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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