My car has died: help me choose a new car

I vote the Chevy. More practical and where I'm from you can't throw a stone without hitting 3 Accords. But then again, I like the look of the Bolt so the style wouldn't hold me back.

I've been driving an EV for over eight years -I'll never go back to a gasoline engine. Why? It's just easier (and cheaper) to live with. Almost no maintenance to deal with. EVs are fun to drive (powerful acceleration), blissfully quiet and, yes, better for the environment. I started with a VW eGolf, which I loved. I eventually traded that in for the new ID.4 (also VW) for its longer range. It actually gets slightly better range than advertised -especially on longer trips. The EV market is expanding rapidly so you'll have quite a few choices. The ID.4 comes with three years of free charging (purchase or lease) which can bring the cost down a bit.

R2, interesting that you had the eGolf. I might consider that as well as I love the look of a Golf.

Can you tell me a bit more about the range of that Golf? It might be in my price range, but I believe the battery in the eGolf isn’t quite as good as the one put in the Bolt.

jfc google.

IMHO the Bolt looks quite nice in these colors: Mosaic Black Metallic, Nightfall Gray Metallic, Cajun Red Tintcoat, Summit White

The Bolt's going away. Newer models with longer range - and thus different batteries - will (sort of) replace it.

The Equinox is not that small, though. The other question is the battery life. Will it last as long as you want to keep the car? Average battery life is said to be eight to ten years and will it even be replaceable?

GM never sold that many to start with, so keeping something for twenty years that'll be an orphan next year might not be the better bet. OTOH, will we still have gas stations then as easily accessible as we do today?

Why not another Camry?

Or an electric RAV 4?

VW discontinued the eGolf, in favor of purpose-designed EVs. You might snag one used, but only with an 80-or-so-mile range. Take a look at what the various brands are offering on their websites. Get to know what the current technology is offering. You could probably get a great deal on a used ID.4 or IONIC 5. I've not heard good things about used Teslas, but otherwise a low-mileage used EV of any kind should be good.

If I had to buy a car now, I'd buy electric or hybrid, not gas-only.

If you don't like the look of the Bolt and you tend to keep your cars for a long time, I'd shop around for another electric car.

Get a Subaru Outback or Legacy-seriously!

Best car I ever owned!!

I got an electric car. I don't even have a l2 charger in the garage just using the wall plug. I wfh so I travel about 40 miles a day. It has been great. Do it yo won't regret it.

The technology with EVs is advancing so fast that they become outdated and lose their value pretty quickly - it might be wise to lease instead.

To me, a car speaks volumes about who you. Is it strictly for commuting? What if you meet a boyfriend do you like to travel?

If your employer pays a $3000 towards an electric car that is awesome. I would definitely buy an electric Honda. With $20,000 you are probably looking at a 2017 or older.

We drive a Honda Pilot because we like a SUV and also a truck. This is our second pilot and we can haul so much in the Pilot. We never miss our truck. Plus, when we travel we can put a small mattress in the back which allows us to still have accessibility to the backseat. To us, it’s not a huge gas guzzler.

Or you could buy from a private owner and get a better price. I always suggest when buying used to have your mechanic check it out before you purchase. In my teens, I almost purchased a privately owned vehicle. It looked immaculate. My Dad made me get it inspected by our mechanic and it had been in a very serious accident. Looks are very deceiving.

We have always owned Honda’s and they have never failed us.

What are your future plans for this new car? Do you travel? Hobbies? Carry gear?

That's not quite true, R12. The time between new tech being invented and it appearing in vehicles has been about 8-10 years. The exception is when a new company starts up a brand new line/model -then they will likely use only the latest tech.

As for lease vs purchase, the lease often makes great financial sense (lower monthly payments).

R12 Electric cars are still holding their value at least Hondas.

r15 does honda sell EVs? The only one I knew of was based on GM's EV platform. The Bolt right now is the best ev value right now as well as the New Volvo x30.

R16 yes, the Honda Clarity. You can still purchase them, but I believe they have been discounted. They came out around 2010???

r17 is a hybrid based on the Chevy Volt platform.

R18 interesting. Thanks for letting me know. I will stop thinking it was an electric car. 🤐

Toyota Prius. I have one--it's great.

Get a Bolt. Cash the check.

Rolls Royce

Take a look at the Kia Niro EV or the Hyundai Kona EV from 2019/20. They are almost duplicates, and you should be able to get a good deal on them. Very reliable.

The new Prius looks great. I’m not going electric until they are priced where they belong - way less than an ICE vehicle. They don’t have many components and should cost a lot less.

I vote the Accord. I think in the long run you'll be happier with a low-maintenance, dependable gas car over a used electric 🤷‍♂️

I’ve heard great things about the Bolt. I think it was one of the best electric vehicle options. I’d like a solid, quiet, reliable vehicle. I do like the idea and look of the VW Buzz, their electric bus. That’s still a a year away from being available in the States. I may look at one.

Your cat died?

Kia Niro 2020 EV. Up to 300 Miles per full charge. 0 to 60 MPH in about 5 seconds. What's not to like?

Toyota has a new Prius model that is much better looking than its predecessor…

Latest Prius…

I have driven Priuses since 2004. Most of the benefits of electric, but no range anxiety. One option is to look for a plug-in conversion hybrid car. Then you'd have a 90% electric vehicle, but the security of range for the occasional long trip. There are also plug in hybrids that are not conversions, and there are quite a few models out there to choose from - made by Honda, Kia, and other makers.

A lot of you are pointing out wonderful new EVs that are nowhere near the $20K that Op wants to spend. I still have to wonder if purchasing a used EV with limited battery life is the wisest choice for someone with a relatively small budget. A $20K used Accord will give Op years of worry-free dependability. I'm not sure any used EV can offer the same

[quote]Debating between buying an electric car (Chevy Bolt)

Assuming you live in a house and can charge at home, I would get the Bolt. For one thing, a dealer is likely to have at least one on the lot. Those Toyota hybrids? Good luck! You’ll be waiting 6 months to a year to get one, and will pay well over dealer invoice for it too.

I totally lucked out when I purchased a Venza hybrid in August 2021. There were no RAV4 hybrids on dealer lots but they all hand at least 10 Venzas in stock (probably because they are more expensive). I managed to buy a fully loaded model for $2k below MSRP (and I thought I was getting hosed!).

Not long afterward inventories of all Toyotas went into serious shortage situation. Now if you want a Venza it’s a year long wait and my vehicle’s MSRP is $6K higher!

BTW it’s a great car - more stylish, quieter and luxurious than a RAV4 (think of it as a cheaper Lexus NX) and fuel economy is incredible for a mid-sized SUV, or any car.

OP here. I bought a 2017 Bolt for $20k today. Eight years and 100,000 mile warranty on brand-new battery, heated leather seats front and back, Bose sound system, and 23,000 miles. One owner. Aluminum body will not rust. Five-star crash ratings.

Content that I made a wise, practical choice, and I hope to drive the Bolt until I retire in 10 to 12 years. No more emissions, gas stations, or oil changes.

IF you get a bolt now Chevy will install a l2 charger in your garage for free.

[quote]I bought a [bold]2017[/bold] Bolt for $20k today.

Umm...from where?

[quote]The vehicles that should be parked outside are those that were originally recalled in November 2020 for the potential of an unattended fire in the high-voltage battery pack underneath the backseat’s bottom cushion. The affected vehicles’ cell packs have the potential to smoke and ignite internally, which could spread to the rest of the vehicle and cause a structure fire if parked inside a garage or near a house. [bold]This recall affected 50,932 MY 2017-19 Chevrolet Bolt vehicles.[/bold]