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Re: Hello

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:54 pm
by kennyg
I suppose I should start a new post but you guys seem to keep picking me up. The battery charge meter seems to peak at about 60%. In my ignorance I expect it to go higher and thus provide more assistance and better fuel economy. Does this concur with your battery reading.

Re: Hello

Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:50 am
by HaxbyPete
I have had a "First Edition" since they were first launched in 2016. I recently changed it, at the end of the three year lease, for another Niro 4 HEV in the upgraded model.

I have been delighted with both these cars thoughout and, curiously, I never gave a second thought as to how many extra miles per gallon I might get if I had different wheels ! I just sat back and enjoyed the drive !

Maybe I am naive or just not savvy enough to know about these techy things. But I can tell you that you will enjoy your First Edition, with not only heated seats but also cooled seats for the Summer, and all it's other bells and whistles.

My old one was in Ocean Blue, the new one in Runway Red which looks magnificent.

Drive it lightly and you will get oodles of mpg. Drive it heavy and you will not.

Enjoy the ride !

Re: Hello

Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:11 pm
by AlanW55
kennyg wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:54 pm The battery charge meter seems to peak at about 60%.
After two years+ ownership, I average between 40% to 75%. Highest ever was 90% on a long downhill run, needing occasional braking which boosts the charging higher. Lowest was around 20% in long duration stop/start traffic. The charging algorithm that the car uses is not documented publically, but I believe it was designed to cosset the battery to ensure long life. The torque provided by the battery is linear across a wide range of charge, so the assistance is always available.

Re: Hello

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:29 am
by kennyg
Again thanks for the replies. HaxbyPete ref lects the Eutopia of a three year lease where you drive off in a new car and three years later you wash it and hand it back. My ownership will be a bit more involved as I maintain the car and try and decide how long to keep the car such that it still has some value. Worst case scenario is that the warranty ends and the battery needs replacing and nobody will touch the car as a second hand buy. As the car is only 3years in production these are uncharted waters and it is good to share experiences on the niroforum to pick up tips along the way.

Re: Hello

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 2:58 pm
by HaxbyPete
Yes, Leasing has its benefits and I was very unsure whether to go down this path three years ago.

But I am very pleased It did. My 2016 First Edition had only done 15K+ when I came to change it and was still in 'showroom' condition. If I had owned it I would have had to think of all that hassle of part exchanges, doing deals, new finance agreements and taking the hit of the devaluation of the initial purchase price. Ouch !

But with my lease I just polished the car up, handed it to the guy who came to collect it and waved it goodbye. Meanwhile, I had sourced the next car, secured a good lease deal (though my local leasing broker) and the new car was delivered before the old one had left my driveway. And I hadn't paid a penny yet !!

The new leasing company (Kia Contract Hire) didn't take the first three months up-front deposit of around £1,000 until two weeks later. Then it's around £300 a month for three years. That includes all maintenance, tyres and road-side assistance. I only have to insure that car (about £310).

No worries - no devaluation concerns - I just pay for the use of this wonderful car without actually owning it !

Way to go !!

Re: Hello

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 6:24 pm
by kennyg
I am still having sleepless nights about the purchase we have made as it is alot of money in any ones language. £300 per month for such an expensive car is a bargain and I appreciate there's no such thing as a free meal so that money must cover the costs involved and the finance company'a profit. I had a quick look on Kia's web site but the payments were more like £480 per month for 10k miles pa and 1 month deposit but apparently there were other deals available from other companies in the low £200dreds. So it makes you wonder why any one is buying cars.

Re: Hello

Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:12 am
by djbobbins
It’s an interesting query - the division of the company I work for was recently sold to new owners, plus my role changed about a year ago.

The combination of these things has meant that I’ve moved from a company which offered a wide range of choice for cars, plus having a role where taking a company car made sense (8-10k per year business miles and about 12k per year personal miles) to now having a limited range of choice and much lower business mileage.

Assuming I am still in the same job in 18 months when my current company car lease comes to an end, if opt out from the car scheme but still need to drive on business, it’s likely there will be rules that have to be met, e.g. 4 dour vehicle, less than 5 years old etc.

I will need to do the maths nearer the time, but whilst I can see the appeal of leasing, I also like the sense of ownership of buying a car and not having to fret over whether every single minor mark on the body is going to get picked up when a lease vehicle is returned.

That was certainly the case when my last car got returned to Lex; I’m curious about anyone else’s experience at the end of lease periods?