Are there enough merits for a new LPG conversion in 2024?

[TNT]

I'm in the position of having my regular car off the road, My new clutch release plate fitted by me in feb has gone already and I have little time and will to fix it. all the local garages around me that i trust are booked up so i'll probably get to first anyway.

So i'm on the hunt for a run around/ backup car. I probably won't do the conversion on it I'm not great at crafting brackets, last time i did a conversion myself I had all that stuff ready to bolt on and just had to drill the intake manifold. transplanting an old kit to a new near identical car.

The only cars I can see around at a decent price / Mileage are Honda's, I know they'll need valve saving fluid unlike my old VW Golf. I always prefer petrol's over diesels.

LPG is typically 99.9p and 10 or 16 mile drive or few minutes diversion on the way back from work. Petrol is about 1.41 on average. With LPG dying out and the only saving grace might be the fuel prices going up with LPG lagging behind.

I have really enjoyed driving on LPG and denying the Gov loads of fuel Juty. I'm thinking it might not be worth getting converted this time, especially not knowing how certain things are in the necessary time to get LPG system paying for itself, I used to do 20,000 miles per year, now it's more like 10k-12k.

I just don't think that's going to add up. as well as who knows what this government is going to do going forward.

[Gilbertd]

Why not look for something that has already been converted? That way you're into an instant saving as someone else has already taken the hit on the installation cost. Mileage is far less important if running on LPG as engine wear is less.

[hitman2]

UK getting stiffed on lpg price, I remember when I came to Portugal and price was mote or less in par, just a few cents cheaper here, now I'm paying about 70p/litre a big difference and it's not the exchange rate difference....

Guessing the lpg industry is struggling to keep going in the UK?

Simon?

[TNT]

I'll Have a look, I don't expect to find much in the way of LPG converted cars.

LPG stations tend to close rather than get fixed up especially when refits are done here in the UK. LPG the auto gas type is dying, even though it's still much better than the electric alternatives at the moment. Hydrogen is promising but there is even less will for that here than when LPG was kicking off.

Plus as more of an IT person, I hate modern cars with passion, anything in the last 14 years has all sorts of out dated @!## in the dashboard, ( I'd rather just swap out an tablet or Ipad every 4 years if i want that stuff) possible a 3G or 4G modem built in all setup for the manufacturer to spy on your data, siphon all sorts of @!## from your phone if your stupid enough to connect it. Plus all the governments seem to be aware of this now and are mandating it in new cars, with kill switches and speed limiters. You'll never truly own a new car.

[Gilbertd]

It depends on what sort of car you are looking for. Mileage is far less important on an LPG fuelled car as the interior of the engine stays cleaner so the oil stays cleaner and will lubricate better.

The prices of LPG at the moment are down to the lower numbers of filling stations profiteering from it, they make far more per litre from LPG that petrol or diesel, and the relative scarcity of stations means they have a captive market. MFG taking over the running of Morrisons filling stations pushed prices up as most added 20p per litre virtually overnight. I contrast, the Birmingham area has a large number of filling stations, all competing for customers with the average price being around the 70ppl level compared with over £1 a litre elsewhere. MFG were investigated by the Competition Markets Authority when they took over the Morrisons filling stations and were forced to reduce their proposed petrol and diesel prices but, unfortunately, not their LPG prices.

I completely agree with you over the tech installed in cars. No matter what it is, it is superseded very quickly as technology evolves. It's not that many years ago that cars came with an FM radio and cassette player. Then came CD and DVD based sat navs, even on a car from as late as 2010. I have an aftermarket DAB radio in my car with Bluetooth so I can stream from my phone and use it for handsfree calls. I also have a Garmin sat nav that needs to be updated every so often, but that also uses Bluetooth and my phone runs a live traffic app. So while it is connected the only info that is collected is where I am and what speed I'm travelling at.

[LPGC]

It's not only MFG who were investigated by the Competition Markets Authority, before MFG big players such as Calor, members of the LiquidGas trade body (which was previously called UKLPG and before that LPGA) were investigated and forced to change some of their policies but only regards home bulk gas user customers. We would expect prices to be more expensive where there is less competition but the recent big step price increases at MFG forecourts isn't all due to lack of competition, MFG seem to have set the price almost the same at all Morrisons forecourts regardless of whether there are other/independent forecourts selling LPG cheaper nearby. Around Birmingham there is more competition but I'm not sure if it's competition or lack of price fixing and independents not being members of the trade body that makes the most difference.

I'm not as busy as I was a couple of years ago but still have a steady stream of conversion customers, 4 vehicles to convert to LPG over the next few weeks.

Also selling LPG transfer pumps but haven't really been trying to push them. Having a pump gives the ability to refuel your LPG vehicle at home from a red bottle, my closest 'LPG refuelling station' is home.

[Hloni]

I've run my autogas now for 2 years, done 62k km over that period of time, and I'm genuinely loving it.
Is it cheaper to refuel? YES
Is it easy to refuel? NO. I have to plan my life a bit more, which on the flip side is perfectly fine.
Is there much savings on running costs? DEBATABLE. I believe I'd most likely own a different daily drive vehicle if it were not for the LPG conversion. The Subaru Outback in its 2500cc guise isn't the most economical especially in city traffic.

Although I've been an advocate for over 2 years, none of my close friends have converted to log, they like the idea, but none have taken the plunge. I've been cautious about advocating for autogas as a "cheaper alternative" because the upfront cost and inconvenience of needing to plan refueling may put many off (mind you, we live in a super convenient world), however I speak of the environmental benefits of running LPG vs diesel or petrol.

[LPGC]

I've run my autogas now for 2 years, done 62k km over that period of time, and I'm genuinely loving it.
Is it cheaper to refuel? YES
Is it easy to refuel? NO. I have to plan my life a bit more, which on the flip side is perfectly fine.
Is there much savings on running costs? DEBATABLE. I believe I'd most likely own a different daily drive vehicle if it were not for the LPG conversion. The Subaru Outback in its 2500cc guise isn't the most economical especially in city traffic.

Although I've been an advocate for over 2 years, none of my close friends have converted to log, they like the idea, but none have taken the plunge. I've been cautious about advocating for autogas as a "cheaper alternative" because the upfront cost and inconvenience of needing to plan refueling may put many off (mind you, we live in a super convenient world), however I speak of the environmental benefits of running LPG vs diesel or petrol.

Should be said that you're in South Africa though. While what you've said would apply almost anywhere, and there are 'dry' areas without LPG forecourts in the UK, there might be still fewer where you are, it at least seems there are some differences.

It is sometimes strange how people (not you or any of us here) think... Make some noise and tell them that for (say) £1500 they can convert their car to run on LPG which is widely available at forecourts and costs half price of petrol, many will think it too good to be true and expect there to be catches. Quietly tell them 'Psst you can run your car from the gas that comes in 47kg bottles and refuel at home if you spend £1500 on having the car converted' and they might be more inclined to go for it, they already know the catches, seems they're cheating the system. Similarly to the situation with diesels running on vegetable oil in the UK a few years ago, people started buying gallons of new veg oil from supermarkets, some fitted heat exchangers to warm the thicker oil, then came the waste veg oil filtering companies that set up on many industrial estates, people fitted extra filters. CB radios were popular until they became legal, then the novelty wore off.

[Gilbertd]

The other advantage that I point out to people is that your engine will wear less if run on LPG. My everyday Range Rover is currently showing 517,400 miles and the oil comes out clean when I change it. To my way of thinking, clean oil is going to lubricate better so less engine wear (unless you have an engine that has soft valve seats). I was recently speaking to a large Land Rover dismantler and I told him what my mileage was and he immediately said I must be running on LPG. He said that he can tell immediately when he strips a used engine, one that has been run on petrol will invariably be black and gloopy inside, one that has been run on LPG will be clean.

[russellwheeler]

Quick answer no - Certainly where I live. Petrol is 132.7 and LPG 129.9 at Morrisons, the only filling station in Blackpool. More expensive to run on LPG at current prices.

[Gilbertd]

Bloody hell, I shan't be going to Blackpool in the near future. Or if I do I'll fill up on the way, 82.9 in Preston, 79.9 in Burnley or 75.0 just off the M61 at Pendlebury. I suppose it depends on what sort of journeys you do. If you only ever drive around your local area, then it isn't worth it (unless you spend around £60 for a 47kg (92 litre) cylinder and one of Simon's transfer pumps and fill up at home). If you do longer journeys, fill up on route somewhere that isn't ripping people off.

[russellwheeler]

Bloody hell, I shan't be going to Blackpool in the near future. Or if I do I'll fill up on the way, 82.9 in Preston, 79.9 in Burnley or 75.0 just off the M61 at Pendlebury. I suppose it depends on what sort of journeys you do. If you only ever drive around your local area, then it isn't worth it (unless you spend around £60 for a 47kg (92 litre) cylinder and one of Simon's transfer pumps and fill up at home). If you do longer journeys, fill up on route somewhere that isn't ripping people off.

I am a driving instructor, so the majority of my work is local. Yes I will venture into Penwortham (Preston) occasionally and fill up there when I can. Been running on Petrol, LPG was 36.7 mpg, Petrol is 46.7mpg. I used to have my 3 litre Mercedes running cheaper than my 1 litre Sandero does now !

[TNT]

Yea BP in Wallisdown near Bournemouth one of my filling points not too far from were I work, just jacked the price up from 99p to 129p. That's insane. Also Hinton admiral also near me hasn't had any since May they haven't stopped selling, they just have no idea when they will get a delivery even if they tell the supplier flowgas they are empty, they just turn up at random if at all, no warning.

I'm often around Southampton and it makes me wonder if that BP is going to maintain it's 99p LPG.

It's not looking Good right now with fuel duty set to rise. Hopefully it's a warm winter and LPG demand stays low.

I'm really tempted to get a dirty diesel. thankfully i don't need to go into London or a LEZ often.

[Gilbertd]

I suspect the Wallisdown one is owned or operated by MFG so it has gone up to their standard price. According to Autogas.app, the one in Southampton is still at 99.9p and was confirmed a couple of days ago so is likely to stay at that price.

[TNT]

Ower is back in action M27 J2 and back down to 99p too, Pretty much pass that on 80% of trips out of the New Forrest. Lost Hinton Admiral's Acosta services, They don't want to fix or maintain there pumps anymore if the pumps aren't in use the tend to break down there supply has been irregular at best.

I think the Long Term solution is to get a transfer pump and get bottled gas. I can fill up at home.

I've just picked up a new car, Petrol Avensis 1.8 VVT-I 2007 just under 60,000 Miles. getting a surprising boost in MPG going from VW( 1.6 l AKL engine) 35mpg to Toyota 48mpg, Gonna drive it around for a few months and fully service it, Oil, new coolant, belts, plugs, break fluid, see if it's truly worthy of an LPG conversion. it looks like it's using no oil ( unlike my VW ) or any water leaks. it seems to be the part.

Might need the Bottled gas thing to work out to bite that bullet long term with stations dropping all the time.