Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

saw a few of these dotted around Paris when there recently. they look excellent in the flesh. reckon could even be a lot of fun for city driving - city driving normally being just a massive ball ache.

we rented velib bikes instead as pedal power always best for getting around a city.

but if I was looking for a small EV (and I am not sure I ever will) this would be the one.

I've got the pov spec id3 (45kw) and the best indicated range o a full charge has been 210 miles. Although, most of my charging is only to 80%, so i don't really see it at 100% all that much. the computer is telling my 3.7m/kwh, which works out to be just under 170mi for a full charge. a mix of motorway, city and country driving.

i am still getting used to how much the range varies.

We went lease on the assumption that it 3 years there would be better/longer range/faster charging options available, but obvs if there aren't any around immediately that's not so much of a choice.
We haven't done journeys longer than 100 miles, but I'd expect you'd do Manc-London with a 30min fast top-up en route (and then fully charge at the other end). No idea how reliable the charging network is at services these days though.
Plenty of the bigger SUV types would get you that journey in one go these days.

I think the main issue with the Zoe for long distance is the 50Kw max charging rate.

You’ll be there for a while as that’s the theoretical max and you won’t sit at it for the entire charge.

One charge in each direction (London to Manchester) should be bearable.

Be aware that some of the cheap ones only have 22kw charging speeds.

Plenty of the bigger SUV types would get you that journey in one go these days.

Yeah I can see some have 60kwh batteries. Going to have to weigh up the cost of 40ish extra miles.

Did you look at other EVs too? What made you go for the Zoe?

I thought the leaf was the small Electric CAR to go for if 2nd hand?

Leaf is almost as long as my estate

Not sure what they go for but a 2nd hand e-Niro would be on my list.

Definitely looked at them. There's a new model just come out too which looks nice but they don't seem too different from everything else out there.

There's quite a few Tesla charging points at the service stations on the m6 so I think en-route charging for that journey should be OK. It's mostly just for the first few months while my partner will still be living and working in London until she completes her notice period so maybe driving up each weekend but probably staying with friends some times.

Are Tesla open to all other cars in the UK now? Rarely charge at a supercharger in the UK but never seen a non- Tesla.

They’re not particularly different design wise but they’re often top of the range vs stated range charts. I believe the current version gets 280 on the motorway without hyper mileage techniques.

I didn't get a Zoe, I got an ID3. It's a company car, so I was limited to what was on the scheme. It was a vw or a vauxhall.

Prob not helpful for your sitch, it was just a comment on range, really

These tiny Citreons look perfect for urban journeys that would be better done by ebike, but for people that are vehemently against bikes..

Wow, that is the cheapest cat on any car I have seen. Not that I have looked at more that cars with blocked or stolen cats.

Citroens of a certain age do rust. Worth putting on a citroen owners club page as someone may want it to have a citreon in the ULEZ.

Had an ami for the afternoon, as I was in france all I had to do was give them a credit card for my adress and €20 for insurance which I got back as shopping vouchers.

I thought they were but should probably look in to it more

Ah yeah I see they have a 60kwh version. The MG VS will do nearly the same. Both about £30k second hand. More to decide on.

E-Niro would be my choice if you require regular long distance and that budget worked for you.

Citroens of a certain age do rust. Worth putting on a citroen owners club page as someone may want it to have a citreon in the ULEZ.

It's already gone to the scrappers.

Bonus was I'd only just renewed the insurance (6 days ago), so they cancelled the policy and refunded me in full as it was inside the cooling off period, no admin charge.

So im just about ready to order a spacer to test and then a 2nd if its turns out ok or 2 new if i need to do some adjustments.

Also managed to dig up an old email from maserati with info on my original wheels.

I noted they listed the center bore at 58.6mm but also a "countersink" with 59.5mm
What is a countersink in this application i wonder? Had to look around and i was "smart" enough to take some photos of the hub when at the tire shop. And as seen in the close up below it look like maybe not all of the hub is 58.6 but the part closest to the car looks like it could be a little wider ridge? What is the purpose of doing something like this? Hard for me to see a point other than to make sure its really difficult to fit any other wheels and make things a pain in the ass :) or is there an engineering advantage somehow?

But since im putting a spacer over this anyway it may not need to be brought any attention?

Also measured the center bore on the new wheels and i get a range of readings between 57.98 to 58.10 or there abouts. So they are about .5 mm more narrow than the original wheels. They also seem to have that slightly angled edge to maybe fit the "countersink" or maybe all wheels have this as its easier to fit the wheels on the hub this way.

The combo just seems so close to the original so its hard to see why the would make a change this small.. why not just keep the same specs as the earlier wheels i imagine it would be much cheaper for them which makes me think they could be 58.6 but with some paint? But also they appear to be bare aluminium when i take i look and the shop dident think it was paint either, well one of them thought maybe the other said no! :)

3 Attachments

What is the purpose of doing something like this?

The smaller radius bit makes it easier to get the wheel on in the first place. The fatter inner bit holds the wheel accurately in place once you've got it on.

But then the crucial measurement should be the "fatter inner bit" right? Bit weird since that measurement was listed in a parentheses? So are all hubs made like this with a wider ridge with a degree of slope with a corresponding slope on the rim? (havent really been paying attention when changing wheels on cars b4).

Basically, yes, although more commonly the rim will have a chamfer on it as the “lead in”.

What sort of price will i be looking at for new discs and rotors fitted (parts and labour) at a non dealership garage? I just want a ballpark figure, i appreciate all garages are different and nicer parts cost more. TIA

It on a Volvo V70 2006*
All four wheels