psi don't know!

[danielmthomas]

I'm thinking about buying a cng vehicle ... probably a cheap used one off of ebay.. anything I should know? If I do this I would have to buy a home refuel system... like a fuelmaker product. One thing I've noticed is that the Ford Contours are cheaper but seem to all be 3000 psi. Where as the cavaliers are more expensive but are 3600psi. What does that mean. Will that change the type of refueling system I need to buy?

Also any advice on buying a car/truck would be greatly appreciated. I live in Pensacola Florida and there is only a city owned station about 25 miles from me that can refill cng. Plus, there are no mechanics locally who can work on it.

So is this even a smart thing for me to do?

[afvman]

Re: psi don't know!

Dear Daniel,

I'd check the inside of the fill door on the Ford's. I thought they were 3600 psi, but, match the compresser to the vehcile pressure. A 3000 psi compressor should cost less.

Some engineers argue that the extra 600 psi doesn't really gain you that much in range. The U.S. is the only country that uses 3600psi for what that's worth.

I wouldn't hesitate buying any of the OEM's, just check that they're running OK on CNG. Ford used a GFI system that is expensive and hard to get parts for though.

Traviss Tech. in Lakeland did have a alt. fuel program. You might check with John Small at (863) 499-2708 and ask if Charlie Sanders is still there.

Good luck,

afvman

[danielmthomas]

Re: psi don't know!

Where would you suggest getting a 3000 psi compressor? Keep in mind I would be getting all of this off of the internet... compressor and car.

[afvman]

Re: psi don't know!

Daniel,

You don't have a lot of choices in the residential 'Vehilce Refueling Appliances' (VRA's). FuelMaker is about the only one that makes them. The FMQ2-30 and FMQ2-36 shguld be out there.

Or, you can call Paula Hubert at FuelMaker for info on new ones. You can reach her at: 800.898.3835, or 972.542.2002.

Good luck...it'll be worth it if you get one.

afvman/Bill

[John Mitton]

Re: new member in Pensacola Florida

Welcome to CNGchat, Daniel!
Most CNG vehicles have the 3600 psi system, excepting some of the older Ford Crown Vics and Contours and some trucks out there manufactured a long time ago. A 3600 psi vehicle can connect to anything -- filling to either pressure. A 3000 psi vehicle can only connect to a 3000 psi fill unt. Anyway the cheapest home refueling units are the older FM4's which fill to 3000 psi. They occasionally come up on eBay for around $5k and can be rebuilt easily.

New FM-Q-2-36 units are around $9k.
And then there is Phill for around $4k new.

Here is a comparison:

http://www.cngchat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23

Contact Phoenix Energy up north of you for the scoop in availablity and installtion. They stock Fuelmaker gear:

http://www.fuelmaker.com/Dealers/usdealers.htm

[danielmthomas]

Re: psi don't know!

what about a good place to buy a cng car? I'm looking to spend around $5K... and there are no dealers here. Is buying on ebay a wise thing to do?

[siai47]

Re: psi don't know!

E-bay is a crap shoot when you buy any car, let alone a car with a fuel system that might not be working properly from a seller that doesn't know anything about it. Most E-bay cars currently are being sold from people who have bought them off government auctions and are reselling on E-bay for a quick buck. You would be better off to buy from someone who specializes in CNG cars (some are on this board) and have been in this business for a while. A low price off E-bay can quickley turn into a bad deal if the seller can not or will not back up the product when something goes wrong .

[danielmthomas]

Re: psi don't know!

thanks siai47!

but who are the good car sellers to deal with and where can I get a good deal on a refueling system? What's a good price on a reliable car and home refueling system? I need to budget for a good reliable system.

Thanks!

[John Mitton]

Re: psi don't know!

Our member Murphy of CNGMotors.com has a great reputation for providing quality CNG vehicles.

https://www.cngmotors.com

[cngbuck]

Re: psi don't know!

If you are looking for a dealer that specializes in CNG do a simple google search for cng vehicles and you'll have more than you can count. Ebay is a complete waste of time and money when it comes to a CNG vehicle. It may be cheap, but you most likely are going to sink more money into repairs, freight, and some have bogus "internet fees".

[Yroc]

Re: psi don't know!

I dis-agree with the eBay bashing. If you know what you want and what you are getting into, then you can get the absolute best price on eBay. It is true that it might be risky, but know your risks, don't complete the transaction if the vehicle is not as listed and you will be fine. I've bought 2 off eBay with no problems. Make sure they don't require a large deposit as if you do have problems, you will most likely lose your deposit. $100-200 is usually normal.

You seem to want a 'cheap' price, but you don't have many options for service out there in FL. If I didn't have any cng resource I might lean towards spending more and get a good vehicle in guaranteed working condition and has had everything checked out (all the stuff you may not know about on a CNG system). So there are your choices, good luck.

[CNGfamily]

Re: psi don't know!

...If you know what you want and what you are getting into, then you can get the absolute best price on eBay. It is true that it might be risky, but know your risks, don't complete the transaction if the vehicle is not as listed and you will be fine. I've bought 2 off eBay with no problems...

I have also purchased a CNG vehicle on ebay and it worked out just fine as well. (in this case it was being sold by a dealer that also had a website; I had already located the vehicle on his site and as it turns out I was able to buy it on E-bay for a few hundred less than his advertised website price). In the interest of more complete disclosure... I bought the vehicle about 6 years ago and I owned it for about 4 years/50,000.

[jetboatjohnny]

Re: psi don't know!

I bought my GX on E-Bay as well. Everything went all right at first. As far as the car, it was fine, no surprises there. A few months later I had to call them a few times to see what happened to my plates. They said it was over 90 days so I had to get it smogged for which they did not reimburse me. Then a while later I got a flat and found no jack in the trunk. Of course the said they were going to ship it to me, but it never came. I called them multiple times, but they insist they shipped it, and sent my 40$ for the smog check.
I got a great deal at the time, paid 7500 in Aug 06, and the car had 52k. KBB retail value at the time for a gas powered Civic was about 9k. It now has 119k.