The "Twin Carbs" channel is run by two twin brothers with a passion for all things automotive. They also appear to like their carbs (carbohydrates and carburettors). Simples. In this channel you will find a variety of maintenance tips on both Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars, as well as Electric Vehicles - we don't believe that they are mutually exclusive!
@@davrov8610 Not sure why you would want to. If using an AC charger, it is recommended that you regularly charge to 100% and beyond in order to balance the cells in the battery. When using a DC charger (CCS) the on board battery management system will slow down the charging rate to protect the battery.
Great video, I just replaced mine on an '06 with sport suspension. I used the old strut to determine the depth of the new strut, but want to clarify something. Should the strut be inserted in the knuckle up to the tapering point on the new strut, or should I match it to the same depth as the old strut?
You didn’t mention how you “reprogram” the car after disconnecting the earth cable. Ignition on, start engine, full left lock, full right lock, turn off ignition, then restart car.
We had an XF Sportbrake which kept hunting around the gears, which didn’t make for the smoothest drive. Took it to the main dealer and they said “it’s a learning gearbox, Sir”. When we pointed out that it clearly had learned the wrong habits, they then asked if the car had more than one driver. We said both of us drove the car. To which they replied “that must be confusing it”. They then wanted £350 to reset the adaptations. When I pointed out to them that they seemed to have designed a gearbox that fucks itself up because it’s trying to be a smartarse but can’t cope if more than one driver uses the car, they could say nothing more than “that’s how it’s designed”.
Yup, sounds about right. On one of my more frustrating trips to the service bay at my local dealership, the manager said to me - "I don't know why your shouting at me... I'm the Service Manager". Duh!
Sadly JLR will be finished by the end of the year. Their parts supply is diabolical and the range of cars isn't what folk want plus the nightmare of Range Rovers getting stolen is being rectified way too slowly and you can't insure them. Such a shame as I love the XJ and I am still determined to own one. I do my own servicing, always have always will. Never ever go to a main dealer
Hello. I have the Clarke StrongArm too, but I can't get the spring to compress enough (before the tool runs out of travel). What am I doing wrong?! Did you have any issues?
That was a while ago but I seem to remember having to drop the top section down to about the fourth hole down the main tube, making sure the pneumatic part is fully released. It takes a bit of fiddling but much easier and safer than the other tools.
Hi there, I'm having a similar issue with my NC, no significant parasitic draw but I've had 2 new batteries go flat in a matter of days. Did a new battery solve your issue or was it a more complex electrical issue? Many thanks!
A new battery solved the problem in this case. If two batteries have gone flat in quick succession, check the charging voltage with the engine running. It should be about 14.3 V. If not, have your alternator checked out.
Nice video, thinking of picking one up as a second car in the family, how has the range been? Same as when it was new? Here in sweden you can pic one up, second hand of course for about £15.000, with about 18.000 miles on the odometer. Would you recomend one, or should i look for somthing else?
Thank you for your comments. The MG was certainly the most reliable cars I've ever had. I didn't see any degradation in range or battery health in the three years I had it. The market for EV's must be stronger in Sweden than UK. I spotted my one for sale last week at an MG dealer for £13,500. 27000 miles. Bargain! Hope you find one soon 👍
I've got the same car, 2.5 years old more or less. I've got the same problem with the passenger wing mirror, but it's now not folding 80% of the time. Not a problem, except sometimes I get back to the car and think I've left it unlocked. Mine came with a 7kw charger. Which is what I use 99% of the time. One little aside, I did a 200 mile trip to London, on the way down I did 70-75 and Needed 3 charges, which made a journey time of 5 1/2 hours. On the way back I did 50, mostly behind trucks. Needed one change. Journey took 5 hours. So weirdly, going 50mph is faster than doing 70. (velocity squared for wind resistance, means 50 uses almost 50% less energy than 70)
There seems to be an internal mechanism that becomes "unhooked". Manually fold the mirror inwards - you need to lift it then twist it. Then, using the mirror control switch, press down to electrically fold the mirror in. You'll hear the motor run followed by a loud clunk. That's the unhooked parts re-engaging. Unfold them again using the switch and they should be fine again. Hope that helps.
@@twincarbs8637 I've manually folded it worked the first few times. I'll give the button a go. But as problems go, it's not a concern, certainly not compared to blown turbo on my last car.
Greetings from Glasgow, thanks for the review been looking to get this exact car for a year now and keep talking myself out it, think I will take the plunge and switch from petrol, take care. Paul
Totally agree David. The model we have came in at around £70k. I think a more utilitarian option - lose the carpets, replace with rubber mats, have waterproof (and sand proof!) upholstery - would go down a bomb! Not just in Australia either.
On the MG ZS EV, when the car is charging the MG badge on the charge flap with pulse on and off. Once the charge reaches 100%, the car then "balances" or "equalises" the main traction battery. The traction battery isn't just one big battery, it is made up of over 400 small individual cells. What happens when the car is "balancing the battery" is that it checks each individual cell voltage and makes sure that each battery is functioning at the same level, topping up when necessary. During this period the MG badge will glow continuously. Once balancing is complete, the badge will extinguish. This is referred to as "Equalisation Charging" in the MG manual. It recommends that this is done at regular intervals. If an equalisation charge has not been carried out for some time the message centre in the instrument pack will display 'Please Slow Charge the Vehicle'. Please refer to 'Slow Charging' in the 'Starting and Driving' section. On average it takes at least 7.5 hours to complete a charge that includes the equalisation charge. Not all makes and models of car operate in this way - it depends on the chemistry used in the battery system. Hope that helps!
Thanks, this explained a lot about how to charge an mg ev. I'm thinking of buying either an mg zs ev or an mg4. I was talking to a salesman who said mgs use type 2 not ccs, but your video has made clear that by combining the 2 connection types you can use ccs rapid charging. Thanks.
Sadly, despite being several years into EV ownership, many salespeople still don't know the first thing about EV's - not even the basic's. Worse still, this can also be an indicator of how clued up (or otherwise) their mechanics are. CCS stands for combined charging system. Hence why you can connect two different styles of connectors in one socket. I have to say that, in 2 years of ownership of my MG ZS EV, it has never let me down once - which actually ranks in higher in terms of reliability than any of the Jaguars I have owned in the past. I haven't seen an MG4 yet but I have a test drive booked when I take my ZS for a service in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping they might let me do a quick review at the same time.
Nice demonstration,well explained.I’m just about to do mine I’m using the first type of spring compressors you used and I’ll try to mount bottom jaws on underside of shock plate instead of the spring,the z4s underneath generally don’t like uk weather all the suspension,subframe components go crusty very quickly.
Hope it goes/went well for you. Mounting the jaws on the underside of the shock plate should give you an extra inch or so - just make sure they don't slip!
@@twincarbs8637 Did it tonight,all good I didn’t really want to buy another spring compressor set up,I’ve got an 2003 3.0l and I think the spring is shorter than the regular z4
I watched your last video (if it was your last one) on your dealership woes with Jaguar, I've just bought a 2013 model XJ and always use my local specialist, I've built up a relationship with those guys and the service I get is second to none. They call Jaguar main dealers main stealers. Funnily enough I bought the XJ from an MG dealership in Twyford so I was intrigued at your selection. When I was there buying the Jag there were plenty of people looking around the new MGs. Personally they're not my kind of car and electric cars are especially irksome because of the political bullshit that goes with them. When I heard that Jaguar were going all electric I mourned the passing of yet another great English tradition. Anyway good luck with it.
Thanks for your comment. In all honesty, the MG has been a great car. I've had it two years now and it has never missed a beat in 20,000 miles so has proven to be more reliable than any of the Jaguars I have owned (bought new and always dealer serviced). Servicing the MG costs £95 and £200 compared with £700 and £1400. Unfortunately there is only one independent Jag mechanic with 100 miles of where I live. However, like you, I am still a petrolhead at heart - hence the range of other cars you will see on the channel. Enjoy!
I learned my lesson with diesels and main dealers, I had a Lexus IS220D sport, full main dealer service history and on one service they overfilled it with oil and that buggered the DPF, they denied it and I was stymied. Since then I bought an XF 3.0ltr petrol and have had that maintained at a Jaguar specialist, Swallows in Somerset and I've never had a problem with them, they know how to look after both the car and the customer, I've always had a curtesy car when needed too. I've since bought a a 3.0ltr supercharged portfolio XJ and that will be impeccably maintained also at Swallows Jaguar. Main dealers are main stealers.
Hello my friend. Been a while since your last video. Quick update......I ordered the new MG Long Range EV on new years eve last year. The date has been put back several times due to the crap going on around the world. Finally i got a date for delivery. Next month. The chap from the garage phoned me and said my new " black " EV is on it's way...... " No no no " i said. " You mean my RED EV is on it's way ? " They only went and ordered the wrong colour. So i have been waiting for 8 months and the car that is coming is not the one i ordered. I'm not happy. Also the salesman claimed that i would save £1000 if i got finance and then paid it off after 4 or 5 payments.There was a £1000 contribution. My intention was to pay cash but why not go with the finance if i was going to save all that money. Well the salesman who sold me the car has left the company and the person who is now looking after me said that i wouldn't save a penny going down that route. The finance company will still charge me the interest even if i pay the loan off early. I'm not happy. So i agreed to have the black car but my car has increased in value by £3000 in the last 8 months so i said i wanted the new value in part exchange. They won't do it. They are going to ring me when the new car arrives and I'm sure they will try and get me to buy it because the waiting time is 30 weeks if i take my business elsewhere. As it stands I'm not getting a new car.
Sounds like you are having a real nightmare. Having said that , I think it's the same with all manufacturers at the moment - supply shortages are affecting everybody. Bit of a PITA though for your dealer to back out of the deal just because the salesman left. Your contract isn't with the sales guy, it's with the company he was employed by. Might be worth taking the black car instead of the red one. You could probably sell the black one for lot more than you paid for it just now given the supply shortage. Have you seen the new MG4? Might be worth ordering one of them? I know I haven't posted on my channel for a while - been working on another project. I'll get back on it soon 😀
@@twincarbs8637 The dealer hasn't pulled out of the deal. They want to sell me the black car but won't increase my part ex deal. Obviously no one could have known that second hand car prices would go up so far. I would have been no the wiser if the car they ordered was the correct colour. I would have signed the paperwork and drove off in my nice new "red " MG. The fact that they messed up made me look into another possible deal with a different garage. It was when i put the details of my car into the website that i got a shock when it came up as being worth £3000 more than in December. I was thinking about buying the black car and selling my car either privately or to one of those car buyer sites ( we buy any car etc etc ). I know they will take a 5er off for every crumb they find but i will still get more than the garage offered back in December
@@twincarbs8637 update....finally the garage has decided to get it right. They phoned me up and i am now getting the " black " MG next week. It turns out that i will get £1500 contribution towards the car. I have had to buy the car on PCP and will have to pay 6 instalments....Then i can pay the loan off. I'm not getting the colour i wanted but it's better than waiting 8 more months. They made it very clear that they could sell the car very quickly if i decided to back out of the deal.
Kind of a bitter-sweet result but at least you will have a fantastic car, if not the right colour. I think your dealer has treated you quite shoddily. No point in naming and shaming though - at least until you have finally got (and paid for) your car. Enjoy it when it happens 👍
A wonderful value-for-money EV. I drove this car for a week in Australia. As a Tesla owner, I have to say I am impressed with the MG ZS EV. It also has some things that the Tesla does not have, such as blindspot indicators on the wing mirrors and great all-round visibility. Stay safe!
So we have had a petrol automatic Mokka for 12 months. So the lane control is a pain. Getting in the back is another issue. So kids will be ok but if your an adult you will have issues getting in and out. We have the keyless entry. We have given up on this as it is so temperamental. Then one big issue is when we go to open the car with the key fob. We find the car will not open. The key fob stops working. So we have a trick now to get round this. We have to open and close the boot. Which I am guessing because we have keyless entry it allows us to do this. Then the key fob comes back to life. We can now open the car with the key fob. The car has been back 7 times to the dealer. Still not fixed. Oh Vauxhall customer service is a waste of time. I will not say what I think of them.
Agreed. Lovely cars when they are running but so many expensive problems with them. Combined with dealerships who don't give a toss, it's not a sustainable option.
Hi bernard , a simple look at your V5 will tell you if your car is a euro5 or euro6 model , the latter is full of problems inc dpf , egr valves , throttle bodys , turbos, and manifold problems , a warranty is esential on these cars , the range rover and range rover sport share the same engine. these cars do not like short jorneys , i had 2 of them a 60plate then a 64 plate , i retired then decidided to get shot of the very nice 64plate euro 5 with less than 25k on the clock , simply due to my short journeys , bought a xkr now got a f type , petrol is way forward , if keeping yours warranty is essential . good luck
I am in that process of choosing one of the models, and for me their just is not enough charge points at the moment, so i will be looking to the SRI premium 1.2 130 ps. when the charge points are plentiful i shall revisit this car, thanks for sharing.
So we have had a petrol automatic Mokka for 12 months. So the lane control is a pain. Getting in the back is another issue. So kids will be ok but if your an adult you will have issues getting in and out. We have the keyless entry. We have given up on this as it is so temperamental. Then one big issue is when we go to open the car with the key fob. We find the car will not open. The key fob stops working. So we have a trick now to get round this. We have to open and close the boot. Which I am guessing because we have keyless entry it allows us to do this. Then the key fob comes back to life. We can now open the car with the key fob. The car has been back 7 times to the dealer. Still not fixed. Oh Vauxhall customer service is a waste of time. I will not say what I think of them.
@@handlesarefeckinstupid yes we have a car that will not open so want to make people aware that Vauxhall have an issue. Also customer service for Vauxhall is a waste of time have been no help at all
Good video,I’m just doing this job now on my z4 my old shoes had a groove and had worn inside the disc the same so I’m replacing everything,how did you get the shoes off unattatching the cable ?
@@twincarbs8637 Thanks for reply,I got them off,however the adjuster doesn’t give you enough slack in the cable to not remove without a fight,then I looked Inside the car at the handbrake lever removed the boot and thought the cables would be there and adjust slack this way,no go here as the adjustment is buried under the lever gubbins unlike my old e36.
Informative vid, helped me👍. Did a quick calculation and based the info it said 18.65 kWh and it took 39min 13s. That's 28.5kW if my sums are correct. Wonder if the 50kW is if you're charging from 0% so it can quote the max possible charge rate.
Charging rates can be a bit "hit and miss" and will vary based on your current state of charge, battery temperature etc.. There's no guarantee either that a charger capable of delivering 50kw has actually been provided with a supply capable of supporting that charge.
It's quite a bit smaller in the back and the boot than the MG but other than that it is probably better equipped technology wise. I haven't had a chance to try out the new ZS yet but will do soon.
@@handlesarefeckinstupid My MG is nearly 3 and i have no rust issues. Plus it's had no relatability issues bar 1 overdue software update which caused the batteries to be out of balance for a while.
@@twincarbs8637 mine is going to be red, there is a mg dealership in Leeds who have made a special edition with a wrapped grille and roof. Will see if I can find a link.
It doesn't look like the car was jinxed as much as you were cursed with bad servicing and garages right down to the wheels. I am thinking of buying a 2nd hand low mileage 2017. I suppose my deal will be better because of depreciation factored in and I won't be tied into main dealerships.
Hi Bernard, yes you are absolutely right. It was a lovely car, as were my previous three Jaguars. The XJ in particular was badly let down by the service I received (or rather, didn't receive) from a number of different dealerships. Please don't let this review put you off owning one - just avoid main dealerships. Enjoy!
@@twincarbs8637 wow that was a fast reply, I 'm on my 9th e class now, and the new ones do nothing for me, I use a landcruiser all the time for work so I appreciate reliability. I just fancied a change for something different / unique. I have a very good specialist in my area. The XJ has always been 'her indoors' dream car and she's turning 50 soon and you never know she might even let me drive it. And thanks a great video, I will take your advice on board.
never buy a diesel from 65 on- they moved the coupling for the DPF further back it cases no end of problems inc unburnt fuel diluting the engine oil leading to engine failiare , doing most of short journeys then buy a petrol version
@@chazboyle9456 Thanks chaz but how would I know if I had the right model? as you know a 65 model could be just a late registration, is there an engine code or chassis code that I can identify?
Thanks for sharing your views. Like you I have found the ZS a brilliant car and so practical for a small footprint. I had a BMW X1 before, was 6inches longer with no more space. I have done 10,500 miles and only had to Rapid charge twice for a splash to complete my journey. I have achieved 160miles on a charge, although I chose to back my speed down and knocking the heating on and off so that I could get home without stopping to charge, the longer drive time made up for not having to charge. Normally I don’t drive for economy and like you say how often do most people exceed 150miles a day. I decided to upgrade to the long range due in March, mainly for Climate Control, 360Deg Camera, Towing ( have small camping trailer and push bikes on tow ball rack), Ap control, Vehicle to load, etc etc. Of course the extra range will make it easier particularly maintaining 30 - 80% battery which I try and do. I like the look of both the old and new cars, The new wheels look better even though part plastic trim. Disapointed they didn’t put charging flap in the centre. I guess I am now happy not to hide the fact I have an EV, so will now be happy to have the Green flash on the number plate. Like you I would like a choice of interior engine sound like the Jaguar Ipace. With many EV’s now exceeding 200 mile range, 95% of drivers could easily live with an EV (excepting those that cannot charge at home) and that’s without all the benefits, brilliant to drive, 75miles for £1, lashing boot lid down with long items with no exhaust gases entering, etc etc.
My average weekly charging bill has gone up from £1.20 to £1.80 due to the cold weather ( heater on in the morning for drive to work ). You just can't complain at that can you ? I might take a look at the new shape ZS but i can't see me getting one. That 7 year warranty makes me want to stick with mine. 2 years old now. Problems........Battery balancing ( fixed with software update ). Doors not locking ( fixed with a recall ) You might want to check that your doors are locking correctly once in a while. Buy a Faraday cage to keep your fob in. Don't leave you fob out. The signal can be captured and used to steal the car. They are available on Amazon. Niggles.........Reflection of blower vent in wing mirror. No adjustment on heated seats. Having to go through start up on sat nav every time. Dirty reversing camera. Rain water drips through open window onto armrest and control buttons. If you park downhill you have to apply handbrake first and then select reverse or the car won't move. Sound like i am complaining but i actually love the car. Just little things that can be changed with minimal design fixes.
Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you have one of the early models given the problems with battery management and the niggles you mention - although, I agree that the reflection of the blower vent in the wing mirrors and the door glass is a pain. Once you see it, you can't un-see it. I didn't bother buying a faraday cage - I find that an old biscuit tin or tea caddy does the same job. Like you though, I love the car and will probably hang on to it for a while yet - who knows what new technologies are just around the corner.
@@twincarbs8637 You said in your video that you didn't care for the new long range facelift version.....well i decided to take a look at it. I had a test drive and......you guessed it. I have bought one. I love the new exterior and the dash is massively better. The 100 miles of extra range is fantastic. I went for the basic model. I have the same model as you ( and the same colour ) but i hardly ever open the sunroof. I have turned the heated seats on about twice in 2 years and I don't care a jot about the extra 2 speakers. I went to the garage thinking i was only going to have a little look and might buy one in 2 or 3 years time when the warranty is starting to come to an end but once i had a test drive i managed to talk myself into getting it. It gets delivered in March. I will let you know how i get on.
@@holdontoyourwig Congratulations on your new car purchase - I'm going to have to go and test drive one now! I hear what you say about the sunroof - they are not much use up here in Scotland that's for sure. Do let us know how you get on with your new car.
I’ve now had my ZS EV eight months and just turned 5000 Miles. I charge it with the “Granny” charger once a week and use a rapid charger once a week, for free, while my wife does the weekly shopping. Apart from having to replace the windscreen due to a chip and crack I’ve had no issues with the car. It’s quiet and comfortable and a fun to drive. I’m with you, regarding the new model, I don’t like the front panel, although the charge point is a slightly better design. I shall stay with the model I have which was my intention and wait to see what developments there are in the next few years.
I have the same as you range is fine for us charge a couple of times a week 5p per kWh what's not to like just had first service £65 no problems at all in 12 months thanks
I nearly bought the Zs when it first came out. Looking back now it really was a great price! Those wheels do look small tho!Took the ev plunge in October with a 1 year old Hyundai ioniQ 38kwh. I have a comute of 79 miles(mainly A road)and a real winter range of 163 miles with heating on. No green flash for me either, but is good promotion for ev uptake.
Thanks for sharing. The range on the MG hasn't been an issue but you seem to get good range with your ioniq. Makes me wonder what range I could achieve without the tools and equipment I normally carry in the boot. Perhaps an idea for another video :o)
Correct. In my opinion, the service has got worse since Swarco took over six months ago. Maybe it's just increased demand due to the sharp rise in EV sales?
I think you mean that you can only charge up to 90% on a Rapid charger. A 7kw charger is effectively known as a "Fast" charger - as opposed to a 3-pin 13A plug charger (aka Granny Charger). I know - confusing isn't it. I didn't realise that MG5 stops charging at 90%, I thought it only slowed down and then stopped at 95% (as per the ZS) to protect the batteries. Always better to finish charging on a slow charge (3 or 7kw AC) anyway as this is the only way the batteries can be balanced.
