Charge Timer On Board?

[Plugzin]

Have a 2014 B due for lease return in December. Curious if there is now a working charge timer on the 2017's. Anyone know? This was a ridiculous oversight on the 2014.

 

[GlennD]

I have not run across one but I have not specifically looked for one on my 2017 B250E. I have found features stripped out that are in the manuals. . If I need a timer then I use OpenEVSE's one. It works fine.

 

[GlennD]

As I understand it this (2017) is the last year for the car. The factory is being repurpased.

 

[JeffRay]

Plugzin,

Not sure what you mean by a charge timer. If you mean how long till fully charged, then it is in the MB app. Otherwise, in my new 2017 have not run into it yet.

 

[GlennD]

Most people that have tiers and expensive power try to charge late at night when the power is cheaper. For example the OpenEVSE opens a changeable window from 5 min after midnight and 5 min before 7AM (defaults). The car will finish long before the window closes.

 

[GlennD]

My old eGolf had a timer that could be set to fully finish before the scheduled departure time.I think it could be set to 0%. It would charge to the specified level then shut off. I used it to charge to 80% since Anaheim does not have tiers. I simply disconnected the cable when it shut down.

The B is one of the few cars that still charge to 80%. Most others charge to 100% to increase the EPA range.

 

[Plugzin]

Turned in our B-Class in December, and still have the Blink EVSE, with integrated timer. Will be taking delivery of our second Tesla soon, so the Blink is up for grabs. Let me know if interested, on this forum. Great choice for someone who plans to keep their B Class for a while.

 

[JeffRay]

Plugzin,

If you are getting the T3, please let us know what you think since you will have a direct comparison to the MB Be.

Thanks.

 

[GlennD]

Turned in our B-Class in December, and still have the Blink EVSE, with integrated timer. Will be taking delivery of our second Tesla soon, so the Blink is up for grabs. Let me know if interested, on this forum. Great choice for someone who plans to keep their B Class for a while.

You can still use the Blink EVSE. Tesla's come with an adapter to convert the car to a standard J1772. As such the car will analyze the pilot and set itself accordingly.

 

[GlennD]

Plugzin,

If you are getting the T3, please let us know what you think since you will have a direct comparison to the MB Be.

Thanks.

I have a T3 reservation but it is likely that I will pass. They have a T3 in Newport Beach to sit in but I am guessing it sits too low for me. Given my wants and the slipping schedule I would guess late 2019. All of the current cars are loaded and the only option I want is the color.

 

[Plugzin]

Sure, the Blink would be compatible with the M3, using the adapter, but the Tesla HPWC is more convenient and already available. Plus, Blink derated their EVSE electronically after reports of connection problems from some users. I inspected the connections on mine, and they show no signs of thermal or other distress. Still, I prefer to use as much capacity as possible to optimize utilization of super off-peak rates. If anyone wants this Blink unit, I just took it off the garage wall today. It spent its entire service life inside, so the display is perfect. All hardware and parts included. Price negotiable.

 

[mr250e]

Plugzin,

If you are getting the T3, please let us know what you think since you will have a direct comparison to the MB Be.

Thanks.

I have a T3 reservation but it is likely that I will pass. They have a T3 in Newport Beach to sit in but I am guessing it sits too low for me. Given my wants and the slipping schedule I would guess late 2019. All of the current cars are loaded and the only option I want is the color.

Glenn,

My research validates your concern about the Model 3's ground clearance. In fact, the Model 3 has been suggested as a competitor to the MB C-Class, a model I owned previously and found delightful to drive but difficult to enter and exit.

Here are some ground clearance comparisons:

MB C-Class ('12 model year): 4"
Tesla Model 3: 5.5" (source: https://electrek.co/2017/07/29/tesla-mo ... -revealed/)
MB B-Class: 7.48"

Best.

 

[GlennD]

Most of your links do not work. I had trouble getting into and out of my M300 loaner and I hit my head on the GLC300 loaner. If the 3 is similar than I will pass. The loaner car worked since it was temporary. I can put up with a lot for a free car. The first month I had a Hertz Versa Note. Boy it was noisy but I had no problems getting into it. My B took 2 months for the parts to arrive from Germany . Even at $18 per day I used up my $600 in a month. Then the dealer gave me a service loaner

I traded in my eGolf because it was too low for my left hip. The B250e is perfect for my 70 year old body. I have no problem getting into the car and it has good headroom. In short the car works for me and I love it!

Only the middle link worked for me.

 

[GlennD]

My dentist has a friend that changed to an upgraded 3 to avoid the several year wait. Given that my dentist lives in Newport Beach I suspect the friend can afford for the upgrades.

Me, I had 14 months left on my 2014 B lease and 9800 miles on the totaled car. As a retired person I no longer drive 41 miles round trip to work. As such the B range works for me.

 

[mr250e]

Most of your links do not work. I had trouble getting into and out of my M300 loaner and I hit my head on the GLC300 loaner. If the 3 is similar than I will pass. The loaner car worked since it was temporary. I can put up with a lot for a free car. The first month I had a Hertz Versa Note. Boy it was noisy but I had no problems getting into it. My B took 2 months for the parts to arrive from Germany . Even at $18 per day I used up my $600 in a month. Then the dealer gave me a service loaner

I traded in my eGolf because it was too low for my left hip. The B250e is perfect for my 70 year old body. I have no problem getting into the car and it has good headroom. In short the car works for me and I love it!

Only the middle link worked for me.

Sorry about the defunct links. They were working earlier. If you Google the year, make, model, and the term "ground clearance", you can confirm the information I posted above.

I agree with you on both the B-Class and Model 3!

Enjoy.

 

[GlennD]

Well, You have done the research and I will take your word for it. I was torn about the 3 given its very poor quality reports. I do not think I could go to a lesser quality car..

 

[mr250e]

Agreed. I actually reserved the Model 3 as well. However, after watching several Youtube reviews when the 3 was released, considering the fit and finish (which I perceived as a huge step down), and lower profile (which I already know I don't like from my past experience with my C-Class), I cancelled my reservation. Hopefully we'll see something in the MB or Audi lineup with greater range in the near future. I was even thinking if the Q3 or Q5 was offered in an EV version with 200-300 mile-range, that might be something to consider down the road.

 

[GlennD]

I have not yet cancelled my reservation. I can easily live with a 1K loss. Who knows, maybe they will be successful. If they go out of business and I lose my deposit than such is life.