The future of electric vehicle maintenance

eddie49 · 2026-02-15T21:31:58+0000

Beanwood said:
I was just thinking today about an older Electric van as a local run-around

Depends how many miles your typical "run around" is.
I have a 2016 Citroen e-Berlingo with a 22.5kWh battery, which gives 80 miles range in Summer. I charge it overnight at home for about 9p per kWh, but it also has the option of public Rapid charging in 20 or 30 minutes.
After fixing the failed transmission splined coupling sleeve that it had when I bought it, it has been reliable and is a pleasure to drive.

Beanwood · 2026-02-15T21:40:24+0000

eddie49 said:
Depends how many miles your typical "run around" is.
I have a 2016 Citroen e-Berlingo with a 22.5kWh battery, which gives 80 miles range in Summer. I charge it overnight at home for about 9p per kWh, but it also has the option of public Rapid charging in 20 or 30 minutes.
After fixing the failed transmission splined coupling sleeve that it had when I bought it, it has been reliable and is a pleasure to drive.

Yes - this is REAL local stuff - maybe 10 miles each way. Happy to keep the diesels for longer distances

Kayos · 2026-02-15T22:18:14+0000

premmington said:
I seen photos of this - big electric plant tethered to diesel big gensets - the size of lorrys

Worked on a job, we were promised 2 x 600a 3 phase connections so our contractor organised electric gear

When we arrived their was one 63a supply so we had diesel gensets and cables all over the place

Worst of both worlds

premmington · 2026-02-15T22:34:06+0000

Kayos said:
Worked on a job, we were promised 2 x 600a 3 phase connections so our contractor organised electric gear

When we arrived their was one 63a supply so we had diesel gensets and cables all over the place

Worst of both worlds

I watched some lads with an electric pilling rig and concrete pump - real wet site - yellow mud everywhere - cables/pipes in it - awful mess...

Lads were covered in it.

GRW · 2026-02-15T23:08:38+0000

Where I work a guy came in a few weeks ago to drop off a cyl head from a Dealer for some work.
While there he mentioned he carted Parts for them between the various Dealerships (several different Brands - same Company).... & that he had a headlight in the van for a 1-month-old VW SUV thing (think it's whatever succeeded the Tuareg - a T-Roc maybe? Damned silly name).

Guess the priest he said. I guessed something ridiculous being a modern car - so I said "£500-£600?".
Nope. £2700.
Plus VAT.

Insane. Utterly bat$h1t bonkers Miliband-level lunacy.
No way am I sinking multiple thousands into any BEV, but the ICE's increasingly seem to be made out of Mozzarella as well.
Recent job... 5-yr-old Volvo XC40. Big car, mickey-mouse 1.5L 3-cyl engine.
Young woma bought it thinking low miles, quite recent - do her a few years. Nope. Ate a couple of valves at 45k miles, damaged Guides.
No aftermarket parts for this motor. Volvo won't sell Guides, only a bare head. For 2 Grand. Nett. Trade!
Valves they will sell - Trade price £60 EACH plus VAT.
With belts, gaskets etc... it got bosged back together by the Garage and punted to auction.... poor girl got cleaned out & had to hock up for another car to get to work.

There's a reason I drive a 2011 Kangoo 1.5dci, and OH a 2011 Petrol Kia Rio....and I really do have concerns about what I'd buy when one or both die.

reb78 · 2026-02-15T23:13:32+0000

GRW said:
Where I work a guy came in a few weeks ago to drop off a cyl head from a Dealer for some work.
While there he mentioned he carted Parts for them between the various Dealerships (several different Brands - same Company).... & that he had a headlight in the van for a 1-month-old VW SUV thing (think it's whatever succeeded the Tuareg - a T-Roc maybe? Damned silly name).

Guess the priest he said. I guessed something ridiculous being a modern car - so I said "£500-£600?".
Nope. £2700.
Plus VAT.

Insane. Utterly bat$h1t bonkers Miliband-level lunacy.
No way am I sinking multiple thousands into any BEV, but the ICE's increasingly seem to be made out of Mozzarella as well.
Recent job... 5-yr-old Volvo XC40. Big car, mickey-mouse 1.5L 3-cyl engine.
Young woma bought it thinking low miles, quite recent - do her a few years. Nope. Ate a couple of valves at 45k miles, damaged Guides.
No aftermarket parts for this motor. Volvo won't sell Guides, only a bare head. For 2 Grand. Nett. Trade!
Valves they will sell - Trade price £60 EACH plus VAT.
With belts, gaskets etc... it got bosged back together by the Garage and punted to auction.... poor girl got cleaned out & had to hock up for another car to get to work.

There's a reason I drive a 2011 Kangoo 1.5dci, and OH a 2011 Petrol Kia Rio....and I really do have concerns about what I'd buy when one or both die.

When I thought I'd drowned my e61 just before Christmas I started looking for a replacement as I was convinced it would be hydrolocked. What I was looking for was either another mid noughties e61 or an e39 touring - diesel even with dpf fine for my driving but would have considered a petrol. I didn't want to go younger than that.