I bought the best Tesla Model 3 rival you'll get for £400...
Discussion
Toaster Pilot said:
A500leroy said:
i used to have the diesel version ( a heady 50mph could be achieved) wished i kept it to be honest
Wonder how many of these are around - I don’t think the electric version was very popular. Few more van / pick ups around than cars I think 
Day off today so I got torn into this
Accessing the batteries wasn’t actually as bad as I’d feared
Each battery is reading around 12.4v. Low on charge but not faulty by any means. They were all replaced in 2015 for a whopping £1200!!
Restored the original Aixam battery charger and wiring today - it starts charging but cuts out. Think I’ll need to send the charger unit to someone for inspection and repair because they’re utterly unobtainable.
Hoping that refurbishing the charger will make it usable again - there are a couple of minor bits it’d need for a MoT but getting it charging properly again is vital to make it even slightly resemble a usable “car”
Accessing the batteries wasn’t actually as bad as I’d feared
Each battery is reading around 12.4v. Low on charge but not faulty by any means. They were all replaced in 2015 for a whopping £1200!!
Restored the original Aixam battery charger and wiring today - it starts charging but cuts out. Think I’ll need to send the charger unit to someone for inspection and repair because they’re utterly unobtainable.
Hoping that refurbishing the charger will make it usable again - there are a couple of minor bits it’d need for a MoT but getting it charging properly again is vital to make it even slightly resemble a usable “car”
brough74 said:
Ive had a look toaster and it must of finished but when i saw it last, it was at £470 so you maybe started something with your project.
Tends to be the kind of money they fetch with knackered batteries it seems. Think I’ve done reasonably well with this one even though it’s a pile of arse. Urgh. Not much to report with this.
Charger unit came back refurbished after a long time. Had been extensively tested and seemed to be doing its thing well before it was shipped back to me
Stuck it in and connected it up last weekend - it powered up and then almost instantly.... let the smoke out!
It’s heading back for inspection shortly. Balls.
Charger unit came back refurbished after a long time. Had been extensively tested and seemed to be doing its thing well before it was shipped back to me
Stuck it in and connected it up last weekend - it powered up and then almost instantly.... let the smoke out!
It’s heading back for inspection shortly. Balls.
It's no longer a pile of bits on the floor of my unit!
Charger came back after another crack at refurbishing it and it runs well now - fans are on constantly but that's no bad thing given heat was what killed it before.
It's only roughly assembled at the moment - bumper is held on mostly with cable ties and prayers... still better panel gaps than a Tesla mind
One of the DT technicians at my school used to drive one of these, don't think he was 100% there mentally, which probably explained the choice. One day a group of 6th formers picked it up and moved it, always regretted not being there to witness it.
Definitely an interesting project, not something you see every day.
Definitely an interesting project, not something you see every day.
Cambs_Stuart said:
One for the "i never knew they existed" bucket. Good work in getting it going. How much did the charger refurb cost? And how is commuting in it?
Not quite there yet - but getting there hopefully. Charger refurb was sorted for a couple of crates of beer (hence it taking forever - it was well down the priority list!)Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff