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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 8:35:14 GMT
And Sod's Law strikes. Mazda lets me down for the first time in 5 years. MOT fail on..............drum roll.......................
Emissions. FFS.
Oh well, the dealer's still going to take it PX without MOT but is knocking £150 off trade in value. Oh well.
Tester's opinion was that it's probably the CAT which needs changing, but who knows. It doesn't get driven much and has been using some oil, so perhaps those two things have caused the cat to rot. Someone could end up chasing a whole load of sensors etc if it's not the cat. Oh well, not my problem, it's off to auction for it I suppose. A sad parting for an excellent, reliable car.
Picking the Leaf up at 5.30 this afternoon.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 8:37:59 GMT
A pure EV probably wouldn't work for me as my driving can take me only 15 miles one day but 100 the next. With a range extender or a PHEV in something smaller than the Outlander, would probably work. For Espadrille it would be great. She does about 8,000 miles a year of almost purely suburban driving and she fancies something 'green'. Just need a car suitable to put the wee dog in the boot (without the parcel shelf..). Electric KIA Soul would do the dog trick. I expect that wouldn't match Mrs EIII's brand aspirations, however. Also, of course a B Class Merc like lygonos's.
Leaf boot is quite decent too, no probs getting a small - medium dog in there.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 8:44:20 GMT
Whilst I was waiting for the Mazda to shit itself yesterday afternoon, I had a wee stroll in picturesque Basingstoke town centre (makes Reading look like Venice with a population of 250,000 Mensa members with excellent taste in clothes). Came across the Central Car Park, which has an electricity pump and two EV spaces alongside. 20p per minute, max 30 mins stay, min cost £2, max cost £6. There were no cars in the EV spaces, but there was a Leaf in the one next door, not plugged in. Either the driver had perhaps charged and considerately moved the car after the 30 mins, or the spots were taken when he arrived. I wallied about for hour getting coffee and a few other bits, then on the way back noticed the Leaf was gone, so either the former was the case or he just didn't need charging. Either way, he didn't have a Pay and Display ticket in the window, which was odd.
Cool story, and all that.
Anyway, got some electric test driving and charging to do this weekend! Nervous and excited.
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Post by Hofmeister on Sept 8, 2017 9:44:12 GMT
And Sod's Law strikes. Mazda lets me down for the first time in 5 years. MOT fail on..............drum roll....................... Emissions. FFS. That was always my fear on the Lancer, but the reading never varied year on year, usually you can see them creep up, plus it never burned a drop of oil. Did you give the Mazda a good old fashioned caning for a few days leading up to, and on the way to the test? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 10:04:44 GMT
Not a caning as such, just the normal drive on the A33 Reading - Basingstoke. Did give it the full revs a couple of times for this very reason, but seems to have done no good. I was wondering if my cleaning the MAF and throttle body had done something, but I had an engine management light on before I did that and it went away after. The EML came back on after the MOT. It was getting through 0.5l oil per 800/1000 miles. Perhaps I was overly keen on keeping the level up and overfilled once or twice, causing cat damage. It's a hopelessly rubbish dipstick on this engine.
Like I say, I'm £150 down, and it's someone else's problem now. Time to move on. None of these problems with a Leaf.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 12:02:11 GMT
When are you actually picking it up?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 12:21:35 GMT
I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer I gave 3 hours ago.
(5.30)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 12:41:00 GMT
Hey, I'm interested enough to ask but not interested enough to pay attention.
Enjoy, I'd be out in it instantly trying everything.
On which subject, I presume that using the lights shortens the range?
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Post by lygonos on Sept 8, 2017 12:45:44 GMT
On which subject, I presume that using the lights shortens the range?
Pretty much everything reduces the range, as it does on any car .. windows open, AC on, driving like a fud... using the brakes is the big Satan as although you regenerate some electrons (unlike most ICEs) you then burn them all up and more besides regaining your speed.
It's just with 100 miles of range vs 400 miles you get to see the consequences of your actions more acutely.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 12:47:48 GMT
Range is shorter in winter, yes, due to increased use of lights/wipers/heater etc. One needs to attune to ones personal peccadilloes to ensure maximum range apparently. I believe those functions run off the 12v battery in the car, but of course that gets charged by the motor which is run off the Lithium Ion batteries.....judicious use of the regenerative braking helps, I'll need to get used to that.
I'll be putting it through its paces this weekend of course. Don't fancy getting to know it too much during a Friday evening rush hour in Reading.......
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 12:56:52 GMT
On which subject, I presume that using the lights shortens the range?
Pretty much everything reduces the range, as it does on any car .. windows open, AC on, driving like a fud... using the brakes is the big Satan as although you regenerate some electrons (unlike most ICEs) you then burn them all up and more besides regaining your speed.
It's just with 100 miles of range vs 400 miles you get to see the consequences of your actions more acutely.
Yanking my big round flashy knob into position B from D switches the car into regen braking mode. This is for when you're approaching some red traffic lights say, and it slows the car more than just lifting off the accelerator without applying the brakes. It generates charge into the batteries and boosts range.
Loads to learn. I'm a dunce when it comes to electrickery, so it'll be an edumecation, I'm sure.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 12:58:38 GMT
Clearly one cannot force an electric car to fit your life - that way lies stress. You lifestyle has to suit the car.
I read earlier about how you could just about make it work visiting relatives and charging on the way. I can see its possible, but isn't that rather trying to force the car into a space it doesn't really suit? Surely for that one should use the Merc?
Aside from the challenge of a total lack of suitable infrastructure or expertise here, it'd fit my life brilliantly most of the time. But I would certainly need one of the big cars once or twice a week.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 13:20:32 GMT
Yes, I expect I'll use the Merc for such journeys.
If I ever travel to Carmarthen on my own with plenty of time for faffing about, I might take the Leaf as an experiment. When I've got the family on board, speed is of the essence, so Merc. I also worked out it's only about half as cheap on fuel using motorway chargers, which are very expensive compared to home charging.
I'll note the Merc's mileage tomorrow, and check it again in a year's time, see how much it's done.
Just looking mournfully at my last petrol receipt from yesterday (needed to put a tenner in the Maz to get to the MOT test and back). Next time I buy petrol, it'll be for the lawn mower next spring. Feels like "one of those moments" for someone who has been such a car junkie for life.
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Post by lygonos on Sept 8, 2017 13:24:29 GMT
Clearly one cannot force an electric car to fit your life - that way lies stress. You lifestyle has to suit the car.
Totally, especially with the shorter range cars, or the slower charging ones (like mine).
For some it will be all the family needs, for many it will be a main vehicle with an ICE back up, and for others too much of a compromise.
In my situation I have done over 3000 miles in mine in just over 3 months at a fuel cost of £0.00.
Our ICE car has probably been used about 50% of the amount it would usually have been (typically ~15000/yr but since May only about 2500).
Somewhat tempted to get the gaffer a Soul EV as the current lease rates are highly subsidised, so other than the £200/mth lease (£250/mth equivalent taking into account the £1200 1st payment) and insurance there would be no other routine expenses and the ICE would probably be kept for the odd long distance (>150mile) journey such as going to Southampton pre holiday.
The other possibility is giving the Merc to the gaffer and buying a Tesla which could easily manage cross-country journeys but that isn't the cheap option...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 13:48:54 GMT
Where do you charge to get your power for £0.00, lygonos? I'm sure you've said but I can't remember.
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