Is a V8 on LPG really as 'economical' as a diesel?

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Having seen various versions of man maths on the diesel v LPG generally it seems that on day to day use over say 7K - 10K a year on purely cost terms there isn't a lot in it.
I'd disagree about the price difference on LPG converted to non converted vehicles. When I bought my LPG rrc last year (which is what I wanted) there was no premium at all between the two.
I think most would agree that a V8 sounds better and goes better than the diesels being considered here.

Personally I didn't and wouldn't consider a diesel for the leisure and commuting journeys I use mine for. If it was for anything vaguely work related I might reconsider but the cars considered would be different so its not relevant here (TDIs etc)

The LPG availability is a real issue. Sure you can buy road maps with the sites marked and there seem to be loads. Mostly there aren't, definitely not here in wiltshire. Lots are only open work hours and generally I'm looking to buy gas at every opportunity to avoid having to make a special journey just to get some - which rather defeats the object. A biggish town like Swindon has one filling station with gas (out of dozens) and one membership only 24hr filling point - awkwardly sited about 200 yds apart. Its very poor.
This I hadn't really considered when I bought the car and it is a bit of a PITA.

Still for me it makes running a very thirsty car just about justifiable and I'd do the same again if I had to. Couldn't really accept a diesel classic I'm afraid but that's just me.

Sorry got a bit off topic but hey ho.
 
A bit has been said about cost savings, don't forget that tax relief on LPG is due to expire in 2012 as set up by Gordon Brown.

An alternative may be a diesel/lpg conversion? Keep the motor you have (if you have it yet) although I did read about some issues with some vehicles not running with diesel alone after using LPG for some time. I believe the lpg is either injected in to the airstream as normal (except on idle) and it runs as dual fuel mixture or some form of spark plug is used to run each seperately. I did try to find one I looked at last year I think was mercury engineering which dealt with heavy trucks and lpg injection systems but couldn't find it. But this might help?

THE LPG Conversion Consultants
 
Hi peeps, I run a D2 on LPG but it only does about 5 miles each way ferrying the wife to work and 5 miles home again so it doesn't really get fully warm. It returns about 11.5mpg doing this and at 69.9p/l that means about 30p per mile. Work in to that the added cost of unleaded while it warms up and the cost jumps.
On the motorway I have managed to eek 17mpg (19p per mile).
The LPG tanks have replaced the original petrol tank so I have not lost any boot space, but with a combined water displacement of 80 litres I can only get around 54 litres of gas in from empty. This gives me a range of around 120 miles round town or 160 ish on a run. Not as much as I would like.
LPG fuel stations are not as rare as some people would have you believe but obviously no where near as common as diesel stations.
However, the satisfaction of being able to afford to run a V8 swings it for me, but make your own mind up.
Hope this helps you decide.
 
Tell me more....?

I believe from memory that the price of LPG has been given a lower tax to keep its price low and encourage alternative fuels. This ends in 2012. However, I'm sure that I have read this on the BBC but I can't find it. I hope I'm wrong but with a growing number of motorists using it it is only a matter of time before they bump it up. Will try and find the link.
 
Ugly, you are correct, however supply and demand will always play a massive factor into this,many many more diesel on the road,also as LPG is seen as "green" it will always attract various tax breaks,as with the EU etc.
 
3.9 classic I had ran LPG 120,000 miles and no problems one tip if you get one with LPG drain and flush the cooling system and refill with neat anti freeze as anti freeze has a higher boiling point disapates heat a lot better so the motor will run cooler this will help negate the extra heat generated when running on LPG.I also ran a VM diesel with neat anti freeze and that ran cooler as that was an engine known for running rather hot.
 
I have never tried all antifreeze but I was always told that too much will have the adverse effect aparently and reduce the cooling effect? Never had it proven but I tried water wetter. I know how this sounds and I'm not taking the mick but SC's in Crawley sell it and it is supposed to break down the surface tension to aid heat absorbtion. Google it, there was some good write ups about it.
 
I've got some overlays on my satnav for finding lpg stations. Makes it simple.

138000 miles on my P38 4.6, about 80000 of which have been on lpg.

Having lpg fitted seems to make no difference whatsoever to the sale price of the vehicle so it is definitely worth buying one already converted.

It should have no effect on your insurance.

Annual lpg servicing consists of basically checking there are no leaks and replacing the filter - can be done yourself.

The claims of lpg causing overheating, slipped liners etc are opinion not fact. The facts are that the larger V8s are a bad design and are ALL prone to these faults whether they're running lpg or not. People seem to conveniently forget this detail.

Just my 2 pence worth. I have no experience of diesel so can't really comment - I just hate the smell and crappy noise they make. Don't get me wrong, diesels have their place - tractors and ships mainly! :)
 
Hi ya all I'm new and I have just bought a 1996 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY XS V8I AUTO RED LPG CONVERSION (Leonardo). I really do hope I get more than 15mpg out of it. I was told it could do upto 38mpg on LPG.
 
Hi ya all I'm new and I have just bought a 1996 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY XS V8I AUTO RED LPG CONVERSION (Leonardo). I really do hope I get more than 15mpg out of it. I was told it could do upto 38mpg on LPG.

Not gunna happen.
 
Hi ya all I'm new and I have just bought a 1996 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY XS V8I AUTO RED LPG CONVERSION (Leonardo). I really do hope I get more than 15mpg out of it. I was told it could do upto 38mpg on LPG.

15mpg if you're lucky. My previous 110 on LPG did between 11 and 12 mpg on LPG.
 
Hi ya all I'm new and I have just bought a 1996 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY XS V8I AUTO RED LPG CONVERSION (Leonardo). I really do hope I get more than 15mpg out of it. I was told it could do upto 38mpg on LPG.

They might have meant the equivalent of 38mpg, but even so that does seem wildly optimistic.
 
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Neat antifreeze isn't a good idea.

I'm a self confessed V8 fan, just got rid of 200Tdi Range Rover. As well as the Petrol V8 off roader RR my replacement roadie RR is a late hotwire 3.9EFi RRC with multipoint LPG conversion. Have to say it not just about mpg....the driving experience is simply MILES apart. I can understand the atraction of diesel, so not dissing it, its just not for me (in a RR atleast). Not had the Brooklands LPG RRC long enough to get a feel for MPG but about £40 of LPG got me from North Manchester down to Nantwich cheshire then back again with gas to spare. It's one of the nicest conversions Ive seen, a reduced petrol tank capacity holding about £40 of petrol with two LPG cylinders where the remainder of the petrol tank wouldve been, holding just near £50 of LPG when filled.
Yeah, the TOMTOM LPG stations function helps take to worry out of a journey, and never quite realised there are so many about (in this part of UK atleast)
 
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