Hi Folks, Only a week to go before we fly in to start our new life style ,so we are seriously looking for a car and caravan. I see alot of dedicated LPG Falcons for sale. Could any one give me an idea of the availabiliy orf LPG when heading around the block on the big trip Also what are cylinder test requirements for cars in Australia? Any other Regulations for LPG in cars? Also is there a website were people sell package deals Car and Caravan after they have completed there trvelling?As we are in the market for something like this Looking forward to maybe meeting a few of you along the way cheers Mike and Cushla NZ
dave06 said
10:46 AM Apr 25, 2009
G'day Mike, i.m.h.o. (see I learnt that one by myself) a dedicated L.P.G. vehicle is not the way to go,
(1) the tow capability is seriously undermined when it is dedicated L.P.G., horsepower is quite considerably down, O.K. on the flat but not in the hilly country
(2) availability of L.P.G. parts will be a major issue in "out of the way places"
(3) there are a lot of places that simply do not sell L.P.G.
I know of no dedicated website for combination sales but if you look at
(1) Ebay
(2) trading post
(3) caravan trader
(4) local papers
the L.P.G. cylinder must be removed from the vehicle and tested every ten years and restamped as such
ibbo said
12:30 PM Apr 25, 2009
Hi.If you Google "Ford Forums",you will find all the info you need to know.The forums have all the tech.news and if there is something you are stuck on you will find that someone will have an answer for you.E Bay has links to caravan sales etc.Godd luck on your travels.Who knows somewhere,sometime our paths might cross.Cheers.Ibbo.
ibbo said
12:32 PM Apr 25, 2009
Nick off Rolly,I meant GOOD.lol Marty.
JRH said
02:36 PM Apr 25, 2009
whoppa wrote:
Hi Folks, Only a week to go before we fly in to start our new life style ,so we are seriously looking for a car and caravan. I see alot of dedicated LPG Falcons for sale. Could any one give me an idea of the availabiliy orf LPG when heading around the block on the big trip Also what are cylinder test requirements for cars in Australia? Any other Regulations for LPG in cars? Also is there a website were people sell package deals Car and Caravan after they have completed there trvelling?As we are in the market for something like this Looking forward to maybe meeting a few of you along the way cheers Mike and Cushla NZ
G'day Mike & Cushla,
I drive a 1993 EB Ford Falcon Wagon on dual fuel and have not experienced any loss of power whilst towing a 15 foot caravan on gas, even going uphill. That said I would not even entertain the idea of a gas dedicated Gas vehicle as there are quite a few places where Auto Gas simply is not available or the pump(bowser) is out of order and without the convenience of petrol one would be completely stuck without any means of getting away, you simply cannot carry a jerry can of LPG if you run short and you will use about 15% more fuel running on LPG than on petrol. Also the distances between roadhouses can sometimes be beyond the range of the LPG tank.
As for the rest Dave06 has given you the best advice possible. If dedicated Gas fueled vehicles were such a great idea then there would not be such a number of them in the used car market.
I hope you have a great time on your trip.
Regards John
Rolly said
04:19 PM Apr 25, 2009
ibbo wrote:
Nick off Rolly,I meant GOOD.lol Marty.
A-a-a-h-h-h!
I thought that god with a double d would be asking a bit much - at least she'd get all of us blokes to attend on Sundays.
Smokeydk said
07:54 PM Apr 25, 2009
Hi........I just sold my duel fuel falcon...I also have a dedicated BF falcon...that is totally unsuitable for towing holidays........as davo said...LPG is hard to get.....and Our Ford BF..has the spare tyre in the boot taking up over half the storage area....also with the Ford..it has serious ground clearence problems....you will discover.when getting over caravan park speed humps....I recomend you go for a turbo deisel 4X4...consider what weight you plan on towing too..
Dave
whoppa said
08:17 AM Apr 26, 2009
Thanks, For the info, LPG is avialable fairly easily over here in NZ so it was interesting to here of supply problems in OZ so I will take your advice. I had not heard of lack of power issue before ,my ex boss has a duel fuel chevy 4x4 pick up and swears by it, he all most never runs on petol. How ever it is a 350 cu in v8.
I have another question have any of you been relying on free Wi Fi hotspots for your email and internet. I have a free pop3 email account with Gmail so only need a connection to down load my email with outlock express. I have loaded my TomTom with Australian map and added Wifi hots spots to the points of interest and intend to use the free service at the likes of Mackers and star bucks for a while while I sort out the budget. I will probably sign up for 2 years with one of the "3" wireless plans but not imediatly. Also if anyone would like a free Gmail invite flick me an email at mikeandcushla@gmail.com and I will send you and invite ,I have 50 Thanks again Mike
Also Diese4x4 would be nice but my buget only would allow for a 90,s model and repairs would be expensive, however I expect Falcon to be early BA model and parts relitivly common and cheap over there. I intend to stay on sealed roads.
-- Edited by whoppa on Sunday 26th of April 2009 08:24:44 AM
twobob said
08:53 AM Apr 26, 2009
Whoppa (login name seems suggestive, maybe just me envious)
I was thinking on your problem, and it occurred to me, that there are a lot of backpackers in Aussie. They come, buy and sell on leaving, sometimes in a hurry and therefore cheaply.
I did a quick search and found the below link, but there may be others. Maybe a start for you. There are vans/motorhomes/etc, as well as the entry point, which is cars.
Be cautious with GumTree: There are a lot of too-good-to-be-true offers that are straight out scams.
mike and Judy said
11:52 AM Apr 26, 2009
Dont discount the 4x4 built in the late 80s and early 90s,
My old Gq can stack up against any 4x4 on the market, and there is a few around, my son just got a goody, built in 92, and its bloody immaculate,
Remember they are a proven off roader, and the odds are you might want to use for that,
its slow and certain, and not a lot of bucks
dave06 said
12:11 PM Apr 26, 2009
I would put my weight behind the GQ as well given the choices, your mate with the 350 has the horses to mess around with in the first place,
whack a 20 foot van fully loaded behind a gas 250 ford and tackle the high points and see how you get on, I know my B.I.L.'s BA ute cant do it on gas
whoppa said
02:41 PM Apr 26, 2009
Sorry but Iam not familiar with GQ model is it Toyota or Nissan or other.
Lpg is no no i think for us , I will check out Gumtree with caution.
Can,t wait to get going now, bit of a plunge thou.
dave06 said
03:03 PM Apr 26, 2009
the G.Q. is a nissan patrol 4wd, given that you will possibly want to "have a look around" whilst here this would be my choice
whoppa said
05:08 PM Apr 26, 2009
Just in passing while south of perth a few years back I saw a vehicle called an "OKA"
I belive they are made in Australia somewhere now that was interesting.
dave06 said
05:12 PM Apr 26, 2009
yep made in western australia for the mining trade mainly, very agricultural but quite capable
Only a week to go before we fly in to start our new life style ,so we are seriously looking for a car and caravan.
I see alot of dedicated LPG Falcons for sale.
Could any one give me an idea of the availabiliy orf LPG when heading around the block on the big trip
Also what are cylinder test requirements for cars in Australia?
Any other Regulations for LPG in cars?
Also is there a website were people sell package deals Car and Caravan after they have completed there trvelling?As we are in the market for something like this
Looking forward to maybe meeting a few of you along the way
cheers Mike and Cushla NZ
I drive a 1993 EB Ford Falcon Wagon on dual fuel and have not experienced any loss of power whilst towing a 15 foot caravan on gas, even going uphill. That said I would not even entertain the idea of a gas dedicated Gas vehicle as there are quite a few places where Auto Gas simply is not available or the pump(bowser) is out of order and without the convenience of petrol one would be completely stuck without any means of getting away, you simply cannot carry a jerry can of LPG if you run short and you will use about 15% more fuel running on LPG than on petrol. Also the distances between roadhouses can sometimes be beyond the range of the LPG tank.
As for the rest Dave06 has given you the best advice possible. If dedicated Gas fueled vehicles were such a great idea then there would not be such a number of them in the used car market.
I hope you have a great time on your trip.
Regards
John
I thought that god with a double d would be asking a bit much - at least she'd get all of us blokes to attend on Sundays.
For the info, LPG is avialable fairly easily over here in NZ so it was interesting to here of supply problems in OZ so I will take your advice.
I had not heard of lack of power issue before ,my ex boss has a duel fuel chevy 4x4 pick up and swears by it, he all most never runs on petol. How ever it is a 350 cu in v8.
I have another question have any of you been relying on free Wi Fi hotspots for your email and internet.
I have a free pop3 email account with Gmail so only need a connection to down load my email with outlock express.
I have loaded my TomTom with Australian map and added Wifi hots spots to the points of interest and intend to use the free service at the likes of Mackers and star bucks for a while while I sort out the budget.
I will probably sign up for 2 years with one of the "3" wireless plans but not imediatly.
Also if anyone would like a free Gmail invite flick me an email at
mikeandcushla@gmail.com
and I will send you and invite ,I have 50
Thanks again
Mike
Also Diese4x4 would be nice but my buget only would allow for a 90,s model and repairs would be expensive, however I expect Falcon to be early BA model and parts relitivly common and cheap over there. I intend to stay on sealed roads.
-- Edited by whoppa on Sunday 26th of April 2009 08:24:44 AM
I was thinking on your problem, and it occurred to me, that there are a lot of backpackers in Aussie. They come, buy and sell on leaving, sometimes in a hurry and therefore cheaply.
I did a quick search and found the below link, but there may be others. Maybe a start for you. There are vans/motorhomes/etc, as well as the entry point, which is cars.
http://sydney.gumtree.com.au/f-Cars-for-Sale-W0QQCatIdZ9299
they can be found here
http://www.oka.com.au/
-- Edited by dave06 on Sunday 26th of April 2009 05:19:25 PM