caliburn

Is anyone driving a LPG vehicle in Australia? Does it really save on fuel cost? What are the pros and cons?

DrWho

My LandCruiser is on dual fuel... run it pretty much all the time on LPG... 70l cost me just over $34 the other day, so about 16 quid...

Disadvantages are that engines tend to run hotter than petrol and you don't get the same mpg... haven't bothered to work mine out but I doubt it'd be anything better than 12mpg around the N beaches here...

Some engines/manufacturers seem to be much better with it... Tojo's in particular...

aus2be_OH

I had/have a '97 Prado, 3.4L V6, Dual Fuel. Got about 15L/100km on petrol. On Gas I got about 25l/100km when first installed, got it tuned a little and then was getting 23L/100km.

Definitely notice a drop in power when running on Gas.

HTH

caliburn

Thanks mate. How does the equation of higher LPG consumption vs. lower LPG cost work out? Does it really save on costs?

marco121068

We run our 4.8 litre Patrol on LPG. It makes a HUGE difference in filling up costs. Not really noticed a huge difference in fuel consumption (can't call it economy. ).

Fantastic filling up the tank (95 litres) for less than $40.

aus2be_OH

I'll let you work it out mate.

ULP = $1.10 @ 15L/100km
LPG = 43.5c @ 23L/100km

geordiebloke

How do LPG running costs compare to diesel?

caliburn

So, after adjusting for higher consumption, effective cost of LPG is coming to 66.7c/L. This represents roughly 40% savings. Put it the other way, you are saving about 6.5c per km by using LPG or $2,340 per year assuming 36,000km/yr odo.

Rapido

Caliburn, the cost of LPG will remain lower as it is exempt from duty until 2011. If consumption increases significantly by that time then you could say with some certainty that the fed. govt. won't be able to resist grabbing a slice of the action.

Mates of mine are very happy with the conversion, given that the govt. gives a rebate ($2000 I think, could be wrong) to do it. Even without the rebate they say they still would have done it as it doesn't take long to recoup the expense.

Geordiebloke - diesel is as expensive as petrol in Oz, so any saving you'd make is on consumption only.

geordiebloke

yeh, I was wandering how consumption between diesel and LPG would compare

cheers

caliburn

Thanks Rapido. I'm increasingly convinced that I should buy a dual fuel vehicle.

hereshoping

We looked into converting our car and decided against it because it is highly likely that LPG will be taxed in the not too distant future and then the savings will be all but wiped out. The cost of conversion would not be recouped if this happens.

See here for more info.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...?from=storyrhs

aus2be_OH

Conversion on my Prado cost $3600. Government rebates were $1000 & $2000. Total final cost to me was $600.

caliburn

Governments all over the world are giving people incentives to use cleaner fuel. While some countries have marginally increased the prices of LPG or CNG over time, none have comletely withdrawn the benefits. Australian government's eagerness to increase LPG usage is well reflected in both the one-off conversion subsidy and the LPG price. Regardless of what the 90c newspapers say, I find it hard to believe that the incentives will go away in near future.

ABCDiamond

LPG rebate scheme
http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/Energy...ages/home.aspx

There are two different grants available, subject to the eligibility criteria:

A grant of $2,000 for the LPG conversion of a new or used petrol or diesel motor vehicle;
This includes new or used vehicles where the conversion occurs after the vehicle is registered; and new vehicles where the LPG unit is fitted after manufacture but before the vehicle is registered for the first time.

A grant of $1,000 for the purchase of a new motor vehicle with a LPG unit fitted at the time of manufacture of the vehicle

Program eligibility criteria changed 24 September 2008.