a month with the leaf
So, it's no longer a painfully new car, since i now have license plates. I'm still really liking it; i still get a bit of smugness when i drive by gas stations, smog check stations, and oil change stores. My favorite feature is the remote climate control; it's really pleasant to tell the car I'm leaving my desk at work and have it be nice and cool by the time i lock my computer and go downstairs. The rear view camera, which i though would be ridiculous and superfluous, is actually quite useful. I did forget to plug it in one evening, but even at 80% charge i have enough to go to work and back three times in a row, so it wasn't a problem. (They recommend doing an 80% charge to prolong battery life. I'd do a 100% charge if i knew i were going much further than just my daily commute.)
The range hasn't really been an issue yet, but i have had a few twinges about it. For example, Earl and I drove to WorldCon in Reno (in his car), which we wouldn't have been able to do in the Leaf (no fast charge stations on the way). I'm also looking at going to Lambtown (a tiny fair in Dixon with fibery goodness), but that's 99 miles away, which is just at the edge of the advertised range. Range goes down at higher speeds and with air conditioning on, so... it'd be really nice and a simple trip if there were a fast charge station midway to top off, but as it is, I'd either make it a several day trip, or take a gas car. I'm (naively?) hoping for more charging stations to pop up in the future, but I knew what I was getting into when i got it. Since i use it for commute 99% of the time, it's still great. I do love not having to buy gas (yeah, I'm completely lazy).
My old car is finally gone. I had a few friends look at it, but it wasn't right for them (most notably too small for my taller-than-i-remember friend). After a fair amount of research, i called to donate it to charity. I was sad since it looks like mostly local charities who are set up for car donation - i couldn't see a way to donate it to Heifer International, or Doctors Without Borders, or National Organization for Rare Disorders, or Planned Parenthood. (Yes, i could sell it myself and donate the money - but i don't want to bother selling it myself.) Once i called, the car was picked up amazingly rapidly. I almost wished i could have given it a better goodbye, but it's just a car. (Cf. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I07xDdFMdgw ). I did make a nice package with all the service records and a short note, and left it with the car.
It's been rinsed off and has what i call it's "beauty pictures" up on the auction website. ( http://www.copart.com/c2/individualLot.html?lotId=23407731&searchType=onSaleNow ) I'm amused to see that the origami roses are still in the back window. I'm relieved to see that it has no snail shells in the engine compartment. I was tempted to follow the tow truck to the lot, but it's just as well I didn't, since the round trip would have been at the edge of the 80% range of my new car. =)
Other than that, nothing much new. Finder and Seeker are getting along well; they love to wrestle with each other, and Finder loves to lick his brother. (He loves to lick everything, but licking Madeleine really don't go over well.)
The range hasn't really been an issue yet, but i have had a few twinges about it. For example, Earl and I drove to WorldCon in Reno (in his car), which we wouldn't have been able to do in the Leaf (no fast charge stations on the way). I'm also looking at going to Lambtown (a tiny fair in Dixon with fibery goodness), but that's 99 miles away, which is just at the edge of the advertised range. Range goes down at higher speeds and with air conditioning on, so... it'd be really nice and a simple trip if there were a fast charge station midway to top off, but as it is, I'd either make it a several day trip, or take a gas car. I'm (naively?) hoping for more charging stations to pop up in the future, but I knew what I was getting into when i got it. Since i use it for commute 99% of the time, it's still great. I do love not having to buy gas (yeah, I'm completely lazy).
My old car is finally gone. I had a few friends look at it, but it wasn't right for them (most notably too small for my taller-than-i-remember friend). After a fair amount of research, i called to donate it to charity. I was sad since it looks like mostly local charities who are set up for car donation - i couldn't see a way to donate it to Heifer International, or Doctors Without Borders, or National Organization for Rare Disorders, or Planned Parenthood. (Yes, i could sell it myself and donate the money - but i don't want to bother selling it myself.) Once i called, the car was picked up amazingly rapidly. I almost wished i could have given it a better goodbye, but it's just a car. (Cf. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I07xDdFMdgw ). I did make a nice package with all the service records and a short note, and left it with the car.
It's been rinsed off and has what i call it's "beauty pictures" up on the auction website. ( http://www.copart.com/c2/individualLot.html?lotId=23407731&searchType=onSaleNow ) I'm amused to see that the origami roses are still in the back window. I'm relieved to see that it has no snail shells in the engine compartment. I was tempted to follow the tow truck to the lot, but it's just as well I didn't, since the round trip would have been at the edge of the 80% range of my new car. =)
Other than that, nothing much new. Finder and Seeker are getting along well; they love to wrestle with each other, and Finder loves to lick his brother. (He loves to lick everything, but licking Madeleine really don't go over well.)