I am not a “car guy”. Show me your latest expensive vehicle and I will be patient as you describe the power, handling and other fantastic features of the vehicle that takes you from point A to point B in fancy fashion. For some, driving is seriously fun. Not me. A car or truck is just another expensive required line item on the family budget. Ugh.
But we recently bought a vehicle and I am EXCITED! Just as excited as when I got my first car - which meant independence and freedom!
Why have I flipped? Normally we buy a reliable car for cash and keep it for 10 years. The cost of ownership after that should be about $1000/year plus gas. Efficient and boring.
Background: For ten years we enjoyed a Honda CR-V. For us, enjoying it meant only buying a new battery and tires. “Gracie” had about 49,000 miles and was in almost perfect shape. Not sure how car lives are measured against a human standard, but after 10 years, we know things start to wear out. And the resale value really begins to fade. But we still loved and respected our trusty Honda.
This journey began as I read about General Motors discontinuing the production of their extremely popular Chevrolet Bolt - an all electric plug in vehicle that I had been admiring for years. Apparently, they are re-launching the Bolt next year with a new less expensive battery that offers even more range and super fast charging. Anyway, there are a bunch of used Bolts bouncing around the highways. And suddenly, all of the ad algorithms were showing me Bolts for sale. Every article I selected to read showered me with ads from CarMax or CarGuru. The car was wooing me.
And…I wanted to be part of the transition away from ICEs (internal combustion engines). We may live long enough to see them viewed the way we now look at antique cars with fins.
A friend and neighbor is a sales person at the local Chevy dealer. I concluded, after clicking a zillion ads for Bolts, that the right approach to this project was to put my fate in the hands of Jim - a guy I trust. “Find me a Chevy Bolt EUV - white or grey (dirt hiding) with about 25,000 miles or less. It must be a model year that qualifies for the rebates.” Which is the segue to the next reason for us to buy a Bolt.
It didn’t cost much to buy the new ride.
It was just a few days later that Jim had found a vehicle to tempt me. A 2022 white Bolt EUV with 25,950 miles. This is now getting closer to reality.
The final issue would be the rebates. The benevolent Biden administration offers a $4000 rebate for qualified used electric vehicles sold at dealerships. And the progressive state of Massachusetts offers a $3500 rebate as well. $7500 off the top price. Net cost after trade? Less than $3000. How could we say no?
We traded in a 10 year old SUV that gobbled gas (20 mpg around town) for a three year old EUV that will require almost no service other than tires (it came with nice Michelins). That big battery is warranted for another 7 years.
The Bolt is a great investment. I’ll miss the friendly guys who pump gas at our local station, a little. Sparky’s range with a full charge is 289 miles. Because of my limited local driving habits, I have been plugging it in overnight - once a week. And it is a lot of fun to drive. Very comfortable seats (lumbar friendly). Lot’s of leg and head room. Back seats fold down for hauling cargo (just like our Hondas). More technology than I have the patience to explore. The Bolt handles deftly. Smooth ride. Quiet. It has TORQUE! Yeow.
And it doesn’t hurt that we feel like we are doing the right thing for the Earth. When we plug in Sparky, he is getting his energy from 100% sustainable/renewable sources - thanks to a town program that employs a green energy aggregator at a reasonable kwh rate.
I think I am becoming a car guy.
Keep your eyes and ears open for the re-launch of a terrific vehicle. And most other auto makers are offering new EV models each year. Here is an article that may convince you that EVs are inevitable. The new batteries will offer a charging rate of another 124 miles in just five minutes. EVs are becoming cheaper to buy than ICE vehicles and cheaper to maintain. What’s not to like?
And….the FAA just approved an electric flying car. I am not ready for that. But you might be.
https://electrek.co/2024/02/28/gms-new-bolt-ev-save-billions-affordable-lfp-batteries/
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/gm-s-ultium-batteries-to-get-a-massive-performance-boost-next-year-with-help-from-catl-240408.html
Nice, Bill! We're gonna be in the market to replace my wife's 2014 Camry soon, but I'm not sure we're ready for an EV. I had a 2011 hybrid for about 7 years, but the battery replacement was scary expensive. I drive a lot (about 18,000 mi/yr), and my wife does about 12,000.
Like you, my wife doesn't get excited about cars, but maybe an EV will change that. I'd consider anything other than a Tesla.
Congratulations Bill! Nice looking car.
My son is an Engineer and his hobby is restoring old Saabs and Volvos. He would be in heaven if he got a hold of a '59 Saab like the one pictured.
My grandmother had a '64 Plymouth Valiant, in a beautiful light blue, with a push button transmission. As a little kid, It fascinated me. So, you push this button and the car goes forward and you push this button and the car goes backward? Huh.
Unlike you, I love cars. I love expensive cars, but must admit I am still driving the Audi I bought shortly after I retired. It only has 99k (or about 60,000 miles) and it drives like a tank in the snow and has an efficient 4 cylinder engine with a turbo so the gas mileage isn't bad.
But my next car will be a hybrid. I am going back to the Lexus brand. They are made here in Ontario and I have a thing about that.