Should I convert to LPG?

I drive 15,000 miles a year and am thinking of converting my car to liquified petroleum gas (LPG). I know it is more environmentally friendly, but I want to know how much I can expect to pay for the conversion and if the cheaper price a litre makes it a better deal all round. Are there any other factors to consider?

It tanks the fuel
The cost of conversion is usually between £1,500 to £2,000, and based on your stated mileage it would probably take about two years to pay for itself, but there are grants available, depending on the age of the car. My advice would be that, unless space in the vehicle is a primary consideration, you should get as big a tank as you can fit in it. The toroidal tanks often offered are not large enough and you would find yourself needing to refuel annoyingly often. LPG does not get as high a mileage as petrol and the tanks only hold about 80% of rated capacity, so a 90 litre tank really holds only about 70 litres - this would probably take you about as far as about 50 litres of petrol, at a little more than half the cost ... so yes, it's a better deal all round.
Alan Crawford, by email

Do it
Yes, go for it. First, it is virtually pollution free, having nearly zero particulates. So you won't be adding to children's asthma. Second, it's much cheaper than petrol, costing between 29.9p a litre (at Morrison's) and 43p (at some motorway service stations). There is also a small reduction in car tax and exemption from the congestion charge in London for small cars. Insist on a sequential system. It's technical - but it means no loss of power and no risk of damage to your engine. Buy a top make - I got a Prins. Get it fitted by an accredited expert - Blaze Gas did mine, and I'm delighted with it. You will need to pay around £2,000 for a good system, and it will take maybe 20,000 miles to break even.
Stephen Summers, Corsham

Pukka powershift
Your first port of call must be the transport energy site. Please please please do not get a conversion from a garage that is not on the powershift register. You will pay more (around £1,500) for a supplier on the register, but at least you know that it is a pukka job and it will be safe. Also, be prepared to lose space in your boot as it is likely that the hollow for the spare tyre will be used for the LPG tank. But, on the up side you will be paying between 34p and 41p a litre for two-thirds of the mileage, petrol equivalent. Finally, consider trading in your current car for one with an assembly line LPG fit, I have one and it is great.
Rob Gibson, Wimbledon

Government backing
If you're thinking of converting to LPG, check out www.boostlpg.co.uk, a website for consumers run by the LPG Association. Converting to LPG could help you save up to 40% off your fuel bill as it retails for approximately half the price of petrol and diesel. LPG vehicles also qualify for cheaper road tax. The government supports LPG by reducing the level of fuel duty and by giving three years' advance notice in every budget, of any changes. So you can rest assured that the price at the pumps will continue at around half the price of petrol and diesel for at least this period. Most petrol vehicles can be converted to LPG. It's a fairly straightforward process that costs about £1,600 for a car or a light van.
C Turnbull, Didcot

Do the maths
I've owned two LPG converted vehicles and there's lots to consider. The system you get fitted depends on your car - a high performance vehicle will require a more expensive system. Expect to pay £1,000 to £1,700 for the LPG system with fitting. Consider the mpg of your current vehicle- take 5-10% off that for LPG mpg (the gas has less energy per volume than petrol). Where's your nearest LPG station? Are you going to have to make out of your normal route trips to get LPG? You will be topping it up more regularly than you currently do for fuel. And make sure you inform your insurance company if you decide to go ahead - they'll probably ask to see the fitting certificate. I did the sums on my new car and it wasn't worth it - even though I'm a huge fan of LPG.
Stephen Graham, Abernethy.

It's not so great
LPG environmentally friendly? While it is cleaner to burn than either petrol or diesel it is nevertheless a fossil fuel and not sustainable. It also contributes to net CO2 emissions. The government has now cancelled its "powershift" LPG conversion grant scheme. There are also persistent rumours about increased tax on LPG which would negate most, if not all, of the price advantage it currently holds. Some insurers will not cover LPG cars, while others surcharge to do so. You cannot take LPG through the channel tunnel. If you must drive and are concerned about the environment get a small diesel car and use a specific type of biologically derived waste oil as fuel. You will be carbon neutral and save a bit of money on fuel tax (although not zero rated as in many other EU countries). See www.bio-power.co.uk for more information.
Cyprian Payne

Where can you get it?
I converted my car to LPG in 2000 for around £1,200. I calculated it would take about two years to pay for itself, but it took just over a year to recoup my outlay, on an average annual mileage of 10,000 to 15,000. Consider how easy LPG is to get in your part of the country. In some places garages do not carry it. It is advisable to keep your fuel tank at least half-full to avoid being caught out somewhere LPG is not easy to come by. Motoring in Europe is a bit hit and miss - France is excellent with many garages and at least one supermarket in each town carrying it, but in Italy and Germany provision is more patchy. Verdict - well worth it financially, and even more so now with petrol going up proportionately much faster than LPG.
Stewart Kington, Bristol

Don't look back
I had a camper van which I converted to LPG four years ago. It cost a little over £1,000, but paid for itself within a year as fuel is often more than half the price of normal unleaded, and efficiency is about the same. The environmental and cost benefits easily outweigh the disadvantages. These include difficulty finding LPG pumps in some parts of the country and the foul smell anyone behind you in a traffic jam has to endure. You also lose boot space, as it is important to keep your petrol tank in case you cannot find a convenient pump. Your car will be fitted with a switch to change from LPG to petrol, and might find starting easier with petrol on cold mornings. Information about grants, conversion specialists and, most importantly, an up to date list of petrol stations suplying LPG can be obtained from www.lpga.co.uk. Once converted to LPG you won't go back.
Steve Hartridge, Brighton

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MY EXPERIENCES WITH LPG

When I was five years ago decided to install the LPG car, the only place where I could get information about the LPG was the Internet, since at that time nobody in my area had LPG installed to the car. On many blogs and forums I've read a lot of smart things aboutli quefied propane, but I read a lot of nonsense also. So I am now, after five years of experience driving on propane,decided to write a blog about it.

Six years ago I bought a Audi 80. Audi was manufactured in 1989 but was completely in good shape. 1800 ccm, with the carburetor. While Audi has consumed gasoline He needed a about 8 liters in summer and about 10 liters in winter (per 100 km). Many people would say that I did not waste too much gasoline since to the age and engine capacity. But considering how many miles I crossed with him per day (approximately 100 km) it took me a minimum of 270 euros per month for gasoline.

It should be noted that Audi in wintertime conditions was not very quiet. While the engine is cold it should be harder to add throttle, trembling it up and did not receive throttle until the engine warm up.

I installed a LPG exactly five years ago, I paid for installation of 280 euros. It was the last day when I added gasoline to my car.

Authorized Service installed a Lovato equipment, and all they have done for 3 hours, quickly and professionally, they tested the car,gave me a guarantee of 30 000 km, and that's it ...

Until now I've driven 120 000 km. I had absolutely no problems with LPG. Car runs quietly and when the engine is warmed up, and when its cold. The engine has lost some power, but you can not even feel it when driving on flat ground. It is only on the hill and under full load is felt that the engine is slightly weaker when working with LPG. Power consumption is higher by an average of half a liter. Summer 8.5 Winter 10.5. But given that gasoline costs 1,10 euro and lpg only 0,50 euros per liter count how much money saved up after 120 000km. It was about 6200 euros!? My car is worth a maximum of 2000:))

I hope I have explained at least some doubts about the installation of LPG. If you have any questions, feel free to ask (in the form of comments), I will be happy to answer you.

The rest of the blog are some general technical information about liquefied propane and other comments.....

Ford Falcon LPG

A gas, only to a point
Philosophy: The family taxi.

Trivia: Ford was the first to build a dedicated-LPG large car, making the ultimate taxi pack.

Why you'd buy it: LPG costs about half the price of petrol.

Why you wouldn't: There's a $1400 premium on this dedicated LPG system. Running on LPG reduces engine power and the engine is not always as smooth. Boot space is robbed by relocation of the spare tyre to allow for LPG tanks. LPG models do without traction control.

Standard equipment: Power windows in front only, but there is cruise control, air-conditioning, a trip computer and remote central locking.

Safety: Average, which translates to dual front air bags and anti-lock brakes. But no traction or stability control or side-curtain air bags.

Cabin: Big and wide with basic grey trim. Driver headroom restricted by the sloping roof.

Seating: Comfortable for long journeys, but they could do with more lateral support.

Engine: Unexciting but honest. The Falcon's in-line six-cylinder musters 156 kilowatts and 374Nm running on LPG - 34 kilowatts and 9Nm down on the petrol-powered models. As a result, throttle response is initially a bit lethargic and the engine loses enthusiasm at higher revs. But the muscular mid-range response means it motors along fine for family duties, albeit with the aural excitement of a taxi.

Transmission: Good. The four-speed shifts well enough and has some smarts to help with braking. Plus there's a sequential-shift function for greater control.

Steering: Direct, almost too much so, which means it feels a bit light at times. Great for parking but loses appeal at freeway speeds.

Ride: As good as you'll get for the money. Big tyres and a softish set-up help soak up the worst the RTA can throw at it.

Handling: Competent but far from sporty. The Falcon doesn't mind a corner, but its entry-level tyres will give up before the rest of the package and the rear tyres are prone to wheel spin on slippery surfaces.

Fuel: You'll use almost half as much again of LPG over petrol - hence the bigger gas tank putting the spare tyre in the boot - but the fuel itself costs less than half the price of petrol. That means it will cost about $7.60 to cover 100 kilometres in the E-Gas model, compared with about $13 for the petrol-powered car. So the premium for the LPG system will repay you after about 25,000 kilometres.

Cut petrol prices – fill up your car for 75p a litre

Drivers switching to LPG can reduce what they pay at the pumps by 40%, but converting a vehicle costs £1,400. Is it worth it?

If the big jump in petrol prices has hit your budget hard, why not simply convert your existing model to run on 75p/litre liquefied petroleum gas, and slash your fuel bills by 33%-40%?

With petrol prices already nudging £1.37/litre in many towns, garages offering to convert cars to run on LPG are reporting a big increase in inquiries.

LPG doesn't give quite the same miles per gallon as standard unleaded petrol – typically 15%-20% fewer. But it produces lower C0₂ emissions – 10-20% less, while particulate emissions are almost zero.

Around 90% of the petrol cars on UK roads can be converted. It costs £1,200 to £1,600 for an average four-cylinder-engine model, and, once adapted, it will run on either petrol or gas. The installer will have to fit a secondary fuel tank in which to store the gas – this typically replaces the spare tyre – and make several changes to the engine.

Finding an LPG station is also becoming easier, although don't convert until you've established if there's a good supplier locally. There are around 1,400 UK garages selling LPG, which sounds a lot, but it's not available in every town. The UKLPG's website has a garage finder based on Google maps, and, of course, there's an iPhone app.

Although you will need to do the sums on your own vehicle, those driving a 35mpg car 14,000 miles a year will save more than £700 a year by switching to LPG – recouping the installation costs in around 18 months to two years. Less economical cars will recoup the investment quicker.

Mike Chapman of the UKLPG Association says technological advances in the last five years have ironed out the problems that some early LPG adopters experienced.

"The latest systems work with the engine management system, and are extremely reliable. Almost all petrol cars can be converted. Some of the newer direct-injection engines are not suitable, but to all other drivers, a correctly installed and maintained system will offer no problems. We know of many cars that have covered 250,000 miles on gas," he says.

He says a UKLPG approved installer – there are 200 across the country – will be able to explain exactly what your car requires.

Engines, he says, that are prone to valve and seat wear will find that this is exacerbated by running on gas. To get round this, installers now fit a lubricating system that adds around £200 to the installation bill.

Chapman runs a high-performance 3.0 litre Audi Quattro and a motorhome – both on LPG. The Audi's fuel consumption falls from around 26mpg on petrol to 21mpg on gas – a 19% loss. The price difference means a big saving.

On his system, the car starts on petrol and then switches to gas automatically after a few miles. His gas tank is in place of the spare wheel, giving him a range of 250 miles. Instead of a spare, he carries a foam tyre repair kit, although he says he hasn't had to use it yet.

Inside the cabin there is a fuel gauge showing the gas tank's level. If you run out of gas en-route, the car seamlessly switches back to petrol.

Remember, you will not be able to drive as far on a tank of gas as you would on petrol – some gas users will get as few as 150-200 miles from a tank – so you'll be filling up more often.

If you can't find gas, you just run on petrol as normal.

You also need to be comfortable losing the space that the tank takes up. Some drivers are happy to forego a spare wheel and use a repair kit. But if you had a bad blow-out that shredded your tyre, you'd have to wait for a tow truck. Another option is to carry a space-saver spare wheel. The system should be inspected each year and will need some minor maintenance which will cost £25-£50.

Drivers who convert their car to run on LPG have to tell their insurer. If you have used an approved installer, you should not see the premium rise, as converted vehicles are not considered any more of a safety risk in the event of an accident. And, because gas burns more cleanly than petrol, engine wear is reduced, so, in theory, your engine lasts longer on gas. Bear in mind, however, that your manufacturer's warranty could be affected.

Once installed, you are entitled to a small discount (£10 or £15 depending on the CO₂ rating) on your car tax. You need to apply at your local DVLA office.

The advantage of an LPG conversion is simply that it lets you keep your existing car, but makes it cheaper to run. But converting will only make sense if you plan to keep it for several years. Convert a three-year-old car, and run it on gas for five years, and you'll easily save £4,000 in reduced fuel bills – assuming the price differential continues – although this is by no means guaranteed. Alternatively, buy a used car that has already been converted.

This week Autotrader was selling an LPG-converted 2002 Vauxhall Astra with 210,000 miles on the clock for £849, and a 118,000-mile model for £1,450. These show that cars can run to big mileages on gas. There are plenty for sale – everything from Protons to Range Rovers.

Prospective buyers need to check the quality of the system. The registration number of all cars that have been converted by an approved installer are held on a UKLPG database.

LPG CONVERSION - REWIEW 11

Advantages: Cheaper fuel costs/extended service intervals

Disadvantages: Finding petrol stations that sell LPG

Recommendable Yes:

At the time I was driving an Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf,Any one that knows of these vehicles are aware that they can be a little heavy on petrol with the 2.0. v16 engine.A friend of mine suggested I look into an LPG conversion,I read a few reviews as I was not sure how a second hand car with 50.000 miles on would react,Decided that the car was worth investing in the price of the conversion. My first dilema was what sort of tank to use,ie a doughnut tank in the spare wheel well or a free standing tank in the boot area,I wanted a fairly decent range on mileage so opted for a tank in the boot as the wheel well was to small to fit the size of tank I required. The conversion was carried out by a local mechanic & other than a few teething problems with the initial set up I knew I had made the right choice.The car ran fine on the conversion & my fuel costs dropped around 35% . It is amazing how many people come up to you in petrol stations asking for information on LPG & what you think of it,A lot of people have heard of it but are very sceptical about having there cars converted. I never found it an issue locating Petrol stations that sold LPG,but even if you were caught short you just filled the car up with a little petrol & carried on your way. The service intervals that were recomended to me were double the manufacturers service intervals & the vehicle never let me down once, I have since sold the vehicle & the new owner is as impressed with it as I was.