LPG conversion

[MonkeeHanger]

In the next couple of years I really need to get some money together and was wondering if an LPG conversion on my Leon Cupra could pay for itself and make a profit in 2 or 3 years. I do about 12 to 14000 miles a year. Also the question arises whether it would be worth doing on an engine thats done 98000 miles already! Of course an answer would be to rid myself of the Leon but thats a hell of a hit moneywise and Im sure folks on here can understand why I am attached to my car......you do understand don't you?

 

[Radeonuk]

Most LPG conversions cost around £1500 and generally it would take around a year to make this money back before you start to 'save' any money.

I have had my LCR converted for 8 months and saved myself about £1000 in fuel bills.

You need to consider how long you are going to keep your car for as this is a long term investment to make to most of it. However I believe that parkers recommends that cars with a LPG conversion should be valued at £500 more.

Jon

 

[dmmsta]

Say you do 12k per year (just makes the numbers easier) thats about 250miles per week.

On average you should get that from 1 tank of fuel, which works out about £50 dependant on the price of fuel at the time.

Fuel for the year would be ~ £2600.

LPG is somewhere around half the price of petrol, so with LPG your fuel bill should be ~ £1300.

LPG conversion is around £1500 - £2000 dependant on kit & tank size.

So theoretically you'd be close to covering the cost of the conversion in the 1st year, and make somewhere in the region of £1000 in the 2nd.

This does assume that you save the money you'd have spent per tank.

That is all fairly vague, and you'd need to look at what sort of mileage you get from your tank of petrol, and then compare that to the MPG equivilent for the LPG conversion you end up with.

With regard the question of whether it's worth doing this on an engine with that mileage on it, couldn't comment...

 

[jase20vt]

im so glad this question as been asked, cuz going from a derv 306 to my cupra, im defo gona notice the fuel bill increase. do these engines work well on lpg or would there be any issues??

 

[DAN T]

hi m8
how often do u need to service the lpg installation ? they need to be cheek be y a specialist and at what costs?
cheers

 

[zeroSignal]

The Citroen Xantia that I drove had a Lovato LPG kit installed, and I have to say, considering how thirsty that car was, the LPG kit was certainly worth it.

Generally, LPG kits (at least newer ones, made in the last 4-5 years) don't require any specific service. Taking it to the place that installed it once a year for a check would be enough.

Depending on the kit, you will need to drive a few miles every morning running on petrol, till the engine and LPG injectors get nice and warm, and then the car will automatically transfer to LPG. The switch is instantaneous, but you will feel it. On some LPG kits you will need to prod the accelerator pedal when it switches, otherwise the fuel might cut off mid-switch, and you'll stall.

With most kits you should expect about a 5% power loss, but on an LCR, you shouldn't really care. That, and the "nice" aroma of LPG instead of petrol coming out the rear end. But that's it.

But it's certainly worth the cost, especially if you do plenty of miles a year. Just make sure that the kit is properly tuned to your car.

 

[wes c/fergus]

hi there, i converted my cupra lc 180 with 123,000 miles about 6mths ago the cars running like clockwork 129 on the clock now, i do an average of 300 to 350 miles per week and i have no complaints in fact i love it, no chance in power and saving £30 per week compared to driving on petrol, i got a 60ltr tank (sits about an inch proud in the boot but worth it) installed and its a romano system it cost £1450 and took about 4 days to do. i should make my money back in about 4/5 months from now! you can send a copy of your installation certificate and away and save a few ££ on tax. sorry if thats a big speil

 

[Radeonuk]

When I had my kit fitted they provided me with a service book for the it. They recommended that I brought it back every year or 12k miles for a service. They change the gas filter and check for leaks.

In my LCR under normal driving you cannot tell when it switches from petrol to gas. The only time this change over is an issue is if you've got your foot down hard!

I have felt no loss of power in my LCR with it running on gas. In theory LPG is a higher octane fuel so it could produce more power. Also because it is 'colder' burning it could make your car more tuneable.

Jon

 

[wes c/fergus]

In my LCR under normal driving you cannot tell when it switches from petrol to gas.
I have felt no loss of power in my LCR with it running on gas.

i found the same in my lc no change of power and can hardly tell the changeover from petrol to gas

 

[DAN T]

just surf the net and about £1100-£1200 for 4 cylinders . i think is very good price plus some of them offer 2 year guaranty .

 

[DAN T]

what about the insurance , any difference?

 

[wurzel]

I'm soooo behind the times - the last posts I saw a few years ago stated the 20VT didn't like running on LPG.

To ask a few daft questions:
1) What do you do with the spare wheel / jack etc?
2) Where does the refuelling pipe go? Do you have an extra hole cut in the rear panel?
3) Does it affect the life of the engine?
4) Would an LPG conversion put some people off buying the car in the future?
5) Are government grants still available?

I will soon be doing 12 to 18K per a year in my Cupra and whilst the fuel is funded by the company I will be significanly better off spending approximately 50p per litre on LPL

 

[wes c/fergus]

I'm soooo behind the times - the last posts I saw a few years ago stated the 20VT didn't like running on LPG.

To ask a few daft questions:
1) What do you do with the spare wheel / jack etc?
2) Where does the refuelling pipe go? Do you have an extra hole cut in the rear panel?
3) Does it affect the life of the engine?
4) Would an LPG conversion put some people off buying the car in the future?
5) Are government grants still available?

I will soon be doing 12 to 18K per a year in my Cupra and whilst the fuel is funded by the company I will be significanly better off spending approximately 50p per litre on LPL

1) jack the spare wheel and jack in the garage lol. get the tin of stuff that fills your tyre till you get to garage or home for spare
2)my refuelling pipe is on my tow-bar other side from the electric point/ or you can agree a point for them to cut in your bumper.
3)the lpg system is ameant to be better for your engine there are lpg web-sites can tell you why
4)shouldnt think so high powered engine with running costs of a diesel but not a derv.
5)no grants they were stopped a few years ago and only certain cars were included.

i personally would recommend it i suppose each to there own. hope this helps

 

[MonkeeHanger]

Thanks very much your replies folks. Some very useful information there and I think I may well go ahead and get the conversion. Does anyone have any photos (or links to photos) they can upload of what the tank looks like in their boot? i.e. how much space it takes up. Thanks to all once again for taking the time to reply.

 

[wes c/fergus]

Thanks very much your replies folks. Some very useful information there and I think I may well go ahead and get the conversion. Does anyone have any photos (or links to photos) they can upload of what the tank looks like in their boot? i.e. how much space it takes up. Thanks to all once again for taking the time to reply.

the only space it take is your spare wheel, and a little switch button to choose between fuels and to give you a rough guide to how much gas you have. i use my trip meter to find what ive used or have left. i cant put any photos on at the minute as have no camera at the mo (i use my phone its sent away for replacement) ill try and find the site i was on and post it.

 

[wes c/fergus]

www.lpgconversions.co.uk/questions.php#2.

just looked this up it will answer you some good questions mate. there are also some pictures pity there are no seats, but theres a skoda octavia that has the same tank as mine so it can give you an idea

 

[dmmsta]

www.lpgconversions.co.uk/questions.php#2.

just looked this up it will answer you some good questions mate. there are also some pictures pity there are no seats, but theres a skoda octavia that has the same tank as mine so it can give you an idea

Dead link...?

 

[wes c/fergus]

lpgautoconversions.co.uk. sorry for the dead link

 

[Radeonuk]

Having the LPG conversion made no difference to my insurance, all they wanted was a copy of the instullation certificate.

1) I have no spare just carry a can of the 'get you home' foam.
2) Any where you want, however there are regulations on where it should be (height from the ground) Mines in the rear wing on the passengers side.
3) Don't know, can't be much due to the amount of cars converted.
4) Possibly...
5) No government grants anymore

Jon