Talk me into it or out of it, your choice, but please explain why and refrain from political commentary. I'm considering this purchase purely out of a "what does a vehicle need to do for me" perspective; politics and tree hugging simply aren't a factor here.
Test drove one with 65K at a local dealer. Still picking my jaw up off the floor. Between giggles and moments of terror, the wife threatened to leave the car at one point and walk home if I stomped on the accelerator pedal one more time. One of the those things where the novelty will fade. Performance aside, I'm a practical person (and in my 40's, so not looking to kill myself in one of these) and very curious about these things:
Mechanical bits and parts: suspension, brakes, pumps (whatever ones exist), is this a non-starter for a DIY type person? I have a big learning curve ahead as it pertains to the electric drivetrain, but since I have a shop w/ lift I'd like to do the rest of the maintenance and repairs myself if possible.
Reliability in general with an electric drivetrain. Are these vehicles known for issues-- motor problems, cooling system, etc?
This will be a commuter car only, 70 miles round trip (for me) and a run around town car for the wife when I'm not working. Zero range anxiety and I'd installed a dedicated 50A 240V circuit when I built my shop for a future electric vehicle. I'll likely have a 3-4 year loan on it, so ideally battery health won't be an issue. I know Li-ion batteries and how to take care of them (limit charge to 80%, no deep discharge) so hoping this can be a 200K+ mile vehicle.
Previously we were considering a used WRX for small car, but I can't do that when this electric car is about the same price.
The 65K mile example we test drove was $20K. It was rough enough around the edges (curb rash on wheels, dirty interior, some minor panel gap issues) that we kept looking. Found one at a specialty car dealer w/ 75K for $22.5K but it's in better condition in every way possible. One owner local car, I simply couldn't find a defect anywhere inside or out. Checked insurance, it's on the higher side for a small car like this, but not as high as I was lead to believe doing research on Reddit and such.
Please chime in with your thoughts / experiences!
Test drove one with 65K at a local dealer. Still picking my jaw up off the floor. Between giggles and moments of terror, the wife threatened to leave the car at one point and walk home if I stomped on the accelerator pedal one more time. One of the those things where the novelty will fade. Performance aside, I'm a practical person (and in my 40's, so not looking to kill myself in one of these) and very curious about these things:
Mechanical bits and parts: suspension, brakes, pumps (whatever ones exist), is this a non-starter for a DIY type person? I have a big learning curve ahead as it pertains to the electric drivetrain, but since I have a shop w/ lift I'd like to do the rest of the maintenance and repairs myself if possible.
Reliability in general with an electric drivetrain. Are these vehicles known for issues-- motor problems, cooling system, etc?
This will be a commuter car only, 70 miles round trip (for me) and a run around town car for the wife when I'm not working. Zero range anxiety and I'd installed a dedicated 50A 240V circuit when I built my shop for a future electric vehicle. I'll likely have a 3-4 year loan on it, so ideally battery health won't be an issue. I know Li-ion batteries and how to take care of them (limit charge to 80%, no deep discharge) so hoping this can be a 200K+ mile vehicle.
Previously we were considering a used WRX for small car, but I can't do that when this electric car is about the same price.
The 65K mile example we test drove was $20K. It was rough enough around the edges (curb rash on wheels, dirty interior, some minor panel gap issues) that we kept looking. Found one at a specialty car dealer w/ 75K for $22.5K but it's in better condition in every way possible. One owner local car, I simply couldn't find a defect anywhere inside or out. Checked insurance, it's on the higher side for a small car like this, but not as high as I was lead to believe doing research on Reddit and such.
Please chime in with your thoughts / experiences!
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