StephenFord Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 8 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said: For supermarket shelf browsers, this week's Autocar has a piece on best "affordable" (£35k to £40k!)... I guess my personal definition of 'affordable' is simply different. I was brought up to never be in debt, hence once I left 'home' that was the last time I ever bought a new car. I haven't paid monthly for a car in over 30+ years, always saving up to buy a used one with cash. Hence my current 19 year old Focus LOL I know it's fashionable to chuck a monthly wedge in car payments, but still, £40,000?? I suppose it does keep many in employment with various finance firms, and dealerships etc, so probably not all bad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said: For supermarket shelf browsers, this week's Autocar has a piece on best "affordable" (£35k to £40k!) EV 2024. Cupra Born, which a few of us seem to kinda like, is No 1 with Hyundai Kona and related Kia Niro at 2 and 4 respectively. I heard cupra have knocked a few grand off their stock Born. I’ve not driven one yet but they definitely look good and got 230bhp. Very Heavy cars though , don’t quote me but iirc 1.8 ton. Might be wrong about that. I’ve been researching a few cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 25 minutes ago, Alex.S said: I heard cupra have knocked a few grand off their stock Born. Yes, the article suggests they want to clear the decks for newer models so the Born (a 58 kWh V2) is quoted as on at £455.62pm on 0% PCP 5k miles pa. 25 minutes ago, Alex.S said: Very Heavy cars though , don’t quote me but iirc 1.8 ton. Might be wrong about that. Nearly spot on Alex - 1765kg according to the article. I prefer lighter cars - I always think about the late Colin Chapman's maxim "just add lightness" - which gets more poke and better mpg from less power, needing smaller brakes and suspension components, etc, etc, creating a "virtuous circle" to use another cliche!😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenFord Posted March 27 Author Share Posted March 27 15 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said: I prefer lighter cars - I always think about the late Colin Chapman's maxim "just add lightness" - which gets more poke and better mpg from less power, needing smaller brakes and suspension components, etc, etc, creating a "virtuous circle" to use another cliche!😀 Colin was a genius. To this day one of the cars accepted to have the best handling is the Lotus Elise, weighing about 850Kg, top speed 150mph, all from a 1.8 118bhp engine! (Just impossible to get in/out of with any type of grace 🤣) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 Spotted this the other day - sort of a "you couldn't make it up thing". https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/electric-fiat-500-could-be-given-petrol-engine That article says it's due to new cyber security rules. Found an article on that: https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/motoring-issues/cybersecurity/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 The Born has 2 battery options. The bigger one only had 4 seats, I assume to accommodate the battery but factory orders now have 5 seats and the bigger 77 battery. Batteries must be getting smaller. They’ve launched this VZ iirc 300bhp I’ve no idea what battery. Sorry if all this is in your link Eric , I’ll have a look later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 13 hours ago, Alex.S said: Sorry if all this is in your link Eric , I’ll have a look later. No, I didn't actually link to anything on the Born, just mentioned the article for anyone hanging round the mag shelf in Tescos! battery size is one of the trade offs with any EV I guess. Bigger battery weighs and costs more, and probably would not be needed if charging is quick. and plentiful. I doubt most of us drive round with a brimmed tank unless we're about to go on a long trip, so a massive battery is similarly unnecessary if you generally only do say, 50 miles a day. Always provided the charging issue is sorted - which in many areas it isn't, yet. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 1 hour ago, unofix said: Be thankful you didn't have an EV or it would have been 5 or 6 trips a day just to get it charged 🤣 I thought I'd move back here to respond to that. Funnily enough I've often thought about this one and don't think it would have been that much of a problem for business use nowadays. I'd probably be using a Tesla (and hating the control layout!) as they do have a decent range. Being in the energy industry we'd have charging at work, and I'm pretty sure most of the organisations I used to visit would also have on site charging if only for "greenwashing". Most bigger "refreshment stops" also seem to be fairly well provided for nowadays as well. The issues I could see would be for private use as I tend to note now, where areas like the upper Dales are pretty much "charger deserts" and would require a bit more planning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt Posted March 30 Share Posted March 30 Here's one to please the EV haters: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-66866327 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex.S Posted March 30 Share Posted March 30 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark-UK Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 On 3/27/2024 at 5:04 PM, StephenFord said: I know it's fashionable to chuck a monthly wedge in car payments, but still, £40,000?? I suppose it does keep many in employment with various finance firms, and dealerships etc, so probably not all bad... Not all cost the same as a Tesla. All full EV's all under £30K (and one under £15K) new prices for 2024 Dacia Spring - £14.995 BYD Dolphin - £25.490 Vauxhall Corsa - £26.895 MG4 - £26.995 Fiat 500 - £28.195 Nissan Leaf - £28.495 Mazda MX-30 - £28.995 On the horizon for 2025 The Xiaomi SU7 current listed price from £23,770 ($29,870) with 435 miles range (you might have to wait a while, they report 90,000 pre-orders within 24 hours of launch) 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 1 hour ago, Mark-UK said: Not all cost the same as a Tesla. Indeed, just as not all ICE cars cost the same as a BMW. We need to stop lumping all EVs together and recognize that there is now an increasing range of types and sizes at various budgets. This is only going to increase in the next couple of years so it should be possible to find an EV version of most classes of vehicle - if you want one of course. When you've been driving as long as many of us have (see the "first Ford" thread recently started), prices for new cars of any type are hard to get your head round, and it's getting increasingly difficult to find cars (EV or ICE) starting under £20k. Speaking of Ford, I see the Explorer EV is available to order (24 weeks delivery) in 77kWh form initially, from £45,875. The 52kWh version available later will just creep under the £40k "luxury" car tax barrier at £39,875 if you order no extras. Not a million miles price-wise from the VW ID 4 on which I believe it is based. Not my cup of tea as I'm not a fan of SUVs whatever propels them, but I think the interior looks better than the VW and no doubt some will like it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark-UK Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Yes, I sometimes get the felling people commenting about the price of a NEW ev's are not looking at the price of a new ICE car. The cheapest Focus is now over £28K and even the most basic Fiesta is over £19K, it feels like prices have gone mad over the last 4 years. Talking about madness today I saw a used Defender for sale at £74995. OK it was 23 plate, but £75K for a secondhand vehicle sheer lunacy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 9 hours ago, Mark-UK said: it feels like prices have gone mad over the last 4 years. Certainly does. New Suzuki Swift seems to be getting favourable reviews, not least because it starts under £19k, as does the full ICE version of the Renault Clio. Even £19k though, seems hard to swallow when its not long since cars like this would have started around £12-14k (cheapest Mk 8 Fiesta was £13,695 at launch). But maybe I'm just getting old and behind the times. I came away from my first service yesterday thinking "hmm, I could have bought both my first two cars together (s/h, of course) for the price of that!"😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenFord Posted April 4 Author Share Posted April 4 Tesla queue... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13262449/Tesla-charging-que-Australia.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark-UK Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Also from the Daily Mail 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 On 4/2/2024 at 1:04 PM, Mark-UK said: Dacia Spring - £14.995 Just seen something to suggest the Spring might not be UKs cheapest EV very long. Apparently BYD are consider selling the Seagull hatch here (about 3.8k long so similar size to a Suzuki Swift). I believe it sells for the equivalent of £8k in China. Can't see it being quite that cheap here but they'll no doubt undercut the Spring. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark-UK Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 That's seems a lot of Tesla at a public charge in Keith which has a population of 1355 people. The Daily Mail would be better getting stories from somewhere other than tiktok 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 18 minutes ago, Mark-UK said: The Daily Mail would be better getting stories from somewhere other than tiktok And the second pic in the item shows an empty charging bay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantt Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 2 hours ago, Mark-UK said: Also from the Daily Mail I occasionally pop into our local Esso garage for milk. Given up now and go to co op further away as it's always got queues on to the road. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Bloodaxe Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 11 minutes ago, iantt said: I occasionally pop into our local Esso garage for milk. Given up now and go to co op further away as it's always got queues on to the road. Yeah, it's not just an EV problem these days. I often can't get into my local Tesco filling station because of a queue. I find the best time there is Sunday evening after the main store has been closed for a few hours. There are just a lot less filling stations around these days, and a lot more cars. Options have also been reduced by Co-op selling their filling stations to Asda who only sell E10 petrol so if you need, or prefer, E5, hard luck. Another issue is most stations are now of course also convenience stores and people leave their car at the pump while they go and do some shopping before paying and moving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenFord Posted April 4 Author Share Posted April 4 19 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said: Yeah, it's not just an EV problem these days. I often can't get into my local Tesco filling station because of a queue. I find the best time there is Sunday evening after the main store has been closed for a few hours. I count myself lucky, I have 3 x stations within 3 miles of me, and I can't remember the last time I had to queue. (Asda, BP, Maxol) I'm also lucky enough to be able to avoid peak times, like a Saturday afternoon, or day before public holidays. Also, filling with petrol is an in/out 5 minute job. I addition, I have a gallon can in the boot for a 30 mile emergency, which I can't remember the last time of use but I do refresh it every 6 months... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantt Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Peak times at this Esso seems all day and all evening up to about 8pm. They are a Tesco express aswell so that really does make it worse. If I can park right on the edge and able to reverse out I will go in and get milk using one of the 2 self scan tills. Otherwise it's a very long wait to either park up or get back out. I don't see why driver's stop there for fuel as it takes a good 15 mins plus to go in and out. Morrisons fuel station is far easier and quicker or even Tesco filling station up the road. But still need to find a quiet time to go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark-UK Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 It's a Texaco garage for me that has queues, probably because it's the cheapest around, normally less than Asda and Tesco a mile away. Unfortunately, I keep missing their Black Friday fuel day when they drop the price between 10 and 15 pence a litre. In 2022 it was chaos as dozens of cars were in the queue which lasted all day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unofix Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 4 minutes ago, iantt said: I don't see why driver's stop there for fuel as it takes a good 15 mins plus to go in and out. battery conditioning ? Getting drivers accustomed to waiting for when they have to charge a battery 🤔 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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