ICE for 5-7 months?

[Glamisduner]

My daily commute is 80 or more miles. 40 each way.
I was planning to borrow a car for a couple months while waiting for my Model 3. I just surrendered my car due to it being a lemon. it was a 2012 ford focus but my reservation has been pushed way back to July-Sept, and then it got pushed back again. I turned in the focus over the weekend and now I don't have a commuter. I wonder if I will still get the tax incentive if I have to wait until September?

I still want a model 3 but not sure what to do.

 

[Saghost]

The Model 3 will be worth the wait, and driving the existing the Titan is likely the least expensive path to it.

 

[IdaX]

Super-painful to drive ICE I know, but agreed that the Titan is likely the choice with the least churn and transition costs...

 

[Big Earl]

I'm voting for buying a used Volt, which, depending on your income, could be considered a beater.

You could also buy a short range EV like a used LEAF or Fiat 500e if they meet your commuting needs (in your case, if you can charge at work). These can be found for less than 1st generation Volts. I paid $8,000 for my 500e with under 10,000 miles last March and it costs me about 2.5 cents per mile in electricity.

 

[Saghost]

Oh, and I missed the other question buried in there. The $7500 tax credit is for the first 200,000 vehicles sold by a manufacturer in the US. After that, it continues for the rest of the quarter that car was sold in, and another full quarter. Then there are a couple quarters of half credit and a couple more of quarter credit before it dies completely. Elon has said that they're willing to adjust production/delivery to game the timing if they're close.

Before the production ramp problems, the projections were suggesting that Tesla would hit the 200k near the start of April, and probably adjust the deliveries to stay under until after April 1st. That would mean full rebates for all deliveries until the end of September.

Now, I'm not sure what will happen. They'd probably really struggle to hold deliveries under 200k until after July first - but if they managed it, every Tesla until the end of the year would get a full rebate. The most likely way to achieve that would be to start foreign deliveries on the 3...

 

[Glamisduner]

I'm voting for buying a used Volt, which, depending on your income, could be considered a beater.

You could also buy a short range EV like a used LEAF or Fiat 500e if they meet your commuting needs (in your case, if you can charge at work). These can be found for less than 1st generation Volts. I paid $8,000 for my 500e with under 10,000 miles last March and it costs me about 2.5 cents per mile in electricity.

12k isn't a beater to me, I got back 16,500 for the focus buy back but I was hoping to save some of it for model 3 down payment so I would not be rushed into selling whatever I buy (if I buy anything)

Unfortunately there is no charging at work so the only other full EV that would work is the Bolt or maybe the new leaf (150 miles range). If I do this I'm committed to the new car until it is paid off and I would like to get another year or two on it before considering something else. So I'm probably looking at 7-8 years before buying another EV. Model 3 might not even be desirable by then?
Chevy volt might get me to work, but I would be on full gas on the way home. The Volt drove nice on electric, but It was not using the gas engine on the test drive. How bad would it be on the freeway for 40 miles in gas mode? Wimpy I'm sure but worth it?

I estimate the cost of gas for driving the truck to work and back only to be around $2500 for 6 months + maintenance. Probably close to another $1000 for weekends.

 

[C141medic]

The Volt drove nice on electric, but It was not using the gas engine on the test drive.

To my knowledge, the Volt is always driving electric. The gas engine functions as a range extender charging the battery. Have you considered a short term lease of the new Leaf or Bolt? You may pay a bit more in monthly payments but may be worth it to get you the time you need for the M3.

 

[pmich80]

I'm in a similar position. My current car is a 2001 Nissan Sentra that is dying on me. The shocks are almost gone and the engine is making a funny sound. I'm trying to not put any money into it. My delivery estimate is mid 2018 and i'm hanging on for dear life that it makes it another 4 or 5 months. If i were you I'd go with the least expensive option which is driving the Titan for a few months. If anything rent a cheap car occasionally for long drives if the gas savings are worth it. I'm sure the Model 3 wait will be worth it and getting a different electric car will be a disappointment.

 

[ölbrenner]

I'm voting for buying a used Volt, which, depending on your income, could be considered a beater.

Used low mileage gen1 Volts are ~$14k-16k. Brand new gen2 Volt LT can be had for ~$28-29k - $7.5k fed tax credit - $2.5k CA rebate = $18-19k (and in my area, an additional $450 rebate from SCE).

I'd go for the gen2 (unless that prevents OP from being able to take full advantage of the additional $7.5k fed tax credit on the M3 later in the same year).

 

[ölbrenner]

To my knowledge, the Volt is always driving electric. The gas engine functions as a range extender charging the battery.

Gen2 does have several parallel EV and ICE modes for increased overall efficiency, and modes where the ICE drives the wheels directly instead of acting as a generator:
Gen 2 Volt Transmission Operating Modes Explained - GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

 

[ProphetM]

Either use the truck, or get an early- to mid-2000s Toyota, like a Corolla or an Echo or Yaris. Good mileage, reliable and most of the value is already gone so you'll probably get nearly as much back, when you sell it.

 

[SteveG3]

perhaps you’d like some options available to you from the websites where people post their leased cars for someone to takeover the balance of the time remaining on the lease. probably easy to get a 2-3 year old car under full warranty with basically no cost or effort in turning the temporary car over when you get a 3.

 

[Runt8]

I’m in a similar situation - I sold my Acura to a very motivated buyer (he paid over double blue book value) in December and have been driving a Toyota Tundra around until my Model 3 is ready. Initially my estimate was March 2018, now I’m in July-September. I’ve decided to stick with the truck, despite the higher gas prices, as it’s the route that is cheapest and the least amount of hassle. My commute is about 60 miles a day, and I calculated I’ll end up paying ~$700 more in gas over 9 months than I would with my old car.

 

[John Lamoureux]

Buy this. Move your M3 reservation up, and then flip the S.

 

[Vic_F]

You may want to look for lease to take over. The swap a lease site seems to have reasonable inventory. I have 13 months left of Ford Focus Electric that I may need to get out of if my reservation comes through early ( I had initially guessed Q4 2018 when I made my reservation day 1)

 

[Glamisduner]

I’m in a similar situation - I sold my Acura to a very motivated buyer (he paid over double blue book value) in December and have been driving a Toyota Tundra around until my Model 3 is ready. Initially my estimate was March 2018, now I’m in July-September. I’ve decided to stick with the truck, despite the higher gas prices, as it’s the route that is cheapest and the least amount of hassle. My commute is about 60 miles a day, and I calculated I’ll end up paying ~$700 more in gas over 9 months than I would with my old car.

I was on the same delivery time frame as you cheers

Driving the truck it is. At least I did most of the big maintenance items over the last couple months. Parents are still going to let me borrow the G35 for a while. I guess I will consider buying it from them, if I like it, then possibly selling it back to them later. My truck's roof needs paint

 

[Big Earl]

12k isn't a beater to me, I got back 16,500 for the focus buy back but I was hoping to save some of it for model 3 down payment so I would not be rushed into selling whatever I buy (if I buy anything)

Unfortunately there is no charging at work so the only other full EV that would work is the Bolt or maybe the new leaf (150 miles range). If I do this I'm committed to the new car until it is paid off and I would like to get another year or two on it before considering something else. So I'm probably looking at 7-8 years before buying another EV. Model 3 might not even be desirable by then?
Chevy volt might get me to work, but I would be on full gas on the way home. The Volt drove nice on electric, but It was not using the gas engine on the test drive. How bad would it be on the freeway for 40 miles in gas mode? Wimpy I'm sure but worth it?

I estimate the cost of gas for driving the truck to work and back only to be around $2500 for 6 months + maintenance. Probably close to another $1000 for weekends.

They aren’t bad on the freeway in gas mode. It keeps a buffer charge in the battery so you still have good acceleration and passing power when you want it. The car generally runs as a serial hybrid, so it will always feels and performs like it does when in EV mode... you’ll just hear and feel the engine sometimes, as well.

Volt depreciation is also starting to slow down quite a bit. You won’t lose too much money if you decide to buy one now and sell it when it’s time for the Model 3. You may like it enough to delay your order to get the configuration you want (AWD, white interior, etc.).