Lpg Conversion On Rx-300 - Not Worth Doing

[Gary Tagg_41802]

G'day,

just wanted to get onto the lexus forums my experience with an LPG conversion on my 54 RX-300. In a nutshell, I don't think it's worth it and suggest you save your money.

On the motorway I get 20mpg lpg and 29mpg petrol. When I worked out the cost of fuel per mile at 76.9p vs 131.9, it came out at 17p for lpg and 21p for Petrol. I was told by the vendor I would get a much bigger saving than this.

As per other threads on the forum, the petrol gauge still goes down when on gas (the ECU controls the gauge) which the vendor had idea why when a simple google search came up with the answer. I won't go into details but the service I got from from the vendor was very poor, so just in case you still want to take the plunge and convert your car, the company who did my conversion is global Autogas systems (globalautogas.co.uk) - caveat emptor.

[Boxbrownie]

Yes, after much scratching of head and a few worn pencils I came to exactly the same conclusion......luckily before I decided to get my RX300 converted, that was three years ago and by my reckoning (and even more so by yours) I would still not have got my return on investment as yet! And had a vehcile that has been....er.....mucked around with.

Good luck with yours.

[Gary Tagg_41802]

Thank you, time will tell whether I run into the dreaded valve burn issue, but the system is using the flashlube, so I hope not.

Unfortunately, someone I know recommended this particular firm and said that the RX-300 was particularly suited to the conversion, hence I didn't do enough due diligence. You live and learn.

On the plus side you can't tell the difference between running on Gas and petrol and 20% is better than nothing provided it doesn't damage the engine in the long run. However, would I do it again - no way.

[tonyricha]

No you are right, such a small return for such a high risk. I converted a GS300 a few years ago, it never quite ran as sweetly on gas and twice burnt the valves out with flashlube!

Disaster on Lexus but my previous Omega V6 ran fine for 200K after its LPG onversion.

[tillyhenry]

so so wrong lpg is the way to go you not only get a vehicle that is cheap to run but you also help save the planet

[Boxbrownie]

so so wrong lpg is the way to go you not only get a vehicle that is cheap to run but you also help save the planet

Er...did you not read the previous posts?

[fray-bentos-uk]

I had my RX300 converted about a year ago, best decision I ever made. I suppose it depends a lot on the type of system you have installed, but I have only noticed a couple of mpg less on gas, and hardly any performance loss. We do about 15,000 miles a year, so hope to have recouped our money before long, plus have the added value of a car with a conversion. Each year we take the caravan to France for a month, where GPL as they call it is ready available at about the same price as here (70ppl), petrol in France was more expensive than here last summer. The only downsides are £50 a year to have the system serviced, £100 per year for flash lube, and we can't use the channel tunnel. But the smile on our faces when we fill the tank up for £38

[Stuart 123]

Hi

Had my Lexus rx300 changed to LPG about 3 plus years ago

It runs well and pleased i spent £1800 on having multi system fitted goes very well and use,s about same as petrol

HOPE i AM NOT TEMPING FAIT HERE

Now done 12000 miles

[mcleish]

Hi

Had my Lexus rx300 changed to LPG about 3 plus years ago

It runs well and pleased i spent £1800 on having multi system fitted goes very well and use,s about same as petrol

HOPE i AM NOT TEMPING FAIT HERE

Now done 12000 miles

Glad to hear that you are happy with the conversion, but I am just not convinced about doing this to any car. It cost you £1800 three years ago, have you actually got your money back in savings!! On top of that, I assume you still have to get the car serviced in the usual way and on top of that a LPG conversion needs to be serviced once a year also, so that's "another" additional expense !! I see no evidence that a conversion actually adds value to the resale of the car, in fact I hear it may put people off !! I am all for being "greener" but not at this huge expense. This is just my personal view, I am not trying to start a heated discussion. Cheers...PS: if the Government actually helped considerably towards these installations for the normal public motorists, then I would probably get it done, if I where honest, my REAL issue is the heavy taxes on normal fuel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Boxbrownie]

Ooops

[japanesebob]

Im having mine done in the next couple of weeks - the poor fellow who started the thread has had a rotten experience by the sounds of it, fortunately as I live in the north I am on no danger of using the same installer that he kindly warned us of. I will be going to leyland lpg as recommended elsewhere on this forum. We bought our rx300 (03 model) with 95000 miles earlier this year. We could only afford a car like this when it is this old and with this sort of mileage. My intention is to keep it for as long as poss, it's a lovely car. It was always my intention to have it converted, and I imagine that if I could ever afford a newer model, or indeed a brand new car from lexus. I would be in a position to buy enough petrol for it. I shall of course start a new thread to keep everyone informed of what leyland lpg do to my car...

[Parrot of Doom]

japanesebob you should consider Worsley Autogas, in Salford. I had my LS400 done there, it worked perfectly, saved a lot of money on fuel and gave me no issues whatsoever.

[japanesebob]

Worley, eh? I shall have a look at them before I decide then. I'm quite convinced now, despite numerous horror stories!