My LS430 - Converted to LPG - Review

mullingar

It took me 30+ hours to do a very tidy DIY installation. Most of the time was spent fabricating all sorts of metal brackets to mount the components.
I have seen 2 cheap installs and cable ties were used to mount nearly every engine bay component, terrible workmanship.

I can definetly see that a decent job on a 6-pot engine will cost around €1800-2000 using premium parts, anything cheaper questions need tbe asked.

sorel

mullingar wrote: »

It took me 30+ hours to do a very tidy DIY installation. Most of the time was spent fabricating all sorts of metal brackets to mount the components.
I have seen 2 cheap installs and cable ties were used to mount nearly every engine bay component, terrible workmanship.

I can definetly see that a decent job on a 6-pot engine will cost around €1800-2000 using premium parts, anything cheaper questions need tbe asked.

1 year ago conversion prices 6 pot engine started from 1750euro now one guy in Palmersown can do this for 950. i've heard he converted Porsche Cayenne for 950 euro. Don't know what he used to do this and how, but it can't be good

jca

sorel wrote: »

1 year ago conversion prices 6 pot engine started from 1750euro now one guy in Palmersown can do this for 950. i've heard he converted Porsche Cayenne for 950 euro. Don't know what he used to do this and how, but it can't be good

Why not? He probably has it down to a fine art. How much would a kit cost, I'm just wondering what the profit margin would be?

sorel

jca wrote: »

Why not? He probably has it down to a fine art. How much would a kit cost, I'm just wondering what the profit margin would be?

the profit would be about 100 euro. He probably treads it like a pocket money - not serious.

sorel

I even think that people in this country convert their cars for fun, not for saving money.

who_ru

sorel wrote: »

the profit would be about 100 euro. He probably treads it like a pocket money - not serious.

so in order to be a good job it should be very expensive?

sorel

who_ru wrote: »

so in order to be a good job it should be very expensive?

if somebody do it for €100, pay rent, bills etc. how long do you think will be on this market 1,3 or 6 months?. What about warranty,service etc?. I think price 950 for Cayenne was without invoice, warranty etc.

jca

sorel wrote: »

if somebody do it for €100, pay rent, bills etc. how long do you think will be on this market 1,3 or 6 months?. What about warranty,service etc?. I think price 950 for Cayenne was without invoice, warranty etc.

Are you an installer?

sorel

jca wrote: »

Are you an installer?

I am an economist by profession. I have my car converted and before I done this spoke about it with installers and spent a lot of time to read about it

who_ru

LPGain say they offer a 2 year warranty - i have wondered how they do cover this.

sorel

who_ru wrote: »

LPGain say they offer a 2 year warranty - i have wondered how they do cover this.

If you have any doubts, don't do this, ride on petrol. in one year time come back and do it for double price.

jca

sorel wrote: »

I am an economist by profession. I have my car converted and before I done this spoke about it with installers and spent a lot of time to read about it

Who did your conversion. Are you happy with it, any valve/engine problems,what make of car is it? Sorry for all the questions but actual LPG drivers like you can help others avoid a lot of pitfalls.

sorel

jca wrote: »

Who did your conversion. Are you happy with it, any valve/engine problems,what make of car is it? Sorry for all the questions but actual LPG drivers like you can help others avoid a lot of pitfalls.

I'm happy about conversion. Car Nissan X-trial 2005. Conversion done last year November.20k miles done on LPG. Injectors - Hana Engineering, Reducer - AC, ECU - AC. s.a premium connected to OBD. no flash lube. didn't notice any problem. No difference petrol or gas.

dh0011

sorel wrote: »

I'm happy about conversion. Car Nissan X-trial 2005. Conversion done last year November.20k miles done on LPG. Injectors - Hana Engineering, Reducer - AC, ECU - AC. s.a premium connected to OBD. no flash lube. didn't notice any problem. No difference petrol or gas.

If anyone else has converted would be good to hear their story. Also sorel, where did you get the conversion done?

sorel

dh0011 wrote: »

If anyone else has converted would be good to hear their story. Also sorel, where did you get the conversion done?

Tallaght. They do conversion 100 times better than speak English

jca

dh0011 wrote: »

If anyone else has converted would be good to hear their story. Also sorel, where did you get the conversion done?

How much did you pay?

sorel

€1100 and they gave me voucher for 250liters LPG free. They had promotion that time. Now they sell gas in Tallaght and Finglas with 6% discount for me.

daRobot

mullingar wrote: »

It took me 30+ hours to do a very tidy DIY installation. Most of the time was spent fabricating all sorts of metal brackets to mount the components.
I have seen 2 cheap installs and cable ties were used to mount nearly every engine bay component, terrible workmanship.

I can definetly see that a decent job on a 6-pot engine will cost around €1800-2000 using premium parts, anything cheaper questions need tbe asked.

I'd completely refute that assumption based on my experience.

The install I had on an 8 cyl used top quality components (hana injectors etc) was 1300 euro, and is absolutely spot on. By your logic, I should have paid double...


However, i'm guessing you're not an installer for a living, so are probably not sourcing the parts at the best rate (ie from Poland), so perhaps that explains your train of thought.

Tragedy

Without comparing:
What reducer?
What shape and size of tank? Single hole or 4 hole?
What injectors (and how many)?
What injector rail?
Where was the nozzle installed?
Where was the switch installed?
Was it analysed and mapped after install?
What ECU?
Was flashlube installed?

It's essentially arguing that "My mechanic fixed unspecified problems for my car with unspecified parts for €1,800, so I don't know how your mechanic did it for €1,300" and vice versa.

sorel

Tragedy wrote: »

Without comparing:
What reducer?
What shape and size of tank? Single hole or 4 hole?
What injectors (and how many)?
What injector rail?
Where was the nozzle installed?
Where was the switch installed?
Was it analysed and mapped after install?
What ECU?
Was flashlube installed?

It's essentially arguing that "My mechanic fixed unspecified problems for my car with unspecified parts for €1,800, so I don't know how your mechanic did it for €1,300" and vice versa.

In my country I would have to pay for exactly the same nearly double.
I showed my car to people from garage in my town. They only said it's not possible that I paid €1100 and did't want to talk to me any more.
That's this garage : http://www.autogasmuenchen.com/preise

Matt Simis

sorel wrote: »

In my country I would have to pay for exactly the same nearly double.
I showed my car to people from garage in my town. They only said it's not possible that I paid €1100 and did't want to talk to me any more.
That's this garage : http://www.autogasmuenchen.com/preise

sorel wrote: »

1 year ago conversion prices 6 pot engine started from 1750euro now one guy in Palmersown can do this for 950. i've heard he converted Porsche Cayenne for 950 euro. Don't know what he used to do this and how, but it can't be good

sorel wrote: »

the profit would be about 100 euro. He probably treads it like a pocket money - not serious.

You are all over the place here, on one hand you defend your very cheap install, but at the same time you join in Tragedy's line of thought in that a cheaper than "X" country's average install cost must be "iffy" and of lesser quality?? You cant have both stances.

dh0011 wrote: »

If anyone else has converted would be good to hear their story.

I had my Audi S8 converted in the North for £1500 2 years ago. This was a reputed "UK" installed and used decent Italian branded parts. While it was fine, some of the vacuum hoses they used perished within 6mths, implying they didnt use new rubber hoses as no hose breaks down that vast. This lead to LPG dropping out (switches back to petrol) on hard acceleration.

I ended up finding and fixing the problem myself as they were a pain to get to and get hold of via email or phone (aftersales was crap). This is largely why I dont subscribe to the "reputed UK dealer charging 33-100% more has got to be better than a Polish guy in Ireland" mentality at all. I actually did it, not impressed.

sorel

Matt Simis wrote: »

You are all over the place here, on one hand you defend your very cheap install, but at the same time you join in Tragedy's line of thought in that a cheaper than "X" country's average install cost must be "iffy" and of lesser quality?? You cant have both stances.


I had my Audi S8 converted in the North for £1500 2 years ago. This was a reputed "UK" installed and used decent Italian branded parts. While it was fine, some of the vacuum hoses they used perished within 6mths, implying they didnt use new rubber hoses as no hose breaks down that vast. This lead to LPG dropping out (switches back to petrol) on hard acceleration.

I ended up finding and fixing the problem myself as they were a pain to get to and get hold of via email or phone (aftersales was crap). This is largely why I dont subscribe to the "reputed UK dealer charging 33-100% more has got to be better than a Polish guy in Ireland" mentality at all. I actually did it, not impressed.

Conversion prices that have been in Ireland before, would allow the normal conduct of business. I just do not believe that the profit of 100 euro can afford to conduct business. The competition results in lower prices and often ruining everyone.If someone wants to stay on the market, must follow the competition. Who will stay on the market. Time will tell. Smart, honest, and reliable...

Matt Simis

sorel wrote: »

Conversion prices that have been in Ireland before, would allow the normal conduct of business. I just do not believe that the profit of 100 euro can afford to conduct business. The competition results in lower prices and often ruining everyone.If someone wants to stay on the market, must follow the competition. Who will stay on the market. Time will tell. Smart, honest, and reliable...

Without having access to their books, parts prices, overheads, tax returns, some indepth installation knowledge and take home salary couldnt possibly know their profit is "EUR100". Please stop stating this as fact. There is also the notion they make profit on LPG gas sales, installation costs are done "as cost" to create the market to sell the product into. Arent you an economist?

Also, you only paid marginally more then the prices you are talking about now not enough more for that statement to ring true.

sorel

Matt Simis wrote: »

Without having access to their books, parts prices, overheads, tax returns, some indepth installation knowledge and take home salary couldnt possibly know their profit is "EUR100". Please stop stating this as fact. There is also the notion they make profit on LPG gas sales, installation costs are done "as cost" to create the market to sell the product into. Arent you an economist?

Also, you only paid marginally more then the prices you are talking about now not enough more for that statement to ring true.

what will be the next step? better prices for customer or profit for installer?.

who_ru

what type of driving do you do sorel - urban or mainly motorway? i do almost 90% urban and not sure converting is worth it for me.

sorel

who_ru wrote: »

what type of driving do you do sorel - urban or mainly motorway? i do almost 90% urban and not sure converting is worth it for me.

50/50
how much weekly do you spend on petrol?.

Tigger

Matt Simis wrote: »

Without having access to their books, parts prices, overheads, tax returns, some indepth installation knowledge and take home salary couldnt possibly know their profit is "EUR100". Please stop stating this as fact. There is also the notion they make profit on LPG gas sales, installation costs are done "as cost" to create the market to sell the product into. Arent you an economist?

Also, you only paid marginally more then the prices you are talking about now not enough more for that statement to ring true.

Xerox sell toner not copiers

Matt Simis

Tigger wrote: »

Xerox sell toner not copiers

Yes, as Gillette do Razor blades and HP Ink, hard to know who exactly who you were backing, but this is the model that the LPG installers are following here at the moment.

Obviously this would make comparisons across entirely different market maturities, countries/currencies and overheads impossible, which is my point.. a point which shouldn't need to be highlighted to the guy above claiming to be the economist!

S28382

My dad got it done on Saturday in Waterford city he paid 1100e for it they had it done in a day.

dh0011

where in waterford and what kind of car did he have converted?