovers, brake upgrade new wheels etc etc etc.
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Rmachines on 27 February 2008, 14:32
Put £1200 onto a bank account and just use that for fuel, Pay 60p per litre as you would normaly and make the rest up to £1.03 with the money from the £1200 u have saved. i bet it will work out cheeper lol 
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: adyh on 27 February 2008, 14:45
Its really not worth putting LPG on a Mk3 golf to be honest, its going to cost as much for the conversion as the car is worth.
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: Rmachines on 27 February 2008, 14:52
Thats what i was thinking, if you get your self a nice new car you plan to keep for a long time and do a lot of miles i could understand it. 
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 27 February 2008, 18:34
tbh theres nothing wrong with the golf so i dont want to get rid of it and get another car that i may have problems with. i like the mk3 don't wanna change it and theres nothing out there at the mo that i'd want.

Plus i'm doing my bit for the environment  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: R4YGV on 27 February 2008, 18:43
I have had lpg on my last 2 cars a vectra gsi and the only subaru impreza turbo in uk on lpg

I have to say its well worth the money if your keeping the car

I currently get 100 miles to £10 from my scoob which aint bad for a 200+ bhp car

As has been mentioned servicing is required more often i do plugs oil and filter every 6000 miles but to be honest this is nothing compared to what i save as i have now done 12000 miles in 6 months

Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 02 March 2008, 20:38
got it back friday. i must say it performs the same, sounds the same. at first the extra weight felt wierd on bumpy roads, but its seemed to have adjusted somehow  :huh:. i'll put up some pics soon
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 11 March 2008, 18:09
heres some pics of the kit

the tank
(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02135.jpg)

new Boot space  :cry:
(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02136.jpg)

(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02137.jpg)

(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02138.jpg)

(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02139.jpg)

internal display
the green lights are the amount of LPG left. when the red turns geen its on gas.
(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02142.jpg)

filling nozzle
(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02143.jpg)

(http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k89/kr1s77/DSC02144.jpg)
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: vdub virgin on 11 March 2008, 18:16
dude thats definately different!lol! how much does that tank weigh?
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: kr1s77 on 11 March 2008, 18:19
not sure, but it doesn't feel heavier. £20 in the tank gives me about 200 miles  :grin: well chuffed
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: vdub virgin on 11 March 2008, 18:24
 :cool:
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: DazVR6 on 11 March 2008, 21:40
That tank looks well heavy, hard to believe you don't notice the difference but i guess appearances can be deceptive.
Title: Re: LPG Conversion
Post by: oggy on 12 March 2008, 09:38
Possibly a better way of looking at this is to take mileage into consideration

Gas - 200 miles for £20 ie £0.1/mile plus conversion cost of £1200
Petrol - 143 miles for £20 -  say 35mpg best average from my 16v ie £0.14/mile

Break even point is where these two meet on a straight line graph of cost against mileage for fuel consumption ie where the cost will be the same for both

Cost to run gas = £0.1/mile  x  mileage  plus £1200
Cost to run petrol = £0.14/mile x mileage

Where both costs are same

0.1 x mileage +1200 = 0.14 x mileage

Mileage = 30 000

In other words - to ensure the conversion is financially worthwhile, you'll have to run the car on gas alone for a further 30 000 miles. After that, you are quits in, get rid of the car before then and you lose out.