Ok, time for natural gas for my car.

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Have you seen the prices of gasoline???? Uffff, I am going nuts, can't even imagine driving to punta cana in my car. The prices have reached 170 plus pesos / gallon in DR. I paid like 1500 plus pesos gasoline, back and forth to santo domingo from santiago. This is totally unacceptable. I didn't even drive that much over there, just to immigration office then to friend's restaurant and back. I refuse to pay such high prices for a gallon of gasoline anywhere. The prices of gasoline will only reach higher.
Now I have been talking to people who have converted to gas and they all seem to be very content with the conversion. The saving is enormous. I think I would be willing to kill my engine in 5 years after saving so much on gasoline expenses. the new system seems to come from europe, which doesn't allow gas to leak, its safer and runs car better. It even has a guage in the dash board to meaure how much gas is left in the tank. The price is 21500 pesos installed. I think I can get it for a lot cheaper.
Will report all cons and pro later.
AZB
 

Adrian Bye

Bronze
Jul 7, 2002
2,077
138
0
Please do. I keep hearing about these and they sound very good. There doesn't seem to be much knowledge about this in the forums. One of my friends kids works at a gas conversion place.. he was saying they are safer than gasoline because you can turn the valve off if there's a problem. I have no idea if that is true.

Also, you can get your residencia renewed in Santiago, there is an immigration office here.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Aftab, I assume you meant propane, not CNG.

What happens if/when the propane subsidy goes away?
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
AZB:
You are talking about propane, not natural Gas...

Get the good system. You will appreciate it a lot. My son has one installed in his Trail Blazer and it works great.

You pay 60 pesos a gallon for your fuel (for now@@) and you get 75% of the efficiency.
But the savings are huge. And now there are filling stations all over for propane, NOT natural gas!!

Your Corolla will do well with it and your pocketbook will be so happy!!

HB
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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Note to Cobraboy: Even without the subsidy it is only 81 pesos a gallon!! less than half the price of fuel..

HB
 

Gringo

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,314
58
0
Where is it RD $21.500 installed? I'm going on the weekend...

I drive from Pto.Pta to Sosua daily and it costs me RD $15.000 per month and that's Gas oil.
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
2,823
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San Franciso, CA @ US$3.72 (15 gals =US$55.80) The U.K. I think I saw US5.50+- and parts of Europe @ US$6.50. I don't remember the exact prices and I'm sure that others can correct me.

Filled up today, $3,100 DR. = US$94.00???? (aprox. 15 gals. Reg.)

It will not get any better with oil trend going up. I cann't wait to fill up my generator tanks... 1000 gallons.

People out of the D.R., what are you paying?

Regards, Ringo
 

Yachtmaster

Member
Jul 2, 2007
296
20
18
www.genesisbvi.com
Makes you wonder why there are still so many cars on the streets of Santo Domingo. I guess everyone still needs to get around. I read on DR1 news a few months ago that Natural Gas was going to be phased in for use in vehicles in the near future, is that still true?

FYI, in the British Virgin Islands, where I live, regular gas is about $3.80 for a gallon and diesel is about $4.25 and that is after shipping and customs duties have been factored in. Makes you wonder who is making the extra dollar and a half from the $5.30 people are paying for gas in the Dominican Republic??
 
Jan 5, 2006
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LPG conversion kits are safe as long as you get a kit that is made in Italy or the UK, and it is properly installed. Keep in mind that the complete kit includes a tank specifically made for automotive use, and not the run-of-the-mill household tank that many people in DR use because they're cheaper.
 

gardito

New member
Jan 15, 2004
142
0
0
In PR $.78-.84 per liter regular $.83-.90 per liter premium (super). At 3.8 liter per gallon (roughly) ah.... you do the math ....;). In february I rented one of those small jobs from SD to Santiago and back, ended up paying $30US to fill up about half a tank (yikes!).

BTW, AZB, My pal and me met you that night at Ahi Bar...it was a pleasure!

E.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Note to Cobraboy: Even without the subsidy it is only 81 pesos a gallon!! less than half the price of fuel..

HB
I could use a referral for refitting a vehicle with the "good" system. I'll be getting a mid-level SUV, prolly a Montero Sport or equivalent, so 75% efficiency would be OK by me.
 

tflea

Bronze
Jun 11, 2006
1,839
164
63
Against the grain

I hope gas and diesel goes to extraordinary levels so extraordinary measures will be taken worldwide. Bicycles and motoconchos will rule! And this from one who loves his jeepeta. Let us eat cake and fu&*^%! the extraordinary profits of OPEC and Hugo Chavez and the petroleros of the world.
It's after 10 p.m. and I can rant on (or not).:bunny:
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
The Dominican gov has initiated a program to place natural gas as the only option to use as vehicle fuel. So you'll see a slow at first and then quite fast change to Natural gas from Propane.

The subsidy to propane will be terminated soon after the supply lines of Natural gas are deployed in the country.

The aim is to remove propane as the cooking fuel as well.
There'll be no more subsidies to either market thereafter...

As of now, the DR is a big consumer per capita than other developing countries in the Caribbean and L.A. We consume more oil barrels than we should!
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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While I do not doubt that PICHARDO might have an "inside line on things" I do think it will be a long, long time in coming....
I think that, if there was a really strong company with deep pockets and capable of investing the funds, that it would be possible to switch from propane to natural gas for home cooking. But think of the risks!!

Okay, I can see Arroyo Hondo, Piantini, Naco, Gazcue, Ciudad Nueva, Los Milliones, Los Prados etc, converting to NG, but, can you imagine the real "Barrios??"" OMG!!

Same for Santiago and the other major cities...

However, any change would be positive for the DR pocketbook...that's for sure.

Somewhere on these pages I read that NG was much less efficient than propane...another worry. I would not waqnt to have to stop on the way to Sto Dgo to fill the tank...since the savings over propane are not all that much in the first place..

Long haul here...

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


HB
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Requiring a changie from propane to CNG may be like requiring a change from 2-cycle to 4-cycle motos, or required change from Presidente to Brahma.

I don't know how you do it without tires burning.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Ok, I meant propane gas conversion. I was confused at first because I was thinking in terms of CNG (compressed natural gas) which is the common conversion system in pakistan.
I will get some information on this converstion system today (prices) and see if I can get an italian system installed for a good price. I have been talking to taxi drivers who own nicer cleaner looking taxis (not conchos) and they claim to be far more happier now than ever. One taxi driver was so upset that he didn't listen to his friends earlier and like a sucker he was paying huge prices for gasoline. Now he has propane tank in his car and he is the most happiest man in santiago. he earns a lot more money now, instead of giving it away in terms of buying expensive gasoline.
I know many SUV owners who have made the change a few years ago and are very happy with the conversion. their motors are holding up just fine even after 5 yrs of propane usage. So guys, I am almost sure I will do it. My camry was killing me with gasoline expenses now I shall be set free.
AZB

P.S. adrian, the last time I was at santiago immigration office, I was specifically told that I could not renew my residencia card there. All extranjeros have to go to capital to renew their immigration residency cards.