Over the last dozen or so years, we have recorded a huge increase in the number of cars traveling on Polish roads. It is no longer unusual for a household to have 2 or more cars in one household. However, we are not yet such a wealthy society that we can all afford to buy a new car from the dealership. That is why, according to the data from 2020, the average age of a car imported to Poland varied between 11 and 12 years. Of course, buying a used car comes with risks. There are a lot of cars on the market with a number of flaws, often hidden from unaware customers. So how do you choose a used car? Should you look for those with a gas installation among such cars? What to look for if we decide to do so. We will try to answer these and many other questions later in this article. We invite you to read.
Where to find a used gas car?
When looking for our dream vehicle, we usually direct our first steps to the Internet. This is, of course, a convenient solution thanks to which we have access to hundreds of thousands of vehicle ads. We can filter them freely in terms of brand and model, price, mileage, but also what fuel it uses. On the most popular website with this type of ads, we can find over 180,000 offers, of which only 8,000 are cars with gas installations. This represents only 4.5% of all advertisements. How do these numbers relate to the fact that as much as 15% of all cars on the road are equipped with gas?
We can conclude that customers are less likely to choose used cars with LPG installations. It turns out that most people looking for a car prefer to choose models with a gasoline unit and install the installation themselves. Where does this trend come from? Is this a good solution? About it now.
Facts and myths about used LPG cars
Most buyers have become aware of the fact that aftermarket cars that already have an LPG system are in a much worse technical condition than those without it. A heavily worn-out engine and dubious quality installations are the main concerns of buyers. However, while we partially agree with these allegations, they are not entirely true. In the event that the car with its installation has been regularly serviced and had periodic inspections carried out on time, it may turn out that we will buy a car in great condition at a very attractive price.
Another myth that is often repeated on automotive forums is the information that it is worth choosing cars from abroad only when it comes to LPG cars. Internet users confirm their thesis that gas installations installed abroad are of much better quality. We believe that Polish specialists are among the best in Europe, and by choosing a reputable plant, we will receive a truly top-quality installation. In foreign workshops, LPG is not so popular and we can often find an installation that is not fully suited to the car or whose service may turn out to be very expensive or impossible. Which will involve the need to replace the entire installation, and thus additional costs. It is really much better to choose cars from the domestic market in the case of LPG. Most of the time we will check.
The best myth that is repeated by many Internet "experts" is that LPG systems are installed only in older car models. Of course, this is a lie, because many new vehicles are perfect for installation. Of course, these will be newer generations of installations that are not only durable, but also have excellent parameters.
The last myth that is repeated like a mantra is that cars running on a propane-butane mixture are definitely weaker than those running on gasoline. According to the calculations of specialists, the actual decrease in power in the case of modern installations ranges from 1.5% to 2%, which is imperceptible for almost every driver. Additionally, modern installations ensure the same work culture.
What should I check when buying an LPG car?
The first item to be checked is the complete set of documents that the seller should have. Among them should be a certificate for the tank, a certificate of approval. Another very important document is the warranty card, which records all kinds of inspections and services for the installation. After it, we can tell if the car was properly serviced by the previous user and give us a general idea of the condition of the installation. If the inspections were carried out periodically every a certain number of kilometers (most often 10,000 or 15,000, or once a year), the installation should be in good condition.
Specialists also advise checking the installation invoice. This will allow us to check which of the workshops carried out the assembly. We can quickly check opinions about it and its projects.
The next step before the test drive is to visually check the condition of the gas system. Are there no damages, abrasions to the cables, are all ties in place? It is also important to check the wires that are under the car. Having these elements checked, we can go on tour. It is worth checking the car by switching from gas to petrol and whether there is a difference in the work culture. A car that loses power on gas or runs unevenly should be a warning signal for us. Another element is the smell in the car. If you smell gas, it means that the system is leaking, which may have many causes. We also avoid such cars with a wide berth.
What not to do when buying a used car with LPG?
- If the car does not have a set of documents, we will give up such a vehicle. We are not sure about the quality of the installation, its service history and many key aspects.
- We should not choose cars that do not have an annotation in the registration certificate that they are equipped with a gas system.
- We should not choose cars that have traveled a considerable number of kilometers with a gas installation. If the car has not been properly serviced, it can affect the condition of the engine.
- In the case of a car from abroad with an LPG installation, let us not be convinced by the price. The quality or type of installation may not be the best.
