For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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#1730683
Paul_Sengupta wrote:Am I reading correctly that you've written off the cost of a £35k over 5 years?


Well as you may know The Ute has reached the end of the road, literally. Purchased for £600 in January 2009 and sold to the local garage for £100 it would appear to have depreciated at a scandalous £46.15 per annum :shock:

Commemorative picture of his last working journey before retirement

ImageThe Ute's last trip by Rob, on Flickr

And just for completeness, his successor. The VWWV. Inflation though has taken its toll and this came in at a massive £681.

ImageVW arrival by Rob, on Flickr

Paul_Sengupta wrote: £7k a year? That's almost as much as I spend on flying!


Actually flying? Yes probably. But pouring wealth into the Bulldog? I suggest that might be a few pence more?

Rob P
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1730695
Rob P wrote:Actually flying? Yes probably. But pouring wealth into the Bulldog? I suggest that might be a few pence more?


Not really, though I do have a fair bit of capital expenditure currently sitting in my spare room waiting to go in. (new radio!)

I've had the aeroplane for 18 years, it might be an idea if I invested some money in some decent seat backs rather than the current B&Q ones I'm using.
#1730747
I'm not sure that this is going to set the world alight either...

Ford has unveiled its all-electric Mustang Mach E at a glitzy event in Los Angeles that included an appearance by actor Idris Elba.

The top-range version of the car can travel up to 370 miles on a full charge and recharge 57 miles (92km) of range in 10 minutes on a high-power charge.

There are buttons in place of conventional door handles and storage space under the front bonnet.

The various models can accelerate from 0-60mph in about eight seconds.

In comparison, the Tesla Model 3 can do 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50460241

Just where are the normal cars that normal people buy?
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By Melanie Moxon
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1730755
Leaf, Zoe, I-Pace, Kona, e-Golf, Ionic, ok, yeah they were all too expensive for me as well. My current repayment on the CT200h + fuel is less than the cheapest lease I could find on a Zoe/Leaf (only ones that were remotely affordable to me with enough range) and being a Lexus it will run from now until they ban anything with ICE in it.

The problem with that price is that it is pitched directly in the path of an optioned Model 3.

The purists ain't gonna buy it, I had a 2006 GT for nine years, part of the attraction of the car was that it was (in the UK at least) an "event" to drive, its practicality as a day to day car (other than the pifflingly small 60l fuel tank and huge doors which could make parking problematic) was a mere bonus. Switching it to electric to me takes away that feeling of an "event", it sanitises the car, which at one point made no apologies for its much maligned interior plastics, making up for it with a window rattling roar when you started the 4.6L V8 engine from cold, "it is a standard exhaust your honour, honest", the way it picked up its hem and hauled off down the road when you mashed the loud pedal accompanied by a noise loud enough to wake the dead. It was a brutal but honest car, sometimes dangerous (the traction control was so bad it was safer to turn it off in damp and cold conditions), it took the UK road conditions and 200 passes on York Raceway and Santa Pod in its stride, even when shod with drag radials, that car was fun, pure fun.

Electric cars provide their own nuances no doubt and probably are fun (never driven a pure BEV) but the Mustang to me is not that, time to put the horse out to pasture and move on with something else imho.
#1730812
Nice examples of cheap motoring above, but I wouldn’t be able to drive them for the time I do. The 2004 Audi was way better on the motorway than its 2014 sister that we bought and was probably closest to a keeper, but at 150k miles and needing to rely on it every day I wanted a warranty - and less smoke.

I do agree with Melanie. There’s a lack of soul in an EV. The Leaf is, in some ways, a more interesting car to drive than the Model 3. The steering isn’t tight and the acceleration is that nice “oh this is quick” and long enough to enjoy it rather than “what just happened?” as you focus on lifting off to stay within the speed limit.

To me driving an EV is getting from A to B in comfort and being chilled. You don’t get the constant noise of an engine, which reduces fatigue and you don’t have all of those fiddly sticks and extra pedals that you get in a manual car. One pedal driving and automation is nice. They’re not cars for people who enjoy putting work into engaging with the vehicle.

It maps over to flying. I don’t fly at the moment, but when I did I preferred a more modern Robin to a PA28, which just felt like a 70s Cortina with wings. Many people love older planes - my first flights were in an Auster. Enjoyed flying in it, wasn’t so bothered about the aircraft. We all like different things.
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#1730815
I reckon you either go High tech for normal use (with a bit of fun at traffic lights) and a proper Classic for fun driving, preferably something without Synchromesh! No point in having anything in between.
Maybe there would be a market for CarBnB!!
#1730816
The thing about Leaf 1 was that it so exceeded expectations. When I worked the dealer roadshow, 2013 from memory, they presented me with this rather nunty looking vehicle to drive.

Reluctantly parking up the 996 I stepped into the less than awe-inspiring cabin and set off. Within a couple of miles I had a broad smile on my face.

Today my expectation for a Tesla or similar would be quite high. I wonder if I'd be disappointed?

Rob P
#1730868
Coming from a Leaf 1 I doubt it; coming from a 996 perhaps.

Soon after I test drove a Model S (P100D) I test drove a Zoe and have to say I was underwhelmed - not because it lacked oomph, but because it didn't feel like "the future". But maybe that is a Good Thing for most people?
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#1730965
Interesting thing I read today was that there are EV specific brake pads. They are used so rarely that corrosion (presumably of the discs?) is a significant issue.

Rob P
#1730976
Rob P wrote:Interesting thing I read today was that there are EV specific brake pads. They are used so rarely that corrosion (presumably of the discs?) is a significant issue.

Rob P


The shareopolane which our syndicate had for longest was a HR200 which had been bought new by its UK owner, diosmantled after his death after not many years of use, then reassembled to CofA standards by one of our members (a PFA Inspector, and serial restorer) and colleagues after >10 years in pieces. It was one of a limited number at the beginning of production which hyad had drum brakes, which were soon superseded by a nerw design of leg with disc brakes.

Some years after restoration the drum brake linings needed replacing for the first time since new; after all, they had not been used that often. We discovered that they came from a discontinued Lambretta :) We decided to refit with the new legs and discs, as still available from the Robin factory.
#1730984
Rob P wrote:Interesting thing I read today was that there are EV specific brake pads. They are used so rarely that corrosion (presumably of the discs?) is a significant issue.

Rob P

In this country, when it gets cold, unlike Southern California, regen becomes limited, so you tend to use the brakes a reasonable amount, the latest Tesla software update uses the brakes as well to slow to an absolute stop as opposed to a very slow speed.
It has been recommended that you turn regen off once a month, but that seems more about the calipers.
Quite honestly I'm happy with having to use the brakes a bit as it retains that skill!
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1731016
Rob P wrote:Interesting thing I read today was that there are EV specific brake pads. They are used so rarely that corrosion (presumably of the discs?) is a significant issue.

Rob P

Is that a marketing exercise, like the EV specific tyres that cost extra but when you look at the spec there are cheaper, longer lasting, grippier, quieter models out there?

Quick glance at the spec of my Zoe's pads, and they are the same spec as those fitted to a Renault Twingo, Clio and Nissan Micra at the small end, half the Dacia range, even a small Mercedes-Benz Citan van and a Lada Vesta Saloon (!).

Should say that Zoe always uses the physical brakes when less than 5mph so there will always be a tiny bit of ware, which will hopefully keep the disks clear.
#1731034
My reference is the GEM recovery service house mag. It appeared as a response to a consumer question there.

Rob P
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