Team-BHP - Advice on CNG Conversion

Quote:

Originally Posted by naveen.kk (Post 483967)

ohh god CNG is just 19.20 rupees?

Where is it? Is it in Delhi?

Here in hyderabad it is 30 rupees, even then my runnig cost is 2 Rupees/ KM.

I get 15 KMS in City with A/c and 18-20 / KG of CNG in My palio 1.6

Hi Naveen, I have a Palio 1.6 too. wanted to know how much it cost you to fit the CNG kit. What make do you have? Is there any complication with fitting CNG on Palio (compared to other cars)? and hows the performance drop in the car? I have driven a CNG Esteem and there wasnt much drop in performance except with AC on.

Here in delhi, have heard that the CNG kit costs around 40K. dont know which type (sequential or not)

From what I see, the cost savings are huge (fuel bill will reduce to 1/3rd!!). This sounds too tempting, at least for driving within city ;-)

Sequential kits are not available- You choose between Open Loop or Closed Loop System.

Closed loop will come for around 46 K with RTO Endorsement+ Insurance IDV, Is the most recommended system for Newer cars, Features Lamda Controller,Stepper Regualtor, Scanner Based Tuning.

Open Loop will cost around 38-40 K, Is not recommended for new cars, Needs periodic Tuning, comes with Advance Timing Spark.

Look at Landi Renzo Kits offered in Delhi, But ensure you go to a Authorised Dealer approved by RTO & Delhi Goverment.

iglonline.com

CNG Conversion Kits,CNG Conversion Kits Suppliers,CNG Conversion Kits India

Will help you in understanding the system

@ Abbey- At 65 K, You need to get your engine checked for supporting CNG, You need to see if your car is approved for Retrofittment based on the Age and Year Manufactured- Unless you want to run CNG or LPG Illegally and lose Insurance cover I won't recommend you choose otherwise.

Hi,
+1, the insurance cost is very minimal. The cost of the insurance is about 5% of the CNG kit which adds to the premium. Its always advisible to get insurance covered for CNG.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee (Post 2354764)

Something as big as a CNG kit will necessarily have to be added to the insurance policy, as its malfunction can affect the entire car, which is the subject matter of insurance. If you choose not to insure your kit, be ready to give up the entire insurance benefits and for your car to be treated as uninsured.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee (Post 2355079)

It's implied into the insurance contract. Fitment of a CNG kit is a major alteration to the vehicle which calls for endorsement from the insurance company on your vehicle's insurance policy. Failure to get it done will render your whole insurance policy null and void. If you are still not sure, please consult a lawyer or an automobile insurance consultant.

Again, I ask - is this an informed guess or have you got a reliable source for it. For eg. I went through my contract & rule book - I couldn't find anything which indicated it.

It's an informed guess, based on whatever knowledge I have about contracts and the insurance business. Which is why my advise to consult a legal expert. I am 100% confident that you cannot "not insure" a CNG kit fitment.

To explain a little in the legalese, when you insure your car, the insurance company has taken into account everything that the car has and insures that configuration against any accidental damage. If you change that configuration, the insurance contract becomes null and void by default. This is the basic rule of the Contracts Act. Now, there are certain changes which are not 'material to the contract', for e.g. if you set up heavy duty speakers in your vehicle, they do not have a 'material impact', i.e. a decisive impact on the contract. A malfunctioning speaker wouldn't result in any damage to the rest of the car. However if you upsized your tyres, or added performance exhausts or fitted a CNG kit, you are making major alterations to the configuration of the car. Any of these alterations will affect the operation of the vehicle since you are going beyond the manufacturer's specifications. Since the subject matter of the insurance contract, i.e. the car in its state when insured, has now been altered without intimation to and consent of the insurance company, the insurance company is under no obligation to honour the contract, or in other words the contract is null and void.

In case where you are making any alterations to the car which go beyond the specifications of the manufacturer, unless the insurance company endorses these alterations, your insurance contract is null and void. If you still go ahead, the insurance company will disown any liability in case of an accident and then you will have to fight it out in court.

One thing I would like to know is why are you thinking of not including the CNG kit in the insurance.

[quote=honeybee;2355752]
To explain a little in the legalese, when you insure your car, the insurance company has taken into account everything that the car has and insures that configuration against any accidental damage. If you change that configuration, the insurance contract becomes null and void by default. This is the basic rule of the Contracts Act. Now, there are certain changes which are not 'material to the contract', for e.g. if you set up heavy duty speakers in your vehicle, they do not have a 'material impact', i.e. a decisive impact on the contract. A malfunctioning speaker wouldn't result in any damage to the rest of the car. However if you upsized your tyres, or added performance exhausts or fitted a CNG kit, you are making major alterations to the configuration of the car. Any of these alterations will affect the operation of the vehicle since you are going beyond the manufacturer's specifications. Since the subject matter of the insurance contract, i.e. the car in its state when insured, has now been altered without intimation to and consent of the insurance company, the insurance company is under no obligation to honour the contract, or in other words the contract is null and void.

In case where you are making any alterations to the car which go beyond the specifications of the manufacturer, unless the insurance company endorses these alterations, your insurance contract is null and void. If you still go ahead, the insurance company will disown any liability in case of an accident and then you will have to fight it out in court.

The reason I ask is 2 fold.
1) My current Insurance is with National which I got through Sai Service Maruti - I asked the agent there, they say you need to pay the addtnl premium only if you want the kit insured. I have renewed my insurance with New India (the policy starts in a few weeks) - I called their toll free number - they also say that I need to pay addtnl premium only if I want to insure the CNG kit.

2) If the Insurance company felt that addition of CNG kit changes the risk factor of the car, then the extra premium would be based on the value of the car, rather than the value of the CNG kit. But in fact, the addtnl premium is based on the value of the CNG kit - which makes no sense if you what you claim is true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee (Post 2355752)

One thing I would like to know is why are you thinking of not including the CNG kit in the insurance.

Basically, I don't believe in insurance - I don't have any insurance except for car insurance. Even in the car when I added a music system worth Rs. 10000, I didn't add it to the policy. I want to treat the CNG kit in the same way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 2355783)

I appreciate that. However, as I said earlier, a malfunctioning music system wouldn't affect the operation of the vehicle, while a malfunctioning CNG kit could. My insurance policy actually has separate columns, one for the stock car, another for any CNG/LPG kit fitted and a third for any other accessories I wish to insure.

Instead of asking the insurance agents, I suggest you explore the scenarios where you have a CNG kit fitted without endorsement from the insurance company and examine the possibilities arising out of a claim. This way you will get to know your worst-case scenarios.