Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: zirk on 02 March 2018, 18:34:44

Title: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: zirk on 02 March 2018, 18:34:44
Hmm, not looking good is it, the Blue Stations on the Map are the ones without LPG, assume its a Weather thing, although it didn't look much different last week before the Snow arrived.  :-\

(https://api.pcloud.com/getpubthumb?code=XZwjTL7Z4A58lGKYQO4947Qv6Dn4fk9tsgS7&linkpassword=undefined&size=755x825&crop=0&type=auto)
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 02 March 2018, 18:42:00
Ime its dying on its arse. I wouldn't consider installing it on a car now.
Shame as it was a useful way of having reasonable running costs with a big petrol engine.  :(
My cooking oil has gone a bit gloopy this week, so I'm not using that either at the moment.  ::) :D
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: TheBoy on 02 March 2018, 18:42:53
And as you can see, Brackley is in the great LPG void...   ...just not as bad as Aylesbury ;D
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Kevin Wood on 02 March 2018, 19:38:43
The station at J4a of the M3 has been out for weeks now. Fleet services is intermittent too. Clearly demand for heating LPG is high this time of the year, maybe that gets priority?

.. and Albs paying for fuel? :o What dreadful times. ;D
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: zirk on 02 March 2018, 20:22:27
Clicking on the individual unavailable stations on the Website reveal the majority of these stations are BP, are they planning something we dont know about.?
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Kevin Wood on 02 March 2018, 20:39:44
The one in Fleet is Shell. :(
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: tunnie on 02 March 2018, 22:46:06
The station at J4a of the M3 has been out for weeks now. Fleet services is intermittent too

This is not good to read and another reason not to convert the 3.2.  :(

That Shell was going to be one of my primary filling stations after the BP at Hatton Cross.

Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Viral_Jim on 02 March 2018, 23:28:01
I think I would only do it now as a £500-750 flyer on an old car, and only then if my local garages kept a regular stock. Depends on payback period I guess.  :-\
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Kevin Wood on 02 March 2018, 23:33:56
The station at J4a of the M3 has been out for weeks now. Fleet services is intermittent too

This is not good to read and another reason not to convert the 3.2.  :(

That Shell was going to be one of my primary filling stations after the BP at Hatton Cross.

IIRC, they refitted the pumps fairly recently, so I'd be surprised if they're chucking it in. Should go in and ask, I suppose.

It's the only remotely sensibly-priced one that I ever pass.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: TheBoy on 03 March 2018, 09:31:41
Clicking on the individual unavailable stations on the Website reveal the majority of these stations are BP, are they planning something we dont know about.?
All BP are removing LPG, and have been for a few years.  Shame BP don't/won't update their own website about which stations sell LPG.


With Brakkers only have a BP (and a Tesco), and that BP ripped out its pumps 2 or 3 years ago, and no LPG options on the way to work, or within a 10 mile detour, my remaining option was one near work (that was inaccessible at rush hour, so had to pop out on the rare occasions I get a lunch break), but even then 50% of the time they didn't have it.

Hence I've been forced down the tractor route...  ...which is far more expensive on fuel than my old, beloved, Silver Bullet.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: zirk on 03 March 2018, 10:36:58
Clicking on the individual unavailable stations on the Website reveal the majority of these stations are BP, are they planning something we dont know about.?
All BP are removing LPG, and have been for a few years.  Shame BP don't/won't update their own website about which stations sell LPG.


With Brakkers only have a BP (and a Tesco), and that BP ripped out its pumps 2 or 3 years ago, and no LPG options on the way to work, or within a 10 mile detour, my remaining option was one near work (that was inaccessible at rush hour, so had to pop out on the rare occasions I get a lunch break), but even then 50% of the time they didn't have it.

Hence I've been forced down the tractor route...  ...which is far more expensive on fuel than my old, beloved, Silver Bullet.

This is a snapshot from there Sites Station Finder (Filter= LPG Only), having said that, I know at least another 3 BP Stations near me that sell LPG but are not on the Map, so who knows.

(https://api.pcloud.com/getpubthumb?code=XZCWPL7ZxpC9xUam5DB2h2Hz61V9DJVSJ1B7&linkpassword=undefined&size=957x423&crop=0&type=auto)
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 03 March 2018, 11:30:20
It's always been a niche product viewed with suspicion by the vast majority.   ::)

Even after a decade of owning my LPG powered Omega friends would sit in the passenger seat and after a while say something like "So when are you going to turn on the gas?" and then look totally shocked when I'd reply something like  "It's been running on gas since I picked you up!"  ::)  ;D

That said, I don't think I'd ever bother to convert a car and would be wary of buying another converted car.  :-\
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: TheBoy on 03 March 2018, 12:44:01
That said, I don't think I'd ever bother to convert a car and would be wary of buying another converted car.  :-\
That depends on how successful the anti diesel brigade are.  Which may also impact if LPG becomes more available.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 03 March 2018, 13:31:09
That said, I don't think I'd ever bother to convert a car and would be wary of buying another converted car.  :-\
That depends on how successful the anti diesel brigade are.  Which may also impact if LPG becomes more available.

This is true, however if you don't want a hybrid or electrickery car, I suspect the choice will be limited to a little box with a petrol powered hair dryer under the bonnet.  :-\
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 March 2018, 13:58:31
Only if you insist on limiting yourself to a new car...
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 03 March 2018, 14:00:16
Only if you insist on limiting yourself to a new car...

It won't be long before they'll start taxing old cars and changing emissions levels to get them all off the road.  ::)
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 March 2018, 14:52:53
I would rather drive an old, paid for, car than struggle to pay for a new car... the annual tax differential being a fraction of one monthly payment. And if a nearly new decent car was outright affordable, then that would come after the mortgage is paid. And even then, a really nice old car would be a reasonable alternative (given some of the generic crap being designed these days)

I appreciate that this might not be a 'normal' approach, and that personal circumstances dictate the level of choice, but I can live with that ;)

Whether lpg is involved is a simple mathematical issue of cost vs return...
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 03 March 2018, 17:21:37
I would rather drive an old, paid for, car than struggle to pay for a new car... the annual tax differential being a fraction of one monthly payment. And if a nearly new decent car was outright affordable, then that would come after the mortgage is paid. And even then, a really nice old car would be a reasonable alternative (given some of the generic crap being designed these days)

I appreciate that this might not be a 'normal' approach, and that personal circumstances dictate the level of choice, but I can live with that ;)

Whether lpg is involved is a simple mathematical issue of cost vs return...

Agreed!  :y

I just think that the authorities will get rid of all the old cars one way or another to contain pollution that's all.  ::)
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Entwood on 09 March 2018, 09:48:09
Anyone else using LPG in the southwest may be interested in this little snippet ..

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/16074555.more-than-20-jobs-at-risk-at-countrywide-farmers/?ref=mr&lp=2

I have had  a formal notification of the takeover of the LPG side by DCC Flogas on 1st March, and that they will be trading as Countrywide LPG Ltd, but all the correspondence deals with LPG for homes/business .. there is, at the moment, no information regarding Autogas .... however my "key" worked on Monday so I'm hopeful they will continue to do Autogas .....
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Shallow Al on 09 March 2018, 21:11:50
  From what I have been told by Flogas, who are my domestic supplier of LPG, there is a general, national shortage of the stuff right now. They said one of the main storage depots is out of action, due to maintenance, and tanker ships are queuing up to off load the stuff.
  I was told this on the phone to them, and the reasons are repeated on the Trustpilot site, where Flogas is getting a complete hammering with bad reviews. Domestic deliveries are not getting through in time, and people are running out.
  I ran out about 2 weeks ago for 24 hours and was supposed to be on an automatic top up scheme with Flogas. When the tanker eventually arrived the driver said he had to drive much further to another depot to fill up, and only got filled at 3pm. He eventually got to me at 9.30pm.
 Other people near me have run out of gas and have no idea when they will get some.
 Have been looking on the web for confirmation of the above reasons, but not found anything. If true it’s all being kept quiet and out of the headlines. But it explains the shortage at petrol stations.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Kevin Wood on 09 March 2018, 22:12:46
Interesting... I guess there will have been a peak in demand with the recent cold spell. Hope it resolves itself soon.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Entwood on 09 March 2018, 23:19:23
Further to my little note regarding countrywide / flogas ... seems the plot thickens ...

https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/flogas-consumer-countrywide-farmers-merger-inquiry

The Calor terminal in Swindon appears to have plenty of LPG, and is presently 12p / litre cheaper ......  make of that what you will !!   :)

but this also happened, and I can't find out exactly why !!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-relaxation-of-the-enforcement-of-drivers-hours-and-working-time-rules-delivery-of-lpg
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Shallow Al on 10 March 2018, 01:59:23
  Flogas are responding to people’s posts/reviews on the Trustpilot site. Getting through on the phone is difficult. Had a look at posts to do with Calorgas, and they seem to be struggling as well on the domestic bulk gas deliveries.
  Very frustrating to be sold an automatic top up service and have it fail without warning from the supplier. No information on their website, and it’s been going on for at least a few weeks now.
 
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: TheBoy on 10 March 2018, 08:32:18
Countrywide aren't any cheaper around these parts normally, but do have a pump in Banburyshire, which makes it Mrs TBs usual filling point, as its only a mile or so off the motorway.

There is a place near her work that's nearly 10ppl cheaper, but a significant detour through heavy traffic at rush hour, and is normally a 30 min wait for the only pump.  Sadly her lunch break of 30mins, is not enough time to get there and back (let alone fill up), not that she'd be able to park again back at work.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Shallow Al on 10 March 2018, 11:21:52
Just had a word with a Calorgas driver, delivering to someone up the road. He said it’s been nuts. Not enough LPG in the country and mentioned something about a pipeline shut down in Scotland and a major shutdown at the Fawley Refinery. But he said they are catching up now.
 Hope so. It’s not funny with no heating, cooker or hot water. The country is going to the dogs!
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: TheBoy on 10 March 2018, 11:25:30
Just had a word with a Calorgas driver, delivering to someone up the road. He said it’s been nuts. Not enough LPG in the country and mentioned something about a pipeline shut down in Scotland and a major shutdown at the Fawley Refinery. But he said they are catching up now.
 Hope so. It’s not funny with no heating, cooker or hot water. The country is going to the dogs!
That was on the news, at the start of the recent cold snap, when sensationalist media were proclaiming that we'd all run out of gas, and it was due to the Scottish pipeline and the Refinery temp out of action as the cause.
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: Kevin Wood on 11 March 2018, 20:02:49
Just had a word with a Calorgas driver, delivering to someone up the road. He said it’s been nuts. Not enough LPG in the country and mentioned something about a pipeline shut down in Scotland and a major shutdown at the Fawley Refinery. But he said they are catching up now.
 Hope so. It’s not funny with no heating, cooker or hot water. The country is going to the dogs!
That was on the news, at the start of the recent cold snap, when sensationalist media were proclaiming that we'd all run out of gas, and it was due to the Scottish pipeline and the Refinery temp out of action as the cause.

Sounds like they need to make up their mind if they're talking about LPG or natural gas. Oh, wait! The plebs who read it don't know the difference. ::)
Title: Re: LPG Availability ...or rather lack of it
Post by: TheBoy on 11 March 2018, 20:30:19
I hear the majority of LPG stations around here are out of the stuff :(