should I buy this car with LPG?

[jdavis986]

Hello everyone,

I am thinking about buying a Grande Punto with a 5 year old LPG conversion. It is a BRC Sequential Auto Switch System. Does anyone have any experience with this system?

The owner is asking for 1900.

Here are other details;

Grande Punto 1.2 Active Stripes
2007
99,500 miles
Private seller
3 Door Hatchback
LPG/ Petrol
Manual
Metallic Blue
1,242 cc

PHOTO HERE;

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTk4WDgwMA==/ ... ~48_79.JPG


Apparantly the owner did all the services himself so it has no service history- but the car looks in pretty good nick.


"Special Edition Stripes Model but dealer supplied from new without the body stripes. Comes with Alloys, Fiat Blue & Me Audio and Phone system. Metallic Blue Paintwork. One owner from new, Good Condition throughout, 12 Month MOT (expires end September 2014), Road Taxed until End December 2013. Car details: 3 Door Hatchback, Manual 5 speed, Petrol/Bi Fuel, LPG Conversion by LPGA certified gas specialist carried out when vehicle was new, at current fuel prices car averages 70-75mpg petrol equivalent (approx. 36mpg on LPG). Annual road tax discount applies. Lpg system is automatic, just fill up and drive. If both petrol and lpg tanks are filled car has a range of approx 900 miles before refill required. With most insurers the insurance premium for lpg converted car is the same as for standard petrol only car. Electric Front windows and door mirrors, 3x3 point rear seat belts, Steering wheel reach adjustment, Rear wiper, Isofix child seat anchor points, Remote central locking. Brand new full exhaust system, recently fitted new brake discs, brake shoes and rear brake pads fitted. Timing belt replaced at 70k miles.


Can anyone tell me what are any potential issues with this system/ model that i should be aware of?

Do you think it's worth the 1900 asking price?

Many thanks!

[richard_ha]

It's a highly reputable kit. Make sure that the car is on the LPG register http://www.drivelpg.co.uk/

[Tubbs]

Personally I don't beleive LPG cars are worth any more than a standard petrol. If they where I wouldn't bother doing conversions. I would just buy cars from the auction. Fit a gas kit and mark them up by the cost of a conversion. As Richard says check its on the register. If not then its always a reason for a bit of 'wiggle room' on the asking price.

[jdavis986]

hi guys,

yes it is on the register. do you think the car is worth 1900?

[richard_ha]

It will be hard to answer that without being able to see/drive the car and see all the paperwork assosiated with it.

You could try a service like Parkers who offer valuations.
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/us ... arplate=84

That's suggesting £2,295 for Private good, based on 60k. That's higher mileage, and without any proff of the service history. Check cambelts etc have been done. If it's just had an oil change every so often that's different to having the same as a dealer service it.

[Tubbs]

Did you buy the car in the end then. ?

[jdavis986]

no, didn't get it in the end. I read some terrible reviews about Fiat Grande Puntos so thought i'd steer clear- even though the LPG sounded a good system- im sure another part of the car would be needed to be fixed soon enough!

[Tubbs]

I had a grande punto for a bit. It was in a crash and the drivers airbag and seatbelt tensioners had been deployed. But it was very light on the front end. Changed the rad, bonnet, headlight. Bit of paint, airbags/ pre tensioners, reset crash data and modules and it was good to go. Bizarrely though one of the petrol injectors stopped working. I got a new injector. Fitted it. It was saying open circuit but the wiring and plug was fine. I not ever seen a petrol injector fail before or since, chucked some cheap old rubbish gas kit on it. Think it was a first gen dream that I had removed from something, got it running acceptably and it was kind of reliable enough for me to get bored of it and flog it for a small profit. Think that was a 51 back in 2005. I don't think the gas conversion helped sell it at a profit. But the fact that the airbags had gone off and it needed a bumper, bonnet and a headlight did !
I do like a bargain project though when I've got the time.