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Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:33 pm
by simon_g
Not that bad an idea tbh. New installs now have to be "smart" and comply with newer edition regs - extra earthing, etc. Looking at £300+ now.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 4:10 pm
by mr_jon
Or just install yourself :lol: (shhhh!).

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:57 pm
by Mito Man
When we had one fitted 5 years ago the government grant required that it came with a smart meter type thing - it had a SIM card which sent the data back to them. The chap installing left the SIM card on the window sill and said we should install it but it will work fine without it, so of course we left it out.

I think some of the more expensive chargers are a bit of a waste of money, most houses won’t be able to pull more than 8kw and the smart ones which let you check your charger to charge or pause or pick peak hours are a bit of a con as you can do that through your car. Just get the cheapest 8kw one.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 8:56 pm
by mr_jon
7kw of course (or 7.4kw if you want to be pedantic). The Zappi chargers are pretty cool if you have solar as they can be programmed to balance solar vs. grid. Probably not the best for the battery trickle charging at 2 or 3kw but I wouldn't complain about the free leccy if I already had the install without a Powerwall or similar. I had so many problems trying to get the grant money, being bounced around from the supplier and back to my domestic installation (it's an old house, no shit that it's not up to code), that I just bought a boggo standard one off of the bay and installed it. Piece of p1ss. 4500kw delivered so far and still going strong.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 9:13 pm
by Swervin_Mervin
We had one under the grant as the Mrs was seriously considering an EV at the time. Had it a few years now and never used! :lol: Cost £99 so must've been the 7kW one I'm guessing - I can't actually remember now.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:51 am
by NotoriousREV
Golf gone. £55 charge for a gouge on the back bumper that I’d been quoted £120 to fix, so I’m happy with that.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:37 pm
by JLv3.0
Transfer of ownership done on the TT and it's back home with me. What a nice little car - plenty of go, well made, never been painted or abused but possibly ignored mechanically a little (oil at the minimum mark, washers don't work, air intake shroud needs buttoning up) but everything else works fine and the things that don't will get fixed without any heartache.

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I've given it a good wash, including under the bonnet and the roof (nice not to have to worry about scratching the roof with keys and stuff!) and will give it a compound, wax and ceramic spray when I can be arsed, then it's being handed over to Ms JL for her to abuse :lol:

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:43 am
by Explosive Newt
Explosive Newt wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:34 pm Getting rid of the car cover now as I think it has put one or two tiny scratches in the paintwork and the car now appears to be waterproof at last.

Is the Boxster’s electronic oil level sensor thingumty just incredibly inaccurate? Sometimes it reads bang on the middle and others it reads low. I am not sure which to believe.

Otherwise it put in flawless service on some exceptionally narrow roads in Gloucester this weekend.
Update: the oil sensor was reading low because the oil was low. I have put in more oil.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 5:55 pm
by Mito Man
Woke up 9am, got the train at 9:20 and just arrived in Zurich - much closer than Scotland. Toll roads totalled to about 50 Euros so far and then the vignette so not bad.
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I hear Stelvio is near 8-)

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2019 9:22 pm
by JLv3.0
Explosive Newt wrote: Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:43 am
Explosive Newt wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:34 pm Getting rid of the car cover now as I think it has put one or two tiny scratches in the paintwork and the car now appears to be waterproof at last.

Is the Boxster’s electronic oil level sensor thingumty just incredibly inaccurate? Sometimes it reads bang on the middle and others it reads low. I am not sure which to believe.

Otherwise it put in flawless service on some exceptionally narrow roads in Gloucester this weekend.
Update: the oil sensor was reading low because the oil was low. I have put in more oil.
There's genius in simplicity :lol:

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 10:56 am
by JonMad
Similarly, red coolant temp light came on on the Fabia. Coolant was low. Topped up. Light out.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 11:16 am
by nuttinnew
Explosive Newt wrote: Fri Sep 13, 2019 11:43 am
Explosive Newt wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:34 pm Getting rid of the car cover now as I think it has put one or two tiny scratches in the paintwork and the car now appears to be waterproof at last.

Is the Boxster’s electronic oil level sensor thingumty just incredibly inaccurate? Sometimes it reads bang on the middle and others it reads low. I am not sure which to believe.

Otherwise it put in flawless service on some exceptionally narrow roads in Gloucester this weekend.
Update: the oil sensor was reading low because the oil was low. I have put in more oil.

How did you know for sure, does it also have a physical dipstick?

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2019 5:56 pm
by IanF
Ferrari passed its MOT with no advisories. 🏳️‍🌈

Took the opportunity to give a 550 a look over, clicky clacky manuel was great. Need more garage space! 🤣

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:02 am
by Sundayjumper
Just finished the gearbox fluid change in The Touareg. I’d mostly done it yesterday but the instructions call for the final level to be measured with the engine running and the oil at 30 degrees. After various faffing and running the engine to make sure the new oil was all circulated it was way over 30 degrees so I had to leave it overnight to cool down.

A quick trip round the block and the gearbox definitely feels less slushy. Like everything has more “grip”. Which makes sense if the old oil had gone off spec. FWIW the old oil was brownish-red but otherwise clean. A reasonable amount of metallic sludge in the sump which is totally normal. Probably the original oil.

Fingers crossed it all carries on working. Auto gearboxes scare me. They’re too complicated.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:12 am
by JLv3.0
Hand on heart, I'm not ENTIRELY sure how automatic gearboxes work. I know they turn slush into forwards but in terms of how they change gear themselves - not a clue.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:35 am
by Sundayjumper
Oh, I’ve read descriptions and looked at diagrams loads of times. Still don’t understand it. Hats off to the folk that design these things !

Going back to the Touareg, it was refreshingly not-expensive to change the oil. VW used a Japanese Aisin gearbox in these which runs on a very ordinary oil. A ten litre tub of that (gearbox needs about seven, I’ll drain & refill a couple of litres once it’s been used a bit) plus a Meyle filter & gasket kit came to £65 all-in. No reason to not change it more often IMO.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:37 am
by JLv3.0
Oh me too as it's always bothered me that I don't get it. Same result.

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:48 am
by V8Granite
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This is the valve assembly from a 4 speed 722.3 gearbox, which itself is essentially a 3 speed with an overdrive in a permanent housing on the box. To get a permanent first gear start you simply change a ball bearing and adjust a spring. All very simple :lol: ..... err yeah.

How a new 9 speed gets on with working I have no idea, it’s hydro mechanical voodoo.

Dave!

Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:31 am
by Sundayjumper
Aisin TR-60SN as fitted to the Touareg:


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Re: Your fleet running reports

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:32 am
by Gavin
Bongo away to get the back arches cut out, sills replaced and partial respray. Most of which will be free handily.

It is still slow as shit but gets more attention than anything I have owned or driven.