Car Advice?

[Gaolee]

I love when I see a help wanted ad for a ship that reads "No experience necessary, we will train you."

Typically that's for the quick lube places and that's probably the last place I'd want a complete noob working without some sort of experience. The two most common f-ups at shops is an "oil out" or a "wheel off", either of which is immediate termination.

IMO there should be some sort of licensing requirements to be an auto mechanic. In NY, you need a license to cut hair, but not to wrench on someone's car. Can't remember the last time I saw someone (other than a teenage girl) die from a bad haircut, but I've seen plenty of scary "repairs" that we're done at a shop.

I live across the street from a high school. I cannot tell the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut on a teenage girl these days. They seem to know, and I suppose that's all that matters.

 

[Nedmundo]

I used to think that about Tesla and road trips until I drove one from Sacramento to Seattle. In a gas car, it takes me about 12 hours. In the Tesla, I took about 13 hours. The increase Is due to needing to stop more frequently to charge.

That said, the computer in the car is excellent and guided me to charging stations along the way and would have me charge 6-10 min at a time in order to get to the next one. It generally was not worth it to charge longer as the computer knows where the charging stations are, and calculates your driving habits and distance to see if you can make it to your destination or the next charger. I thought I could reduce the number of stops if I charged longer at one or two stops, but it just moved the stops further out. I've driven it twice now in the Tesla, and the trip planning by the car's navigation is better than mine...

Our BMW i4 does this too, but I usually charge fully (80%) anyway to provide more margin for error. Electrify America stations (free for 2 yrs. with BMW) aren't as plentiful as Tesla Superchargers, and I've encountered entire stations being out of service due to maintenance. I've always been able to charge elsewhere, so it hasn't been a major problem. And EA stations are getting more common and reliable, so it's getting easier and easier over time, which was my hope when we leased the i4.

Example: About six weeks ago, my wife and I planned a day trip to southern Delaware for our anniversary. I thought we would need to charge at Blink or Chargepoint in central Delaware on the way back to Philly, unless we could make it to the EA station in Wilmington. About two weeks after we made our plans, EA opened a new station in Dover, which was simply perfect. It was a completely stress-free trip.

Similarly, some of our more frequent road trips go into rural Sullivan County, Pennsylvania to visit friends with a house there. After we had driven our i4 there a couple of times, EA opened a station perfectly placed in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Now, it's simply no problem to charge on their regular house current while we're there, and top up in Bloomsburg if necessary on the way home. Last year, we charged to 90% in Bloomsburg, then made it to West Orange, NJ to visit relatives, then all the way back to Philly, all on a single charge. It's fantastic.

 

[Mike N]

Our BMW i4 does this too, but I usually charge fully (80%) anyway to provide more margin for error. Electrify America stations (free for 2 yrs. with BMW) aren't as plentiful as Tesla Superchargers, and I've encountered entire stations being out of service due to maintenance. I've always been able to charge elsewhere, so it hasn't been a major problem. And EA stations are getting more common and reliable, so it's getting easier and easier over time, which was my hope when we leased the i4.

Example: About six weeks ago, my wife and I planned a day trip to southern Delaware for our anniversary. I thought we would need to charge at Blink or Chargepoint in central Delaware on the way back to Philly, unless we could make it to the EA station in Wilmington. About two weeks after we made our plans, EA opened a new station in Dover, which was simply perfect. It was a completely stress-free trip.

Similarly, some of our more frequent road trips go into rural Sullivan County, Pennsylvania to visit friends with a house there. After we had driven our i4 there a couple of times, EA opened a station perfectly placed in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Now, it's simply no problem to charge on their regular house current while we're there, and top up in Bloomsburg if necessary on the way home. Last year, we charged to 90% in Bloomsburg, then made it to West Orange, NJ to visit relatives, then all the way back to Philly, all on a single charge. It's fantastic.

I've been going to Bloomsburg every summer since 1992 for the 4x4 Jamboree.

Where are the EV chargers located?

 

[Nedmundo]

I've been going to Bloomsburg every summer since 1992 for the 4x4 Jamboree.

Where are the EV chargers located?

At the Sheetz on New Berwick Highway.

 

[Mike N]

At the Sheetz on New Berwick Highway.

Little bit east on 11 from where we are.

We get off at the Buckhorn exit and head down 42 to the fairgrounds.