6 cylinder LPG cars vs 4 cylinder petrol cars

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by prydey

i find it funny how it is assumed the dedicated gas vehicles mentioned are bf2. at no stage did i mention bf2. i did mention au though. of course the worse economy achieved by the ba/f's , due to the extra kurb weigt and same engine, will make your argument for the golf seem a lot better.

also i'd like to see you achieve 4-4.5L/100km in a daily driven golf (city cycle). wheels has 5.7 and 6.1 for man and auto, which is for combined city/highway driving.

i'd like to see you fit enough luggage for 2 adults and 3 kids in a golf and then drive to qld from adelaide.

6/8 cyl on gas give the benefit of small car economy but maintaining the benefits of a large car.

We own a Golf 2.0 FSI Comfortline 6sp auto. According to Wheels the average consumption should be 10.5L/100km, but ours averages 7.5L. You know that test cars in magazines are driven very hard, right?

We've taken it on long distance trips (Sydney - Gold Coast, Sydney - Adelaide, Sydney - Canberra frequently) with three adults (6'1" 80kg male, 6'2" 110kg male, 5'7" 55kg female) full of luggage no problem.

I was comparing the BFII to the 2007 Golf 2.0 TDI.

6-cyl Falcons on gas do not give small car economy. They drink fuel like mad, worse then their petrol counterparts. What they give is cheap running costs only because the fuel is cheap.

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Perana XR8

$280 for a minor service is madness... I definately know that a dealer minor service on an AU was about half that, can't imagine the BA/F being any different seeing its mainly oil/filter change...

Also for example have you priced a set of rotors for a Golf.. Euro's tend to chew through the rotors.. yes Falcons do too but a set of new DBA's is under $200... Consumable parts like that aren't covered under warranty.... Then there's tyre's which cost a hell of a lot more for the Golf sized ones since they are much less common.



Yep, after knowing an assessor in the insurance industry and having dealings with a crash repairer that specializes in Euro's etc I can tell you you have a crash and it costs.. which is reflected in your insurance premium.

195/65 R15 tyres are uncommon? Alrighty then.

Our Golf 2.0 FSI is cheaper to insure then my dad's old AUIII Forte E-Gas was. Cheaper on-road to buy too (37 vs 39k).

Having owned European cars for the last two consecutive in a row (Ford Fiesta Zetec and now Renault Clio Sport) and the last two consecutive cars in the family (Volkswagen Polo 1.4 16V and now Volkswagen Golf 2.0 FSI) I can safely say that all the myths about Euro cars breaking the bank are just that, myths. Having said that, I wouldn't put my money on something alot older like an E30 BMW 3-Series for example... but then again, upkeep on old Jap crap and old Aussie cars isn't exactly cheap either...

[rag top]

Just chuck an LPG system on a 4cyl.

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by rag top

Just chuck an LPG system on a 4cyl.

Yep, on a bigger, more powerful 4-cyl... like a Honda 2.4 (140kW) for example... that would kill any other option on the market for low-cost fuelling.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Steffo

We own a Golf 2.0 FSI Comfortline 6sp auto. According to Wheels the average consumption should be 10.5L/100km, but ours averages 7.5L. You know that test cars in magazines are driven very hard, right?

We've taken it on long distance trips (Sydney - Gold Coast, Sydney - Adelaide, Sydney - Canberra frequently) with three adults (6'1" 80kg male, 6'2" 110kg male, 5'7" 55kg female) full of luggage no problem.

I was comparing the BFII to the 2007 Golf 2.0 TDI.

6-cyl Falcons on gas do not give small car economy. They drink fuel like mad, worse then their petrol counterparts. What they give is cheap running costs only because the fuel is cheap.

according to my mag (yes i know how they'd be driven and that its just a guide) the current 2.0fsi should be about 8 - 8.5 depending on gearbox, which isn't too far away from yours now is it. i would be interested to know the average km/h that gets you the 7.5.

as for transporting people on long journeys, i gave an example of 5 people and luggage and you answer with 3 people and luggage. don't exactly need a stroller or pram for adults now do you. obviously its horses for courses and for me a larger car will always win. even though i only have 1 child, i like the fact that if i go away i don't have to make sure everything is packed just right so that it fits in, and once its all in it is all readily accessable at all times.

also the whole reason people buy gas cars or put cars on gas is to create cheaper running costs and is the whole point of this thread. sure the car may be using more fuel but it is cheaper to run and very comparable to a 4cyl.

at least you've admitted that you own these cars and made me realise why you seem to be defending them so. its pretty safe to say that we will never agree so i guess we'll just agree to disagree.

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by prydey

according to my mag (yes i know how they'd be driven and that its just a guide) the current 2.0fsi should be about 8 - 8.5 depending on gearbox, which isn't too far away from yours now is it. i would be interested to know the average km/h that gets you the 7.5.

as for transporting people on long journeys, i gave an example of 5 people and luggage and you answer with 3 people and luggage. don't exactly need a stroller or pram for adults now do you. obviously its horses for courses and for me a larger car will always win. even though i only have 1 child, i like the fact that if i go away i don't have to make sure everything is packed just right so that it fits in, and once its all in it is all readily accessable at all times.

also the whole reason people buy gas cars or put cars on gas is to create cheaper running costs and is the whole point of this thread. sure the car may be using more fuel but it is cheaper to run and very comparable to a 4cyl.

at least you've admitted that you own these cars and made me realise why you seem to be defending them so. its pretty safe to say that we will never agree so i guess we'll just agree to disagree.

I can definitley agree to disagree, nice stalemate there.

BTW - The Golf's average speed indicator on the trip computer is currently at 39km/h. At least 80% of its driving is suburb/city.

The Golf accomodates us all well (old man (6'1) driving, his gf in the front, me (6'2) in the back - behind either of them fit perfectly). Its had 5 people in it (adding my grandparents to that above passenger list) plenty of times and everyone fits fine. Small cars these days aren't really small anymore. If we were talking Jetta (Golf sedan basically), its got a bigger boot then a Falcon sedan.

But yeah, agree to disagree is the way to go.

[XR6_190]

Originally Posted by rag top

Just chuck an LPG system on a 4cyl.

Now this is a good idea. Works really well. I have a friend with an 99 Excel They recently put that on LPG and wow. They get about 400Km out of $20 of Gas. Really cheap motoring.

The only negative is the tank goes where the spare wheel should, so that sits free in back, eating up the bootspace.

[theunfairadvant]

Originally Posted by XR6_190

Now this is a good idea. Works really well. I have a friend with an 99 Excel They recently put that on LPG and wow. They get about 400Km out of $20 of Gas. Really cheap motoring.

The only negative is the tank goes where the spare wheel should, so that sits free in back, eating up the bootspace.

You win some you lose some.

[Tles]

Originally Posted by Steffo

I love how people try to say "oh my no the car is smaller then a Falcon so it can't do this," yet people in Europe tow caravans and thing in even smaller cars then a Golf. I mean nah, the world's most industrious, significant and technically advanced continent can't do something that a bunch of Aussies think isn't possible...

The myth that European cars are insanely expensive to repair and insure is, well, unfortunate. .

I think you would fit in very well in Europe, you have a definite taste for their vehicles.

Fairlanes used to be all over the bush, so did LPG Falcons - there has been a big swing to cars like the Peugeot 405 diesel. They are cheap and easy to run and maintain as long as you are doing the kms, to warm them up and keep them singing along. The dynamics on B-F---rural roads are excellent too. When in town the wives find them alot easier; and, for the money, the creature comforts are hard to match, and and they do have some cachet too.

For my money,
10-25,000km a year mixed driving including highway a big 6 is ideal.
20-45,000 kms mostly higher average speed commuting I'd go TDiesel.
15-100,000kms lots ks around town, LPG6 or 4-5cyl
15-35,000kms mostly city commute then I'd look at a Hybrid, anymore ks a TD can be cheaper and offer far better resale too.

Under 10,000ks buy a classic and enjoy.

[last fairlane]

I have anAU Fairmont with factory fitted LPG by Tickford unfortunately my Tickford badges are under the bonnet where no one sees them
I can get 400 to 500 Ks per tankful thats city and freeway driving on 66 litres of gas @65 cents/litre around $35 with a full tank of gas and a full tank of petrol I could drive to Sydney without refueling thats ecconomy for me
JOHN in Brisbane