Get an EV to hold me over until M3 arrives?

[omar10r1]

Can't make this stuff up...I just put down my reservation for M3 three days ago (and joined this forum subsequently...this is my first post!), and today my 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe decides to begin a quick descent to the grave.

So, it looks like I'm now in the market for a short term car until my M3 comes in. With a 6-mile round-trip work commute (though I'd like some flexibility to commute 100-ish miles every once in awhile), the current version of my plan is to buy a used EV (Model S is doable but a bit on the high side), trade in the Hyundai for whatever I can get, and try out EV driving for three or so years (never had one before). When M3 orders start, I'll claim whatever of the EV tax credit is left, an get the M3 with heavy optioning to try and get it sooner.

So now the question, any M3 reservation holders on here doing something similar and/or have any recommendation for good EV's to try out for 3-ish years as in intro to EV driving?

Plan B is to buy a Chevy Bolt new and trade-in when M3 arrives. Higher payments on the Bolt compared to a used EV lease might hinder my savings a bit to splurge on more options though.

All the best,

Omar

 

[JeffK]

Can't make this stuff up...I just put down my reservation for M3 three days ago (and joined this forum subsequently...this is my first post!), and today my 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe decides to begin a quick descent to the grave.

So, it looks like I'm now in the market for a short term car until my M3 comes in. With a 6-mile round-trip work commute (though I'd like some flexibility to commute 100-ish miles every once in awhile), the current version of my plan is to buy a used EV (Model S is doable but a bit on the high side), trade in the Hyundai for whatever I can get, and try out EV driving for three or so years (never had one before). When M3 orders start, I'll claim whatever of the EV tax credit is left, an get the M3 with heavy optioning to try and get it sooner.

So now the question, any M3 reservation holders on here doing something similar and/or have any recommendation for good EV's to try out for 3-ish years as in intro to EV driving?

Plan B is to buy a Chevy Bolt new and trade-in when M3 arrives. Higher payments on the Bolt compared to a used EV lease might hinder my savings a bit to splurge on more options though.

All the best,

Omar

With both of those options you are going to lose possibly significant amounts of money (depending on what you feel is significant). I highly doubt it's going to be three years, more like 1 year and a few months. You are better off either buying out someone else's lease or getting a super cheap beater car. Then you can save money to option the heck out of the Model 3.

 

[omar10r1]

Thank you JeffK.

In your opinion am I being too pessimistic in thinking that - being somewhere around #400,000 and living on the east coast in SC - my turn for M3 would be Q4 2018 at the earliest if I option up, mid-2019 if I don't?

That would make a big difference for me because I'd like to not buy out of a lease if I didn't have to (That's what you're referring to I assume?)

 

[glenhurst]

I think planning to for the M3 not arriving until 4Q 2018 is probably a good idea. If it comes sooner, then that's just a bonus. I'm kind of in the same boat: I've got two cars, one is 16 years old, the other is 18 years old, and they're both getting to the end of their days. I'm hoping they both hold up until my two M3s arrive. If one fails, my plan is to get a used Nissan Leaf, which are now going for less than $10k with less than 25K miles on them. My commute is only 11 miles each way, so a Leaf is plenty.

 

[shrspeedblade]

Get a used 1st gen Volt- you'll never use gas on your daily commute, you can drive as far as you want if you need to take a trip, and they're dirt cheap now!

Or do what I did and get an even better 2nd gen so you get the tax credits! (but still more expensive than the 1st gen route unless you get a sweet deal on a lease.)

 

[ReddyLeaf]

For short commutes, you have LOTS of options. You can go PHEV or BEV depending on needs. For cost, it's hard to argue with a used Leaf or Mitsubishi at $8000 or less, but you'd better expect continued significant depreciation. The Volt is a bit more, but will hold value better, and provide gas backup for longer drives.

 

[omar10r1]

Nice to hear of someone in a similar boat, glenhurst.

So, hypothetical, if your old car dies and you buy a Leaf will you then trade-in the Leaf when your 3's arrive?

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

If you're wanting 100 miles without destination charging then it'd depend a lot on the drive, so for simplicity's sake I agree with the poster who suggested a used Volt. High-mileage Gen 1 Volts can be had for a bit over $10k.

If you really just need the short trips then pretty much anything will do, even an electric scooter.

 

[ajay]

If your commute is that short, depending on your budget, you could consider buying a used electric smart. It's a fun car to drive and I've seen used ones on Autotrader for 6-8K. If there has been some loss of range you might be able to negotiate on the price but you should still have plenty of miles to manage your commute.

I will have to turn my smart ED in (lease) before the Model 3 arrives, so I'm interested in what you decide. I still drive an ICE on occasion, but after driving an EV, I feel like not only is it running on old dinosaurs but it kind of handles like one, too.

 

[dhrivnak]

A Volt is a fine car if you need 100 miles on occasion. If 70 will do you a used Leaf is hard to beat and I would bet both will hold their value as they already have the depreciation hit. I drive bot a Tesla and a Volt.

 

[JeffK]

being somewhere around #400,000 and living on the east coast in SC - my turn for M3 would be Q4 2018 at the earliest if I option up, mid-2019 if I don't?

US gets priority so while you might be 400,000 or so globally, you might still be around 200,000-ish in the US. Potentially meaning the first half of 2018. Possibly the first quarter if there are no delays.

 

[int32_t]

Bienvenue chez nous! Pardon my French. Welcome to the forum!

If you can convince Nissan to do this where you live, it would be a really great option. Get a brand new Leaf at a significant discount. Nissan might make its biggest LEAF sale ever through a group buy in Montreal, over 2,500 people signed up

 

[omar10r1]

Thank you all. I've been looking at the Volt very closely. A brief background info on my work commute....I'm a college professor and professional musician (drummer) My college commute is 6 miles, but I do travel here and there for performances. I need a little bit of storage space (which knocks out the SmartCar) and, at the least, the ability to get to the closest airports relatively stress-free, the farthest being ATL at 150+ miles.

We also have a Honda Odyssey to take care of crazy commutes or equipment moves, but I hope to convert that car to a Model Y someday!

I'm nervous about doing anything regarding a new car since I don't know when my M3 will arrive, but I'll be needing something very soon. Rock and hard place I guess....

 

[omar10r1]

Bienvenue chez nous! Pardon my French. Welcome to the forum!

If you can convince Nissan to do this where you live, it would be a really great option. Get a brand new Leaf at a significant discount. Nissan might make its biggest LEAF sale ever through a group buy in Montreal, over 2,500 people signed up

Can this even happen in the US?! Crazy.

 

[omar10r1]

US gets priority so while you might be 400,000 or so globally, you might still be around 200,000-ish in the US. Potentially meaning the first half of 2018. Possibly the first quarter if there are no delays.

Thanks again JeffK, I hadn't thought about it that way.

 

[S'toon]

If you want a lower priced car, I might suggest a used 1st generation Volt, for the 150 mile trip.


You can find CPO Model Ses in the <$50K range, some have found some in the low 40s. You have to be patient and be ready to pounce though. I see a couple in the $49K range at the CPO consolidator right now.

Can this even happen in the US?! Crazy.

There was a dealership in CO which had a group buy and sold 268 Leafs. Sometimes there are good incentives, like the author of this article took advantage of (again in CO):
Why I bought a new Nissan Leaf electric car 2 hours from home: $8,500 net cost

 

[Vic_F]

Maybe a lease takeover of a focus electric

 

[Az_Rael]

I will echo the Gen 1 Volt suggestion. Its a great EV with training wheels for range anxiety. You could drive it EV only for months on end with your commute, and its always ready to do a long distance trip with no planning (especially if you go to work, then have to drive long distance to a gig later that same night). It is also a hatchback that can hold quite a bit of gear with the back seats folded down.

My Gen 1 Volt has been great! Totally sold me on EV driving and I am now ready to take the plunge to a full BEV.

As far as year differences in the Gen 1's, if you go that route, they are all very similar, with a few small year changes.
The 2011-2012 had hard drives for the music system, which were removed in the 2013-on. The 2013 added the kW meter to the display, as well as Hold mode, which allows you to better monitor your kW usage (if you are into that), and Hold mode allows you to manually choose when you operate the engine before the battery runs out. 2014 and 2015's had slightly larger batteries installed, but GM never had them re-tested for the EPA numbers, so they still list the same range numbers, but have the potential for slightly greater ranges.

 

[pangolina]

I had to replace my 16 year old car which got totalled in a car crash. It happened about a month after I placed my Model 3 preoder . Insurance company sent a check relatively quickly, so I had barely a week to wrap up my car shopping. Long story short - I ended up with 2011 Nissan Leaf. It's sufficient for my commute to work which is very short, and running most of the errands around town (about 9-10 miles one way). Besides that I have periodic trips every other week which are about 30 miles long one way and mainly via 65-70 mph roads. This eats up about two thirds of the battery charge, sometimes more, depending on load and/or wind direction. Fortunately there's a fast DC charger at my destination, and my Leaf has appropriate option.

Based on that I wouldn't recommend the car similar to mine in case of moderate to long commutes. Volt sounds like a better option. On the other hand for short work commutes and routine shopping trips (obviously as long as they don't require drive to other side of a town ) used Leaf may be enough.

 

[Jayc]

US gets priority so while you might be 400,000 or so globally, you might still be around 200,000-ish in the US. Potentially meaning the first half of 2018. Possibly the first quarter if there are no delays.

Hate to sound rude but I'm at around 110k global list and pre-ordered just before reveal and I would be really disappointed if Tesla decides that those ordering now in the US should get their cars before those of us overseas who ordered pre-reveal. We will be waiting forever if that happens because I expect another flood of orders after reveal 2 event and going by that logic they will all be jumping the queue big time.

Hmm not good, not good at all.