Bit of a rant about the state of the industry :)

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classicswede · #41 Post by **classicswede** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:28 pm

Keeping it to forum only installers is from some points of view a good, trouble is that gives you 5 installers if they all wanted to take part.

I have not counted Tommo as his website is no longer running and he has not been here for ages. I have also not counted Go-LPG (and his other user names) as he no longer post here but more importantly having seen his work and the legal action taken against him he is exactly what we don not want.

I do also know a few other very good installers who do not use forums but might be interested in taking part. A customer feedback section is a good idea.

Out of the forum installers I notice that I am the only one who can use the installers section of this forum. Admin could do with adding the other installers into the group.

Talkingcars · #42 Post by **Talkingcars** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:54 am

classicswede wrote:Out of the forum installers I notice that I am the only one who can use the installers section of this forum. Admin could do with adding the other installers into the group.

I'm a moderator and I don't have access, it is an exclusive area.

Tubbs · #43 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:30 am

I requested to join but haven't heard anything. I spoke to tommo the other week on the phone. Again. He has had enough of people wanting gas conversions for nothing and shoddy done in a day conversions. Just doing standard garage stuff now I beleive. Which is a shame. But it's exactly my point. He's a smart bloke. And obviously a better buisinessman than me. I'm just on here complaining. He decided to make a change at least. But I don't want to leave the industry. Or dilute my buisiness. Gas is what I do

I was a corgi registered gas fitter with an apprenticeship in automotive engineering. Got my f gas certificate for a/c. Because its still gas in my eyes. CNG and bio methane is the next step for me. But again automotive gas. Whats wrong with being a specialist ? Shurely it just gives customers confidence in what you do. Not some garage who does a few conversions in between cam belts and disks and pads....

Tubbs · #44 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:11 am

classicswede wrote:Keeping it to forum only installers is from some points of view a good, trouble is that gives you 5 installers if they all wanted to take part

Yes thats the problem. It needs to be a countrywide thing. Im pretty sure i could chat Neil mugglestone and peter feacey up. So that would cover kent and lincolnshire. Duel tech ? Bedfordshire. Im not sure if andy is massively keen on the idea. But we have dai to cover that area anyhow. If we could get tommo back on board that would cover Monmouthshire to Hereford. With me covering Midlands and Shropshire. Its quite plausible really....

classicswede · #45 Post by **classicswede** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:29 am

I do also have a couple of good contacts in Scotland,

Simon LPGC on here to cover Yorkshire.

The North East is more of a problem, the only installer I know of there is not exactly the best.

Tubbs · #46 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:49 am

Have to come up with a name first.
My initial thoughts are Autogas Alliance. I thought of the. But mark zukerberg dropped the from Facebook and it didn't do him any harm !
LPG Guru's ?

classicswede · #47 Post by **classicswede** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:45 am

If you build it they will come

It would need a good name, something simple and direct to the point.

I've emailed asking for the installers to be added to the installers group.

Tubbs · #48 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:51 am

I do like Autogas Alliance. But it's no good if others don't. And I'm not blowing a tenner on domains until I know other people's thoughts

Tubbs · #49 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:42 pm

Too late, got excited and bought autogasalliance.org.uk
Oh well, its only money i suppose

classicswede · #50 Post by **classicswede** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:38 pm

Gilbertd · #51 Post by **Gilbertd** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:43 pm

Tubbs wrote:Oh well, its only money i suppose :lol:

But you started this thread wingeing that you hadn't got any!

sijones · #52 Post by **sijones** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:51 pm

Gilbertd wrote:
Tubbs wrote:Oh well, its only money i suppose
But you started this thread wingeing that you hadn't got any!

haha point well made Gilbert!

classicswede · #53 Post by **classicswede** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:26 pm

It OK Toby is not going to eat for a day to make up for it

Tubbs · #54 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:30 pm

Anyone wants to send me a pizza feel free. I'm doing it for the good of the industry. Less tubby today

Tinleytech · #55 Post by **Tinleytech** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:41 pm

We will help you if we can/you want us to - let me know.
Richard.

Tubbs · #56 Post by **Tubbs** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:58 pm

I will give you a ring this week Richard if that's ok, just trying to put a bit more structure together first really. And thanks for the offer. It's about time something like this got off the ground. It's long overdue.

indyjukebox · #57 Post by **indyjukebox** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 5:37 pm

Been away for a while, in another country actually. Here its all V8s and V12s. But the Taxis all run on gas.

Sorry to see you rant Tubbs. But I think the problem is multifactorial. First of all is the general economic climate and lack of money. This drives people to look for cheap solutions to daily problems ie: commuting costs. Now anyone who is reasonably well off, will not have an issue with the current costs or will buy a new super economical diesel. Or pay for a decent LPG conversion. The ones who pay from this category will have no real issues with costs or travelling to find a good installer.

Then you get folk who want an lpg conversion because the cost of commuting is mounting up, but do not have enough reserve to pay upfront for a decent conversion. They will look for minimal downtime (ie. done in a day), costs (the cheaper the better) and usually issues like quality, safety or long term reliability is not a priority. Or maybe they cannot afford to give these issues a priority. Just look at past posts on reusing out of date tanks, skimping on flash lube etc.

Then you have enthusiasts who want to do the work themselves, which is commendable, but will not be part of your income stream.

I suspect the majority of normal folk looking for a conversion fall into the middle category. But then that is what you have to contend with. And that is when you start getting people haggling, they want it done quickly and wont pay up (inferred from another thread on non-paying customers).

I imagine if you were selling Rolex's in Selfridges, you wouldnt have anyone trying to haggle or not pay. Or in automotive terms, you were Mountune and modifying Ford GT engines, then your clientele would be different and your problems would be different.

I should end by saying that I hunted Tubbs down, travelled 160 miles to get my car converted and have not been disappointed by any aspect of his service. IMHO he should be charging 2k for his work, not £1175.

Tubbs · #58 Post by **Tubbs** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 6:50 pm

Its all well and good saying that you would pay £2000 for a conversion, but realistically you would only pay market value based on your research... But thanks for saying so anyhow.
You are right, people are bound by price to solve outgoings, but going for the cheapest is false economy as we all know. Down time and days off driving back to the installer soon make up for a few hundred quid difference. I was talking to a 'done in a day' converter who is the cheapest of the cheap based in the midlands this week. He said he was deadly quiet, just doing repairs more than conversions. So i have a theory ? He is too cheap. And as all of them are cutting each others throats to get the work, a few are even packing up.
So maybe this is the ideal time to get this installer network together and put things on a more proffesional footing in the UK.
Oh and by the way, i gave up smoking after you had many a go at me. But i have an electronic ciggie. But i havent touched a fag for well over 6 months now....

Gilbertd · #59 Post by **Gilbertd** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 7:18 pm

Tubbs wrote:So maybe this is the ideal time to get this installer network together and put things on a more proffesional footing in the UK.

I would say it is the ideal time but can I offer a little advice? Learn to spell professional.......

indyjukebox · #60 Post by **indyjukebox** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 7:51 pm

Tubbs wrote:Its all well and good saying that you would pay £2000 for a conversion, but realistically you would only pay market value based on your research... But thanks for saying so anyhow.
You are right, people are bound by price to solve outgoings, but going for the cheapest is false economy as we all know. Down time and days off driving back to the installer soon make up for a few hundred quid difference. I was talking to a 'done in a day' converter who is the cheapest of the cheap based in the midlands this week. He said he was deadly quiet, just doing repairs more than conversions. So i have a theory ? He is too cheap. And as all of them are cutting each others throats to get the work, a few are even packing up.
So maybe this is the ideal time to get this installer network together and put things on a more proffesional footing in the UK.
Oh and by the way, i gave up smoking after you had many a go at me. But i have an electronic ciggie. But i havent touched a fag for well over 6 months now....

Oh I was going to pay 2k+ for a Prinz install, but came to you because you listened to my needs. It wasn't cost that drove me to you, it was your willingness to accomodate little requests of mine and professionalism. You know who the Prinz installer was as well (al least I think I told you). And I have burned myself with another installer more locally. So anything LPG means you!

Well done on the smoking front. I am hoping that you are beginning to feel the benefits of stopping.

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