LPG stations

[Pudsey Bear]

We tend to fill up when we see it cheap so there is no extra journey, however we used to travel to Morrisons for food & fill up at the same time.

 

[Nabsim]

The BP heading out of Hull just before M62 has matched Morrisons. I purposely went that way round as well as it was 99ppl. At least I could brew up on gas when I got to Scotland, was a Sunday as well so some others I knew of were closed

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I thought I would write to Morrisons this morning, I just got the Reply, I would like to respond politely so suggestions welcome.

Dear Kev



Regrettably, our LPG supplier unilaterally decided to more than treble the supply premium for the supply of LPG on a take or leave it basis. Our pump price increase merely reflects the increase in LPG price that we have been faced with, our gross margin is the same as it was previously (its actually a little bit lower)

I fully appreciate that these increases are less than ideal and must seem counterintuitive given the reduction in Unleaded and Diesel costs and pump prices that have occurred over the last 6 months. Please be assured that should our LPG supply prices drop then we will look to reflect those reductions at the pump.


Rest assured that MFG remains committed to continuing to supply automotive LPG (we still have 97 forecourts selling the product), but each LPG location needs to generate sufficient margin to justify the continuation of the offer, given the other competing retail opportunities that we could do in its place.


Kind regards

 

[Nabsim]

Hahaha, send that to Gadget John. Remember his video spouting LPG was dead and there wouldn’t be any by 2024?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Interesting to see that MFG are not taking out the LPG pumps.

 

[r4dent]

When it comes down to it, people would typically top up their LPG when they filled up with Diesel regardless of the price, so it seems a good business choice.
I did a Excel spreasheet a while back to work out the cost-effectiveness of travelling to cheaper LPG stations and in reality, paying £1.30/Litre for LPG will work out cheaper then making a special diversion to pay 90p/litre when you factor in how much you will spend in vehicle fuel to get there and back.

And for those who don't understand spreadsheets ....
Rule of thumb.
Break even miles = Litres of LPG * LPG Saving per Litre (pence) / 25
e.g Adding 20 litre of LPG with a saving of 10p per litre
Break even is 8 miles ... (20 * 10 / 25)

or to put it another way
Min quanity of LPG = (Extra Miles *25) / LPG Saving per Litre (pence)

In Wildebus example, he needs to put in just under a litre for every extra mile he drives
Min quanity of LPG = (Extra Miles *25) / LPG Saving per Litre (pence)
= (1 * 25) /30
= 0.8 litres

These assume 25 mpg; Diesel £1.45 per litre



Explanation
It is cheaper to drive to the cheap LPG if
Extra Diesel cost < Extra LPG cost
[Miles traveled / mpg ] * 4.5 * Derv litre price) < LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price
[Miles traveled / 25] * 4.5 * 145 ) < LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price
Miles traveled * 4.5 * 145 ) < LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price * 25
Miles traveled < LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price * ( 25 / 650)
Miles traveled < LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price / ( 650 / 25)
Miles traveled < LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price / 26
Using break even is LPG Litres x Difference in LPG Litre price / 25 is accurate to with 5%

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Everyone needs a hobby Ken

 

[wildebus]

Sorry, but that "explanation" is way too confusing

I prefer a simple simplesheet result

LPG Calculator by David, on Flickr

 

[Nabsim]

Still too complicated, I just stop and fill up when I need gas

 

[Pudsey Bear]

12l x £1.30 = £15.60

12l x £0.89 = £10.68

Worth a Skin Diver if it's not too far out of your way.

Or Muff if you're that way inclined.

 

[wildebus]

Still too complicated, I just stop and fill up when I need gas

What made me do that spreadsheet was a situation due to Marchie the Mad Accountant.

He convinced me it was a good idea when leaving Lochore in Fife to do a little detour to Burntisland to the Morrisons there, which had cheaper LPG. Ok, I said to myself, always nice to get a bargain so I did as suggested and went to Burntisland....
Needed Diesel as well so filled up at Morrisons - never noticed it was around 10p a litre MORE expensive than where I would usually fill on the way home. First mistake.
Went to LPG Pump, which was maybe 30p a litre CHEAPER than where I would typically fill up, so a good starting point, except I only got about 3 litres of LPG in the bottle! So my 90p of saving was totally wiped out by my higher priced diesel fill-up. (I thought I would need more after being at Lochore for around 5 days).
And then of course, there was the extra cost in fuel of driving to Burntisland, which was a lot more than the break-even point of 3-4 miles or so for that amount of LPG even if I hadn't bought any expensive diesel!

As it happens, I will never make that kind of mistake again as apart from knowing how much of a detour is worthwhile for what price of LPG, I also have added gauges to my LPG and Water Tanks so I know when and if it is worth stopping for LPG ...

 

[runnach]

What made me do that spreadsheet was a situation due to Marchie the Mad Accountant.

He convinced me it was a good idea when leaving Lochore in Fife to do a little detour to Burntisland to the Morrisons there, which had cheaper LPG. Ok, I said to myself, always nice to get a bargain so I did as suggested and went to Burntisland....
Needed Diesel as well so filled up at Morrisons - never noticed it was around 10p a litre MORE expensive than where I would usually fill on the way home. First mistake.
Went to LPG Pump, which was maybe 30p a litre CHEAPER than where I would typically fill up, so a good starting point, except I only got about 3 litres of LPG in the bottle! So my 90p of saving was totally wiped out by my higher priced diesel fill-up. (I thought I would need more after being at Lochore for around 5 days).
And then of course, there was the extra cost in fuel of driving to Burntisland, which was a lot more than the break-even point of 3-4 miles or so for that amount of LPG even if I hadn't bought any expensive diesel!

As it happens, I will never make that kind of mistake again as apart from knowing how much of a detour is worthwhile for what price of LPG, I also have added gauges to my LPG and Water Tanks so I know when and if it is worth stopping for LPG ...

View attachment 135846

David, this I think would be a more convenient stop for gas top up. Slight detour from the A1-A68-A702/1.

Install Oil · Zero Waste Access Road, Edinburgh EH22 1GN

âââââ · Gas cylinders supplier

www.google.com

 

[Nabsim]

No, no, no, no David. Ignore Marchie, you know he is as mad as a March hare with his spreadsheets and OCD lol

It’s many years since I stopped going to somewhere cheaper unless it’s along the route. With gas I wouldn’t consider unless they were next door to each other. Go out the way only to find they have no gas is what I would get. I never used to go to Morrisons, (less than a mile from the house) when they were cheapest. It was opposite way to the road out of Hull and with all the cars using pumps it could take a while to get gas as only one gas pump. If I saved a fiver it would be add between half an hour to an hour on the journey and starting stressed. Life is too short lol

 

[wildebus]

No, no, no, no David. Ignore Marchie, you know he is as mad as a March hare with his spreadsheets and OCD lol

It’s many years since I stopped going to somewhere cheaper unless it’s along the route. With gas I wouldn’t consider unless they were next door to each other. Go out the way only to find they have no gas is what I would get. I never used to go to Morrisons, (less than a mile from the house) when they were cheapest. It was opposite way to the road out of Hull and with all the cars using pumps it could take a while to get gas as only one gas pump. If I saved a fiver it would be add between half an hour to an hour on the journey and starting stressed. Life is too short lol

Indeed.
Where I live there is ONE service station within around 40 miles that sells diesel AND LPG.
When I have wanted to fill the LPG in readiness (rather than hope to find somewhere enroute), I have in the past combined a trip to Berwick shopping with a trip to Lindesfarne Service Station. Now that IS definately a detour but given no other LPG places, no real other option.
Last place I filled the LPG was when the Gaslow bottle was empty and there is a place in Newtown St. Boswells (same company that delivers my Kerosene as it happens), so instead of taking car to Galashiels to shop, took the MH and did just a 1 mile diversion for LPG. But of course, MH is half the economy of the car so still cost maybe £5 more in fuel in order to get the LPG.

(and getting the MH close enough to the LPG tank was another matter entirely! took around 20 minutes of repositioning as lorry parked in an awkward place so had to go at a certain angle to use the shortish hose
Lindisfarne station in comparison is no bother and never any queues there, so maybe higher price is worth it in time saving?).

 

[wildebus]

I guess the other aspect is that for many - certainly me - the amount of LPG used is so little, the difference in the prices of LPG from one place to another is pretty irrelevant. It is like maybe the cost of a packet of crisps every 3 days when you are away. Bigger fish to fry.

One of the first mods I made to my van was to fit a Gaslow Refillable LPG System. Mix of new and second-hand parts and I fitted it myself so no labour costs to cover. I would say 4 years on it still hasn't paid for itself compared to how much Calor Bottles would have cost me. I don't regret installing it at all, but it is not an automatic "gonna save you money" at all.

 

[Fazerloz]

Everyone needs a hobby Ken

I can think of better ones.

 

[runnach]

That is what I like about having Safefill composite tanks, which gives me a total of 30litres of stored lpg. When I require to top up, I Chuck the tank into the car and drive over to install oil.

I’ve never had any issues topping up in EU land either. OK, there is the faff of removing tank from gas locker, which I will secure in camper garage, what I really like though, when I am filling tank, tank is removed from camper, which I find a safer method. When I couple up tank to regulator, I use leak detector spray to ensure a gas tight refit.

Part of my OCD using and working with fuel gases for welding and burning over the years.

 

[SimonM]

I have 2x11kg Gaslow bottles and I wait until one is exhausted, and then refill at the next available station. The exception to this is when I’m touring in Scandi and am about to enter Finland - there is no LPG refill there, and so I will just go to the nearest in Sweden regardless of the price.

 

[alcam]

Still too complicated, I just stop and fill up when I need gas

Simpleton

 

[wildebus]

That is what I like about having Safefill composite tanks, which gives me a total of 30litres of stored lpg. When I require to top up, I Chuck the tank into the car and drive over to install oil.

I’ve never had any issues topping up in EU land either. OK, there is the faff of removing tank from gas locker, which I will secure in camper garage, what I really like though, when I am filling tank, tank is removed from camper, which I find a safer method. When I couple up tank to regulator, I use leak detector spray to ensure a gas tight refit.

Part of my OCD using and working with fuel gases for welding and burning over the years.

Have to say one of the reasons I went for a Gaslow system was to avoid having to disconnect bottles and take them in and out.