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Car - going electric

T

tiggers

pfm Member
I currently drive a 2014 Honda Civic as my daily... it's a fine car from getting to A to B reliably and is remarkably cheap to run as Honda built it so everything tends to keep working as it should. I generally have a rule about daily runners which is £10K or less as frankly I no longer see the point in having lots of money getting beaten up by the shitty UK roads and even shittier UK drivers.

However, in the next 18 months I am jacking in work completely and my needs will change in that I won't be driving anywhere near as much so I have started to think about changing the vehicle and going electric as a) it is overall probably better for the environment despite the usual and partly valid arguments about battery sourcing etc. and b) I can charge it at home off my solar/battery system so will be more or less free fuel.

As I also won't be driving in and out of the likes of London and Birmingham and generally just driving more locally (where the roads are clearer and other drivers mostly more careful thankfully) I am going to break my £10K rule as you can't get anything decent electric for that budget. Also the range requirements aren't as critical as they would be if I were still working. So, let's say we had a £30K budget for a secondhand electric car of a Golf size or above, age doesn't really matter as long as it's not too mileage leggy as don't have any desire to keep up with the numberplate Jones's... are there any viable options that people have first hand experience of?

Doesn't have to be fun to drive or anything as have an S2000 for that. Does need to be reliable though... can't stand cars that live in the local garage hence why I have tended to go Japanese up to now. Will be looking to keep it for at least 5 years so that may also be a factor.

Anyone got any good suggestions?
 
The only one to consider would be a Tesla M3LR, the RWD is very cost reduced in comparison to the LR. Don't buy a white one as there are 1000s of them and they are all trashed. Might sound strange but try to buy a red one (they are the rarest colour and sell quicker). You want the 2020 q4 cars with the black door handles. Maybe try to buy a later car as they have a very comprehensive 4 year warranty.

Make sure that it has the premium audio, it's the best in-car sound system that any OEM has ever brought to market - and Tesla themselves don't appear to know this
 
Given it will be basically a run around I wouldn’t bother buying electric. By the time you factor in the additional cost you can buy a lot of petrol. Soon they will road taxed, insurance can be double and the cost of a home charger can be £500-£1000. Maybe a self charge hybrid?
 
If you look after the Honda it should be good for another ten years. As you're not driving much the saving from buying an electric car will be small.

Every change crystallises depreciation and pays a couple of dealer margins so if you've got £30k burning a hole in your pocket what about a few holidays or something enjoyable?

I'd choose a month in the Caribbean tomorrow to start.
 
If you like your Civic, which I guess you do, then on that sort of budget you could maybe buy one of the latest Mk11 Civics, which are self-charging hybrids. I've had mine for about eight months/7K miles, and it's been brilliant. I could wax lyrical at length about it, but then you're better off reading a few reviews & taking one for a test drive.
 
dweezil said:
If you look after the Honda it should be good for another ten years. As you're not driving much the saving from buying an electric car will be small.

Every change crystallises depreciation and pays a couple of dealer margins so if you've got £30k burning a hole in your pocket what about a few holidays or something enjoyable?

I'd choose a month in the Caribbean tomorrow to start.
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this is probably the most sensible advice, to be honest. I am very pro EV but if you are only going to do low miles than the honda will go on for another decade.

however, if you are determined to get another car then an EV would be a good choice. Plenty of good second hand EVs now are well below 30k. A Kia Nero or Hyundai Kona would be a good if slightly dull choice.
 
Bas V said:
So instead of doing good for the environment, you suggest to f#ck it up a little more. Nice! 🤬
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Did you expect any other advice on pfm? Guaranteed that instead of the answering the OP the vast majority of posts will be “don’t”. Always from the same minority. Wouldn’t be the same for ‘which Porsche?’ This will end in 20 pages with no content that answers the question which EV.
 
dan m said:
Did you expect any other advice on pfm? Guaranteed that instead of the answering the OP the vast majority of posts will be “don’t”. Always from the same minority. Wouldn’t be the same for ‘which Porsche?’ This will end in 20 pages with no content that answers the question which EV.
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yep the PFM negativity gland is pulsing strongly......
 
I am suggesting no because it may not make sense. We have had electric cars for the last seven years and counting. When we retire maybe next year and the PCP comes to an end, very much doubt we will buy electric.
 
Keep the civic, bathe in the reassurance of having a few £££ in the bank.

Anecdotal, but my experience with battery power is they need using regularly, a power pack the size to drive a car being sat on a drive 98% of its life doesn’t bode well for me.

As a Toyota driver I’m obliged to suggest Yaris or Corolla hybrid if you must change.
 
dan m said:
Did you expect any other advice on pfm? Guaranteed that instead of the answering the OP the vast majority of posts will be “don’t”. Always from the same minority. Wouldn’t be the same for ‘which Porsche?’ This will end in 20 pages with no content that answers the question which EV.
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Bit harsh considering all the initial replies were EV suggestions.
 
matt j said:
Bit harsh considering all the initial replies were EV suggestions.
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But it’s always the same whenever someone asks. The anti EV brigade simply can’t resist posting when they have nothing positive to add. None of them actually own EVs. Those that do are drowned out. For someone, as myself, who is actively researching an EV is massively annoying. It’s almost evangelical in the opposition. And, FFS, ‘don’t and fly to the Caribbean’ - really? Imagine if you’re a teenager reading this. No wonder they criticize boomers. Recall the last time it was “get a V8” or something.
 
dan m said:
But it’s always the same whenever someone asks. The anti EV brigade simply can’t resist posting when they have nothing positive to add. None of them actually own EVs. Those that do are drowned out. For someone, as myself, who is actively researching an EV is massively annoying. It’s almost evangelical in the opposition. And, FFS, ‘don’t and fly to the Caribbean’ - really? Imagine if you’re a teenager reading this. No wonder they criticize boomers. Recall the last time it was “get a V8” or something.
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I'm neither for them or against them personally and wouldn't mind a month in the Caribbean myself.

I'm not against decisions for environmental reasons but I wouldn't go as far as to criticise anyone's holidaying decisions.
 
Rodrat said:
Given it will be basically a run around I wouldn’t bother buying electric. By the time you factor in the additional cost you can buy a lot of petrol. Soon they will road taxed, insurance can be double and the cost of a home charger can be £500-£1000. Maybe a self charge hybrid?
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So electric cars are better for longer distances or just not better at all?
 
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