Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
living in the Saaafff as you do I'm sure you have a defence to the "Sloane Taxi" brigade that you are being friendly to the nation using LPG. Also bear in mind that the figures given were the best I could achieve. The more you play, the less the economy. Incidently I still haven't put the magnets on so I may be able to improve on those economy figures. I'll let you know when I do
Leo
10th Nov 2005 3:14 pm
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
minicabelemet wrote:
Leo, that sounds very impresive! I am still thinking which way to go as the LPG in my area is 43-49 p/litre and that means that it would cost me about 15% less than diesel and I would have 15% more power than a chipped diesel. It looks an easy decision, but I got to think about the £2500 for conversion, plus the fact that the lpg tank would replace the spare wheel (it would give me 90 less 20% = 76litres lpg= 200 miles range), insurance issues, waranty issues, etc. As I do not do more than 10K miles a year it might not make financial sense to go for the V8, but on the other hand we have to do our bit to help the environment (LPG is 10 times less poluting than a diesel !), so.. it is not easy decision. Thanks for all your info and please keep us all informed as I am sure that there are a lot of people who want 15-35% more power for 15-35 % less money!
To replace the spare wheel with a gas tank is tantamount to suicide. As Slimer says, the spare wheel is part of the rear impact safety system. Put a gas tank in and as most crashes are rear end shunts, you simply install a bomb into the impact area . Not a good idea I think.
10th Nov 2005 3:27 pm
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
Leo,
Many thanks for the interesting data. I shall try to fit the figures into my calculations.
Two other points in my considerations:
Parking in underground garage:
I asked the managers of the block of flats I live in about this and the man there said that there was no problem: LPG cars are as safe as petrol, if not more so.
LPG conversion in Germany:
I have sent an e-mail to a German off-road magazine, 4WheelFun (good German, don't you think - that's Neudeutsch!), asking whether the conversion you had done is available over here. I'll report any answer I receive, in case it is of interest to anyone else looking in.
Eric
10th Nov 2005 10:08 pm
minicabelemet
Member Since: 28 Oct 2005
Location: Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey
Posts: 85
So you guys think that a tank installed in the spare wheel area is not very bright. Hmmm, then I might not have many option left! It did sound very appealing to get 295BHP for less than you spend on diesel, but I will not put my boys at risk. Sorry Leo, but it looks that I will have to settle for a chipped diesel. I know that most of the dealers are desperate to offload the V8's and I could have bought a HSE V8 on 05 plate with 3K miles for as little as £34500 in a nice Zambezi silver with dark leather. Let see if I can find something similiar for diesel!!!
Auto box is very smooth, Manual is more economicalThe End
11th Nov 2005 12:17 am
Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
As slimer says the manual is more economical by a couple of miles per gallon but the difference I found was when I want to play. Put your foot down and with the automatic you get the turbo lag once as you set off and the smooth auto gearbox changes up at the best revs to keep the power constant. Try the same thing with the manual and, unless you can perfect the change, you get the hesitation with every gear change. That's on the TDV6
If you want fun go for the auto, if you want economy, go for the manual.
If you're on the V8 there's no turbo lag, just raw power. Take your choice, both are fun but the manual is more economical. On LPG I can floor the auto box, use it like a manual and still return better economy than a diesel driving like a nun.
My suggestion would be test drive them all before buying.
Leo
11th Nov 2005 1:06 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Not as much torque from the V8 though. Or wait and see if the V8 diesel is used in D3, but I don't think they will DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
11th Nov 2005 9:44 am
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
Monkeyhanger wrote:
As slimer says the manual is more economical by a couple of miles per gallon but the difference I found was when I want to play. Put your foot down and with the automatic you get the turbo lag once as you set off and the smooth auto gearbox changes up at the best revs to keep the power constant. Try the same thing with the manual and, unless you can perfect the change, you get the hesitation with every gear change. That's on the TDV6
If you want fun go for the auto, if you want economy, go for the manual.
If you're on the V8 there's no turbo lag, just raw power. Take your choice, both are fun but the manual is more economical. On LPG I can floor the auto box, use it like a manual and still return better economy than a diesel driving like a nun.
My suggestion would be test drive them all before buying.
Leo
Many fors and against points, all are very valid for each individuals use clearly.
One thing most are forgetting, is that dip a petrol V8 in water with its additional electrics and it is more likely to have a problem than a diesel.
My thoughts are V8 for on road use in the main, diesel for those who want the most out of their D3, including pure lugging power and off roading.
11th Nov 2005 9:57 am
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
I have now heard from the local dealer that, at least here in Germany, a conversion to LPG would invalidate the LR warranty on the engine but not on other parts of the car.
That would have been discouraging, though perhaps reasonable, but I had decided in the meantime anyhow not to have the conversion done. My main reason was that, given the extra fuel consumption of the petrol engine, the conversion wouldn't bring enough benefit, either economically (here in Germany) or for the environment. All in all, I felt that the extra complication wasn't worth it on an already complex car.
Eric
17th Nov 2005 9:40 pm
simkna
Member Since: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Leicester
Posts: 806
Any pics of that tank installation yet Monkeyhanger?
Also, are you still just as happy with the installation?
Si.
21st Feb 2006 10:07 pm
IKke
Member Since: 29 Apr 2008
Location: Brabant
Posts: 327
It looks like he's gone
would have liked to see the pics
19th May 2008 8:37 pm
GDL
Member Since: 06 Sep 2006
Location: Highlands
Posts: 219
When i was looking to buy my D3 i spoke to site sponsors Re lpg and the V8 ,give them a call and see what they say
19th May 2008 8:59 pm
raftrey
Member Since: 29 Oct 2006
Location: wigan
Posts: 59
Slimer. Did the fuel tank area on the D2 V8 not form part of the crash protection area?
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. Not a good idea I think
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