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There are plenty of EV drivers I know who don't have garages or dedicated parking spaces for that matter. Depending on your area and the availability of Level 2 or DCFC (fast charge 80% in 30 minutes) you could certainly coexist without it.
Our household has both a Model S and i3 BEV. The i3 is on a lease and going back in about three weeks. While I'm a purist and only want a fully electric vehicle (BEV fully meets my distance needs) plus I have a Model S and Lex to tap for distance-but in i3 circles most people wouldn't consider driving one *without* the REX.
It's his only car. And he's not in California... I doubt the infrastructure is that great in NC.
And who wants to sit around for half an hour charging a car when there are EV options that only require that you not be a purist?
A small amount of gas is a small price to pay to avoid wasting all of that time.
I was at Cary Automall today and immediately began drooling over the Audi's. I was wondering which one would be more financially smart?
2014 Audi A4 Premium Plus for $24,000
2017 Audi A4 Premium Plus 2.0T TFSI S-Tronic dual clutch LEASE $329 per month 15k miles per year $2500 down after trade in ($6000) for 36 months
I can see pros and cons of both situations, like I can't sell the 2017 later on. However, the 2017 is always under warranty while I think the 2014 is on its last year. 15,000 miles seems like enough, I drive about 8 miles per day to work, so that is about 2000 miles per year. I also see that by the end of the lease I'll be 27 and probably about the time I'll need a minivan!
8 miles away? I would ride a bike to work. Bank you 24 grand plus ins, gas & maint...you will save 50 or even a 100 grand easily within the decade.
8 miles away? I would ride a bike to work. Bank you 24 grand plus ins, gas & maint...you will save 50 or even a 100 grand easily within the decade.
No way that's happening. Off the top of my head I can name 5 reasons.
1. I like driving.
2. I take a freeway, and if I go to either of the 2 alternative routes I am either going through a ghetto or taking a I-95 business highway. It's not necessarily a "ghetto", It's just not a place I am comfortable riding a bike through, and even then It would add on 2 miles.
3. I am not physically fit to ride a bike 16 miles a day.
4. My apartment doesn't have a bike rack.
5. My city has the worst drivers I've ever seen in my entire life.
So, I looked around in your neck of the woods to see what was out there based on the following criteria...
Champagne taste, beer budget.
Like German cars, especially Audis.
Don't drive much, so, try to keep per mile cost down and not get creamed by depreciation.
Unlikely to be a long term owner.
It's not bad, though a 2017 lease might be cheaper since the Lease in its entirety is around the $15,000 mark and I wouldn't have to spend any money on maintenance.
I had a 2013 Volt and the suede and leather interior was vastly superior to the Prius, especially with the dark center stack. And the new one is an improvement on that.
Even the door inserts were suede.
I spent a lot of time in that interior, both on the daily commute and on long trips and it was great. And the toque of the electric motor was addictive.
The one I was in was also a Premium and it had this atrocious white dash thing that looked like it was made of plastic. It was gross.
It's not bad, though a 2017 lease might be cheaper since the Lease in its entirety is around the $15,000 mark and I wouldn't have to spend any money on maintenance.
That is a nice car though, I like it.
After the $15K you will own the '07 Audi.
When you sell it on you will get a pretty good chunk of the $15K back, since the car is largely depreciated.
Leasing = a $15K car rental.
FYI... although many people focus on it, maintenance are repair are not a major cost of car ownership.
Depreciation always is, by far, because that expense is large, constant and unavoidable.
Other expenses like fuel and insurance are also greater because they're also constant and unavoidable.
Also, don't go to an Audi dealer for maintenance on an out of warranty Audi.
I got the routine stuff on my Euro cars done at a Chevy dealer. Cost? The same as a Chevy.
The one I was in was also a Premium and it had this atrocious white dash thing that looked like it was made of plastic. It was gross.
Then you should have tired the dark center stack examples. I didn't much care for the Apple iPod looking white center stack, either, but as you can see from the pictures, mine was a pretty, and high tech looking, dark center stack with the capacitive touch switches. Here's a closer view of what mine was:
which is much better than the one you were in, and I disliked, too:
A narcissistic 20-something who only makes $79K borrowing money to buy an entry lux European sedan. In two years, we're going to have yet another "I'm $10K underwater on my car loan and want to buy....." thread.
A narcissistic 20-something who only makes $79K borrowing money to buy an entry lux European sedan. In two years, we're going to have yet another "I'm $10K underwater on my car loan and want to buy....." thread.
I want to see if he commits financial suicide!
All he has to do is tell us what he buys and we'll know. It won't take two years.
It's his only car. And he's not in California... I doubt the infrastructure is that great in NC.
And who wants to sit around for half an hour charging a car when there are EV options that only require that you not be a purist?
A small amount of gas is a small price to pay to avoid wasting all of that time.
Not splitting hairs, but you'd probably be surprised if you fired up PlugShare or ChargePoint mobile apps, there are a surprising number of EVSEs (that's what they're called since the "charger" is onboard the vehicle) in non-CARB states. Perhaps not where the OP is but for example there are many in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, South Florida, Atlanta, and probably Raleigh-Durham.
Like anything else in life it's a trade off. Most DCFC are near places of business, shopping centers, libraries, etc so they're either at places people would anyway be going or there are things nearby while you wait. Like I said it's not for everyone but there are plenty of people I know of in EV circles that don't have a dedicated EVSE or parking space for that matter at their home.
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