CNG...Anyone regret installing???

[Ichibawa]

Because my car doesn't wheelie. And neither does any of the other bifuel cars I've seen.

 

The simple thing is that unlike crazy Pakistanis who seem good at making bombs, we don't over stuff the rear with as many cylinders as we can.

 

The installers will not do it. There was once a Camry installed with two cylinders in the boot. LTA ordered the second cylinder removed. The front was lifting up and that is enough to get it failed for inspection.

 

I hope you are not offended and if in any of my post be it current or previous did made you uneasy, I sincerely apologize for it. I am just here to learn and the share.

 

I don't own a CNG vehicle which is why my observation maybe skewed but I am just sharing what I know about the CNG Kia Pride which has a factory fitted CNG tank and due to this unique feature, the rear axle setup is different from its petrol guzzling brothers. And also not all Pakistanis are good with bombs, similar to not all monks are bad, and not all Indians have golden taps at home.

[Kspchew]

Not to mention, CNG burns much cleaner.

[Genie47]

It doesn't burn much cleaner. It just produces half the carbon dioxide from petrol. You still get green house gases.

 

As of now, it is a cheap fuel but LPG is just as good. Most importantly, don't mix the two up.

 

Otherwise you end up like that poor Malaysian guy who tried to fill his LPG cylinder with CNG. The explosion killed him. LPG is 15-20 PSI and liquid. CNG is 2500 PSI and gaseous.

[Genie47]

None taken.

 

My jibe at the Pakistanis making bombs is really about their conversion of cars to bombs. Literally.

 

The accident I mention about with the Malaysian guy trying to fill his LPG cylinder with CNG? It has happened before in Pakistan. And it happens with some measure of frequency. Ditto with Bangladesh. LP and CN are very different. They just put the G at the end and think all will work well.

 

Only the well informed Pakistanis know the difference. The poor sods who try to increase their range get into trouble.

[Genie47]

Finally to dispute the myth about explosions.

 

The 2500 PSI or 200 bar pressure cylinder behind? If you got into an accident and I mean a really horrible one, you will not survive but the cylinder will. Two Malaysian cars suffered damage from fires. The pictures are circulated in Malaysia which explains why the Malaysians have no fear of the CNG cylinder going off. You see an image of a car totally burned down to its skeletal frame. Tires totally consumed leaving the rims. All gone and at the back, you see the cylinder still intact.

 

Fact is that the gas will vent off at high temperature.

 

Just don't try a home mod and add an LPG cylinder.

[Yeobh]

Looks like the biggest buses and taxis operator in Spore in not in favour of CNG due to lack of pumping stations.

[Agnoxis]

Personally find it a hassle to get a CNG vehicle. If you're the average guy who travels 20,000km/year and drive at approx 10km/l (just an average figure), you'll pump about 2000l of petrol, which will cost about $3,400 annually. Assuming same consumption for CNG and cost at $1.30/l, you'll spend $2,600 on fuel, an annual savings of $800. If you're the type who doesn't mind saving $66/month to lose your boot space, then maybe you should get CNG. Correspondingly, maybe you should also seriously re-think owning a car if you're gonna be the type who has to save $66/month.

 

You're unlikely to get honest opinions from CNG car owners since they are highly unlikely to tell you they made a bad choice at the point of purchase.

[Ivansyl]

i still think the lack of pumping stations is the biggest issue of all. such a hassle to get to these limited refills. get the hype back when there are at least twice the number of stations

[Blackseal]

If can afford to buy car in SGP......don't waste time on a stupid CNG tank lah.....bloody waste of time....and the hassle of having your car dying on you unexpectedly

[Pisces69]

But saw from the Paper today.. (My paper).

 

This particular driver encounter nearly100 over times , engine dies off out of sudden using CNG...sometimes in expressway.

and also repair the car almost 30 times

Now LTA also do not allow him to un install the CNG tank...

So suay......

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Thats why I feel, never b the guinea pig for anything new.

 

I prefer to let others go 1st & once I see all the bugs have been worked out & its really worth, then I wil consider.

 

I think many pple r having problems with their CNG cars. I suspect its due to poor aftermarket installation. Also once aftermarket CNG is installed, any agent warranty for your car is VOID.

 

Maybe its better to buy a car with CNG installed at the factory for a more trouble-free ride & to keep the agent warranty

.

So far I know only the Chevy Optra has CNG installed at the Thai factory cos many taxis in Thai run on CNG & there is a bigger market there.

Maybe VW also was supposed to bring in a CNG estate model but I still never see any confirmation. Maybe they have 2nd thoughts after so many complaints here & the CNG name is not so good now.

 

Another thing with a proper CNG fit from the factory is the possibility of having concealed CNG tanks instead of the bulky tanks installed in the boot now. That wil take up quite alot of useful boot space. Even the Thai CNG Optra has the big tank in the boot which is a big disadvantage. That already shows it is not a true factory CNG fit but an afterthought.

 

In UK, they have aftermarket tanks that r concealed but maybe then the costs wil b too high as each model car wil need to have a different shape tank.

 

With the big tanks in the boot here, the costs r lower cos it a "one size fits all" situation.

 

 

 

[Pisces69]

CNG aka C NO GOOD

 

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Or Can Not Go.

[Pisces69]

I think it would probably make sense for pple who spends above $300 for petrol each month. Else the breakeven period becomes too long.

 

Coupled with the hassle of:

 

- Lost of boot space + extra weight tank (1 person)

- Limited refueling stations arnd

- Reduction in engine performance (kills driving pleasure)

- Potential stalling & side effects (subjective)

 

Not to forget, it will cost a cool $3K+ to install.

 

Unless the savings is more than $150 per month, i wun not bother to do it.

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With all the disadvantages of CNG, I wil still stick to the possibility of Diesel being the better alternative fuel of the future, once our gharmen wakes up & reduces the Road Tax of diesel cars to either same as petrol cars or even cheaper, cos diesel is the cleaner & more environmentally friendly option of the future. Plus I wont have any of the disadvantages mentioned above.

 

Maybe then my next car wil b a nice diesel that saves me $$$ & also saves Mother Earth.

 

[Pisces69]

hydrogen fuel cell will be the power of the future...only by-product produced is oxygen and water...

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Thats still a long way off to b a mass produced, commercially viable option for us.

 

[Pisces69]

I tot electric car is the future?

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SG most pple live in high-rise flats.

 

How to charge the car?

 

That 1 can if everybody has a garage or car porch inside your compound for easy charging. SG its just not practical.

 

[Pisces69]

hydrogen fuel cell is the future, coz there is unlimited supply.

watch this from top gear to understand the concept.

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Supply is unlimited but the cost to separate the hydrogen to b used is still too high.

[Pisces69]

Deleted. Double post.

Edited May 1, 2010 by Pisces69

[Pisces69]

I installed cng tank on my honda fit 1 year back.

I did not fork out any additional money to install that as its was deducted through the rebate by the government.

However, having said that, one still have to pay back the pro-rated rebate if one sells the car next time.

Depends on the usage, the break even point can be as short as 2years.

 

things to consider when installing cng:

1) new car vs old car - new car got rebate from gov. hence dun need to fork out cash to install it.

2) boot space - if you are someone who needs lots of boot space.. then.. can forget about it. (my boots are empty most of the time.)

3) location - if you need to travel more than 5-10km just to pump the gas, it just doesnt make economical sense.

4) power - if you someone who are hungry for power, dun install cng.. 5-10% lost of power for cng is common.

5) cng sticker - if you think you cant stand the sticker.. pls dun install too.. cos one would get fined if sticker is not on the front and back bumper.

6) reliability - as cng is still considered 'young' in spore, there might have some issues here and there.

 

so far, i have not experienced any of the problems myself. $12 of gas can travel about 190km. only issue for me is, sometimes it would take ard 10-15mins to pump gas during peak hours. and maybe the lost of power..

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Fit already have a very low FC.

 

I wud think CNG wud b better for cars with very high FC to make it more worthwhile.

 

For my Optra Estate, I can travel 200km on about $15 of petrol. Almost the same as yours & my car is bigger & heavier too.

[Pisces69]

there's some rebate for new cars. they wun sponsor u per se, but it more than offsets the cost of installing the CNG tanks. i believe only CnC offers it new (merc E200 NGT) but other parallel importers do too.

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I know the Chevy Optra has a CNG version new. But CNG is installed "aftermarket" at the Thai factory.