[SueH]

tonight is the manual for the MG I picked up today. First EV, first new car, first auto, first one I've ever worried about the paintwork! From knowledge gained on here I made sure it's been de-bonged, and there's both a granny and type two charger.

It's much easier reading and researching the threads when you've actually driven the car. The one just below about auto-hold as an example: I'll try that tomorrow as I find the creep in stopped traffic disconcerting, and I'd prefer not to have to use the brake. Tomorrow I'll investigate the various assistance modes (and may turn them off..), see how the sunroof works, try a public charger, see if the granny works, risk sports mode and discuss the installation of a charger with my friend..

Thanks to all who have contributed here and posted videos.

 

[Neilew]

risk sports mode

Make sure you've got plenty of clear space in front when you do that. It could catch you by surprise.

Glad to see that you've now got your car. Here's to many happy miles.

 

[cah197]

Congrats. You’re going to love it I’m sure!

 

[Coedy]

I'm not jealous... Honest... Have fun!

 

[TJEV]

It’s a great car. I’m looking forward to mine being de-bonged on Thursday

 

[shikoku14]

After a false start with mine (software update failed and meant AC charging wouldn't work when I picked it up last Thursday) mine is now fully updated (I can even AC charge while the car is unlocked), I got it back late last night and saved myself adding 500 miles to my car on my long weekend away in the Borders thanks to Chorley loaning me a car, that car also sealed the deal that I'm getting it tinted on the rear and at 70% on the front to reduce solar intrusion, the MG gets hot even in 16C Scottish sunshine. I've added locking wheel nuts this morning, a bit of bubble wrap behind the passenger tweeter to stop a rattle that @Carty mentioned in this thread, replaced the whip aerial with a Mini stubby one, added aftermarket scuff plates to the doors and have some bonnet struts to add if I get time. May also do a bit of investigation on the interior lighting as I think a set of LED ones I had for my BMW are the same spec. Oh and the car drives great, one thing I have missed is lumbar, and after a lot of driving this week may well look into a lumbar cussion for longer stints of driving.

 

[SueH]

Busier than I've been! Although I did my first charge today as I had to go into the nearest town and charged 30ish miles for free at the supermarket whilst I wandered around doing my errands. It's a shame there isn't a battery percentage instead of the scale. Doing all my driving on Eco and full regen and it's still lively enough in traffic compared with what I've been used to. I probably won't bother with a tint yet, let's wait for my finances to recover.. and never had lockable wheel nuts before and not something I'd considered.

 

[MikeProcter]

Busier than I've been! Although I did my first charge today as I had to go into the nearest town and charged 30ish miles for free at the supermarket whilst I wandered around doing my errands. It's a shame there isn't a battery percentage instead of the scale. Doing all my driving on Eco and full regen and it's still lively enough in traffic compared with what I've been used to. I probably won't bother with a tint yet, let's wait for my finances to recover.. and never had lockable wheel nuts before and not something I'd considered.

Haa a be you seen this website? Lots of useful info on there.

MG EV Owners Club

MG EV Owners Club

www.mgevownersclub.co.uk

 

[SueH]

Just back from the allotment (on my bike..) and checked my hot water. Almost hot but the solar diverter was putting in 2.75Kw so I thought, I'll have some of that, and got out the granny charger. I noted the miles and battery percentage rating (61%), but does anybody have any experiences of what it will actually put in having regard to (in)efficiencies?

 

[TJEV]

The consensus after a very long thread a while back was 1.8kW at the battery, in a Zoe. I guess all AC charging cars will be similar, maybe those with 7kW chargers onboard will see lower losses than Zoe's Chameleon charger.

 

[SueH]

Cheers. I seem to be getting about 5% an hour at the moment, or at least for the first two hours. Coming up to 3 hours at a quarter past., all on solar.

This may be documented, I haven't checked, but the charging information goes off after a few minutes. BUT if, with the car locked, you raise the Boot latch there's a click and the display restarts. This doesn't happen with trying the doors, and I've reproduced the effect. Is this known, and perhaps someone else would like to confirm?
EDIT: tell a lie, you have to press the door button for the same effect.
EDIT 2: 61% to 80% in a few minutes over 3 hours.

 

[SkippyKitten]

That may be a change with the latest updates. Previously with the keys out of range, pressing the door handle button woke up the display.

the latest updates let you charge on AC with the doors unlocked just like on a rapid charge.

 

[SueH]

Thanks, I'd seen that mentioned but I seem to have to lock it. I'll test it on the granny this afternoon as it'll be sunny and I may be mistaken. I've certainly got the temperature display but you never know with software updates whether the full package has been applied.

 

[Neilew]

Thanks, I'd seen that mentioned but I seem to have to lock it. I'll test it on the granny this afternoon as it'll be sunny and I may be mistaken. I've certainly got the temperature display but you never know with software updates whether the full package has been applied.

One of the little foibles my MG has: I unlock the doors ready to plug-in. I go to the front and open the flap and remove the rubber bung. I turn to the wall to uncoil my cable and as I turn round to plug in, the doors lock.

It's a bit like Arkwright's till

 

[Carty]

One of the little foibles my MG has: I unlock the doors ready to plug-in. I go to the front and open the flap and remove the rubber bung. I turn to the wall to uncoil my cable and as I turn round to plug in, the doors lock.

It's a bit like Arkwright's till

I have been caught out with this one as well !.
If you unlock the car and then open and close the drivers door, you have all the time in the world, until you hit the lock button again.
I am not 100% sure, but I think if the car self locks itself just before you insert the charging plug, it will STILL allow you to insert the charging plug into the charging port ?.
I think this is because it unlocks / locks the whole charging door / flap which you have already raised as soon as the doors have unlocked.
As you insert the plug, the charging port will lock in the cable.
Again, I am not 100% sure about this, but I think it has allowed me to do it this way ?.

 

[SueH]

I think I understand you. Mind you, for someone who was in IT I am struggling with not having a gear box, and all the additional technology that I didn't have in my 11 year old car. Managed to 'stall' at traffic lights today..😚 Fed up with the creep when in drive I put it in neutral and then it didn't go when I put it back to drive, stabbed at various buttons and missed a whole cycle of green..

Ah well, a learning experience..

 

[Neilew]

put it in neutral and then it didn't go when I put it back to drive, stabbed at various buttons and missed a whole cycle of green..

Yeah, that takes a bit of getting used to. I put it in park (press the top of the button) when coming to a standstill and early on I would forget to press the brake pedal before putting it in to drive. You get used to it. Zoe had (has) a gear lever the same as an automatic so it was easy to put into park at the lights and then put in to drive as you would normally do.

 

[Brian G]

Glad to hear you joined the MG EV owner’s club Sue. It’s a great car for the money. A pleasure to drive and cover long journeys in. The back end can get dirty in wet weather which I found better once I waxed it. Being high up and lots of protective plastic round the bottom there is not too much bodywork to do and it’s easy to reach for me now that I’m an old fogey, just a 20 minute job.

 

[Carty]

Glad to hear you joined the MG EV owner’s club Sue. It’s a great car for the money. A pleasure to drive and cover long journeys in. The back end can get dirty in wet weather which I found better once I waxed it. Being high up and lots of protective plastic round the bottom there is not too much bodywork to do and it’s easy to reach for me now that I’m an old fogey, just a 20 minute job.

I have found that all five door hatchbacks / small SUV's do suffer from attracting dirty around the tail gate / hatchback area of the car.
Less so on saloon cars of course.
The rear of a hatchback has a little less of a overhang and more of the dirt / dirty rain water appears to be pulled up backwards onto the rear of the car due to the vortex created behind the car as it pushes forward along the road in bad weather conditions.
Saloon cars with a longer over hang appear to be less affected by this problem.
It is common to find the rear of most hatch back's to be the dirtiest body panel of the car in bad weather conditions, when it comes to the time of cleaning.
I think most manufactures accept this fact, and most therefore provide a rear screen wash / wiper facility in attempt to over come this issue.
I do agree that as the car has a higher ground clearance, it requires less bending to reach the dirty spots than it would on a lower sporty hatchback.
My ( not so great total knee replacement ) does benefit from NOT having to bend so low any more.
Old age really suck's !.
The higher ride height of the ZS EV really makes entering and leaving the car much less painful, than getting in and out of a lower ride / sporty hatch back of course.
The higher ride height / softer suspension is readerly more accepted by my ageing body parts.

 

[SueH]

Yes, aged mum is pleased with access and so am I! We played away in a pre-season friendly yesterday and I was hoping for a half or 40 minutes, but following an injury I quickly came on as sub and played 88 minutes. It was a lot easier to ease my aching body into the car. Feeling it today but to fulfill my ambition of being the only state pensioner in my league I've got to last to the end of the season!!