Thanks for your replies - I would not have considered a 1998cc as you do not qualify for the higher cc as it is, indeed, below 2000cc.
I used to have a 406 2.1td XUD engine which I did 100,000 in a year and it was good.
My other half has a thing against vauxhalls, although my first car was a W reg chevette. Last one I owned though!
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How about a BMW 320i SE, 43k miles, 52 plate. 2171cc engine. Silver.
On sale at famous website for £6495.
A Great car to do high annual mileage in.
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Another alternative. A Mazda 6 2.3 Sport. Just seen an 06 plate advertised for £6,495
You are looking at about 50k miles, though.
A fine, fine car IMHO.
So underrated that it's not even famous for being underrated.
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So out of the Vauxhalls, Mazda,BMW etc, the questions are:
will I get a full size wheel in the boot (for LPG tank) and will they get around 45 mpg on a long run at 62mph? Plus, could I do 35 - 65 reasonably quickly to overtake two cars trailing a vauxhall aguila doing 36mpg on a straight 1/4 mile stretch of good A-road (!!)
I am looking to sell the 530d touing and the subaru legacy 3.0 spec B and getting a leon type car for the missus and a 2.1 petrol=>lpg for me..
too many options... .
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9 times out of 10, even if a space saver spare is fitted, the spare wheel well will still be full size (the spares are smaller to save money and weight, not room - usually), so you will have room for an LPG tank. Take a tape measure and check!
Performance wise, any of the options listed will meet your criteria no problem.
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So out of the Vauxhalls Mazda BMW etc the questions are: will they get around 45 mpg on a long run at 62mph? Plus could I do 35 - 65 reasonably quickly to overtake two cars trailing a vauxhall aguila doing 36mpg on a straight 1/4 mile stretch of good A-road (!!)
Tricky. I drive like a granny these days, 60 mph motorway cruising, and my 2 litre ( OK 1998cc) Vectra will just about return 44 - 45 mpg under those conditions ( that's trip computer readout - 2mpg). It gets that economy through high gearing, trouble is that'll go against you if you want quick 35 - 65. I suspect you're going to have to compromise one or the other side of the equation here.
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Whay not convert the Legacy to LPG, and let the Mrs. keep the 530d?
Better the devil you know.........
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Out of Interest Fiat_Ignis, is your Spec B the manual or the Auto?
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Thought about converting the spec B seriously... but as it gets around 22mpg mainly town driving (with the missus using it ), I'm worried that if I started to use it mainly myself, on long trips (Portsmouth - Scotland /Durham etc) it'll only garner 28-30 mpg at 65 (which is hard to keep to with 250 horses) which would translate to an LPG MPG of around 50mpg... Almost may as well have a diesel. (although the 530d only gets around 45mpg)
With a 45mpg petrol starting point, the LPG rate would equate to around 80mpg and the LPG conversion cost of around £1400 - £1800 would pay for itself a lot quicker...
hmmm. I did look at the Mazda 6 2.3 and the MPS sounds lovely...
Note: the Subaru is a 6 speed manual in midnight blue, and suprised me by coming with cruise control which I did not realise would be on a manual... It's much more responsive than the BMW E39 cruise control which creeps up when requested. The Subaru really urges forward.
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I seriously doubt that you would get 45mpg out of a Mazda 6 MPS, even at 62 mph.
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Thanks - the most likely candidate will be a 320i 2171cc which should return the required mileage, with some oomph, and in estate form, be good for prams etc...
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Well, an update...After several aborted attempts to sell the Legacy, I have decided to LPG it and keep for a while more...
Better the devil you know - I just bought 4 new tyres for £1,000 and a quad stainless STi exhaust, bushes and smaller bits as well as an MOT and full 60k service... so the £2,000 conversion seems almost negligible.. Plus, having sat in several other £20 - £25k cars of the same era (2005), the Subaru is leaps and bounds ahead in handling, comfort, responsiveness, accessories, and I would say equals a good level Audi / BMW / Lexus. So the LPG saga will continue.
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Well an update.. The Subaru had a BRC LPG conversion on which it has now done some 20,000 miles. It goes really well, and a 200 mile tank fill costs around £24.00. On a long run, I can reach 280 miles for around £29.00 (driving <70mph and choosing LPG stations carefully). Car tax is £10 less/year and insurance is the same. LPG service is £50 every 20,000 miles. Flashlube at £60/5l was a shock but as 500ml should lubricate 5,000 miles it's manageable. The Ignis Sport now has 80,000 miles (Some 55,000 on LPG) and costs around £18 for 300 miles (6p/mile). However we have another baby due soon and will need a 7-seater... So will be disposing of the 2005 Subaru Legacy Spec-B Manual and 2000 BMW E39 530d SE Touring and getting an S-Max 2.5t 220bhp but I don't know if it has a spare wheel well! Anyone know?
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Are you claiming your mileage rate through the company? Reason I ask is you should be able to claim back the tax difference between what your company is payingyou and the approved rate of 40p per mile for 10k then 25p for over this.
Should save you a few quid.
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Hi,
My smax does not have a spare wheel, nor any where to put one.
Regards,
Weedy
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ablandy - thanks for this. I know about it and will be claiming - I have 3 years to back-date and claim back but will only be doing 1 year at a time as I believe if your "difference" between the mileage paid and the total mileage 10k@40p + >10k@25p is over £2000 then you go onto "manual tax returns" which I have just ended after 13 years.
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You're not still looking to sell the Ignis, are you? I've been looking for one for a while, and the gas conversion is hugely tempting! Cheers! Carlos
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Sorry Carlos - Nope. I've done 700 miles in the LPG Ignis in the last 2 days and it only cost me £46 so I'll be running it until it's terminally ill at these prices - Saw lpg for £0.650/l near the M1/(A5) and Diesel for £1.389/l at one M1 services yesterday. At 45-49mpg it's the only option.
Edited by Scooby_Ignis on 05/01/2011 at 23:35
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Still running the ignis with 120,000 miles on it - Did 300 miles the other day for £22 - with 0-60 in around 8.5 seconds and ear defenders on.
LPG seems good in these motors!
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Thanks for updating us. Out of interest, what did you get as the family car?
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You should be able to get 42-45mpg out of a big petrol sonata or megentis (essentially the same car).
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Hi, Bought a 2006 Ford S-Max 2.5T with the 220BHP ST Engine.
7 Seats, good handling. very progressive.
Then I had it converted to LPG and got the garage to put the 65l tank under the rear seats.
Will do around 300 miles on £30-£40 LPG.
So no lost seating, huge load space, and equivalent (on a long run it gets 35mpg on LPG) to around 60-70MPG.
Hooning it / around town, drops to 30mpg which equates (at 70p/l in Hampshire / 66p/L in Birmingham) to around 55-60mpg
Done 10k in 10 months and This 56 plate Ford is not the best! Probs with: Aircon / Power Steering / Electric Windows. Otherwise good. All fixed for a few quid.
Snow tyres go on this week.
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My brother averages about 20mpg with that engine in a Focus-on petrol. Admittedly his journeys are short and he's not the most dilligent of drivers.
But the SMax is a lot bigger than a heavier than a Focus.. 30mpg around town running/hooning it on a fuel with a calorific value about 3/4 of gasoline is unlikely.
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BMW and Toyota petrol engines (2-2.5 litre) tend to give the best real-world fuel economy. Why not spend an hour going through HJs real mpg database?
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As a real world example, drove the smax 200 miles from portsmouth to stoke on trent, and filled back up to brim with £16.50 of lpg. Trip computer showed 40.2 mpg and lpg was £0.749 a litre with careful driving and top speed 65mph so an equivalent of 70+ mpg is possible from a 220bhp petrol mpv. Took 11 mins longer than tomtom and waze satnav eta over journey so not slacking. Left at 0600 in morning.
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It wouldn't do 40mpg on gasoline, let alone LPG. Your trip computer is having a laugh.
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