[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by rsmallwo

Been flirting with the idea of getting a 55plate M6 and converting to LPG....

Burn me at the stake as the heretic that I am

Now that does sound like an interesting project, if it can be done without too much compromise.

HighlandPete

[richard in NC]

I have always gone for the top performer in any car I've purchased, and always love V8s. However the 335is is more than enough performance for most folks and was the more afordable choice over an M3, purchase price and fuel cost.

However, the cost isn't much different in the overal equation. For example, at 1200 miles per month, 20MPG = $240 and 24MPG = $200, a little more than $1 per day. A small price for the pleasure of the V8 sound and performance. OTOH, a 15MPG M5 or big SUV would be $320, noticeably higher. In the other direction, the savings aren't that great. 30MPG = $160 and it takes 40MPG to get down to $120 per mo. Note this all assumes $4 per US gallon where the fuel price can make a bigger difference in the monthly cost than adding a few MPG.

[rsmallwo]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Now that does sound like an interesting project, if it can be done without too much compromise.

HighlandPete

hope this link comes out:

http://autotrader.mobi/used-cars/advert/201244490443336/viewing-6/0?PHPSESSID=ki35ns1l65f6pmng5jo88j9tb0

The LPG graph looks reasonable. but does it rev past 7k......

[rsmallwo]

the pics on autotrader mobile site dont show well at all. suggest you use the normal site

[Alex.Devol]

I've spent a lot more money on modding my diesel than I would have spent in fuel for my last car (v8) so its turned out i haven't saved any money at all, it had to go though, the constant trips to the petrol station were getting annoying and it felt like it was burned money rather than spent. I've gotten a lot more fun and satisfaction from the cash spent on mods, feels like spending on something physical rather than a daily taxation.
Weve probably all seen the diesel vs petrol cost comparisons and know ultimately you don't save much if anything but It wasn't even seeing the monthly spend that hurt, it was the amount of fill-ups that annoyed me most, every couple of days reminding me that it was draining the wallet whereas now I go once a week and forget about it... Weird how we justify things to ourselves.
As a daily driver I got used to the great sound and character of the engine and didn't appreciate it enough, I'd only go back to an engine like that if it were a Sunday car or I shortened my commute.

[Alex.Devol]

Originally Posted by rsmallwo

Been flirting with the idea of getting a 55plate M6 and converting to LPG....

Burn me at the stake as the heretic that I am

Apparently with a decent custom remap to make use of the extra octane in LPG you can actually gain power on that mod. Weighty extra fuel tank though :/

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Alex.Devol

Apparently with a decent custom remap to make use of the extra octane in LPG you can actually gain power on that mod. Weighty extra fuel tank though :/

I think its the other way round. My old man bumped into a guy with a M6 LPG and he said it looses a little bit,

[shrink]

a standard car loses power yes... if you run an M6 on LPG on a standard map, then yes you'll lose power. But a remap can be done for a car running ONLY on LPG to take advantage of that fuel type.

Same way that the koenigsegg (spelling?) can run on biofuel and seriously up its power.

[Alex.Devol]

Originally Posted by shrink

a standard car loses power yes... if you run an M6 on LPG on a standard map, then yes you'll lose power. But a remap can be done for a car running ONLY on LPG to take advantage of that fuel type.

Same way that the koenigsegg (spelling?) can run on biofuel and seriously up its power.

This^

[Alex.Devol]

Not sure how detrimental to the fuel economy this is though and if it therefore defeats the original point of the LPG. Switchable map would be handy.

[Mwp4me]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

I have always gone for the top performer in any car I've purchased, and always love V8s. However the 335is is more than enough performance for most folks and was the more afordable choice over an M3, purchase price and fuel cost.

However, the cost isn't much different in the overal equation. For example, at 1200 miles per month, 20MPG = $240 and 24MPG = $200, a little more than $1 per day. A small price for the pleasure of the V8 sound and performance. OTOH, a 15MPG M5 or big SUV would be $320, noticeably higher. In the other direction, the savings aren't that great. 30MPG = $160 and it takes 40MPG to get down to $120 per mo. Note this all assumes $4 per US gallon where the fuel price can make a bigger difference in the monthly cost than adding a few MPG.

$4 / gallon. We pay nearly $10 in the UK

[rsmallwo]

i wish it where true that lpg could be better than petrol but the physics dont stack up. Its calorific value is less than petrol so it makes less of a bang than the same volume of petrol. Still the difference isn't massive and a remap helps bridge the gap. Think bio ethanol is more explosive than petrol, but thats just me making an unverified statement.

[phil200tdi]

Originally Posted by shrink

a standard car loses power yes... if you run an M6 on LPG on a standard map, then yes you'll lose power. But a remap can be done for a car running ONLY on LPG to take advantage of that fuel type.

Same way that the koenigsegg (spelling?) can run on biofuel and seriously up its power.

The koenigsegg ran on ethanol. Lots of guys in the states now running 335i's on straight ethanol with crazy power numbers..

LPG is not a bio fuel.

[MrRee]

A number of years ago I had an E36 328i Auto Coupe which I absolutely loved - fully loaded, burgundy metallic with contrasting cream leather - was a truly beautiful car - used to average around 28mpg. Then I had a nipper arrive, and it needed new brakes, tyres etc so decided to part ex on a more practical car.

Got a 56 plate Ford Mondeo 2.2 Tdci which was a fantastic car, reasonably quick, handled well, comfortable, smooth, very practical - fantastic fuel economy - averaged around 48pg - the only thing I hated about the car was the badge.

The car was so unreliable, and everything that went wrong with it was diesel related, and the problems I had were not Ford specific problems - the final straw was the DMF on it's way out so earlier this year I chopped it and went back to what I like.

So I now have E91 325i SE Auto, which is somewhere between the two previous in terms of practicality but is only giving me around 30-31mpg average (though I can get 36mpg on longer more steady runs). But the way I figure it is that the extra cost in maintenance, servicing, repairs etc that I had to pay for the diesel Mondeo goes a fair way towards making up the difference in fuel consumption so I may as well have a car I actually want.

I might regret saying this, but I don't think I would ever buy a diesel again.

[E92Dan]

My last BMW was a 3.0 Z4 , everything that could go wrong with the petrol engine did go wrong! Will I ever buy another petrol, yes probably. I think a lot of it is down to luck