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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I did a Tony Test on the RAV4 EV’s battery overnight: basically an extended charge, disconnecting the 12V battery, letting it balance overnight, hooking it back up, and seeing what the computer reports as its driving-style naive range.

A new battery should show 146 miles, 100.0% stated nominal capacity. Mine shows 132 miles, 90.4%.

This is not outside the expected range but is still a bit disappointing/on the low end of expected given the low miles (35.4k). Perhaps all those cold days haven’t been kind to the pack: it has always been garaged overnight almost to a rule but it has spent many a day on the open deck of the work parking garage. It hasn’t been because of too-frequent use of Extended Charge, at least during my period of ownership.

Anyway, this 90.4% finding explains nicely why I was just short of making it to Vail on my attempted run there. The model assumed full capacity and saw me there with a 6 kWh buffer, iirc. If I started out 4.2 kWh short and the last 2 kWh are essentially unusable (enforced slow speed “turtle mode”) then that’s that.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
My Mantras and Jessica’s new Black Pearl 98s are now de-waxed, in preparation for a DPS Phantom (the permanent non-wax base treatment thing) treatment tomorrow.

I’m also getting the RAV4 EV washed right at this moment, as my remote buyer is having a Denver local (similarly with a RAV4 EV) take a look at it tomorrow. This car wash subscription is a Good Thing: $25/mo for 1 wash per day.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Part A of Phantom application complete. The skis are now curing in the sun until this afternoon, where Part B application and more curing shall occur.

093D2F81-6325-4039-A9D8-910360D7BDE0.jpeg


6AF78DC9-5311-4323-A66A-9ED258918BA9.jpeg
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549




After Part B, corking, and brushing. They look like crap. All that residue and they feel very sticky.

I am very glad the Phantom FAQ has this line:

After applying either part A or B, Phantom has dried opaque and/or and sticky. Has it cured?

If Part A dries opaque or sticky, continue with the application process as instructed in applying and curing part B. If part B dries opaque or sticky, or there is still an opaque or sticky residue remaining from part A, do not be concerned. Cork and brush the skis as best you can, and try them out. It may take an extra run or two to ski off the Phantom residue, but you should be gliding in no time.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
my remote buyer is having a Denver local (similarly with a RAV4 EV) take a look at it tomorrow.
5679AB0D-9A93-4397-9376-3394B4D24276.jpeg


Photographic left is that of the local forum guy checking out ours for the NY buyer.

Said buyer was reassured by whatever the local guy relayed to him, apparently, as he’s going to take it.

Timeline:

- getting his driver’s license imminently, after which I will make up a bill of sale with projected mileage as of Wednesday (it’s going to be driven until then—that’s a ski day for me so I’ll be snagging the wife’s minivan) and with a clause saying the sale is pending payment. This is largely for his reassurance at this point.
- Tuesday, post bank holiday: buyer will initiate a loan at his local bank and get a bank check for the $13k made out to me. He will then FedEx it to me, endorsed.
- title and lien release arrive to me via FedEx on Wednesday or Thursday. He sets his shipper into motion at this point. I verify check at my local credit union, deposit it, and sign over the title to him. I’ll probably take a photo of it and put it in the car.
- vehicle gets loaded up a day or three later, with me taking one last interior and exterior video of it prior to it exiting my control.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
1) RAV4 EV sale is moving forward. Title and lien release arrived today. His bank was waiting on those before initiating the loan, so timeline is probably pushed back to shipment next week. I’ll drive it until I receive payment and sign over the title, so at least Friday. My pending-payment bill of sale gave me 100 miles of wiggle room, which I will use so as to not ride the bike to work in 10 degree weather and the like.

2) Sticky white crap on the bases of my Phantom-ed Mantras burnt off after about 2 runs, as promised by the DPS FAQ. Afterwards they glided ok and look like bases instead of bases attacked with a melted candle. Didn’t seem super quick like a cold temperature wax on cold snow but if they stay consistent then it’s worth it then and there, because I sure don’t have the motivation to wax before every time I head up. FWIW my top speed per my GPS was a mph or two faster than on prior efforts, so objectively the skis aren’t holding me back.

3) My back is not 100% but wasn’t painful while skiing, and I did do a bit of bumps to provoke it. At Breck on Saturday I’ll either be teaching Yuna or skiing with her on a front pack so it’ll be low impact anyway.

4) Still no VIN for the ordered Fusion Energi, let alone a delivery date. I may well end up being sans car for a month. Therefore I’ll have to make do: because of other travel plans, a department meeting on 2/28 that I didn’t want to skip, and Hamilton tickets for 3/14 (so I can’t get back late!) the first possible shuttle day for me is 3/15.

I could use Peak1: just under $100 round trip with a 10% tip, and that’s 8 am from DIA and 4:20 pm from the Gondola at the base of Breckenridge. Add in the cost and hassle of getting to and from DIA and maybe I’ll just rent a car instead... certainly will have to for 3/14 so might as well extend that reservation. 3/21 and 3/23 are similar: probably should rent a car for those three days, especially since 3/23 would be an early departure and return day since we are driving up to Winter Park that night to go skiing on Saturday 3/24.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
<snip> so objectively the skis aren’t holding me back.
Trust me - it'll never be the skis...

I borrowed a buddy's 207 GS race skis (old skool straight) once at A-Basin a long time ago. Them fuckers wouldn't even pretend to turn until you were doing Mach Looney. I have no idea what the top speed of those bastards would be. I *do* know, for a fact, that they absolutely sucked in the bumps on Pali Face. :nope:
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Trust me - it'll never be the skis...

I borrowed a buddy's 207 GS race skis (old skool straight) once at A-Basin a long time ago. Them fuckers wouldn't even pretend to turn until you were doing Mach Looney. I have no idea what the top speed of those bastards would be. I *do* know, for a fact, that they absolutely sucked in the bumps on Pali Face. :nope:
i can only imagine how much those sucked in bumps. My 190 powder skis sure weren’t the right tool for Screech Owl at Beaver Creek. I learned that lesson after one run.

If the bases had stayed as slow as they were at first then your adage may have been proved incorrect. Initially they felt glued to the snow: move one foot forward then you could pull yourself along with it but not glide a millimeter.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
the first possible shuttle day for me is 3/15.

maybe I’ll just rent a car instead... certainly will have to for 3/14 so might as well extend that reservation. 3/21 and 3/23 are similar: probably should rent a car for those three days, especially since 3/23 would be an early departure and return day since we are driving up to Winter Park that night to go skiing on Saturday 3/24.
Ford Expedition/Chevy Tahoe or similar rented for each of those stretches. The car rental place in question is only 2.4 miles away by car, but 3.7 miles by foot or bike due to a lack of a way to cross one particular road along the way on foot or without riding in nominally 40 mph traffic lanes (nopenopenope). So I'll Uber there and back, probably.

Since these rental reservations are no obligation deals through Costcotravel.com I probably will also look into car sharing, namely turo.com (formerly relayrides.com, which at least made a little bit of sense). Perhaps I can get something closer, more interesting, cheaper, or some combination thereof. Costco Travel for auto rental reservations is the best thing ever, for those not in the know.

Edit: No dice. 2014 Audi Q5 Hybrid (who knew they made such a thing?) for $100/day after fees. This is close enough that I could bike there and pick it up--about a mile east--but the Enterprise Full-Size SUV is under $70/day after fees. That's enough to deal with Uber, for a newer if not nicer vehicle.
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I should get a Tesla Semi.


Looks pretty fun from the clip, and finally I’d stop complaining about headroom…
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549

Looks like my 3 year lease was the right option, assuming Ford is actually building the thing—don’t even have a VIN, still. The future is still too far away.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Ski plans for the rest of this season, revised after experiencing too much of the unwashed masses at Breckenridge yesterday:

Saturday 3/3. Winter Park. Just me and Mariko.

No lesson for her, just us skiing together (me on a $79 voucher) and taking off early as the wife has dinner and a show that night. We have a hotel room with a non-refundable reservation in Fraser for the night of 3/2, and the wife didn’t want to join with Yuna and herself after the kids just kicked each other while in a single queen bed on this past Friday night. Taking Yuna doesn’t make sense without a lesson for her since she’s too big for the front pack, really, and I’m not willing to risk the lifties objecting.

(Note that I’m not going up midweek on 2/28, as there’s a faculty meeting I wanted to go to. Also not going the following week, midweek or weekend alike, as I have a conference in Arizona.)

Wednesday 3/14. Probably Breckenridge. Me and also likely my section head.

Breck on the weekend was awful (getting down from Peak 8 in the gondola line was particularly infuriating) but I like it midweek. I figure a reasonably early start and skiing through lunch will do it, as I have to be back by about 4–dinner out with wife and then seeing Hamilton!

Thursday 3/15. Breck? Keystone? Vail? Solo.

This is a bonus day: didn’t book vacation but I’m on academic time and am not the backup for people calling in sick as they are wont to do, so am therefore free to go skiing under our department’s new autonomy-first policy. Maybe I’ll give Vail and its $30 parking another shot so as to try the back bowls. Maybe I’ll tear it up on Keystone groomers. Maybe I’ll stick to Breck.

Saturday 3/17 and a repeat on 3/24. Eldora. Whole family.

I’ll be up in TN’s hood so as to avoid I-70 entirely on the weekend. I hear parking is an issue so we will plan on leaving here 6:30-45, which seems much nicer than an hour earlier for, say, Loveland (which does have some fabulously cheap private lesson rates!). 3 hour private lessons separately for each of the kids so as to give Jessica and me some time to explore the hill.

Wednesday 3/21 and Friday 3/23. Similar Epic Pass roulette. Just me.

Like the week before a vacation day (Wednesday) and a bonus ski day.

After this we will be at the Fraser YMCA 3/28-3/31 but I don’t think we will bring ski gear at all unless there’s a big dump and a cold spell. There are apparently many non-ski activities to entertain the kids. At that point it may well be a wrap for the ski season, although I might head to A-Basin a time or two in April if the snow is holding up.

So 7 more days, albeit one where I’ll be skiing the whole time with Mariko, and 3 not under my Epic Pass. I have learned my lessons for future seasons:

- avoid Epic Pass resorts on the weekends
- avoid I-70 on the weekends
- ...
- profit! And by that, I mean, spend a lot of money on this “skiing” business
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
Just for the record: Eldora sucks.

And you can ski all the way down to the bottom of the gondola from Peak 8.

And yes - ski A-Basin in April. Hell, A-Basin spring skiing is really the only good thing about the Epic Pass...
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Just for the record: Eldora sucks.

And you can ski all the way down to the bottom of the gondola from Peak 8.

And yes - ski A-Basin in April. Hell, A-Basin spring skiing is really the only good thing about the Epic Pass...
I'm anticipating Eldora being small and windy, as in blowing breezes as opposed to curves. But if it cuts a bit off the drive, gets us off of I-70 hell, and has decent lessons for the kids then it may turn into our weekend regular destination.

All Jessica wants is a few blue groomers, and I can amuse myself by skiing backwards or trying to drag my butt in GS turns or whatever.

:D

Re April skiing, from the Ikon Destinations FAQ:

CAN I USE MY 2018-2019 IKON PASS TO SKI OR RIDE AT PARTICIPATING DESTINATIONS DURING SPRING 2018?
Yes. You can use your 2018-2019 Ikon Pass or Ikon Base Pass starting March 6, 2018 at Big Bear Mountain Resort, June Mountain, Blue Mountain and Snowshoe; and starting on April 9, 2018 at Winter Park Resort, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and Mammoth Mountain.
So I'll have WP and A-Basin to pick from for April (WP open until Apr 22), A-Basin through June?!

I did ski down from Peak 8 to the Gondola Lot when I went mid-week, but that wasn't an option for us on Saturday since strapping Yuna to my belly had been vetoed by the lifties. Well, I guess I could have gone down from there without anyone catching me but we had boot bags, etc.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
profit! And by that, I mean, spend a lot of money on this “skiing” business
I’m shunting some of that profit to TN: he will be Mariko’s instructor on 3/24.

I also threw some more money at Winter Park: I had already booked two $179 Max 5 lessons for Mariko on 3/17 and 3/24. When our plans changed I realized these were non-refundable, but I knew from prior experience that they could be rescheduled.

So I rescheduled for 3/3 and put those credits toward a 3 hour private lesson (which was more expensive yet—paid the difference). Oof. What’s money good for if one doesn’t spend it, right?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
So I ordered the Fusion on 2/1, put down $1k. The sales guy claimed delivery in 4-6 weeks. Well, it’s now 4 weeks and I don’t even have a VIN from the dealer, let alone a firm delivery date.

...

At what point do I ask for my money back and look into other options? I’m selling the RAV4 EV as soon as the check arrives from the prospective buyer (tomorrow?) as doing so helps near term cash flow immensely, but don’t want to be waiting forever, especially since my sales guy has not been the most communicative.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,060
So I ordered the Fusion on 2/1, put down $1k. The sales guy claimed delivery in 4-6 weeks. Well, it’s now 4 weeks and I don’t even have a VIN from the dealer, let alone a firm delivery date.

...

At what point do I ask for my money back and look into other options? I’m selling the RAV4 EV as soon as the check arrives from the prospective buyer (tomorrow?) as doing so helps near term cash flow immensely, but don’t want to be waiting forever, especially since my sales guy has not been the most communicative.
Find out who the sales manager is for the dealership and drop them a message.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
I’m going to drop in on the dealership in person today, with the goal of leaving with a VIN and a ship date or my deposit.
When a friend ordered a Focus RS he could get no information from the dealer, they claimed to have no information or visibility. However he was able to get info through forums where employees from other dealerships would look up order information. In other words, any ignorance on their part is likely voluntary.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
When a friend ordered a Focus RS he could get no information from the dealer, they claimed to have no information or visibility. However he was able to get info through forums where employees from other dealerships would look up order information. In other words, any ignorance on their part is likely voluntary.
This dealer system we have now is the worst. Why do they exist other than via inertia?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I’m going to drop in on the dealership in person today, with the goal of leaving with a VIN and a ship date or my deposit.
Said dropping in was done.

They provided paperwork that showed the vehicle was ordered on 2/6–note that they took my deposit on 2/1. Strike one.

The paperwork furthermore showed the status of the car as "ordered, unscheduled, clean". No VIN associated with the order. Not sure what that last part means, but the "unscheduled" to me implies at least 8 weeks from now until delivery, and I've already waited 4. Strike two.

Therefore I asked for my deposit back. I had to stare down the manager, who claimed (incorrectly) that I'd signed paperwork stating the deposit was non-refundable. I called his bluff and he came back a few minutes later with the stack of paperwork and refunded the $1k back to my card.

So now back to square one:

- in stock here and now
- 2" hitch
- stop and go cruise
- 24-36 month lease, as something like the 65 kWh Hyundai Kona EV could work for me in the future (100 kW CCS charging so I could always top off for a bit in Golden on the way and make it there and back without charging otherwise)…
- 4 doors +/- hatch, usable rear seat
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Screen Shot 2018-02-28 at 11.32.02 AM.png


A modest proposal that I am floating to my group.

Edit: Whoops, noted the "own your own" typo. Will fix that before sending out officially.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I’m selling the RAV4 EV as soon as the check arrives from the prospective buyer (tomorrow?)
Tomorrow arrived as did the check. Bill of sale completed by both parties (and sent via email). Check deposited—on hold by my credit union, but I’m confident it is legit (and if it’s not it’s a Federal felony, I believe, as it was sent Priority Mail). Title signed and Priority Mailed in turn to the buyer, and the vehicle stripped of belongings, personal information, and plates as those stay with me in this fine state in which I reside.

In other words, it is officially sold. All that is left is to transfer the extended warranty and set a date when the shippers can snatch it up.

Edit: The bank check cleared this morning.
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
So now back to square one:

- in stock here and now
- 2" hitch
- stop and go cruise
- 24-36 month lease, as something like the 65 kWh Hyundai Kona EV could work for me in the future (100 kW CCS charging so I could always top off for a bit in Golden on the way and make it there and back without charging otherwise)…
- 4 doors +/- hatch, usable rear seat
A project for later today will be to try to parse vehicles by these criteria in a more systematic way. The most restrictive criterion is going to be that stop and go cruise: finding the intersection of vehicles with that + 2" hitch availability will winnow the field substantially.

I need to verify this list, but a Reddit post claims that this is the list:
  • Audi A4 and Q7, 2018 a5 and Q5
  • BMW 5-Series
  • Chevrolet Volt, Malibu, Tahoe/Suburban
  • Ford Fusions and Escapes <-- :nopenopenope: I'm not setting foot in my local Ford dealer again and am just going to rule Fords out straight up
  • Honda Civics
  • Hyundai "any models that offer ACC and have an electronic parking brake"
  • Kia Optima, Sorento, Cadenza
  • Lincoln all models
  • Mercedes Benz all models
  • Mazda CX-5
  • Subaru Impreza, Crosstrek, Forester, WRX, Outback, Legacy
  • Tesla Model S, Model X
  • Toyota Prius, Prius Prime, and 2018 C-HR, 2018 Camry
  • Volkswagen Atlas, Golf, Golf R, Golf Wagon, Golf Alltrack
  • Volvo S90, V90, XC90
I highly doubt that all of these models have stop and go--they may well have adaptive cruise but not all adaptive cruise works at all speeds, and not all full-range adaptive cruise systems have stop and go capability.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,060
Our Crosstrek has adaptive cruise that I love, but I still prefer to actually drive the car when it's in heavy traffic or in a town environment.

From memory I don't think you can engage CC below 30mph, not sure if the newer version has changed that.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
On the Pacifica one can engage it at anything but a dead stop, and if it's engaged and brought the vehicle to a stop itself then it can be reactivated by a tap on the gas or the resume button while stopped (if the traffic ahead has crept forward). If going slowly it defaults to 20 mph as a minimum for the set speed.

I've read but not confirmed that Legacy-based Subarus act like the Pacifica, whereas Impreza-based ones bring it to a stop then disengage like that Mitsubishi that I did not care for at all.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I highly doubt that all of these models have stop and go--they may well have adaptive cruise but not all adaptive cruise works at all speeds, and not all full-range adaptive cruise systems have stop and go capability.
I spent a bit of time trying to replicate this list myself, only to be stymied by manufacturers obfuscating whether their adaptive cruise control has full speed range capabilities (can bring to a stop) and stop and go capabilities (will hold indefinitely and then continue to follow with the Resume button).

Here's what I came up with: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ToshiClark/posts/7oXKGJmPisR . I gave up at Honda after realizing that the list of vehicles that has Honda Sensing is inadequate, as I know several of those vehicles don't have full range or stop and go.

Instead what's more useful is parsing out the manufacturers' terms for adaptive cruise control with stop and go:

Acura/Honda: ACC with Low Speed Follow
Audi: ACC with Stop & Go or Traffic Jam Assist
BMW: ACC Stop & Go
FCA: ACC with Stop (some just stop the name at Stop, some have the & Go)
Ford/Lincoln: ACC with Stop-and-Go
Hyundai/Genesis: Smart Cruise Control with Stop/Start.
Kia: Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go
Toyota: Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
Lexus: All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
Mazda: Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go
Mercedes: Distronic Plus
Subaru: EyeSight (but only in the Legacy-based versions)
Tesla: Autopilot
Volkswagen: ACC with Follow to Stop or Stop and Go (former requires a Resume each time but will hold)
Volvo: ACC with Queue Assist or Pilot Assist
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I spent a bit of time trying to replicate this list myself, only to be stymied by manufacturers obfuscating whether their adaptive cruise control has full speed range capabilities (can bring to a stop) and stop and go capabilities (will hold indefinitely and then continue to follow with the Resume button).
I have time tonight—in Winter Park with my 5 year old, who has been asleep across the room for an hour—so took another stab at this list.

Mainstream cars with confirmed stop and go-capable adaptive cruise control

A subset of the list in this post: https://plus.google.com/+ToshiClark/posts/7oXKGJmPisR. I’m not going to cover all marques: Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Tesla, and Volvo are not included, in particular, and have many models with stop and go.

Honda/Acura
Civic, CR-V, 2018 Accord, MDX, TLX, RLX

Toyota/Lexus
2018 Camry, C-HR, Prius +/- Prime, NX, RX, GS, LC, LX

FCA
Pacifica +/- Hybrid, 300, Giulia, Stelvio, Charger, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Durango

Ford/Lincoln
Fusion, Expedition, F-150, MKZ, Navigator

Hyundai/Genesis/Kia
G80, G90, Sonata, Azera, Elantra GT, Ioniq Electric, Optima, Sorento, K900, Cadenza

Mazda
CX-5

Nissan
LEAF and Rogue with ProPILOT Assist

Subaru
Legacy, Outback

Vokkswagen
Golf +/- Sportwagen, CC, Touareg


Edit in case anyone is actually relying on this list. FCA's distinction of Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go actually matters! (The Stop-only version will bring one to a stop, hold for ~3 sec, beep, and then turn off. Nope.) Vehicles without & Go from FCA are struck through above.
 
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