Last minute purchasing fears

[illinirdhd]

If the money is not tight, then go for it.

If the money is tight, I would not invest my last dime at the end of the month into a car payment. One would be much better (and safer) to play the long game and wait when the time is more doable finance wise.

Btw, I have Solar panels on my home as well but I think you are forgetting that the energy is not "free". The initial cost of the solar panel along with every ounce of energy you use from the solar panel that goes into your car is not being used for you home or the excess in buyback from the utility company. So you really are paying the rate of what is being charged in the long run.

I have known a few people that cut it on the edge (finance wise) and they would lose nearly everything if things went sideways.

Like I said, if you have the money then make the purchase. If you don't i.e. loan, then you are gambling.

Sure - I was not commenting on the affordability for my household - simply that when I consider my driving habits, a slightly less expensive ICE vehicle probably has about the same monthly cost as the MME. You and my husband could probably have a lovely chat about how annoying it is that I don't prefer to pay cash for vehicles, I don't prefer to buy them used, and then I trade them every 3-5 years. It's ok, we all have our vices.

Our solar array only produces enough to fully power our house for part of the year. (When we purchased our current home and then our solar panels, the energy co refused to look at historical energy usage for the property, because the bills were in the previous owner's name ?‍. They only allowed us to install about 1/2 the panels we probably should have.) The increased power cost will be far less than the $75/week I currently pay at the gas pump.

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[MacherAWD]

Sure - I was not commenting on the affordability for my household - simply that when I consider my driving habits, a slightly less expensive ICE vehicle probably has about the same monthly cost as the MME. You and my husband could probably have a lovely chat about how annoying it is that I don't prefer to pay cash for vehicles, I don't prefer to buy them used, and then I trade them every 3-5 years. It's ok, we all have our vices.

Our solar array only produces enough to fully power our house for part of the year. (When we purchased our current home and then our solar panels, the energy co refused to look at historical energy usage for the property, because the bills were in the previous owner's name ?‍. They only allowed us to install about 1/2 the panels we probably should have.) The increased power cost will be far less than the $75/week I currently pay at the gas pump.

We got an initial 24 panels which produced 30% more then we used, we then had 2 kids, added central AC and added an EV, we got a 2nd system, 8 more panels, separate inverter, but that now covers us. At first it seemed foolish to add more, but costs had come down so much the payback on the additional 8 was 4 years, vs 4.25 years on the original 24.

 

[The Black Horse]

My biggest recommendation is to get in the car and look at what it has and what its currently doing. Make absolutely no assumptions about what it has. Ask questions, then ask questions again. Consider "It is coming soon" or "Ford will update the car to have that" as statements the car will never get it.

Then after seeing only what is there, ask yourself if you still want the car. As is. If so, go for it.

I say all the above because I bought the car in 2021. Ford made a lot of promises and failed to deliver. Fords CEO and team said a bunch of things that the car could potentially do. Two years later, very little progress.


Fords CEO last year made a big stink about a big UI change to the screen in the car. He said it was going to really upgrade things. It was very basic, and ALOT of people (myself included) haven't gotten that update or any updates in a long time.

The car looks and drives amazing. Built sturdy too. But the screen and technology in the car is NOT what Fords marketing is leading you to believe.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Many mentioned PHEV. Personally, I do not like plug in hybrid. You are using that slow 8-10 Sec 0-60 tiny motor for the majority of your miles and just let the engine you spent money on sit idle. The only use I see out of it is that you do frequent long range trips where you need the engine to kick on. I would just get a high MPG hybrid.

Having had four hybrids ( 3 x Priuses / Prii, and a Ford Fusion Energi), I now think of them as a valuable, but basically a transitional technology.

 

[Thunderanger]

I know this is likely an isolated case, but my wife is having trouble fully grasping the charging process, since it seems to change from charger to charger, plus the charge plugs and cables can be unwieldy at times. So if you are a slight person, keep cord wrangling in mind. Also, be prepared for a learning curve on chargers, etc. None of it is insurmountable to be sure. But my wife has yet to venture out on a trip (in 15 months mind you) wherein she'd have to charge on her own.

 

[MacherAWD]

I know this is likely an isolated case, but my wife is having trouble fully grasping the charging process, since it seems to change from charger to charger, plus the charge plugs and cables can be unwieldy at times. So if you are a slight person, keep cord wrangling in mind. Also, be prepared for a learning curve on chargers, etc. None of it is insurmountable to be sure. But my wife has yet to venture out on a trip (in 15 months mind you) wherein she'd have to charge on her own.

We have had an EV for 8 years, my wife has probably done 50% of the driving on them, and she has never plugged the car in. I work from home so I end up parking in the garage and plugging. Her bigger trips that she makes alone are to northern NH or Canada so she just takes the ICE suv (not ideal charging)

 

[Thunderanger]

We have had an EV for 8 years, my wife has probably done 50% of the driving on them, and she has never plugged the car in. I work from home so I end up parking in the garage and plugging. Her bigger trips that she makes alone are to northern NH or Canada so she just takes the ICE suv (not ideal charging)

I am also well aware there are many, many females out there who are ALL over this BEV experience. So I am not, by any means casting aspersions at our female friends.

 

[TGIF]

I am also well aware there are many, many females out there who are ALL over this BEV experience. So I am not, by any means casting aspersions at our female friends.

This MME driving granny thanks you for that. It also brings up a related point. Part of my motivation to get an EV at this point was to adapt to the new technology while I was still young and interested enough to want to learn about something completely new. I have too many girlfriends who don’t even want to change from cable to streaming. Meanwhile I am telling my DH how to change settings on the TV, how to charge the MME, etc.

 

[Thunderanger]

Maybe you can give my "grandma" wife a few tips. Well done!!!!

 

[21st Century Pony]

This MME driving granny thanks you for that. It also brings up a related point. Part of my motivation to get an EV at this point was to adapt to the new technology while I was still young and interested enough to want to learn about something completely new. I have too many girlfriends who don’t even want to change from cable to streaming. Meanwhile I am telling my DH how to change settings on the TV, how to charge the MME, etc.

Bravo! Hats off!

 

[dlssg77]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and responses. I appreciate the varied perspectives!

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