One step closer.

I spent an hour at a place that does CNG conversions today.  Learned a lot, and now I’m even more sure that I want to do the conversion.

It’s going to cost me about $5,500 for the conversion to bi-fuel, which means the car will still run on gasoline if I ever run out of CNG.

They also offer financing, which is helpful since I don’t have six grand hanging around.  I’ll have a car payment for the first time in several years, but the savings in gas bills should make the payment, and more.  Gas mileage per GGE (gasoline gallon equivalent) should be about the same, and since Utah is flush with natural gas production, a GGE costs about $1.50 right now.

With the bi-fuel, driving long distances isn’t a problem, although a lot more expensive if I can’t find a CNG station.  Fortunately, as you can see from the map, there’s quite a few stations around Utah.  I could probably make it all the way to Vegas and back totally on CNG.

Do I hear “Road Trip”?

CNG it will be.

I’ve been toying with, and looking into, the possibility of converting Alphonse over to CNG (compressed natural gas).  CNG runs at between $1.25 and 1.75 a gallon equivalent, making that big boat not only as cost efficient as a 35 MPG car, but also every bit as nice on the environment.   The big drawback is that the conversion could cost up to, and maybe beyond, $6000.

Makes this car as efficient and clean as your Prius.

 

I thought about buying something economical, for that amount of money I could get a decent little car.  But I really like the car I have, except for it’s gas mileage, and it’s in excellent running condition.   So I did a little bit of calculating, (with CNG at $1.50/gal eq, gas at $3.75/gal and assuming I drive it 10,000 miles a year), and figured out that it would take me just under 2 years to get back my $6,000 investment.

So, I’m going to go out and get some quotes and, barring any serious setbacks, I’m going to have a CNG powered 1978 Mercury Marquis.  I will be losing some trunk space to the CNG tank, but I figure if it fits in that VW I can certainly spare the space in my trunk.