LPG Kias

franco1111

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May 29, 2013
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We are looking for a car for a family member. Who wants a car, not a jeepeta.

There are many Kia LPG cars for sale on lots here in Punta Cana.

Can someone comment (with authority) on how these cars perform over time? Last a long time, frequent problems? Etc. One thing I see is that they are low to the ground. K5 model for example. This is not good for flooded streets here.

Our neighbor has one (hers is a different model) and says it is all good. Except that she has to get out of the car when they put fuel in it, because too dangerous to stay inside?! Also, cannot make round trip from PC to Santo Domingo without re-fueling in Juan Dolio or Boca Chica. She does not like either place. And, getting out of the car at night is no good.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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An owner of LPG factory Hyundai told me the fuel economy is about the same as on LPG system installed on gasoline car. Also the fuel economy seems really and, I can do RT from Higuey to SD and back and drive quite a lot in SD on a car with an old LPG system (no fuel LPG computer injection). Having to refuel in Boca Chica on a trip back, on a LPG factory system, seems very very bad fuel economy to me.
 

Derfish

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Jan 7, 2016
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I had a propane car. It wasn't a Kia, but I never had to get out as they refueled it and my propane tank was in the passenger compartment, many of them aren't. But these vehicles all still have gas tanks and can run on gasoline. One just flips the switch, so no need to stop for fuel, keep on driving on gasoline until you are in an area you deem to be safe. Propane burns at a lower temperature than gasoline and therefore gets lower mileage per gallon, but if you figure dollars per mile or pesos per kilometer it is about the same as "gas" or gasoline.
Der Fish
 

franco1111

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May 29, 2013
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The cars I am talking about have a motor that runs on LPG and a tank for that installed at the factory. The cars are/were imported from Korea to the DR. They do not have a tank for gasoline.

(The Kia Optima I think is approximately the same car designed for and imported to the US but uses only gasoline, not LPG.)

The gas mileage my neighbor seems to get seems low to me too. It is about 200 km from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo. So, it would depend on the size of the tank and how much fuel is burned per kilometer. I am sure a car expert here knows the size of the factory installed tank - I don't.

I am having hard time finding any review of the engine. But, I just started.
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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LPG has 80% of the BTU potential of gasoline, so the performance will be 20% less, the mileage even worse. A tiny car already has a performance disadvantage. Propane would make it worse.

Propane made some economic sense with the DR gubmint subsidized LPG. It was less than 1/4 the cost of gasoline with those subsidies. Now it's more than half the cost of regular, so the economies don't make sense.

Once upon a time propane stations were full of cars. Now, not so much. Even many conchos have gone back to gasoline.
 

chico bill

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May 6, 2016
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We are looking for a car for a family member. Who wants a car, not a jeepeta.

There are many Kia LPG cars for sale on lots here in Punta Cana.

Can someone comment (with authority) on how these cars perform over time? Last a long time, frequent problems? Etc. One thing I see is that they are low to the ground. K5 model for example. This is not good for flooded streets here.

Our neighbor has one (hers is a different model) and says it is all good. Except that she has to get out of the car when they put fuel in it, because too dangerous to stay inside?! Also, cannot make round trip from PC to Santo Domingo without re-fueling in Juan Dolio or Boca Chica. She does not like either place. And, getting out of the car at night is no good.

You shouldn't have to get out but connecting and disconnecting the fill hose causes brief discharge of the propane and it is a nauseating smell - once you get past the smell..... propane might be away to go (OK I didn't tell the joke)
 

franco1111

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Today's prices for regular gasoline are RD$216 per gallon and RD$116 for LPG. LPG is 46 percent cheaper than regular gasoline. If you get 80 percent of the mileage with LPG, there is still a cost advantage.

I suspect that there are many of these cars on the market now because, as you say, the cost advantage is not what it was some time ago. And, it seems there might be some inconvenience. But, not much if the tank is big enough.
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Many rentals have LPG I find - for the economy of operation.

I have driven them... other than the delayed start feature, they seem to function equally.
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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Today's prices for regular gasoline are RD$216 per gallon and RD$116 for LPG. LPG is 46 percent cheaper than regular gasoline. If you get 80 percent of the mileage with LPG, there is still a cost advantage.

I suspect that there are many of these cars on the market now because, as you say, the cost advantage is not what it was some time ago. And, it seems there might be some inconvenience. But, not much if the tank is big enough.
You get a LOT less than 80%. And the performance is significantly degraded, especially in a vehicle already underpowered.

There is a reason LPG is not a popular vehicle fuel.
 

cobraboy

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Many rentals have LPG I find - for the economy of operation.

I have driven them... other than the delayed start feature, they seem to function equally.
Until the laws of gravity and thermodynamics are repealed, they do not perform equally. It may seem so on a flat surface, but those are few and far between in the DR.

We had one for two years. It was painful trying to climb the hill to Jarabacoa at 25mph, pedal to the floor.

We got 8mpg on propane and 16mpg on gasoline.
 

Bryanell

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Aug 9, 2005
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Until the laws of gravity and thermodynamics are repealed, they do not perform equally. It may seem so on a flat surface, but those are few and far between in the DR.

We had one for two years. It was painful trying to climb the hill to Jarabacoa at 25mph, pedal to the floor.

We got 8mpg on propane and 16mpg on gasoline.
I have to agree. For 8 years I had an ISUZU Super Trooper 1999 model, with a 3.5 liter gasoline V6 engine and a Tantarini fully integrated digital LPG system with a 25gallon LPG tank. Motor always starts on gasoline and the LPG system kicks in automatically when engine temperature reaches a sufficient heat. The LPG control panel was complete with LED lights to indicate the level in the tank and a push button flip between gasoline and LPG. Never drove it in mountain country but on the more or less flat it performed as well as can be expected with more than two tons of kerb weight. Downside was the relative scarcity of LPG filling stations and the extremely slow filling time, as well as the persistant faint trace odour of the LPG, which was not due to leaks but to overfilling.
in the end, when LPG was no longer heavily subsidised, it was no longer economic on a price vs performance scale and inconvenience of 30 minutes to fill up every time, so I stopped using LPG altogether. Shortly after that I ditched the vehicle due to recurring serious cooling system problems. Bought a Suzuki GV2000 gasoline with the superb assistance of The Gorgon and haven't looked back.
 

melphis

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Apr 18, 2013
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Most of the LPG Kia cars on the lots in the Bavaro area look like ex Taxis. Check them out thoroughly before you buy one. I don't think that Orange color was a factory option for Kia.
The only good thing on these cars is the propane system looks factory installed and you don't have a propane bottle rolling around in the trunk.
 

franco1111

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Most of the LPG Kia cars on the lots in the Bavaro area look like ex Taxis. Check them out thoroughly before you buy one. I don't think that Orange color was a factory option for Kia.
The only good thing on these cars is the propane system looks factory installed and you don't have a propane bottle rolling around in the trunk.

Absolutely right. We have been looking for yellow paint covered with white in hidden places. I dont know about orange. Yes, the propane system is factory installed.
 

USA DOC

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Feb 20, 2016
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Today's prices for regular gasoline are RD$216 per gallon and RD$116 for LPG. LPG is 46 percent cheaper than regular gasoline. If you get 80 percent of the mileage with LPG, there is still a cost advantage.

I suspect that there are many of these cars on the market now because, as you say, the cost advantage is not what it was some time ago. And, it seems there might be some inconvenience. But, not much if the tank is big enough.

....yes a tank that is big enough takes a lot of the trunk........
 

bienamor

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Apr 23, 2004
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Thanks to this thread I will no longer be looking for either a Kia or Sonada with LPG as I thought that they would run on either LPG or Gasoline. Finding out here that they don't. Thanks
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I have to agree. For 8 years I had an ISUZU Super Trooper 1999 model, with a 3.5 liter gasoline V6 engine and a Tantarini fully integrated digital LPG system with a 25gallon LPG tank. Motor always starts on gasoline and the LPG system kicks in automatically when engine temperature reaches a sufficient heat. The LPG control panel was complete with LED lights to indicate the level in the tank and a push button flip between gasoline and LPG. Never drove it in mountain country but on the more or less flat it performed as well as can be expected with more than two tons of kerb weight. Downside was the relative scarcity of LPG filling stations and the extremely slow filling time, as well as the persistant faint trace odour of the LPG, which was not due to leaks but to overfilling.
in the end, when LPG was no longer heavily subsidised, it was no longer economic on a price vs performance scale and inconvenience of 30 minutes to fill up every time, so I stopped using LPG altogether. Shortly after that I ditched the vehicle due to recurring serious cooling system problems. Bought a Suzuki GV2000 gasoline with the superb assistance of The Gorgon and haven't looked back.

That's the same system my K5 Blazer has installed.

Big tank in the rear with a gauge, and a small indicator under the dash with 4 LED lights to indicate fuel remaining. Definitely a professional installation and very well done.

It had fuel in it when I purchased it, but I used it up and I've only been running Gasoline in it.

It has a 5.7 V8 so I never noticed the difference.
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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I have to agree. For 8 years I had an ISUZU Super Trooper 1999 model, with a 3.5 liter gasoline V6 engine and a Tantarini fully integrated digital LPG system with a 25gallon LPG tank. Motor always starts on gasoline and the LPG system kicks in automatically when engine temperature reaches a sufficient heat. The LPG control panel was complete with LED lights to indicate the level in the tank and a push button flip between gasoline and LPG. Never drove it in mountain country but on the more or less flat it performed as well as can be expected with more than two tons of kerb weight. Downside was the relative scarcity of LPG filling stations and the extremely slow filling time, as well as the persistant faint trace odour of the LPG, which was not due to leaks but to overfilling.
in the end, when LPG was no longer heavily subsidised, it was no longer economic on a price vs performance scale and inconvenience of 30 minutes to fill up every time, so I stopped using LPG altogether. Shortly after that I ditched the vehicle due to recurring serious cooling system problems. Bought a Suzuki GV2000 gasoline with the superb assistance of The Gorgon and haven't looked back.
Did the system have injectors tapped into the intake manifold, or a tube from the vaporizer going into the air cleabner?
 

JD Jones

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Did the system have injectors tapped into the intake manifold, or a tube from the vaporizer going into the air cleabner?

Mine has the vaporizer on the top of the air cleaner. For gasoline it has the plate injector where a carb would be.
 

cobraboy

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Mine has the vaporizer on the top of the air cleaner.
That's the most common and cheapest. It cost US$650 when we had propane installed in our Xterra 10 years ago.

Propane is a dry gas, and as such strips lubrication off the valve stems, guides and head as it's on the journey into the cylinder, causing eventual serious valve problems. We had to have the heads rebuilt because the valves and guides were a worn-out mess.

The injector system is marginally better, but it was US$2500 10 years ago. I watched some mechanics drill and tap holes into an intake manifold of a fancy Lexus for propane injectors and I just cringed.

On our Xterra, we had a round propane tank installed under the chassis where the spare tire went. Then the spare went in the back cargo area taking up a massive amount of space.

Going propane, at the end of the day, was a bad idea: car ran sub-optimal when a lot of power was needed, significantly reduced power and abysmal mileage, fewer propane stations vs. gasoline, we had a large cylinder head rebuild expense due to damaged valves and stems, and we lost a lot of cargo space. Lose-lose-lose-lose-lose.

In terms of net operating vehicle costs per mile, we lost $$$ going to propane, not to mention the loss of function and cargo space.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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That's the most common and cheapest. It cost US$650 when we had propane installed in our Xterra 10 years ago.

Propane is a dry gas, and as such strips lubrication off the valve stems, guides and head as it's on the journey into the cylinder, causing eventual serious valve problems. We had to have the heads rebuilt because the valves and guides were a worn-out mess.

The injector system is marginally better, but it was US$2500 10 years ago. I watched some mechanics drill and tap holes into an intake manifold of a fancy Lexus for propane injectors and I just cringed.

On our Xterra, we had a round propane tank installed under the chassis where the spare tire went. Then the spare went in the back cargo area taking up a massive amount of space.

Going propane, at the end of the day, was a bad idea: car ran sub-optimal when a lot of power was needed, significantly reduced power and abysmal mileage, fewer propane stations vs. gasoline, we had a large cylinder head rebuild expense due to damaged valves and stems, and we lost a lot of cargo space. Lose-lose-lose-lose-lose.

In terms of net operating vehicle costs per mile, we lost $$$ going to propane, not to mention the loss of function and cargo space.

Exactly why I don't use mine.

If it wasn't so well installed, it would have been gone by now. But I never throw anything in the back, and the installation looks really nice, so I decided to leave it. (At least for now - subject to change)