Is a car LPG Conversion still worth it?
UPDATE: March 2022
Since the government has added their fuel excess for LPG, I wouldn’t get another LPG vehicle again.
The costs of LPG just don’t make it affordable anymore, and the hassle of having extra tanks, more servicing and compliance costs, reliability issues and struggling to find LPG especially out of towns just take away from what was once a good idea.
There are some obtuse reasons to run LPG, and a good kit will perform well, but I just don’t see the benefits anymore. That said, there can be some specific reasons to run it, and for some people it still works out. Not for us!
If you are still interested though, check the below article out (but just understand it was written in 2011!)
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I converted my 1997 Toyota Hilux to LPG several years ago. I now have the ability to run on petrol or LPG, giving me a good range whilst reducing my fuel bill by almost ½.
I’ve written this article to give you a better idea of what an LPG Conversion is all about.
What is an LPG Conversion?
Most cars purchased today either run on diesel, petrol or straight LPG. However, many people are converting their vehicles so that they can run on dual fuel.
Petrol vehicles are regularly converted, and in the last few years Diesel Gas systems are also becoming popular (see below for more information).
An gas conversion involves fitting a second tank (an LPG tank) to your vehicle, as well as some extra pipe work, wiring and bits and pieces under the engine bay. This allows your car to run on both fuels. Occasionally people will convert their engines from Petrol to straight LPG, but the majority of Gas conversions allow the car to run on both fuels.
What are the benefits of an LPG Conversion?
The biggest benefit of a Gas Conversion is the savings in fuel. For most conversions, you are looking at about a 40 – 50% savings in fuel when running on LPG.
Let’s say that most people drive around 15,000km per year; that would be a saving of around $1000 per year.
Whilst that might not seem like a lot, for those who drive more than 15,000km a year it becomes significant. An LPG Conversion also gives you much better range (almost double in most cases), it allows the engine to run cleaner and it adds value to your vehicle.
It also reduces the vehicle’s emissions, which is partly why it was encouraged in Australia through rebates.
Types of conversions
Today, there are basically two types of LPG Conversions on the market. These are Vacuum Induction or Gas Injection. Gas Injection costs more, but in most cases it produces more power and economy.
The type that you get depends on the vehicle you own, how much you want to spend and what you use the vehicle for. Vacuum Induction gas systems are considerably cheaper.
LPG Conversion cost
LPG Conversion costs vary depending on the model of your car, the size tank you choose to fit and the type of gas conversion that you get done. Conversions start off at around $2500 and work their way right up to around $5000 for a top of the line injected system.
What size and shape LPG tank is best?
The larger your LPG Tank is, the further you will be able to drive without having to refill.
However, this can take up valuable space (like in the boot), or it could make the tank vulnerable to getting hit (if it is mounted under the car). There are generally 3 shapes of tanks used in cars today.
You can purchase a donut shaped LPG tank which holds around 60 litres of LPG, and this goes in the spare tyre compartment of your car.
If you do go down this track you need to secure the spare somewhere else in the car (usually on one side of the boot). This is a great way to convert your vehicle to LPG without having to lose too much space.
The second shape tank is just a basic cylinder, which is what most cars use. These are pushed far up in the boot, mounted under the car (those with enough clearance) or mounted in the tray of a vehicle.
The other shaped tanks are like 3 cylinders joined together, which can hold a considerable amount of gas for their size. Speak to your mechanic and they will let you know what your options are.
What are the disadvantages of LPG?
There aren’t many disadvantages of fitting LPG to your vehicle, and most are unimportant anyway. The system does add a little bit of weight to your car, which isn’t really much of a problem but more something to bear in mind.
If you have a four wheel drive and you stick the tank underneath in a vulnerable position expect your clearance to be severely reduced.
When running on LPG it’s likely that you will need to fill up more regularly, because LPG has less energy than petrol or diesel per litre. LPG tanks need to be inspected every 10 years and the LPG system should be serviced every 10,000 – 20,000km.
Basically though, the disadvantages of running LPG are nothing in comparison to the benefits that you receive.
There are certain vehicle models that run better on LPG than others, and even a few models that people say you shouldn’t convert to LPG because the engines don’t like it. However, most vehicles will accept LPG and you will reap the benefits.
Switching to LPG
LPG systems vary in terms of the fuel they start on. Many systems start on Petrol and swap to LPG automatically after a few hundred metres.
Some systems start on whatever fuel you have selected. In either case, you can change to LPG or petrol at any time by flicking a switch, or pressing a button. LPG conversions come with a gauge to show the level in the fuel tank.
LPG vs. petrol
1 litre of LPG has less energy than 1 litre of petrol. What this means is that 60 litres of Petrol might get you 500km. In the same vehicle, 60 litres of LPG would probably only get you around 420km. Of course, this varies depending on the LPG Conversion you get done, but it is something to bear in mind.
People may tell you that LPG will make your car less powerful, but this is untrue unless you have an older system. An injected LPG system will have the equivalent power as on petrol (or even more in some cases). My Hilux suffers a little bit being a carburettor car, but it is not a massive power loss.
Diesel Gas systems
In the last few years Diesel Gas systems have become very popular, although they are quite different to normal LPG conversions. A Diesel Gas system runs on around 70% diesel and 30% LPG. The benefits include significant power increase, better economy and better range.
The power increase is usually related the same as fitting a turbo to your vehicle (which is quite a big gain!). Diesel Gas systems only require a small LPG tank (a big four wheel drive usually only needs a 30 – 45L gas tank) to match the long range diesel tank.
Rebates were available for Diesel Gas systems in the past, but I am unsure as to whether you can still get them. Something to note is that even with a Diesel Gas system you can still run your vehicle on Diesel only – if LPG is not available then you are not going to have any issues!
Dual LPG Tanks
Recently I fitted a second LPG tank in the tray of My Hilux. I did this purely for the ability to travel a longer distance, and because it gets quite poor economy on Petrol and Gas!
To fit a second tank, you need a suitable location and then a gas fitter can plumb it up with a Hydrostatic Valve.
This stops any gas flowing from one tank to another, and you can arrange for a second gauge to be fitted too. In many cases, the tank that is located higher up will be used up first, but it doesn’t always work this way. My Hilux can now carry around 125 litres of LPG and 60 litres of petrol, giving it a range of just over 1000km.
Of course, by fitting a second tank I have reduced the space in my tray, but that was a compromise that I was willing to make. It is important to have a good location for the second tank, and in a Ute tray is a good option. I have the other tank under the vehicle, tucked neatly away.
LPG Economy
For most LPG Conversions, your fuel economy will drop about 15%. What I mean by this is that you will use about 15% more LPG as you would have on petrol. However, given that LPG is roughly half of the price of Petrol, you are still making significant savings.
LPG availability
Before you choose to get an LPG Conversion done, it’s important to consider what you are going to use the vehicle for. If it is going to be used for seriously remote touring, LPG may not be your best option. The reason for this is that LPG is not always available in some of the remote locations.
To add to this, LPG burns less efficiently, meaning you have to carry more of it than you would for petrol or diesel. However, I know of plenty of vehicles that have toured around Australia on dual fuel (LPG and Petrol) with a bit of planning.
LPG Conversion Rebates
One of the reasons LPG Conversions became so popular in Australia was because of the rebates that were available from both the State and Federal Government. To convert My Hilux, I paid $3250 and I got back $3000 from the Government.
From that, I only had to do a few tanks of LPG and I had already paid the investment back! The rebates are slowly being phased out, but in many states of Australia you can still get some money back. Even if you are out of pocket by about $1500 for the conversion you can pay that back in around 1 year of driving.
Things to bear in mind with an LPG Conversion
I will just quickly mention a few things that you should know when getting an LPG Conversion done. In most states, once the conversion is done you will be required to run the vehicle over the pits (or get it checked over by the transport department).
Every 10 years your LPG tank needs to be re tested (they take it off the vehicle for a few days, pressurize it, inspect it and give it back if it is ok).
I believe this costs around $200. Something else to remember is that it is important to run your car on petrol from time to time.
Many people get their cars converted to LPG and then never change it to petrol. If you do this, your injectors will get blocked up and your car will need work to get it running on petrol again. Most mechanics recommend around 10 – 20kms to be done on petrol each week. To top this off, don’t let petrol sit in your tank for more than a few months.
If you do this, the petrol becomes very sticky and will clog your engine up when you do use it. I tend to only keep ¼ of a tank of petrol in My Hilux and fill it up when it is nearly empty.
Buying a second hand LPG tank
If you want to save some money when getting an LPG Conversion done, you can get a second hand tank. I picked up a 70 litre tank with 5 years left for $100, which is a big saving.
Just look around on the local classifieds, eBay and other places and you will save some money. You do however, need to ensure the tank is in good condition or the mechanic may refuse to use it.
Myths of LPG Conversions
There are a lot of myths that are associated with an LPG Conversion. I will go into a few of these below:
LPG ruins your engine
This is not true. LPG burns cleaner and is actually better for your engine, presuming you have a well maintained system. It is dryer though, and valve lubrication is very important.
LPG makes your car less powerful
This is not true. Only the older systems made your vehicle have any noticeable power loss, but the newer systems have fixed this issue.
You have to fill up too much on LPG
I mentioned above that LPG tends to burn about 15% more than petrol. This means you have to fill up 15% more often, but when the fuel is half the price of petrol I am willing to do that!
LPG tanks are dangerous
Those who really dislike LPG will go on rants about how the tanks regularly blow up, for no reason. LPG tanks are very safe, and they are built with valves preventing them from being over filled. In fact, you have 20% of space left in the tank to allow for the fuel to expand on hot days. LPG tanks do not explode for no reason!
LPG Backfires
You might read about vehicles that have had LPG Conversions done backfiring regularly. The fact is, if everything is running how it should you won’t have an issue. If you are experiencing backfiring, get your leads, spark plugs and coil pack checked and replaced if required.
Usually the problem is just something simple. There are millions of LPG cars in the world and if backfiring was really a big issue then people wouldn’t own them.
LPG Tuning makes your car run badly
You won’t even notice the difference when running on LPG or petrol. A well maintained system will run very well. However, something to note is that dual fuel vehicles are tuned to a compromise on both LPG and petrol.
If you adjust the LPG too much then the engine will ‘ping’ on petrol, which is a serious problem. As a result, you won’t get as good economy on petrol or LPG in a dual fuel car (it is only a minimal difference) as you would if it was tuned to run purely on one fuel or the other.
LPG prices are going to rise significantly
Again, this is a myth. The truth is that there is an LPG tax that has been introduced in Australia. This will make the price of LPG go up 2.5% each year for 5 years. This starts in 2012, and will lift the price of LPG about 9 cents per litre at the end of 2015 – not a significant amount considering how much the price of petrol will go up in that time.
LPG Case Studies:
I have compiled a few case studies based on vehicles that my family and friends own. You should be able to get a rough idea from these. Prices were worked out as Petrol – 142.5 cents per litre and LPG 70.2 cents per litre. The savings per year was calculated off an average of 15,000km per year.
My Hilux on LPG
1997 Toyota Hilux 2.4 litre 22R engine (carburettor). Petrol Economy – 14.5L/100km. LPG Economy – 20L/100km.
Cost on Petrol per 100km – $20.66
Cost on LPG per 100km – $14
Savings per 100km – $6.66
Savings per year – $999
Overall, this has allowed me to drive My Hilux as a daily vehicle. It now costs less than a commodore or falcon to drive around, but I get the luxury of being able to go four wheel driving at any time.
2002 NM Pajero
3.5 litre V6, Petrol Engine. Injected Gas System installed. 60 Litre LPG tank fitted under the rear seat. Petrol Economy – 15L/100km. LPG Economy – 18L/100km.
Cost on Petrol per 100km – $21.37
Cost on LPG per 100km – $12.6
Savings per 100km – $8.77
Savings per year – $1315
2001 AU Falcon
4L 4 cylinder engine, Vacuum Gas System installed. 70 litre LPG tank fitted in the boot. Petrol Economy – 12/100km. LPG Economy –15L/100km.
Cost on Petrol per 100km – $17.1
Cost on LPG per 100km – $10.5
Savings per 100km – $6.6
Savings per year –$990
1993 Corolla Seca
1.8 litre petrol engine, Vacuum Gas System installed. 60 litre LPG tank fitted in the boot. Petrol Economy – 9L/100km. LPG Economy – 11L/100km.
Cost on Petrol per 100km – $12.78
Cost on LPG per 100km – $7.7
Savings per 100km – $5.08
Savings per year – $762
For most people, the primary reason for an LPG Conversion is the savings. I can’t recommend LPG enough – I am very happy with My Hilux, and those that have had LPG vehicles will tell you the same. Of course, you need to take into consideration how many kilometres you do each year, where you do them, what you do with the vehicle and basically anything else that is relevant to your circumstances.
I hope I have answered a few questions in regards to running your vehicle on gas. Please feel free to ask questions below and let me know your experiences with LPG vehicles.
Hey Pete,
Good to hear you’ve had a great run out of it. They certainly can work well for different scenarios, and you’ve nailed it.
Thanks for sharing your experience, and all the best
Aaron
hi, my 3.5 Toyota vienta 3.3 wagon was converted 12 years ago. I run petrol for about 100 klm once a month. my car has always run better and with more power than petrol. my 60 litre ( 55 litre doughnut tank in the spare wheel well ) gives me 325 klm in the city and 460- 500 klm in the country and with my 70 litre petrol tank I make it from Sydney to mildura with non stop or 3 tanks of gas and a little Petrol to port pirie from Sydney carrying a load. via mildura. car has been duel fuel for 260,000 klm and not a problem.
Hey George,
That’s the first I’ve heard about it, but it could be true. I’m sure that there are less service stations selling it already, except for those really close to city centres.
All the best
Aaron
Is it true that LPG is being scrapped by the service stations due to new laws in maintenance of their storage tanks and most will stop selling it?
Hi Mr Truth,
I’m glad its working out for you. At those prices it would certainly be pretty good. Diesels are absolutely becoming far too complicated.
All the best
Aaron
LPG is fanblodytasic, i have saved 10’s of THOUSANDS with LPG over my 8 LPG powered vehicles
LPG is very much a Melbourne fuel, LPG here 80CPL v ULP 1.85 and DIEsel 2.30LOL “yeah buy a DIEsel, pay $3k more, pay more for the fuel and get cancer as a bonus, on top of that DPF issues AND now will need expensive Adblue too
I will ALWAYS own a LPG powered vehicle
Hey Tania,
Good to hear you are having a great run out of your Falcon. They are certainly solid vehicles, and the straight gas ones have a great reputation.
Absolutely do an oil change though!
All the best
Aaron
I’ve had my ba wagon, an ex taxi for 6 yrs now. It has 986,000 ks on it. (I’m hoping to clock it). Lpg on the central coast is $1.00. I haven’t serviced the car in 6 years expect an oil change about 3 years ago. I still get 15 ltrs per 100ks. Dedicated lpg is great. Petrol is $1.85 now, so it’s still much cheaper to run. It has never skipped a beat, (The only thing that has gone wrong is a 50c grommet leak). It feels better to drive then the ba I have on petrol with 230,000ks. I like it and I’m keeping it til it dies or they run out of gas.
Hey Anna,
Good to hear you’re still happy using LPG. In some cases it can still work quite well.
All the best
Aaron
Im in Newcastle nsw.
Found someone who still services LPG tanks.
Just had my 100 series o4 landcruiser done.
Towing only gets me about 220-250 ks to a tank.
Here I get LPG for 0.95c
Hey Peter,
Diesel gas is a pretty interesting concept, and I’ve got no doubt you’d want to hang onto it. I’d be ringing around all the LPG places, and wreckers to see what you can find, but understand its probably getting hard
All the best
Aaron
I have had LPG on my 4.2td Patrol since 2008. Recently the ECU for the LPG lost it’s 12volt feed and am unable to find a replacement. I dearly want to hang onto the LPG as it is soooo good towing my 3.5t caravan, like an extra gear. Yes it’s increasingly hard to find lpg west of Emerald in QLD but I like to turn it off and only use it when I need extra grunt for driving across the ranges. It’s a Diesel Gas Technologies sequential system, if anyone knows of spare parts I would be very interested. Alternatively looking at fitting similar system utilising existing tank etc if possible with different ecu and converter ?
Hey Adam,
Yep, fuels are going through a very interesting phase. I agree LPG certainly has its place, especially here in Australia. Time will tell!
Have a great day
Aaron
LPG prices in far north Queensland are a rip off.
I am a believer in LPG as an excellent fuel source which we have an abundance of in Australia. It will be interesting to see what happens as fuel prices climb into the stratosphere. Will LPG make a comeback or will the industry kill it?
Hey Sean,
Thanks for responding. Interesting that the prices are so cheap over there for LPG!
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Responding to your question – I’m in VIC and have been paying 90ish cents over the last few months. Places near me selling Petrol (91) currently $2.15 and LPG for 89.9c.Cheers
Hey Sean,
Where are you getting LPG for under a dollar?! Looking this morning our average is about $1.35 for LPG, and around $1.65 for 91 petrol.
It will be interesting to see how electric cars fit into this; I’d love one
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
I stumbled across this struggle again and just had to throw in a 2022 perspective… as we all know, petrol has been as high as $2.25-$2.50 per litre for 91 and 98 respectively. I’ve been filling up my LPG car for under $1. I think this is a great example of why it’s important to have alternative fuels.
Hi Paul,
This article was written in 2011, and a lot has changed since then. As you’ll see in the edited section right at the top, I wouldn’t get an LPG vehicle anymore either, for all of the reasons you have listed and more.
I was just looking at the price the other day – $1.40 per litre for LPG, and $1.60 per litre for petrol. I bet after you factor the reduction in energy per litre in its almost dollar for dollar.
All the best
Aaron
Do not bother with LPG .
A number of mentions were made about “LPG is roughly half the cost of petrol”–really??where in Australia is this??
I have had a BA dedicated gas ute in Cairns for over 10 years and the only way gas prices are going is rapidly UP!. Retailers are slowly getting rid of LPG tanks (down to 2 or 3 servos in Cairns area now) and mechanics who are conversant with LPG systems are just about gone.
–Want to sell your LPG vehicle??–OK here in QLD you will have to get the “gas certificate” renewed –cost -about $800.00-why?-no-one in Cairns has the equipment (or interest) any more , so the tank must be removed , shipped to Townsville serviced and returned for re-fit.
Since the demise of the ubiquitous gas powered Falcon taxis and their replacement with hybrid vehicles, the market has no interest in catering to LPG vehicle owners.
LPG in Cairns -always over $1.00 litre ( $1.10 last refill )with petrol around 1.45
I don’t know what the cost difference is in capital cities, but it wont be a lot different eventually imho.
Want to go on a drive outside of the city limits??–good luck with finding somewhere to fill up.
Good idea at one time say 15 years ago-but that time has gone.
Stay well away from the LPG scene would be my advice.
I’m currently trying to sell my ute (BA MK2 139k in immaculate condition full service history, new gas regulator ($700.00) and buy a small suv , but I’m finding zero interest from buyers and dealers don’t want it as a trade-in –and list of problems goes on and on.
Run away! run away!
Hi Bruce,
At the end of the day, it will come down to your individual circumstances, and where you drive the vehicle. You might find the consumption isn’t actually that bad, depending on what you do with it, and where you use it. Look up Hemi LPG conversions and you might find its not a common modification, and doing it to a brand new vehicle is a sure fire way to play havoc with your warranty.
Regardless of this, have a think about where you’d fill up, and do the calculations based off todays LPG price. 1 litre of LPG has a lot less energy in it than 1 litre of petrol, so you will use more LPG to travel the same distance. Yes, its cheaper, but is it cheap enough to really make a difference?
The LPG availability is only one part of the puzzle; if you can get it, and its the same price as petrol, would you fill up with it? No sane person would unless they really needed the range as you are getting less energy for the same price.
I still don’t believe its worth it, but again it will depend on your circumstances
All the best
Aaron
Hello Aaron. I’m considering the purchase of a Ram 1500 with the 5.7 litre hemi. Surely with the fuel consumption of this beast, there must be a considerable fuel saving with LPG. Most people should do their homework prior to a trip and find where the gas can be accessed.
Hi Sean,
I completely disagree. It’s so expensive even in major cities and towns (if you can even get it) that its not viable. Once you venture outside of major cities, good luck getting it, and if you do its the same price as petrol, so you are better off filling the petrol tanks up instead.
Aaron
LPG still has its place and is still viable. If people turn their attitude toward LPG around and re discover the benefits (while keeping our money for our fuel in Australia) it could thrive.
Hey Mick,
Yep, you can still run on petrol only. It shouldn’t make any difference to the fuel consumption, depending on how it is tuned and what style of LPG you have.
Ideally you use both regularly to keep it all working properly
All the best
Aaron
Very thorough! Just not sure:
If the car has lpg & petrol, can it still run just on petrol purely? But still keeping the lpg system, so it can be another option later in the future for the next car owner? Some articles saying once converted to lpg, then it consume more petrol it is switched to petrol than the conversion before. Not sure if this is true?
Hey Sean,
Like everything in life, sometimes it suits, and other times it won’t. I can still see some benefits, but from my experience and the way we use our vehicles, I wouldn’t get one again. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be beneficial for others though, and I’m pleased to hear that you still like them!
All the best
Aaron
As long as you keep your vehicle for more than 100,000kms there’s still a saving to be had with LPG and viability in the conversion.
I also feel people get too caught up in the raw costs – there’s other benefits too. You’re supporting an Australian fuel (Aussie jobs) a cleaner fuel (lower emissions) and adding an additional feature (and range) to your vehicle!
I wouldn’t own a vehicle without LPG!
Hey Simon,
You’ve got one of the best vehicles ever made, and a good diesel gas system certainly makes a big difference.
I’d have considered one back then too. Did you get a rebate?
I wouldn’t get a straight petrol to LPG conversion anymore though
All the best
Aaron
I had my Landcruiser 100 Series 1HD-FTE converted to Diesel Gas after 12 months of owning the vehicle and when it had 10k on the clock. I have just clocked over 200k kms and it is still running very well. I paid around $5.2k at the time and have never looked back with a bit of an increase in performance. I generally use 11 L/100kms of diesels and 2-3 L/100kms of gas. The gas is almost a 1-1 swap for diesel if I turn off the gas. I have never looked back and am hoping that it is keeping my air intake system clean of oily buildup but that is yet to be seen.
Hi Peter,
I would start with the figures. Work out how much its going to cost you, how much you will save per 100 km, what it costs to service and then see if its worth while purely from a financial perspective. Then, you have to consider the more regular fueling up, decreased space etc and see if it suits your situation.
My gut feel would be to leave it alone, as the savings and inconvenience are simply not worth the return today
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron
My Toyota Avalon 2001 has done 340000 km. It’s still running quite good for its as age. Can you please advise me whether it’s a good idea to have it converted into gas as well as petrol. I am intending to keep it at least for another 10 years. I would be very grateful if you could help. Thank you and I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Peter
Hey Robert,
Burnt valves is certainly a likely long term outcome across many LPG vehicles. I’m told those that have a larger surface area to distribute the heat fare better, or you can get valve saver kits which drop oil through to lubricate it all. That might be your best port of call; they are cheap and work pretty well
All the best
Aaron
Hi,
Isn’t it true that engine without hardened valve seats will suffer from burnt out valves? I have a 2001 rodeo 4×4 3.2ltr V6 that runs on dual fuel, is this something I should be concerned about in my vehicle?
Thanks,
Rob
Hey Mike,
Where is the LPG tank? Does it actually have a sub, or has this been removed in place of the LPG tank?
If they’ve deleted the switch I would say you don’t have a sub tank, and also no transfer pump. I assume you are reading the Toyota hand book?
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron, thanks for a very useful article.
My Question, which I hope you can answer is; I have recently bought a 2003 Landcruiser, 4.7l, V8, Dual Fuel & in the Handbook it mentions using fuel in the sub- tank occasionally, to lubricate that fuel pump. But if the changeover switch now is used for LPG, how does the fuel pump in the sub tank get lubricated?
Cheers
Mike
Hi Imtiaz,
I can’t help unfortunately. I wouldn’t know where to start mate
All the best
Aaron
Hello Sir,
I have a Mitsubishi Express 4×4 with the 4g63 Carby engine and I would like to get a list of components that I can install to make this vehicle run dual fuel? Anything you can point me too?
I live in the Caribbean Btw.
Imtiaz Ali
Hey Charlie,
It’s been that long since I’ve had an LPG vehicle that I’m not up to date, but I’m pretty sure the rebate is dead. In terms of whether its worth it, you’d have to do the figures for how much extra fuel you will use on LPG, plus maintenance and the cost of the system. The more kilometres you do the more worth it, but I personally wouldn’t bother anymore.
The cost of gas is just too expensive, difficult to get outside of the main cities (or its hugely expensive) and they take up a lot of room.
It all comes down to where you are going to use the vehicle, and how many kilometres you are going to do.
For the record the V6 4.0L motor is bulletproof, and seems to average around 14L/100km on petrol
Aaron
Hi Aron,
Mate thinking of buying a toyota hilux dual cab 2014 model V6 4.0 litre. Would you recommend getting it converted to gas. And does the government still have the rebate.
Hey Jane,
Only you can answer that. I would look at the cost of travel per 100km with LPG, and then with petrol, and go from there. In the past there was substantial savings, but these days with the higher cost of LPG it might not be worth it.
Have a think about the extra weight, how much LPG is going to cost where you are travelling and if you removed the LPG system whether you would use the weight for carrying more petrol, or other useful gear.
If you are travelling around Australia, and spending a fair bit of time away from the major cities I would be inclined to remove it, but do the maths first
Aaron
The converter for my LPG needs replacing at an estimated cost of $800. Considering the space it takes in my hiace hightop campervan what would you recommend? I feel like removing the system.
Hey Amanda,
Gas tanks are usually pretty tough – you can give them a pretty substantial hit, but its best to avoid knocking them if possible.
Aaron
Hey mate I bought a 1996 jackeroo no petrol gas only love the cost etc just wondering if it’s safe enough to go fwd with the tank underneath the rear of the car..
Hi Keith,
What model Land Cruiser is it? It depends on what system you get.
Aaron
HI I have a Land cruiser 2.8 turbo diesel and I’ m intending to install LPG conversion kit on it… Because its old the vehicle year 1992 will notice the difference about the consumption and reliability of increasing power.?
It did bring out some butchers, but there were plenty of people around prior to the rebates. I had a great system on one of my vehicles, and not such a good one on another.
Get a good system and a good installer and you won’t have an issue. That said, for my purposes, I’d rather a diesel 4WD
Aaron
A total waste of money!! The government rebate just pulled the butchers out. I’ve never, ever seen a good LPG system, let alone an excellent one. All have been total crap and what you think you save, you’ll spend on repairs! Don’t even think about it.
Hi Terry,
The most common option over here is to fit a rear bar with a swing away tyre carrier. Is there no spot on the rear door? Otherwise, you can keep it on the roof rack, which is a bit of a pain. Last option would be to make a bracket or strap it in place in the rear of your vehicle. Best of luck!
hi i terry from the uk i have just perchased my first lpg car 4×4 its a mitsubishi shogun sport 2003 petrolm i would li9ke to know how i can stow the spare wheel thanks
Hi Malika,
What Hilux have you got; you really want to think about what system you go for, the tank size and location etc. I used Quickshift Auto’s in Myaree. John (the owner) will look after you.
Best of luck
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for the great article, full of useful info. I’m in Perth and looking at converting my Hilux to LPG. Just wondering if you could tell me who you used – I could just ring around, but a recommendation is always better 🙂 Happy Camping!
Cheers
Malika
Hi Katherine,
I live in WA – I can’t tell you whether Melbourne or Sydney is cheaper. I’d suggest ringing a few places
Aaron
could you please tell me if LPG conversions are cheaper in melbourne than Sydney and which state is the cheapest to get this work done.Thankyou great article katherine