The rising cost of fuel

I did promise the occasional non-football related entry and this is one of them. I’d like to think that any visitor coming to this blog will not only read (and be interested in) my personal thoughts but will also read the odd article that they can get some practical use out of, maybe this will be one of them.

About a year ago I discovered all about Autogas, or LPG as it’s also known. Autogas is an alternative fuel to regular unleaded or diesel and somewhat cheaper (today’s price is as low as 74p a litre) and despite the fact it is becoming more popular and people are becoming more aware of alternative fuels I have lost count at the amount of people who accost me at a petrol garage and say “what’s that you’re putting in?” or the odd looks I get from people when I’m filling up.

I won’t bore your with the mechanics of how gas is converted into liquid in order to power your engine but suffice to say it isn’t done by magic or will power, you have to get your engine converted to be able to do so. This can only be done by an approved garage as obviously you’re dealing with explosive materials, so it’s not a case of asking your local cowboy garage to have a go. The cost of this can range from £900-£2,000 depending on what system you have installed and where the work is carried out. I imagine if you live in London the competition for the work is higher therefore prices will be more competitive. If you live in a rural location there may only be one approved garage within a 50 mile radius and naturally they will charge accordingly. Personally I paid £1,400.

Presently you cannot convert a diesel car, again I won’t bore you with why but I imagine as technology develops someone will eventually convert diesel cars and others will follow suit.

LPG is very, very popular across the continent in Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe (the system installed on my car is manufactured in Poland) and also very popular throughout France, Germany and Holland. Those who take driving or camping holidays throughout Europe would definitely benefit as there would be ample opportunities to fill up and do so cheaply.

The basic mechanics of the conversion is that a kit is installed to your engine, and a tank to contain the Autogas is installed in your boot. Now depending on your preference and circumstance, you can either opt to have a tyre shaped tank installed in the spare wheel well, or a larger tank installed behind the rear seats. My car has a larger capacity tank due to the nature of my driving (motorway miles) which means more miles between re-fuelling stops, however this does encroach on my boot space. If you do not use your boot to full capacity on a regular basis I would highly recommend you choose this option, as there’s nothing more satisfying that filling up to the brim for £45, when everyone else is paying £75 or even £100 to do the same.

There are hundreds of web pages available if you are serious about carrying out this conversion which will provide further information. I hope this article has been useful to you and raised awareness about cheaper motoring.