What with the increase in fuel prices, a mate of mine was talking about getting his car converted from petrol to gas fuel.

 

Does anyone know anymore about this? I've seen gas available at some petrol stations and was just wondering how widespread it actually is. There used to be a government grant to get it done but don't think they are doing it anymore.

 

I imagine, the performance using gas would decrease dramatically, but for a run-around car, surely it would be a cheaper option??

It will cost around £1000 and add extra weight to the car with the gas tank in the boot, but you can switch between the gas and petrol whilst driving along lol so you are racing a fiat punto with the gas and a lambo goes past, switch it to pe

 

The government will also give you money towards the conversion as its greener !

I believe the government only contributes part of the cost and for certain 'approved' cars - doubt this includes Zeds or anything old.

 

I think the performance decease is about 10%

 

Also, I seem to recollect that our friend Gordon hinted at one of his recent public cash extraction announcements (he calls them a Budget), that the 'reduced' tax on LPG was likely to be increased to 'normal', ie Petrol, type levels at some time in the near future - like when loads of people have started using it !

They're going to increase gas to normal price! What's the bloody point in that, they're just asking for trouble with that, just so they can make 65% profit out of that as well!

7.44 Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has a significant duty differential and benefited from

the wider fuel duty freeze in 2004. The Government intends to reduce the differential towards

a level more commensurate with its environmental benefits. Budget 2005 announces that the

duty differential for LPG will narrow against conventional road fuels by the equivalent of one

penny per litre each year until 2007-08. The duty increase in 2005-06 will take effect from 1

September. The current duty differential for natural gas against conventional road fuels will

be maintained for the next three years until the end of 2007-08, a continuation of the policy

announced at Budget 2004.

 

OK, maybe it's not as bad as I thought, but I'm sure it'll go up more when they feel like a little squeeze on a different pocket ...

still, it's a lot of hassle to get a cheaper fuel! Might be the only way forward in the future!

Just watch it. As soon as there are enough people using it mate they will bring the cost up and it will be dearer than Diesel. Its exacetly what they did with Diesel. :xxx:

Just watch it. As soon as there are enough people using it mate they will bring the cost up and it will be dearer than Diesel. Its exacetly what they did with Diesel. :xxx:

 

 

I have to agree there........ when I started driving 11 years ago, Dogsel was dirt cheap and there were very few CARS powerd by diesel....

 

Now look at things, massive increase in diesel cars, and a massive increase in diesel fuel duty.

 

Weigh Anchors.......... :xxx:

I work for a large Jeep dealer and have had lots of experiance with lots of different kits some good some bad, However the only system that would be any use on a 300ZX should you wish to do it? Would be the seqencial systems as they use the vehicles original ECU to control the gas and fuel flow switching between the 2 as required for more power etc. Gas will reduce the power by upto 25%. System will cost £1600 and i think the Goverment don't support this car (not 100% on this so check first).

Personly the experiance ive had has been on avearge poor with lot of Engine managment lamps consistently on and needing reset etc. Lack of boot space after they install your tank and lower performance. Also there are a lot of companys popping up and fitting systems and then going pop just as quick !! All in all i would'nt bother You got a "Super Car" keep it that way !!

My girlfriend had her Astra converted, and my mate at work had his Disco converted too.

 

Jon- I can PM you the details of the guy who did both these conversions- he lives just down the road near Hook.

 

I was lead to believe that They stopped the cash assistance a while ago, but neither of the cars were eligible anyway!

 

£1200 was the price 2 years ago, my girlfriend paid off the conversion after about 12 months.

 

There's still big savings to be made for the next few years. Some places are better than others for having gas at the filling stations, but even on long journeys the chances are you'll pass one sooner or later.

Just watch it. As soon as there are enough people using it mate they will bring the cost up and it will be dearer than Diesel. Its exacetly what they did with Diesel. :xxx:

 

I have to agree here too.

 

Fuel tax is nothing to do with the environmental issued period.

 

It is simply another form of raising revenue and an pointless attempt to reduce our freedom of movement. The robbing b@stards will tax LPG as heavily as petrol and deisel as soon as everyone is using it.

 

Then they give us all incentived to go electric once decent electric cars are commonplace. Then once we've all gone electric the government will start charging £2500 for the road fund licence.

 

They might as well force our bo11ox into the mincer :mad:

 

And so it continues........

 

Richard :headvswal

My girlfriend had her Astra converted, and my mate at work had his Disco converted too.

 

Jon- I can PM you the details of the guy who did both these conversions- he lives just down the road near Hook.

 

I was lead to believe that They stopped the cash assistance a while ago, but neither of the cars were eligible anyway!

 

£1200 was the price 2 years ago, my girlfriend paid off the conversion after about 12 months.

 

There's still big savings to be made for the next few years. Some places are better than others for having gas at the filling stations, but even on long journeys the chances are you'll pass one sooner or later.

 

Mark, the details would be much appreciated. I'm only looking to get my peugeot done because that's gonna be my main runner.

I read in a popular performance tuning magazine today that because LPG is 114ron fuel, is can actually offer better performance than premium unleaded.

 

Not convinced I called one of the companys and they we really helpfull and said the reason people experience a drop in power (typically 10%) is because being duel fuel, the ignition is a comprimise between igniting the 2 different types of fuels (petrol and LPG). New Duel mode ECU technology means you can can have a mode for petrol and a super mode for LPG. This would actually offer the same performance - but a slight reduction in MPG - but being a 1/3rd of the cost of petrol can turn a 15mpg 300zx into a 40-45 MPG car pound for pound.

 

I am seriously looking into it.

my vauxhall combo van is a duel fuel (LPG). on £20 i get 300 miles round town :hyper: .

 

this is obviously good, however if you compare the amount of litres of LPG against litres of petrol to do the same 300 miles, i would use more gas than petrol (only slightly but still more). so if LPG is ever brought up to the same price as petrol it would actually work out more expensive to use it, only by a couple of quid per tank but over the year those extra pennies add up! so it wouldnt be worth paying £1000+ to have the conversion done.

 

im sure i heard that the price of LPG is supposed to be "frozen for the next two years"? :confused:

im sure i heard that the price of LPG is supposed to be "frozen for the next two years"? :confused:

 

But I think that was about 2 years ago! :slap: Happy to be proven wrong tho :)

 

jonmoore172- sorry bud, I never sent you the details did I? I'll dig them out...

Got them, cheers Mark.

But I think that was about 2 years ago! :slap: Happy to be proven wrong tho :)

 

 

maybe it was 2 yrs ago..........maybe i am in need of a :slap: , only repeating what i was told whether its right or wrong is a different matter! :D

and this is my 400th post :hyper:

I've thought seriously about LPG.

 

There's a guy running his TT Supra on it with no problems I think and some blokes who've converted Soarers. I think they're on some Luxus / Toyota forum - not sure which - ask on http://www.mkivsupra.net if you want to know.

 

I'd also heard LPG doesn't lubricate valve seats as well as petrol so could cause problems in the medium - long term. Not sure if it's true.

 

A 35-40mpg Zed (or the equivalent!) sure sounds attractive though!

 

The thing is you'd have to do 20,000 miles to cover a £1000 conversion (if it took you from 25mpg to the equivalent of 35mpg). That'd take me the best part of three years.

Hi Craig et al

 

Ive asked for a quote on line and it comes to nearer £2000 ( i guess it depends where you go)

to get converted by the best garages, seems they have a ducky little LPG tank thatll fit in your spare tyre well..neat.

 

Fuel is 38p LPG against 98P Petrol

Using thse figures its more like 64 mpg (equivalent)

 

If your gonna keep your Z for a couple of years you would end up with an economical car thatll be worth much more than stock, for no extra outlay.

 

The current Government has *promised* to keep duty low on LPG but what about the Conservatives ???

if it takes approx 20k miles to get back the cost....that would be over 4 years for me, and during that time I've got a slower car.

 

If it was a 4x4 then yes....a performance car...no.