Mac's Tech car

[st13phil]

I'm also glad I didn't get a charge point, but spent that £1k that I'd mentally set aside for it on tyres, springs and dampers to make the car ride properly.

Just driven it again this morning and was reminded of the fact that it now drives like a refined BMW.

ISTR (but could be mistaken) that BMW claimed the compromised ride quality of the i3 was so that it achieved better range. Did your mod's materially change its consumption?

 

[Mactech]

ISTR (but could be mistaken) that BMW claimed the compromised ride quality of the i3 was so that it achieved better range. Did your mod's materially change its consumption?

I don't think so, but I'll have to wait for warmer weather to check the consumption in equal conditions. The e Primacy Michelin tyres claim a positive effect on range (and therefore consumption).
Even the Macan had very poor mpg (38!) on it's way to Gerrards Cross for Christmas, but returned 43mpg on the the return journey. Can you guess the strong wind direction? The Porsche, for all its good points, has a poor Cd at 0.35.
Compare that with the new (and lego brick shaped!) BMW iX which boasts 0.25!
Despite a larger frontal area than the Macan the CdA drops from 0.914 to 0.710. That is one slippery brick!

 

[Gollom]

Probably like anyone else - one on Mum's knee in the front, and three on the back seat!

View attachment 151276

Circa 1954.

Nobody on the parcel shelf? You must have been posh!

 

[Piff]

How on earth did my parents get us 4 kids and all the Christmas stuff for a week away with my Grandparents in a 100E Anglia?

rear footwells filled with stuff Up to level of back seats. plenty of room then for kids.

 

[Stratman]

Another one of Mac's tech cars

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[Mactech]

Another one of Mac's tech cars

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...over 30 years ago! But... I still get to use them on request without the responsibility of ownership

 

[Chrishazle]

I'll happily accept a request to use one without any responsibility!!

 

[BTB 500]

How on earth did my parents get us 4 kids and all the Christmas stuff for a week away with my Grandparents in a 100E Anglia?

My sister used to ride in the boot of our Austin A40 Farina (not quite as bad as it sounds as it was almost a hatchback). The drop-down bootlid did come open once on the M1 though ...

 

[Mactech]

Heading towards the summer months and out of the colder winter period has allowed me to get a better perspective on just how much the temperature change alters the range and charging performance of the BMW i3. Most people are aware that the range shrinks in winter, but I wasn't aware that the charging time increases by up to 20% also. At the start of December and running in freezing temperatures on a couple of 100 miles 'long' trips, the range was down to 160 miles from well above 200 in the warmer summer months. That is the bad news.
The good news is the running costs.
The average consumption during March is now back up to 4.4 ml/kWh from a low of 3.8 in the depths of winter and can expect over 5 again in the summer.
Due to the fact there is simply not enough daylight or sunshine in the winter months to charge the car on surplus solar energy, I have had to raise my monthly electricity payment by a massive £5 per month Which translates to an annual fuel cost of just £60 a year
That would cover just over half the cost of a single fill up on the Macan.....
Just a little over a pound a week for fuel costs for the vehicle we use most frequently, well...I'll cope with that

 

[Mactech]

Beach Buggy



The little BMW took the dogs to the beach this morning to just north of Hemsby where some of Norfolk and its houses are being eaten by the sea.
The dogs had a great romp on the deserted beach, and the car must have thought it was summer as it achieved over 5 mls/kWa on the 65 mile round trip long before summer has actually arrived. 10 deg C and a very fresh breeze made it officially 'bracing'

 

[SpikyMikey]

Beach Buggy

View attachment 154758

The little BMW took the dogs to the beach this morning to just north of Hemsby where some of Norfolk and its houses are being eaten by the sea.
The dogs had a great romp on the deserted beach, and the car must have thought it was summer as it achieved over 5 mls/kWa on the 65 mile round trip long before summer has actually arrived. 10 deg C and a very fresh breeze made it officially 'bracing'

I hope you bought it an ice cream

 

[Mactech]

I hope you bought it an ice cream

Nah! The sea had eaten them all...

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Looks glorious.

You added Primacys (on 19), Evolve Bilsteins, and springs.

What was it that made you include the springs in the mix? Don't most Evolve clients just do the Bilsteins?

(There's an I3 calling to me from just down the road...)

Any thoughts on crucial "options?" Some talk about Harmon Kardon being valuable.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Looks glorious.

You added Primacys (on 19), Evolve Bilsteins, and springs.

What was it that made you include the springs in the mix? Don't most Evolve clients just do the Bilsteins?

(There's an I3 calling to me from just down the road...)

Any thoughts on crucial "options?" Some talk about Harmon Kardon being valuable.

With regard the HK, not specific to the i3 but it seems generally thought that it is a worthwhile upgrade over the standard BMW sound system.
Certainly is the case in the 3er. F30/31 platform.

 

[Mactech]

Looks glorious.

You added Primacys (on 19), Evolve Bilsteins, and springs.

What was it that made you include the springs in the mix? Don't most Evolve clients just do the Bilsteins?

(There's an I3 calling to me from just down the road...)

Any thoughts on crucial "options?" Some talk about Harmon Kardon being valuable.

When I tried Evolve's own i3s on the springs and dampers (and very low tyre pressures!) it seemed to work really well as a package.
On reflection, the car is maybe still little stiff for Norfolks minor roads, I have the OEM springs (now painted in BMW electric blue) which I may try when the weather warms up a little so I can roll around under the car in some comfort.
Because we use the car primarily for short journeys, the standard sound system is ok. I have hi-res files on a 250gb usb stick to listen to
I would think to upgrade if I were spending hours at a time in the car.

Damping and tyres are the most important, then it comes down to personal choice.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Might be how its parked in that pic.....but loosing a bit of the tyres to arch gap, especially at the rear, would improve its looks no end.......but obviously there would probably be a price to pay in comfort unless you had ride height adjustable coilovers. Looks nice and clean though....

 

[Mactech]

Might be how its parked in that pic.....but loosing a bit of the tyres to arch gap, especially at the rear, would improve its looks no end.......but obviously there would probably be a price to pay in comfort unless you had ride height adjustable coilovers. Looks nice and clean though....

The car is already sitting an inch lower than standard, I'm thinking of putting the longer, softer standard springs on it....
Again, for me it is what the car does, not what it looks like is by far the most important criteria..

 

[ALFAitalia]

I try and go for both.....but its not always possible of course. In my my case, having tried a couple, I found Eibach springs the best compromise between an aesthetically pleasing stance/ride height and a good level of comfort. The previous springs where a good inch lower and the car looked amazing..but I was not prepared to have my filling shaken out just for the car to look good!!

 

[Mactech]

Ah! You'll be wanting the button second up on the Macan then...

 

[C43AMG]

tyres a

Which tyres ?