LPG option for S40?

[classicswede]

Things like Range Rover Sports Supercharhed that need a lot of time and the petrol ECU reprogramming. Motorhomes with multi tank installs or conversions with like the old jeeps with a replacemnet petrol tank.

The normal conversions on Volvo's or anything else not a problem

[zoidberg]

How much would an install for a 'T' reg T4 phase 1.5 cost and how long would it take ??

[CNGBiFuel]

The OP originally propsoed that he had two vehilcles. The usual way to acquire these is by purchase. I am sorry to hear the second was acquired by unfortuante means.

However this does not change the central point.

With a converted car worth £4000 the proposal is to get into £5000+, such that by break-even the car will have depreciated to what a decent LPG converted car can be had for right now. This makes it a bit daft. Lest we forget that any already converted car will save right away. So if that is where you are going, to save money, why not go there now?

Or, you are going to vaporise £2-3000 in that break-even period? To save money?

These things are not rare. There's never been a shortage of very decent LPG cars. Even at the top-end, a 2005 V70 (91,000 miles) fitted with a Prins system sold for £3600 on eblag only last month. Me? I'm a fan of the factory conversions largely because I understand them, and you'll get a decent one for about £1500 if you look carefully.

Prices like these makes any proposal to spend £1700 [even £1200ish as 'classic' quotes]. on any LPG conversion nonsensical.

I accept the devil-you-know argument in that yours will be a known vehicle, yet to get payback with money tied-up as a sunk-cost means you've got to keep and maintian a car for 2-3 years or 30-40,000+ miles to even draw level. If its worth £4000 now, by the time you have done those miles, the extra miles and years has the car worth £2000 if you're lucky. The £1200-1700 conversion is then vaporised. In the meantime you run chances of the vehicle coming a cropper for a multitude of other reasons, all of which might easily prevent you from actually saving any money.



As is so often the case with any conversion away from stock, you'll never see costs returned in resale. If you were to buy a car alrady converted, if you are careful and buy hte right one, youy'll make savings on day one, and still have money otherwise spent in your pocket to get you out of a jam should the worst happen.

And becuase you bought 'right' should you wish to unlod yoru car the next day, you'll get what you paid for it. Which you'll never see even in 50,000 miles of bills going the conversion route. Largely because you lost the lot in depreciation of the conversion cost, and the car itself.

That 2005 V70 at 91,000 miles fitted with a Prins system? It could never have truly paid for its conversion in fuel savings, and now it's worth only £3600? It would be worth that without the conversion.

On the other hand, you carry on... best I shut-up. I'll happily be the bloke that buys your converted car from you in 2-3 years. You'll be the one that took the hit...

[Veefor]

CNGB Bi Fuel
I sent you a message regarding the fettling of my S60 Bi fuel.
Not sure if you saw my other post but since we spoke the clutch needs replacing and the radiator.
The car has done nearly 250,000 miles but has been very well serviced and not needed for anything until now.I did get it reasonably cheap,£700 but in your experience of bi fuels and having read what you said above would you think it's worth spending around £700 or so again on the new clutch and rad?
Also does it have a dmf on that model 2003 S60 Bi fuel?,as that would need doing too would it?

[CNGBiFuel]

If you can replace it for £700 likely not. You're at the other end of the same quandary.

The car if it needs that amount of money to be roadworthy, with 250,000 its worth near nothing. Liek mine, it could be regarded as a clunker. So in essence, by spending £700 will you be in front? Or is it good money after bad? I can only guess, but I suspect that it is.
I tend to buy cars that are very old but with genuine low mileage, the age, not the mileage making them cheap. If it's old and high mileage, I'd drive it until it stops, unless you have reasons that would stand scrutiny to do otherwise. Cars are cheap for two reasons, mileage and age; or jsut age; make sure you buy for the latter.

I have no issues with LPG conversions, I've paid hard-earned to have them done... twice. And, nearly had Dai do me a third. If you've a new gas-guzzler with high residual-value where conversion is not the value of the car in two years time, or a 30 year old classic that's both a keeper and one you intend to use lots, your actual LPG conversion is the way to go. That'll be why Dai's staple is generally those sort of cars.

But in the case of the OP, and I'm sorry if the stark reality offended, I fail to see how his proposal stands scrutiny, thus if I were doing such a thing, (I'll keep him out of it) I could be doing it for all manner of reasons, one of which could be a penchant for willy-waving or simply because i can; I want to; or becasue nobody tells me I shouldn't; but none could be anything to do with saving any of my hard-earned.

Now Veefor, I'd love to take money off you for various Bifuel bits, but for similar reasons, it sounds like your car has good reason to be sittiing at the top of a breaker's pile. But purchace price and reapirs totalling £1400+ might mean you have a car worth all of that to you. It's cheap motoring even still. You're not getting the £700 purcahse price back, so it's what accountants call a 'sunk-cost'. Hence, your exampel does not suffer meaningful depreciation, it sits on the fence. It could equally be argued, because you're not in at £5000 dropping to £2000, you are likely better off to have the work done. Cheap motoring is £1500 wahtever you do, so although if it had been me, I'd have started with an older/lower mileage base, (or paid slightly more to get that) it may as well be this car. After that, it's a calclauted risk.

[volvoid]

All cars cost money.
Those with adequate funds get to choose how they spend it.

[CNGBiFuel]

Absolutley right. My approach; buying a £1500 75,000 mile Oldie, has minimal financial costs. There is no way when depreciation, insurance and fuel (the largest costs of car ownership) are factored, it'll ever be cheaper to drive any other way.
My car's equivelant today would cost nearer £35-40,000. It wasn't me that took that hit.

I do pay though... in a loss of snob-appeal. Only if you look on our roads, this is a cost most are not willing to suffer. It is why perfectly serviceable cars at 15 years old are worthless. But for the very small minority, they are a rich seam for drivers like me. Deprecaition is a cost msot don't even factor for, yet because tax and insurance etc etc are largley 'sunk' costs, it drives the real cost of most peoples' cars, yet it is most forgotten. Moaning about petrol prices as though what said actaully made sense makes me smile. The typical car in their drive lost £5000 to snob-appeal every two years. Unless you really drive it, (ie not 12,000 a year) a few pence in fuel price hikes or savings is not really a concern.

[Veefor]

Yeah I don't do snob appeal,the ex wife took that avenue away from me along with the house,dog and all my power tools!
Having said that I'd rather have an old Volvo than an old bike.
Me bitter?ha ha no just learnt an expensive lesson.

[classicswede]

Originally Posted by Veefor

Me bitter?ha ha no just learnt an expensive lesson.

Is that best not invest in one that should last for life and just use the pay as you go method! Lol

[Veefor]

Yeah trouble is I paid and she goed.