Finally an EV Driver – Hello Smart ForTwo Electric Drive!

7 08 2014

 

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Well – the cat’s out of the bag… I am now a very proud owner of a Smart ForTwo Electric Drive!

I needed to replace my old Protege5 since it needed so many repairs and was rusting like crazy. It was used as a commuter… so all I needed was something inexpensive to get my wife and I to work. The total distance round trip of my commute to work when I drop my wife off downtown is 50km and 30km when I’m going into work alone. Perfect for an EV!

Then I saw this amazing deal that was shared on Facebook – a 3 year lease on a Smart ForTwo Electric Drive for 100$/month with 2000$ down! This deal was just too good to pass up and I had to jump on it. I mean, I was already spending 150$/month on fuel alone for my Protege… Not only did I really want an EV as my next car but this also made financial sense for me to finally take the leap! Taking the repairs needed to keep my Protege on the road and fuel costs into account, I would basically be leasing the Smart for free! (Not the mention the pollution it emits).  As a bonus, the lease term of three 3 years, as a Tesla fan, is perfect timing. The affordable Tesla Model 3 will be coming out when my lease is up. 🙂

I’ve been dreaming of driving an EV for so long! I’m just so happy with the car and my decision to finally take the plunge. I’ve been driving it a lot for the first two days of my ownership (I’ve even given 8 people a ride in it already) – and it’s like driving a small go-kart. Definitely not a Tesla Roadster, but it’s still just as fun to drive. I can’t wait to get to the next stop sign or red light just so I can press on the gas (or electron) pedal again. The acceleration is just so much fun off the line, it really takes off!

Big thanks to Star Motors in Ottawa for matching this ridiculously awesome lease rate that was only offered at Toronto dealerships!

Now I just need to figure out my charging solution, I’ve been relying on a regular 110V plug and I can get by with it for now based on my driving habits. But it would be good to upgrade to 220V to charge this thing in under 6 hours.





A Cleaner Ride On The Way!

25 07 2014

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It’s been a while since I posted something on my blog so I thought I show some sign of life. No, I didn’t fall off the edge of the earth. My life has hit a new level of busyness, so I have less and less time to dedicate to reaching my barter goal of my dream car. But I am still going at it. Not giving up yet. 🙂

Now for something exciting – I’m replacing my old oil leaking – rust bucket commuter for something much much cleaner! I’ll make the announcement when I take delivery of my new ride August 4th and will blog my experience throughout my ownership of the vehicle.

Only hint I’m giving – it’s definitely not a Tesla.





Pedego CEO, Don DiCostanzo Speaks About Latest Trade [VIDEO]

30 08 2013

The CEO of Pedego, Don DiCostanzo was kind enough to record a video about his experience with the latest trade in my quest to a Tesla Roadster. Only thing is that he says that I’m trading up to a Model S which is not the case… Maybe he’s trying to tell me something… 🙂

Thanks Don and Jenny at Pedego for the shout out and helping me out! Now I just have to try one of these bikes!!





11th Item – Pedego Classic Comfort Cruiser E-Bike w/ Balloon Package (2175$ value)

23 08 2013

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After a long hiatus, I am excited to announce that I’m back with a trade. While it wasn’t a trade-up per say… It’s just what I needed to get me back on track. Plus – it fits my themes perfectly. It’s actually the first EV in my trade up! How exciting! 🙂

Ever since I started my quest, I really wanted to make a trade with an e-bike company and I’m so happy to have reached out to the CEO of Pedego – Don DiCostanzo. Couldn’t have asked to reach a nicer man, I’m so grateful that he’s getting me back on track with this wicked product! Thanks Don! As a bonus, turns out he is also a huge Tesla fan – he owns a Model S (lucky man!)

The 11th item in my adventure to a Tesla Roadster is a Comfort Cruiser E-Bike w/ balloon package from Pedego in the color of your choice (2175$USD Value)!

So if you always wanted an e-bike – here’s your chance to get one cash free. Let’s strike a trade deal! You can contact me <HERE>.

Here are the details of what is included and the restrictions:

– 1 Pedego Classic Comfort Cruiser E-Bike.
– Balloon Package Upgrade witch includes Schwalbe Fat Frank Balloon Suspension Tires, extra comfort suspension seat, padded stitched handgrips. Your choice of creme, brown, black, or grey balloon package.
– Pick the color of your Pedego! Colors are limited however, so backup color should be picked. Colors can be found in the online store (LINK HERE).
– Item can only be shipped to a continental US address.

Here are the bike specs:

Motor Brushless Gearless Hub Motor on Rear wheel
Power Rating 500 Watt
Gears/Speeds 6 Speed Shimano Gears and Shimano Chain
Batteries Lithium in a Removable Pack
Shifter Shimano SIS Index Shifter
Bell Standard
Charger Smart Charger Included
Amps 10 Ah Standard/Optional 15 Ah
Volts 36 Volt
Tires Schwalbe Fat Frank Balloon Suspension Tires with Kevlar (26″)
Speed 20 MPH using motor power only
Distance 30-50 miles per charge(depending on rider weight & terrain)
Throttle Type Twist Throttle Variable Speed Control with quick connect fittings
Frame Type 6061 Light Weight Aluminum
Handlebars Cruiser Style with Promax Stem
Braking System Avid BB-7 Front Disc Brakes and Dia-Compe Locking Rear Band Brake
Drive System Rear Hub Motor (Motor is in rear wheel)
Measurements Frame Size 18″Axle to Axle 47″Handlebars 28″
Seat Pedego premium padded adjustable suspension seat with matching stitched handgrips and suspension seat post
Bicycle Warranty 1 Year
Battery Warranty 3 Year Limited Warranty
Weight Bicycle Only – 51lbs Battery Pack – 8lbs Total Weight – 59 lbs
Tire Package Your choice of upgraded creme balloon package, upgraded brown balloon package, upgraded black balloon package, or upgraded grey balloon package.




I’m back! … WITH A TRADE! 10th trade completed.

14 08 2013

I know what everyone is thinking… Where have I been for over a year? What’s going on with my trade up? The answer is actually quite simple – I’ve been busy…. crazy busy.

It’s no secret that my life as a father/husband is my number 1 priority… My two little ones have certainly kept me on my feet lately! Who would of thought 4 and almost 2 year old’s would be so active!? But oh man do I ever love them… they always manage to melt my heart each day.

So anyways, with the busy family life; add the crazy hours at work and usual everyday activities to the mix… let’s just say I had zero time to work on my project. However, I didn’t give up…  I still managed to work on trading the HootSuite account whenever I could but I just couldn’t dedicate the time that I have in the past to update my blog, create videos, etc..

The good news is my persistence has paid off! WITH A TRADE! 🙂

The announcement of my 11th item will come shortly. Thank you all for your patience. Stay tuned…





Ryan Holmes – Unboxing My GoPro Package [Video]

4 07 2012

No doubt, when CEO of HootSuite Ryan Holmes was quite excited to receiv my GoPro package! So much so that he decided to do what any self-respecting technophile would do when receiving fresh gadgets in the mail: Record an unboxing video!

Check him out in action; he even gets bonus style points for opening the package with a huge kitchen knife. Nice touch Ryan! Don’t try this at home kids!





Trade-Up Update and 10th Item Showcase [Video]

8 06 2012

It’s been a while since I recorded a video update so I thought I would record a quick clip and post it on my blog. Here it is:





The day has come to part with my GoPro Package

30 05 2012

The day has come to part with my GoPro package… Great trade though with HootSuite! Package leaving today destination HootSuite HQ c/o Ryan Holmes (CEO)! http://ow.ly/i/EZPk Bye Bye lovely gadget…





10th item announcement – HootSuite 10 Seat Enterprise Package for 1 Year (12000$ value)

18 05 2012

Trade number 9 is complete and I’m so happy that another great company could help me out – HootSuite. I have traded the GoPro package for a HootSuite 10 seat enterprise package for 1 year.  This package is valued at 400 times the value of the old camera I started with – 12 000$! Needless to say – I am so stoked to be breaking the 10k mark! 🙂

With the growing need (and challenge) for companies to reach out to their customers through the different social media streams – There’s no wonder this company is one of Canada’s hottest tech companies right now. HootSuite’s product specializes in organizing, measuring and tracking your social media campaigns and allow your teams to collaborate with each other on a safe and secure platform.

To check out what this package includes, click on this link for a full list of features: http://hootsuite.com/enterprise

I’m currently working on a face-to-face trade with the Ryan and will make sure to post it when it happens!

Read the rest of this entry »





Wow that was quick! 9th trade completed with HootSuite!

16 05 2012

Wow that was quick! I have just completed a trade for the GoPro package with HootSuite! They are the leading social media dashboard management tool used by some huge companies like GoPro and Pepsi.

I was looking to contact tech company CEOs that have an interest for action sports. And after doing a bit of research, I decided to contact this guy:


Ryan Holmes – CEO of HootSuite

I noticed on his Twitter profile that he is an avid cyclist and saw that he tweeted about GoPro in the past. So I decided to send him a quick email and I got an email the next day, directly from him with an offer! Turns out he is a huge GoPro fan and loves their cameras. The offer was a huge jump in value and I couldn’t refuse. It’s an amazing package for a company that needs an enterprise solution to manage their social media streams.

Trade details will be announced soon after all the details are ironed out. So please stay tuned!

Thank you friendly owl!