Laser 120 vs Saito FG 21 F-S.
 

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[TD="class: alt2"] I have just done an interesting calculation and its results have surprised me.

I have been very impressed by the old Laser engine I have in my equally ancient Senior Telemaster and thought seriously of buying a new one, but thought I'd do a comparison with the Saito FG 21 FS petrol engine first.

The cost of a Laser 120 is £327 including postage and packing. The cost of a Saito FG 21 FS is £440 over the counter at Steve Webb Models. So the difference in purchase price is £113. (The exchange rate is currently $1.71US to £1.00 or 1.25 Euros to £1.00 Sterling so you may work things out for yourself, but whatever the currency, the principle is the same.)

A gallon of Laser Mix costs £17.45 per gallon. I think I buy about 4 gallons of glow fuel each year, so rounding the numbers up a bit I spend £70 each year on glow fuel.

Petrol costs £5.78 per gallon in the UK. So 4 gallons would cost £23, again adjusting to the nearest whole pound. However, let's allow that the Saito would have only half the fuel consumption of the Laser, so in a year it would only cost me about £12 to run the Saito, a difference of £58 compared with the Laser running on glow fuel.

Going on all of the above, you would recoup the extra cost of buying the Saito within two years.

It's worth thinking about.

I have not factored in the cost of the Saito's lubricating oil but that's negligible.
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Since you are in the UK, I would go with the Laser engine. The engines are nice running engines and they sound good too.

I would use what you already own. The replacement cost should be in the total calculation.

Thank you for the advice gentlemen.

I have two further Laser engines: a 70 and an old 150v which are destined for a DB Sport and Scale Auster and a Space Walker. I intend to retire to France as soon as my house sells, the weather's better and the houses and wine are cheaper, so I've been disposing of surplus possessions. I've recently sold my motorcycle so now I've got money burning a hole in my pocket and I thought of getting a new engine to suit a Brian Taylor AT6 Harvard which I bought from an old boy years ago and which has been resting in the loft for some time.

There are several Lasers at my club but only one club member has bought a Saito FG. He thought that it vibrated too much so he sold it; mind you he is biased, being otherwise an exclusively electric modeller and a qualified electronics engineer!

I think I'll put a few more things on eBay and treat myself to a Laser 80 for the Harvard.