Posted on 30/03/2019 15:59
We swapped to an on board autogas tank a while ago hoping to save time and money in the long run but we are noticing that many garages are having the refill facilities removed from their forecourts. It is now being suggested by several other owners that this is a growing trend and it is becoming a problem as they are finding it increasingly harder to locate providers whilst out and about on their tours. Have I made a mistake?
Posted on 06/04/2019 16:45
I’m surprised that there aren’t more dual fuelled cars around to be honest. But I think it is a bit like the issue with electric cars at the moment. Not enough widely known about them, worry about provision of refuel stops, and the government (any government) cannot be trusted not to put up the fuel tax, and offers little back in the way of incentives.
I found this reasonably recent view offered by RAC, which sums up most things.
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emissions/what-is-lpg/
We have been running dual fuelled vehicles for some 15 years so far, and have benefitted tremendously in terms of fuel savings, despite both cars we converted being 4.0 litre petrol models. We got back the £2000 cost of having our Jeep Cherokee done at a recommended garage within months. Found no loss of power, didn’t have any issues at all running it. Towed like a dream. We were fools to part with it to be honest, it was a superb car all round, but someone asked us if it was for sale, we fancied a change, so it went. The other conversion, we still have, and use it on a daily basis, as our work horse and off road toy. Because this was done on a semi computerised car, my OH was able to fit a kit, tank etc...... himself, then had it checked over and certified with a recommended garage. To date, no problems at all with system. We lost no boot space in either of our cars, opting to have smaller tanks for petrol in both.
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Posted on 06/04/2019 16:45 by TakethedogalongI’m surprised that there aren’t more dual fuelled cars around to be honest. But I think it is a bit like the issue with electric cars at the moment. Not enough widely known about them, worry about provision of refuel stops, and the government (any government) cannot be trusted not to put up the fuel tax, and offers little back in the way of incentives.
I found this reasonably recent view offered by RAC, which sums up most things.
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emissions/what-is-lpg/
We have been running dual fuelled vehicles for some 15 years so far, and have benefitted tremendously in terms of fuel savings, despite both cars we converted being 4.0 litre petrol models. We got back the £2000 cost of having our Jeep Cherokee done at a recommended garage within months. Found no loss of power, didn’t have any issues at all running it. Towed like a dream. We were fools to part with it to be honest, it was a superb car all round, but someone asked us if it was for sale, we fancied a change, so it went. The other conversion, we still have, and use it on a daily basis, as our work horse and off road toy. Because this was done on a semi computerised car, my OH was able to fit a kit, tank etc...... himself, then had it checked over and certified with a recommended garage. To date, no problems at all with system. We lost no boot space in either of our cars, opting to have smaller tanks for petrol in both.
Posted on 06/04/2019 17:27
The conversion is certainly a lot cheaper, and possibly less prone to issues with what I would term simple cars, the one we have is getting on in years, been converted over 10 years now, with no problems. So very reliable. Probably why we have hung onto it so long to be honest, it’s a fun car, with a hugely powerful engine that we can now run fairly economically compared to when it was pure petrol. I can recall a lot of early Range Rovers being converted. Seen a few older Motorhomes as well with LPG fillers.
Posted on 06/04/2019 17:42
A petrol engine will run happily on gas.
A friend of mine ran out of petrol late one night heading home from the pub and was resigning himself to long cold walk in the rain when he remembered that he had his oxy-aceteline gear in the back of his pick-up. He took the air pipe off the carburettor and stuck the nozzle of the burning torch into the orifice and turned on the gas. Land Rover started right away and of he went home with no problems - apart from being followed by a shoal of black tatpoles!
Posted on 05/04/2019 15:22 by KjellNNYes, we found it odd too, the pumps were still there but the money taking place was all closed up, and a huge for sale sign was in place.
Investigating further on line, it seems possible that the place has either moved, as there were 2 addresses given, or you have to go down behind where the forecourt is to some other buildings to get served, there was nothing obvious from the road.
No doubt, if you are a local you will know the ropes!
Good news is that the next place we will pass on our trip is open and does have LPG, ascertained by OH by phoning them. There is also a second place near where we are going, CCC site in Dingwall, so we will take a look while we are there to see if they do indeed have LPG.
We had found an ASDA station in Dundee, which was on our way to Aberdeen, that did have LPG, before we travelled, but the following week it was posted as no longer having LPG, so pumps are certainly being removed.
Posted on 07/04/2019 14:45
We have been to check out both places near here, the one in Dingwall town is thriving, great shop with food and auto supplies and LPG pump on the forecourt, price is 75.9ppl, which is fairly high, but not as high as the other place which is just off the A9 at Tore and charges 79.9ppl.
We will fill up here before we leave as one of our bottles is empty.
Posted on 07/04/2019 16:36
Thanks TG, I think we noticed that one on the website, so good to know it is still there.
Up till now, we have only needed to fill twice in UK, when we first got the cylinders several years back, and just last June . Otherwise we have been abroad for most of our trips and have filled up there....Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Germany, France and Italy.....and made sure to come home with full cylinders.
Last year and this year we have not been able to go abroad.
We do not usually use much gas here, but at Craigellachie it was freezing, and very low voltage, the Alde on 2kw was struggling to reach 19 degrees, so we used the gas instead.
Posted on 07/04/2019 16:48 by mickysfMy concerns are increasing. Went on that app to find an auto gas service station on route only to turn up and be told the facility had been removed a year or more ago, I'm fed up!
mickysf
Motorhomer