Just wanted to say Hi and ask your advice

[K9pvc]

Hi Guys
Just wanted to say Hello and say what a really great forum this is, I've spent the last week or so just reading through all the many posts on here. In the hope that it would help me to make up my mind as to whether I should bite the bullet and go for a 2016 facelift GX4HS.
I originally wanted the older version but have to say after seeing the new model for the first time i just loved the new look so that will be the one i go for I will be buying as a private buyer so none of the Business incentive matter to me I just want to make sure that the outlander will work for my usage profile and that I will not be too much out of pocket with the running costs from what I pay out now for my current car as just worries me when I see such huge variations in the mpg that people are getting on here.

In my current car which is a Skoda octavia Vrs Diesel I'm getting around 40mpg around town and on my daily commute to work which is about 12miles each way and about 58mpg on longer runs but I do love to have my Aircon on all the time in summer to keep cool and in the winter to keep the windows from misting up. Although I'm fortunate enough to have a eco-city rapid Charger right outside my place of Work so I did plan on using that most days when I was at work and then charging up again at home via the 5 hour charger that comes supplied with the outlander
But then after reading the posts on here I get the feeling that might not be a good idea to use a rapid 30 minute charger most days as it my not be all that good for the battery's long term.
So if you guys can give me any help with advice or information to help me make up my mind if this great vehicle would actually be cost-effective for me that would be great.

Like i say my daily commute to work is 12 miles each way so about 120 miles each week on that with the rest made up of mostly local journeys around town and maybe one or two longer journeys when we take the odd day out to Chester manchester or Liverpool which would be around a 50 miles round trip. And a couple of runs down south of about 500 to 600 miles round trip for the annual holidays in Cornwall and Devon.
I'm doing about 10,000 miles per year.

So what do you guys think will the outlander work for me and more importantly will it save me a few pounds in running costs

Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[JSC]

Hi K9. If your daily commute round trip is 24 miles, you're going to be able to do most using the battery power gained from your overnight charge at home. You'll reduce your range if it's a cold morning or if you use the aircon, but a 12 mile run is pretty good for allowing the car to get over it's initial running on the engine to warm up and then switch to pure EV mode. On keeping the car from misting up, I find that switching to the screen and feet warming mode (without aircon) seems to keep the screen clear when I'm on my own in the car, but there have been some comments on the forum from people who have had a bit of a battle with misting up so maybe I'm just lucky.

I've had my PHEV for just over 2 months and, like you, am a private buyer. I went for the old model and got a 1 year old ex-demonstrator (as I'm a skinflint), but so far I'm very happy. I am averaging about 50mpg, but that includes at least 2 100 mile motorway trips a week. I do use the CHademo rapid chargers on the motorways once or twice a week, and (touch wood) have so far had no problems. Only time will tell if it reduces the capacity of the batter faster than if I hadn't used them.

I hope that's helpful

 

[Carnut]

K9,
I have sent you a PM!

 

[Moctu]

I have a 12 mile commute along dual carriageway. I got my GX3h+ (facelift) in January.

At the moment I get about 2/3rds of my journey on electric only. That's in Eco mode with A/C on and sitting at about 65mph on Cruise Control.

Without factoring the cost of electric, the car says it's getting between 260 - 360mpg on a return trip.

Hopefully that gives you a (very rough) idea. I'm hoping the range will increase a bit as the weather warms up. I preheat from 0830-0840hrs and leave for work about 0845. The car is always a nice temp and I've not had to de-ice, although I live in Scotland by the sea so cold is usual but salt in the air means I rarely get an iced up windscreen. The pre heat is enough that the engine never starts on switch on ;-)

 

[greendwarf]

Are you sure it is a "Rapid" charger rather than the more usual street-side "Fast" charger? I wasn't aware of any Rapids anywhere but motorway services & Ikea - unless you work there, of course.

 

[K9pvc]

Hi Guys
Thanks for all your comments,
Moctu your journy sounds pretty much as mine would be with a couple of miles to get me out of town then Duel carriageway for the rest of the journey. I tend to work a lot of nights so I leave home for work about 10:20 pm and then leave work for home about 9am in the morning.
So at those time I tend not to encounter much traffic. On your journy are you saying you get 2/3rds of the way there and back with heating on from the one charge?

Greendwarf in answer to your question yes I am sure its a rapid charger on the carpark at work as I actually work on the services as an Hotel Assistant Manager So do you think that it may not be ideal to charge regularly from this rapid charge point

Jsc I've taken onboard your tips about keeping the screen from misting up and as I make most of my journeys on solo hopefully that will work for me too. If I average at least 50mpg in the Phev like you then at lest i will certainly be no worse off than in my Vrs which is good to known

Thanks guys you have all been a big help

Paul

 

[greendwarf]

Greendwarf in answer to your question yes I am sure its a rapid charger on the carpark at work as I actually work on the services as an Hotel Assistant Manager So do you think that it may not be ideal to charge regularly from this rapid charge point

I can just about get 24 miles out of one charge at this time of year - but that is all urban traffic under 30 mph and even then, steep hills cane the battery. So assuming some of the journey is going to be up to 70mph then I don't think you'll make the round trip even in summer. AFAIK nobody has done daily rapid charges and the manual appears to warn against too frequent use (although in the context of NOT using an ordinary charger at all). However, is there no chance of pluging the normal car charger into a standard 3 pin on-site - you could argue this would avoid you "hogging" the public facility

 

[Moctu]

On your journy are you saying you get 2/3rds of the way there and back with heating on from the one charge?

Hi Paul,

Yes, that's what I get. All the way there and 1/3 of the way back. I preheat in the morning but on cold days the ICE has run for a little while to warm up the cabin on the way home. So far I'm very pleased and hopefully it will get a bit better as the weather warms up.

 

[ChrisMiller]

the manual appears to warn against too frequent use (although in the context of NOT using an ordinary charger at all)

I agree with greendwarf, if you only use fast charging, the battery will never get completely charged (they stop at 80-85% charge) and this may eventually affect performance (this is based just on my reading of the manual - I imagine it's very rare for a vehicle only to use fast chargers). But as you' d be doing a slow charge at home most days, I don't think this should be a concern.

From my very limited experience, I can't quite manage a 25 mile round trip on battery only, 22 miles is the best I can do - but that's over pretty hilly terrain and in winter. That still gives an indicated 380 mpg - if I add in the cost of a full 'tank' of electric juice (about £1) that's the equivalent of 90 mpg (in pure financial terms - the saving to the planet is, of course, priceless ), which is more than double what I could get out of my previous (conventional petrol) motor.

 

[K9pvc]

Thanks Guys
My plan would be on a normal working week to put on charge with the supplied charger when I get home around 9:30am. Leave on charge while I'm asleep in bed till at least 3pm, but could be longer if I have nowhere to go in the day. Then do any running around in the Phev that I have to do on a fully charged battery which will be mostly local. Then depending on whats left in the battery I could always stick it back on charge till I have to leave for work again around 10:30 pm. Which would allow me to preheat for 10/15 minutes before I leave for work should the need arise Then/or when I get to work I could stick it on the rapid charger if its decided that would not cause problems if needed. As if its not going to cause any problems I may as well use free electricity for my charge not that I'm tight or anything but like they say "every little helps" :lol:
But as you can tell from my dull and boring schedule I have plenty of options open to me to make the most of the Phevs battery power. So not being able to use the rapid charger would not be a big deal for me i guess

Paul

 

[ChrisMiller]

Ecotricity are currently free to join and free to use, but they make a prominent warning that "this may change in future", so don't count on them being free forever. Apply for a card online as soon as you can (you just need the reg number), so you'll have it when the car arrives.

Most public charging points carry a monthly membership fee (£7.50 is typical) and often a fee to use as well (which can be more than the domestic cost), so unless they're your only option, they're not terribly attractive.

 

[K9pvc]

Well guys I've finally taken the plunge I picked up my My16 GX4hs in pearl white on Monday afternoon,it was an ex demonstrator with protection and service pack included.

I just want to thank everybody for being so helpful and and giving me all the information and advice I could of possibly wanted. First impressions are
I BLOODY LOVE IT,
No doubt I will have numerous questions as my ownership progresses but I'm sure I will overcome most things with the help of you guys.

I'm so glad I found this great site as I'm sure it's going to be a great asset to me in my new learning curve. Who knows I may even progress to be able to give some help back myself in the future.
Thanks
Paul

 

[Claymore]

Glad you like it - I'm still amazed after 4 months.

Temp this morning in Derbyshire was under 5 degrees when I unplugged. Had 21 miles predicted range showing. Did 21 miles exactly and arrived back on electric fumes.

Plugged in at home at 10.30 and at 13.30 unplugged with 21 miles again showing although the app showed a few bars left to charge. Didn't check in the car as SWMBO was in the car and champing at the bit to get back to shops! Temp must have been up to 8 or 9 by then but still very chilly as you know just over the hills from here. This time did 25.5 miles up hill and down dale in some of the lumpier bits of Derbyshire but again got back with 1 mile range left. Had been to ... but have a long downhill stretch just before getting back home.

Very pleased..and not usually happy when I lose the DAB signal but now when it happens the re is still joy in the silence!

JimB