LPG kits - Which one?

[Tubbs]

Bit more broken than that ! All the components are melted !

[alienb4ndit]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Special-Offer ... 20cb73aeb9


Would this be a good option for me?

[Tubbs]

I give up ! What do you want. A kit to install yourself or someone to install it (badly) for you ?
Same kit from the photos. It's not a king ecu, valtek 30's and a tomasetto artic reducer.

[alienb4ndit]

Keep your hair on (if you have any left)!

I merely asked if it would be a good option! Clearly, from your reaction, not!

I only wanted to fit a kit myself to save money but its turning out to cost as much to buy the parts individually as it is to get one fitted, badly or not!

Plus, if I buy parts individually I won't get the support and instructions that would come with some kits.

I, like most people, want the best kit for the best price, whether it requires me to fit it or not.

[Gilbertd]

If you were converting something like a Nissan Micra then a cheapo kit would do the job but you aren't, you're converting a high powered turbocharged 4 cylinder car. You have a choice, buy cheap and end up shelling out for the faults to be rectified later (as well as having to have it inspected, bought up to scratch and certified when your insurance company wants it to be on the register). The install on that ad would not pass inspection using the small hidden filler as it needs an adapter to allow you to fill it. Those small fittings are popular in Eastern Europe (where do you think the Pol in Autogaspol comes from?) but are downright dangerous. The brass adapter has a tiny 10mm thread on it which is so weak that it can snap off under the weight of the filler nozzle and leave you spraying liquid Propane over the garage forecourt.

You either pay to have a kit that isn't up to the job installed (badly) for you or you pay only slightly less for a kit that will suit your car and fit it yourself. If you go to one of the suppliers suggested originally, they will supply you with a kit to suit your car. Even if it is a mix and match, they will still supply it and give you support. Fitting it yourself may take a lot longer but, assuming you know what you are doing, will be done properly.

[rossko]

Have you found out the output of your engine yet? As already discussed, there are Saab turbos and Saab turbos ... you don't know what you're aiming at yet.

I understand a bit of frustration - there are are a lot of threads here that begin with "What is the best .." but after some time hints and tips the poster just finds the cheapest kit on eBay anyway.

[Tubbs]

Sorry. It does just wind me up a bit. And no it's alright. I haven't got much hair left to loose. So for example I only charge £1050 for a 4 cylinder with UKLPGA registration. Hardly worth the hassle of fitting your own kit of unknown variety, that you dont know will work correctly. Or what bits you actually need. I am all up for supporting D.I.Y, but some times its counter productive.

[alienb4ndit]

Ok, Tubbs.... that price is a kit fitted to my car?
Can you supply only?

[Tubbs]

No i cant supply. I primarilly fit a 'trade' only system that isn't available to the general public. A very good quality Italian injection system called Emer. And it will quite happily cope with your car. Its AEB based so software is easily available. Just the system that isnt.

[alienb4ndit]

Ok, where are you based?

[Tubbs]

Ludlow in Shropshire ... Where are you ?

[alienb4ndit]

Redditch

[Tubbs]

Ideal ! Just the other side of Kiddy then....

[alienb4ndit]

Yes, thats right
Out of interest, what would be the cost of a conversion on a volvo v70 2.4 170bhp? It's my neighbours car. We were talking about my car and lpg when he said he was considering lpg hmself but he's not sure whether it would be beneficial to him as he only uses 1 tankful per month

[Tubbs]

Probably not tbh, you have got to be doing the miles to get the pay off. Car like that, 5 cylinder with electronic flashlube you would be talking £1300 ...

[alienb4ndit]

Which begs the ultimate question.... is it worth me doing mine? I spent roughly £30-35 per week in my diesel doing an average 42mpg and covering a maximum of 200 miles per week. Now I'm in my Saab doing roughly 25-28mpg

Do people generally convert to lpg with these sorts of figures

The reason I've bought the saab is because of its towing capabilities therefore it will be used for towing a caravan which obviously means the fuel consumption will be considerably more.

[Gilbertd]

It depends on how you look at the costs. If you add the cost of the conversion to the purchase price of the car then you are into a saving on fuel costs, and hence monthly outlay immediately. This may seem an odd way of looking at it but you'll probably find that you can buy a big luxury, relatively thirsty, petrol car for a lot less than you'd pay for the equivalent diesel. So even if you pay £1500 for a conversion, look at how much you've paid in total and compare it with what you might have had to spend. If converting a car you already own, then obviously there is the break even mileage where the savings on fuel costs have recouped what you pay for a conversion. Depending on the sort of mileage you do, that will be after 6 months, a year or even two years or more but if the car is reasonably recent so unlikely to die on you in the next couple of years and you intend keeping it, you'll still reduce your running costs sooner or later. Only you, or your neighbour, can make that decision.

But, the way I look at it, is that I can run a 4.0 litre V8 powered Range Rover for marginally more than it costs my wife to run a 1.4 litre shopping trolley and I know which I prefer to drive. My old Saab 900 would average 26 mpg on LPG which works out to the equivalent running costs of over 50 mpg if I had been running on petrol.

[alienb4ndit]

[quote="Gilbertd"]It depends on how you look at the costs. If you add the cost of the conversion to the purchase price of the car then you are into a saving on fuel costs, and hence monthly outlay immediately. This may seem an odd way of looking at it but you'll probably find that you can buy a big luxury, relatively thirsty, petrol car for a lot less than you'd pay for the equivalent diesel.[/quote

Looking at it like that, you're right. The car cost me £1500 only a few days ago - I wouldn't have got the equivalent car as a diesel in as good a condition and with only 100k on the clock for £2400.

[Tubbs]

There is another way to look at it. If you put a grand in the bank for a year how much interest would it make ? Maybe £20 ? If you put a grand into an lpg conversion and just carried about your buisiness for a year it would probarbly have paid for itself and netted you at least a couple of hunderd quid, probarbly more. And you will find that you probarbly do 15-20 k a year really. Or you will when it costs you £35 for a full tank
( bloody hell, since when did i become a salesman ! Im a gas converter ! Wheres my soldering iron)

[alienb4ndit]

With sales pitches like that you must be booked up for the next 12 months!

Is £900 the best you can do? (Gotta ask - no harm in trying)