Irish Taxi Forum
Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: silverbullet on September 14, 2024, 03:57:14 pm
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https://www.carzone.ie/search?make=MG&model=5&size=20 (https://www.carzone.ie/search?make=MG&model=5&size=20)
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Na I'll pass for a Skoda superb estate instead with 1200km range.
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According to the internet, Ireland is 486km long and 275km wide. And, according to me, I mostly do less than 150km per shift. Just sayin' :P
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I was chatting to a former Superb driver last week.He seemed to think he was putting €150 a week in diesel in his one.That's an extra €130 a week compared to charging an electric at home.There was a time when €130 was a good days wages.
Without the taxi grants all those leccy cars would be gathering dust in the dealers.
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The thing is I can sell it on but the EV taxi is in the scrappers. And that guy is doing 1600 or 1700 Kms a week for that fuel cost or he is not servicing it enough. I'm getting 1200 from a tank full, time wise I'll fill again in 5 minutes in a week or the guts of 2 weeks depending on where I am.
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The diesel Superb is a thirsty beast.It's a big heavy, well insulated car.Plenty of lads driving them around town where they get poor economy.
As far as resale value is concerned many lads only need to get three years from a "cheap" EV to break even.If you're getting a 5k saving on juice by going electric it only needs to last a few years to pay for itself.
New superb is 47.5k and the secondhand ones are overpriced.Plus diesel means it's not a smart option unless you're working all over the country doing mad hours.
I don't think EVs are the answer but I also don't like working just to pay for a car either.I don't have the hunger like when I started.Cheaper the vehicle the less we have to work.
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2020 Skoda superb estate 2 litre 17000 with 209,000 km got it with full service history 1200 on a tank 1300 if driving under the posted speed limit. Evs in reality are not an economical smart choice the grants will end and its the drivers with the EV taxis that will suffer, they will be left with a paperweight I can sell on a diesel or a hybrid.
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1200 on a tank is pretty impressive. I get 700-773 staying within the speed limit from my MKIII 1.6 Auto Octy. The 1.9 MKII is probably a bit better on juice but it's manual.
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In 2021, I had ~€12,000 cash with the intention of buying a 5yr old Prius. Instead, the NTA paid ~60% of my MG5 and I basically owned it outright from day 1. Over the next 10 years, my bills will be ~€200/yr on a service (for official battery health printout), ~€250 every 30,000 km for front tyres and, oh, I'll probably have to buy windscreen wipers at some point. That should be it (touch wood). The brake pads/discs seem to last forever on EV's.
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The one thing you're guaranteed with a Skoda estate, no one's going to steal it. Get one in red and you're golden! 8)
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200 euro is two services per year for me I do it myself, 45,000 km for tyres with rotation. And ev brakes need to be used a few times a week or they seize up when you need them in an emergency a layer of rust and stuff builds up on them with non use or light use.
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If the grants disappear it will be due to EVs coming down in price.I've no problem. Going back to a hybrid if at some point in the future it becomes no longer viable to get a cheap electric car.
I didn't think the leccy car would be so cheap to run.Mine costs about 10/13 a week.If electric prices go up that will change.Still haven't been on a public charger in nearly 15 months of ownership.
Lately it's developed a knock in the steering which I'm going to get looked at this week.All under warranty.Probably something small needs tightening.
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Problem with that skoda ye gona need a ball off cash under your pillow to keep it rite .Flywheels are not cheap .couple of grand to put rite .High mileage yokes quickly become a money pit ,
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Mine hasn't been too bad.
Maintenance on the MKIII is coming in at 1.3c/kilo... as follows:
10/01/2019 108,947 Delivery Kilometres 0.00
23/01/2019 Floor Mats 20.00 Halfords/Tesco
01/02/2019 Screenwash 3.00 Tesco
11/03/2019 Oil (for topup) & camera (probe) 45.00 Micks
28/03/2019 119,197 Brake Fluid replaced 12.00 Euro Car Parts
28/03/2019 119,197 FR PS Door Handle oiled (3 in 1) 3.00 Euro Car Parts
29/07/2019 129,302 Oil 28.00 Micks
29/07/2019 129,302 Oil Filter & Bung 11.00 Annesley Williams
29/07/2019 129,302 Fuel Filter 39.00 Annesley Williams
29/07/2019 129,302 Pollen Filter (Charcoal) 10.00 Euro Car Parts
29/07/2019 129,302 RR Brake Pads (2/3) 14.00 Euro Car Parts
02/08/2019 Screenwash 4.00 Tesco
29/10/2019 Puncture RR DS 10.00 Collin
29/10/2019 Key Batteries 5.00 Tesco
14/02/2020 150,010 Oil 27.00 Micks
14/02/2020 150,010 Oil Filter & Bung 14.00 Annesley Williams
14/02/2020 150,010 FR Brake Pads (3/3) 28.00 carparts4less.co.uk
15/02/2020 Screenwash 5.00 Applegreen
17/02/2020 150,625 FR Tyre * 2 – 205/55/R16 130.00 Collin
28/03/2020 FR DS H7 Bulb 7.00 Applegreen
19/05/2020 RR Tyre * 2 – 205/55/R16 130.00 Collin
02/04/2021 159,956 Oil, Pollen Filter 42.00 Micks
02/04/2021 159,956 Oil Filter & Bung, Shelf Clip 16.00 Annesley Williams
02/04/2021 159,956 Brake Fluid 14.00 Euro Car Parts IR
31/07/2021 No.Plate Bulbs 3.00 SMF Balbriggan
25/11/2021 Key Battery 0.00 Stock
01/12/2021 170,754 RR Brake Pads (3 / 3) 26.00 Micks
01/01/2022 Screenwash 5.00 Applegreen
09/02/2022 180,012 Oil - DPF = 44.50/80.00g 39.00 Micks
09/02/2022 180,012 Oil Filter & Bung 16.00 Annesley Williams
14/03/2022 Oil (for topup) 35.00 Micks
08/04/2022 Puncture FR PS 20.00 New Tyre Place
15/06/2022 190,115 FR Brake Pads & Discs 82.00 Micks
14/07/2022 192,105 Water Pump, Timing Belt Kit 330.00 Aidan (supply & fit)
01/01/2023 Screenwash 5.00 Applegreen
14/01/2023 200,035 Oil, Air Filter, Pollen Filter 61.00 Micks
14/01/2023 200,035 Oil Filter & Bung (DPF = 50.08/80.00g) 22.00 Annesley Williams
17/02/2023 202,506 FR Tyre * 2 – 205/55/R16 150.00 Collin
16/05/2023 Oil Filler Cap (Febi Bilstein 170554) 11.00 BMF
15/05/2023 Coolant (for topup) 15.00 Micks
27/07/2023 210,603 RR Brake Pads & Discs 44.00 carparts4less.co.uk
27/07/2023 210,603 Brake Fluid 21.00 ECP Santry
27/07/2023 H7 Bulb DS 5.00 BMF
27/01/2024 220,590 Oil, Oil Filter, Fuel Filter 57.00 Autodoc.ie
11/02/2024 FR DS Tyre & RR DS Puncture 75+15 90.00 Tyreland, Swords
01/04/2024 H7 Bulb PS 5.00 BMF
08/05/2024 230,268 FR Brake Pads (2/3) 22.00 Autodoc.ie
26/08/2024 240,125 Oil, Oil Filter & Bung (DPF = 61.84/80.00g) 58.00 Halfords / BMF / AD
03/09/2024 Air Cooler Pump Lead 10.00 Ebay UK
The MKII in it's taxi years worked out at 2.1c/kilo.... as follows:
23/02/2014 HL Bulb ps 8.00 fr calliper = FSIII
22/07/2014 Bulb 2.00 fr pad lug above top = 1zf/1zm H=55
28/07/2014 Bulb 1.00 fr disc 1zf/1zm = 280mm
05/08/2014 Tyre 65.00 rr calliper = CI38
05/08/2014 Screen Wash 4.00 rr pad with wire spring = 1kd
19/10/2014 139,132 Oil, Oil Filter, Bung 60.00 rr pad = Mintex MDB137 (Micks)
09/11/2014 143,200 Brake Pads Rear 26.00 inc tool 16 rr disc = 253mm
18/11/2014 144,570 Brake Pads & Discs Front 60.00 ABS BLEED – Basic Setting → Group 10 → Go
19/11/2014 HL Bulb ds 5.00
22/11/2014 HL Bulb ps 5.00 FUEL FILTER
27/11/2014 Battery, 2yr gt 90.00 Celtic motor factors 136h 78d 12innerdiam
17/12/2014 148,547 Timing belt kit,water pump 395.00 Annesley Williams Mann PU 825 x
03/02/2015 Puncture 10.00 3C0 127 434 - 3C0 127 177
07/02/2015 150,494 Clutch, Flywheel, 6mnth gt 600.00 Euroclutch, Baldoyle
16/02/2015 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 20.00 Tesco Front Shocks
10/07/2015 159,692 Oil, Oil Filter, Bung 62.00 Bottom diametre = 50mm
10/07/2015 159,692 Brake Pads & Discs Rear 69.00
10/07/2015 159,692 Pollen Filter 15.00 Warning Light Coding
20/08/2015 HL Bulb ds 5.00 Block 17 -> Coding -> Digit 4
04/11/2015 Door Mirror Glass ps 15.00 Celtic 0 = No Systems Active
17/12/2015 Tyre * 2 Rear – NCT 120.00 Glen +1 Brake Pad Wear
19/01/2016 HL Bulb ds 4.00 Celtic motor factors +2 Seat Belt Warning
10/02/2016 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 22.00 Tesco +4 Washer Fluid Level
14/02/2016 180,098 Oil, Oil Filter, Bung 38.00
14/02/2016 180,098 Air Filter, Fuel Filter 24.00 Parts Stock
14/02/2016 180,098 Brake Pads Front 15.00 Caliper Guide Kit rr
14/02/2016 180,098 Rotate Tyres 0.00 Caliper Service Kit rr
11/03/2016 Puncture 5.00 Glen Brake bulb
16/08/2016 Bulb - brake PS 1.00 Park Light bulb
23/11/2016 195,860 Shocks Front 115.00 Celtic via Aiden
23/11/2016 195,860 Springs, Strut Bearings, 0.00
23/11/2016 195,860 Strut dust kits, PS Wishbone 201.00 Micks
23/11/2016 195,860 Fit above 120.00 Aiden
24/11/2016 196,059 Tracking 40.00 Collin
24/11/2016 196,060 Brake Pad sensor disabled 0.00
01/12/2016 HL Bulb ps 5.00 Ray
09/01/2017 200,400 Oil, Pollen Filter 32.00 Micks
09/01/2017 200,400 Oil Filter, Bung 10.00 Annesley Williams
29/03/2017 Bulb - Park ps 1.00
05/05/2017 Tyre Rear ps 60.00 Collin
14/05/2017 205,047 Brake Pads Rear, inc clean fluid 21.00 Micks
14/05/2017 205,047 Calliper Guide pin ps rear 12.00 Online
13/06/2017 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 25.00 Celtic
01/07/2017 Bulb - Park ds 1.00
01/07/2017 HL Bulb ds 5.00 Run Fuel Pump
15/09/2017 220,165 Oil Filter, Bung 13.00 Joe Duffy
15/09/2017 220,165 Oil 26.00 Micks
02/11/2017 Tail light bulb PS 2.00
03/11/2017 227,550 Tyre * 2 - Front 120.00 Collin
20/11/2017 230,257 FR brake pads 14.00 Micks
20/11/2017 230,257 Brake pad senor enabled 0.00
24/11/2017 Screenwash 4.00 Tesco
10/01/2018 HL Bulb ds 5.00 Ray
22/01/2018 Tyre RR DS 65.00 Collin
26/01/2018 HL Bulb ps, Brake bulb ds 6.00 Ray
02/02/2018 240,174 Oil, Pollen Filter 38.00 Micks
02/02/2018 240,174 Oil Filter, Bung 10.00 Annesley Williams
22/03/2018 245,580 RR Brake pads 20.00 Micks
21/07/2018 Door Mirror Glass DS 30.00 Ray
17/10/2018 Tyre RR PS 65.00 Collin
23/10/2018 260,056 Oil, Oil Filter 34.00 Micks
23/10/2018 260,056 Rotate Tyres 0.00
24/01/2019 Hazard Light Switch 53.00 Annesley Williams
and in it's post taxi years 1.9c/kilo.... as follows:
27/02/2019 270,114 Fuel Filter, Air Filter, Brake Fluid 37.00 BMF/Micks
27/02/2019 270,114 Tyres RR * 2 130.00 Collin
18/03/2019 272,000 RR Brake Pads, Discs & Calipers 206.00 carparts4less
23/03/2019 272,500 RR PS Brake hose 15.00 Micks
23/03/2019 272,500 RR PS Brake Pipe & clip 31.00 Annesley Williams
23/03/2019 272,500 Brake Fluid Replaced 0.00 inc in 18/3
16/05/2019 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 10.00 Tesco
17/06/2019 280,555 Oil 35.00 Micks
17/06/2019 280,555 Oil Filter & Bung 11.00 Annesley Williams
29/06/2019 Bulb H7 PS 7.00 Applegreen
09/07/2019 Tyre FR PS 65.00 Collin
25/07/2019 Brake Light Bulb RR * 2 2.00 BMF
14/03/2020 300,866 Oil 26.50 Micks
14/03/2020 300,866 Oil Filter & Bung 14.00 Annesley Williams
21/03/2020 301,432 FR Brake Pads & Discs, Pollen Filter 74.00 Micks
23/03/2020 Tyre FR DS 65.00 Collin
19/08/2020 306,520 Timing Belt Kit, Water Pump,
Clutch Master Cylinder 400.00 Aiden (supply & fit)
28/10/2020 311,500 RR Brake pads 2/3 22.00 Micks
29/12/2020 315,221 Altenator 140.00 Euro Car Parts NI
02/04/2021 320,049 Oil 33.00 Micks
02/04/2021 320,049 Oil Filter & Bung 16.00 Annesley Williams
02/04/2021 320,049 Brake Fluid 14.00 Euro Car Parts IR
31/07/2021 No.Plate Bulbs 2.50 SMF Balbriggan
13/08/2021 330,119 Battery 104.00 EBC Cabra
08/01/2022 340,575 Oil, Pollen Filter 46.00 Micks
08/01/2022 340,575 Oil Filter & Bung 16.00 Annesley Williams
23/02/2022 344,226 H7 Bulb DS 5.00 BMF
28/02/2022 Exhaust Mount supply & fit 45.00 Collin
23/06/2022 353,884 RR Brake pads 3/3 19.00 Micks
24/06/2022 354,013 CV Boot FR PS 25.00 Euro Car Parts IR
24/06/2022 354,013 FR Brake Pads (2/3) 20.00 Micks
30/06/2022 FR Indicator Bulbs (2), Reg Plate Bulb 5.00 BMF
08/10/2022 361,240 Oil, Oil Filter, Air Filter, Fuel Filter 68.00 Micks
30/05/2023 376,637 PS Wisbone, WB Bolts, PS Ball Joint,
30/05/2023 376,637 Track Rod Ends (2) 128.00 Micks
30/05/2023 376,637 Bolts 34.00 Annesley Williams
30/05/2023 376,637 DS Ball Joint, DS Mirror Indicator 34.00 ECP Santry
31/05/2023 376,637 FR Tracking 50.00 Collin
06/06/2023 Interior Mats 25.00 ECP Santry
27/07/2023 379,716 Oil & Filter, Pollen Filter 53.00 carparts4less.co.uk
27/07/2023 379,716 Brake Fluid, Oil Pan Bung 22.00 ECP Santry
08/11/2023 384,650 FR DS Wheel Bearing, DS Ball Joint,
FR DS & PS Drop Links 77.00 AutoDoc.ie
27/11/2023 386,000 PS CV Joint 39.00 ECP Santry
? ? Tyre * 4 inc Tracking 300.00 Collin
22/05/2024 393,800 PS RR Brake Hose, RR P21W4 bulbs, ECP Santry
Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 19.00 ECP Santry
22/05/2024 393,800 PS RR Brake Pipe, Fittings &
Flaring Tool 58.00 IGE
22/05/2024 393,800 Bulbs * 2 2.00 Texaco
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Having said that, the MKII - with only c.398,000 kilos on the clock is currently on the operating table with a gearbox issue. So far I've paid €120 for a once new gearbox from Traynors (delivered locally), €238.81 for a Clutch Kit (solid flywheel conversion), Clutch Slave Cylinder and Clutch Alignment Tool from Autodoc, €28 for a new Bottle Jack from Halfords and €8 for a Gearbox Drain Key (17mm Hex) from Swords Motor Factors. Factor in a few sundries - I could do with a new trolley jack and a new tub of grease at least - when I get around to doing the job and I doubt I'll get out for much less than a monkey.
That'd bring it's post taxi maintenance cost up to c.2.2c/kilo... slightly above it taxi maintenance cost.
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@golfer well if my last 3 Citroen C5s got to nearly 800,000 Kms without any issues just service parts etc I still have the first one the other two I sold one for 900 euro the second for 1400. I think the skoda superb will get there too, I'm not a bit worried about that. Those stories you here are cars that are not maintained or is roughly used.
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I guess liking - or at least being prepared to - get(ting) your hands dirty from time to time has a significant bearing on maintenance costs regardless of the brand of car. I suspect being armed with no knowledge of whats going on under the bonnet would leaave one open to an element of piss taking e.g. a couple of grand for a flywheel. Stuart in Euro Clutch, Baldoyle done my MKII Clutch and Flywheel for €600 in used notes way back when there was 150,494 kilos on the clock and it was still in the car and working - but will be replaced on account of the gearbox replacement - some 9 years later with c.398,000 kilos on the clock... so don't tell me main stealers (Stuart uses OEM bits and pieces anyway) do a better job!
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@rat catcher You do all your own maintenance RC fair play, I do the same but stuff like timing belt and water pump the local garage sorts it. The dpf on the mklll is buried in the back of the engine, the Citroens have them at the front so I could disconnect it and wash it out. So I'll have to learn how to clean it while it's connected. Might need an air compressor to push the cleaner through.
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I do most of my own but I haven't done a timing belt or clutch myself in any of my Octys as yet... until now... having got as far as ordering/acquiring the bits and pieces for the MKII. At this stage it doesn't really matter if it works out or not, I'm just speculating in or around a monkey to have a go. The MKIII is automatic so when the DSG clutch goes - if it's not scrapped before that - it'll be back to Stuart in Euro Clutch, I guess. I use Aiden up in Balrothery for timing belts or other stuff I don't fancy working on either through laziness or because they're time critical.
The way the car is driven probably has some bearing too. It seems obvious from my experience that using VAG Diesels with the Dual Mass Flywheel for taxi work is significantly heavier on the clutch/flywheel than when in private use with predominately motorway kilometerage. Also, driving within the speed limit lowers both fuel and maintenance costs!
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Mine is a 6 manual so the clutch should last a long time, I never had a clutch go on the Citroens.
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An accountant for your life.
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I'd be surprised if you get anywhere close to the C5s clutch mileage out of a diesel VAG. It's usually the engine side of the dual mass flywheel that packs in. I think Watty quite accurately described it as sounding like a tractor when it happens. I recall bringing my noisy (MKII) engine in to Eoin in Howard Engineering - there's nothing Eoin doesn't know about internal combustion engines - and him quickly diagnosing the faulty flywheel/clutch by ear.
I have a somewhat different attitude to servicing than I'm guessing you have. I stick religiously to manufacturer specifications as published in the service manual with two exceptions. I generally change the pollen filter every 40-50k rather than the specified 60k as I tend to leave the fan running most of the time and I change the oil, filter and bung every 20k or c.1yr. Resetting the service interval sets it to 30K/2yrs but, in fact, it is a variable interval determined by driving style / conditions and what not. I once let mine run without resetting it (after an oil change) and it asked for an oil change after 25,xxx kilos which - adding 1,000 kilos for the advance warning would have been somewhere between 3,000 and 4.000 short of the maximum 30,000 kilos / 2 years. In any event, neither (the MKII or MKIII) have ever asked for a change before I've done them at 20K.... always using oil with the VAG 504.00 / 507.00 spec.
Now for some useful information! The MKII doesn't consume oil and never has.... but, it has no DPF. The MKIII, on the other hand, does consume oil so do check the level every month or sooner if you're doing high kilometerage, it could use as much as 1 litre over 8-10,000 kilos. The reason is the extreme temperatures necessary for DPF regeneration burns it.
That takes me nicely on to the DPF. I wouldn't bother cleaning it and the good old Italian tune up is less than useless with modern(ish) VAGs as you get nowhere near the temperatures required in the places required without the car knowing what you want it to do! There's two elements of dirt. One is Ash and the other is Soot which, by all accounts, is in fact congealed soot that ain't shifting at any temperature much below 1,000C regardless of what chemicals are thrown at it. The car burns the Ash off itself with quite frequent regeneration cycles - you may notice your cooling fan still running when you park up if you've interrupted a cycle. It's the soot value that determines when the DPF is fucked. That is, seemingly, programmed to expire at 320,000 kilos.
It'd certainly be worth investing in an OBD Eleven or a VAG DPF compatible device to monitor levels if you're considering cleaning it yourself. OBD Eleven allows forced regens (hardly necessary though given the frequency of self-scheduled regens) but has gone quite expensive with an annual sub now applicable to the "VAG Pro" plan - mine came with VAG Pro for life when I bought the dongle a good few years back for about €30. The VAG DPF app is a cheaper option which works with any OBDII reader (e.g. an ELM327) but while that doesn't facilitate forced regens it gives all the data you need to monitor the DPF. There's a fairly useless "lite" version of the app that you can use to ascertain that it's compatible with your OBDII reader following which there's a once off charge of about a tenner for the full version.
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Oh. I should have mentioned AdBlue as well. I didn't because my MKIII predates that system. However, the brother had an Audi with AdBlue! The DPF numbers (regen frequency, soot level, etc) were all the same as my MKIII Octy. In fact, we looked at a few Audis when he bought that one and, based on the assumption that the DPF is programmed to expire at 320,000 kilos, we could calculate the precise kilometreage shown on the oddometers from the soot level. Anywaysanall, he got a DPF fault light within a few months of buying the motor so he got the breakdown service to call out. The mechanic plugged it in and told him it's a DPF fault which he could try clearing with additives combined with an Italian tune up and, failing that, could drive it back to the dealership. So he bought a bottle of stuff and we brought it out onto the M1 and performed a forced regen with the aid of my OBD Eleven device. The fault cleared for a short while and came back with all the DPF numbers within limits including the soot level being precisely as predicted relevant to kilometreage. As it was still under warranty he brought it back to the dealer who discovered something wrong with the EGR valve or an associated component. In fact the brother had found a quite detailed youtube video pointing to precisely that before or while the dealer was sorting it. I'd hazard a guess that most back street garages would sting you for a new / refurbished DPF before getting anywhere near the actual fault. Worth bearing in mind... ifn it's on Youtube it can't be too rare!
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RC you have me worried now about the Skoda superb alot of people say stay away from french cars I've never been let down by the Citroens plus they are easy to work on.I wanted to get a Peugeot 508 estate because it's got the same gear as the C5, the C5 only comes in petrol, hybrid or EV, that doesn't work for me.I'm very familiar with the 508/C5 but the 508 estate comes with dark glass in the back and there is no option to get clear so I kept looking and this superb popped up on cars Ireland, more people talk up Skoda and down talk french cars so I thought I'd take the plunge into the vag world.
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I wouldn't worry too much... you've made your bed now. Looking on the bright side VAGs are a lot less needy than a lot of other brands (in particular Toyota) when it comes to routine servicing. However, you'll probably ignore spec and do as much as you would to a Toyota anyway. That's not something I would necessarily criticise, particularly when you're trying to make it last twice as long as I would expect at the outside judging by your C5 kilometreage.
Essentially, there's three big ticket items - the clutch/flywheel, the timing belt and the DPF... so let's look at each of those in a bit more detail.
Going back to the MKI and MKII, taximen typically expected the clutch/flywheel to last 150k. Mine went more or less exactly at that point and when Stuart took it in he said Sachs out, Sachs in, you'll be good for another 150k. Strangely though (I took it apart last weekend on account of a gearbox issue) he put a Luk clutch in rather than the Sachs he suggested. Whether he took a Luk out or not I don't know but I guess I was lucky a Luk went in 'cos it lasted 250k - in fact is still working but will be replaced with a solid flywheel conversion on account of the gearbox issue. Anyway, I read on one or more fora that VAG use two makes of clutch/flywheel, Sachs and Luk and, of the two, Luk is considered to be superior. Maybe you are lucky enough to have a Luk in yours and/or, perhaps less likely, the durability of both have improved over the years.
Manufacturer spec for timing belt replacement for the MKIII is 210,000 kilos. However, I got a noise from the tensioner (not particularly unusual and definitely a prompt for action) around 192,000 kilos so had it replaced by Aiden in Balrothery for €330. Some say it should be done after 5 or 7 years but the manual doesn't specify a time limit for it at all. Anywaysanall, ifn you hear the tensioner (sounds like a belt flapping rather than a bearing) get it done. Reducing intervals to 160,000 would probably be prudent... that's what the spec is for the MKI and MKII.
DPF replacements aren't particular to VAGs by any means. In fact, it was Ken's Toyota DPF saga that first made me research my own DPF a bit. I've bought cars for less than it ended up costing Ken! Autdoc sell replacements for mine for c.€350 - c.€550 depending on whether you want the single canister (DPF only) or the two canisters (DPF & Cat). At that rate it's hardly worth cleaning unless it needs cleaning to get it out of limp mode (assuming it goes into limp mode) for the week it'll take to come from Poland! Anywaysanall, I don't think my yoke will get to the predicted expiration of 320,000 kilos if the EV grants are still around in 2026. However, there is an option to reset the Ash level in OBD Eleven that I'd obviously try before replacing the part(s) should I get to that kilometreage.
I've done a couple of screenshots from the VAG DPF app and OBD Eleven (below) to give you some idea of what you can expect from them. I've also included a couple of relevant links that you might find interesting. One of those suggests periodic cleaning (as you done on your C5) extends intervals between regens which would save fuel as during an active regen the car injects diesel on the exhaust stroke as well as the compression stroke to get the DPF/Exhaust burning.
Just a minor aside... in my last post on DPF soot/ash levels I mixed up the soot and ash. It's the ash that congeals and eventually kills the DPF not the soot!
VAG DPF app screenshot:
(https://i.postimg.cc/63dBT3sR/Screenshot-2024-09-23-11-22-25-957.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tZCKM94C)
OBD Eleven Screenshot:
(https://i.postimg.cc/L43Hpn3F/Screenshot-2024-09-23-11-26-58-965.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vDDR78K0)
Buying a VAG DPF compatible device (the brother managed to buy one that wasn't compatible)
https://www.hypermiler.co.uk/dpf-diesel-particulate-filter/vag-dpf-vw-which-obd2-ii-elm327-dongle-should-i-use-bluetooth-wifi (https://www.hypermiler.co.uk/dpf-diesel-particulate-filter/vag-dpf-vw-which-obd2-ii-elm327-dongle-should-i-use-bluetooth-wifi)
DPF discussion... Clutch/flywheel gets a mention too!
https://www.yetiownersclub.co.uk/threads/understanding-vag-dpf-app.8227/ (https://www.yetiownersclub.co.uk/threads/understanding-vag-dpf-app.8227/)
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You've got me worrying now!
Looking at the VAG DPF screenshot above it seems my DPF soot level is at 33% despite the last regen being 3 kilos ago. That can't be good. I'm half tempted to do something I've never done before i.e. add some stuff to the diesel. I've never put anything other than bog standard EN590 diesel (as per manufacturer specs) in any my Octy diesel tanks. What a conundrum!
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I used the high grade circle k diesel and high grade Total oil and Bosch filters and drove 70 km at 100kph mixed with lower speeds in the C5 maybe that's why I've never had a dpf problem in them. The dpf in the mk111 superb is at the back of the engine totally impractical, the subframe and front right suspension and driveshaft has to come out according to a YouTube vid I watched. So we will see if what I was doing on the C5 works on the superb.
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The 1.6HDi injun is a piece of piss to work on.
The dpf soot sensor is upstream on the exhaust, open the bonnet and it’s looking right back at ya. 17mm spanner ifn I recall.
The dpf light has illuminated 3 times now, when it does unbolt the soot sensor and fuck a bottle of this stuff into
It ; https://www.micksgarage.com/d/fuel-additives/products/2099844/jlm-diesel-particulate-filter-dpf-cleaner-375ml?loc=ie&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADo8r0MzR-SOLMZYrI3djqA6WAfGO&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2c28ptjZiAMVSZdQBh0NuQNNEAQYASABEgIcTvD_BwE (https://www.micksgarage.com/d/fuel-additives/products/2099844/jlm-diesel-particulate-filter-dpf-cleaner-375ml?loc=ie&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADo8r0MzR-SOLMZYrI3djqA6WAfGO&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2c28ptjZiAMVSZdQBh0NuQNNEAQYASABEgIcTvD_BwE)
Then bring it on a regen and it’s grand.
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Removing the subframe is quite a big job. You're supposed to replace all the bolts and get the chassis realigned every time it's done... which woulda been never before these poxy DPFs entered the equation!
In any event, definitely overkill if just to clean the DPF. Save the few notes on the premium diesel and the cleaning agents and you'll probably have twice the cost of a new DPF when it packs in! However, there probably is some benefit to cleaning it. The following video shows a far more practical option IMO:
https://youtu.be/8uqFZLKKMfs?feature=shared (https://youtu.be/8uqFZLKKMfs?feature=shared)
I might give that a go on my own in due course. In fact my latest reading disproves my previous theory that one could calculate the kilometreage from the Ash level. The reading before that was 50.08g/80.00g at 200,035 kilos which is bang on the formula I had previously observed (320,000 / 80 * 50.08 = 200,320)... as were several Audis I looked at with the brother a few years back so the relatively large deviation at this juncture is definitely cause for concern. 320,000 / 80 * 62.65 = 250,600 yet the actual kilometreage is 242,901. I know it hasn't been clocked so the increased ash accumulation must have a cause... unless it's just programmed to speed up as it gets near the end of it's life. It'd certainly be interesting to see what (if any) effect cleaning has on the numbers.
There is an aerosol version of the one Panel recommends, as follows:
https://www.micksgarage.com/d/fuel-additives/products/2489506/jlm-diesel-dpf-spray?loc=ie (https://www.micksgarage.com/d/fuel-additives/products/2489506/jlm-diesel-dpf-spray?loc=ie)
... but I might try this one first... next time I'm ordering bits and pieces from Autodoc:
https://www.auto-doc.ie/ma-profesional/15078158 (https://www.auto-doc.ie/ma-profesional/15078158)
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O'Riley s autos on YouTube has a lot of vids on dpf problems and he explains clearly how to get around problems. An Irish fella working in England. There was one problem that a lot of mechanics couldn't solve with one car and he found that it was the outside temperature sensor was faulty and it's connected to the regen of the dpf. He goes into detail on what to do.
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There's another guy who tests the effectiveness of various cleaning products on a cut up DPF. Interestingly, he explains (in layman's terms) why one can of stuff can't possibly remove both soot and ash. In simple terms one requires an alkaline product and the other an acid. As a substance can't be both alkaline and acidic you new a two step process to effectively clean both! As far as I can make out all of the stuff readily available from motor factors cleans soot rather than ash.
I've also some done research on my increased ash accumulation figure. As far as I can ascertain it's definitely a calculated figure and it's seemingly programmed to expire the DPF within 320,000 kilos. However, it'll only reach that maximum if the regeneration process remains fully effective as it's based on the number of regeneration cycles carried out rather than directly on kilometreage. Hence extending regeneration intervals through cleaning soot ought to extend or at least maximise the overall life of the DPF. I'm a little annoyed with myself for forgetting to read the ash level at the c.220k oil change. If I had I might have noticed the deviation sooner given that it was as expected at c.180k... although I didn't actually notice it at the 240k reading as such, in fact only noticing it when this thread went this way! Anywaysanall, ifn there's a lesson to be learned it would seem to be measure and analyse your ash level at every oil change if not sooner!
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If you clean the dpf and then reset it as a new dpf install that might change the numbers, I think I saw one of o Riley's vids were he did that and said car manufacturer are setting fault codes to start going on at around 125,000 miles that's over 200,000kms saying dpf full needs replacing, he just cleans them and resets it as a new dpf the computer knows no better and he has had no come backs saying it's broken again. After all the dpf is mainly metal I've seen the inside of them. So I'm thinking if you keep it will serviced and drive over 80kph a few times a day and clean out the dpf every 190,000 Kms I'm thinking it should be fine, because if I had no dpf trouble with the 2 Citroen C5s and my wife C4 grand picasso I'm thinking the Skoda will match them.
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my sister gets a dpf full warning on her car every 6 months approx.
i pour loadsa dipetane in and i do about 4 laps of the M1 from the airport exit up to the julianstown exit holding the revs at 2000RPM. cleans the thing out and the warning message goes off.
keeps it good again for another 6 months. it's what i shudda been doing with my old avensis but i hadn't a fuckin clue what a dpf was back then and hadta put up with sporadic dpf limp mode scenarios out of the blue.
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Plenty of lads on here suffering from the limp mode Doc....I'd say!!
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The problem with modernish VAGs is you get no warning lights. In my case it seems that it just keeps running the regen cycles and (programmatically) filling the DPF with Ash regardless of the fact that the regens don't seem to be proving effective - given that soot was at 33% 3 kilos after the last one. If you don't go looking for the numbers you'd never know... at least not until the fucker expires and it's probably too late to do anything about it.
There is a danger of setting the car on fire if you opt to reset the values to zero when it's full of soot.... so you'd want to be sure the soot level is below the maximum permitted to run a regen (might be 75% or 90%, not sure) or the extra fuel injections on the exhaust strokes could well turn your car to ash!
As far as I know the first generation VAG DPFs didn't employ automatic regeneration or exhaust stroke diesel injection during manual regens so there was no fire risk. However, you did get a light on them when they wanted clearing with the owners manual specifying an Italian tune up.
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To embark on yet another tangent I discovered another VAG oddity this morning. As I intend replacing the clutch and gearbox in the MKII Octavia tomorrow I had the manual out to jot down the various torque settings and such like when I came across the gearbox oil filling procedure. I'm guessing any DIY mechanic would assume you use the filler/level plug to fill the oil and set the level as we have done on most motor cars for many many years. In fact, I watched two Youtube videos which used that method, both produced by professional mechanics. However, that seemingly logical assumption couldn't be wronger.
The correct procedure is to fully drain the oil by removing both the drain plug and a bearing shaft and to fill with the specified quantity through the reverse light switch bore. The bottom of the "filler/level" plug is in fact below the oil level required. While you are not supposed to replace the oil unless the box has been (partially) dissembled I know most DIYers can't help themselves and do it periodically regardless. I did ask Stuart to change the oil in the MKII box when he done the clutch and he, somewhat reluctantly, agreed while stressing that it isn't necessary. Now I'm wondering if he followed the correct procedure or just filled to the level of the plug like the men in the videos I watched. Maybe that's why the box has failed but I guess it lasted a further 250,000 kilos so I can't really complain.
I appreciate how illogical this might seem so I've taken a few screenshots from the manual, as follows:
(https://i.postimg.cc/qqGb7PKV/Screenshot-2024-09-27-at-12-43-27.png) (https://postimg.cc/dZLmHSn4)
(https://i.postimg.cc/QNgnSTy4/Screenshot-2024-09-27-at-12-43-55.png) (https://postimg.cc/V56Rkd1n)
(https://i.postimg.cc/6pqj915g/Screenshot-2024-09-27-at-12-44-16.png) (https://postimg.cc/WdR688Zw)
(https://i.postimg.cc/XYtTt0cQ/Screenshot-2024-09-27-at-13-20-48.png) (https://postimages.org/)
I'm guessing similar applies to other models not mentioned in the above manual so I'd strongly suggest any DIYers download and consult the relevant workshop manual and consult it as appropriate. I think I paid c€20 for each of the manuals I've downloaded - one for the MKII and one for the MKII. As far as I recall, I relied on a Haynes manual for the MKI.
Of course, anyone who wants an Octavia MKII and/or MKIII manual is welcome to a copy of mine.
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Just another aside. I bought a wonderful new trolley jack from Irish Garage Equipment for a mere €49, as below. Much sturdier than it appears in the pictures which seem to be the 2.0 ton version and my 30 year old Argos one! I also treated myself to a new torque wrench which cost €25 but brought my order above the required €50 for free delivery. Ordered Monday, received Wednesday... can't wait to play with it now!
https://ige.ie/2-5-ton-low-profile-floor-trolley-jack-2017
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Just another aside. I bought a wonderful new trolley jack from Irish Garage Equipment for a mere €49, as below. Much sturdier than it appears in the pictures which seem to be the 2.0 ton version and my 30 year old Argos one! I also treated myself to a new torque wrench which cost €25 but brought my order above the required €50 for free delivery. Ordered Monday, received Wednesday... can't wait to play with it now!
https://ige.ie/2-5-ton-low-profile-floor-trolley-jack-2017
Mmm, yes I bought a trolley jack myself, and have used it once for a puncture, so much handier than the littles scissors ones that come with the cars.
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Mine hasn't been too bad.
Maintenance on the MKIII is coming in at 1.3c/kilo... as follows:
10/01/2019 108,947 Delivery Kilometres 0.00
23/01/2019 Floor Mats 20.00 Halfords/Tesco
01/02/2019 Screenwash 3.00 Tesco
11/03/2019 Oil (for topup) & camera (probe) 45.00 Micks
28/03/2019 119,197 Brake Fluid replaced 12.00 Euro Car Parts
28/03/2019 119,197 FR PS Door Handle oiled (3 in 1) 3.00 Euro Car Parts
29/07/2019 129,302 Oil 28.00 Micks
29/07/2019 129,302 Oil Filter & Bung 11.00 Annesley Williams
29/07/2019 129,302 Fuel Filter 39.00 Annesley Williams
29/07/2019 129,302 Pollen Filter (Charcoal) 10.00 Euro Car Parts
29/07/2019 129,302 RR Brake Pads (2/3) 14.00 Euro Car Parts
02/08/2019 Screenwash 4.00 Tesco
29/10/2019 Puncture RR DS 10.00 Collin
29/10/2019 Key Batteries 5.00 Tesco
14/02/2020 150,010 Oil 27.00 Micks
14/02/2020 150,010 Oil Filter & Bung 14.00 Annesley Williams
14/02/2020 150,010 FR Brake Pads (3/3) 28.00 carparts4less.co.uk
15/02/2020 Screenwash 5.00 Applegreen
17/02/2020 150,625 FR Tyre * 2 – 205/55/R16 130.00 Collin
28/03/2020 FR DS H7 Bulb 7.00 Applegreen
19/05/2020 RR Tyre * 2 – 205/55/R16 130.00 Collin
02/04/2021 159,956 Oil, Pollen Filter 42.00 Micks
02/04/2021 159,956 Oil Filter & Bung, Shelf Clip 16.00 Annesley Williams
02/04/2021 159,956 Brake Fluid 14.00 Euro Car Parts IR
31/07/2021 No.Plate Bulbs 3.00 SMF Balbriggan
25/11/2021 Key Battery 0.00 Stock
01/12/2021 170,754 RR Brake Pads (3 / 3) 26.00 Micks
01/01/2022 Screenwash 5.00 Applegreen
09/02/2022 180,012 Oil - DPF = 44.50/80.00g 39.00 Micks
09/02/2022 180,012 Oil Filter & Bung 16.00 Annesley Williams
14/03/2022 Oil (for topup) 35.00 Micks
08/04/2022 Puncture FR PS 20.00 New Tyre Place
15/06/2022 190,115 FR Brake Pads & Discs 82.00 Micks
14/07/2022 192,105 Water Pump, Timing Belt Kit 330.00 Aidan (supply & fit)
01/01/2023 Screenwash 5.00 Applegreen
14/01/2023 200,035 Oil, Air Filter, Pollen Filter 61.00 Micks
14/01/2023 200,035 Oil Filter & Bung (DPF = 50.08/80.00g) 22.00 Annesley Williams
17/02/2023 202,506 FR Tyre * 2 – 205/55/R16 150.00 Collin
16/05/2023 Oil Filler Cap (Febi Bilstein 170554) 11.00 BMF
15/05/2023 Coolant (for topup) 15.00 Micks
27/07/2023 210,603 RR Brake Pads & Discs 44.00 carparts4less.co.uk
27/07/2023 210,603 Brake Fluid 21.00 ECP Santry
27/07/2023 H7 Bulb DS 5.00 BMF
27/01/2024 220,590 Oil, Oil Filter, Fuel Filter 57.00 Autodoc.ie
11/02/2024 FR DS Tyre & RR DS Puncture 75+15 90.00 Tyreland, Swords
01/04/2024 H7 Bulb PS 5.00 BMF
08/05/2024 230,268 FR Brake Pads (2/3) 22.00 Autodoc.ie
26/08/2024 240,125 Oil, Oil Filter & Bung (DPF = 61.84/80.00g) 58.00 Halfords / BMF / AD
03/09/2024 Air Cooler Pump Lead 10.00 Ebay UK
The MKII in it's taxi years worked out at 2.1c/kilo.... as follows:
23/02/2014 HL Bulb ps 8.00 fr calliper = FSIII
22/07/2014 Bulb 2.00 fr pad lug above top = 1zf/1zm H=55
28/07/2014 Bulb 1.00 fr disc 1zf/1zm = 280mm
05/08/2014 Tyre 65.00 rr calliper = CI38
05/08/2014 Screen Wash 4.00 rr pad with wire spring = 1kd
19/10/2014 139,132 Oil, Oil Filter, Bung 60.00 rr pad = Mintex MDB137 (Micks)
09/11/2014 143,200 Brake Pads Rear 26.00 inc tool 16 rr disc = 253mm
18/11/2014 144,570 Brake Pads & Discs Front 60.00 ABS BLEED – Basic Setting → Group 10 → Go
19/11/2014 HL Bulb ds 5.00
22/11/2014 HL Bulb ps 5.00 FUEL FILTER
27/11/2014 Battery, 2yr gt 90.00 Celtic motor factors 136h 78d 12innerdiam
17/12/2014 148,547 Timing belt kit,water pump 395.00 Annesley Williams Mann PU 825 x
03/02/2015 Puncture 10.00 3C0 127 434 - 3C0 127 177
07/02/2015 150,494 Clutch, Flywheel, 6mnth gt 600.00 Euroclutch, Baldoyle
16/02/2015 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 20.00 Tesco Front Shocks
10/07/2015 159,692 Oil, Oil Filter, Bung 62.00 Bottom diametre = 50mm
10/07/2015 159,692 Brake Pads & Discs Rear 69.00
10/07/2015 159,692 Pollen Filter 15.00 Warning Light Coding
20/08/2015 HL Bulb ds 5.00 Block 17 -> Coding -> Digit 4
04/11/2015 Door Mirror Glass ps 15.00 Celtic 0 = No Systems Active
17/12/2015 Tyre * 2 Rear – NCT 120.00 Glen +1 Brake Pad Wear
19/01/2016 HL Bulb ds 4.00 Celtic motor factors +2 Seat Belt Warning
10/02/2016 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 22.00 Tesco +4 Washer Fluid Level
14/02/2016 180,098 Oil, Oil Filter, Bung 38.00
14/02/2016 180,098 Air Filter, Fuel Filter 24.00 Parts Stock
14/02/2016 180,098 Brake Pads Front 15.00 Caliper Guide Kit rr
14/02/2016 180,098 Rotate Tyres 0.00 Caliper Service Kit rr
11/03/2016 Puncture 5.00 Glen Brake bulb
16/08/2016 Bulb - brake PS 1.00 Park Light bulb
23/11/2016 195,860 Shocks Front 115.00 Celtic via Aiden
23/11/2016 195,860 Springs, Strut Bearings, 0.00
23/11/2016 195,860 Strut dust kits, PS Wishbone 201.00 Micks
23/11/2016 195,860 Fit above 120.00 Aiden
24/11/2016 196,059 Tracking 40.00 Collin
24/11/2016 196,060 Brake Pad sensor disabled 0.00
01/12/2016 HL Bulb ps 5.00 Ray
09/01/2017 200,400 Oil, Pollen Filter 32.00 Micks
09/01/2017 200,400 Oil Filter, Bung 10.00 Annesley Williams
29/03/2017 Bulb - Park ps 1.00
05/05/2017 Tyre Rear ps 60.00 Collin
14/05/2017 205,047 Brake Pads Rear, inc clean fluid 21.00 Micks
14/05/2017 205,047 Calliper Guide pin ps rear 12.00 Online
13/06/2017 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 25.00 Celtic
01/07/2017 Bulb - Park ds 1.00
01/07/2017 HL Bulb ds 5.00 Run Fuel Pump
15/09/2017 220,165 Oil Filter, Bung 13.00 Joe Duffy
15/09/2017 220,165 Oil 26.00 Micks
02/11/2017 Tail light bulb PS 2.00
03/11/2017 227,550 Tyre * 2 - Front 120.00 Collin
20/11/2017 230,257 FR brake pads 14.00 Micks
20/11/2017 230,257 Brake pad senor enabled 0.00
24/11/2017 Screenwash 4.00 Tesco
10/01/2018 HL Bulb ds 5.00 Ray
22/01/2018 Tyre RR DS 65.00 Collin
26/01/2018 HL Bulb ps, Brake bulb ds 6.00 Ray
02/02/2018 240,174 Oil, Pollen Filter 38.00 Micks
02/02/2018 240,174 Oil Filter, Bung 10.00 Annesley Williams
22/03/2018 245,580 RR Brake pads 20.00 Micks
21/07/2018 Door Mirror Glass DS 30.00 Ray
17/10/2018 Tyre RR PS 65.00 Collin
23/10/2018 260,056 Oil, Oil Filter 34.00 Micks
23/10/2018 260,056 Rotate Tyres 0.00
24/01/2019 Hazard Light Switch 53.00 Annesley Williams
and in it's post taxi years 1.9c/kilo.... as follows:
27/02/2019 270,114 Fuel Filter, Air Filter, Brake Fluid 37.00 BMF/Micks
27/02/2019 270,114 Tyres RR * 2 130.00 Collin
18/03/2019 272,000 RR Brake Pads, Discs & Calipers 206.00 carparts4less
23/03/2019 272,500 RR PS Brake hose 15.00 Micks
23/03/2019 272,500 RR PS Brake Pipe & clip 31.00 Annesley Williams
23/03/2019 272,500 Brake Fluid Replaced 0.00 inc in 18/3
16/05/2019 Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 10.00 Tesco
17/06/2019 280,555 Oil 35.00 Micks
17/06/2019 280,555 Oil Filter & Bung 11.00 Annesley Williams
29/06/2019 Bulb H7 PS 7.00 Applegreen
09/07/2019 Tyre FR PS 65.00 Collin
25/07/2019 Brake Light Bulb RR * 2 2.00 BMF
14/03/2020 300,866 Oil 26.50 Micks
14/03/2020 300,866 Oil Filter & Bung 14.00 Annesley Williams
21/03/2020 301,432 FR Brake Pads & Discs, Pollen Filter 74.00 Micks
23/03/2020 Tyre FR DS 65.00 Collin
19/08/2020 306,520 Timing Belt Kit, Water Pump,
Clutch Master Cylinder 400.00 Aiden (supply & fit)
28/10/2020 311,500 RR Brake pads 2/3 22.00 Micks
29/12/2020 315,221 Altenator 140.00 Euro Car Parts NI
02/04/2021 320,049 Oil 33.00 Micks
02/04/2021 320,049 Oil Filter & Bung 16.00 Annesley Williams
02/04/2021 320,049 Brake Fluid 14.00 Euro Car Parts IR
31/07/2021 No.Plate Bulbs 2.50 SMF Balbriggan
13/08/2021 330,119 Battery 104.00 EBC Cabra
08/01/2022 340,575 Oil, Pollen Filter 46.00 Micks
08/01/2022 340,575 Oil Filter & Bung 16.00 Annesley Williams
23/02/2022 344,226 H7 Bulb DS 5.00 BMF
28/02/2022 Exhaust Mount supply & fit 45.00 Collin
23/06/2022 353,884 RR Brake pads 3/3 19.00 Micks
24/06/2022 354,013 CV Boot FR PS 25.00 Euro Car Parts IR
24/06/2022 354,013 FR Brake Pads (2/3) 20.00 Micks
30/06/2022 FR Indicator Bulbs (2), Reg Plate Bulb 5.00 BMF
08/10/2022 361,240 Oil, Oil Filter, Air Filter, Fuel Filter 68.00 Micks
30/05/2023 376,637 PS Wisbone, WB Bolts, PS Ball Joint,
30/05/2023 376,637 Track Rod Ends (2) 128.00 Micks
30/05/2023 376,637 Bolts 34.00 Annesley Williams
30/05/2023 376,637 DS Ball Joint, DS Mirror Indicator 34.00 ECP Santry
31/05/2023 376,637 FR Tracking 50.00 Collin
06/06/2023 Interior Mats 25.00 ECP Santry
27/07/2023 379,716 Oil & Filter, Pollen Filter 53.00 carparts4less.co.uk
27/07/2023 379,716 Brake Fluid, Oil Pan Bung 22.00 ECP Santry
08/11/2023 384,650 FR DS Wheel Bearing, DS Ball Joint,
FR DS & PS Drop Links 77.00 AutoDoc.ie
27/11/2023 386,000 PS CV Joint 39.00 ECP Santry
? ? Tyre * 4 inc Tracking 300.00 Collin
22/05/2024 393,800 PS RR Brake Hose, RR P21W4 bulbs, ECP Santry
Wiper Blades 24” & 19” 19.00 ECP Santry
22/05/2024 393,800 PS RR Brake Pipe, Fittings &
Flaring Tool 58.00 IGE
22/05/2024 393,800 Bulbs * 2 2.00 Texaco
Am I the only one that didn't read that? 8)
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I read every word, it will be a good comparison to mine when It gets to the total Kms on each maintenance job.
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I read every word, it will be a good comparison to mine when It gets to the total Kms on each maintenance job.
We were picked up in a white 171 Skoda superb estate 171 two weeks ago.
It is sturdy enough but rattly in the back.
Great if you have a dog.
He had a Ssangyong Odious before, so he knows his cars.
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Mmm, yes I bought a trolley jack myself, and have used it once for a puncture, so much handier than the littles scissors ones that come with the cars.
I have an array of jacks now! The new 2.5 ton trolley is probably too heavy to carry in the car. The old trolley is lighter but old.
The one I bought to hold the engine in place while the gearbox was out of the MKII Octy - twice, in fact, for an hour or two each time as I put the old box back in so it didn't have to stay balanced on axle stands and a jack while waiting for parts from Poland and me to have a free day to fit them - is a 4 ton Bottle jack from Halfords (c.€27). That's probably ideal to keep in the car as it's relatively light, in fact feels rather flimsy for it's 4 ton rating but done the job I wanted it to do and would certainly be up to jacking a car to change a wheel. A timber block with a grove cut to put between it and the jacking point of the sill would probably be a useful addition if your in car jack is designed to engage with the sill as VAGs are. I know there are other flat type jacking points that wouldn't require or benefit from such a block.
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Plenty of lads on here suffering from the limp mode Doc....I'd say!!
You mention limp mode, RC starts waffling about VAG's. Sheesh!
Vagazzle kits:
https://www.glowsticks.ie/Vajazzle-Set-Body-Jewellery.html (https://www.glowsticks.ie/Vajazzle-Set-Body-Jewellery.html)
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Am I the only one that didn't read that? 8)
Still, you couldn't resist copying andd pasting it... musta been a slow news day!
The headline figures are probably most useful from a cost-accounting perspective. It's interesting that the MKIII maintenance costs are running at 1.3c/kilo over a taxi life of c.130,000 whereas the MKII worked out at 2.1c over a similar kilometreage during it's taxi life. One would expect an automatic (as is the MKIII) with a DPF to cost more to run than a manual car without a DPF (as is the MKII). However, neither the DPF nor the clutch in the MKIII have been changed yet. I guess it makes sense that a dual clutch (as in VAG DSGs) ought to last twice as long as a single clutch as in the manual. As one clutch in the DSG works on odd gears and the other on even gears it stands to reason that they're each doing half the work. I suspect they'll cost twice what the MKII clutch cost when they do pack in which, along with a DPF, would bring the cost per kilo at least up to the MKII cost/kilo.
The other interesting point is the slightly lower cost per kilo in the MKIIs post-taxi life over very similar kilometreage. One would expect maintenance costs to increase as a car gets older but that hasn't happened although some things might have been done in a cheaper way e.g. not using a main dealer for the timing bellt, shopping around for the cheapest parts, etc.
Not really things I had bothered analysing until treating my otherwise unpublished maintenance record like you generally treat the widely published internet i.e. copying and pasting it to our forum. Despite being the kind of data cost accountants would spend hours analysing in a real business they're actually unavoidable costs with little scope for control in our one man band environs,
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Am I the only one that didn't read that? 8)
Still, you couldn't resist copying andd pasting it... musta been a slow news day!
The headline figures are probably most useful from a cost-accounting perspective. It's interesting that the MKIII maintenance costs are running at 1.3c/kilo over a taxi life of c.130,000 whereas the MKII worked out at 2.1c over a similar kilometreage during it's taxi life. One would expect an automatic (as is the MKIII) with a DPF to cost more to run than a manual car without a DPF (as is the MKII). However, neither the DPF nor the clutch in the MKIII have been changed yet. I guess it makes sense that a dual clutch (as in VAG DSGs) ought to last twice as long as a single clutch as in the manual. As one clutch in the DSG works on odd gears and the other on even gears it stands to reason that they're each doing half the work. I suspect they'll cost twice what the MKII clutch cost when they do pack in which, along with a DPF, would bring the cost per kilo at least up to the MKII cost/kilo.
The other interesting point is the slightly lower cost per kilo in the MKIIs post-taxi life over very similar kilometreage. One would expect maintenance costs to increase as a car gets older but that hasn't happened although some things might have been done in a cheaper way e.g. not using a main dealer for the timing bellt, shopping around for the cheapest parts, etc.
Not really things I had bothered analysing until treating my otherwise unpublished maintenance record like you generally treat the widely published internet i.e. copying and pasting it to our forum. Despite being the kind of data cost accountants would spend hours analysing in a real business they're actually unavoidable costs with little scope for control in our one man band environs,
Still, you couldn't resist copying andd pasting it... musta been a slow news day!
I didn't.
I scrolled to the end to post a comment. Any time.
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I read every word, it will be a good comparison to mine when It gets to the total Kms on each maintenance job.
Probably worth drawing your attention to the brake caliper replacement in the MKII just after the end of it's taxi life. That was a direct result of never changing the brake fluid throughout it's taxi life. Since that, I have followed manufacturer specs and replaced the fluid every two years... probably something you do anyway but there are consequences when it's neglected! In fact the consequences had consequences with the MKII... some 5 years later an eagle eyed NCTS inspector noticed some tape on the steel brake line where the coating had got slightly damaged during the caliper repair and deemed it an "inadequate repair" - without mention of the adequacy or otherwise of the 5 inspectors who didn't agree with him since it was repaired! Anywaysanall, when I removed the tape the line underneath it was still in perfect condition so the tape had done it's job in preventing rust. Still, I replaced the steel line with a copper/nickel one at a cost of €58 (inc. tools) to keep them happy.
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I didn't.
I scrolled to the end to post a comment. Any time.
You must have pressed quote to reproduce the content in a similar way as you frequently reproduce other published material from the internet... although one would assume you do that to let us know you were interested in it whereas in this case you felt a need to let us know you weren't interested. Reminds me of a bloke in a bookies asking an acquaintance of mine to write a bet for him as he couldn't read or write. My acquaintance obliged while commenting that he couldn't play the piano but felt no need to broadcast that fact.
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I didn't.
I scrolled to the end to post a comment. Any time.
You must have pressed quote to reproduce the content in a similar way as you frequently reproduce other published material from the internet... although one would assume you do that to let us know you were interested in it whereas in this case you felt a need to let us know you weren't interested. Reminds me of a bloke in a bookies asking an acquaintance of mine to write a bet for him as he couldn't read or write. My acquaintance obliged while commenting that he couldn't play the piano but felt no need to broadcast that fact.
It's just weird you recall such insignificant minutiae over decades, without being able to remember the badge number around your neck, or on the dash of the car you drove 24/7/365 (as Tommy Gormless was wont to say). you were presented with on joining the fleet.
Please tell us you don't have a cash book for Mrs. Catcher.
Anyway, it was quite endearing seeing you recall all the stuff you spent on your Skoda. Is Rain man your favourite movie?
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It wasn't typed from memory. It was copied from my maintenance records. Copying and pasting is hardly a procedure with which you are unfamiliar!
Thanks to a break in the weather I got the MKII gearbox/clutch finished this afternoon. Filling the oil in accordance with the manual as previously posted turned out to be something of an ordeal. The little L shaped locking lever was missing from the once new box I acquired, apparently with the piece that sticks out snapped off... not sure if that happened before or after I took possession. Anyway I removed the relevant bearing pin with it in first gear having first checked that it came out and went back in without issue on the old box. Then filling through the reverse switch bore was taking an age with the funnel and tube I had to hand so I ended up using my pressure bleeding bottle. Even at 13psi it wasn't a quick process, taking a good 15 mins to complete.
I'll have to consult the manual to see if the broken lever can be easily transplanted from the old box and add that to the next service's TODO list. Assuming it lasts till then (c.1,500 kilos away) I might change the gearbox oil again to be sure to be sure and I'll also change a CV boot that most likely got torn during the gearbox operation. It could also do with a set of glow plugs.
Glow plugs... Now there's another VAG oddity. One has been faulty since I bought the car in 2014 and another has joined it since. I never replaced the first one because the manual states that you must remove the cylinder head (I kid you not!) if the plug doesn't loosen with a force not exceeding 20nm. Given that the car was ill anyway I decided to throw caution to the wind and removed all 4 plugs using whatever force was necessary to shift them prior to undertaking the gearbox project. All 4 came out intact so I just tightened them to 17nm pending replacement.
Only other thing of note is the solid flywheel conversion. It's supposed to be noisier than the dual mass original. There's no difference to my ear. The pedal has got lighter but that always happens with a new clutch so I fully expect it to get heavy again. I did read something about that in the manual when it was last done. As far as I recall it said something along the lines of advise customer that it's normal for the clutch to get considerably heavier within a relatively short timeframe.
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It wasn't typed from memory. It was copied from my maintenance records. Copying and pasting is hardly a procedure with which you are unfamiliar!
Thanks to a break in the weather I got the MKII gearbox/clutch finished this afternoon. Filling the oil in accordance with the manual as previously posted turned out to be something of an ordeal. The little L shaped locking lever was missing from the once new box I acquired, apparently with the piece that sticks out snapped off... not sure if that happened before or after I took possession. Anyway I removed the relevant bearing pin with it in first gear having first checked that it came out and went back in without issue on the old box. Then filling through the reverse switch bore was taking an age with the funnel and tube I had to hand so I ended up using my pressure bleeding bottle. Even at 13psi it wasn't a quick process, taking a good 15 mins to complete.
I'll have to consult the manual to see if the broken lever can be easily transplanted from the old box and add that to the next service's TODO list. Assuming it lasts till then (c.1,500 kilos away) I might change the gearbox oil again to be sure to be sure and I'll also change a CV boot that most likely got torn during the gearbox operation. It could also do with a set of glow plugs.
Glow plugs... Now there's another VAG oddity. One has been faulty since I bought the car in 2014 and another has joined it since. I never replaced the first one because the manual states that you must remove the cylinder head (I kid you not!) if the plug doesn't loosen with a force not exceeding 20nm. Given that the car was ill anyway I decided to throw caution to the wind and removed all 4 plugs using whatever force was necessary to shift them prior to undertaking the gearbox project. All 4 came out intact so I just tightened them to 17nm pending replacement.
Only other thing of note is the solid flywheel conversion. It's supposed to be noisier than the dual mass original. There's no difference to my ear. The pedal has got lighter but that always happens with a new clutch so I fully expect it to get heavy again. I did read something about that in the manual when it was last done. As far as I recall it said something along the lines of advise customer that it's normal for the clutch to get considerably heavier within a relatively short timeframe.
Like having a dog but barking yourself.
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Indeed but you were on vacation. Next time I want something copying and pasting I'll let you know.
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Back to matters DPF.
I've had a look at a couple of the O'reilly videos as mentioned by C5. Jimmy seems to concentrate on the air pressure differential and getting that below 10, ideally below 5 at idle. With that in mind I done a forced regen (using the while driving option) and I've taken a few more screenshots:
The first is c.3 kilos after the forced regen completed. The measured and calculated soot figures are considerably lower than they were 3 kilos after the last automatic regen which I guess is encouraging. However the air pressure figure is up at 12.6 at idle.
(https://i.postimg.cc/5tpgrqmN/OBD-Eleven-20240928.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Ny9R9XVW)
The next shot is taken c.15 kilos after the forced regen. The interesting / concerning thing here is the difference between the calculated and measured soot levels with the measured one increasing at a far higher rate than the calculated one... and that was predominately in traffic free conditions. The pressure figure has come down to 8.2 which, I guess, isn't too bad.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rppZMPst/OBD-Eleven-20240930.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sMt4JKpV)
The third is from VAG DPF... I just wanted to ascertain how it calculates the soot % as I don't see that anywhere in OBD Eleven. It seems that it's based on the calculated figure rather than the measured figure which suggests automatic regens are also based on the calculated figure.
(https://i.postimg.cc/zfXD58TS/VAG-DPF-20241001.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RWyxLrsN)
Anywaysanall... having digested the above I'm far less concerned about the ash level as that seems to be entirely calculated. It's deviation from the 320,000 expiry rate is probably relevant, suggesting my car is doing too many automatic regens. However, I'd have no qualms about resetting that figure to zero as the fire risk is associated with the soot figure. Conveniently there does appear to be an option to reset the ash figure independent of the soot figure so I'll probably do that soon enough... certainly before it gets to the 80.00g full level.
I think the next logical step in trying to reduce the number of regens and narrow the gap between calculated and measured soot levels will be pretty much as prescribed by the good doctor i.e. a bottle of diptane combined with another forced regen but I'll let the soot levels build up a bit first, probably!
After that I'd be inclined to think about pumping the aerosol version of the stuff panel uses into the air sensor tube. I don't think my pressure bleeding bottle would provide enough pressure to use the liquid stuff Jimmy uses in his videos. I do have access to a compressor i.e. there's one in my sisters garage so I guess I could look into getting a bottle to work with that. Unfortunately the cheaper aerosol from AutoDoc isn't an option... they don't ship them to rip off Ireland!
I'll post updates if and when I do any more, regardless... if only for my own record... I haven't got round to setting up a spreadsheet for it yet!
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Back to matters DPF.
I've had a look at a couple of the O'reilly videos as mentioned by C5. Jimmy seems to concentrate on the air pressure differential and getting that below 10, ideally below 5 at idle. With that in mind I done a forced regen (using the while driving option) and I've taken a few more screenshots:
The first is c.3 kilos after the forced regen completed. The measured and calculated soot figures are considerably lower than they were 3 kilos after the last automatic regen which I guess is encouraging. However the air pressure figure is up at 12.6 at idle.
(https://i.postimg.cc/5tpgrqmN/OBD-Eleven-20240928.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Ny9R9XVW)
The next shot is taken c.15 kilos after the forced regen. The interesting / concerning thing here is the difference between the calculated and measured soot levels with the measured one increasing at a far higher rate than the calculated one... and that was predominately in traffic free conditions. The pressure figure has come down to 8.2 which, I guess, isn't too bad.
(https://i.postimg.cc/rppZMPst/OBD-Eleven-20240930.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sMt4JKpV)
The third is from VAG DPF... I just wanted to ascertain how it calculates the soot % as I don't see that anywhere in OBD Eleven. It seems that it's based on the calculated figure rather than the measured figure which suggests automatic regens are also based on the calculated figure.
(https://i.postimg.cc/zfXD58TS/VAG-DPF-20241001.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RWyxLrsN)
Anywaysanall... having digested the above I'm far less concerned about the ash level as that seems to be entirely calculated. It's deviation from the 320,000 expiry rate is probably relevant, suggesting my car is doing too many automatic regens. However, I'd have no qualms about resetting that figure to zero as the fire risk is associated with the soot figure. Conveniently there does appear to be an option to reset the ash figure independent of the soot figure so I'll probably do that soon enough... certainly before it gets to the 80.00g full level.
I think the next logical step in trying to reduce the number of regens and narrow the gap between calculated and measured soot levels will be pretty much as prescribed by the good doctor i.e. a bottle of diptane combined with another forced regen but I'll let the soot levels build up a bit first, probably!
After that I'd be inclined to think about pumping the aerosol version of the stuff panel uses into the air sensor tube. I don't think my pressure bleeding bottle would provide enough pressure to use the liquid stuff Jimmy uses in his videos. I do have access to a compressor i.e. there's one in my sisters garage so I guess I could look into getting a bottle to work with that. Unfortunately the cheaper aerosol from AutoDoc isn't an option... they don't ship them to rip off Ireland!
I'll post updates if and when I do any more, regardless... if only for my own record... I haven't got round to setting up a spreadsheet for it yet!
What does a thread concerning BEVs have to do with Czech oil burners?
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Just the way the conversation progressed.
I guess one could also ask why a BEV report wasn't filed in the Hybrid/Electric Vehicle section.
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Just the way the conversation progressed.
I guess one could also ask why a BEV report wasn't filed in the Hybrid/Electric Vehicle section.
If you like I can start a thread in the members' section entitled "If you can't access Mogadon, here are some tales about DPF filters" 8)
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Just "report to moderator" and let the admin sort it out :P
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Really... You really want to deviate from copying and pasting the internet to composing your own material? Knock yourself out!
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Really... You really want to deviate from copying and pasting the internet to composing your own material? Knock yourself out!
Do you really want to try do a mechanic's job when you could be out earning money?
Here, fix this:
Back in the 90s, I think it was...we had these, could be the thread title:
(https://i.postimg.cc/BbMGcT1D/download-1.jpg) (https://postimages.org/) 8)
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If I didn't want to I wouldn't.
Similarly, Im guessing you wouldn't spend time you could spend working copying and pasting the internet if you didn't want to.
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By doing your own maintenance your saving money and doing a better job, plus you spot stuff that might be wearing out, like I spotted a leak on the driver side drive shaft while I was doing a oil change, a seal that cost less than 15 euro plus gearbox oil top up around 10 euro takes about 1.5 hours. How much would you make in 2 hours in the middle of the day, it cost 25 euro a mechanic would be over 200 and it would be in there for a few hours while it waits it's turn to be worked on.
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SB frequently allows others' lifestyle/business choices/kid's names/etc discommode him... I wouldn't pay too much attention. I'm no psychiatrist but I'd suggest there's some underlying desire for (self) justification of his own choices/methodologies/etc.. that has manifested, in this instance, in a need to comment on a post in which he has no interest in reading! Of course, if he had read the post he many have drawn somewhat different conclusions as there is frequent reference to his own preferred methodology in employing mechanics, including main dealer mechanics.
Like yourself, C5, I generally tackle the routine stuff myself. When it comes to changing engine oil, brake pads/discs and such like the time spent would be less than the time it would take to deliver and collect the car from a mechanic. Doing it oneself also facilitates getting far closer to the exact scheduled kilometreage for such operations than might otherwise be the case and, as you note, one might occasionally identify where unplanned attention might be required. In fact the last time I changed the oil in the MKIII I noticed significant wear on the air coolant pump plug connector which has to be moved to get the oil filter out and managed to source a replacement on Ebay for a tenner. A stitch in time...
I was down the parents' gaff this morning trying to be a gardener. Not a bad end result as it goes, the grass is cut! Tomorrow I'm going to my sister's gaff to assist a retired helicopter engineer in servicing a wind turbine. Neither of us have done it before but we've read the manual and there's not a whole lot to it - grease 3 bearings, clean the commutator, check the brushes and brake pads and give it a general coat of looking at / cleaning. The fun bit will be lowering the 5 tons of it to (or close to) ground level!
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SB frequently allows others' lifestyle/business choices/kid's names/etc discommode him... I wouldn't pay too much attention. I'm no psychiatrist but I'd suggest there's some underlying desire for (self) justification of his own choices/methodologies/etc.. that has manifested, in this instance, in a need to comment on a post in which he has no interest in reading! Of course, if he had read the post he many have drawn somewhat different conclusions as there is frequent reference to his own preferred methodology in employing mechanics, including main dealer mechanics.
Like yourself, C5, I generally tackle the routine stuff myself. When it comes to changing engine oil, brake pads/discs and such like the time spent would be less than the time it would take to deliver and collect the car from a mechanic. Doing it oneself also facilitates getting far closer to the exact scheduled kilometreage for such operations than might otherwise be the case and, as you note, one might occasionally identify where unplanned attention might be required. In fact the last time I changed the oil in the MKIII I noticed significant wear on the air coolant pump plug connector which has to be moved to get the oil filter out and managed to source a replacement on Ebay for a tenner. A stitch in time...
I was down the parents' gaff this morning trying to be a gardener. Not a bad end result as it goes, the grass is cut! Tomorrow I'm going to my sister's gaff to assist a retired helicopter engineer in servicing a wind turbine. Neither of us have done it before but we've read the manual and there's not a whole lot to it - grease 3 bearings, clean the commutator, check the brushes and brake pads and give it a general coat of looking at / cleaning. The fun bit will be lowering the 5 tons of it to (or close to) ground level!
Analyzed by a cabbie! Another thing you're not very good at. Careful, when handing the spanners to the Eng.
Slagging, you're even worse. Readers fall asleep before the punchline - if there is one. 8)
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Ah well... if being good at it equates to takings falling below €25/hour and needing a 5 figure loan to buy a heavily subsidised car I'm probably better suited to mediocrity, at best.
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Ah well... if being good at it equates to takings falling below €25/hour and needing a 5 figure loan to buy a heavily subsidised car I'm probably better suited to mediocrity, at best.
Sheesh. If I can afford one, you can. You just have to put your mind to it.
The fuckwits in the CU didn't listen properly to my proposal for fear the financial services authority would come down on them like a ton of bricks yet again. Letting their staff members enter and win the car draw. Didja ever hear the likes?
What's wrong with a car loan if we can afford it? we haven't missed a payment yet. We didn't miss a payment on the previous five-figure loan either. Methinks you doth protest too much.
The alternative was to buy an overpriced grey import in 2026, which would have required savings of approx' €150+ per week.
Currently, the present jammer is coming in at €121.47, or 17 quid a day. That's the equivalent of a return job to Primrose Grove in the area we work (cash bro? yeah?. Fresh!).
So, brass monkeys are technically making the repayments for the car. In less than two years time the pension will kick in, and the state will be paying for the car.
€20K from The government
€10K discount from Volkswagen
I make the repayments for two years and then use the government pension to make the rest.
What should I have done instead?
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Do what's right for you. Nobody else has to repay the loans. Maybe if you termed €10k of the €20k from Govt as a deposit rather than a handout the CU might have viewed it differently. I guess they're justified in considering why a viable business has nothing to contribute from it's own sources.
For me, €121/week probably equates to 15+% of my takings. Bolt/Free now already get 13/15% of most of it anyway. Breaking it down to €17/day is more concerning as it's based on 7 days a week, 365.25 days/year. There's months I wouldn't work 7 days, never mind weeks!
Us taximen used to have a saying - "Look after your car...". My car is meticulously maintained and barely run in! In fact, the cheapest comparable model (2016, 1.6, DSG, 243k, 2 owners) currently on Cars Ireland ( https://www.carsireland.ie/3813092?journey=Search (https://www.carsireland.ie/3813092?journey=Search) ) is stickered up at €12,000. That's where the real problem lies i.e. the ridiculous prices attached to used cars in current market conditions. Hence a new EV at this juncture would cost me at least €10,000 on top of the €121/week you're paying on account of running your last car into the ground. If they'd give me the €10,000 for the MKII I'd probably take it... even though it's back in showroom condition with it's new clutch and once new gearbox!
However, all other things being equal, I don't need to replace my car until 2026. Again, all other things being equal, I'll reassess the numbers then and see what makes most sense to me at that juncture. One thing I have concluded is that I'll be paying somewhat more than the €11,995 I paid for my current car. I'm kinda budgeting for in or around twice that figure.
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Getting back off topic, I put a half bottle of Dipetane into my roughly half full tank of diesel and done another forced regen last night. Not a whole lot of difference as per the following screenshots but I'll throw the other half bottle in and fill the tank this afternoon/evening and have another look at the numbers when I get through the full tank. It seems to be doing automatic regens every 107 kilos in it's current condition so there's probably no need for forced regens, although I might throw one or two in anyway.
c. 4 kilos after forced regen
(https://i.postimg.cc/bNGjVCJ1/OBD-Eleven-20241005-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kBdZByW5)
c. 15 kilos after forced regen
(https://i.postimg.cc/zX9YsCb6/OBD-Eleven-20241005-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/N57nTrxk)
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I met an old colleague who works the Kesh and he was saying there's a decision on age rules due in the next couple of weeks.You may well get to keep the Skoda for a bit longer RC.Keep an eye out on the NTA site.
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I met an old colleague who works the Kesh and he was saying there's a decision on age rules due in the next couple of weeks.You may well get to keep the Skoda for a bit longer RC.Keep an eye out on the NTA site.
None of us wheelie hero’s never got an extension, hopefully we do.
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We all lost two years to COVID '19 anall. How NTA and it's cohorts determined that some drivers should get an extension and others shouldn't defies logic. I was one of those who didn't qualify. I won't hold my breath but a two year extension would work for me!
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I hope yous all get more time,Cars are way too expensive.Without the EV grants we would all be protesting.EVs aren't suitable for everyone.
I saw a new electric Peugeot partner wheelie plugged in on the quays yesterday.I can't imagine he's getting that many kilometers per charge.Must be a pain.
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We all lost two years to COVID '19 anall. How NTA and it's cohorts determined that some drivers should get an extension and others shouldn't defies logic. I was one of those who didn't qualify. I won't hold my breath but a two year extension would work for me!
Logically you’d think all cars that haven’t received an extension (post 142 reg and wheelchair taxis) that were in the fleet before covid hit would get a 2 extension
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Plenty of lads on here suffering from the limp mode Doc....I'd say!!
rofl
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Brake Fluid neglected at yur perils alrite rat ...
Most important job.
Me almost 200km 6 yr old prius has had 1 change of spark plugs , 3 or 4 sets of tyres ( can't remember) €20 pipe for failed heat exchanger ...an a Wiper motor on account of me ocd an constantly cleaning the windscreen
Not 1 Bulb has expired ... original discs and Brake pads still .....
They are a marvel of engineering ....
Reading on here wat yuos are spending on 19th century antiques has awakened me post traumatic stress disorder from owning a skoda....
In hindsight the stress and money of flywheel breakdowns ( went tru 3 of them ) the timing belts ( 4 I think ) the numerous Brake discs and pads , starter motor , alternator, hundred of headlight bulbs ..... it was like bean a suger daddy octogenarian rock star married to a gold diggin tramp
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Do you use the brakes on the Prius a few times a week to ward of corrosion and the calipers seizing incase of an emergency braking situation.
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We all lost two years to COVID '19 anall. How NTA and it's cohorts determined that some drivers should get an extension and others shouldn't defies logic. I was one of those who didn't qualify. I won't hold my breath but a two year extension would work for me!
The NTA logic of the extension was that no driver would be forced to change car during covid, it didn't quite work out that way but that was the logic at the time.
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I met an old colleague who works the Kesh and he was saying there's a decision on age rules due in the next couple of weeks.You may well get to keep the Skoda for a bit longer RC.Keep an eye out on the NTA site.
I can't see that happening MFH, I remember John m having an email go at the NTA about it recently and it fell on deaf ears. The NTA have had a hard-on fer the 10 year rule fer a long time.
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Do you use the brakes on the Prius a few times a week to ward of corrosion and the calipers seizing incase of an emergency braking situation.
Nope c5 ... why wud I overtink tings? Toyota doesn't make cars for mechanics or DIY enthusiasts ..... I can tell by readin rat that he actually considers his taxi maintenance a very worthwile and enjoyable hobby .... firstly it gets him out of the house , sumtin to do an to make use of the shed that took him a decade to build nobley occasionally assisted by johhny m ..secondly he thoroughly enjoys the learnin , dissaassembly and reassembly process ( that mechano set he got for Chrismas did its job well ) ... thirdly
If he was to admit it ...he likes to get his hands dirty .. fourtly ther is a sense of achievement an fulfilment an contentment knowing that he can do something that his neighbours can't...
Fiftly.... he saves huge amounts of money ...
Sixthly .... the wife ide wager loves the whole manliness of the site of rats legs stickin out from under his car ... speaking from experience most women are immensely turned on by the site of a rough bloke in dirty overalls wit oil streaks on his face painted like a rampaging apache Indian on the war path about to ravish a defenceless recently captured damsel.in distress . an wit a smoke hangin from his lips lookin like James Dean after he had his way wit Natalie wood in the drive tru movies ...
... but for me ... the taut of havin to put a spanner
In me hand an get dirty honestly makes me feel
Full of dred , anxiety an depression....enough to send meself to the bed
::sleep
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Belker
"I can't see that happening MFH, I remember John m having an email go at the NTA about it recently and it fell on deaf ears. The NTA have had a hard-on fer the 10 year rule fer a long time."
Anything can happen.They told me there were no more extensions planned then they announced some after I put a deposit on a new car.Most of us on here are out of the loop but the lads in the Kesh seem to to know a lot more than they let on.
Don't believe it until you see it actually happen as the NTA emails aren't worth much.All they're doing is covering their holes until a decision is made.
The ten year saloon limit is completely made up and can be changed overnight.Nobody really benifts from it except the car industry.Cars haven't changed that much since I was a kid.With modern vehicles costing so much all it's doing is adding significantly to our expenses resulting in higher fares to the passengers.
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I dunno. Think about where we're come from in, say, the last 10 years. Back then, it was perfectly acceptable to buy a banger for a few grand and run it into the ground. Passenger's expectations weren't really that high. 'Get me home on a Sat night' and anything else was a bonus. Now, over 10% of the fleet are WAT's and a good chunk are EV or Priusssssss. It's almost a modern, world class fleet? The NTA might take the attitude that another push might get rid of the bangers and bump up the modern cars in the fleet?
The thing to remember is that the NTA don't give a sh1te about us. They're bureaucrats and all they care about is their spreadsheets and fancy powerpoints that they can bring to all-expenses paid conferences around the world ::cheers
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I have a nice jammer but I realise it still does the same thing as my first taxi fifteen years ago that only cost me two good weeks wages. The only thing that's changed is the materials in the car that the passengers see and feel.The new electric buses still feel like being in the bus but with USB ports.My new yoke still has wheel bearings and tyres to be changed and a faulty steering rack just like any other heap from the last thirty years.
The older diesels did sound very agricultural so I understand why the new yokes seem so different and futuristic but they're not worth the extra cost for the upgrade IMO.I still get scruffy fuks eating in the car.My car is too good for many of the inconsiderate shits I drive around.
There's a lot of lads who cover fairly big mileage who live a good distance from their work area who don't fit in to the EV life.I don't think anyone should be charging just to get home or finish a shift.This isn't really progress.Without the grants we'd all be driving hybrids.
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All true. And it's worth adding that some think the new cat 6 diesels are the equal or even better than EV when you consider the whole life of the vehicle.
However, the NTA does vehicles and the Guards do drivers, more or less. So the NTA probably doesn't care where you start etc. And it's a long time since they promoted the purple dash badge of honour. With so many EV's, Priusssss and WAT's added to the fleet recently, that bottom 10-20% of, say, 8yr old & older vehicles hanging around must be an itch on their arse that needs scratching. It would certainly tidy up their spreadsheets and graphs.
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I wouldn't disagree with any of your observations on my likes and dislikes, Octy. I do like to get my hands dirty from time to time and I do all sorts of DIY, learning (generally stuff of quite limited use) along the way is all part of the fun for me.
If your OCD extended to following Toyota specs you would have replaced your engine oil and filter 13 times, had 13 Hybrid Heath Checks, replaced your brake fluid 10 times, your pollen/AC filter 10 times, your air filter 5 times and your engine coolant once or twice in addition to the bits you mentioned. I'd hazard a guess that you've gone through a fair few litres of screenwash and possibly replaced the wiper blades given your desire for spotless windas, also. Add all that up and, employing mechanics to do the work, I doubt you'd get out for much less than the 1.3c/kilo my 8 year old MKIII Octy has cost to maintain since I acquired it. Then there's the Capital cost... I guess you're looking at c.€3,000k/year for the bought new Prius whereas my second hand Octy works out at c.€1,700/year... assuming both cars last until they're no longer acceptable to NTA under current regulations.
IIRC, NTAs excuse for complicating age extension provisions beyond belief was more to do with the Suez Canal than COVID '19 anall - pointing to a perceived shortage of cars. Obviously a shortage of anything results in higher prices - Free Now's surge fees being a case in point. The price of cars, in particular second hand cars, has continued to increase and perhaps, most relevant to NTA, Brexit has significantly increased the price of UK import second hand converted cargo vehicles, the very vehicles from the very source it identified as being key to increasing WAV provision when it changed relevant vehicle standards to accommodate the same. Hence, the WAV providers are certainly justified in seeking further extensions. I feel justified in wanting an extension simply because prices of cars haven't decreased at all since some of my competitors were granted an extension. A level playing field is all I'm asking for!
Having said that, Watty also makes a fair point. I'll be picking up a hire car in foreign climes later today. If they were to offer me the keys to a 3+ year old clapped out Prius they'd be told where to shove them... albeit employing somewhat more polite diction.
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I wouldn't disagree with any of your observations on my likes and dislikes, Octy. I do like to get my hands dirty from time to time and I do all sorts of DIY, learning (generally stuff of quite limited use) along the way is all part of the fun for me.
If your OCD extended to following Toyota specs you would have replaced your engine oil and filter 13 times, had 13 Hybrid Heath Checks, replaced your brake fluid 10 times, your pollen/AC filter 10 times, your air filter 5 times and your engine coolant once or twice in addition to the bits you mentioned. I'd hazard a guess that you've gone through a fair few litres of screenwash and possibly replaced the wiper blades given your desire for spotless windas, also. Add all that up and, employing mechanics to do the work, I doubt you'd get out for much less than the 1.3c/kilo my 8 year old MKIII Octy has cost to maintain since I acquired it. Then there's the Capital cost... I guess you're looking at c.€3,000k/year for the bought new Prius whereas my second hand Octy works out at c.€1,700/year... assuming both cars last until they're no longer acceptable to NTA under current regulations.
IIRC, NTAs excuse for complicating age extension provisions beyond belief was more to do with the Suez Canal than COVID '19 anall - pointing to a perceived shortage of cars. Obviously a shortage of anything results in higher prices - Free Now's surge fees being a case in point. The price of cars, in particular second hand cars, has continued to increase and perhaps, most relevant to NTA, Brexit has significantly increased the price of UK import second hand converted cargo vehicles, the very vehicles from the very source it identified as being key to increasing WAV provision when it changed relevant vehicle standards to accommodate the same. Hence, the WAV providers are certainly justified in seeking further extensions. I feel justified in wanting an extension simply because prices of cars haven't decreased at all since some of my competitors were granted an extension. A level playing field is all I'm asking for!
Having said that, Watty also makes a fair point. I'll be picking up a hire car in foreign climes later today. If they were to offer me the keys to a 3+ year old clapped out Prius they'd be told where to shove them... albeit employing somewhat more polite diction.
For yu to say that yur diesel cud compete in the cost of maintenance wit a prius rat is just incorrect.....all the stuff yu mentioned has to be done on both vehicles wit the exception of the ( health check for the battery) on the prius .... I wud argue in that case the well established an proven maxim of " let it develope " ie leave it well enough alone untill it fails as it is far more economically favourable
I'm saying that on the prius brake discs / pads , flywheel failure , timing belt, starter motor failure , alternator failure and let's not forget those trips
In a towtruck sittin next to a bloke who sounds like he kills rabbits wit a sledgehammer for entertainment... 100s of bulb changes .............
.on a prius are not required or ommited ....
I can categorically inform you that the cost to run me prius thus far is infinitely cheaper than an octavia .... not to mention nervously driving down motorway wunderin wen me flywheel is goin to fly tru me bonnet wen I'm aware the mileage is up to the time wen it's due ....
I say this in all confidence as I have owned both wer yu have not ....
It is obvious that a full electric vehicle wud be even less of a headache than even a prius ... an
Ther can be no argument against the fact that they are cheaper to run , vastly more reliablile and trouble free , stress free driving compared to a diesel ...
Yu only have to listen on here to blokes continually endlessly debatin how to fix dpf cloggin , adding all sorts of climate toxic chemicals that are most likely poisoning the population to a problem that can't and will never be fixed .... despite ther statements to the contrary that if examined closely wud expose the flaws in ther argument..... the fact of the matter is that diesel is dead .... its dirty oil that can't be clean energy and as the vw courtcases an the hundreds of millions in fines they paid along with other manufacturers around the world in the cover ups .... diesel can't be a silk purse from a cows ear .... its dead , it's obsolete and it's filthy an shud be resigned to the transport museum only ....to sumup....its a huge pain in the hole
::sleep
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The Prius is dirtier than than a euro 6 diesel when you include the battery it has and it's higher in Co2 than a euro 6 diesel. Diesel engines shouldn't spend most of there time driving around city's and hybrids shouldn't spend most of there time out in rural areas because petrol engine's drink more than diesels. The hybrids are crap on the open road.
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The Prius is dirtier than than a euro 6 diesel when you include the battery it has and it's higher in Co2 than a euro 6 diesel. Diesel engines shouldn't spend most of there time driving around city's and hybrids shouldn't spend most of there time out in rural areas because petrol engine's drink more than diesels. The hybrids are crap on the open road.
I'm assumin c5 the thread is about those considerin a new vehicle.... maybe I'm wrong as I haven't read much of it I'm only going by the title ....but if it is the case ....another factor has now entered the decision making on account of the possibility of the imminant bombing of oil refineries In Iran and wat that will do to diesel and petrol prices and the possibility even if remote ....of ques at the pumps .... that's another
Weight off the mind of the lads plugging ther taxi into ther wall at home .....
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Never owned a diesel....never wanted one.Why the fuk would I want something that sounds like it's broken when it's perfect.All yous spoofers on here pretending diesel is the future should have your tank dipped by Revenue.I'll bet yer running the farmers diesel to save a few cent because you made a bad choice and bought a car with a tractor engine.
All that stuff about hybrids being shite on the motorway is complete bollox.They're less efficient but not much less than a diesel.
I told you all twelve years ago the hybrid was the way to go but nobody listens.I'd say yis are like those lads who need to be kicked in the testicles just to blow their loads.Yis probably pay for it too.Fukkin diesel masochists.
Anyone got the squeeler number for customs?....
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No oil or gas that means power cuts or brownouts too ya know, diesel cars can run on veg oil, heating oil or agri diesel if need be, anyways there is a plan for that, there is a certain amount of filling stations at will be opened around the country to control supply with with the garda, ambulance etc getting full tanks and public transport including taxis and trucks supplying shops and factories. Everything else gets a certain amount of litres. I have a 1300 litre tank for diesel out the back, got it 10 years ago.
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You said it merc hybrids on motorways are still less efficient, it all adds up in the long run.
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No oil or gas that means power cuts or brownouts too ya know, diesel cars can run on veg oil, heating oil or agri diesel if need be, anyways there is a plan for that, there is a certain amount of filling stations at will be opened around the country to control supply with with the garda, ambulance etc getting full tanks and public transport including taxis and trucks supplying shops and factories. Everything else gets a certain amount of litres. I have a 1300 litre tank for diesel out the back, got it 10 years ago.
If taxis are essential services, you'll be allowed to fill up at the petrol station anyways? What does your insurance company think about you having a mini-fuel station in your back garden? I think diesel can only be stored for upto a year before it starts to go off?
I'd be hiding in plain sight so to speak and charging my EV via house electricity whilst making my dinner (or whenever the power is on).
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It's the same as having home heating oil in a tank, it's an oil. it can last a couple of years, I fill the car once a month with it and to keep it fresh it gets topped up once a year.
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Back on the topic of EVs. I charged my jammer nua to 80%, giving a range of 420kms. I went away for the holliers for twelve days. When I got back I checked my phone app and the car, it was still at 420kms.
It's not like the old, smelly petrol cars that would lose an angel's share of vapour to the clouds.
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Mine is a bit different.I have it set to dynamic mode which takes into account the outside temperature and how you drove before you parked it.Standatd range at 100% is 420km but when it's cold it can read as low as 409km.Warm days as much as 429km.On mine it's conplete guesswork by the computer.
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Silverbullet that's giving up a false reading, all batteries lose power even when not been used. When you start to move it that figure would drop. Because if it stayed at that figure when you parked it and 12 days later it's at the same figure, well that's a world first.
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If yur goin on holiers ....are ya supposed to leave it at full charge ? I read sumtin about leavin it discharged ?
Maybe I got it wrong ?
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The computer readout on the screen is an estimate. Some call it the Guessometer (GOM). It just predicts the range left based on your previous driving style and habits.
Re long-term parking, some reckon it's best to leave it around the 50% mark?
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The computer readout on the screen is an estimate. Some call it the Guessometer (GOM). It just predicts the range left based on your previous driving style and habits.
Re long-term parking, some reckon it's best to leave it around the 50% mark?
I drove it the next day and it performed fine, plus there wasn't didn't any degradation of the battery range.
I only tried the aircon on, and the range dropped about 60kms.
VW recommends only charging to 80% and 100% on rare occasions. 80% charge without the aircon gives me about 420kms, which, during the week is around three nights work, although I always get a reminder to charge when the range hits 97kms.
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Each battery has a different chemistry depending on the manufacturer.I charge mine to 100% most nights.There is no option anymore on mine to set the max percentage when charging.
My manual says to leave it between 40 and 60% when it's going to be parked for a while.
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Each battery has a different chemistry depending on the manufacturer.I charge mine to 100% most nights.There is no option anymore on mine to set the max percentage when charging.
My manual says to leave it between 40 and 60% when it's going to be parked for a while.
I must charge it to 100% just to see if the quoted range of 548 km is available.
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The main reason for charging to 100% is to calibrate the battery so that the computer knows how many Killowats to full.
I've never ran my battery below 36% in 16 months. I'm supposed to run it very low every 6 months then charge it up to 100% to calibrate it but I'm not risking it ending up on a tow truck unless I really have to.My battery spends most of its time between 70 and 100% to take advantage of the cheap leccy at 2am.
Your battery chemistry is slightly different than ours SB.They do degrade a bit faster but it's to be expected and I suspect that's why VW put such big batteries in them.Nothing to worry about just a different type of battery.Yours charges a lot faster than mine so it has its benefits compared to the LFP battery.
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The main reason for charging to 100% is to calibrate the battery so that the computer knows how many Killowats to full.
I've never ran my battery below 36% in 16 months. I'm supposed to run it very low every 6 months then charge it up to 100% to calibrate it but I'm not risking it ending up on a tow truck unless I really have to.My battery spends most of its time between 70 and 100% to take advantage of the cheap leccy at 2am.
Your battery chemistry is slightly different than ours SB.They do degrade a bit faster but it's to be expected and I suspect that's why VW put such big batteries in them.Nothing to worry about just a different type of battery.Yours charges a lot faster than mine so it has its benefits compared to the LFP battery.
I've gone as low as 17%, or 80 km range. The granny charger gets used to top up the car after I've used the fast charger, usually @ 67 KwH. It'll be a while before I get the home charger in as I blew my bank balance on a fuck-off holiday.
YOLO. 8)
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I generally don't let the battery go below 30% (~100km). My logic (?) is that we can't refuse a fare below 30km so 30km out & 30km back plus a little bit in reserve = 100km... :2cheers
Lowest I've gone is 9%. Early on in my EV days, got a fare from Edenmore out to Maynooth. I said no but then said yes with my brain thinking I'm gonna have to get used to this EV battery. Was coming back into Dublin looking for the fast charger in Lucan shopping centre. Like I said, battery was down to 9% and I missed the exit for Lucan! So had to go the next exit and come back. I had everything (radio, air con) turned off, think I even tried to stop breathing at one point. But I made it. Luckily no close calls since then ::fuck
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I generally don't let the battery go below 30% (~100km). My logic (?) is that we can't refuse a fare below 30km so 30km out & 30km back plus a little bit in reserve = 100km... :2cheers
Lowest I've gone is 9%. Early on in my EV days, got a fare from Edenmore out to Maynooth. I said no but then said yes with my brain thinking I'm gonna have to get used to this EV battery. Was coming back into Dublin looking for the fast charger in Lucan shopping centre. Like I said, battery was down to 9% and I missed the exit for Lucan! So had to go the next exit and come back. I had everything (radio, air con) turned off, think I even tried to stop breathing at one point. But I made it. Luckily no close calls since then ::fuck
Speaking of which, I've plugged in the granny charger at 11 km per hour. Might even get a shift out of it, if it stays as quiet as the last few nights.
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On starting last night (Sat), I filled my diesel tank from just barely over Half to Full in Grange (Cork) at 9.30pm fer €33.47 and worked on full tilt all night till 7.30am with never a worry about running out of fuel, when finishing this morning the tank was just about barely below the half full mark and me Buddy was sitting next to me;
(https://i.postimg.cc/fbs5ffKN/1000-F-166100342-Kb-TGIRrnrlw-GDZSXSMp-H3zfn2dxy-TKae.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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By the time I've used half of my battery I'm more than ready to go home.Range hasn't been an issue for me so far.Typically 30% battery is enough to get my wages and it costs less than a tenner a week to run.If I ever need ro start driving more than 300km a day to get paid I'm packing it in.
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I think the mechanical bits incl the DPF are starting to break down on Belker's ICE so that might be why he has to work such long hours? He's working to pay himself and his mechanic :P
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Think I will make the move to EV next year.
Treat meself to an ID7.
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Think I will make the move to EV next year.
Treat meself to an ID7.
This is where I bought the VW Bridie-4: https://www.blackwatermotors.ie/ (https://www.blackwatermotors.ie/)
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Think I will make the move to EV next year.
Treat meself to an ID7.
This is where I bought the VW Bridie-4: https://www.blackwatermotors.ie/ (https://www.blackwatermotors.ie/)
Did you get any discount off them ?
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Watty I was at zero miles left on fuel gauge coming back on a longish trip looking for a filling station still open at 8pm on Christmas eve last I was heading home I went 24kms past the zero before I got diesel, I was shitting it. beat that. And I was talking to a fella at the SGS were he had a new hybrid with himself and another driver on it, he was a little pissed off just changed from a 211 mg5 to a 232 Toyota Corolla estate, never again to a full EV he said, problems started at around 235,000 km they noticed a full charge was not what it used to be and by 270,000 it was at 140km range but they would get 110 before having to charge it wasn't worth keeping it working as a taxi, if it's sold on it won't last a couple of years as a private driver.
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Do u not have to keep it 3 yr
Byd give a 10 yr battery warranty
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He did, he got it in Feb 21 got rid of it in aug 24. It has 100,000 km warranty because it's a commercial vehicle or 6 or 7 years which falls first. The byd has a 10 year or whatever Kms 100k or 160k what ever falls first it's the same for all full evs.
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Byd have a 200,000km or 8 years for drive battery. Might be less for commercial vehicles. They are all the same without government grants they are basically economically unviable.
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Some of you lads are covering silly mileage.Fukkin hell I have 28k on mine in 16 months and I've been fairly busy working away.It would take me over ten years to clock up 250000km.
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When you live in a bigger county you do more Kms, what about the lads who share a cab split the costs. These EVs don't work for a lot of drivers. The Grants are ruining everything, what happens when the grants are gone spending 30,40 or 50k on the ticking economic time bomb, if that battery starts giving trouble or pops after the guarantee ends your fucked. If a petrol or diesel engine blows it's about 2k or 3k for a second hand one, replacement batteries are from 7 to 30k. If you don't put up the Kms the age will get ya.
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It's not really a problem for me.The leccy car is costing me 2k less per year to fuel compared to the Prius.The Prius was already a miser on fuel.
If I moved from a diesel I'd likely be saving nearly 5k a year on fuel by going electric.Electric cars will be cheaper than diesel in a few years.I think they are already in China.
Either way if you want to drive in the big cities you likely won't be allowed in a diesel in a few years from now.I don't agree with it but it's going to happen.
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Maybe in Dublin but the smaller cities with big rural areas will need diesel or big 2.5 hybrids like Toyota have in the Camry or rav 4 they are quite and don't rev as high so it save fuel. But diesels are clean nowadays when you rub you finger around the exhaust tip no soot.
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Some of you lads are covering silly mileage.Fukkin hell I have 28k on mine in 16 months and I've been fairly busy working away.It would take me over ten years to clock up 250000km.
105k in 18mths (19 if I include 1 month hols), and that's going back to working 45hrs per week. I'ld love to know the secret of making a living on 21k per annum. Do you use the ranks a lot, I can't sit at ranks?
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That's a fair bit Bob.Fair play.Hope the Camry is going good for you.
It's not really a secret...I doubt I earn half what you guys are getting at night but it's enough for me.I prefer the shorter jobs that others dislike and I usually only take something I can get to within a few minutes...like two or three max.My radars are set to 2km but that doesn't mean I'll even go that far.I just keep moving until I get to a rank I like or get an app job fairly close that I want.
It's going to be a little different after the fare increase as the shorter jobs will be a lot more expensive via the apps.Sometimes I'll take a job to the suburbs if I'm getting annoyed in town.I nearly always end up regretting taking them though.Hate going to Blanch or Talaght or most places outside the M50
as there's feck all out there coming back.
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Think I will make the move to EV next year.
Treat meself to an ID7.
"Treat", ?? rofl rofl
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Think I will make the move to EV next year.
Treat meself to an ID7.
"Treat", ?? rofl rofl
Yuuup
Splash out on a bit of comfort
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Half splash out you mean the tax payer will splash >:( the other half.
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Half splash out you mean the tax payer will splash >:( the other half.
Ther was a € 20 k grant I tink c5 ....wud that temp ya if it was available?
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Na, I sell my taxis on or I keep it for the wife as a second car, so we only buy one car every 5 or 10 years so the second car could be up to 20 years old or older when its replaced. An ev won't last 9 years never mind 20 plus years.
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Couldn’t afford one if no grants available.
Well the one that I want
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Watty I was at zero miles left on fuel gauge coming back on a longish trip looking for a filling station still open at 8pm on Christmas eve last I was heading home I went 24kms past the zero before I got diesel, I was shitting it. beat that. And I was talking to a fella at the SGS were he had a new hybrid with himself and another driver on it, he was a little pissed off just changed from a 211 mg5 to a 232 Toyota Corolla estate, never again to a full EV he said, problems started at around 235,000 km they noticed a full charge was not what it used to be and by 270,000 it was at 140km range but they would get 110 before having to charge it wasn't worth keeping it working as a taxi, if it's sold on it won't last a couple of years as a private driver.
Well here's a 17 min YouTube review (https://youtu.be/ytO36VSujrM?si=MtsDXSvP3q0r5PkF) of someone with a MG5 who hammers it up and down the UK motorways and rapid-charges it all the time - 230,000 km (equivalent) on the clock and battery SoH is approx 90%. In other words, his ~350km battery can now only do ~315 km. He's the owner of a mobile mechanic firm that services EV's and his company now has 5 or 6 of them on the road.
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Watty I was at zero miles left on fuel gauge coming back on a longish trip looking for a filling station still open at 8pm on Christmas eve last I was heading home I went 24kms past the zero before I got diesel, I was shitting it. beat that. And I was talking to a fella at the SGS were he had a new hybrid with himself and another driver on it, he was a little pissed off just changed from a 211 mg5 to a 232 Toyota Corolla estate, never again to a full EV he said, problems started at around 235,000 km they noticed a full charge was not what it used to be and by 270,000 it was at 140km range but they would get 110 before having to charge it wasn't worth keeping it working as a taxi, if it's sold on it won't last a couple of years as a private driver.
Well here's a 17 min YouTube review (https://youtu.be/ytO36VSujrM?si=MtsDXSvP3q0r5PkF) of someone with a MG5 who hammers it up and down the UK motorways and rapid-charges it all the time - 230,000 km (equivalent) on the clock and battery SoH is approx 90%. In other words, his ~350km battery can now only do ~315 km. He's the owner of a mobile mechanic firm that services EV's and his company now has 5 or 6 of them on the road.
My niece's husband - a cop - has a work VW ID4 - 286 BHP for motorway work. They use Skodas in the deprived areas so they don't stand out. 8)
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When ev batteries start going bad it is a rapid decline after that over a couple of years. We will see what he says in 2 or 3 more years of hammering it up and down the motorway, but he will probably ditch it before that.
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When ev batteries start going bad it is a rapid decline after that over a couple of years. We will see what he says in 2 or 3 more years of hammering it up and down the motorway, but he will probably ditch it before that.
Police Scotland will throw another one at him.
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Some of you lads are covering silly mileage.Fukkin hell I have 28k on mine in 16 months and I've been fairly busy working away.It would take me over ten years to clock up 250000km.
28k in 16 months is about 400km per week and you have; "been fairly busy working away" ?
I think you have your 'Codding Cap' on MFH !! lol
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I know it sounds a bit pathetic Belker but my car doesn't move unless it's making money.I'm €589 away from clearing what I owe on my newish jammer.Should be done this weekend.I've been on a few decent holiers too.Now that the car loan is gone I'll likely be going back to 25 hours a week instead of the 35/40 I'm doing.
No kids and a tiny mortgage now that I'm sprouting clumps of hair from me ears means I don't have to graft too hard anymore.Roll on the recession...
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Just to add driving the EV does save a few bob.The initial cost was a pain in the hole but I honestly haven't spent anything on the car except three car washes so far.It wont always be like this but I dont forsee any massive expenses on the way.
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I know it sounds a bit pathetic Belker but my car doesn't move unless it's making money.I'm €589 away from clearing what I owe on my newish jammer.Should be done this weekend.I've been on a few decent holiers too.Now that the car loan is gone I'll likely be going back to 25 hours a week instead of the 35/40 I'm doing.
No kids and a tiny mortgage now that I'm sprouting clumps of hair from me ears means I don't have to graft too hard anymore.Roll on the recession...
At 400km per week your figures don't add up MFH, Bob Shillin averages 1,350 per week, I average about 750km per week in about 27.5 hours and I can live easily and hold my own on those 750km. If I was only doing 400km per week and taking regular holidays then I would be in the poor house.
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I don't know what to say Belker except I'm sorry...
That you're not as good as me...........
But seriously, renters are paying minimum €300 a week plus maybe €100 fuel.That's 20k a year.20k would buy you a nice electric vehicle.I've worked hard to make sure I'm not a renter.I have zero savings but low outgoings so it's not a problem.
I suspect because of the type of work I cover I get paid better per Km than drivers who don't care so much about the dead mileage.I have a fairly strict way of working.I've been driving/Biking/cycling for money for 30 years.I don't like dead miles.They kill your car and increase maintenance costs.
The 400km doesn't account for being at sea for six weeks plus a few days off here and there.It's more likely 500km a week.
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So you stay around where you dropped your fare for your next fare, you can't avoid dead Kms the fare is priced that way for return journeys.
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Because Dublin city center is such mess ,quite often my drop of point is only two Km as the crow flies from where I picked up.Sometimes I'll have another job exactly where I drop depending on how busy it is.The apps can be very good at lining jobs up.
Eventually the even the taxis will be pushed out of the middle of town.
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At 400km per week you would be taking in about a Monkee + in about a weeks total of 14 hours worked, which just might do IF you had no dependants/car loan/mortage, Etc.
It wouldn't work fer me and I live a very frugal lifestyle.
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I reckon it's closer to 500 busy km a week but more like 8/9+,after commision..Hardly life changing money in today's economy.We have renters who only work days paying out €400+ before they earn any money for themselves.
Fukking pensioners are getting €260 a week for doing nothing....
I was earning more money twenty years ago as a bike courier in real terms.The wages were only €680 after tax but everything cost half what it does now and I didn't need a shiny expensive electric vehicle go to work.
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I reckon it's closer to 500 busy km a week but more like 8/9+,after commision..Hardly life changing money in today's economy. ....
500km and always busy by day at €1.70 per km (even tho the current day rate is €1.30 per km) would get you your "8/9+, after commission".
Unless you do Schoolie only those figures don't add up MFH.
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The meter goes up on time tarrif with the traffic AFAIK.I spend a lot of time at lights which might bump it up a bit
Most of my jobs are short app jobs so the commission is mostly negated by the PUC.
Maybe I've found some sort of taxi scam that nobody else has found yet.Kinda proud of myself.I always know I was special....
1.70 a km sounds about right.Sometimes it's more,sometimes it's a lot less.Day work needs a little bit of thought like I said somewhere else.
The speedo on my Chinese heap better not be lying.
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Merch how much is your ESB per month for the car or do you have a clever meter or app to tell you ?
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John the last few bills have been between 65 to 78 for two months of EV usage.Less than a tenner a week.
I'm on the bord gais smart EV plan with 33% discount and super cheapo rate between 2 and 5am of about 6.5cent a kw.Most nights I only charge it about 20kw which costs about 1.50/1.80 after that it's 18c a kw.Still cheapish.
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FUCK SAKE I need to get a deal My bill is 133 last month ?
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You'll end up back on the nights...
Actually my last total bimonthly bill was 210 but 64 of that was the car.I think my peak rate is a bit dearer between 5 and 7 pm.Maybe 34 cent per kw or something.
I just realized you said monthly.Deffo worth getting. A better deal.They usually offer you sign up credit too.
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https://www.bordgaisenergy.ie/home/our-plans/a0pSh0000009TkNIAU?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwpbi4BhByEiwAMC8JnX8xhFwDJWjKEfJC4QSLKuI9qdXrqQVEFGwtiDt6IAUMqsK1VlJ4fhoCU8QQAvD_BwE (https://www.bordgaisenergy.ie/home/our-plans/a0pSh0000009TkNIAU?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwpbi4BhByEiwAMC8JnX8xhFwDJWjKEfJC4QSLKuI9qdXrqQVEFGwtiDt6IAUMqsK1VlJ4fhoCU8QQAvD_BwE)
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..... 1.70 a km sounds about right.Sometimes it's more,sometimes it's a lot less. .....
That makes no sense, the Day rate is €1.30 per km and that is if your have a fare onboard and meter running 100% of the time fer your 500km. Your figures don't add up MFH.
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That's the one John.Set your charger to come on at 2am and let it fill up until 8am.
There are other ones but that's the one that best suits my situation.If you've no smart meter you can't get those plans though.
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..... 1.70 a km sounds about right.Sometimes it's more,sometimes it's a lot less. .....
That makes no sense, the Day rate is €1.30 per km and that is if your have a fare onboard and meter running 100% of the time fer your 500km. Your figures don't add up MFH.
I don't know where the problem is.Dont forget the extra passenger charges.Occasionally a full car going local can be worth more per km than a longer single passenger job. a I typically have very few empty kilometers.
Have ya considered that I might just be very good at my job Belker?.....I could be Steven Hawking of the taxi game...
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That's the one John.Set your charger to come on at 2am and let it fill up until 8am.
There are other ones but that's the one that best suits my situation.If you've no smart meter you can't get those plans though.
I have a clever meter .That looks Ok I have Electric Ireland no deal .I get Emma on to that as soon as my next bill comes in and I clear it .
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Ah Ok John I broke my electric ireland contract before the 12 months and they didn't charge me a breakage fee which was nice of them.The sooner you switch over the quicker you start saving.
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....... Have ya considered that I might just be very good at my job Belker?.....I could be Steven Hawking of the taxi game...
Considering you incurred Fines fer not BOTHERING to display your required taxi dash ID, then NO the thought that you were very good at your job never occurred to me.
Also your figures don't add up MFH, simple as.
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You'll end up back on the nights...
Actually my last total bimonthly bill was 210 but 64 of that was the car.I think my peak rate is a bit dearer between 5 and 7 pm.Maybe 34 cent per kw or something.
I just realized you said monthly.Deffo worth getting. A better deal.They usually offer you sign up credit too.
€64 for 2 months ?? I tink the " diesel" is better debate is finally put to bed .... in fact it's in a bleedin coffin lol
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You'll end up back on the nights...
Actually my last total bimonthly bill was 210 but 64 of that was the car.I think my peak rate is a bit dearer between 5 and 7 pm.Maybe 34 cent per kw or something.
I just realized you said monthly.Deffo worth getting. A better deal.They usually offer you sign up credit too.
€64 for 2 months ?? I tink the " diesel" is better debate is finally put to bed .... in fact it's in a bleedin coffin lol
It's costing me about €65 per week...but then I don't live in Dublin and I actually go out to work!!
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Yis shower of bastards.
Hal why do much?Are you public charging it?
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Yis shower of bastards.
Hal why do much?Are you public charging it?
No...home charging....it's for 1200kms
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Jaysus.
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I have a clever meter .That looks Ok I have Electric Ireland no deal .I get Emma on to that as soon as my next bill comes in and I clear it .
Check out bonkers.ie (https://www.bonkers.ie) for price comparisons on electricity and/or gas if you have it.
And https://www.boards.ie/categories/electric-vehicles-hybrids (https://www.boards.ie/categories/electric-vehicles-hybrids)
You might have to scroll for a page or two but there's bound to be someone who's already asked about cheap charging prices.
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Jaysus.
Don't know if that's jaysus good or jaysus bad...but when ye factor in 40kms up and 40kms back home again....I work my way up...motorway home...but that's 400kms per week that you'll never see!!
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@octi but in reality with no grants the money your saving on fuel should be put aside for a new fuel tank aka a battery. In the long run diesel, petrol and hybrid powered vehicles beat full EVs that are subsidised by 20,000 euro, when grants are gone in the next few years the full financial horror will be on show.
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@octi but in reality with no grants the money your saving on fuel should be put aside for a new fuel tank aka a battery. In the long run diesel, petrol and hybrid powered vehicles beat full EVs that are subsidised by 20,000 euro, when grants are gone in the next few years the full financial horror will be on show.
Me Crystal Ball says the 20 k grant is finished over .Eamo will be gone so will that grant .In fact the 5k grant might go .Why would the EU impose a tax on EVs then give a grant .If you want the 20K take it now .
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@octi but in reality with no grants the money your saving on fuel should be put aside for a new fuel tank aka a battery. In the long run diesel, petrol and hybrid powered vehicles beat full EVs that are subsidised by 20,000 euro, when grants are gone in the next few years the full financial horror will be on show.
Me Crystal Ball says the 20 k grant is finished over .Eamo will be gone so will that grant .In fact the 5k grant might go .Why would the EU impose a tax on EVs then give a grant .If you want the 20K take it now .
How's your jammer going John?
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@octi but in reality with no grants the money your saving on fuel should be put aside for a new fuel tank aka a battery. In the long run diesel, petrol and hybrid powered vehicles beat full EVs that are subsidised by 20,000 euro, when grants are gone in the next few years the full financial horror will be on show.
Me Crystal Ball says the 20 k grant is finished over .Eamo will be gone so will that grant .In fact the 5k grant might go .Why would the EU impose a tax on EVs then give a grant .If you want the 20K take it now .
How's your jammer going John?
Love it ,nice to drive Wouldnt rely on the milage available .Big difference between Motorway and urban milage but that dosent really bother me I dont do much country work .But for 15K its the best motor I ever bought.
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Nice one.
Did you get any discount from the motor dealer when paying cash ?
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Love it ,nice to drive Wouldnt rely on the milage available .Big difference between Motorway and urban milage but that dosent really bother me I dont do much country work .But for 15K its the best motor I ever bought.
Agree with ye on motorway mileage but similar to yourself I rarely do what would be regarded as country work...would rather potter around the city tbh...but great to hear you're enjoying it.
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Love it ,nice to drive Wouldnt rely on the milage available .Big difference between Motorway and urban milage but that dosent really bother me I dont do much country work .But for 15K its the best motor I ever bought.
Agree with ye on motorway mileage but similar to yourself I rarely do what would be regarded as country work...would rather potter around the city tbh...but great to hear you're enjoying it.
I'm the same. So far, my ideas of a country run have been Ratoath from The Killer and Bohernabreena from Dundrum.
I don't even like the M50 FFS!
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RE motorway driving... sticking to 100 km/hr makes a big difference over 120 km/hr. Brings the fuel consumption more back to normal.
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RE motorway driving... sticking to 100 km/hr makes a big difference over 120 km/hr. Brings the fuel consumption more back to normal.
I like 100KPH. Even when I'm heading back into town on the M1, I turn off my roof sign so that f**king halfwits don't feel like they have to race me.
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Yeah, it's a nice civilised speed. Esp if the motorway is not that busy... stick on cruise control and some nice music and it's heaven in such a quiet car yippee (Oh, and if you have a passenger, tell them to STFU :o )
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For yu to say that yur diesel cud compete in the cost of maintenance wit a prius rat is just incorrect.....all the stuff yu mentioned has to be done on both vehicles wit the exception of the ( health check for the battery) on the prius .... I wud argue in that case the well established an proven maxim of " let it develope " ie leave it well enough alone untill it fails as it is far more economically favourable
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I gave you my figures with a comprehensive breakdown. As you haven't provided a figure for comparison I'm only guessing but I doubt you're getting out for much less than the 1.3c/kilo mine has cost in maintenance since I acquired it ifn you're employing mechanics to cover manufacturer specified servicing in addition to the repairs you mentioned. Service schedules for VAGs are significantly less frequent than Toyota and some items that Toyota's need aren't required for VAGs e.g. engine coolant, transmission oil/fluid except for wet clutch DSGs.
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Finally got through the tank of diesel with Dipetane. No noticeable difference in the numbers and, more importantly, no reduction in regen frequency.
(https://i.postimg.cc/15PhR9n7/OBD-Eleven-20241103-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xqsFtVPL)
(https://i.postimg.cc/htPkxp09/OBD-Eleven-20241103-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rK3Z2G3m)
I reckon I'll try the stuff Panel posted at the next service, if no sooner... and reset the Ash Mass to zero before it programmatically fills up.
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It also occurred to me that the now almost non-existent start-stop function is probably responsible for some increased soot/ash through stationary running. I'll have to seriously consider investing in a new battery, I guess. In fact, I had to jump start it after a 10 day vacation so it probably won't survive another winter anyway.
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For yu to say that yur diesel cud compete in the cost of maintenance wit a prius rat is just incorrect.....all the stuff yu mentioned has to be done on both vehicles wit the exception of the ( health check for the battery) on the prius .... I wud argue in that case the well established an proven maxim of " let it develope " ie leave it well enough alone untill it fails as it is far more economically favourable
...
I gave you my figures with a comprehensive breakdown. As you haven't provided a figure for comparison I'm only guessing but I doubt you're getting out for much less than the 1.3c/kilo mine has cost in maintenance since I acquired it ifn you're employing mechanics to cover manufacturer specified servicing in addition to the repairs you mentioned. Service schedules for VAGs are significantly less frequent than Toyota and some items that Toyota's need aren't required for VAGs e.g. engine coolant, transmission oil/fluid except for wet clutch DSGs.
As I said rat ....I've owned an octavia and a prius .... I can categorically tell you the prius is infinitely cheaper to run ...I havnt had one bulb go in 6 years , not 1 alternator or starter motor , not 1 brake pad or brake disc or
Timing belt or the biggie flywheel failure ...in 6 years I've had a wiper motor go €400 ...which was an easy 30 minute DIY and a heat exchanger failure that cost € 20 to fix ....ther is no comparison in reliability or cost of repairs or maintenance
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The most expensive item I've experienced with my MKIII (DSG) Octavia to date is a timing belt replacement which, along with a water pump and all associated bits and pieces, cost less to have professionally fitted than your wiper motor! Aside from brake pads/discs - that I tend to replace well before worn out - and the odd bulb I haven't replaced any of the other bits you mention.
Notwithstanding the fact that you still haven't provided any comprehensive data I really can't see your figure being less than the 1.3c/kilo I've spent on my current yoke which I've owned for almost 5years.
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I don't have any data but the most expensive purchase I made on my Prius was a rusted door sill that needed filling and painting from a previous owners bad repair.I think the lad charged me €350.Everything I bought for the car after that cost less.
Nothing stands out as particularly expensive over 11 years of ownership as far as I can remember.Mostly oil and filter changes maybe once or twice a year.Gear oil every 60k.Plugs every 80k.
I repaired the hybrid battery at least two maybe three time after the car was parked up for extended periods.Each repair got faster and the cells cost me about 200 which covered multiple repairs.
If I didn't jump the gun and change early it would still be running until April 25.
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We're penalised for maintaining our vehicles to production standards these days... you get the same scrappage whether it's run into the ground or in showroom condition... easy to see why men might cut corners. In the good old days us taximen had a saying - look after your car...
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We're penalised for maintaining our vehicles to production standards these days... you get the same scrappage whether it's run into the ground or in showroom condition... easy to see why men might cut corners. In the good old days us taximen had a saying - look after your car...
Yur implying that wer not lookin after our cars ... I don't know wat point yur trying to make .... I'm only telling you mu own experience with both vehicles.... compared to the " my " prius and " my " octavia .... the octavia cost a fortune and was not a reliable car ... I wud never go near a diesel again anyway ...kens dpf and turbos thread shud be enough for anyone ... anyone buying diesel over an electric car nowadays is stuck in the past and masochistic imo. It's less stress we need at our age not more
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We're penalised for maintaining our vehicles to production standards these days... you get the same scrappage whether it's run into the ground or in showroom condition... easy to see why men might cut corners. In the good old days us taximen had a saying - look after your car...
Yur implying that wer not lookin after our cars ... I don't know wat point yur trying to make .... I'm only telling you mu own experience with both vehicles.... compared to the " my " prius and " my " octavia .... the octavia cost a fortune and was not a reliable car ... I wud never go near a diesel again anyway ...kens dpf and turbos thread shud be enough for anyone ... anyone buying diesel over an electric car nowadays is stuck in the past and masochistic imo. It's less stress we need at our age not more
Buy a diesel, it'll keep you away from "The love of your life". 8)
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My last 2 taxis were diesels with no problems , my taxi now is diesel no problems and the replacement for that is a diesel getting ready for the change over and the taxi after that will be another diesel and another diesel. EVs as full time taxis are basically scrap after 6 years.
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I'm not implying anything, Octy. However, it's pretty obvious that a lot of drivers don't maintain their cars to a high standard and the way grant aid is structured they are rewarded for what may amount to endangering the public. Again, without the numbers it's difficult to draw any conclusions from your brand new Prius maintenance experience but, as stated many many times, I'd be rather surprised if your getting out for less that the 1.3c/kilo my second hand Octavia has cost.
I don't dispute that EVs make sense, particularly for drivers doing high kilometreage. The price of cars, be they new EVs or second hand diesels, is what is conspiring against those of us who don't want to work enough hours to cover high kilometreage. I'm not sure who we can blame for the state of the motor market but NTA ought to recognise such constraints and level the playing field by applying extensions to maximum vehicle ages to all drivers equally.
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I'm probably stating the obvious but ya wudnt buy a second hand electric an yu wudnt buy a brand new diesel ... the reasons bean too many to mention ... so I'm presumin yur contemplating gettin a replacement vehicle.... but even if yar a part time driver wit yur own gaff a new electric wit the grant seems a no brainer wit 20k grand grant if its still on offer ...
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Not 'till 2026 for me. Then it depends on the numbers i.e. what grants are available and what it'd cost to replace the "scrap" which, currently, would be significantly more than the €10,000 "grant". Either way I'll be budgeting for something in the region of double the €11,995 the MKIII Octavia cost me back in 2019. The problem, for me, is that's more than I want to spend and definitely more than I can reasonably justify based on takings in the region of €30k/year.
Ifn I won the lotto - rather unlikely as I don't enter - I'd buy a brand new diesel before they're banned completely!
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Not 'till 2026 for me. Then it depends on the numbers i.e. what grants are available and what it'd cost to replace the "scrap" which, currently, would be significantly more than the €10,000 "grant". Either way I'll be budgeting for something in the region of double the €11,995 the MKIII Octavia cost me back in 2019. The problem, for me, is that's more than I want to spend and definitely more than I can reasonably justify based on takings in the region of €30k/year.
Ifn I won the lotto - rather unlikely as I don't enter - I'd buy a brand new diesel before they're banned completely!
I'd buy a brand new diesel before they're banned completely!
Would you buy a car before it's banned, then be stuck with an almost new vehicle you can't drive?
I'll gift you €2.50 for a line in the Lotto instead. 8)
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You'll be able to buy and sell second hand diesels for decades to come. Whether you'll be taxed to the high heavens (congestion charge etc) is another story...
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I can't see the use of diesels being banned in my lifetime but it's definitely conceivable that production will be banned... But if I won the lotto I wouldn't need to use it anyway!
If you buy me a winning ticket I'll give you the €2.50 back in used coins, SB.
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I can't see the use of diesels being banned in my lifetime but it's definitely conceivable that production will be banned... But if I won the lotto I wouldn't need to use it anyway!
If you buy me a winning ticket I'll give you the €2.50 back in used coins, SB.
Generous to a fault.
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EVs will be banned before liquid fuel cars because of the high risk of very intense fires when they get older, they won't last as long and they weigh alot more. The Toyota auris just under 1200kg the nissan leaf similar size over 1700kg insurance companies will run a mile from them in the future as the problems with them increase as more and more of them hit the roads. Unless solid state batteries can be produced in high volume which they are having problems with full EVs days are numbered. It's either a liquid fuel or hybrids the latter have been proven to work for years because the battery and engine share the workload, there are a lot of 1 million km Toyota Prius,camry and corollas on the road around the world. I've also heard of hybrid diesel on the way back.
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EVs will be banned before liquid fuel cars because of the high risk of very intense fires when they get older, they won't last as long and they weigh alot more. The Toyota auris just under 1200kg the nissan leaf similar size over 1700kg insurance companies will run a mile from them in the future as the problems with them increase as more and more of them hit the roads. Unless solid state batteries can be produced in high volume which they are having problems with full EVs days are numbered. It's either a liquid fuel or hybrids the latter have been proven to work for years because the battery and engine share the workload, there are a lot of 1 million km Toyota Prius,camry and corollas on the road around the world. I've also heard of hybrid diesel on the way back.
No one will volunteer to put it out if a Skoda goes on fire! 8)
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I can't see the use of diesels being banned in my lifetime but it's definitely conceivable that production will be banned... But if I won the lotto I wouldn't need to use it anyway!
If you buy me a winning ticket I'll give you the €2.50 back in used coins, SB.
Generous to a fault.
In fact, I'll extend the offer to anyone who wishes to buy me a lottery ticket.
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Back to maintenance matters. I got round to servicing the MKII last weekend and changed the gearbox oil again - as I believe is best practice c.1,000 kilos after installing a 2nd hand box and I wanted to check the specs / ensure no leaks following the routine from the service manual as previously posted within this very EV thread. The calculation bit was bang on - following the specified drain procedure precisely 1.8L of oil came out - so no leaks. The main thing of note is how little comes out if you just drain through the drain plug. I didn't measure it separately (probably should have) but I'd say it amounted to c.67% of the total oil drained through both the drain plug and the specified bearing pin/shaft... and even that's below the full capacity... can't remember the figures but more oil is required if the box is separated from the bell-housing. Hence if you're inclined to ignore manufacturer specs and change the oil periodically you're most likely only changing c.50% of it.
Brought the MKIII for it's annual National Car Test today. Despite the increased DPF regen figures the "smoke" reading - 0.04 (limit 0.7) - is reasonably consistent with previous years, in fact below a couple as follows:
2023 - 0.05
2022 - 0.03
2021 - 0.07
2020 - 0.02
2019 - 0.03