P38A GEMS 4.6 lpg or DSE for long trips?

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Mukiwa

Well-Known Member
Posts
472
Location
Winsford, Cheshire, near Oulton Park
I have a chance for a 4.6 LPG (multipoint) and have spoken with the owner. The only problem he knows of is the HEVAC book comes on and goes off. New block with top hats fitted and head gaskets swapped out in the last 12 months.

Is this a good buy for 600 miles a week commuting? Cornwall to Winsford? Or should I stick with my diesel?
 
do you really need to ask, a good diesel well looked after will cover far greater milage with less wear than a petrol from the same starting point.
 
For the commute get something newer that does 60+ mpg :p
The car you know inside out i would say, the other one will have bits needed doing i would want to prove it locally first .
but dozzel every time:D
 
Last edited:
Mukiwa said:
I have a chance for a 4.6 LPG (multipoint) and have spoken with the owner. The only problem he knows of is the HEVAC book comes on and goes off. New block with top hats fitted and head gaskets swapped out in the last 12 months.

Is this a good buy for 600 miles a week commuting? Cornwall to Winsford? Or should I stick with my diesel?
Click to expand...

About the same, fuel cost wise. 4.6 more refined to drive though.

Hassle-wise ... well. Any new P38 will have a whole host of issues unless you're remarkably lucky.
 
I know I am talking L322....but our 4.4 on LPG doing 138 miles a day commuting to a clients site, in one month cost almost £700 in fuel....in LPG....at 65p a litre.....and it still cost nearly £700....

Now I have put our baby Bimmer back together - this is a 1.8 on LPG also, and in the month has cost me £260 in fuel for the same journey.....

The 4.6 on LPG doing 18/19 mpg and the 2.5 on doozel doing close to 30mpg will equate to be pretty much the same in actual fuel price (almost).....getting a smaller more economical car for long commutes makes sense....as much as I hate to say it....

I couldn't keep running the L322 at £700 a month in fuel, so I had to fix the Bimmer and make it more palatable....but once I am back in my local office in Farnborough and I am only doing 28 miles a day....the L322 will be back in action....
 
Mukiwa said:
I have a chance for a 4.6 LPG (multipoint) and have spoken with the owner. The only problem he knows of is the HEVAC book comes on and goes off. New block with top hats fitted and head gaskets swapped out in the last 12 months.

Is this a good buy for 600 miles a week commuting? Cornwall to Winsford? Or should I stick with my diesel?
Click to expand...
My DSE (manual) returned upward of 39 mpg over three years that I used it as a daily commuting and work car driving arounds Cornwall roads. On a long run the dash display just..and only just.. once showed 42, but that was on a flat spot of the M5 sticking to 60. A good diesel will keep your mind at ease. They will do 200k easy.
I'm told..(!?!?) That the gas installation on a 4.6 will still do 20's but the cost of the gas is the bonus. Don't think I would give it those miles everyday though, gather they can be a bit delicate in the long run..
 
My 4.6 Thor LPG conversion (Landi-Renzo) would do 200 miles on a 78L fill of LPG before switching over to Petrol on my awful M-Way (M25) commute.
It was comfortable and pleasant from a pure driving perspective. As far as I know, its still going now with its new owner at >120k miles.
Fabulous beasts the P38's, I wouldn't mind a diesel but I'm already invested in the latest 4.6.
 
Thanks for the replies, it's a shame as it's a nice car too. I'll keep Rommel going then. Must get the heater box swapped out though and the dancing locks and the xyz switch and the headlining and the new heated windscreen that actually heats the drivers side.....

Yes you are right, I do know this car's foibles!
 
If I trundle along with my manual DT it makes good MPG as there is a wide angled accelerator pedal (led to believe is on purpose for offroad control) and I can keep revs low with gear stick.
If I boot it scaring Audis or drive stop start around town with short trips it can eat a bit. I have no calculator telling me MPG I only know through what comes out of my pocket.
V8 has 1/9th bigger tank, plus LPG plus lower general MPG plus auto. Think mine is lighter an it's the weight pulling off that kills it. Depends a lot on how you drive, no P38 auto likes economy at high speed on extended runs. Doozle manuals do well at @55/60mph low throttle is my experience
 
I have tried 2,200 rpm - 2,500 rpm (depending on load of the car) as I'm sure I read that peak torque is the most efficient, but if I'm pulling the trailer and fully loaded a stick around 60 - 65mph on the peage's as there is no need to keep stopping like on our bloody motorway's. Smart motorways my hairy harse, smart car parks more like. Now if I'm wrong on the peak torque I'll take the usual battering ;);) but 2,200 is the figure I read for my 1999 DSE

Missed a bit. 27.4mpg empty over 750 miles to HQ2, and 23 mpg with heavy trailer and car to same house a couple of months later
 
I trundle around lower than that usually 1200rpm and less :eek: Since doing fluids she will pull in most gears with hardly any throttle at all and that's with stupidly big tyres and jacked up suspension. Little bit of pump timing etc (NRV in pointless place :D) I will get better out of her. Torque is just there no need for suppôsed optimum peak. Different story towing I know. :)
 
Bagshot said:
My DSE (manual) returned upward of 39 mpg over three years that I used it as a daily commuting and work car driving arounds Cornwall roads. On a long run the dash display just..and only just.. once showed 42, but that was on a flat spot of the M5 sticking to 60. A good diesel will keep your mind at ease. They will do 200k easy.
I'm told..(!?!?) That the gas installation on a 4.6 will still do 20's but the cost of the gas is the bonus. Don't think I would give it those miles everyday though, gather they can be a bit delicate in the long run..
Click to expand...
I think your dash computer was duff.
 
Mukiwa said:
I have tried 2,200 rpm - 2,500 rpm (depending on load of the car) as I'm sure I read that peak torque is the most efficient, but if I'm pulling the trailer and fully loaded a stick around 60 - 65mph on the peage's as there is no need to keep stopping like on our bloody motorway's. Smart motorways my hairy harse, smart car parks more like. Now if I'm wrong on the peak torque I'll take the usual battering ;);) but 2,200 is the figure I read for my 1999 DSE

Missed a bit. 27.4mpg empty over 750 miles to HQ2, and 23 mpg with heavy trailer and car to same house a couple of months later
Click to expand...
That's pretty much the same as I get checking brim to brim.
 
I'd go V8 as the fuel is cheaper!

With the V8 you have more power/torque significantly more refined, and about as economical on LPG as diesel.

However i'd echo Saints and get a small run around ;)
 
Datatek said:
I think your dash computer was duff.
Click to expand...
Sorry but I'm going to argue that, three years daily driving over long distances and clocking up 30k miles in that time, gives a good idea of what it will do MPG. ( Well serviced and a careful right foot can make all the difference..:))
 
Bagshot said:
Sorry but I'm going to argue that, three years daily driving over long distances and clocking up 30k miles in that time, gives a good idea of what it will do MPG. ( Well serviced and a careful right foot can make all the difference..:))
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why I sold the XKR. It's too easy to use the gee-gee's under your foot! Damn good fun too hahahaha. Punishes you at the bank though. I used to get 25-28mpg out of that V8 4ltr lump. Driving it never bothered me. I used to cry stuck in traffic jams though watching the fuel gauge dropping perceptibly
 
Henry_b said:
I'd go V8 as the fuel is cheaper!

With the V8 you have more power/torque significantly more refined, and about as economical on LPG as diesel.

However i'd echo Saints and get a small run around ;)
Click to expand...
OK until the liners drop, the camshaft made of cheese wears or you get HGF. Stuff the V8, it's a liability.
 
Diesel all day long. What i can't figure out is how a V8 doing 70 MPH and 20 MPG is more refined that a diesel doing 70 MPH and 34 MPG.
 
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