The Xtera's KBB is around $3.5-4k. I'd have a difficult time putting twice the vehicle's value into repairs for it. Let's say you put $10k into repairs for it. The value of the vehicle in resale is still $3.5-4k. I'd lean towards the KIA Soul.
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Car Advice?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
It's a tough decision. I go with old. My 2004 Toyota Corolla that I've had for 20 years has 278,000 miles on it, gets the same gas mileage as it did at 20,000, eats no oil and the transmission is flawless. I had to have the body basically welded back together due to rust and replaced the front end a couple of years ago, but the average new car payment is $745 a month and I don't spend $9,000 a year in repair on any of the three vehicles that I own (180,000 mile 2010 Ford Fusion, bought new and 165,000 2012 Subaru Forester, bout at 140,000). When I get so I pay the same in repair every month that I'd pay for the car payment, then things will have to change.
Also, the taxes in my state are much lower on an old car and insurance is lower, although State Farm is gigging my Toyota for "not as safe" as modern vehicles, even with 4 airbags in the car.
Also, the taxes in my state are much lower on an old car and insurance is lower, although State Farm is gigging my Toyota for "not as safe" as modern vehicles, even with 4 airbags in the car.
My wife and I got our Forester new in 2011 and it’s been remarkably reliable. It’s held up to Brooklyn weather and Brooklyn streets (potholes galore), can hold an upright bass, electric bass and small amp as well as me and a passenger easily, great visibility and safety ratings and they’re quite inexpensive new. The base model is a lot of car for the money.
Well, that's an important piece of information. If you're getting cancer rust holes in the body, you may find that underbody work of any type becomes prohibitively expensive just from bolts constantly breaking, having to be drilled out, etc.
"OK sir, here's the bill for your new brake pads: $79.99 for four pads, $1200 for four new calipers when all four of the bleeder valves broke off when we tried to open them and bleed the brakes, $800 for two new lower front knuckles because the bolts holding the calipers on sheared off when we tried to remove them and they couldn't be removed with Easy-Outs because they were completely corroded into the knuckles..."
It's also possible to rent a car for long trips. I did that for several years when we had two 15+ year old cars that we weren't totally confident in. OK in the city, I could always call or be called, but for long trips we rented. Allowed us to put off buying new cars for several years.
Putting my chips in for the Kia Soul. We're on our second, both were brand new. First was totaled from broadside hit to drivers door and support column. I was driving and not a scratch from glass, no injuries from front and side airbags.
Bought a second one as the first proved to be low maintenance.
We take it to dealership for regular and unscheduled maintenance. Only big ticket (1,200 bucks) cost was my own ignorance when we owned the first one. I didn't know you can't overfill newer car gas tanks because liquid can't get in the fume return line. Expensive lesson LOL.
With the back seats down, plenty room for my gigging needs.
Bought a second one as the first proved to be low maintenance.
We take it to dealership for regular and unscheduled maintenance. Only big ticket (1,200 bucks) cost was my own ignorance when we owned the first one. I didn't know you can't overfill newer car gas tanks because liquid can't get in the fume return line. Expensive lesson LOL.
With the back seats down, plenty room for my gigging needs.
While EVs are getting cheaper, I can see how not everyone can afford to drop ~$30-$40k for a new one. The used market has plenty of great options right now, though. Chevy Bolts are in the low 20's, along with some older Tesla Model 3's!
I'm very grateful that I got my brand new Equinox EV just over a month ago since my wife wholeheartedly agreed that my Miata (I do miss it, but not at expense of the Equinox) was about to be too much of a hassle. The transmission needed a new seal, and the parking brake cable had recently snapped for which new parts are no longer made, and it was a 2011. Granted it is a 'specialty' vehicle, being sport-focused, and more generic vehicles will have better parts support.
But I didn't want to deal with oil changes anymore, and the convenience of "filling up" at home far outweighs the length of time needed to spend at a public charging station when that situation comes up. While I see what people are saying about the infrastructure of charging, for long trips I would just consider renting a car, or planning your trip around charging so that you can get lunch/dinner while at the charging station. Of course YMMV, as I know many people here are of the mind to keep performing routine oil changes, dealing with maintenance, and changing brakes (one pedal driving is great!!), but I'm happily in the EV camp. I only charge to 80% and get about 278 miles of range in the summer, which is about 28 miles more than I got out of a full tank in the Miata.
Sure, after a long time the batteries will need to be replaced, and for now that is a pricey endeavor. But, all research that I have done shows that by the time that I will have to deal with it, development will have streamlined into a much cheaper process. EV "motors" are projected to last just as long, if not longer than ICE vehicles, and battery packs estimated to live healthily between 15-20 years. There will always be outliers, but the same can be said for almost any gas car.
Where I do agree with most other commenters here is on the US' dependence on fossil fuels. An EV is going to be fed by fossil fuel's electricity no matter what here. What I find, though, is that the environmental friendliness is low on the list of many reasons to buy one.
I think the need for special wiring for an EV is mostly overstated - nice to have, but not required. Unless you're stretching the capacity every day and out late every night, most people (with an outlet near their car) can leave the house in the morning with full batteries even on a slow 110v power source, since the car is parked and charging 10-12 hours a day overnight.
Well, EVs consume a lot of nonrenewable resources too.
In my case, all the fossil fuels I might want to consume over the rest of my life will be more than made up for, many times over, by the fossil fuels that won't be used by the descendants I'm not going to have.
Trying to come up with slightly more efficient ways to use nonrenewable resources is just rearranging the deck chairs on the sinking ship till the fundamental root cause is addressed - too many rats in the box.
If you have a garage or carport, it's a fairly small matter (a few hundred bucks) to have an electrician run one 230V run to a convenient place. Almost all houses in the US have 230V service.
yeah charging at home is the only way to go with an EV, makes no sense otherwise... far more convenient than gas stations.
I live in One of the highest Cost counties in the United States, where electric bills are insane. This is my bill for just one month which Is pay online every month.. it fluctuates a little bit, but never under 350 a month…I would never buy an electric vehicle!
I like my freedom to pull up to any gas station get gas quickly and efficiently on all the road trips that I do… I could not imagine my electric bill with an electric vehicle. I guess they’re fine for people that do a dedicated commute every day but I’ve been retired for eight years. No way no how would I ever ever find an electric vehicle!!
I like my freedom to pull up to any gas station get gas quickly and efficiently on all the road trips that I do… I could not imagine my electric bill with an electric vehicle. I guess they’re fine for people that do a dedicated commute every day but I’ve been retired for eight years. No way no how would I ever ever find an electric vehicle!!
Hey, you might want to edit the pic. There are provider scams where they come to your house and want to see your bill so they can compare what they can provide. They grab your account number and transfer you without your approval. The first bill is cheaper and then the second is insane. Getting switched back is a nightmare.
Our power company almost burned up half of our state and and now charge us 2.~2.5x more for the privilege. No, I am not interested in an electric car, thank you.
Edit: I am also in another high cost county on the other side of the same continent.
Thank you for deleting the photo !
I probably should’ve left my account number out. I thought of that after I posted it but after 5 minutes, you can no longer edit something that you post…. I think it should be longer than five minutes at least 24 hours.
I probably should’ve left my account number out. I thought of that after I posted it but after 5 minutes, you can no longer edit something that you post…. I think it should be longer than five minutes at least 24 hours.
Retired auto mechanic here with over 40 years experience.
@Dr. Cheese - I'd have trouble pumping any sort of money in a 20+ year old salted up car..... Unless you know the frame, brake & fuel lines etc are solid, I'd walk away while you still can. My DD is a very rusty Diesel GM truck but being my own mechanic I can keep it going for pennies compared to having a shop maintain it.
EV? Nope. They're all cool, but we don't have the infrastructure to run them efficiently and even if we did, it's going to require fossil fuels for that to happen..... if you're trying to save the planet, this isn't the way to do it.
My advice? Get yourself a Honda, Toyota or Subaru........ you'll thank me later.
@Dr. Cheese - I'd have trouble pumping any sort of money in a 20+ year old salted up car..... Unless you know the frame, brake & fuel lines etc are solid, I'd walk away while you still can. My DD is a very rusty Diesel GM truck but being my own mechanic I can keep it going for pennies compared to having a shop maintain it.
EV? Nope. They're all cool, but we don't have the infrastructure to run them efficiently and even if we did, it's going to require fossil fuels for that to happen..... if you're trying to save the planet, this isn't the way to do it.
My advice? Get yourself a Honda, Toyota or Subaru........ you'll thank me later.
Yes, if your garage is attached to the house or you already have 220 service to the garage. My house (and most of my neighborhood) have detached garages that sit on the alley, and they have 20amp 110v service at best.
I added 220 service to my garage for welding and other shop work, adding it a 2nd service line (with separate meter) was much cheaper than the alternative of trenching in a new 220 line from the house and i think it was over $3k (trenching would have been $6+).
I would disagree. I believe EVs are a passing fad that have a very short future and will be difficult to get rid of.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
For many apartment dwellers, like my brother, this is not an option.
