Creating projects because EV maintenance is so boring.

[pezzy84]

Just a post mostly for fun.

Just had the 60k checkup on my '21 ID.4, yes I am one of those fanatics that still goes when car calls for it just for the sake of avoiding any question while still under warranty. Basically they just plug the car in to check codes and reset the service reminder, give it a quick look over and charge a little over $100 for the pleasure - but I have the record that I serviced per guidelines. Yes this visit called for a new cabin filter which dealer wants $90 to do, I can do myself for ~$19 so I told them to skip it. Next visit is a very exciting one where it will get it's 2nd brake fluid flush (VW calls for year 3 then every 2 after).

Anyhow every time I feel like car is not getting enough love so after every 10k service visit I take my car home then proceed to clean and treat all the rubber seals, clean the wiper blades, lubricate the door hinges and latches, and do a deep cleaning of the interior. Life with EV has gotten so boring I actually started mixing my own washer fluid and I make sure to fill it before I take it to the dealer so they don't mess up my nice whiff of Wolfsburg smelling mix.

If anyone is curious for 60k my maintenance costs (excluding tires) has been ~$772. Tire replacement was just under double that expense (~$1400) but I have ~40k on the Michelin CrossClimate2's and they look like they should easily make it to 70-80k miles.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Our '18 M3 needed the 12v battery after 5 years; $120 and Tesla came to our house. I picked up a nail near the sidewall; that was $400 for the Conti. Warsher fluid.

 

[pezzy84]

Our '18 M3 needed the 12v battery after 5 years; $120 and Tesla came to our house. I picked up a nail near the sidewall; that was $400 for the Conti. Warsher fluid.

Warsher fluid.....love that take on washer fluid! I'm mixing my own at home now so I don't even have to step into the auto parts store and haul gallon jugs around, sure I do have to swing through CVS or Walgreens once a winter to get some isopropyl alcohol but I go there anyways so just grab it while I am there.

 

[Torrid]

Warsher fluid.....love that take on washer fluid! I'm mixing my own at home now so I don't even have to step into the auto parts store and haul gallon jugs around, sure I do have to swing through CVS or Walgreens once a winter to get some isopropyl alcohol but I go there anyways so just grab it while I am there.

That's how most of my family says it. Always drove me nuts.

 

[buster]

If I ever get an EV, it will be weird not obsessing over oil.

 

[Torrid]

If I ever get an EV, it will be weird not obsessing over oil.

I always thought that would be the case. I haven't given it much thought. I guess I still do with my mower and snow blower.

 

[JeffKeryk]

That's how most of my family says it. Always drove me nuts.

Why do you think I sat it that way...

 

[M.F. Horn]

If I ever get an EV, it will be weird not obsessing over oil.

The focus will then change to range anxiety! Does the charger shown on the maps work, is it busy, does the app work, did I miss my exit, etc. A hybrid is the best of both worlds. At least that's my guess for now. We'll see way down the road.

 

[pezzy84]

If I ever get an EV, it will be weird not obsessing over oil.

You can obsess over the gearbox oil and change it excessively.

 

[pezzy84]

The focus will then change to range anxiety! Does the charger shown on the maps work, is it busy, does the app work, did I miss my exit, etc. A hybrid is the best of both worlds. At least that's my guess for now. We'll see way down the road.

That maybe was a thing as shortly as 1.5-2 years ago but not really so much anymore. Sure some desolate areas might still have some holes in the network but these are also the places they have signs warning you the next gas station is XYZ miles away.

 

[GSCJR]

Warsher fluid.....love that take on washer fluid! I'm mixing my own at home now so I don't even have to step into the auto parts store and haul gallon jugs around, sure I do have to swing through CVS or Walgreens once a winter to get some isopropyl alcohol but I go there anyways so just grab it while I am there.

I'd love that recipe! My in-laws gifted my wife their '20 RDX and it's been in our garage since September; it's a long story. Regardless, I was checking the fluids when my wife first drove it home, and noticed something very peculiar with the fluid in the washer reservoir, it's ORANGE and smells just like DEXCOOL! My FIL insists it's washer fluid but could not produce a jug that says it's suitable for our climate, or washer fluid at all, for that matter; it's -8c right now. So, when I have time, I'm either going to flush the reservoir and lines or add my own concoction to the reservoir.

My best bet is just to start over and get that stuff, whatever it is, out of there!

 

[pezzy84]

I'd love that recipe! My in-laws gifted my wife their '20 RDX and it's been in our garage since September; it's a long story. Regardless, I was checking the fluids when my wife first drove it home, and noticed something very peculiar with the fluid in the washer reservoir, it's ORANGE and smells just like DEXCOOL! My FIL insists it's washer fluid but could not produce a jug that says it's suitable for our climate, or washer fluid at all, for that matter; it's -8c right now. So, when I have time, I'm either going to flush the reservoir and lines or add my own concoction to the reservoir.

My best bet is just to start over and get that stuff, whatever it is, out of there!

The below stuff smells and cleans incredibly not to mention easy to dose as the top is a measuring cup - only bad is during winter you have to figure out a good isopropyl alcohol mix to suppress the freeze point. For 1 gallon I calculated 16 oz bottle of 91% will put me down into high-teens F freeze point, yeah it pushes up the cost but we don't deal with salt/slush so that 1 refill should last me the freeze season. I just pour the alcohol in then top off with my home mix.

Nextzett Kristall Klar concentrate

 

[JeffKeryk]

The focus will then change to range anxiety! Does the charger shown on the maps work, is it busy, does the app work, did I miss my exit, etc. A hybrid is the best of both worlds. At least that's my guess for now. We'll see way down the road.

Yes and no. You learn. Of course it depends on where you live. Around here, chargers are everywhere. But seriously, you learn. What has to be experienced to be appreciated is waking up with a full tank every day. I have come to hate going to gas stations, as silly as that sounds.

Having said that, IMO you need 240V in your garage if you use your car "normally". I know of owners who use 110v (4 MPH charging) and/or charge at work at a subsidized rate, or even free. But they are outliers.

 

[RhondaHonda]

This thread made me think about my brakes on my Tesla. I’ve got 38,500 miles on it and a 54 mile commute each day. I touch the brake pedal maybe 1, max 2 times a day. That conservatively works out to 700 - 1,400 total brake applications in all the time I’ve owned it and I believe it to be much less as most days I don’t use the hydraulic brakes.

I should probably look at the brake caliper pins at some point but love the one pedal driving. I don’t see a reason the brakes shouldn’t last 300,000 miles or more, aside from rusting out from lack of use. Doubtful I’ll still have the car but crazy to think about.

 

[Torrid]

This thread made me think about my brakes on my Tesla. I’ve got 38,500 miles on it and a 54 mile commute each day. I touch the brake pedal maybe 1, max 2 times a day. That conservatively works out to 700 - 1,400 total brake applications in all the time I’ve owned it and I believe it to be much less as most days I don’t use the hydraulic brakes.

I should probably look at the brake caliper pins at some point but love the one pedal driving. I don’t see a reason the brakes shouldn’t last 300,000 miles or more, aside from rusting out from lack of use. Doubtful I’ll still have the car but crazy to think about.

It doesn't hurt to lube the calipers occasionally. I've so far taken the responsible adult approach of hard braking into tight turns occasionally in secluded areas to use the friction brakes to keep them fresh.

 

[JeffKeryk]

This thread made me think about my brakes on my Tesla. I’ve got 38,500 miles on it and a 54 mile commute each day. I touch the brake pedal maybe 1, max 2 times a day. That conservatively works out to 700 - 1,400 total brake applications in all the time I’ve owned it and I believe it to be much less as most days I don’t use the hydraulic brakes.

I should probably look at the brake caliper pins at some point but love the one pedal driving. I don’t see a reason the brakes shouldn’t last 300,000 miles or more, aside from rusting out from lack of use. Doubtful I’ll still have the car but crazy to think about.

I think Tesla recommends cleaning and re-lubing the brake components in inclement weather regions. Was it 100K? Dunno. 60K sounds about right.

 

[pezzy84]

Yes and no. You learn. Of course it depends on where you live. Around here, chargers are everywhere. But seriously, you learn. What has to be experienced to be appreciated is waking up with a full tank every day. I have come to hate going to gas stations, as silly as that sounds.

Having said that, IMO you need 240V in your garage if you use your car "normally". I know of owners who use 110v (4 MPH charging) and/or charge at work at a subsidized rate, or even free. But they are outliers.

Yes to garage charging! I adore the argument of how long it takes to charge on the 1-2x annual road trip (if that), well tell me how many minutes you spent going to a gas pump over the past year. Even if you only go to the pump 1x per month you are probably at 1 hour of fueling your car if you can get it all done in 5 minutes.

We have 2x 14-50 plugs in the garage for the ID's in my sig and have an night off peak charging plan so they charge from 11PM-5AM for ~.08-.09 per KWH (varies by half penny here and there based on actual fuel cost for the utility company), both can pull ~9.4 KWH so they finish well before off peak timing ends. Both ID's do ~2.5k miles/month so they get pushed to the limits, even 30A charging would be fine but we just have them cranked to max just because we don't feel like fiddling with charge rates.

 

[pezzy84]

This thread made me think about my brakes on my Tesla. I’ve got 38,500 miles on it and a 54 mile commute each day. I touch the brake pedal maybe 1, max 2 times a day. That conservatively works out to 700 - 1,400 total brake applications in all the time I’ve owned it and I believe it to be much less as most days I don’t use the hydraulic brakes.

I should probably look at the brake caliper pins at some point but love the one pedal driving. I don’t see a reason the brakes shouldn’t last 300,000 miles or more, aside from rusting out from lack of use. Doubtful I’ll still have the car but crazy to think about.

Video inspection they sent me on my ID.4 was that I was at 12MM for front brakes and 'they look basically new'. I don't think I will ever have to touch the brakes on this car. Fortunately ID.4 uses the friction brakes for last few MPH of the stop so they do get routine use to avoid corrosion.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Video inspection they sent me on my ID.4 was that I was at 12MM for front brakes and 'they look basically new'. I don't think I will ever have to touch the brakes on this car. Fortunately ID.4 uses the friction brakes for last few MPH of the stop so they do get routine use to avoid corrosion.

Tesla has an option to use the friction brakes to mimic regenerative braking in cold temps but I have that setting turned off. I’ll take a look at things in the next year or so and grease when needed. I do have to hit the brakes to put it in D when I first get in it so maybe that slight actuation keeps things from binding up.

 

[alarmguy]

Just a post mostly for fun.

Just had the 60k checkup on my '21 ID.4, yes I am one of those fanatics that still goes when car calls for it just for the sake of avoiding any question while still under warranty. Basically they just plug the car in to check codes and reset the service reminder, give it a quick look over and charge a little over $100 for the pleasure - but I have the record that I serviced per guidelines. Yes this visit called for a new cabin filter which dealer wants $90 to do, I can do myself for ~$19 so I told them to skip it. Next visit is a very exciting one where it will get it's 2nd brake fluid flush (VW calls for year 3 then every 2 after).

Anyhow every time I feel like car is not getting enough love so after every 10k service visit I take my car home then proceed to clean and treat all the rubber seals, clean the wiper blades, lubricate the door hinges and latches, and do a deep cleaning of the interior. Life with EV has gotten so boring I actually started mixing my own washer fluid and I make sure to fill it before I take it to the dealer so they don't mess up my nice whiff of Wolfsburg smelling mix.

If anyone is curious for 60k my maintenance costs (excluding tires) has been ~$772. Tire replacement was just under double that expense (~$1400) but I have ~40k on the Michelin CrossClimate2's and they look like they should easily make it to 70-80k miles.

I remember back when you bought the ID4 ... I remember looking at them about 2 years ago. Glad it is going well. If you remember wife and I seriously considered it at the time, were some great deals. Reading your post make me still want one sometimes.
I am curious, you mentioned the tires. At what mileage did the OEM have to be replaced? I understand EV tires are more expensive do to the weight of the vehicles? One thing that does bother me is tire cost, even on the current SUV because it came with the optional 20 inch tires.

Yeah, it would be nice to not worry about changing oil and filters and just admire and take care of the vehicle in a fun way. For us currently it's just not in the realm of possibilities.

AS far as brakes, even on my gasoline vehicles, since moving south 20 years ago the open roads here arent like Long Island NY. Here I get an easy 80,000 + miles on brakes. In NY it was closer to half that mileage. I just did my 2017 Chevy Traverse with its 5000 Lb tow rating that I do tow with locally, though when we moved form SC to NC 2 years back I also towed interstate a 4 wheel u-haul and my boat. This summer of 2025 I just changed the brakes for the first time at 84,000 in March 2025.
I did have the transmission fluid flushed at the dealership around 45,000 and change my own oil, air filters, battery (which I wouldnt miss anymore) I am thinking this truck isnt going to last as long as previous ones without a big expense. Fingers crossed though.