Graham Butcher

I have an annoying squeak / rattle emanating from the door card on the drivers' door if I rest my arm on the door armrest. Upon inspecting it closer, it seemed like the handle was loose at the top mount as there is some movement around the chrome trim piece and there is a screw there that holds the card to the door, great I thought, remove the trim piece and tighten the screw and the job's good. Nah, life is never that simple is it, turns out the screw is tight, but the grab handle is snapped at that location and it is now creating a gap between the handle and chrome trim when pulling the door shut. So my question is this, is that handle assembly available as a separate piece or is only available as a complete door card? If it is a separate part, does anyone know the part number of it for a right hand drive car?

This car was already sitting in a water filled container for safety after it was rear ended in an accident, and security cameras caught the car going into thermal runaway, fire dept were called who filled the tank up, so the car was completely submerged and still the runway continued and the water literally boiled for 13 hours and can be seen in this video. There is also footage of another car on fire with a blanket over it, which I'm given to understand was incorrectly used as the blanket traps the highly toxic gases and the fire just burns slower, lift the blanket because thermal camera show the temperature is dropping, increased oxygen is introduced and those gases go mental as they burst into flame. The proper use of the fire blankets when the car on fire is an EV, is to deploy the blankets on adjacent cars etc to try and prevent the fire spreading to them.

All I'm saying is that it is theoretically possible that with all the built-in electronics in cars these days. My car has no fewer than 25 minicomputers, all talking to each other on the internal network that it may only require a minor software update and many cars these have over the air software update feature built in that allows the manufacturer to also remotely diagnose and also like in the case of Tesla, unlock extra functions etc. Older cars like the old ICE cars never had any form of electronics in them other than a capacitor across the points in the distributor and maybe a radio in some cars. Perhaps that could be a reason why the proposed scheme currently is only being proposed for electric cars, BEVs, PHEVs and also Hybrids are all thought to be targeted for 2028, with ICE following later. For confirmation, time will certainly tell us all one way or the other.

That is the type of thing I was referring to that could be used for PPM, all new cars already have some form of connectivity, even if it via a sim card like the SOS button, and it only requires the software to retrieve the data and send it via what ever method possible, even ICE cars have had digital mileometers for decades along with SOS buttons.

I would not be surprised if that feature or something similar is not already built into most of the more modern BEVs, just not software enabled, or publicly announced just yet.

Don't forget to also bolt a ladder to the body to help you get in and out as well 🤣

Still a long way to go, yet before there will be more affordable offerings in all the segments of the market, and also the massive differences for those that cannot charge at home. Also I see that Rachel from accounts is now looking at applying the 3p per mile charge to hybrids as well as BEV's. If that happens, it risks stalling the transition completely as both hybid's and PHEV's are already paying fuel duty and we know that many PHEV's never are plugged in, so you could argue that they are already paying more pro rata than the equivalent ICE model because their MPG figures are worse as they also have to lug all that extra weight around them.

Actually it seems you are correct as the main generation is 3 phase which is 120 degrees but the way that they get 220/240V and 110/120V is to take what we call a single phase supply to a centre tapped transformer, to which the earth and neutral are connected. So you effectively get the same thing as our 110v portable tool transformers.

On this occasion I think that Dave takes it On, makes some good points.

Yes I did know that EV's use a 3 phase AC motor and that that comes from a built-in inverter in the car and the speed of that motor is adjusted by adjusting the frequency of the AC supply to the motor. The same basic concept that is used on variable speed industrial motor drives on machinery. Yes I also know the risks associated with higher current flows that cause overheating, hence why we use over current protection devices, circuit breakers, HRC fuses, MCCBs etc. But the first and foremost consideration has to shock protection in the first instance. Let me tell you something, I have been in the electrical industry since day 1 when I left school and spent over 8 years building up my qualifications so I do actually know what I'm talking about. EDIT. My comment about the phases was not a statement made by me, but was actually made by @PetrolDave hence why I said, I knew and that I put it down to a typo, not mine but by @PetrolDave 😒

I just put the 180 degrees down to a typo, I knew what you meant.

Actually, this is misinformation the all portable power tools on a construction must be 110v and fed via 110v CTE (centre tapped earth) so that the maximum voltage on site to earth is only 55V. Electricity - Systems in buildings - HSE Scroll down on that site to the heading Portable electrical equipment for the confirmation. I apologise for labouring the point, but electrics are deadly and nobody if they are not a qualified electrical engineer should really not be tampering with electric. Now, can we get back to normal, car discussions.

@lol-lol you mentioned a few posts ago today about the staggering level of ignorance that some have about certain topics, I agree and on that point in particular about electrics in homes etc. Anyone with any basic understanding of electrics and calculations knows that electrical power is the result of volts multiplied by the current, so 240watts @ 240 volts equals 1 amp (W=VxI) where W = Watts, V=Volts and I=Amps. Therefore, to get 240watts at 110V requires 2amps (240=110x2). Take at look at this UK website for Speedy Tool Hire giving reasons for industrial tools being 110V 110v & 240v Power Tools: Differences & Guide | Speedy Hire An extract from that site says this- If hiring power tools from Speedy, you usually have the option to choose between 110v and 240v for the tool you need. However, if there is no option of choice, an isolating transformer can convert the voltage of a corded power tool. Most sites ban 240v tools because of safety. 110v tools are seen as posing less risk of shock, as the current flowing through the cable is half of that with 240v tools. This is important if the electrical wiring or appliance is damaged. However, the consensus is that it is best to just use 110v tools where possible to minimise the number of products on site. Likewise, if you want to use a power tool or appliance at home and only the 110v version is available, you can use a transformer to convert the voltage to 240v. Using a transformer means that you can make high-quality, professional-grade power tools safe to use at home, for any DIY jobs or renovations. That is also not the only mis-information given on that site either. But let's get back to the core topic of electric cars.

Yes, that is true, and as an electrical engineer, it really pains me to say that the Americans have got that part right, just a shame that they only did part of the system right, as many sockets are not polarised and few even carry an earth connection. 110 volts is far less likely to cause fatal shocks and is the reason for all the power tools and power supplies on building sites in the UK being 110V signified by the yellow transformers, tools and cables.

@lol-lol no, 3 phase in more houses is not a good thing to have. It can be useful if people follow all the rules both at design stage, installation and in actual usage afterwards. A 240 volt shock is not always going to be fatal, very nasty, but people have been known to survive. A 3 phase system has 415 volts between any 2 phases and deadly.

That is always going to be the case, nothing is 100% accurate, and I, for one, am not claiming they are.

Do you read what people post? Maybe that would a good place to start and also look at the spreadsheet contained in the video, and also note that I have also stated that I have not checked the figures as presented in the spreadsheet, but the sources of those figures is actually quoted. All anyone here is trying to say, is that you cannot take some figures as being 100% correct, when they have a vested interest in a particular end result.

The answer to that is no, but you already knew that, we're not discussing what I have driven, but how figures can be twisted either way to reflect a particular point of view. Look at the figures that SMMT, DLVA produce and the site known as How Many Left which states that their data comes directly from the Dept of Transport and was last updated at the end of October 2025.

Maybe so to some folk and not so to others, it all depends I guess on what each person is looking for from a car. So if that added convenience of having your car pre-warmed or pre-cooled etc, outweighs the other real or not, benefits is all in the mind of the beholder and also of course the social divide in as much able to or not able to charge at home, is the range good enough. If not, can you afford to take the chance of finding a charger when you need one, or even a working one. Yes I understand about planning your time and journey, but after yes of not having to A/ having to add further time into your drive to carry out charging, and B/ having to pre-plan your route and journey to plan in charge stops is not what everybody wants or needs. It really is a case of if that suits some folk then, good luck to them. Can you imagine the roles being reversed, you have been used to driving electric and then all of a sudden being told, that the only way you can continue, is to put up with old cars with old technology, as new electric ones were being banned and ICE cars brought in as replacements? So anyone who was used to getting brand-new cars at regular intervals, would be forced to either switch to ICE cars, or put up with ageing cars, with reduced reliability and fast dwindling spares parts situation and maybe reductions in charging locations?

Not according to the DVLA, BEV registrations are currently running about 33% of the 2023/4 registrations, and that includes the ones on Auto trader as 2nd hand, which the clearly are not.

No, sorry but you are still missing the real point, EV's are in fact BEVs, PHEV, and Hybrids as these cars are all covered currently by the governments Net-Zero approach, even though Hybrids and PHEVs have mainly petrol engines and so few PHEVs are ever actually plugged in and charged, they are still being used a BIK tax dodges. Because they are still allowed within the schemes, the fact that so many are listed with delivery miles on as 2nd hand should be ringing alarm bells in your head, they are not cause for celebration.

One of my sons recently did a lease on an Audi A5 from the local dealers, presales they couldn't do enough for him, promised him this and that etc, now that the deal is done they are not appearing to be as good he first thought. Even down to repairing the faintest of dents in a door from an incident in a car park, they wanted £6,500 to repair it, he also got an independent well established body shop quote of £350 for the same.

When it comes down to it, Autotrader is a reliable source of the car listed for sale on their site, but the car that is actually photographed is often not the only one of that model or colour that the dealer has for sale, ever wondered why the cars pictured so often do not show the actual registration plate, but often shows a plate with the dealers name on it? They do not need to do that as the advert clearly states who the car is being sold by along with all their contact details, its done that way so that the dealer does not have to do fresh photos for every car they have for sale. So in that sense the cars actually listed for sale from a dealer might be many more than they advertise, so in that sense, I agree that Autotrader is not a good reliable source as to precisely how many of these pre-registered cars are still awaiting new owners, they are just like an iceberg, with just the tip on view. I have been told this as well from some dealers, it cuts down the amount of work they have to do and saves them money as listing a new one each time costs more in setup costs. You will also often see the same averts and cars appearing across many car sales platforms. You also seem to be labouring under the impression that it is Autotrader that is selling the car and that they put more adverts up for a car than they physically have in stock or access to. Well, I'll use that phrase, I think you will find, which many YouTubers use when talking about EV owners, that is certainly not the case, they carry the adverts for the actual sellers, be they trade or private, and they make their money through monthly fees.

Hmm, well if the fossil fuel powered cars were all pre-registered and taken to these airfields, and then SORN, that would only leave just the electrics in various formats, I mean yes, these SORN fossil fuelled cars may be listed as used, but they are not new cars that project the image people want to project. I remember when some people would collect their new cars at midnight, being anxious to show off their status symbol brand new car with its latest reg proudly on display for all to see.

Well not strictly true, when they were first pre-registered, they were classed as sales, but are now classed as second hand.