New (used) commuting car advice

DrEskimo

How annoying. Well priced ones do go quick....have to check very regularly!

Yea those prices are very high...I mean it's up to you, but I would be looking at maybe going with a short term rental through EVEZY or EV for Everyone whilst I waited for a reasonably priced one like that one from Newcastle.

It's easy to get carried away and really overspend and even go for things like finance, which I know you wanted to avoid (and I think you are right to), when you find something you like and need it in short time frame.

I take it you don't have access to another car you could use for a few months?

Jigglebiz

You’re absolutely right about getting carried away... I really did like the car and more than anything else I’ve test driven lately.
I suppose if we were serious about getting an EV we could get the charging point installed while the grant is available and hire with EVEZY for now. Because when I looked at the £289 deal I was put off by the need to use public charging points, because there aren’t many where I am, and those that exist already are slow chargers.

DrEskimo

There's a snag with getting the OLEV grant with EVEZY.... I think you need to have it for 6months to qualify...

'Applications for OLEV grants by the driver will only be supported by Evezy for hire periods strictly exceeding a continuous period of no less than 6 months.'

https://evezy.co.uk/info/terms-conditions/

Have a chat with them as I'm not entirely sure how it works. If you buy a used one there is no issue, but if you're renting on a short contract, I think there is a requirement to have the car for at least 6months.

I'm quite fortunate in that my father in law is an electrician, so I just bought a charger (EO Mini in black) for £385 and had it installed for free at my parents house. The OLEV grant, with installation, would have cost me about £250.

Not sure if it comes with a granny charger. Mine didn't, so I bought one for about £150. That might be a work around, just need to check you house electrics to make sure they are up to the task!

Jigglebiz

Oh no! That’s so frustrating about the charging point installation eligibility for EVEZY.
I wonder if the infrastructure round our way is just not there yet, maybe we should stick with petrol for now but I would regret it I think

DrEskimo

If you're journey is 70miles, then you would use about 20kWh of energy.

Granny charger would charge at 3kW, so would take 6hours. Obviously not as efficient as a dedicated 7kW charger that would do it in <3hrs, but given you probably sleep for 6hours anyway, it wont actually affect you!

Im pretty sure EVEZY supply one with their cars, but a quick call would confirm.

Jigglebiz

Any thoughts on this one?
68 reg, battery owned...£19.5k. Seems quite a lot with the new model imminent.
https://www.mastersgroup.co.uk/used-car-details/used-renault-zoe-i-dynamique-nav-hatchback-diamondblack-automatic-electric/id-16889/
I’ve returned to enquiries on 16/17 yo Petrol Yaris, but I’m gutted as I love the Zoe !!
Guess waiting for the new model and reduced prices on the previous one is more prudent, if I get a cheap enough petrol model I can start putting aside cash each month for my future EV.

DrEskimo

Jigglebiz wrote: »

Any thoughts on this one?
68 reg, battery owned...£19.5k. Seems quite a lot with the new model imminent.
https://www.mastersgroup.co.uk/used-car-details/used-renault-zoe-i-dynamique-nav-hatchback-diamondblack-automatic-electric/id-16889/
I’ve returned to enquiries on 16/17 yo Petrol Yaris, but I’m gutted as I love the Zoe !!
Guess waiting for the new model and reduced prices on the previous one is more prudent, if I get a cheap enough petrol model I can start putting aside cash each month for my future EV.

So mine was listed at £15,800, and I was able to negotiate £300 off, and get £1,000 off from using the PCP deal at the time. So you could possible knock £500 off, and then get another £500 off using the current PCP offer too.

£18.5k is not horrendous, but still pretty high....tight call that one. However, if you need to use the PCP finance to afford it, you need to factor in around another £2/3k in interest charges on top....used PCP is eye watering at 9.9%....

Maybe you do have to concede to going back to petrol for a few years and then entering the EV market...

Jigglebiz

My dream is not dead yet... this looks like a good deal (but is probably a click bait and is not really for sale just like all the others I’ve enquired about!)
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201907260473117?advertising-location=at_cars&exclude-writeoff-categories=on&year-from=2013&price-to=20000&postcode=s105rx&seller-type=trade&price-from=500&fuel-type=Electric&model=ZOE&page=1&quantity-of-doors=5&make=RENAULT&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used

Jigglebiz

Ha! Just read the small print - battery rental is required! Cheeky so and so’s!

DrEskimo

Ha...yea welcome to the fun of trying to find a battery owned Zoe....

Bristol Street Motors and Holdcroft Renault do it on all their Zoe listings. I know they do it on purpose. I complained numerous times....

This is one of the reasons I can't stand the battery leased model. Not only is it a false economy, not only does it make it complicated to sell on, or even trade in to to Renault dealers (there are some that won't take them!), it completely confuses the used market....