[Looking to buy a] Hybrid / Electric

DrPhilG

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Can't see pics ?

bet you can't wait ?

Pics were linked from another site. Can't add photos here via phone.

Absolutely can't wait. Train booked, should be collecting around 2.

DrPhilG

DrPhilG wrote: »

Pics were linked from another site. Can't add photos here via phone.

Absolutely can't wait. Train booked, should be collecting around 2.

Try right click on the pic and "copy image url" and paste that link here.

I love the leaf and wish I didn't commute 90 odd miles a day, I could have more for anything else other than a boring commute.

DrPhilG

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Try right click on the pic and "copy image url" and paste that link here.

I love the leaf and wish I didn't commute 90 odd miles a day, I could have more for anything else other than a boring commute.

https://speakev.com/attachments/dsc02080-jpg.5645/

Think it's looking for your log in ?

cros13

DSC02080.JPG


DSC02084.JPG

samih

Well wear. Good luck to the new car! Can't wait to have mine, delayed until mid-August it seems.

DrPhilG

Plane and train done, in a taxi now. Will be looking at my new car in about 20 minutes!

DrPhilG

Stena are filthy liars.

They do not have charge points on all boats.

Going to need to find a rapid charger close to Belfast Port...

Bad form that, I'd demand some money back !!!

cros13

Closest are two Ecotricity and eCar NI rapids at IKEA Belfast:

Holywood Exchange
306 Airport Road West
Belfast
BT3 9EJ
United Kingdom

If need a few kWh to get there, this level 2 is on the way:

DRD Eastside Middle Path
A1, Belfast BT10 0NA, UK
Belfast
BT5 4BG
United Kingdom

GreyDad

Are we there yet?

DrPhilG

I have about 35 miles of range. I might head to Junction One shopping centre. That would mean I don't need to stop again until I get home.

Port to Junction One is 20 miles.

Does anyone with better Internet access than me (i.e. Not a mobile) want to check what the setup is at Junction One?

Or would I be better doing Ikea anyway. Can always top up at Junction One or Maghera.

cros13

Junction One is eCarNI, status shows as up. Charger is at the filling station

According to Plugshare:
There is one spot and the charge cable for DC CHAdeMO is short and non extendable. There are two more type-2 AC sockets in the main car park, near the Antler and Asics shops.
Signs say car park gate will close at night but security will let you in.

http://openchargemap.org/site/poi/details/22825

If you're really getting stuck there are five level 2 chargers between Junction One and the next rapid at Maghera.

jca

cros13 wrote: »

DSC02080.JPG


DSC02084.JPG

That's one beautiful car. Best of luck.

DrPhilG

Phew...

Range anxiety combined with elderly father anxiety is a bad combination.

Creeping down the motorway from Belfast with him peeking across every few minutes as the range dropped further was not fun.

Reached Junction One with 16 miles on the range. Pulled in and saw that the petrol station that the charge point is at seems to have closed down...

But the charge point was active and I'm now getting charged.

Stena are going to get hell for the overnight fiasco.

jca

What happens next? Do you have to get a charging point installed at home now? Are you switching to night rate electricity too? Did the seller give you a lend of his charging card? Sorry for all the questions but these electric cars come with a few extra setup costs that aren't immediately obvious to the first time buyer. I thought electric Ireland installed the home charge point for free.... I should have known better...

cros13

jca wrote: »

I thought electric Ireland installed the home charge point for free.... I should have known better...

Well they do if you are buying new. The OP is importing a used car.

DrPhilG wrote: »

Creeping down the motorway from Belfast with him peeking across every few minutes as the range dropped further was not fun.

Reached Junction One with 16 miles on the range. Pulled in and saw that the petrol station that the charge point is at seems to have closed down... .

You would have reached it at full motorway speed with that much left. You'll get more confident with your battery management the more you drive the Leaf.

jca

cros13 wrote: »

Well they do if you are buying new. The OP is importing a used car.

Thanks for that. Great thread this, nice to be getting posts from real world owners. They're very expensive to buy new but I'd be seriously tempted to buy a 12 or 131 next car change, as mad lad says 98% of my journeys are ideal for the leaf.

cros13

jca wrote: »

Thanks for that. Great thread this, nice to be getting posts from real world owners. They're very expensive to buy new but I'd be seriously tempted to buy a 12 or 131 next car change, as mad lad says 98% of my journeys are ideal for the leaf.

You'll just have to factor in the €500-€600 to get a charger fitted into the cost. On the plus side the standardised charger will last you many cars and you get to choose the charger that suits you and futureproof things a little better than the ESB eCars 16A.

Definately go for a Mark 1.5 Leaf (132 from the UK or 141 from Ireland) as the improvements in battery and comfort make the Leaf a lot easier to live with.

jca

cros13 wrote: »

You'll just have to factor in the €500-€600 to get a charger fitted into the cost. On the plus side the standardised charger will last you many cars and you get to choose the charger that suits you and futureproof things a little better than the ESB eCars 16A.

Definately go for a Mark 1.5 Leaf (132 from the UK or 141 from Ireland) as the improvements in battery and comfort make the Leaf a lot easier to live with.

It'll be early next year when I'm ready to change. I'll see what sort of money 2 year olds are commanding then.

GreyDad

DrPhilG wrote: »

Phew...

Range anxiety combined with elderly father anxiety is a bad combination.

Creeping down the motorway from Belfast with him peeking across every few minutes as the range dropped further was not fun.

Reached Junction One with 16 miles on the range. Pulled in and saw that the petrol station that the charge point is at seems to have closed down...

But the charge point was active and I'm now getting charged.

Stena are going to get hell for the overnight fiasco.

Any updates Phil? Did you get back alright and how are you getting on?

Also wanted to ask which (of the many) reds your Tekna is? My missus likes it...

jca

GreyDad wrote: »

Any updates Phil? Did you get back alright and how are you getting on?

Also wanted to ask which (of the many) reds your Tekna is? My missus likes it...

I think the all-nighter is after taking it out of Phil... Unless he's stranded somewhere of course...

GreyDad

Lol Maybe he's collapsed from range anxiety. Or out polishing his new car and buffing up the posh leather seats

DrPhilG

Sorry I’ve been AWOL, don’t worry it’s not because I’ve been stranded along the road or walking home from Leeds…

Collected the car safely on Thursday last week. Made it home (not without issues) but nothing major. My experience with English charging points was not good. Of the 4 I stopped at (2 locations with 2 each) 3 were not working! Maybe I was just unlucky but that’s a pretty bad percentage.

Since I got home I have stopped at 3 N Irish charge points and 1 Irish one and all have been functional and straightforward. I’m surprised to be honest, I assumed that the mainland UK infrastructure would be more advanced and reliable but in my brief experience that was not the case.
Anyway, the car itself. A few little issues with the dealer. The blue tint on the front badge has started to flake a bit.



I’m told this is a common issue but I should have been told about it when buying a car described as “mint condition”. I contacted the dealer and they are sending me out a replacement, and will pay for my local dealer to fit it. There was also a little scratch on the sat nav display. Only noticeable when turned off. I’m still negotiating on how to address that one.

The car is a joy to drive. Comfortable (the wife loves the heated seats), plenty of power when needed although I’m still at the stage where I’m obsessive about maximising my range! I haven’t actually completed a full drive from full to empty to see exactly what range I’m getting but I would estimate from the runs I have done that I’ll get between 80 and 85 miles. Once the novelty of that wears off I’ll probably relax and sink the boot a little more on the daily commute because range isn’t an issue.

This was my display this morning after the drive to work. Only uses 11% of the battery getting in. Probably a little more going home due to the hills.


Just got Carwings registered today so there will be a little playing about with that. But the pre-heat timer is great. Half 8 every morning I have a nice warm car and the heated seats already cooking.

I’m doing a 600 mile round trip next week, although I am breaking it up a bit on the way down. 150, then an overnight, another 150, stay a week and then 300 back in one go. Should be fun.

I dislike the concept of not having a spare wheel, just the can of repair spray. So I've bought a wheel (space save from a Mitsubishi Lancer which fits the Leaf) and a trolley jack. I'm going to make a false floor for the car so all this hides under what will look like a normal (if shallow) boot.



Garage is all ready to go, cleaned up and will have the charging station installed shortly.


I’m already exuding the EV owner’s smugness, 400 miles driven at a cost of probably around €3!

pwurple

Awesome, well wear!

Well wear Phil ! glad you got her back ok .

I wouldn't bother charging to 100% with your daily mileage. 60-70% would be perfect. While I'm off work I charge to 60% and that's plenty for 2-3 days pottering about. (your mileage is what I call pottering about ) haha.

GreyDad

Lovely car Phil, saw the photo's on SpeakEV as well, well done. The spare wheel and boot tidy system is great.

UK charging is a bit pants, it seems, you guys are much more organised over there. P*ss-up and brewery come to mind when I see some of the stories from UK EV drivers.

Which red is that again? Is that Magnetic Red?

DrPhilG

Yeah magnetic red.

I think because Ireland's population is so small there is 0 attraction for multiple charge point providers to mess things up so it makes sense that the actual electric company control the infrastructure .

That's not to say I don't welcome as many charge points as possible, I think in the U.K there should be Government intervention and have one access card for all charge points. I'm sure the billing would not be that hugely complicated.