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Shahpor

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Posts posted by Shahpor

  1. 3 hours ago, Linas.P said:

    Wouldn't blocked EGR trigger some light, like DPF efficiency or something along those lines, especially if car can't even get over 2000RPM. Also wouldn't EGR be just increasingly more and more sluggish, rather than on-off "limp"?  

    Mostly likely, but if there are no codes showing, then who knows?

    At this point, you would need TechStream to see what is going on and run some diagnostics.

  2. 4 hours ago, H3XME said:

    Do these not have like "DPF Cleaning" dash light of some sort? Some diesels are good and they tell you when it's cleaning the DPF, some diesels even let you clean it manually like a Land Cruiser. 

    Nope, the only way to manually start a cleaning cycle is via TechStream.

    Usually you can tell when a DPF cleaning is running as lots of smoke comes out the back!

    • Haha 1
  3. Thanks Malc 👍

    The up front investment and long term thinking, house wise, means it certainly isn't for everyone, but given the choice, it is definitely something I would recommend doing if the figures line up.  Very happy that I did mine, at least so far! 🙂

    As for adding value, we were told to expect no uplift in the purchase price of the house should we ever sell, but it is claimed that it would be more 'sellable' due to the desirability of having a system already installed for any potential buyer.  Who knows if that is true 🤷‍♂️

    • Like 1
  4. 1 hour ago, Malc1 said:

    Thank you for this analysis …… it all sounds very positive especially having an EV ……. BUT what about depreciating the asset technology to write-off and likely cost of needing a sinking fund to replace  it all at some future time ….. especially as technology changes/improves and the asset simply wears out  ??

    Bit like how one might treat car ownership 🤔

    Or am I trying to overthink these financials maybe 

    Malc 

    Well, the panels themselves have a 25 year warranty, so they shouldn't need replacing anytime soon!  Most of the systems looks designed to last the long term, with the exception of the Battery, which is just like any other Battery.  In this case, SolarEdge guarantee 70% capacity remaining after 10 years regardless of charge cycles.  It should be noted that this is a minimum and the likelihood is that the remaining capacity will be higher.  Either way, the plan has always been to invest in another Battery when the time comes.  So, for example, lets say that somewhere 10-15 years from now, the Battery isn't holding as much charge as we would like and is managing only 6kWh's capacity.  In this case, we would simply buy another Battery to go alongside the existing one to make the total available Battery power 16kWh's.  Yes, this would represent another cost, but by then we would have made back the expenditure of the existing system, and added a few years afterwards, so it is still worth it.  Also, the cost of the batteries is coming down all the time, so it wouldn't cost the same as the last time.

    Technology does move on, and perhaps when replacement parts are required, something newer and better will be available.  However, from my point of view, as long as the system we have continues to provide what we want and works well, I am happy to stick to what we have rather than upgrade unless the financial figures compel me to do so.

    In the end, it is really like any other house system, in other words, intended for long term use but might require the old hiccup rectifying once in a while.

    The crux is that you need to think long term and not plan to move house for a long time!

    • Like 2
  5. 11 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

    Worth considering switching to Intelligent Octopus Go which is 6 hours over night at 7.5p.

    Didn't think I was eligible for that one, but will have a look and change if so.  Thanks for the tip 👍

  6. 4 hours ago, Malc1 said:

    Sharphor hi again,   Can you update us on pricing, payback, current likely ongoing value economically of all this with UK  Supplier pricing with wars etc 

    If you’re able and the calculations won’t drive you nuts 😄

    Malc 

    Hi Malc,

    It is tricky to determine exact values as I am on a tariff that provides cheap electricity for 4 hours each night (9p kWh).  Also, I haven't had it a full year yet!  There are probably people smarter than me that could extract the data from the Solaredge site, but I don't know how I'm afraid.

    What I can tell you is that it ended up at roughly £18k all-in for my install.

    Also, it looks like I have generated about 5.4 MWh's in the last 10 months:

    image.thumb.png.8321c35856ac13dddec6976c77654776.png

    So, it depends on how you look at it.  This time last year I believe my tariff was roughly 41p kWh, so if all the energy my solar generated was at that price, then I would have saved about £2.2k!  Of course, this isn't the case and some of it was at the cheaper rate, which were around 11p kWh at the time and is 9p kWh now.

    The calculations are also a little more tricky as the whole point of the house Battery is that you charge it at the cheaper rate (9p) and then, in combination with the solar panels, you use it during the day instead of grid power.  This means that the electricity I am consuming during the day is technically costing me only 9p even though I am not in the cheaper rate hours.

    This also means, depending on your usage and Battery capacity, it is still economically viable to have the system, even with the rates of electricity coming down, as I doubt they will drop to less than 10p kWh anytime soon.

    One last contributing factor that makes my calculations more difficult to define is that I have an EV car, so I need to charge that either from the grid or via solar.

    All that being said, the easiest way I can explain the cost saving is that my monthly direct debits for gas and electricity have come down from £300 a month to £100! 🙂  We have been on £100 since last August and it looks like it will average out for us for the winter months.

    Last year, I think it was from May onwards, it was fantastic as the solar generated so much power that it could run the house easily, charge the Battery fully (so no overnight charging required) and fill up the EV!  Occasionally, it even sent back enough energy into the grid during the month that we ended up in positive figures on our bill, even after the standing charge was applied.  This year, we have our solar water heater, so I am expecting a reduction in our gas bill as well.

    It does depend on your circumstances, and we are quite heavy users, but based solely on the bills we have received, I do believe we will breakeven in 7.5 to 8 years or so.  Of course, no one can predict what will happen with prices, but with our increase in usage of our EV, and the solar water heater now helping, I definitely think it will end up owning us nothing before the 10 year mark.

    Apologies for the rambling nature of this post 🙂 If there is anything that I haven't cover here, please say so and I'll do my best to work it out.

  7. 3 hours ago, zydeshpelsh said:

    Installing a solar water heater will further reduce your reliance on the grid, adding another layer of sustainability to your home. With each step forward, you're not only saving on bills but also contributing to a cleaner, greener environment.

    Quite right, and after a lengthy delay due to lack of stock, I have my solar water heater installed now, so looking forward to getting some good use out of it in the coming months!

    • Like 1
  8. This topic seems to be going around in circles with no new information being added.

    Also, some members on here are getting rather militant in their posts...

    For me, there is only one true course of action:  You have a choice of what car to own, so if this issue bothers you so much, choose to no longer be a Lexus owner.  A significant drop in sales - and perhaps a flood of used cars that aren't selling - is the only thing I can see actually making a difference.  Do you think JLR did what they are doing for owners' benefit?  No, they are looking after their own interests as the negativity the issue was causing no doubt was beginning to hurt their sales forecasts.

    As for how much money you might lose trading in your car now, it depends on how much this issue affects you.  Peace of mind is worth paying the price...

    • Like 2
  9. 11 hours ago, LenT said:

    Excellent news, Shahpor.  Well done for such prompt action - and a great shot of the offending pothole. A tyre shredder if ever there was one.

    Judging from other’s accounts, perseverance is the key to success.    As I recall, the Detailer who did my car had at least two occasions when a wheel on his Porsche suffered severe pot holing around our country lanes and -  eventually - had each claim settled.  

    Pity that Halfords couldn’t get the job right first time.  But is getting a new wheel compensation enough?  Possibly!  😊

    Thanks Len.

    The new tyre cost me £225, and I also had the tracking checked for £55, so I definitely going to be chasing them for payment!

    As for Halfords, I would be perfectly happy if they agree to a new wheel as I would keep the current one as a spare 🙂

    • Like 1
  10. 9 hours ago, LenT said:

    Shahpor, have you considered making a claim against your Local Authority for compensation?

    If you know the exact location of the offending pothole, then photograph it and check if it has previously been reported.  If it has, then the LA is legally liable for the fact that it hasn’t been repaired and you can claim for compensation.

    You should also check for any damage to the wheel as well.

    Plenty of online information about how to do this!

    Claim already submitted against Hillingdon Borough Council 🙂👍

    Haven't heard anything back yet, but I will keep chasing.

    This is the pothole in question:

    1000007985.thumb.jpg.9509d2c5eba93eb4a73a3ab3ffda2814.jpg1000007988.thumb.jpg.838e63a4f5d506038b40a061121265e7.jpg

    As for wheel damage, the saga doesn't end there.

    Since the AA dropped my car off at home and I didn't have a spare, I (perhaps foolishly) got a mobile fitter from Halford to come and change the tyre since they could do it much quicker than anyone else.  The fitter was a nice guy who let me inspect the wheel without the tyre on and it looked fine.  However, after putting the wheel back on, I noticed that a groove had now been cut into each of the spokes of my wheel where he had allowed the tyre fitting machine to drop too low! 🤬

    Fair play to Halfords though, one of their managers called me the same day to tell me that they admit they damaged the wheel and will get it fixed.  I am just waiting to hear back from them now on what can be done.  I did enquire with the dealer on the cost of a replacement wheel and was quite shocked when they said £930!

    So, as of today, I am waiting on the outcome of a claim against both Hillingdon Council and Halfords.

  11. This is exactly how my car is:  I have the room for a space saver wheel and kit in the boot, but you have to buy it.  I enquired the other day and was told it was nearly £400!

    I made a mistake not getting it when my car was new, especially as my Christmas day ended like this:

    1000008012.thumb.jpg.ab1feacfe7313b61b2f9f67575611326.jpg

    Yep, hit a pothole that destroyed my NSF tyre.

    Despite the cost, I am probably going to try and source a spare as I plan on keeping the car for a while.

    • Sad 1
  12. I think the Auto Express and Autocar reviews are surprisingly positive.

    The main gripe seems to be lack of space, which isn't a problem for some people.  For example, the rear seats on my car rarely get used and the boot is big enough to carry the shopping.

    Nice to hear it has a premium feel to it as well.

    From my point of view, the only two things that realistically detract from it are the performance and the price.  Not a lot, but if they could shave a couple of grand off the Takumi spec and somehow gain 30-40hp, it would make a very tempting proposition for me.

    • Like 2
  13. Thanks for the insight 👍

    I am always looking at the used Guilia QF's out there and seeing what a performance bargain they are. 

    I also know I would just be staring at it as I walked away every time I parked it 🙂

    The problem is, whilst I can just about manage to buy a used one, running it is another matter.  Also, the Alfa dealers around here are basically useless, so I am somewhat afraid of what I would have to go through when the car needs work/servicing.  When I went to the local dealer to have a look at a new Guilia the experience wasn't a good one!

    Such a shame as I think I would love driving and owning a QF.

  14. 14 hours ago, Dingle Dell said:

    I sold my last 'special' car, an Alfa Gulia Quadrifoglio a year or so ago and being honest, that felt too fast for the road at times. The problem with it was at legal speeds, it didn't feel special enough. It was only when doing licence losing speeds that it put a smile on your face. That's partly why the LC500 appeals so much.

    Apologies for going off topic, but I am always interested to hear from owners of newer Alfa's to see how they really are these days?  As someone who owned a 156 back in the day, the itch never seems to go away despite all the hassle!  I did consider a Guilia Veloce the last time I changed cars but the lure of the Stinger was too great.

    Thanks.

    • Like 1
  15. 6 hours ago, RodfromCov said:

    Thanks for the advice. As far as the car is concerned would you recommend?

    Like Chris says, not sure which car in particular you are looking at, but generally, yes, I absolutely loved my 2013 GS450h Premier.

    No great issues to speak of, very well built, comfortable, and basically a great all-around daily car.

  16. Hi Rod,

    There should definitely be a book, so it looks like it has been lost along the way.

    When I bought my GS, the service book had been replaced at some point, so was missing some of the earlier stamps.  Since it had a full main dealer service history, the dealer was able to find out which dealership serviced it previously and the book was promptly posted to them, who then stamped it and sent it back.

    Personally, I am old fashioned in that I prefer having the book, but it is up to you.  Some are happy with just the invoices, so it works either way.

  17. Hi Nick,

    As Andrew says, it is best practice to change the dual mass flywheel whilst doing the clutch. 

    However, it might not be necessary.  If you aren't experiencing any juddering when engaging the clutch, then it is probably ok for now, but since your car is quite old, it is most likely quite worn so who knows how much longer it will last?

    When I had my IS220d, it was the other way around:  I need a flywheel, so replaced the clutch at the same time since it was out anyway.

    I appreciate this isn't the same thing since the flywheel is substantially more expensive than a clutch, but the theory is the same.

    So it is down to you whether you want to take the risk.  If you aren't willing the spend the money changing the flywheel because the car is so old, then your choices are somewhat limited I'm afraid.

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