A long time ago in a Galaxie far, far away (and other shit)

[Dyslexic Viking]

58 minutes ago, sdkrc said:

I have the budget for a new* car and I'm looking electric.

@Kiltox what do you have available now?

Since you have now become AS own dodgy used car seller.

[Kiltox]

Less of the dodgy  

2019 Renault Zoe 40kWh, 17k miles, £6995
2016 Renault Zoe 22kWh, 75k miles, £4295
2012 Peugeot Ion, 41k miles, £3295 

[sdkrc]

I've already committed to buy a cheapo electric next week depending on an MOT.

I also now need a conventional ICE car for long trips. 

[somewhatfoolish]

Rent one when needed. Or play shite roulette in the force ale section. 

[loserone]

3 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Rent one when needed

Not a bad call

[sdkrc]

I will always be a proponent of backup cars. I also hate renting. 

[SiC]

Why not give it a go replacing the bearings if the other option is to binning it anyway? Good learning exercise if you know failure is the same outcome as not doing it. 

[camryv6]

Buy a £0 road tax Citybug as a spare ICE car.

[captain_70s]

19 hours ago, sdkrc said:

 I will still need an ICE backup car for long trips. 

1966 Ford Galaxie, more IC then you can shake a stick at.

[Supernaut]

2 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

1966 Ford Galaxie, more IC then you can shake a stick at.

Plus some EC thrown in for good measure.

[loserone]

Hope a long drive with a small battery doesn't make for a tough start with a new appliance 

[sdkrc]

The absolute fucking state of the charging infrastructure in the UK. I wish nothing but the worst hemorrhoids on the folks responsible for charger software and lack of standardisation 

[sdkrc]

Well, that's me an electric wanker now.

It's safe, cheap and about as reliable/hassle free as I can get for fuck all money. Interior is nice, it's spacious, has working air con, isn't crusty as fuck, has full MOT etc.

Car cost £2250. It's a 24kw Sunderland model. Battery health is decent and I'm seeing 60-75 miles per charge. Charging at home I'm gonna see costs around 6p per mile. 

[sdkrc]

Drive home was 170 miles. The state of the infrastructure and the apps is a total eye opener. 

 

First charger I use:

- couldn't find it in the car park

- needs an app to use

- can't find the charger in the app because of unclear labelling 

- first charge fails but pre authorised £50

- second charge pre-auths another £50 and works... but the app says 0% charge the whole time

- cost £6.50 for 35 miles! What the fuck.

 

I used zapapp to plot my route. It sends me 10 miles up the M6 and then 10miles down southbound. 

I find a closer BP pulse in gretna.

It's in an unlit car park. The charge cables aren't lit at all. It doesn't recognise the Pulse card @loserone kindly gave me. It doesn't recognise my bank card. It doesn't recognise my other bank card. The screen soft locks not once but twice. 

I drive back down the motorway with 10 miles left on the charger. Gridserve. Spent 5 mins plodding round the petrol station and car park to find it. 

[somewhatfoolish]

I take the view that, not withstanding that EVs have existed nearly as long as cars have, once held the land speed record and briefly were the cutting edge of urban last mile delivery chariots, charabancs etc, EVs were practically invented about 12 years ago and the charging network is not keeping pace with the rate they're appearing. Imagining you're a brave victwardian* pioneer with a ridiculous handlebar moustache(women too), wearing an enormous greatcoat, bowler hat and very silly trousers helps when you butt up against the shambolic fuckery of the state in the form of wanky charging infrastructure apparently planned by a toddler laying out their Duplo bricks on an atlas.

 

*If victwardian isn't a word it should be.

[sdkrc]

What kind of car owner would I be if I didn't bodge something in a comically inept way?

Old 12v battery appeared to be unhealthy. After I charged it, it went down to 55% state of health and it wasn't a beefy battery to being with. The leaf is fairly notorious for eating 12v batteries so I don't particularly want to play roulette.

I slapped in an old Bosch that didn't even come close to fitting and secured* it with a B&M bargains ratchet strap.

Highly recommend getting a battery tester. Used this a fair bit and it's saved me a few times.

[somewhatfoolish]

Eating 12v batteries seems a feature of 1st gen EVs. Nice welsh battery tester you have. 🤣