Consumer Reports Confirms EV Owners Spend Half As Much On Maintenance

[Rob Kramer + 696]

On 10/4/2020 at 8:07 PM, Rob Kramer said:

 so just going through easier to argue dealership costs :750$ winter tires +650$ summer tire replacement,  +300$ water pump and coolant, +27x60$=1620$ oil changes, +headlights 120$ = 3440$ +25% for premium parts= 4300$ +13% tax =4860$ +alignment 140$ =5000$ +spark plugs  8x24= 192$+ 1hr@108$= 300$ = 5300$ total. What else can we squeak out. I mean we could rebuild the front end but most stuff would have had first set under warranty.  700$ 4 wheel break job w/fluid flush +100$= 6100$ (pwr steering is electric cannot be flushed) Serpentine belt+ 75$ + half hr install 54$=140$ total 6240$ +trans flush 290$ = 6530$ +Rear diff fluid 150$ . Say 4wd center + front diff 150$ =+450$=7000$ 

Here I edited my earlier statement to show what I was trying to say more clearly. This is the dealership costs to get a 4wd dodge charger from 0 to 100,000miles. And ready for another 60,000 (at least) with nothing but oil changes. 7000$ without bulk order of parts and a fleet mechanic or discounted rates from shops that bid for large contracts. 

Originally I started by trying to compair costs on a different vehicle (my own) at bulk (normal) costs. 

The list above is everything in between 100k mi. Even things at 100k mi. Probably could add engine and cabin air filters but 10 (one per 20k mi of each) would add 200$ still a very reasonable figure.

[ronwagn + 6,290]

On 10/4/2020 at 7:24 PM, Rob Kramer said:

Ya I agree I'm making a dealership list more or less. I dont live in a dusty area I've never changed my air filter . Also your spark plugs I'd do them takes no time rock auto the parts at like 6$ and save your 80$/each coil . Also most engines are timing chains now . Lifetime with good oil .

I'm a liscened auto tech . It's like a saftey list or what I'd do if I bought a car at 160,000km 

My very old Dodge Van never had the coolant changed. It was about twenty years old before it got totaled by my son in law. No problemo even in our coldest weather. I wonder how many billions are spent on coolant changes that aren't needed. 

[Rob Kramer + 696]

15 hours ago, ronwagn said:

My very old Dodge Van never had the coolant changed. It was about twenty years old before it got totaled by my son in law. No problemo even in our coldest weather. I wonder how many billions are spent on coolant changes that aren't needed. 

Ya the "Long life" stuff is 5yr /150km but you can easily stretch that. I do it because most cars are a drain plug at the bottom and a fill cap at the top. 30 mins and 30$ max in coolant. If it has water pump lubrication properties and if it prevents corrosion it's cheap insurance.  Most people just get scared to burp the air out and therefor do the dealership and pay big bucks. Same thing with 4wd differentials if you buy the fluid + a pump you can do both and the transfer case for 100$ with synthetic.  But many people never do it. Theres a large difference in people who hop in and floor a cold vehicle (possibly a pickup with a trailer) vs thoes that warm up and accelerate slowly.  Patient vs impatient people. It's funny because the patient people are the over service people and the other group is fix it after it breaks . Just what I've seen.

[ronwagn + 6,290]

6 hours ago, Rob Kramer said:

Ya the "Long life" stuff is 5yr /150km but you can easily stretch that. I do it because most cars are a drain plug at the bottom and a fill cap at the top. 30 mins and 30$ max in coolant. If it has water pump lubrication properties and if it prevents corrosion it's cheap insurance.  Most people just get scared to burp the air out and therefor do the dealership and pay big bucks. Same thing with 4wd differentials if you buy the fluid + a pump you can do both and the transfer case for 100$ with synthetic.  But many people never do it. Theres a large difference in people who hop in and floor a cold vehicle (possibly a pickup with a trailer) vs thoes that warm up and accelerate slowly.  Patient vs impatient people. It's funny because the patient people are the over service people and the other group is fix it after it breaks . Just what I've seen.

Now that you mention the burping, aren't you supposed to just run the engine and add a little more if needed? That is a flash from the past. Someone like you ought to write a short e-book on what is really needed and what the manuals and dealerships say is needed. 

[Rob Kramer + 696]

27 minutes ago, ronwagn said:

Now that you mention the burping, aren't you supposed to just run the engine and add a little more if needed? That is a flash from the past. Someone like you ought to write a short e-book on what is really needed and what the manuals and dealerships say is needed. 

Most manufacturers are competing for lowest service costs. The one dealership I worked at actually made their own pamphlets with their logo and told customers it was OEM but youd never be able to find the same recommendations on the OEM website. That place was a stealership and not because the OEM brand. 

But ya techs use a bucket with a neck and adapter to all rad caps . So it essentially makes the highest point the bucket and air pockets float to to the top and coolant falls down then the bucket has a tap to close when the air pockets are all out of the system / it's full. A DIY easy way is to set vents to - all + full heat (to open heater core valve)  then idle till hot without the rad cap then you can rev to 2000 rpm to add flow through the WP to push air pockets (once hot and t stat is open) then fill while running and put the cap on . The system uses 15psi so if air is in the system it will lift the rad cap and push out the excess or air and suck in coolant.  So it is a self balancing system.  If your really nervous idle up to temp then bogey around a corner or up a hill and the air pocket should move through till highest point .then when cold open  cap and check if full. If on full heat its nearly burning your hand in the summer it's good.  

Most important is probably brake services (but there normally too expensive at a dealership) and oil changes. Everything else should be ok for 120k at a time on the safe side probably 150k .

Air filters are funny they do get dirty but never to the point you cant accelerate. If you have a 2L and can rev it up to 5000rpm that's 2500intake stokes of 2L of air per minute so 5000L of air more or less. So at highway speeds 2000 rpm is 1000 × 2L = 2000L of air . So if it can move 5000L chances are 2000L is easy and it only adds fuel per air so it doesnt change the fuel ratio. Really only effects high rpm volumetric efficiency (percentage of air able to enter the cylinder in the given time so almost 100% till 4000rpm or more than 100% for turbocharged engines) something the average consumer would never notice. Only once ever seen a vehicle -sprinter van- have issues under load the filter would collapse under turbo pulling air. 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

On 10/6/2020 at 11:32 AM, Rob Kramer said:

Your liable for doing his homework.  That way if you come to a different conclusion he can say you didnt dig deep enough or do it correctly.  Same old strategy apply homework . 

My honest opinion on this police interceptor topic is price doesnt matter. It's cheaper to have zero police but we would rather pay and have order then not. So whatever car fits the type of use best should be used. Theres helicopters interceptors, suvs , radar stations ect use what's needed. Finding 1k between vehicles means nothing and to convert an entire department due to one metic would be dumb. My earlier post showed how 8k$? Can get a car to 200k miles . Without buying in bulk and having a fleet mechanic.  At 80k a year for some on the force if one person not pulling their weight is equal to 10 vehicles repair costs.... efficiency has to be across the board and mabey a more efficient use of money would be to have un used military people serve as cops. To serve and protect is a broad mandate that sometime is fulfilled in presence. 

I think that we should have a lot of Tesla automated driving police cars with nobody in them. Just dark windows and lots of scary looking equipment a robot microphone and loud speakers. Let one cop run control five of them around town and see what he can find. I bet you could stop more crime that way. 

If I really had my way, I would mount guns on the cars to protect them, but our left wing judicial system would not go along with that. Property does not deserve protection from criminals, as far as those judges are concerned. 

Maybe Amy Coney Barrett would approve of ROBO COP CARS. 

[Rob Kramer + 696]

3 minutes ago, ronwagn said:

I think that we should have a lot of Tesla automated driving police cars with nobody in them. Just dark windows and lots of scary looking equipment a robot microphone and loud speakers. Let one cop run control five of them around town and see what he can find. I bet you could stop more crime that way. 

If I really had my way, I would mount guns on the cars to protect them, but our left wing judicial system would not go along with that. Property does not deserve protection from criminals, as far as those judges are concerned. 

Maybe Amy Coney Barrett would approve of ROBO COP CARS. 

Relatively free surveillance.  We have 3 lane hi ways and people fly on them you could use radars and cameras and have them in the middle lane and do mobile traffic cams and ticketing.  

Investment of 70k per car as a fleet that can last years would increase presence at lower costs than a cop on radar gun and those cops can do other work . 

Edited October 8, 2020 by Rob Kramer

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

46 minutes ago, ronwagn said:

Someone like you ought to write a short e-book on what is really needed and what the manuals and dealerships say is needed. 

If it is a Toyota just run it until it dies.

I take care of my Yaris, but my Tercel and my Nissan Sentra I did nothing but put gas into them for years (both well over 300,000Km).

They both still ran the day I gave them away.  Tercel was falling apart rusty,  Sentra needed tires badly and I just wanted a new car.

[ronwagn + 6,290]

4 minutes ago, Rob Kramer said:

Relatively free surveillance.  We have 3 lane hi ways and people fly on them you could use radars and cameras and have them in the middle lane and do mobile traffic cams and ticketing.  

True Rob. We have no privacy now. Your cellphone, computer, and numerous new household items can now spy on you. Your car can spy on you and possibly be controlled remotely. Your conversations and cell phones can be spied on by law enforcement. Unless you go bare and use burner phones, no credit cards, stay away from cameras, or wear a good disguise you are easy to monitor and find. Getting easier every day. Congress renewed the permissions to spy on people by one vote. People don't seem to care much. I guess we will become like China on privacy. I have cameras monitoring my home and realize they could be hacked. 

My privacy topic: https://docs.google.com/document/d/180xMs2bPaqtbPGo0HHRzhO1U6lsED1XEvO9R_tX3BqE/edit

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

2 minutes ago, ronwagn said:

True Rob. We have no privacy now. Your cellphone, computer, and numerous new household items can now spy on you. Your car can spy on you and possibly be controlled remotely. Your conversations and cell phones can be spied on by law enforcement. Unless you go bare and use burner phones, no credit cards, stay away from cameras, or wear a good disguise you are easy to monitor and find. Getting easier every day. Congress renewed the permissions to spy on people by one vote. People don't seem to care much. I guess we will become like China on privacy. I have cameras monitoring my home and realize they could be hacked. 

My privacy topic: https://docs.google.com/document/d/180xMs2bPaqtbPGo0HHRzhO1U6lsED1XEvO9R_tX3BqE/edit

Privacy is long, long gone.  Anyone who thinks they have any is laughable.

Thankfully essentially everything normal people do is boring.  If google can determine how often I poop I really don't care.  What are they going to do with that?  Show me an advertisement for hemorrhoid cream, toilet paper or prostate pills?

 

 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

1 minute ago, Enthalpic said:

If it is a Toyota just run it until it dies.

I take care of my Yaris, but my Tercel and my Nissan Sentra I did nothing but put gas into them for years (both well over 300,000Km).

They both still ran the day I gave them away.  Tercel was falling apart rusty,  Sentra needed tires badly and I just wanted a new car.

I had two Sentras. One was a neat looking fastback, the other was just an econocar. I like their new styling, but also the Honda. Our one Toyota was a Starlet. It was an econobox but great. I rolled it over on black ice and ruined the top. I gave it to one of my daughters. My favorite is my Nissan NV3500. It is huge and was only $40,400. It is the most space you can get for the money. You could live in it, the cargo high top version would be best for that though. It can tow 7,500 pounds with the V8 engine. I hope it lasts as long as I do or can use it. 

[Rob Kramer + 696]

41 minutes ago, Enthalpic said:

If it is a Toyota just run it until it dies.

I take care of my Yaris, but my Tercel and my Nissan Sentra I did nothing but put gas into them for years (both well over 300,000Km).

They both still ran the day I gave them away.  Tercel was falling apart rusty,  Sentra needed tires badly and I just wanted a new car.

Toyota cars are the best . Great to work on also. 

[Rob Kramer + 696]

42 minutes ago, ronwagn said:

True Rob. We have no privacy now. Your cellphone, computer, and numerous new household items can now spy on you. Your car can spy on you and possibly be controlled remotely. Your conversations and cell phones can be spied on by law enforcement. Unless you go bare and use burner phones, no credit cards, stay away from cameras, or wear a good disguise you are easy to monitor and find. Getting easier every day. Congress renewed the permissions to spy on people by one vote. People don't seem to care much. I guess we will become like China on privacy. I have cameras monitoring my home and realize they could be hacked. 

My privacy topic: https://docs.google.com/document/d/180xMs2bPaqtbPGo0HHRzhO1U6lsED1XEvO9R_tX3BqE/edit

They could now link phones and cars and therefor limit speeds (to legal limits) based on GPS. Hard to say you needed to go 80 in a 50 on a  public road . The argument of using a vehicle off road can be removed. Therefor speed limiter could remove police presence in radar points

[ronwagn + 6,290]

18 minutes ago, Rob Kramer said:

Toyota cars are the best . Great to work on also. 

I have heard that but always looked for the best warranty. Wondered why Toyota didn't match them. 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

4 hours ago, ronwagn said:

I think that we should have a lot of Tesla automated driving police cars with nobody in them. Just dark windows and lots of scary looking equipment a robot microphone and loud speakers. Let one cop run control five of them around town and see what he can find. I bet you could stop more crime that way. 

If I really had my way, I would mount guns on the cars to protect them, but our left wing judicial system would not go along with that. Property does not deserve protection from criminals, as far as those judges are concerned. 

Maybe Amy Coney Barrett would approve of ROBO COP CARS. 

Ron in his mini-van.

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,554]

48 minutes ago, Dan Warnick said:

Ron in his mini-van.

Nope passe at best...meet robo cop 2021.....

 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

1 hour ago, Dan Warnick said:

Ron in his mini-van.

Al Qaeda etc did pretty well in their mini trucks. 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

40 minutes ago, Eyes Wide Open said:

Nope passe at best...meet robo cop 2021.....

 

That is pretty scary. It would be easy to rig up at low expense with a lethal caliber. The gun should look like Dan's cameras though. 

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

11 hours ago, ronwagn said:

That is pretty scary. It would be easy to rig up at low expense with a lethal caliber. The gun should look like Dan's cameras though. 

That drone would never get off the ground. Looks good with photoshopping but aerodynamics begs to differ

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,554]

2 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

That drone would never get off the ground. Looks good with photoshopping but aerodynamics begs to differ

Actually it is a working model made for Turkey. One can Google the matter...much has been done with gun materials and recoil...we live in a new world.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a30212669/turkey-machine-gun-drone/

Edited October 9, 2020 by Eyes Wide Open

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

Notice how this drone looks nothing like the drone above. Much heavier duty, more rotors and the gun is considerably smaller with no ammo belt. 

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,554]

2 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

Notice how this drone looks nothing like the drone above. Much heavier duty, more rotors and the gun is considerably smaller with no ammo belt. 

Yes I got that, have a look at 

Full Glock Auto 100 round clip

I'm on the coast with a cell only, otherwise would most certainty paste a hyperlink. 

[NickW + 2,714]

On 10/8/2020 at 11:36 PM, Rob Kramer said:

Toyota cars are the best . Great to work on also. 

I keep trying to drill this into my wifes mind when she keeps talking about buying some piece of German shyte. 

They never go wrong (touch wood) 

[NickW + 2,714]

On 10/9/2020 at 4:55 AM, ronwagn said:

Al Qaeda etc did pretty well in their mini trucks. 

Always made me wonder why we ( USA, Uk etc)  needed to be flying $100m aircraft to take them out. 

[Eyes Wide Open + 3,554]

3 hours ago, NickW said:

Always made me wonder why we ( USA, Uk etc)  needed to be flying $100m aircraft to take them out. 

Actually that is rather a profound question. A bit like this thread in a sense.

Imagine if you would any sovereign nation used a modern jet to its full potential. Why we engage in conflicts is beyond me, it's disturbing to any critical thought. If a nations need a war to resolve polictal differences both sides should understand war and not some game of tactical social distortion.

Playing war game's with toys is appalling speaking for myself.