MME Not a long-term vehicle. How come?

[JRT]

Technology and battery tech changes for me. I transitioned from Glow/gas RC planes to all electric lipo 8 years ago and that has shown me how fast and better battery tech progresses. New battery now make some of my 8 year old planes fly better, faster, longer with just a upgraded pack.

The Options program is nice, I ran the numbers and I'm getting a lower interst rate, lower payments vs a conventional loan. My habit is I pay off my cars after a 3-4 years anyway if I like them. So my balloon payment is only $18k in 4 years that is acceptable to me. I hope the MME has higher resale value then $18k then too, but if it doesn't at least I can just give it back to Ford to deal with. The MME is our 3rd car so it is a luxury and not a need to me either.

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[JamieGeek]

Been driving plugins since 2013 (Focus Electric, C-Max Energi, Bolt and now Mach-E).

Battery tech doesn't improve by leaps and bounds. Its just continual improvement small improvements that add up year over year. Even though you're always reading about "the next quantum leap in battery tech" its a rarity if/when any of those pan out and when they do they are so far down in the future that other battery tech has caught up.

Thus: 2013 Focus Electric: 23 kWh battery
2018 Bolt: 60 kWh battery
2021 Mach-E: 99 kWh battery

Not all fit in the same volume (not much room for a battery in a Focus). Thus in 3 years I bet you won't be seeing any "big" battery improvements (maybe the 2025 Mach-E will have 120 kWh..or not because that will likely increase the weight and the current range is good).

Thus keep it or don't keep it: Your choice (people keep older cars even though newer ones burn less gas...same thing).

 

[Benny’66]

My initial concern, even before taking delivery, is based on battery life. Warranty is 70%, 8yr/100k and vehicle manufacturers know the limits from countless hours of durability testing. So if the GTPE is starting at 260, subtract 78 miles of range from that (best case conditions), I might be getting 145-150 during a New York winter.
Every vehicle I buy is well thought out, special ordered exactly the way I want it, and meticulously cared for so the intend is to keep them “long team”. But then reliability, rust, or mechanical failures start to make them no longer desirable (even though I do all if my own after warranty work).

 

[Brofessional]

I've seen quite a few threads with comments indicating that people don't see the MME as a car they anticipate owning, "long term".

Curious - if you feel that way, what brought you to that conclusion? I buy vehicles to last (Current vehicle is an 07 Camry). Is it a reliability issue? Comfort? Technology becoming outdated?

For me it's the best EV currently available for my use (commuting, kid hauling duty, hardware store runs), but when larger EVs are past their teething stage (lightning, hummer, rivian) I plan to switch for the utility. Won't be quite as fun to drive, but I'll keep an older manual ICE that I do most of the maintenance on myself for the nostalgia. Currently keeping an eye on what Ford does with the s650 gen mustang to potentially fill that slot.

And Ford, if you're listening, put the Tremec in the s650 GTs and give it some boss 302 styling cues. Please and thank you.

 

[snikt]

I'm not holding my breath on battery tech having any meaningful leaps in the next 10 years or more. Even if some new tech comes to market it will only be in the very high end EV's first, which wouldn't be at my price point. As long as the software continues to be updated I don't see why this car wouldn't last me for at least 10 years. My last two cars I had for 10 and 13 years each, which had 0 functional updates for the life of the car. We should see many functional updates over the life of the MME, which should breath new life into it over time.

There will be major leaps in battery tech I think in that time frame, 10 years is a long time. That doesn't mean that stuff now would become junk because of that though?

Current EVs being sold now probably have a realistic like 10-15 year life depending on mileage

 

[TJ-Mach-e]

The range is too low and the fast Charge rate is too slow.

There is now way the MME could be my primary vehicle, and thus it is just a temporary vehicle.

I was considering putting in an order for a GTPE as another temp and then keep that one for a year or so but the lack of support so far tells me that Ford is still old fashioned.

Their goal is to sell a vehicle, they have never and it looks they don't know how to support a vehicle after they sell it. And that is another reason I will not keep this vehicle for long. This car has to many issues (since launch) that can be fixed with an OTA update and yet none of them have been addressed.

 

[Cnote]

many people on here have pointed to this specific thing - the battery tech. Nobody knows what is going to happen in the next three years but there's a general consensus that the battery tech is going to improve noticeably (things like motors, etc. are pretty much as far as they are going to go, so that's not really on the table).

I generally keep cars for several years, but with all the new EVs coming out in the next few years and potential battery tech improvements like you mentioned I am more open to getting the latest and greatest if it strikes my fancy. The Mach E is my first BEV and allowed me to get my feet wet and realize that I absolutely love BEVs, so now I'm interested to see all the other BEV options and technology improvements that will be coming in the near future.

 

[fightinag]

I ordered 4 months ago...what this VIN you speak of ?

 

[troublebot]

I generally keep cars 4-5 years before getting kinda bored and wanting to swap into something else. I know it's a bad habit, but I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, or really do anything 'fun' or risky, so it's one of only vices and even then I don't go crazy with it.

I think the MME will be a fine car for many years to come but there is a lot of tech in it (not just battery/electric motor) that will improve significantly over the next 10 years. Better sensors and faster processing may allow for better BlueCruise and driver aids. Improvement to infotainment tech onboard. Not to mention that a dam is bursting in the EV market and every major manufacturer is getting into the game, so there will be a lot of competing option.

Dodge HellECTRIcat, anyone?

 

[MachoHulkWarrior]

Aside 2: I was taught to make the car payments BEFORE buying the car and to not buy the car until I had the cash to pay for it. That philosophy has always worked well for me.

Agreed. I learned that if you don't have the money to buy something up front, you really have no business buying it with the bank's money. Only exception I made was on our home.

 

[theo1000]

IMO if you're buying a vehicle to keep it long term you should never buy a first model year. They WILL have issues. They always do.

I know the sentiment but by and large this has not been true for EV's, except maybe the Leaf. But even there it was poor battery cooling design that was never fixed that was the issue.

In fact it was the 2019 Bolt that caused the problems in all of (10) vehicles with few issues on the 2017, 2018, 2020 or 2021 versions.

I still have 2010 first year Volt, 2014 first year I3, 2019 first year Etron, anecdotal but all have so far proven on a wide scale to be bullet proof as unofficially tracked with other owners.

With EV's if there are going to be issues, component failures it will happen fairly quickly, no matter year of production, first 12-24 months. The remainder have a very good prognosis of long uneventful life. We will have to see with the MachE but I do expect it to follow that same pattern. Few sporadic issues early then long uneventful life for the vast majority.

 

[timbop]

many people on here have pointed to this specific thing - the battery tech. Nobody knows what is going to happen in the next three years but there's a general consensus that the battery tech is going to improve noticeably (things like motors, etc. are pretty much as far as they are going to go, so that's not really on the table).

Exactly. I took the 4 year options program because it gives me the chance to walk away if the value of the car plummets or there is a large leap in battery charge performance, range, and/or safety. I will decide then whether to keep it or not. My 2000 mustang I had for 12 years, but not much changed in capability with newer models over that time. The Mach E will in all likelihood still be running 12 years from now, but if I have the chance to pick up a new one with 600 mile range and 15 minute charging I will probably do so.

 

[JoeDimwit]

My plan was/is to drive my Mach-E until there is a significant advancement in battery tech or range, or until they make an actual BEV Mustang (Coupe or convertible). At that point, I will evaluate the Mach-E and decide whether to trade it in/sell it, keep it as a commuter or collectible, or pass it on to a family member.

 

[Mach Daddy]

I am the type to keep items for the long term. Even my wife looks at my taped up road bike and says "don't you need to get a new one?"

Having said that, life is coming at me fast, with kids and fam it seems as if my needs are changing faster than before. I plan on keeping the MME for the long term, but will make the switch when the Mustang Mach Econoline is released

 

[BMT1071]

Agreed. I learned that if you don't have the money to buy something up front, you really have no business buying it with the bank's money. Only exception I made was on our home.

That mindset doesn't really make sense today. The cost of borrowing is so low compared to the investment returns you can reap that paying cash for a car or house is leaving money on the table. That said, do whatever makes you feel comfortable.

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