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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 10:36:28 GMT
Actually, that is possibly not too far from the truth. We live on an allegedly upmarket estate. Well, in so far as the houses here are a bit more expensive than most for this area. Christ, but it's depressing mind, it's sort of a colony of breeding units for moderately successful, but pretty much universally unimaginative, middle to senior managers.
Anyway, as you'd probably guess, most of the driveway ornaments round here are German and fairly new. But, with noticeably few EVs. You really don't see them much around here yet. There's one C Class hybrid estate round the corner from me, but I can't think of any properties on the streets near here that have a full on EV.
I'm sure that will change of course, but I'm fairly sure that the take up in the North is, for now anyway, less than it is in the South. Maybe, and here's a theory for you, maybe it's a technology that appeals to the Silicon Valley residents more readily. Or, is it that house prices here are still relatively cheap, and people's disposable income isn't so pressured.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 10:42:39 GMT
Maybe in the less densely populated north, people have to travel longer distances to work, so don't quite trust EV range yet. There are probably multiple factors, as ever. Quite a lot of EVs in my neighbourhood now.
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 10:49:24 GMT
Proximity to London must influence that a bit too. ULEZsss etc.
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 10:52:36 GMT
Cheshire is also a bit weird and unreconstructed in many ways. It seems evidentially anyway, that bigger is still regarded as desirable when it comes to car choice. Lots of huge SUVs to take the kids to school in and so on.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 10:53:06 GMT
Maybe as you said it's "universally unimaginative" people. It takes a change of set ways of thinking to accept EV into your life. The sort of "middle managers" who can only understand management by presenteeism and timekeeping, those sorts.
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 11:00:28 GMT
It does feel like there is a fair bit of that. 9-5, except Fridays when they finish early, supermarket on Saturday, a walk along the canal on Sunday before they wash the Audi.
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Avant
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Post by Avant on Feb 9, 2021 11:20:05 GMT
The implication being that they earned the company Audi through status rather than any amount of merit or imagination. Sad but no doubt true in too many cases.
In my youth the lament was that the British could invent things but they could be developed and manufactured effectively and profitably only in other countries, Japan in particular. Nowadays people don't seem to invent anything very much - or if they do, they're held back by the aforesaid middle managers.
I do hope someone can prove me wrong on this.
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 11:37:16 GMT
It is so much easier and more convenient to evolutively conform than not. The fashion industry almost entirely relies on convincing people that they are investing in being different while ensuring that they are in fact following the herd.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Feb 9, 2021 11:42:36 GMT
Or, is it that house prices here are still relatively cheap, and people's disposable income isn't so pressured? Do people choose an EV on grounds of cost alone? We didn’t — we could have had a Citroën Cactus for next to nothing but chose the i3 although it cost significantly more. Luxury of choice, maybe. But I was brought up short last week by something similar. We had a call with our architects about the significant remodelling we’re inflicting on our house and the subject came up of how to heat it. It was a disappointment, to put it mildly, that all they could suggest was to replace our ancient and creaky gas boiler with a shiny modern gas boiler — and their arguments for this rather than anything else were entirely based on costs. It felt like updating a 1970s house all the way to the 1990s. We are now reviewing the design to see about incorporating something more forward-looking. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 12:01:54 GMT
Aren't gas boilers being outlawed for new installations and replacements in the next decade or so? Would probably be a good idea to get something different if practicable. I'd be interested to hear what you do, I'm planning to extend and refurb this house in the next 10 years (also a 1970s house, for onward immediate sale, if the sums show it's the right thing to do money wise). The thought of "what heating" has crossed my mind becasue we're going to have to move the hot water tank in my planned layout, so might as well upgrade the lot and move the boiler location from its current, possibly dangerous place in the middle of the house to the new "utility" room I'm planning, which has an outside wall.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 12:43:26 GMT
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 12:56:35 GMT
Now yer whistlin' Dixie!
That works
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 13:13:32 GMT
A neighbour's daughter ( ex-schoolmate of my son's ) has the Smart version of that Twingo. She learned on it and it's now her daily car. She loves it. And the old Merc looks great. Think you might be on to something there. The Twingo is rear engined and rear wheel drive, so you could tell your son that its very similar to a Porsche 911...  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2021 13:40:16 GMT
I thought a prestigious badge would win your approval.  |
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Post by Humph on Feb 9, 2021 13:42:52 GMT
Pure coincidence, you misjudge my values. ( But it would mean you could rejoin the "Proper Car" gang...)  |
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