Last minute purchasing fears

[dlssg77]

(FYI, This is a cross post of a question I just made in a Reddit sub)
Hi, I'm a lurker who has been considering an MME since their debut. A few things have held me back: 1. Cost, 2. Availability, and 3. Fear of making the "big switch" to a BEV.
#2 is alleviated, as there is a sweet '23 premium AWD in Grabber Blue at a nearby dealer (released custom order).
#1 will be tight, but I think doable, even if I don't get the interest rate I want.
#3 is almost gone. I have had a PHEV since 2019 as an intermediary step bc I know I want to make the switch in the long run. Plus, my husband is keeping his ICE.
Okay, so that now leaves the new fear (although I probably should have been thinking about it 🫣) of cost of maintenance. Specifically, if I were to get in an accident. It seems like accidents end up costing a grip for repairs due to the car's tech (I know insurance covers it) and the time without the vehicle seems rather long.
Is this a reasonable fear or am I making mountains out of mole hills?
TIA for the feedback.

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[RickMachE]

Do you go through life planning on having an accident with your car?

Yes, EVs have some components that non-EVs don't have, but many of the Mach-E features are available in ICE vehicles, and would have the same repair issues.

Parts availability across all vehicles, EV or ICE, is an issue nowadays.

 

[heisnuts]

I don't think you will have any more delay than ICE when it comes to collision repairs and how often does that even come up (hopefully never)?

After driving BEV for a year now, I don't think I could go back to ICE as a daily driver. With the current state of charging infrastructure, I would have an ICE for long road trips if needed, but it sounds like you will have that covered. The cost of entry is a little more for an EV vs a comparable ICE, but to me the benefits far out way that extra cost. However, with that said, I don't mind the tinkering and patience needed with the quirks the MME has (which is well described on this board). Where if you ask my wife she will tell you she just wants a car she can just get in and go and not worry about things like what the charge level is, if it is charging properly once hooked up, and why she is getting random messages on the display that may or not mean anything important.

 

[i8iridium]

I think if the concern about cost being "...tight, but I think doable, even if I don't get the interest rate I want" is even on the list, you might want to sit down and run some numbers with your budget.

I don't think a vehicle should ever cause your situation to be tight, and if you can't get the interest rate you want, or what's reasonable, you're just wasting money. Of course this is my opinion, so take it for what it is.

 

[ThatGuyLando]

#1 will be tight, but I think doable, even if I don't get the interest rate I want.

Yeah I wouldn't buy it, this is not even a EV is not worth it thing, it's a simple financial responsibility thing. If you have to make financial sacrifices just because the car looks cool, it probably isn't worth it.

I've had the car for almost 10k miles now, and my completely honest opinion is that this is a pretty fun 40-50k car that has a Mustang badge on it so they can sell for an extra 20k.

 

[MW1515]

If you're worried about having to pay out of pocket after an accident (deductible perhaps), start a fund where you put all the money you'll SAVE on maintenance by having an BEV vs. a gas/PHEV car (difference in fuel costs, oil changes, engine air filters, spark plugs, etc.). Then you'll have a rainy day fund as a back up. I've had my MME for less than a year and have saved over $1K in gas alone. The reasons that make this car expensive to fix are also reasons that make it awesome, just like any other car.

 

[HuntingPudel]

A friend of mine recently came off of a 3+ month collision repair on his ICE vehicle. Parts are just in short supply, and when there is damage the original estimator could not find because it was hidden, the clock on parts arrival starts all over again.

Routine maintenance in the first few years should be pretty low. There are no oil changes, belt changes, fluid changes, etc. Rotate the tires, check the fluid levels, check the brakes, and… Uhh… not much else. I have spent zero on routine maintenance other than time. I have probably spent too much on aftermarket accessories though.

 

[jjgallant]

I would go for it. I've had mine for 18 months and just crossed 40k miles. Only maintenance was an air filter (bought off Amazon) and tire rotations. I did just put new tires on since it was mid-winter and wanted new tires for the Northeast snow (though we've only had 6" in southern RI this season). You can always find a reason NOT to do it. If you can swing the payments, and install a charger in your garage (or outside), it's completely worth it. I will never go back to an ICE car again. I have a '21 Premium AWD. I start every morning with 230-270 miles when I charge to 90%. The quick acceleration never gets old. People always comment on how cool it looks and that it's a much better look than a Tesla Model Y (which is what I thought I was going to buy - and glad I didn't). Good luck on your decision!

 

[Ghost Ryder]

Never stretch your budget for a car. The fact that your main concern is monetary suggest that you're too close to the edge.

 

[Pushrods&Capacitors]

(FYI, This is a cross post of a question I just made in a Reddit sub)
Hi, I'm a lurker who has been considering an MME since their debut. A few things have held me back: 1. Cost, 2. Availability, and 3. Fear of making the "big switch" to a BEV.
#2 is alleviated, as there is a sweet '23 premium AWD in Grabber Blue at a nearby dealer (released custom order).
#1 will be tight, but I think doable, even if I don't get the interest rate I want.
#3 is almost gone. I have had a PHEV since 2019 as an intermediary step bc I know I want to make the switch in the long run. Plus, my husband is keeping his ICE.
Okay, so that now leaves the new fear (although I probably should have been thinking about it 🫣) of cost of maintenance. Specifically, if I were to get in an accident. It seems like accidents end up costing a grip for repairs due to the car's tech (I know insurance covers it) and the time without the vehicle seems rather long.
Is this a reasonable fear or am I making mountains out of mole hills?
TIA for the feedback.

Lol at “costing a grip” Been a while since I’ve heard that term haha. The fear of the vehicle downtime due to accident is sort of justified but there is now enough of a parts pipeline that it isn’t the same as wrecking one in early ‘21.

Also, ask your dealer how many BEV techs they have. Our selling dealer (3 miles away) seems to always have an 8-10 week appointment backlog lately, whereas a dealer 10 miles away usually gets us in within 4-5 days.

 

[21st Century Pony]

(FYI, This is a cross post of a question I just made in a Reddit sub)
Hi, I'm a lurker who has been considering an MME since their debut. A few things have held me back: 1. Cost, 2. Availability, and 3. Fear of making the "big switch" to a BEV.
#2 is alleviated, as there is a sweet '23 premium AWD in Grabber Blue at a nearby dealer (released custom order).
#1 will be tight, but I think doable, even if I don't get the interest rate I want.
#3 is almost gone. I have had a PHEV since 2019 as an intermediary step bc I know I want to make the switch in the long run. Plus, my husband is keeping his ICE.
Okay, so that now leaves the new fear (although I probably should have been thinking about it 🫣) of cost of maintenance. Specifically, if I were to get in an accident. It seems like accidents end up costing a grip for repairs due to the car's tech (I know insurance covers it) and the time without the vehicle seems rather long.
Is this a reasonable fear or am I making mountains out of mole hills?
TIA for the feedback.

I see you are a Marylander. I am in Arlington Virginia, just across the river from Maryland. My Mach E has rolled over 28 K miles since I bought it new in mid-May 2022. I'm just back from the Midwest actually. My Mach E use = lots of local running around and several pretty long multi-state trips including one over 2k miles.

My AWD Extended Battery AWD Premium Mach E is an awesome car and I am really glad I had bought it. It drives well, it is easily stuff-packable, it is surprisingly comfortable and it just makes me smile when I get in it. It's my 8th car and my 5th brand new car.

I hope this is helpful for your decision. Let me know if I can help you guys make the decision, whatever it'll be.

 

[MidwestElectric]

Never stretch your budget for a car. The fact that your main concern is monetary suggest that you're too close to the edge.

Amen. Go for a less expensive version. It’s a great car. Take the proverbial leap and you will never go back. We are now a 2 EV (no Tesla, no ICE) household.

 

[HGxxx]

If cost is ok, go ahead. Don't worry about accident it can happen to any vehicle and repair time is a crap shoot in best of times.

 

[HuntingPudel]

As long as your dealer isn’t playing the ADM or unapproved by purchaser add-on game the only things you should be concerned with are whether you can afford the car, if you like the color, and how quickly you can get it home (aside from the issue of how fast they can do service if you need it).

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