Model 3 or cheap Bolt?

[Mr.Bubblez]

Hello, I’m a student pilot and I travel 120 a day so I’m trying to be more efficient. I am a 2nd day model 3 reservoir, but I don’t know if I can afford a model 3 anymore. I cheacked out a Chevy bolt and its really not that bad (no where near as nice as a Tesla) and they offered me $200 a month lease for 36 months with a 500 deposit. My question is do you think Tesla will be as affordable, or should I turn in my $1000 deposit and go for the bolt.

As you can tell I can afford really $200 a month. Please help
-Lucas

 

[Az_Rael]

Tesla isn’t offering leases, and normally they don’t offer great deals on leases. I am going to guess buying/leasing a 3 for $200 a month will require a lot of cash down.

Although, I am not sure why you are looking at leases with a 120 mile daily commute? Have you done the math on how much the mileage overages will cost for the Bolt lease?

 

[stayfocus18]

go with the bolt if it fits your needs financially

 

[buddhra]

If the Model 3 didn't exist, I'd drive a Bolt or an i3. The Bolt is a fine car and that's a good deal. A Model 3 isn't going to come close to that price.

 

[Henchman]

Agreed,
Go with the Boot ffiir now.

 

[Mr.Bubblez]

If the Model 3 didn't exist, I'd drive a Bolt or an i3. The Bolt is a fine car and that's a good deal. A Model 3 isn't going to come close to that price.

You have a great point I should have noted

Tesla isn’t offering leases, and normally they don’t offer great deals on leases. I am going to guess buying/leasing a 3 for $200 a month will require a lot of cash down.

Although, I am not sure why you are looking at leases with a 120 mile daily commute? Have you done the math on how much the mileage overages will cost for the Bolt lease?

great point I should have noted with being a student it’s not a every day drive but it’s about a 3-4 times a week commute. What great is my work is under 2 miles there and back, I’m just tired of driving and spending $50 every time I take a trip. And public transportation is not much cheaper.

 

[Az_Rael]

You have a great point I should have noted

great point I should have noted with being a student it’s not a every day drive but it’s about a 3-4 times a week commute. What great is my work is under 2 miles there and back, I’m just tired of driving and spending $50 every time I take a trip. And public transportation is not much cheaper.

I would go for the Bolt. I had a Chevy Volt for a few years and it was a great car. I hear the Bolts are good too. You might spring for the DC Fast charger option so that you can take it on those trips. And check out PlugShare for CCS locations.


Also, the Bolt requires less maintenance than a 3, so will probably have a lower cost to own overall.

 

[insaneoctane]

If the lease offers you enough mileage, it's hard to resist.

 

[drawfour]

You have a great point I should have noted

great point I should have noted with being a student it’s not a every day drive but it’s about a 3-4 times a week commute. What great is my work is under 2 miles there and back, I’m just tired of driving and spending $50 every time I take a trip. And public transportation is not much cheaper.

120 miles, 3.5 days per week, 50 weeks a year is... 21,000 miles per year. You're able to get a lease that lets you go 20k+ miles per year? Even if you just say 9 months out of the year, and 3 days per week, that's still 14k miles per year. The lease will let you do that?

 

[Evoforce]

You need to give more information please. My initial response is buy the Bolt because you have blatantly said the model 3 is out of your price range. Having said that, I do not know the charging infrastructure in your area or whether you need a long range vehicle. Tesla is much more equipped to handle long range and State to State driving mostly because Bolt does not currently have good charging infrastructure. There is some help to that though through the purchase of a JDapter that will allow you to use some of the Tesla network (destination chargers 240 volt) but not Superchargers. You did say that your daily driving is 120 miles and either car can handle that. Some poster ahead of me have some good questions about possibly being over mileage on a leased car.

 

[Glamisduner]

I don't think your really going to get a $200 lease AND drive 120 miles a day. I mean not without insane overages. Regular payment on a loaded bolt is about $800 a month, so if $200 a month for 20k+ miles a year is real I would certainly do it just because that's a crazy deal!

I'm not a fan of the bolts interior, the volt seems much nicer and you can get a used one for pretty cheap in comparison. If your driving 120 miles you will want to be comfortable...

I didn't find the bolts seats uncomfortable on the test drive, but the seats are thin and cheaply made, and have a stiff hard plastic backing that is just terrible, they are the narrowest seats I have ever sat in too. I almost think chevy did it on purpose because they don't want to sell too many of them. When I was considering the car I was already thinking about replacing the seats (which isn't cheap!) But having a lease you won't really have that option.

Volt or prius prime might be better options, although I haven't sat in the prius prime.

Yes the bolt is awesome tech wise compared to the volt, but looking back I'm glad I never cut the check simply due to the seats and styling (im not a fan but it's not horrible and it is functional).

Alternatively, Wait for a more affordable model 3, if your a 2nd day holder it won't be that much longer?

 

[McFlurri]

I don't think your really going to get a $200 lease AND drive 120 miles a day. I mean not without insane overages. Regular payment on a loaded bolt is about $800 a month, so if $200 a month for 20k+ miles a year is real I would certainly do it just because that's a crazy deal!

I'm not a fan of the bolts interior, the volt seems much nicer and you can get a used one for pretty cheap in comparison. If your driving 120 miles you will want to be comfortable...

I didn't find the bolts seats uncomfortable on the test drive, but the seats are thin and cheaply made, and have a stiff hard plastic backing that is just terrible, they are the narrowest seats I have ever sat in too. I almost think chevy did it on purpose because they don't want to sell too many of them.

Volt or prius prime might be better options, although I haven't sat in the prius prime.

Yes the bolt is awesome tech wise compared to the volt, but looking back I'm glad I never cut the check.

Alternativel, Wait for a more affordable model 3

Have you actually sat in and drove the current model Volt though?

Looks great in pictures but my god there is hard cheap plastics everywhere! (So.. typical GM quality interior)

 

[ForeverFree]

Agree with much of the financial logic above ... especially if you can make the lease mileage limit work.

However, if you can possibly finagle the Model 3, a Tesla is definitely a pilot's vehicle. The first auto about whichI've ever been able to say that. You'd love it.

 

[Thomas Edison]

Selling blood plasma adds up quick..... just sayin.

 

[ebmcs03]

Wow!!! $500 down and only $200? Where are you located? I want that kind of deal. Last month I was looking at $355 a month $0 down.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Let me get this straight.

You are asking if someone should buy a model 3 or a Chevy bolt?...........in a Tesla forum?


Holy smokes......the poll is tied 9 to 9.......I'm shocked!!! what is this world coming to?

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

How long are you going to be a student? Financially you sound like you can't afford the 3 for now. But if your going to be a pilot when 1 year 2 years?

What do you have in the way of charging? If you have a SC on the way to would be a real plus. How would you charge the Bolt?

I test drove the Bolt and liked it but the interior is cheap.

 

[SP_H]

Agrees with all the financial logic as well. I would like to ask if you are in a hurry for new car or in need of $1k? If not wait for the short range. From what I read SR suppose to be in the same price range as Bolt. As Evoforce stated Tesla will give you a better charging infrastructure during those long trip.

 

[number12]

Where’s the get a 2017 Nissan Leaf option? Assuming you can charge wherever you park during day... you could get a used one for about $10K. I bought one $14,5 new.

 

[bro1999]

Hello, I’m a student pilot and I travel 120 a day so I’m trying to be more efficient. I am a 2nd day model 3 reservoir, but I don’t know if I can afford a model 3 anymore. I cheacked out a Chevy bolt and its really not that bad (no where near as nice as a Tesla) and they offered me $200 a month lease for 36 months with a 500 deposit. My question is do you think Tesla will be as affordable, or should I turn in my $1000 deposit and go for the bolt.

As you can tell I can afford really $200 a month. Please help
-Lucas

Still need more info (how much longer are you a student, do you really drive 120 miles a day 5x a week every week, how do you plan to charge? etc...), but between the Bolt and Model 3, the Bolt would hands down be the cheaper option, as you can't even lease a Model 3 right now, and the $35k base 3 is not available till.....who knows exactly. Also, are you sure about the $200/month, $500 down lease deal? That sounds like an offer that magically would balloon once you get into the dealership. And no way that lease offer can be right for a 15k+ mile/year lease, which is the min you would need.
A used Gen 1 Volt may actually be a much more economical choice (assuming you wouldn't be caught dead in a Prius like me). Only way I could see a Bolt being cheaper is if you can somehow charge for free reliably.