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Happy New Year! So my car just got totaled...

Westie · · 18 replies
W

Westie

Original poster

The other driver was at fault. My car was almost 10 years old with 170k miles on it, so it was nearing the end anyway. Here's the thing: the new car I REALLY want is the Slate truck: [www.slate.auto](https://www.slate.auto/en) However, it won't come out until Q4 2026 at the earliest. My problem is, any new car I get (used, almost certainly, but new to me) will probably last 10+ years, especially since I plan on getting an EV and those things never break. I'm looking at options like a Leaf, Chevy Bolt, BMW i3, etc. I can charge for free at work. I can get a loan through my credit union at about 5%, and I also have enough cash reserves to comfortably pay $10k or so. A quick check of used EVs near me show plenty in the $8k-$15k range that would suit my needs. So do I: - Lease a car until the Slate is available for purchase? - Buy a used car (which will probably last 10 years)? - Buy a new car (which will probably last 20 years)? - Finance any of the above? 5% is kind of the "take it or leave it" range for me in terms of paying off fast or slow. One note is that I hate hate HATE the connectivity and electronic "features" of new cars. I don't want it connected to the internet. I don't want a subscription to heated seats. I don't want lane assist. I don't even want a touch screen. That's part of why the Slate appeals to me. I do need at least a 120 mile range, so older Leafs are out. Leaves? Whatever. If I do get a brand new car, I prefer to have an onboard 240v power outlet so I can use it to power my house as well...charge at work, bring it home, plug it in, use the power, my work is effectively paying my electricity bill. My current rental includes electricity in the lease but I'm thinking of my next place. Any suggestions?

Replies (18)

Scott Larsen

Scott Larsen

2 months ago

(Half joking although I totally would) Buy an ebike and a kei truck if they're legal in your state.
Max

Max

2 months ago

You haven't really described your use case. Could you live without a car for that period of time? If not, you mentioned being a renter, would it be possible to move closer to work or transit and just rent a car for those times when you do actually need one?
Craig A

Craig A

2 months ago

The thing that comes up for me is to avoid debt. It sounds like you can afford tax, tags, registration, purchase price, etc. under $10k. Then, maybe start paying yourself 5% extra towards the next car fund.
Roberto Sánchez

Roberto Sánchez

2 months ago

I currently own a VW ID.4 and I have family members that own or have owned Teslas (present) and Bolt EUVs (past). The Bolt EUV is, as someone else put it, a "dumb" EV in a smart EV body. It is really good all around, but a bit of a pain for long road trips (though it can be made to work). The VW ID.4 is engineered amazingly well (German engineering FTW), but only insofar as its automotive attributes. Also, the recent absolutely massive data breaches in the Porsche group companies (of which VW is a member) are extremely concerning. Plus, the infotainment and associated smartphone app are mostly a miserable experience, they were clearly designed by people who know very little about UI/UX design and even less about software. I assume that you already know about Tesla and all that owning a Tesla entails, so I won't bore you with that. If I found myself in your situation, I would just get whatever car I thought I might like the best right now. Personally, I have my eyes on Slate, but I also am not interested in being a Beta tester.
lindsay

lindsay

2 months ago

Maybe this is just my experience as a former early adopter of all kinds of things, but I would NEVER buy the very first production run of a vehicle from an unproven company. You want to talk about "not breaking down on the way to work"? Everything has bugs when it's new. Let someone else deal with the hassles of the first run. It's not like you're going to get the end of your life regretting, "Man, I sure wish I had bought a Slate a year sooner than I did." You sound like a prime candidate for a 2-year lease someplace, or better yet, just buy a used car, drive it for two years (or only one, if you insist on beta testing the Slate), realize that it will barely depreciate in that time, and turn around and sell it.
CloudyArc

CloudyArc

2 months ago

This sounds like a classic bridge dilemma. A used EV as a bridge might be your best choice while you wait for your dream slate truck. You can find EVs in the **$8k–$15k** range, Look for a 2017–2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV. Unlike the early Leafs, it has a liquid-cooled battery (it lasts longer) and has an EPA range of ~238 miles. Now the tech factor, unfortunately it has a screen, but it is far less "integrated" and "subscription-heavy" than a Tesla or a new BMWs. It’s really a "dumb" EV in a smart-EV body. Pay with cash if you can and dispose off the EV once you have your dream truck on your drive way.
Charlotte

Charlotte

2 months ago

Could you buy something crappy in the $3k range right now in cash that would get you 1-2 years, then buy the truck you want either new in Q4 or used sometime in 2027-28?

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