On the same line of argument… when did you last price an injector and pump overhaul?
On my father in law’s 1987 Hilux, that will be more than half of what the car is worth.
Again, using the “dealer pricing” method, you can’t buy an alternator or a starter for that car without exceeding what the car is worth. The entire thing that makes it economical to run the car is the existence of the aftermarket. We don’t yet have a proper one for EVs. I hope it is coming.
I googled the turbos price … 
Diesel pump, they keep on saying it works, leave it. Waterpump, ±R1k.
Injectors:
Reconditioned ±R1k per injector.
New tip ±R2k per injector.
Brand new injector, last I checked - a long time ago - R2.5k per injector. But a long time ago. That time a Nissan was like R25k for 4 injectors, so yeah, I’m very much aware of prices on injectors.
If I take it in for injectors, I’m told to use Wurth Injector cure first for min 1 tank … till then, go away, we are not touching them. That is from an Isuzu specialist (on my model) in Stikland.
Yeah. It is a replaceable item. ICE, new engine. My question still stands, how long will the overall vehicle last if I have replaced the battery? I reckon it would be good for the same period the battery will last.
That pic Sarel showed on the batt prices, I think that would be one of the questions: So how much for a new battery? … like I ask about the services on ICE vehicles.
I also think, in due course, one will get battery repackers, when EVs take over en-mass.
EDIT: Suzi is valued at R120k … that is what they sell for today.
So pleased I stayed with Petrol (KB240DC, 2003) - not worth much 2nd hand but… relatively cheap to maintain.
Another thing to consider is Euro 5/6 emissions standards. It is getting harder and harder to find cars which are not produced to these standards any more. Basically, only a handful of manufacturers produce cars specifically for markets with relaxed emissions standards, and those manufacturers are facing pressure to stop.
These engines become ludicrously finicky and expensive to maintain in the long run. The days of finding cars with R2.5k injectors are rapidly waning.
Amen to that. Sometimes a garage takes chances. They add paraffin to their diesel. It happened to me once, so what, it just smells funny. Happened to a Nissan once, 4 new injectors.
Had a 220l drum biodiesel and a pump in the garage. Till they caught up with the price per liter. The effort vs filling up anywhere was just not worth it anymore.
Personally, I will not buy a modern diesel today. Ludicrously finicky and expensive to maintain.
Euro 5/6 emissions standards … not happening with old tech.
But in 5-10 years, your old tech will be reaching the point where it is no longer economical to maintain, and all that is available is Euro 5/6 finickiness.
If you drive the vehicle 12 years (for argument sake, I expect them to get that far with 80% capacity retained), and you put in a new battery… well then you have at least 12 more years before it comes up again. It basically doubles the life of the vehicle.
But also, to be completely honest here, it is not as if the battery is the only thing that fails. Again, on an i3 (which I know well), the other thing that breaks is the AC compressor (important, because it also cools the battery and the charger), and that’s also not cheap. Smash a mirror, headlight or any body work… you better have good insurance. Entire back hatch is two sheets of tempered glass, glued together. And then there’s the usual electronics that fail, eg I’ve seen reports of the body control module needing replacement, as well as some of the drive electronics. That’s rare though. My point: The battery is not the only thing that’s going to cost you money. The other items that fail… easily in the 5 digits. People make entirely too much of the battery. This is a highly technical modern vehicle. If you’re not up to it, better stick with the Diesel Grandpa
Man, that is a brilliant description. 
As I read recently, for some a car is like a dishwasher or washing machine, it must just work and be easily repairable.
So yeah, what you speculated on what else can break on an “old” EV with a new batt, I think I’m not interested anymore. Cool new high-end tech … it always bites me in the end.
Grandpa will maar drive a Diesel Grandpa for as long as there are affordable parts.
… I’ll be watching out to help you EV okes out when you run out of juice. 
I knew you’d take it well It was obviously not meant as an insult.
I’m half excited to dive into one of them, one day, and improve/fix/overhaul one.
Think about that for half a second. We were discussing the retrofitting of EV parts into older vehicles as a way to upcycle those old cars, give them a second life, and you were quite excited about that but I was not (because of the money and effort involved).
When you start with a shell that already was an EV, the work is SOOO much simpler. There is already a spot where the batteries must go. There is already an electric motor (and that is a part that lasts a really long time). In an EV conversion, you are always fitting a battery, a motor, and the new motor controller. Retrofitting a kit to a shell that already was an EV… is essentially the same thing, just without the motor.
If you are excited about EV-conversions, you should be excited about EV-overhauls too. It will be cheaper too.
Of course, the technical details is going to be rough. At least in the BMW, there are a dozen other systems that talk to each other on the CAN bus. To give just one example: DSC (dynamic stability control) will probably stop working if you start swapping things.
Have a look at the openinverter project. They have CAN dummies for a number of manufacturers, and are adding more regularly. Seems they can generate the right messages to make many vehicles work seemlessly with their inverter.
My interest is peaked.
Attentive listening, especially if one can maybe one day retrofit the battery with like say maybe 650ah EVE cells.
Ps. It does not kill the existing car retrofit idea … just needs knowledgeable local retrofitters.
I still want that truck conversion … even if the wife said NO!
I reckon this is why the Prius is so popular in ultra low emission cities??
i.e. an older affordable technology that still makes the cut…
We might even get a collectors model of the Prius. (worth a fortune 
)
A not scientific view of renewables vs fossil fuels, just for @plonkster 
Biznews interview
EnergieGroetnis
I love a challenge. 45 minutes of pure frustration. I always try to see if I can make it through these things… just to say that I did listen to opposing points
Same here, but only to an extent.
Using the right arrow one can FF in 5-second jumps.
After the first 5 minutes, I FF’ed using the mouse in ±10-minute jumps.
Sometimes opposing views are a waste of one’s time.
That does not count Mr Ttt…
Groetnis
Ie you have not listened to the philosophical views at all, ie. You then believe there is no alternative, and that is sad to me.
Groetnis
To be clear, it’s not about if the guy is correct or wrong, it is about logic and considering all sides, about understanding….
LogieseGroetnis
And a gem of an interview
Edison motors on EV trucks
ElektrieseGroetnis