9 minutes ago, toot said:

Winner winner chicken dinner.  Or sitting in a KFC chicken diner instead of crisps while charging the Corsa.

I have 500 miles to do this weekend before Monday and the car getting dropped off at AC.  

Car loaded with stuff and fully charged.

Europecar called to take a £1 deposit & to tell me the Blue BMW Automatic will be ready to collect at lunch time from the dealership.

So i will go clear stuff out the Corsa, put seats up & glue brake pedal cover back on.  (MOT fail last time on my van, first time in 46 years of doing that as i drive with left foot only)

No matter what the BMW is it will likely be cheaper than taking the Corsa for the weekend as the minimum charging was going to be 55 pence a kWh and i would have been charging at least 3 times before Monday. The 2nd charger i was looking at using is 69 pence a kWh & the 3rd 55 pence.  (I might have charged up Sunday night on a home charger to full before handing car in on Monday.)

Looking forward to a more relaxed weekend than i had thought i would have and have now changed timings of getting places and not needing to allow as much as over an hour sitting charging if luck gets me onto a charger for each 140-150 miles covered.

 

I am doing one of my longest trip tomorrow, about 135 miles from Worcester to Southampton to board a cruise ship to Norway, hoping I still have 50 to 100 miles of miles left so I can easily find a rapid DC charger or highish output AC charger somewhere on the 135 mile journey home.  With all the warm weather ie above 15 C, the Zoe should be getting it maximum 240 mile range or so, as long as I do not sustain over 60 mph for too long stints on the A roads and motorways down to the port.  Get all the tyres up to 40 psi with all the luggage too.  Zoe is still up with the best of small cars if not the leader on looks or even seat comfort as the no height adjustment on the seat is a bug bear.  Will miss her when she has gone but after 21 months, with 27 month to go, generally pleased with my choice.  currently showing 212 miles range, son who hates the eco button been driving it, but charge said it still had an hour or two to complete, it will show 100% charge all the time but it will commence battery balancing process and should creep up another 10 or 20 miles.

 

e-corsa and mini and better lookers, unless one actually like goof French looks of the Zoe but other features score well. 

 

George, hope your last days with the e-corsa go well and the mini is as trouble free as possible in its stint with you. 

 

Assumed wrong that it would be a diesel.

 

I will get some economy once i stop playing with it to see how well it goes and it does go rather well.

Nice sport settings of suspension, gearbox and steering and it would be rude not to just set to max performance mode.

I was familiar from other BM,s i have driven other then a few settings, but good to get used to for in the MINI.  I-drive is so much better than touch screen for a right hander IMO.

118i M sport, 7 speed Steptronic auto. 

1.5 3 cylinder petrol. rather good for only 140 ps. 

 

 

Edited 7 July, 20232 yr by toot

41 mpg average and that is not eco driving. 

So Corsa back for a month or maybe longer until i get new car.

 

Vacuumed & Washed.  tick

Passed MOT. Advisory on wipers.  lol. tick

Recall done. tick

 

Service done because the car said due, and because Motability want a service when MOT'd before cars go back. tick.

 

I handed in the car and 2 keys because one key never worked after the last Recall Update.

Collected the car and 2 keys, one still not working.

 

On Saturday i knew the car was moving as it showed on my phone and then it came up as being serviced.

On Monday i got a message and video, car passed MOT & health check done and wipers smearing and tyres, suspension all ok.  No wiper replaced obviously.

(Maybe smearing from the car being washed before going in the workshop because they never smeared before going to them.)

 

Then i get a call later Monday. Car ready.

I asked if Recall done?  Yes.

Is the Service done?

No it was down for a Service but that was cancelled, must be Motability said no.

I said a Service is due, Motability pay well for Services and  MOT,s and if i have the car in a month i am not coming in again.

 

Picked it up.

Service done.   Supposedly.  What? 

 Maybe a Pollen Filter, and the washer fluid. 

 I filled that before putting car in, as i always do because i love to see if they charger for washer fluid anyplace..

 

2nd key not working. 

Car not charged up.

Wipers smear the windscreen.     'APPARENTLY'. Not actually.

So basically for ARNOLD CLARK that is pretty good.   For anyplace else, a FAIL.

 

'Topped up / Renewed Fluids'.  'IF NEEDED THEY MIGHT!'

Well not the Brake Fluid.  Not the Washer Fluid, 

So what fluids??

  Not the coolant'. Or did they?   Doubt it! 

Done once in the past as it was dropping level & i did it because they had not bothered to. 

 

 

 

Edited 11 July, 20232 yr by toot

Haha, NOTE number 3 seems likes to remind you that they did EV health check and you get free engine oil top up's, all in the same note.

 

Interest free is worthy of considering with today's high base rate. Stick the money somewhere to build interest.

 

 

I just have to arrange a hand back to their Motability Specialist sales person when i am ready to, 

The car will be inspected, photographed and that then goes on the auction site & it gets collected out via BCA and some dealer /trader will end up with the car.

Then some unlucky person will buy it.

It really is going quite well at the moment, suspension and discs shagged obviously, but as the tech says on their 'Video' the electro magnetic brakes stop the car and the discs do not get used much.  Scored and rough as boars sh!t would describe them well. 

 

 

I would rather send money and my bank details to a Prince in Nigeria than give to ARNOLD CLARK, and probably my personal details would be safer with the Prince than on AC,s data base.

 

I await the survey & then the resulting calls and email, and also the requests to revise / delete any trust pilot reviews.

Back a good while back i was told that my Experience (pathetic customer service) would be used as part of their training at this and other branches.

That training must be that they continue to play deaf and ignore anything that a customer might ask, tell them or voice concerns over.

 

Public perception.  They need more Secret Shoppers. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 11 July, 20232 yr by toot

11 hours ago, toot said:

electro magnetic brakes

I see you had very well trained mechanics working on your car.

 

I had heard similar at a big chain tyre place to the reason why they wouldn't work on regular brake disk/pads on EV's: "they have their special regen brakes"

Edited 12 July, 20232 yr by wyx087
changed to "well trained"

Lent a BMW for 3 weeks. Last time i got it with Grand Children and dog i was getting 54 mpg but this time i chose Sport Setting on everything and was not on Average Speed camera roads and it is 44 mpg it is showing.

Pot hole avoidance very much required. & kerbs.

 

Edited 17 July, 20232 yr by toot

Messages starting to come in from the Dealership about the countdown to delivery of my new MINI Cooper S Electric.

Looks like being 6 weeks away.

 

So i was having a look at the Order / Build documents which would be if i was a Customer buying and not MOTABILITY who do not pay the same.

The car comes to £34,470.

The 'other items' are £1,079.99,  total being £35,548.99

 

RFL - Alternative -12Months )Including 1st Reg Fee)     £55.      Motability do not pay that.

Delivery £396.68 plus VAT £79.33  £475.99                                  Motability do not pay VAT.

Customer Admin Fee. £145.00 Plus VAT £29.00 £174

Protect X £280.83 Plus VAT £58.17 £349

 

The one that caught my attention is FUEL,

£20.83 plus VAT £4.17 Total £25. 

 **** That if charged would be 28 kWh max @ 90 pence a kWh****         (£25 of petrol would be about 4 gallons at current prices.)

 

.....................

The New Corsa Electric with 'bigger battery and more power' but otherwise the same spec as i have now has a crazy OTR RRP of nearly £39,000. 

Edited 21 July, 20232 yr by toot

Hope it doesn't smell of petrol when you pick it up! 

 

Gaz

 

They might advice Fuel Treatment in  year or 2 as Arnold Clark Service Booking Glasgow did this year when booking the Corsa in for the MOT and no Service. 

 

..................

No mention of this was uttered by the Sales Executive that put up the build details.

Not a factory option it is Dealership applied.  

I wonder if it will be done to a car that Motability are buying, if it is on the Build / Invoice it should be, we will see.  It all comes out in the wash! Or when you ask the awkward questions.

Edited 21 July, 20232 yr by toot

After a few days of driving the dark grey / blackish BMW and the stour and bird poo & seeing a MINI in the all black i changed my mind and took a white one from stock which i have sat in a few times.

That should be ready to collect next week. 

 

 

The white one do look a bit more special, more like a mini thanks to the contrasts. I personally think you've made the right choice. 👏

 

Not tempted by the Abarth 500e?

Edited 23 July, 20232 yr by wyx087

^^ what he said...   The white looks much better than the murdered out black. 

Corsa goes back in a week with 59,200 miles on it so taken it on a trip where I have free charging other than at Stirling this morning where it was just 30 minutes / £5.10.  That was at a good charge speed.  It was doing 3.5 miles a kWh up to that point. Then 100 miles later I was getting over 4 miles a kWh and stopped to charge free and the charger was giving a great speed right up to 95%. Another 60 miles on I have been getting 5.1 miles per kWh.   Cars never gone better than it has today. Charging up to 98% before parking up for the night.   Whatever was done with the AC update has affected something other than the AC.  If it had been as efficient from new what a difference it would have been.  Fingers crossed it does not have to go home on a low loader.      PS. Motability cover the cost to install a home charger or 3 years subscription to BP pulse.     I have credit on BP Pulse but up till now have not had a great experience with them.    I just called and had Motability put this in place for me since that is no monthly for me to pay and the 20% reduction on tariff.  & £9 credit put on for the first 5 months.  Not that £9 goes that far with them but I might as well take advantage of that and have BP Pulse to go to if needs must.  Instavolt was my first choice but far too expensive now.  

Edited 25 July, 20232 yr by toot

The higher efficiency may be due to more ideal battery temperature after rapid charging? I know efficiency in Leaf also improves massively after rapid charging.

 

I know we are all different, personally, I would have gotten the free home charger. It makes a world of difference in convenience.

@wyx087  over the 3 years the car had plenty of circumstances of hot batteries and journeys straight from a charger and all weathers to perform efficiently and also tyres and tyre pressures.  It just so happens to be better now than when knew after about the 4th software update.   They seem to have got something right.   Also one issue though.  Car not communicating with my phone properly and seems to have decided my passwords are invalid.  That will be a 3 years since setting it up thing.    I am moving house so no point with an installation now even. If free and really a 3 pin charger is all I need.    

 

PS.

Came up this morning showing as it had a Software De-bugging over night.

Felt like a bucket of poo today & was back to pre Service and Recall update.  Good riddance to it on Monday. 

 

PPS.

Stuck with the Corsa for another fortnight.

New car getting first registered today though.

SR23 FTT

 

................

This one outside with bird poo is a  Level 2 but the same exterior. 

The option of the Black waste trim instead of chrome is £450.  They seem to spec all their cars for stock with that but i have not seen other dealers doing the same. Appears there is a shortage of Level 3 cars available so it is just as well i changed from the Black factory order. 

Edited 30 July, 20232 yr by toot

The mini electric is a very handsome car. I think you should add a splash of colour like this: 

 

(Munich airport) 

I will just leave this thread open just incase some person ends up buying the Corsa & wants to ask about it.

I hope they get it very cheap. 

Corsa reset to factory settings and phones deleted etc.

Epic trying to delete MyVauxhall from phone, been trying for 2 days.

 

........................

One more sleep till i collect the MINI.

Having had a few demonstrators out i have new tyres ordered while available & the price is right.  Ready to go on when required.

205/45 R 17 XL 88W

Scorchio this Friday and possibly lots of rain to come, and there has been cold nights already.

 

http://vredestein.co.uk/car-suv-tyres/products/1961-QUATRAC-PRO-EV

 

This is quite a good vid on how they are real world. Sums them up pretty well.

 

 

I am not fitting full winters unless this winter turns out to be a cracker, then they will be on 16" wheels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 9 August, 20232 yr by toot

Will look forward to more real-world non-fanboy commentary on EV usage with the Mini. 

On 26/07/2023 at 05:43, toot said:

@wyx087  over the 3 years the car had plenty of circumstances of hot batteries and journeys straight from a charger and all weathers to perform efficiently and also tyres and tyre pressures.  It just so happens to be better now than when knew after about the 4th software update.   They seem to have got something right.   Also one issue though.  Car not communicating with my phone properly and seems to have decided my passwords are invalid.  That will be a 3 years since setting it up thing.    I am moving house so no point with an installation now even. If free and really a 3 pin charger is all I need.    

 

PS.

Came up this morning showing as it had a Software De-bugging over night.

Felt like a bucket of poo today & was back to pre Service and Recall update.  Good riddance to it on Monday. 

 

PPS.

Stuck with the Corsa for another fortnight.

New car getting first registered today though.

SR23 FTT

 

................

This one outside with bird poo is a  Level 2 but the same exterior. 

The option of the Black waste trim instead of chrome is £450.  They seem to spec all their cars for stock with that but i have not seen other dealers doing the same. Appears there is a shortage of Level 3 cars available so it is just as well i changed from the Black factory order. 

 

Looks good and should be even better in the higher spec - but, personally, I still don't like black wheels...   they just look  unfinished to me...

They look much better when kerbed and then touched up and i was a car sprayer than doing 'kerb side auto's' touching up on anything else..

Black is really perfect.  Gloss or satin, and i have been running exactly that for a few decades on road cars and offroad cars.

Anything i have ever had that comes with Diamond Cut alloys gets sprayed black as soon as there is any damage.  Sometimes metallic grey.

14 minutes ago, skomaz said:

...   they just look  unfinished to me...

 

My next car's going to have brake dust coloured 15" steelies (with a bird poo and bug splat coloured paint job) 

 

Back on topic I'm looking forward to @toot picking up the Minie (Mine?) too, and his experiences with it.

 

Gaz 

Edited 9 August, 20232 yr by Gaz

58 minutes ago, toot said:

They look much better when kerbed and then touched up and i was a car sprayer than doing 'kerb side auto's' touching up on anything else..

Black is really perfect.  Gloss or satin, and i have been running exactly that for a few decades on road cars and offroad cars.

Anything i have ever had that comes with Diamond Cut alloys gets sprayed black as soon as there is any damage.  Sometimes metallic grey.

 

Yeah - understood - I just think a lighter colour so you can actually see the wheels and see the contrast with the tyres looks better - so a metallic grey or dark silver would (IMHO) be better - but that's just my personal view.

@skomaz Nice wheels are pretty in good weather and good roads even sometimes with low profile tyres, but having fun on great driving roads any season can have wheels and tyres looking pretty crap. 

 

I gave my young lads wheels a bit of a tidy up before giving the car back yesterday, i had worried about nothing because it turns out he had kerbed them before dropping the car off so i was only responsible for the one that i really did kerb hard.

Edited 9 August, 20232 yr by toot