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778 days ago

Electric vehicle experience to be aware of.

Warwick from Paraparaumu Beach

A couple of years ago my wife and I bought a new well-known and respected brand of hybrid car. We decided on a hybrid because of the advantages offered by electric vehicles coupled with the extended range of a petrol motor. It has been a gem of a car - until last weekend when it refused to start. No warning. No alarm. NOTHING. It just would not start. By absolute chance the local AA rep was across the road on a separate call-out. He was extremely efficient, explained the problem, and was able to start our car so we could get home. He then came to our home and fitted a new battery. It transpires that while the car is in the electric mode, the auxiliary battery is unable to be charged. As in conventional cars there is an alternator connected to the petrol motor, but not in electric. So, just a heads-up for hybrid owners: Be aware - save money, petrol and the planet by going electric, and be prepared for a great deal of inconvenience and annoyance and to pay out between $250 and $600 for a replacement auxiliary battery which could (and did) fail with no warning after about 35000 kilometers. Or just use the petrol mode. Maybe I'll just go and buy a horse.

More messages from your neighbours
2 days ago

Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’

If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.

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3 days ago

Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”

We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?

Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.

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Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
  • 41.7% Yes
    41.7% Complete
  • 33.5% Maybe?
    33.5% Complete
  • 24.8% No
    24.8% Complete
588 votes
24 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.

Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.

Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?

Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!

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