Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Electric vehicles are a tough sell now though. The Bolt EV costs $36,620, the Prius $23,475. You could split the difference -- buy a Chevy Volt for $34,095 ($26,595 after Fed Tax Credit). Drive electric up to 50+ miles per charge, but still get 42mpg when driving on gasoline, with over 420 miles of total range per fueling. > In general people buying electric vehicles in 2017 are buying them for non-economic reasons…
Hybrids are cool, but now you have to maintain an electric and gasoline engine. I'm in the market for a new car and when comparing the prices of a new Chevy Volt vs. a new Chevy Bolt, it's not a huge price difference to go all electric and greatly reduce moving parts.
I understand federal emmission standards. It just seems like certain manufactures "blew up the body", while charging more, and making them really complicated. The average consumer has no idea just how complicated new vechicles have become. I see these customers sipping free Starbuck's coffee, and mineral water in lush dealership waiting rooms. And if you go out back, you see the hourly rate of $240 hr.
I have bought all my vechicles forever. I've only been to a dealership when buying new. I'm honestly getting scared. I despise giving people money for stuff I could do, if given the right information.
The last Non-Closer Salesman I saw said even the average mechanic is not working on newer cars; it's all dealership work. I brought along a blue-book and this Petaluma Dealership(one guy owns all the local dealerships) wouldn't budge on prices that were averaging 4-7 grand over BB. Then he said everyone is financing.
To any Salesman out there, if I guy walk in with $20,000; you sell him a used vechicle. Now--the economy in the Bay Area is booming, maybe that's the reason I walked out?
There's a need for a simple vechicle, that doesn't need to be brought to the dealer in order to fix.
Toyota--got a bit big, and prices were high.(low milage Toyotas are hard to find. I'm just leary of buying a hybrid. I went to automotive school, but never learned how to work on them. I'm still considering a Prius though. There's enough of them around I can source parts from.)
Honda--prices were high. Ford--liked the F-150, but the person I'm buying for couldn't get in comfortablely. They blew it up too much. Cooper--make in Germany by a division of BMW. Parts are high, along with service. KIA--I just don't know. I heard they are getting better?
I refuse, on moral grounds, to spend more than $25,000 out the door on a used car' with less than 40k miles. I'm thinking about a classic car, with a satellite GPS theft system.
At least I won't loose money, and can work on the vechicle.