Electric cars

[Severnless]

Hi Guys

Just a quick question to all you automotive genius types out there....
Mrs severnless is thinking of changeing her car, her VW touran is now 10 years old and has 75k miles, I’ve just this minute serviced it,( full service! ) I just noticed that things are starting to look tired, rust starting to show on shocks etc, tyres need replacing due to inner edge wear.
it’s been a great car due to its Load lugging capacity.

But with the emissions charge that will be coming in the next couple of years and she being a trauma hub nurse at Sandwell hospital, we were thinking that along with the car parking that she has to pay already the emissions charge would make going to work in her diesel Touran a bit of a problem!

Sooooo my question to you guys is, has anybody seriously looked at electric? If so what make and model?
She says she wants a similar sized car for load lugging and our 2, 2year old girls!
Her commute is 30 miles a day, but with a possible long journey every so often of 150miles one way
If VW came out with an electric Touran it would be perfect, but don’t think they are as yet?
The Tesla model Y would be perfect as well but not avalible till next year!
We are thinking of buying rather than lease, then move on every 2 to 3 years to keep the value in the cars
Put it this way her Touran over 10 years has cost £1k ish per year as she brought it for £16k in 2010 and it’s now worth between £4-£6k depending on the market.
So if we can keep the costs the same with the added bonus of cheep charging and less serviceing it seems like a no brainier to go electric for us.
Over to you......

 

[John Laidlaw]

Can't claim genius, but my ramblings anyway
I have a PHEV , and most of those are a maximum 30 mile range so I think that's pushing your wife a little on that score
I doubt you'll get anything in the electric range will get anywhere near costing £1k a year in depreciation, that might change.
To me all electric with a decent size and cheapish there's only really..
https://mg.co.uk/mg-zs-electric/
There are other more expensive options of course

 

[LostKiwi]

Hyundai Kona gets good reviews as does the Kia equivalent e-Niro. Decent range at 270 miles or so and a good warranty should make for cheap trouble free motoring.
Other than that you're looking at used Tesla Model S or Model X.

 

[Severnless]

Thanks for your thoughts John and LK, never thought of the MG, will have to have a looksee
For the Hyundai and Kia’s, my father has a 2019 e-Niro, but had to wait 11months from ordering! He was one of the first orders for an e-Niro and only got it in April! he had the hybrid Niro before and was smitten.
Have had a quick glance at the Mitsubishi Phev but the idea of a hybrid puts me off a bit, plus the real world mpg doesn’t seem to hold true.
If we went for a Tesla it would have to be the X, but prices are a bit bonkers for us.
the 3 seems to be a bit small in the boot department, they missed a trick there not making it a hatchback like the S.
The S might be a bit to wide for her? Plus they seem to hold the prices.
The Y seems to promise everything she wants but not avalible till late 2021
Has anybody had any real world experience with any other makes yet?

 

[John Laidlaw]

There’s an MG plugged into the factory wall of the company next to mine, if I get a chance I’ll get some feedback

 

[JBell]

Keep the Touran for a couple of years, you have just had a big service and to sell you will need to put new tyres on it. In the next couple of years there will be loads of elec or PHEV options coming out

 

[JBell]

There’s an MG plugged into the factory wall of the company next to mine, if I get a chance I’ll get some feedback

A friend of mine owns the biggest MG dealer in the UK, he rates them and sells more and more each month and also sells Mitsubishi so the PHEV is also popular option if you can charge it at work as well

 

[Severnless]

The Touran has been a good car, but with the emissions charge that will be coming, we just feel that now is the right time to start looking, I would keep the Touran for a while, but when the charges start then everybody will be looking electric then the prices start to creep up, plus I can see the Touran will plummet in price as it’s a diesel.
We just feel that now is the right time to dip our toes into electric cars, just wanting to find as much real world info as possible.

As for me the E320 cdi is staying, it has been a very reliable bus, van and comfy with it.
Just given it a full service along with changing the front discs and pads, third time for the front brakes as I keep warping them! They have been my only niggle with my car, will see how long they last!
Thankyou John, I would really appreciate that
Thankyou JBell for your thoughts as well.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Question is asked...
I note they have a 7 year warranty including batteries, bloomin heck!

 

[Big Cheese]

Question is asked...
I note they have a 7 year warranty including batteries, bloomin heck!

A good mate of mine works for MG & has been to their plant in China aswell as various other plants around the world & he was telling me they won't rest till they have the best battery range for any electric vehicle.
Me,i'd sooner stick with the petrol!

 

[John Laidlaw]

A good mate of mine works for MG & has been to their plant in China aswell as various other plants around the world & he was telling me they won't rest till they have the best battery range for any electric vehicle.
Me,i'd sooner stick with the petrol!

I'd agree with you, but the rest of the world has different ideas these days, hence my descent from 5.5 V8 Bi Turbo to PHEV....there are worse places to be to be honest

 

[LostKiwi]

I see CATL are releasing a battery rated for a million miles now.
That should help with fear of battery life!

 

[Wighty]

Hi Guys

Just a quick question to all you automotive genius types out there....
Mrs severnless is thinking of changeing her car, her VW touran is now 10 years old and has 75k miles, I’ve just this minute serviced it,( full service! ) I just noticed that things are starting to look tired, rust starting to show on shocks etc, tyres need replacing due to inner edge wear.
it’s been a great car due to its Load lugging capacity.

But with the emissions charge that will be coming in the next couple of years and she being a trauma hub nurse at Sandwell hospital, we were thinking that along with the car parking that she has to pay already the emissions charge would make going to work in her diesel Touran a bit of a problem!

Sooooo my question to you guys is, has anybody seriously looked at electric? If so what make and model?
She says she wants a similar sized car for load lugging and our 2, 2year old girls!
Her commute is 30 miles a day, but with a possible long journey every so often of 150miles one way
If VW came out with an electric Touran it would be perfect, but don’t think they are as yet?
The Tesla model Y would be perfect as well but not avalible till next year!
We are thinking of buying rather than lease, then move on every 2 to 3 years to keep the value in the cars
Put it this way her Touran over 10 years has cost £1k ish per year as she brought it for £16k in 2010 and it’s now worth between £4-£6k depending on the market.
So if we can keep the costs the same with the added bonus of cheep charging and less serviceing it seems like a no brainier to go electric for us.
Over to you......

How do you keep the costs the same if you shell out thousands for a newer electric car ? I think keep the Touran until any charges come in at the moment depreciation aside (it’s almost at rock bottom) you have free ish motoring .

 

[Blobcat]

How do you keep the costs the same if you shell out thousands for a newer electric car ? I think keep the Touran until any charges come in at the moment depreciation aside (it’s almost at rock bottom) you have free ish motoring .

Best way to save the environment is keep what you have and maintain it...
This of course doesn't provide the required income for business or government

 

[Severnless]

Thanks for your reply’s
I noted most manufacturers are offering between 5 and 8 years warranty on batteries.
Had a quick trawl through most of the car websites god I hate how slow they make my iPad!
She has chosen the MG, Hyundai, Peugeot, so far
My parents are pushing the Nissan 200 (converted van!) but only has just over 100 miles range
Would consider the Kia but feel it might be to small after seeing my fathers hybrid Niro
Not seen his electric one yet due to lockdown and him living in wales.

 

[Wighty]

Best way to save the environment is keep what you have and maintain it...
This of course doesn't provide the required income for business or government

That’s the moto at chez Wighty

 

[Severnless]

Again thanks for the replies.
The Touran would be a keeper as we had it from 2kmiles, (better the devil you know) BUT with the emissions charge that WILL come to Birmingham eventually it makes sense to start looking at electric whilst the government are handing out grants for buying new, also a grant for the charging pod.

Like I said I’m all for keeping and maintaining myself an older car, hence my E class but this is for the mrs!
I’ve never had a new car myself or leased one as its never made sense for my circumstances.
Also we don’t have masses of cash to splash, but the mortgage has been paid off so a little bit extra available to fund a new car.

WE are not looking to buy for the environment! Only for her circumstances!

 

[John Laidlaw]

Feed back, albeit it brief on the MG... (it's a lady who drives it, actually the business owner next door)
Reliable
Smooth drive
Easy to drive, switches in logical places
160 mile achievable electric range (no range anxiety as she charges at home and work)
She did have a Nissan Leaf before which she says was a better car in some ways (slightly better drive)
She's had it since September 2019, so about 9 months....
Hope this helps

 

[Wighty]

Make a note of the current prices , if a 6k offer comes up , the prices might go up

 

[davidsl500]

On the news today, the Gov may offer a £6k incentive to buy electric cars to help kickstart the economy.