If it is a personal car it is probably worth it as you get $3k in grants back from state and federal gov's so the $1000 or so you pay for installation can be paid back in a reasonable time-frame. If you use it for business, then no grants and then it makes it really long time to pay back unless you are a taxi doing massive kilometres. You will have to foot the amount up front, then claim it back and the governments are notorously slow at paying - so don't count on it being paid quickly.
Whether you'll drop your fuel bill really depends on what you use the car for and how heavy your foot is - if you tow a lot, then you'll really get no benifit in my experience, plus you lose a lot of bootspace or have a tiny useless tank in your spare wheeel well and if you have a heavy left foot you'll actually end up going backwards. Also be aware that gas is not available everywhere when you travel north - I know it took some planning by Paul G to figure out which stations had gas and which didn't when we went to exy. In general, you will use about 1.5 times as much gas as petrol, so if your fuel bill is around $100/week, you'll save yourself about $20/week and you'll recoup the $1000 within a year or so (based on petrol $1.50 and gas $0.80).
I've got a 100 series cruiser on petrol/gas. Its the second 4x4 i've owned on lpg.
Depending on the installation, you may not lose room. There are tanks that can fit under the rear cargo area (but that depends on where you petrol tank is and where else you can put your spare wheel) There are set ups that use two smaller 35lt tanks, one either side of the vehicle (midships so to speak) or they can simply put a tank in you cargo space, but like huggyb said you will lose a lot of room with that one.
A good option may be the two tanks either side of the vehicle if there is room.
Further, depending on where you are going to use it most will depend on how viable the conversion is. As a rule, i don't use my LPG for towing. Towing will double or even triple your consumption rate. Don't have a lead foot or the same will apply. The biggest thing for me is I don't use the LPG north of Carnarvon. It is just to expensive. Here in exxy we are paying $1.17 a litre for LPG and $1.73 for petrol. With the fuel economy you get out of it it is just not worth it. I often consider replacing the lpg with a huge petrol tank but then when i go back to perth every now and then it reminds how good it is to have in the burbs. At $0.60 cents or so a litre, it works out well.
Considering the gas is pumped out of the ground a few hundred k's away, i should be putting a tap on the bunbury pipeline.
Check your figures and then do some rechecking before you do it.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Diesel or petrol
Is it diesel or petrol mate?
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
I'll assume petrol.....
If it is a personal car it is probably worth it as you get $3k in grants back from state and federal gov's so the $1000 or so you pay for installation can be paid back in a reasonable time-frame. If you use it for business, then no grants and then it makes it really long time to pay back unless you are a taxi doing massive kilometres. You will have to foot the amount up front, then claim it back and the governments are notorously slow at paying - so don't count on it being paid quickly.
Whether you'll drop your fuel bill really depends on what you use the car for and how heavy your foot is - if you tow a lot, then you'll really get no benifit in my experience, plus you lose a lot of bootspace or have a tiny useless tank in your spare wheeel well and if you have a heavy left foot you'll actually end up going backwards. Also be aware that gas is not available everywhere when you travel north - I know it took some planning by Paul G to figure out which stations had gas and which didn't when we went to exy. In general, you will use about 1.5 times as much gas as petrol, so if your fuel bill is around $100/week, you'll save yourself about $20/week and you'll recoup the $1000 within a year or so (based on petrol $1.50 and gas $0.80).
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Muppet
Posts: 408
Date Joined: 23/11/09
Good for around Perth
I've got a 100 series cruiser on petrol/gas. Its the second 4x4 i've owned on lpg.
Depending on the installation, you may not lose room. There are tanks that can fit under the rear cargo area (but that depends on where you petrol tank is and where else you can put your spare wheel) There are set ups that use two smaller 35lt tanks, one either side of the vehicle (midships so to speak) or they can simply put a tank in you cargo space, but like huggyb said you will lose a lot of room with that one.
A good option may be the two tanks either side of the vehicle if there is room.
Further, depending on where you are going to use it most will depend on how viable the conversion is. As a rule, i don't use my LPG for towing. Towing will double or even triple your consumption rate. Don't have a lead foot or the same will apply. The biggest thing for me is I don't use the LPG north of Carnarvon. It is just to expensive. Here in exxy we are paying $1.17 a litre for LPG and $1.73 for petrol. With the fuel economy you get out of it it is just not worth it. I often consider replacing the lpg with a huge petrol tank but then when i go back to perth every now and then it reminds how good it is to have in the burbs. At $0.60 cents or so a litre, it works out well.
Considering the gas is pumped out of the ground a few hundred k's away, i should be putting a tap on the bunbury pipeline.
Check your figures and then do some rechecking before you do it.
.
Silk200611
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 08/02/09
Thought the Gov grants had
Thought the Gov grants had stopped now, But i could be wrong..
Call me Brad as that's my name..
brg
Posts: 666
Date Joined: 31/12/09
cool thanks
cool thanks