Monkhai

Check the hose under the tank and make sure the lid and pressure cap are in good Nick

You’re missing the point. Renewables be they large solar or wind are asked to disconnect/stop generating all the time. That is wasted energy that isn’t generated. The generation of hydrogen at source is essentially a huge battery which can be sold as hydrogen or fed into a fuel cell to generate power for the grid when demand is high and sun/wind low. Transmission losses are real, grid upgrade costs are high, millions don’t have parking and plenty can’t afford to extend journey times. Hydrogen would be an easy swap for fuel with few changes of habit and those without private parking can swap. Where is V2G which has been coming for years but isn’t? If there’s lots of wind in wales, but no demand there, however loads of demand in London you can’t just dump all the power on the local grid in Wales. It needs more interlinks and balancing to keep the grid in spec/tolerance.

But hydrogen electric doesn’t have to come from the grid via the global market. Hence unwanted and not inflated by the grid price being related to gas. FWIW petrol seems to be getting more buyers due to higher upfront cost and a 10 year payback rate of an EV. If petrol is cheaper to buy and run… plus you save an hour a journey for long runs…most people won’t go EV.

So if you're 60% cheap to 40% on public chargers and low rate overnight at 7.5p for 1000 miles: Diesel is say £1.80 /l = 18p per mile assuming only 50mpg, which is laughably low mpg. = £163/1000 miles EV based on 60:40 overnigh cheap to public based on 3m/kWh (also a bit low) = £15 + £88 = £103/1000 miles Still winning, but over an average of 10k miles you're talking a £500 saving which doesn't even begin to cover the lease costs. Of course if you can't get overnight cheap and are paying say 45p/kWh at home and no public charging and getting 3.3m/kWh then it's bad at £150 Come October/January when we're all paying 60-80p/kWh or more it's suddenly getting very shaky: - £181/1000 miles @ 60p and 3.3 m/kWh - £242/1000 miles @ 80p and 3.3m/kWh Both with zero public charging, which of course is likely to increase again and could even hit £1 per kWh by then. I'm fairly certain we're going to have to start looking to hydrogen for range vehicles as cost per unit of electric goes up and combined with time to charge makes it unattractive. Would be better of course if electric generation was sold to users and only excess sold to the global market. Perhaps the political types might do something about that?

I seem to remember there is a way around the deadlocks on that generation of vehicle, certainly there was on the previous. Regardless of if my memory serves me correctly, it's basically back to time for a disclock type solution again 😞

Definately look for a good indy, but I'd get a price and I'd get a price for the dealer if there is a good will gesture. Not saying it'll be any cheaper but at least it has a warranty on it if from the dealer using genuine parts. Obviously if the dealer sounds like they're unhelpful, then you might as well go straight to the indy. EDIT: title has had the error added.

I carry one, because when I've needed ones it's been out of the way, usually late at night or on a sunday and with damage to the sidewall (or even the wheel). That's not anything goo can fix and it's unlikely recovery will get you on your way. The main culpret over the years (but far from exclusive) have been potholes and when you hit one of these it's spare wheel or call recovery. A few have been nails/screws etc, but then that's been dealt with by a spare or if the nail is well in inflating the tyre and driving to the nearest tyre repair centre. That's fine, but not an option in the middle of nowhere. TBH you would be better off going to a breakers yard and buying the whole kit with wheel, jack, tools etc.

How much :o:o:o I've purchased some other parts from a dealer, exactly because the online marketplaces were taking the proverbial. If those prices are accurate and you can solder then I'd be checking out the board under the rubber cover, hunting down microswitches and swapping them out for new ones.

I'd just find the part number and buy it from the dealer. 1) it's a genuine part and will fit and save time faffing with ebay will it/won't it fit. 2) You might actually find it's cheaper from a dealer (Plenty of online marketplace markup around). The microswitches do fail but I seem to remember there were two sizes of switch (A smaller one and a larger one). The dealer will be able to tell you which it is from your VIN number I would imagine.

I understand. Just trying to find a reliable provider, although it looks like the one I used previously may have started doing cover again through their in house insurance arm.

Internal handle or external handle and hatch or estate?

Thanks, As I don't have the car I've no reg plate yet, so the quote won't be something I can do. When you say 100 days, it also mentions 3 years, can you do longer policies say for 42 months? It's a bit of a shame as previously I could buy at 6 months old and take out 3 years cover for a car on 42 months of finance.

So I had gap insurance when I purchased a car on PCP, but the providers I used and others I looked at at the time all seem to have stopped doing it. I'm now looking at leasing a car on a personal lease and wanted to ask if GAP insurance is still a thing and if so are there any reliable and reasonable providers out there? I think (but need to confirm) that the car insurance has new car for 1st year and obviously with used prices so high there's a question on if GAP is a thing to do right now. Of course the new prices are also going up up up, so that's a reason to have it. Any help appreciated.

Sorry, I’ve just seen this but see John pinned it. Sadly if it’s not turned up I would imagine it was nicked as parts for Audi/VW and other in group cars 😞

I have realised we've gone waaaay OT... If someone wants to create a suitable thread for the discussion they want to have I can move the OT stuff over there.

I don't think anyone believed them when they initially said every 3 months to benifit consumers. A cap is a cap and lower prices means somebody would have broken ranks to get customers. Quarterly cap reviews means making sure those buying energy can charge more. Should have told them to do one and renationalised generation and the grid.

What you complaining about, the house price increase from crossrail will more than offset your increased fuel bills 😛

😛 I did say local cars, but to be honest even if it was piped out to local homes/businesses as part of the gas mix (up to 20% works fine in current gas boilers) then it is good. I really do want to see some data for what 10000 rotations at given speed at a wind turbine generates in terms of hydrogen produced right there vs electricity available once it's passed through the grid. I'm just not so sure it's as big a difference as people say. More so when you consider the weight pulled around by cars that are not using it (100kWh batteries to get 400 miles for example). I'm all for that Well the pre-mememeiwanttobePM tory party competition, it had been floated that those near to energy generation should benifit from lower rates. The SW has wind, nuclear (well did and will again soon-ish) and yet also has some of the highest prices. I notice London has few power stations, wind turbines etc and there is far more demand than can be easily supplied. I suggest to double the prices of electric and gas in London and benefit those in the regions.

You need a mix, but I really can not understand why there are not tax incentives such that a petrol station pays X % business rates tax, but if said petrol station sells hydrogen (and the pump is working) then they pay X-Y% tax. Watch the petrol stations fall over themselves to reduce their business taxes by getting a single pump installed. In London they are getting all the EV chargers, but they have the tube, buses and all sorts of public transport. They just got crossrail 1 and are getting 2, which apparantly benifit the whole country, clearly unlike running HS2 from Manchester and Leeds to Brum first and linking Manchester to Leeds via other major towns on a decent service. Perhaps it's time some of the political types looked to the regions and got their heads out of London London London.

Except when there is too much wind it will affect grid stability, so they are forced to brake the turbines or disconnect from the grid. In those situations making hydrogen is ok, but charging from elsewhere is not. And that's fine, but since they've just got another $3k more expensive in the US, I can't imagine most people can afford one. It's why we are kicking our solar installer and desperate to get the system installed after all the delays.

Bingo... I've zero problem with hydrogen being used as the primary source when it's generated by excess renewable power. Wind has to be turned off if there is too much, so chucking it into making hydrogen to power local cars is good. HFC cars would have a battery and a charging port for sure. Question comes how big is the battery. 10kWh = plug in is unlikely to be the main power. 30-50kW yes it's a true BEV with a HFC range extender. 30-50kW will do 90-150 miles. I took the diesel on a long trip and stopped at the rapid chargers and services I'd need (including a few backup options at each point) when I get an EV. Not one had an available charger. One was hogged by a twit in an Etron at 92% trying to get to 100%. The ionity was full and had a queue three cars deep, others had broken chargers. On the way back there was an available charger at a services about half way, but most places were fairly full, albeit without a queue. That 30 minute stop with the queue would have been a minimum an hour and people are just not going to accept that with the chance of getting stranded. Add to that slow chargers/broken chargers. It's a complete lack of infrastructure combined with a long time to refil that's the problem. I'd far rather see a 100% HFC than people stay with ICE.

This is kind of why you need fuel cells or similar. People are obsessed as a fill up is potentially long and potentially you end up queuing for a while too. Then you have the do they work, is there infrastructure, that 300+ mile range is really only 175-200 in winter on the motorway. Due to that range is super important as people are nervous and don't want to get stranded. Fuel cells work great, but supply is terrible. If they got even 25-50% of petrol stations to have a hydrogen pump, then that's a fantastic supply network. If that happens you sell an EV with a 30-50kW battery and you have the option of a fuel cell range extender. Suddenly it's cheap to buy, perfect for town and if you want the safety of long range then you tick a £2000-3000 option box, which is way cheaper than a huge battery. One design, one battery so cheaper to build. Sure hydrogen might start blue, but with the cost of oil it will move to green pretty quick, especially with the correct taxation of blue vs green. Baby steps in the right direction is better than no action. People are not obsessed as such, they're worried. I admit I've been wanting a hydrogen Fuel Cell car for years, but then it's due to the fact I don't want to tow half a tonne of batteries when I don't need them. In fact if they can design a car where the range extender can be added/removed as needed as a module, I can think of a very profitable holiday business Public transport barely exists here and so that's why range matters. Visiting the family would require a top up somewhere even in a 300 mile (WLTP) range car.

I agree it would be a PITA, but if you can cut £1000 off a car it will help with those who just want a second car for around town. A more sensible model naming strategy like City 22AC and Tour or Long Range 50CCS model might help. Of course if you split into a city car, then you really might as well shring the battery to 150 miles range and save weight and more cost....

Car type would be useful so it can migrate the correct place. Fans running on a TDI sounds like a DPF regen. Just because the car has not run, doesn't mean it's not decided it's time for a regen. That being said, some engines had issues with the coolant pump and I can't remember if the alternator is on the same belt. If it is I'd stop driving it and get it recovered to a garage. As said above, low voltages cause electronics to do weird things and I've had some errors that were crazy and unrelated, but a new battery and they never appeared again

Or trying to generate a sale of new tyres... Depending on the conditions I would say: Summer = 2-3mm (Assuming you only use them in summer) All season = 4mm (But if you're going into summer, I'd probably run them through the summer and replace for winter) Winters = 4mm (unless they state they retain winter performance below 4mm, then down to the stated depth) If the tyres are 4 years old I keep an extra eye out for hardening/damage and if they're 5 years old they are changed regardless. I do not understand why cars in the UK are supplied with summer tyres, it's madness and shouldn't be permitted on a new car unless the customer has ticked the summer/winter option box. Cracks happen, usually when tyres get lower miles so last over 4 years. I've had them on a few sets of a particular Nokian tyre, but all the other tyres from Nokian were just fine and didn't crack. Had them on other brands too and it appears to just be a thing at a certain age on some designs. FWIW I have cross climates on the summer wheels as they were cheaper than summers and I wanted to see if I needed summer/winters or just all seasons. The CC are pretty good, not a patch on a full set of winters IMHO, however plenty good enough to get you home if you got caught out and enough that if you drive carefully you'll be just fine. Full winters were a case of go out and drive just fine and you could even go past a gritter on the motorway in snow as you were getting covered in grit. That's not something I'd do on all seasons. Full winters are probably excessive for most people who drive locally in most parts of the UK mind.