New Owner - Ben got an iMiEV - Again!

[Phximiev]

Ben Nelson's second 'Miev?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156360979980165&set=a.10150222492475165.465506.866440164&type=3&theater

 

[kiev]

That's great--way to go Ben!

 

[PV1]

Awesome. Guess he couldn't resist wondering what it's like to drive.

 

[tigger19687]

I am NOT looking at that pic until you edit out the WHITE stuff all around it !

lol

And the little one is adorable.

 

[Phximiev]

What is the 'white stuff'?

 

[JoeS]

Way to go, Ben!

 

[Phximiev]

This is Ben's new video in his iMiev:

http://youtu.be/idndjjFZzxY

 

[PV1]

Yeah, my drive home was cold, as well. But it wasn't nearly as eventful. Congrats on making it OK.

Ben, should've posted here first. We could've given you some tips. For one, preheating with the Defrost setting instead of HEAT will do a much better job at warming the cabin. Also, if you unplug a quick charger and plug it back in after it stops at 80%, it should continue to charge the car up to near 100%. This takes about 30-40 minutes, vs. 2 hours on level 2.

 

[bennelson]

Hey guys, yep, that's me.

I picked up a 2012 iMIEV. The price was $6995. It has 30,000 miles on it, which seems really high compared to many of the cars out there, but it also has the fancy radio, alloy rims, and quick charger. About the lowest I've seen iMIEVs for lately was $6500, and that was always a base model. So, I feel like I got a pretty good deal. I drove it from the south-west side of Chicago to my house, about 40 miles west of Milwaukee, WI (at night, in the snow, and every other "wrong" thing you could do....)

The car came with the remote and 1 key.

So far, I'm loving it. It's basic, but handy and cute. Hop in, drive, don't use gas. I've been a long-time EV'er, but this is my first commercially built electric car.

There are a couple of outstanding recalls on this car - underbody rust, power brake vac pump, and some other thing. Unfortunately, the closest iMIEV authorized dealer is in McHenry, Illinois, which is about 67 miles from me.

I had an extra copy of the key made at my local hardware store. It unlocks the door fine. In the ignition, it lets me turn on the radio and other accessories. Looks like I'll need to pay the big bucks to get a chipped key, but at least I have a spare to unlock the door when I lock the key inside!

Are there any other options for a second key that can actually power up the car OTHER than the dealer? I checked at the local hardware store. They said chipped keys are usually 70-$80, depending, but that they didn't have my key. (In their book, it just says "Please refer customer to dealer.")

Of the few things that I DON'T like about the car, they are all pretty minor, and are mostly just a matter of getting used to something new and different. That said, it would be nice to have a light in the charging port. A black plug into a black port at night in my dark garage isn't perfect. I'd also like to add a seat heater to the passenger seat, and when summer comes, I bet that tinted windows would be nice. RayJay3 also told me about a hitch available for the car. I'd love to be able to use a small trailer or cargo carrier.

 

[bennelson]

Here's my adventure blog of driving the car home.
http://300mpg.org/2015/11/20/imiev-cross-country-snow-storm-road-trip/

Here's the video about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idndjjFZzxY

Of course, I'll have to start making some memes as well. One of the other things I did wrong when I drove the car home was that I never checked the tire pressure. The listed max sidewall on the tires is 51 PSI. The tires were at 32 when I checked them the next day.

 

[JoeS]

Hey Ben - we've already been following you before you posted here! Congratulations, and you had some of us shaking our heads when viewing your first-drive-home video. :shock: I took the liberty of merging your posts into the existing thread and changed the title a bit.

Sorry, can't help you with the key as I also have that problem with one of my three i-MiEVs.

With winter here, you're starting off with the wrong impression as to the car's range - you'll see a nice improvement when springtime comes.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

 

[wmcbrine]

One of the other things I did wrong when I drove the car home was that I never checked the tire pressure. The listed max sidewall on the tires is 51 PSI. The tires were at 32 when I checked them the next day.

36 is the recommended pressure, per the manual (with original tires).

 

[jsantala]

Some J1772 charging cords also have a light in them, or you could hack one in to the car or the handle. I haven't really missed having one. The J1772 plug goes into place pretty easily even if you can't really see where you're sticking it.

I've had up to 44 PSI on the tires which have had that as the maximum pressure as marked on the tire, without issues.

And yes, it's doubly nice when the spring comes when you have an i-MiEV, the range remaining after full charge goes up a lot.

 

[bennelson]

With winter here, you're starting off with the wrong impression as to the car's range - you'll see a nice improvement when springtime comes.

Yes, I am looking forward to improved range in the spring. My first trip was pretty much the absolute worst possible combination of conditions. What I liked was that EVEN in those conditions, it was STILL a very usable car. I always like proving nay-sayers wrong.

I think a light under the charge port flap would be handy. The charge port is on the opposite side of the car from the light of my garage door opener, and being in the North and the winter, it's dark here ALL THE TIME. I saw an iMiEV a while back with a few little LEDs installed in the back and under the door handles. It looked GREAT!

I also just spent $25 on Amazon to order a seat heater kit to install in the passenger seat.

 

[PV1]

I think a light under the charge port flap would be handy. The charge port is on the opposite side of the car from the light of my garage door opener, and being in the North and the winter, it's dark here ALL THE TIME.

The 2014 and 2016 i-MiEVs have this as a standard feature. I wonder if it could be retrofitted to the 2012.

I saw an iMiEV a while back with a few little LEDs installed in the back and under the door handles. It looked GREAT!

Thanks! :mrgreen:

That was me at 7 Springs in Pennsylvania. It was a pleasure meeting you and talking about hybrids and EVs. Those lights I put in definitely make a difference in lighting up the interior and around the car. Plus, they give the car more appeal. I've thought about putting lights in the charge ports, but I've gotten really good at lining up the connector. Plus, there is enough light from the doorhandles reflecting off of the wall where I park to see the port clearly.

 

[wmcbrine]

I think a light under the charge port flap would be handy.

I'm not disagreeing, but maybe it would be easier to improve your garage's lighting?

 

[Don]

I put a really bright LED in the J1772 charge handle when I built my Open EVSE. It's powered by the EVSE and comes on when you press the button on the handle. A neat feature, but we don't use it all the time because our garage isn't that dark inside . . . . and the lights on the door opener light it up pretty good at night. As an alternative, you might get one of those little 120 volt LED night lights, mount it up on the ceiling aimed at the charge port on the car

You won't regret for a second holding out and paying a bit more for a car with the QC port - Your drive home would have been much different if you didn't have that option

Hope to see lots more of you here now that you're driving one - You have all sorts of things to add . . . . several of us have been following your exploits for quite some time. What became of the flooded car? Were any of the battery cells usable? You may be glad to have a few of those laying around one day

Don

 

[sandange]

Welcome back Ben
I really enjoyed your videos on the water damaged miev, It open up a few peoples eyes .

I guess you'll be looking at the Miev from a different angle, now hopefully the drivers seat.
Looking forward to your comments once you get a little more time with it.
More videos please.

 

[databeestje]

I was considering find the led charge led in the instrument panel and hang another led off there on the top of the dash to see if it's charging from the outside.

 

[tigger19687]

I have a small LED light on my key ring, so I just point that way if I can't see enough.
There is a topic on tire pressure. I did the 44psi, but then backed down as someone else pointed out that you need "squish" room for bumps and things.
Since I live in a Winter wonderland, my roads always look pitted and holed