Featured Dead: Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV

If the Bolt is going to be dead by the time I'm looking for a car, what car comes close to the Bolt?

• Affordable
• EV
• Seats at least 4 human people

???

 

It sounds like you want a new EV, not something used. Perhaps you might offer some details:

• Affordable - MSRP(?), trade-in vehicle?
• EV - daily, 3x one way to work miles, and vacation range?
• Seats at least 4 - does this mean large rear seat area?
• "End of Lease" - would you consider an end-of-lease car with drive train warranty?

Bob Wilson

 

• Well, the Chevy Bolt starts at $26,500, so I'd say somewhere around there. In my situation I'm not going to get much of the tax credit for a new one anyway and $26,500 already feels like a stretch for me. The Avalon was just over $15,000. I'm not counting on getting much for a trade in by the time I need a Bolt. Right now the Avalon is 10 years old and has 130k miles and counting. I plan on driving it until I either can't drive it any longer or I convince myself to trade it for an EV. In another 5 years it will be 15 and have around 210k miles if I keep going.
• The Bolt's range would be plenty for my daily driving. But my next car, EV or not, would be my only car, so needs to be able to go far. However, from what I can factor, 200 miles EV range is an ok bare minimum for me for vacation, etc.
• 4 seats means you can legally cram at least 4 adults. Whether they are comfortable or not is not necessary.
• Would I consider and End of Lease that someone else had leased? I'm not feeling that convinced right now. It seems like those that I know who have bought newish used cars lately have had bad experiences. And a used car is going to have a lot of it's warranty used up. A 5 year old car is going to have only 5 years left on the 10 year battery warranty. To me it needs to be at least half of around the $27,000 or so for the Bolt I would have gotten.
• I'm not sure if I trust Nissan Leafs anymore.

 

I have my own bias which I'll go over at the end. Let me suggest shopping with eBay motors as both new and used EVs are available. The primary reason is you can see the "completed sales" which reflects the fair market value for any given car. In contrast, the usual car sales services have to make enough profit for their lavish lifestyles <grins>.

Filtering for electric cars: https://www.ebay.com/b/Electric-Cars-Trucks/6001/bn_57336498

Now my bias is towards a BMW i3-REx having owned a 2014 model given to my ex-wife:

• Range Extender - avoids the CCS-1 charging network disasters and over comes the 50 kW fast DC charging limit.
  • 24/7 cross country at 70 mph and 39 MPG
• Remaining warranty - 2019+5 = 2024 ... drive train 2019+8 = 2027
• Rear seats are OK for adults in urban driving.
• Fold down rear seats and coup rear doors makes it a load carrier.
• Front seats are very comfortable.
• Sit "in" not down or climb up.
• A 2" receiver hitch allows an external cargo carrier and/or with light kit, utility trailer or small boat

Bob Wilson

 

True, except if I do decide to go EV in two to five years from now then there will be zero remaining warranty. In reality I'm not liking the idea of anything used. I don't want to spend nearly $30,000 on a car that in a few years is broke, needs thousands in repairs and is worth basically nothing. I'd be better off driving my Avalon into the ground and then buying another gas car. The Nissan Versa starts right now at $15,850 and has 5 years of drive train warranty.

 

for me - the Vega

 

Chevy Vega was the FIRST ever personal car I owned, and the only Chevy (or GM cars) I have owned so far. If I end up buying Chevy Bolt, it may well be the LAST personal car I will own. That will complete the circle nicely. LOL

 

The market will be significantly different in two to five years. If the Trump fit of 'trade war' with China can get reversed, there is a good chance a China Inc EV will be available in your price range. They are already in countries with reasonable tariffs with China.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

 

We can hope there'll be a Bolt replacement in the future.

Sadly that does open up a can of worms. Chevy has a track record that we can go off of. So far the Bolt fires were the worst problem, but that seems to be fixed. If some company I have never heard of comes along with a $30,000 EV, how on earth am I supposed to be able to trust that company?

 

They'll likely have a track record in Europe before they arrive here.. Some might already be selling EV buses and commercial trucks here.

 

In five years, Tesla should have a 30k bev

 

We had the '75 Vega

 

My father bought a brand new Vega and was proud of it for 1 day - the 2nd day it blew a gasket in the driveway when he started it and began smoking like you wouldn't believe - a bluish smoke with a terrible stench - had to be some type of oil burning. It gathered quite a crowd from the neighborhood - much to my fathers embarrassment

 

Hopefully. Even though there are a lot of things I hate about Teslas, there are a lot of things I love about them. Enough for me to buy one if I find one for the right price.

 

Hummm, I bought a brand new Vega in 1973 ,.....automatic transmission failed 4 times in the first year.....my first GM car has left me a sour souvenir of their engineering talents in those days...

 

I noticed on the Chevy website that the Equinox EV is supposed to start around $30,000.

 

I’ll be looking at the equinox as well, but long term gm is still unproven

 

I feel the same about Tesla

 

Yes I fully understand , I was facing the same circle , but in 2022 in Canada , it was virtually impossible de get a Bolt because of their battery problem so bye bye Gm and went with a prime instead.