Used EVs

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Mark Benson

Original Poster:

7,794 posts

275 months

Monday 8th November 2021
quotequote all
We have 2 diesel cars and a GT86 at the moment and while the '86 is off to make it into a track focused car, we still have 2 diesel vehicles which get used for a lot of local journeys where I think replacing one with an EV would make more sense.

I've read a lot on EV buying but on here, but most of you are buying through company schemes where you can count BiK savings, or via your own company. This would be a private purchase. So I need the collective wisdom of PH to help with a few questions:

Is it worth it? We'd be getting rid of my 2017 Superb estate, worth around £17k and I'd look to spend the equivalent or slightly more on a EV, would the kind of thing available to us at that price be any good - what kind of battery life could I expect as a percentage of new?

What's the best buy? Not just in terms of cost, but also practicality (daughter is ferried here and there, often with mates and often with kit for 2 or 3 horses) and stylishness (I like the looks of the i3, to me the Leaf and the Zoe are a bit bland).

Pitfalls? What should I look out for - signs that a car has had a hard life?

What am I missing? Would it actually work for us - I work mainly from home or I'm on the train to London or a plane into Europe so I don't commute. Wife commutes 3 days a week to the local town, 5 miles away. Daughter gets bus to school. So we don't do a lot of short trips on a regular basis, however we do visit friends & family/shop etc. all within 30 miles or so of home. We'd still have my wife's diesel Evoque for longer journeys.

The alternative is a small petrol hatchback - wife had a Up afew years ago which was perfectly good for local trips and did 60mpg - does a £17k EV offer enough of an advantage over a say, £7k Up and £10k to spend on the GT86.....?

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

7,794 posts

275 months

Tuesday 9th November 2021
quotequote all
Thanks all, lots of good advice and food for thought.
We have plenty of room for charging so it would be plugged in every night - no worries there.

The kids/riding gear stuff, wife's Evoque can just about do that and discussing the kind of journeys we do most regularly, we only came up with that one scenario and the scenario where we'd be travelling outside the range of an average EV where we would probably use something bigger.
We'll probably trade the Evoque in for a proper horsebox/car trailer tow car in the new year anyway, so that'll do the outlier journeys.
Importantly, my wife is now keen on an EV and likes the i3, I think the reassurances about battery life (friends had an early Leaf) have helped on that score.

Good to hear you real life experiences, thank you all.

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

7,794 posts

275 months

Wednesday 10th November 2021
quotequote all
caseys said:
RobDickinson said:
Last time I saw any data the i3 battery pack health on average was doing crazy good, basically like most active cooled battery packs (and not very leaf like at all..)
My 120Ah 2019 which went back last month with 49k on the clock had suffered only 7% deg when I went into the secret menu to have a look

https://youtu.be/dIP_lThJYWE
That's very useful when looking at a used i3 - thanks!

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

7,794 posts

275 months

Monday 15th November 2021
quotequote all
Skoda sold, wife convinced; we're about to go shopping for an i3. In large part, thanks to this thread and the responses you've all given so thanks all.

Not that many about locally, but we can afford to be patient. Prefer battery only and not the 22kw, a range of 80-100 miles I think would be enough for 90% of our journeys.

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

7,794 posts

275 months

Tuesday 23rd November 2021
quotequote all
We've done it.
Just put a holding deposit down on a 2017 94ah REX, 26000 miles, from a main dealer - collection towards the end of the week.

Would have been happy with pure BEV, but wife concerns and the spec of this one swung it (parking pack, pro media and comfort pack).
Dealer sent me a screenshot of the batt.kapa.max at 29kwh (97%), amazing how well these things look after their battery.

Thanks for all the advice. PH is always great for this kind of stuff.

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

7,794 posts

275 months

Tuesday 23rd November 2021
quotequote all
ZesPak said:
Bannock said:
Hope you enjoy it.

I know someone who got an REX i3 for the same reason - Mrs needed the comfort blanket. 3 years later when they wanted a new car they traded it for a brand new BEV i3S because she'd realised she'd never once used the REX motor.
How do these engines hold up with never being used?
Tbh my chainsaw doesn't seem to care that much...
If she's true to form noticing the charge as she is at noticing the orange fuel light currently the engine will be in regular use (hence, I think the desire for a REX). Hopefully she'll get into the habit of just plugging it in when she gets home.

My chainsaw seems to get sniffy if the fuel's more than about 2 weeks old, temperamental old thing.