USED ELECTRIC CAR?

[devmach-e]

Leaf, Equinox, MachE, Model 3, Aryia, ID4.......The list just goes on. I'd stay south of 25K miles

Absolutely no reason to limit it to under 25K miles. Under 50K miles would be fine. Keep in mind the battery warranty is good for 100K miles/8-years. Actual calendar age would be more of a concern than the number of miles on the car.

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[Jack Roberts]

anyone has a suggestion on what "used" EV they would purchase and how late a model year, and what mileage on the clock they would entertain.
I have a newly licensed driver I need to purchase a car for, and I want to get him an inexpensive EV that makes sense.
I'm thinking a Tesla but not sure.
thanks.

This is going to sound strange but while I was waiting on my 2021 Mach e GTPE I bought a BMW i3 to get used to driving electric and test my charging station. It is a wonderful car except no range. It is simple to operate with a surprising large amount of room. No surprises. Just get in and go. Mostly carbon fiber and plastic. I still miss that tiny car that does exactly what it is supposed to do. I wouldn’t give up my Mach e but would buy and i3 for a second car. Used ones are cheep.

 

[devmach-e]

anyone has a suggestion on what "used" EV they would purchase and how late a model year, and what mileage on the clock they would entertain.
I have a newly licensed driver I need to purchase a car for, and I want to get him an inexpensive EV that makes sense.
I'm thinking a Tesla but not sure.
thanks.

What is your price range? If under $20K and if you want decent range: Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf 2.0, Kia Niro EV, or Hyundai Kona. I'd focus on vehicles that are still under the 8-year/100K-miles battery warranty, which may exclude anything before 2019. That said, if you want to roll the dice, some of the lower-range EV models, like a Volkswagen e-Golf, first-generation Leaf, Fiat 500e, or BMW i3 might be a good deal.

 

[jksu]

This is going to sound strange but while I was waiting on my 2021 Mach e GTPE I bought a BMW i3 to get used to driving electric and test my charging station. It is a wonderful car except no range. It is simple to operate with a surprising large amount of room. No surprises. Just get in and go. Mostly carbon fiber and plastic. I still miss that tiny car that does exactly what it is supposed to do. I wouldn’t give up my Mach e but would buy and i3 for a second car. Used ones are cheep.

i like the i3 too. seemed like a car a bit ahead of it's time and a shame bmw didn't just update the battery and keep it going. how long did you have it? it's definitely cool looking and kind of like the modern-euro interior design. definitely small and compact which my wife wants. my only concern is if any of the non-battery/motor stuff breaks on it (infotainment, window switch, wheel bearings, whatever, etc), it's $$ since it's a bmw.

 

[MacherAWD]

i like the i3 too. seemed like a car a bit ahead of it's time and a shame bmw didn't just update the battery and keep it going. how long did you have it? it's definitely cool looking and kind of like the modern-euro interior design. definitely small and compact which my wife wants. my only concern is if any of the non-battery/motor stuff breaks on it (infotainment, window switch, wheel bearings, whatever, etc), it's $$ since it's a bmw.

Have your wife try a Bolt, when errand running local my wife takes our Bolt over the Mach-e, she loves the little car for zipping in and out of parking spots and not caring about door dings!

 

[McSquashy]

With the quick depreciation of EVs, buying pre-owed is probably a smart play. At the very least, do what I did and look for a prior model year leftover that's been heavily discounted. The perk to buying new is that you're more likely to secure a lower interest rate. Possibly even 0%. Obviously, if you plan to pay cash, APR isn't a factor.

I bought my MME new, but next time I'll likely look at leasing or possibly buying pre-owed. For pre-owned, my personal preference is 1 to 2 years old and fewer than 20k miles.

 

[sglewiswl]

This depends on desired range and cost. Time seems to be the biggest factor in battery degradation. I would stick in the 4-5 year range. I just purchased a 2021 Mach-E with a standard battery and 22k miles on it for a pretty good price. I also see really good deals on Leafs even newer than that. Look at what is coming off lease in your area and which manufacturer has the most places to repair it locally because gremlins are going to show up.

 

[jdeve]

New 26 Equinox EV base LT trim in mid 20's after dealer discount and $6250 in rebates (no 0%). Dan Cummins near me has them on chevrolet.com for that price. I don't know how trustworthy but a Miami dealer Bomnin shows them on chevrolet.com for low 20's. Their website shows they have 163 of them.

 

[sglewiswl]

I would also add join the forums of any used EV you are looking to purchase. You will quickly find any true lingering problems with a particular model. Once you are 3+ years into a model line most of the gremlins will be found.
I've had the 2 major Mach-E issues resolved. 12v battery which is an annoyance on all EV models and the HVBJB.
My Nissan Leaf's issues were a 13 year old small battery design leading to batteries needing to be replaced after 8-10 years. If the Mach-E dropped to 62% like my Leaf, it would still have twice the range the Leaf did when new.
EVs keep getting better and hopefully we see them start to get cheaper.

 

[Doug&Julie]

I'll add another vote for the Bolt. If your budget allows, go for the 2022 or 2023 for the better interior, but many many many early Bolt owners love their cars, so YMMV as they say.

If you plan to keep the car a long time, maybe shoot for under 30k miles. If not, I'd shoot for under 60k miles.

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