Plug in hybrid potential buyer - which one???
Discussion
Hi all,
I currently run an Alpina XD3 as my everyday vehicle. It is an amazing machine but my circumstances have changed - as they have for many people and it is now (I think) time to consider a change.
My travel has dropped considerably so high insurance and 35mpg (now dropping due to less long journeys) together with car tax and servicing costs just mean I'm not using it like I used to and not enjoying it as much.
My usage profile is (and I think will continue to be) a 5 mile each way journey to the office 5 days a week plus supermarket visits, go see my mum and short local trips most of the time. Every 3-4 weeks I visit my daughter who is 80 miles away.
I will make the occasional journey to another offices 200-300 miles away - maybe once every other month.
So, mostly short local journeys but the occasional need for a long journey.
I don't think a full EV would work for me for the long journeys or the visits to my daughter as when I visit her, we might go out for a trip etc and I'm only there for the day so don't want to waste it waiting to charge a car.
I'm thinking a 2nd hand plug in hybrid might work for me, cheap to run during the week but capable of a long journey when needed.
I have a maximum budget of £20k and want 5 doors and 5 seats for when out with the whole family. Would love to spend less of course!
I do like toys in a car so adaptive cruise, blind spot warning, Bluetooth, android auto etc would be ideal. The more toys/tech the better.
There seem to be quite a few choices on the market but I'm led to believe the stated electric range is a bit like MPG in that you don't get anywhere near. I would like to be able to get to work and back plus the shops and visit my old mum at maximum efficiency so 18-20 miles of real electric range would be perfect. Any more is a real bonus. I also want good economy on a long run (40+ mpg) as a minimum and having a bad back, comfort is a must.
So this is where I would love your input and experience. If I simply look at the stats, all the plug in hybrids talk about at least 25 miles electric range and huge MPG but I know this isn't reality.
So, firstly - is a plug in hybrid a sensible option for my profile? and if so, what vehicles fit my requirements in the real world?
Thanks all,
Michael
Sent from my BBF100-1 using Tapatalk
I currently run an Alpina XD3 as my everyday vehicle. It is an amazing machine but my circumstances have changed - as they have for many people and it is now (I think) time to consider a change.
My travel has dropped considerably so high insurance and 35mpg (now dropping due to less long journeys) together with car tax and servicing costs just mean I'm not using it like I used to and not enjoying it as much.
My usage profile is (and I think will continue to be) a 5 mile each way journey to the office 5 days a week plus supermarket visits, go see my mum and short local trips most of the time. Every 3-4 weeks I visit my daughter who is 80 miles away.
I will make the occasional journey to another offices 200-300 miles away - maybe once every other month.
So, mostly short local journeys but the occasional need for a long journey.
I don't think a full EV would work for me for the long journeys or the visits to my daughter as when I visit her, we might go out for a trip etc and I'm only there for the day so don't want to waste it waiting to charge a car.
I'm thinking a 2nd hand plug in hybrid might work for me, cheap to run during the week but capable of a long journey when needed.
I have a maximum budget of £20k and want 5 doors and 5 seats for when out with the whole family. Would love to spend less of course!
I do like toys in a car so adaptive cruise, blind spot warning, Bluetooth, android auto etc would be ideal. The more toys/tech the better.
There seem to be quite a few choices on the market but I'm led to believe the stated electric range is a bit like MPG in that you don't get anywhere near. I would like to be able to get to work and back plus the shops and visit my old mum at maximum efficiency so 18-20 miles of real electric range would be perfect. Any more is a real bonus. I also want good economy on a long run (40+ mpg) as a minimum and having a bad back, comfort is a must.
So this is where I would love your input and experience. If I simply look at the stats, all the plug in hybrids talk about at least 25 miles electric range and huge MPG but I know this isn't reality.
So, firstly - is a plug in hybrid a sensible option for my profile? and if so, what vehicles fit my requirements in the real world?
Thanks all,
Michael
Sent from my BBF100-1 using Tapatalk
t) A guy I work with has a 330e which is now about 3 years old and is due for a change, he tells me that when he first got it he would get 30 miles on a full charge but at 3 years old the range has dropped to about 15 miles on a full charge, I don't know if that is the norm or maybe a faulty battery but I was considering a 3 year old Mini Countryman hybrid for the wife and it put me off so ended up buying a Petrol Cooper S Countryman instead.
I recently bought a second hand Passat GTE as it was basically that or the C350e in my price range and cirteria (a family estate: not an SUV). Overall I’m pretty happy with it. We are doing almost all our mileage on battery around town. If we need to go further afield it’s still efficient and fast enough (it’s not out and out fast). Comfortable, radar cruise and CarPlay too
Jamescrs said:
A guy I work with has a 330e which is now about 3 years old and is due for a change, he tells me that when he first got it he would get 30 miles on a full charge but at 3 years old the range has dropped to about 15 miles on a full charge, I don't know if that is the norm or maybe a faulty battery but I was considering a 3 year old Mini Countryman hybrid for the wife and it put me off so ended up buying a Petrol Cooper S Countryman instead.
he's being a bit generous with the EV range, i've had a 330e from new (67 plate) and even brand new in the summer it NEVER showed more than 20 miles EV range the latest ones will do 30+
robbieduncan said:
I recently bought a second hand Passat GTE as it was basically that or the C350e in my price range and cirteria (a family estate: not an SUV). Overall I’m pretty happy with it. We are doing almost all our mileage on battery around town. If we need to go further afield it’s still efficient and fast enough (it’s not out and out fast). Comfortable, radar cruise and CarPlay too
This sounds like what I am looking for. Could I be so rude as to ask what you paid (age, mileage, price) and so far what is your electric range and if you go on a longer journey what is the mpg?I've just picked up a new shape (2015) Outlander PHEV, and I can honestly say after just a couple of days it's probably my favourite car I've owned - and I've had a new mustang/cayman/lots of 4x4s.
Just the idea of a 200bhp petrol engine and zero road tax, 166mpg (not that I get that), electric for town/short journeys, its perfect for me. And has a LOT of toys if you get the right model.
Your budget will get in you a low mileage 2017/18 easily. I always thought they looked a bit ugly, and maybe I'm biased but mine is stunning - forget the name (amethyst?) but its a glossy black, great alloys, privacy glass and whisper quite when driving around. Love it!
Just the idea of a 200bhp petrol engine and zero road tax, 166mpg (not that I get that), electric for town/short journeys, its perfect for me. And has a LOT of toys if you get the right model.
Your budget will get in you a low mileage 2017/18 easily. I always thought they looked a bit ugly, and maybe I'm biased but mine is stunning - forget the name (amethyst?) but its a glossy black, great alloys, privacy glass and whisper quite when driving around. Love it!
The one thing that would put me off having a Hybrid again is the current spate of Catalytic Converter thefts.
I avoid certain cars due to their potential to soil themselves and leave a £2k bill, so I wouldn't be too keen on an external factor also offering that possibility. Seems to be a lot of Priuses (or the semantic plural equiv) are getting targeted in built up areas.
I avoid certain cars due to their potential to soil themselves and leave a £2k bill, so I wouldn't be too keen on an external factor also offering that possibility. Seems to be a lot of Priuses (or the semantic plural equiv) are getting targeted in built up areas.
It's a difficult one this, I've just landed a new job a mile away from home albeit there will be some business travel. I will probably walk or cycle when I can, but I need to drop my daughter at nursery a couple of days a week so I'll have to drive then, so I'm looking for a PHEV to replace my E220d.
I ran a C350e privately for 2 years and it was OK - but electric range was really 10 miles at best, sometimes as low as 6 miles in winter. I've now got a E220d Estate because I did a lot of long runs for work and the C350e wasn't great on longer runs. I averaged 46MPG over 30000 miles.
The C350e has a 6.4KW battery (but only about 4.5KW usable) can be had from around £14k now - but if I was buying one I'd want an AUC as they're fiercely complex things.
The BMW 530e has a larger battery - 9.2KW, so should be around 50% more range than the Merc. This is probably the best option for me, but £20k is bottom of the barrel for one of these, nice 2017 cars with 30K ish miles are around £23-24k and finding well specified ones isn't easy.
The Passat is an option, but the 1.4 petrol engine puts me off. Once you're above 60MPH the hybrid systems don't do much, so you're stuck with what I think would be an underpowered petrol engine.
Mitsubishi have just announced they are to pull out of the European market, so I'm not sure I'd want to put much money into their most complex product.
I ran a C350e privately for 2 years and it was OK - but electric range was really 10 miles at best, sometimes as low as 6 miles in winter. I've now got a E220d Estate because I did a lot of long runs for work and the C350e wasn't great on longer runs. I averaged 46MPG over 30000 miles.
The C350e has a 6.4KW battery (but only about 4.5KW usable) can be had from around £14k now - but if I was buying one I'd want an AUC as they're fiercely complex things.
The BMW 530e has a larger battery - 9.2KW, so should be around 50% more range than the Merc. This is probably the best option for me, but £20k is bottom of the barrel for one of these, nice 2017 cars with 30K ish miles are around £23-24k and finding well specified ones isn't easy.
The Passat is an option, but the 1.4 petrol engine puts me off. Once you're above 60MPH the hybrid systems don't do much, so you're stuck with what I think would be an underpowered petrol engine.
Mitsubishi have just announced they are to pull out of the European market, so I'm not sure I'd want to put much money into their most complex product.
mmarksx19 said:
This sounds like what I am looking for. Could I be so rude as to ask what you paid (age, mileage, price) and so far what is your electric range and if you go on a longer journey what is the mpg?
It’s a 66 plate car with 34000 miles. Paid 20,500. Possibly a little over market value but it was close to home during the end of lockdown so was willing to pay a slight premium. Also has the virtual cockpit which I prefer to the standard dialsIt’s can just make Harrogate to Haxby on battery. This is 24 miles with a variety of roads including A roads at 60 mph. I guess that it won’t make it in winter but in summer it’s fine
I’ve not gone further than that (damn COVID) but on the return it’s doing about 44mpg
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