Another Dealer Quits

[StevenRB45]

The Fiestas that I had as AA school cars, were always quite enthusiastic with the stop/start. Engine would be barely warming up, and the system would cut the engine, which would be a problem in winter, when you are wanting some heat inside.
Conversely, there appeared to be no connection between the stop/start system and the engine management. With a turbo, it is a good idea to let the turbo spin down before stopping the engine, but coming to a stop from a fast run, with the turbo still spinning, it would stop. Not good for turbo longevity.
Having said that, the Fabia does not wait either, so there's room for improvement for all.

First bit sounds like good old Ford engineering striking again.

PSA stop start one of the conditions is "is the cabin at the requested temperature"..so if the cabin is cold it doesn't turn off. If it is it turns the fan down slightly while the engine is off so it doesn't drain the battery...or take all the heat out of the coolant, it then uses previously auxiliary pump to circulate coolant while engine is off so it doesn't just take the heat out of whatever is in the heater matrix.

Regards the second bit, I'd assume you'd have coasted down off throttle before stopping so it's unlikely to be running the turbo above idle speed as you come to a halt. Yes...Ford should use the auxiliary pump to cool it while the engine is off...but sounds like they don't.

To be fair if I don't want the stop start to operate there's 2 easy ways...press demist or put a quarter turn on the wheel. Both should in most cars stop it.

 

[SB1500]

Both should in most cars stop it.

I can't remember but I'm sure the DS3 had a button to turn it off. The Avensis does.

The CLA had it, but it was like attached to the start button ... interesting that they put it right there, so that it could be pressed every start conveniently.. Don't pay no attention to anything else in the photo.. just more pointless novelty features you'd never find a use for .. .. ...

 

[StevenRB45]

I could switch it off....but given it works okay I see no reason. Doesn't drain the battery either given it has its own lithium pack rather than using the main battery.

However if for example you're at some lights and you can see another set across the way changing so don't want it to stop as you're about to go it can be handy to keep it running for a few seconds rather than off and on again. Yes, you could just leave the clutch down but the left leg can get a bit tired at the end of the day.

Tbf I'd not touch one of those mercs with a stick..given friend at work has had a GLA since April..it's been in the garage 8 times so far as it keeps going into limp mode where it won't go above 2nd gear..they've finally diagnosed a faulty fuel pump or maybe wiring or filter but want them to pay for diagnosis..and if it's wiring they aren't gonna cover it. #German perfection

 

[SB1500]

I could switch it off....but given it works okay I see no reason. Doesn't drain the battery either given it has its own lithium pack rather than using the main battery.

However if for example you're at some lights and you can see another set across the way changing so don't want it to stop as you're about to go it can be handy to keep it running for a few seconds rather than off and on again. Yes, you could just leave the clutch down but the left leg can get a bit tired at the end of the day.

Tbf I'd not touch one of those mercs with a stick..given friend at work has had a GLA since April..it's been in the garage 8 times so far as it keeps going into limp mode where it won't go above 2nd gear..they've finally diagnosed a faulty fuel pump or maybe wiring or filter but want them to pay for diagnosis..and if it's wiring they aren't gonna cover it. #German perfection

I’m not even surprised. When they work they’re quite something. But they break a lot. And I don’t know if it was a ‘CLA’ thing, being the lowest end coupe model they make, but the quality wasn’t all that either. Fair enough, it was rough plastic in the places that you’d not look or touch, but the leather was cheap and had a few tears and everything you touched, although it looked nice, creaked. More so than my Avensis, which never won any awards for its interior.

I’ve seen the sort of faults that ambient lighting system they have can throw as well… and I can’t see a big aftermarket of quality replacement parts except for the dealer.

I did find a new respect from my two months with that car, for German cars in general. But owning one.. I’m not sure. Half my enjoyment from it came from knowing it wasn’t really my problem. I got that extra £60 thing that covers any level of damage from Enteprise. The guy who handed it to me said “you could drive that car into the wall down there, and you’d be completely covered”. Sure enough, by the time I gave it back there was a tear in the leather, a massive crack down the windscreen and whatnot… all covered - thank god.

I don’t think I’d sleep at night if I owned something so complex and expensive and error prone.

And to be honest, 99% of the looks I got in it were clearly “what’s that little f****r doing in a brand new Mercedes”. I felt like I was some kind of spoilt brat the way people looked at me

 

[AndyRKett]

Tbf I'd not touch one of those mercs with a stick..given friend at work has had a GLA since April..it's been in the garage 8 times so far as it keeps going into limp mode where it won't go above 2nd gear..they've finally diagnosed a faulty fuel pump or maybe wiring or filter but want them to pay for diagnosis..and if it's wiring they aren't gonna cover it. #German perfection

So my brother had a GLC, £50k worth of car which was no end of trouble, just quickly skimmed back through his insta to find this as one example the pictures being posted in December 2018 when the car was just a year old

Now that all being said I would happily buy a G-wagon if I won the lottery, but I’d still not be surprised to have a £200k car with faults that’s just the MB way.

The A class is so people who can’t really afford an mercedes can feel special, most of them don’t get serviced properly, are looked after badly by owners who can’t afford the servicing bills and routine maintenance, then they have lots of faults… who would’ve thunk it!

To some degree my brothers GLC suffered a similar fate, until it was given back to the lease company

 

[portland_bill]

The joys of the job I suppose! Have you got the extra pedals fitted? I presume so, that must make the sense of safety a bit higher when you're in with nervous or forgetful learners?

All the AA cars of course had the dual controls fitted.

Now, I have my own 2015 Fabia, which has the duals fitted (brake and clutch), but they rarely get used, as I got tired of learners, so have none at present. Currently just do the fleet work, company car and van drivers, risk assessments, so just drive there and back, use their car, or van. Get to see a variety of different vehicles, from new, to quite old, and anythign from a 2006 Yaris, to a brand new Merc EQA, and lots in between. Now seeing quite a few Teslas, mostly Model3 (horrid), or worse, a Model Y, suspension so stiff I thought it was seized. Vans can be from a Citroen Berlingo to an extra-long wheelbase Sprinter or similar. Ranging from clean to very dirty indeed. Lots more fun than learners.

Something similar now that I'm used to the wonderful world of 'EPBs', is when I move my granny's Panda or my mums Mazda 2 for washing, I often take out the key (or with the Mazda, push the button) and expect it to be auto applied like the Avensis... until I feel the dread of the roll and the gentle bump off the curb.. Always draws the adrenaline.. Modern technology sure does breed laziness in my case!

Many early EPB cars did not apply the brake automatically, either at stop, or opening the door. Sprinter vans have caught quite a few supermarket drivers when the hill hold operates, they get out quite quickly, and it then lets go. New models all apply the EPB if the door is opened.
So never assume, and even if automatic, always check before alighting.

 

[SB1500]

Now seeing quite a few Teslas, mostly Model3 (horrid), or worse, a Model Y, suspension so stiff I thought it was seized.

From what I see regularly online, the Tesla battery care / efficiency engineering is second to none and generations ahead of anything else. But other than that, the quality / fit and finish appears to be on par with some of the worst mass produced makers like Hyundai / Kia when they try to push the boat out with their premium brands or higher trim levels.. I wouldn't go as far to say Chinese bad (as these have rust bubbles as early as at car shows..) but pretty poor. Around 2016 I remember reading how they weren't using the right kinds of interior plastics / leathers suited for cars but have apparently nabbed a few ex GM and similar interior designers / engineers since then.

Surprisingly, quite a few about here in NI but only one dealership in Belfast. Had some fast chargers for years too.

Yesterday in a nearby shopping centre, they had one on a pedestal and a test drive centre. I was going to get one just out of curiosity but it appeared unmanned.. Had a little bit of fun on Photoshop with it though... just thinking, my old 05 Panda would be a much better edit but it's too small to realistically edit out the Tesla from behind.. My brother captioned it "Tesla: Model WHY?" hahaha

 

[The Panda Nut]

So my brother had a GLC, £50k worth of car which was no end of trouble, just quickly skimmed back through his insta to find this as one example the pictures being posted in December 2018 when the car was just a year old View attachment 434179
View attachment 434178
Now that all being said I would happily buy a G-wagon if I won the lottery, but I’d still not be surprised to have a £200k car with faults that’s just the MB way.

The A class is so people who can’t really afford an mercedes can feel special, most of them don’t get serviced properly, are looked after badly by owners who can’t afford the servicing bills and routine maintenance, then they have lots of faults… who would’ve thunk it!

To some degree my brothers GLC suffered a similar fate, until it was given back to the lease company

My son had a GLC too. It was a lease job so he had a loan car for the time it was off the road. Some weird problem that requireda lot of dismantling to repair it. He loved the internal quality but I wonder if he would buy aother Merc after his experience. At least his contracted miles were well below the agreed so it was not painful at the end.

 

[The Panda Nut]

From what I see regularly online, the Tesla battery care / efficiency engineering is second to none and generations ahead of anything else. But other than that, the quality / fit and finish appears to be on par with some of the worst mass produced makers like Hyundai / Kia when they try to push the boat out with their premium brands or higher trim levels.. I wouldn't go as far to say Chinese bad (as these have rust bubbles as early as at car shows..) but pretty poor. Around 2016 I remember reading how they weren't using the right kinds of interior plastics / leathers suited for cars but have apparently nabbed a few ex GM and similar interior designers / engineers since then.

Surprisingly, quite a few about here in NI but only one dealership in Belfast. Had some fast chargers for years too.

Yesterday in a nearby shopping centre, they had one on a pedestal and a test drive centre. I was going to get one just out of curiosity but it appeared unmanned.. Had a little bit of fun on Photoshop with it though... just thinking, my old 05 Panda would be a much better edit but it's too small to realistically edit out the Tesla from behind.. My brother captioned it "Tesla: Model WHY?" hahaha

I think your being very hard on Hyundai and Kia. Had Hyndais as company cars and found the build to be pretty good. Well up to Ford and Vauxhall and not a lot different to VW. But I agree having ridden in a Tesla it seemed pretty cheaply put together. Battery tech still seems to be up front. My boy has a top Audi electric thing. Hes had it a couple of years and it looks great and has been reliable as far as I know. Its a shame he doesnt keep, the things long enough to see what the longer term reliability might be. Interesting to hear he would like a bit more range to get the whole journey done before a rechage is required. In the states charging is clearly not the issue it is in places here. but he would like 300 miles range. Thats my personal ideal too although most of the time half that would be OK for a retiree.

 

[The Panda Nut]

All the AA cars of course had the dual controls fitted.

Now, I have my own 2015 Fabia, which has the duals fitted (brake and clutch), but they rarely get used, as I got tired of learners, so have none at present. Currently just do the fleet work, company car and van drivers, risk assessments, so just drive there and back, use their car, or van. Get to see a variety of different vehicles, from new, to quite old, and anythign from a 2006 Yaris, to a brand new Merc EQA, and lots in between. Now seeing quite a few Teslas, mostly Model3 (horrid), or worse, a Model Y, suspension so stiff I thought it was seized. Vans can be from a Citroen Berlingo to an extra-long wheelbase Sprinter or similar. Ranging from clean to very dirty indeed. Lots more fun than learners.

Many early EPB cars did not apply the brake automatically, either at stop, or opening the door. Sprinter vans have caught quite a few supermarket drivers when the hill hold operates, they get out quite quickly, and it then lets go. New models all apply the EPB if the door is opened.
So never assume, and even if automatic, always check before alighting.

Extremely good advice.

 

[SB1500]

I think your being very hard on Hyundai and Kia. Had Hyndais as company cars and found the build to be pretty good. Well up to Ford and Vauxhall and not a lot different to VW. But I agree having ridden in a Tesla it seemed pretty cheaply put together. Battery tech still seems to be up front. My boy has a top Audi electric thing. Hes had it a couple of years and it looks great and has been reliable as far as I know. Its a shame he doesnt keep, the things long enough to see what the longer term reliability might be. Interesting to hear he would like a bit more range to get the whole journey done before a rechage is required. In the states charging is clearly not the issue it is in places here. but he would like 300 miles range. Thats my personal ideal too although most of the time half thst would be OK for a retiree.

Perhaps. I am going by a very small personal account of a friend whose had two modern fairly high spec ones and in his case it’s been absolutely dreadful and from what I can tell, from Hyundai not really being able to produce a robust hot hatch engine. Then their customer service and policies such as charging £125 for a look into any potential warranty claims etc. but I will accept that that doesn’t make it a bad company, that’s just why I’m not a big fan of them. We have a relative who has an older i30 and she says it’s the best car she ever owned. Although tbf, she was the one who gave the Corsa to my cousin discussed above - a car famous for every child in the family vomiting in at one stage haha They sell well and owners seem to like em, didn’t mean any disrespect of course.

Those new electric Audis are decked out with tech. Is it the one shared with an electric Porsche? I’ve seen a few of those around here and it very much looks like a Porsche with the rear roof shape / rear window shape.

With Tesla, It’s just going to take any of the big players be it GM / VW / Toyota to crack or meet Tesla’s ev efficiency and then they’ll automatically be in a better position with typically over 100 years of expertise in building top quality cars in every other way.

Must admit, for the anti EV feelings I hold, this very discussion has had me realising that for me personally perhaps even todays range on most EVs is plenty and more practical than I gave it credit. It’s more the mental principle of paying more / having less ‘freedom’. But ultimately in practice it probably won’t matter

 

[The Panda Nut]

Perhaps. I am going by a very small personal account of a friend whose had two modern fairly high spec ones and in his case it’s been absolutely dreadful and from what I can tell, from Hyundai not really being able to produce a robust hot hatch engine. Then their customer service and policies such as charging £125 for a look into any potential warranty claims etc. but I will accept that that doesn’t make it a bad company, that’s just why I’m not a big fan of them. We have a relative who has an older i30 and she says it’s the best car she ever owned. Although tbf, she was the one who gave the Corsa to my cousin discussed above - a car famous for every child in the family vomiting in at one stage haha They sell well and owners seem to like em, didn’t mean any disrespect of course.

Those new electric Audis are decked out with tech. Is it the one shared with an electric Porsche? I’ve seen a few of those around here and it very much looks like a Porsche with the rear roof shape / rear window shape.

With Tesla, It’s just going to take any of the big players be it GM / VW / Toyota to crack or meet Tesla’s ev efficiency and then they’ll automatically be in a better position with typically over 100 years of expertise in building top quality cars in every other way.

Must admit, for the anti EV feelings I hold, this very discussion has had me realising that for me personally perhaps even todays range on most EVs is plenty and more practical than I gave it credit. It’s more the mental principle of paying more / having less ‘freedom’. But ultimately in practice it probably won’t matter

Perhaps. I am going by a very small personal account of a friend whose had two modern fairly high spec ones and in his case it’s been absolutely dreadful and from what I can tell, from Hyundai not really being able to produce a robust hot hatch engine. Then their customer service and policies such as charging £125 for a look into any potential warranty claims etc. but I will accept that that doesn’t make it a bad company, that’s just why I’m not a big fan of them. We have a relative who has an older i30 and she says it’s the best car she ever owned. Although tbf, she was the one who gave the Corsa to my cousin discussed above - a car famous for every child in the family vomiting in at one stage haha They sell well and owners seem to like em, didn’t mean any disrespect of course.

Those new electric Audis are decked out with tech. Is it the one shared with an electric Porsche? I’ve seen a few of those around here and it very much looks like a Porsche with the rear roof shape / rear window shape.

With Tesla, It’s just going to take any of the big players be it GM / VW / Toyota to crack or meet Tesla’s ev efficiency and then they’ll automatically be in a better position with typically over 100 years of expertise in building top quality cars in every other way.

Must admit, for the anti EV feelings I hold, this very discussion has had me realising that for me personally perhaps even todays range on most EVs is plenty and more practical than I gave it credit. It’s more the mental principle of paying more / having less ‘freedom’. But ultimately in practice it probably won’t matter

The Audi is and eTron Coupe I think. Ive not been over to see it but it looks really swish in photos. Hes just found out the other drawback of electric cars prodigious torque too. New tyres all round needed at quite low milage. I think his Mrs has a heavy right foot, He had a 3.0 diesel Q5 a while back and I swear she had all 4 wheels spinning at one point. That car was a beast. I wouldnt want to pay for the tyres thats for sure. Panda tyres are far to expensive for me. If you have your own charging point its most of the battle. I just think they are all motorised washing machines but that with almost no actual experience so we share the same fears and prejudices. I suppose if it gets you from A to be reliably and safely and preferably in comfort that will surely do.
I dont like the sound of the Hyundai after sales service, I never really needed it with the two I had but any charges for warranty work are unacceptable..
My local garage man was discussing EVs and talking of the minimum of an hours work to do anything at all as to run diagnostocs you have to do safety things before even touching the car. It has to be disconnected and left to go safe so there is no more Ive got a problem please get me mobile now pleas any more. People are apparently really unpleasant about this too. I cant see manitenance being less than an old ICE car at any stage.

 

[SB1500]

The Audi is and eTron Coupe I think. Ive not been over to see it but it looks really swish in photos. Hes just found out the other drawback of electric cars prodigious torque too. New tyres all round needed at quite low milage. I think his Mrs has a heavy right foot, He had a 3.0 diesel Q5 a while back and I swear she had all 4 wheels spinning at one point. That car was a beast. I wouldnt want to pay for the tyres thats for sure. Panda tyres are far to expensive for me. If you have your own charging point its most of the battle. I just think they are all motorised washing machines but that with almost no actual experience so we share the same fears and prejudices. I suppose if it gets you from A to be reliably and safely and preferably in comfort that will surely do.
I dont like the sound of the Hyundai after sales service, I never really needed it with the two I had but any charges for warranty work are unacceptable..
My local garage man was discussing EVs and talking of the minimum of an hours work to do anything at all as to run diagnostocs you have to do safety things before even touching the car. It has to be disconnected and left to go safe so there is no more Ive got a problem please get me mobile now pleas any more. People are apparently really unpleasant about this too. I cant see manitenance being less than an old ICE car at any stage.

It’ll probably be quite different. We’re mostly with ICE, heavy metal parts. Little non dangerous electric sensor plugs. And some isolated heavy electrical parts; battery, ECU, things like that. Safe enough. I don’t suppose there will ever be a way to have all of the EV guts inside sealed modular units since they’re all so simple in principle and all space is seen as valuable to fit it into. Definitely a lot less do it at home work.

I suppose wiper fluid, brakes, maybe coolants… replacing of things like suspension components knowledge will all be the same. So our knowledge as DIY car repairers won’t go totally out the window.. no more oil changes. Probably multiple filters? Air conditioning is probably the same? Interior / trim and seat electrics.. radio / ICU stuff probably fairly familiar. All but the deepest engine work.

Tyres are a good point. Are Michelin and the likes still making EV specific tyres? I remember seeing that as a thing. More suited to the instant power.

I am getting curious as to what the full EV Panda 4x4 will look like; and if we’ll ever get something akin to the 100hp again by means of a software reconfiguration and bigger motor instead of a remap and a bigger turbo as in the past. All that being said, I suppose the only thing we do know it that it won’t be a ‘real’ Fiat :-(

 

[portland_bill]

From what I see regularly online, the Tesla battery care / efficiency engineering is second to none and generations ahead of anything else. But other than that, the quality / fit and finish appears to be on par with some of the worst mass produced makers like Hyundai / Kia when they try to push the boat out with their premium brands or higher trim levels.. I wouldn't go as far to say Chinese bad (as these have rust bubbles as early as at car shows..) but pretty poor. Around 2016 I remember reading how they weren't using the right kinds of interior plastics / leathers suited for cars but have apparently nabbed a few ex GM and similar interior designers / engineers since then.

The shut lines and general body assembly is good, although paint is often lacking, not in finish, but in actual paint not there, door shuts and under the sills. The fit of the interior was very poor, worse than 1960s BMC, btu they are improving, although still not as good as the earliest Kia/Hyundai.

Surprisingly, quite a few about here in NI but only one dealership in Belfast. Had some fast chargers for years too.

Tesla own all their outlets, no dealers, so not many, and you have to travel to them! Then they keep your car for long periods, firstly because they have a long queue, secondly because repairs take longer than we are used to, and thirdly, spare parts supply is poor.

It’ll probably be quite different. We’re mostly with ICE, heavy metal parts. Little non dangerous electric sensor plugs. And some isolated heavy electrical parts; battery, ECU, things like that. Safe enough. I don’t suppose there will ever be a way to have all of the EV guts inside sealed modular units since they’re all so simple in principle and all space is seen as valuable to fit it into. Definitely a lot less do it at home work.

The running gear is similar of course, but heavier duty. Brakes get less use, due to the regenerative braking.

I suppose wiper fluid, brakes, maybe coolants… replacing of things like suspension components knowledge will all be the same. So our knowledge as DIY car repairers won’t go totally out the window.. no more oil changes. Probably multiple filters? Air conditioning is probably the same? Interior / trim and seat electrics.. radio / ICU stuff probably fairly familiar. All but the deepest engine work.

The electric system has a cooling system, which can also be used on some EVs for interior heat. I think Tesla, and many other EVs use a 'heat pump' system for interior heating and cooling, reversing the process as required, so effectively an aircon system, but a little more specialised than a normal ICE car.

Tyres are a good point. Are Michelin and the likes still making EV specific tyres? I remember seeing that as a thing. More suited to the instant power.

The tyres are still specialist, for the weight as well as the power. They mostly don't last as long, and cost a fortune.
Was with a guy on Wednesday, running a Cupra Forementor (semi-SUV). He got a puncture last week, so had to wait for recovery, as no spare, then a new tyre was just under £200. That's a whole set of good ones for the Panda.

 

[bugsymike]

Nothing I read about EVs, apart from the performance aspect makes me feel the need to want to run one long term and re the performance, if you want to keep your license, using more than a 1/4 of the go pedal would be out of the question.
Also if you take from production to scrapping overall, some of the environmental aspects are open to question and they are hardly cheap to buy for the average motorist.
I appreciate the need to go green, but low 0-60 figures and high top speeds seem to be the main sales tactic.

 

[StevenRB45]

The tyres are still specialist, for the weight as well as the power. They mostly don't last as long, and cost a fortune.
Was with a guy on Wednesday, running a Cupra Forementor (semi-SUV). He got a puncture last week, so had to wait for recovery, as no spare, then a new tyre was just under £200. That's a whole set of good ones for the Panda.

This is hardly an EV specific issue...the Formentor is a Golf R in a fat suit if memory serves and not electric. It's more of an OEs fit stupid tyre sizes issue, some of us check the tyre size a car uses before buying it...most don't.

The lack of spare wheels in modern cars absolutely does my head in having been caught out by it in a courtesy car and trying to find one with even an option in any car is getting harder.

Nothing I read about EVs, apart from the performance aspect makes me feel the need to want to run one long term and re the performance, if you want to keep your license, using more than a 1/4 of the go pedal would be out of the question.
Also if you take from production to scrapping overall, some of the environmental aspects are open to question and they are hardly cheap to buy for the average motorist.
I appreciate the need to go green, but low 0-60 figures and high top speeds seem to be the main sales tactic.

In the subject of this threadish... Stellantis haven't gone that way..and other manufacturers are also doing more sensible options. Yes the headlines in the market are still made by monstrosities such as the 845bhp Tesla cybertruck but there are more and more real cars either being released or in development and they are getting cheaper.

For me having a car that I can just stick on charge at the back of the house or maybe front (not decided) and that I don't care about doing a few mile trips on and can just commute in without it feeling abusive.

Not every drive is an enthusiasts dream..and for the 98% of driving that's just slowly following the car I front and going somewhere you'd rather not be through a heavily policed road network they are better than what we have now.

I've got no desire to keep faffing on with wet belts, turbos, stop start, inlet valve cleans and the like...so I'd happily bin the lot.

 

[SB1500]

This is hardly an EV specific issue..

If the big tyre makers are coming out with EV specific tyres, I’d wager there’s definitely a technical characteristic of EVs that warrants these tyres are designed to perform with things like the power delivery / weights.

Same way that heavy cars have reinforced tyres options and sporty cars have softer / flatter designs to cope with their characteristics.

 

[StevenRB45]

If the big tyre makers are coming out with EV specific tyres, I’d wager there’s definitely a technical characteristic of EVs that warrants these tyres are designed to perform with things like the power delivery / weights.

Same way that heavy cars have reinforced tyres options and sporty cars have softer / flatter designs to cope with their characteristics.

I ran over a nail in the garages C3 a few years ago...I opened the boot to find a can of foam and a compressor whereas our older car has a wheel and jack.

I had to make a choice which ended up being "run it down the road to the garage and hope I don't destroy the tyre on the air that's left". Thankfully it paid off.

If I'd used the puncture repair kit, I'd have destroyed the tyre...which for the sake of completeness cost 170 quid...for a 16 because it was a low resistance Michelin, literally twice the price of the Goodyear all seasons on our car.

Last time I checked...my car isn't an EV and it doesn't weigh 2 tonnes or have 1000bhp.

 

[SB1500]

I ran over a nail in the garages C3 a few years ago...I opened the boot to find a can of foam and a compressor whereas our older car has a wheel and jack.

I had to make a choice which ended up being "run it down the road to the garage and hope I don't destroy the tyre on the air that's left". Thankfully it paid off.

If I'd used the puncture repair kit, I'd have destroyed the tyre...which for the sake of completeness cost 170 quid...for a 16 because it was a low resistance Michelin, literally twice the price of the Goodyear all seasons on our car.

Last time I checked...my car isn't an EV and it doesn't weigh 2 tonnes or have 1000bhp.

Michelin have a section explaining the differences of EV specific tyres.

How to choose the right tyres electric cars | Michelin

Choosing the right tyres for an electric car is important for its efficiency. Whether your vehicle is an electric city car or an electric sports car, Michelin offers you the best options according to your expectations and your choice of vehicle.

www.michelin.co.uk

I bought £150 a wheel tyres for my car which tick a lot of boxes that strictly speaking aren’t necessary but being Michelin they (allegedly) will last longer, wear down in a way that preserves the safety and have also (allegedly) a tonne of R&D put into them to keep them smooth and quiet compared to the many, many no name or discount brands for half that per wheel available. I wouldn’t tell anybody they need to buy fancy tyres - the fuel efficiency in ICE rarely even makes a dent compared to the extra cost of the tyres initially anyway.

I suppose it’s like you can buy your coat from Primark or Barbour. Nothing wrong with the Primark one if you don’t care and like how it looks / feels. But if you want to stay dry in a storm the Barbour is arguably worth the money.

That’s how I look at it.

Michelin says you don’t need the EV tyres but they do cater for the power delivery profile of an EV and with difference to the range in mind. Whether it’s any more fruitful than ICE fuel efficiency from low resistance tyres.. I’m not sure

 

[StevenRB45]

There's been OE fit tyres pretty much as long as there have been tyres..looks at "metric" tyres in the 80s. They were fiendishly expensive...so people didn't fit them, tended to change to a different standard size.

At the end of the day even an insignia takes 100 rated tyre, that 800kg per corner, hell even my 1075kg car is on tyres that will take 670kg per tyre and it's not the extra load option. There's plenty of headroom in standard tyres.

Big wheels and tyres with no spare are a pain the arse...and have been since long before the ev switch was a thing.