Convince me not to get a used i MiEV

[evmustache]

My current car is 12 years old and in need of some expensive repairs. I can't justify the cost of the repairs, and I've tried doing the repair myself to no avail.

I went for a test drive of the i this weekend and was pleasantly surprised. I've never driven an EV before. Acceleration was fine, handling was what I expected, and braking was a little different though not entirely bad.

The brakes are front pads/rotors and rear drums/shoes. Not thrilled about the drums as I'll be doing that replacement myself when the time comes, and hopefully later then sooner due to the regenerative braking extending their life. Any repairs will be done by me when possible.

My commute is 40 miles round trip, so plenty of wiggle room in the battery capacity. I have access to battery charging at home and at work (free).

The size of the car is appropriate for our family too.

I started looking at the 2012 Mitsubishi i MiEV and ran some numbers. I've calculated the cost of ownership over the remaining life of the car to be approximately $0.25-$0.27 per mile to drive. In comparison, a modest used gas car with similar features would be approximately $0.33-$0.35 per mile.

These figures average out the depreciation, insurance, energy, and maintenance costs over the expected life of each car based on my anticipated mileage. So, the numbers are 'normalized' to a per year basis.

The one upfront expense would be tinting the windows to keep the interior cooler, to help with the battery usage on hot days.

Everything on this seems to make sense.

Am I missing something? Did you have the same 'unknown' hesitation before buying your EV? Do you own an i and have a story to share?

[v10viperbox]

I would have a hard time getting the MiEV when you can get a used leaf with minimal miles for 10-12K out here in California. Heck with the state discounts you can almost get a new one for 15Kish if you go base model, depending on the rebates. I trust Nissan to be selling cars and parts in 10 years a lot more the Mitsubishi.

I drove them all and ended up leasing a i3 rex, 300$ a month with the out of pocket rolled in and I use it every single time I don't need to take the F350 for work. Saves me ~450-500$ month in gas after I pay for the electricity and another 150$ in discounted electricity for my home use. 

But I drive a ton and my truck gets 8 to the gallon. Inurance is a little bit cheaper as well using i3 over the truck as well ~20$ a month savings even with both on the policy.

[evmustache]

v10, thanks for the reply. The parts availability is something I hadn't thought about. Considering the current sales numbers for the i (very low), seems doubtful there would be any secondary parts market. Most likely all OEM, if even that's available. Up until now I've taken for granted that my car is a fairly popular make/model. Its parts and repair guides are widely available on the internet.

For anyone interested, I've attached the spreadsheet I used to make the comparisons. There are a few assumptions, some based on fact (I received a quote on the i insurance for $350 per 6 months), while some are educated guesses. Also, I kept the figures in present value - long term ownership could be affected by inflation. And costs such as insurance could decrease with time as the asset depreciates, which I didn't factor in.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

Have you considered battery decay?

If  battery life is keeping you up at night, the i’s eight-year or 100,000-mile battery  warranty might allow you to get some rest. Less likely to soothe is Mitsubishi’s estimate that the pack will have only 80 percent of  its original capacity after five years, 70 percent after 10 years.

Source

There's one listed for just under $10,000 at a sketchy dealership in Allentown, which is why I had this in my back pocket. Only 4500 miles...

[Trifle]

Following.  About two months ago a dealership up in Minnesota (about 300 miles away from us) had two 2014 iMievs on the lot that were marked down crazy low to move them.  Dealership offered to deliver the car to us on a flat bed for $500, which honestly didn't sound too bad for a delivery fee.  We ended up not going for it, just too many uncertainties I guess . . . But now I'm following to see what you do. 

[evmustache]

I bought it! There were many factors I considered, and some of which I'm only now realizing could have been on that list (not so great user interface for no radio presets - I don't listen to the radio so no big loss).

The minimalist interior ironically ended up being a selling point in my mind. Thought to myself, "It has 1 seat heater? Ha! Remove it, cut the price a little and I'll wear my coat!" My old car had features (auto angling side mirror when backing up) that I paid through the nose for, but never needed.

Based on information about other people's buying experience, I felt it was a reasonable price considering I didn't have much leverage. I ran out of negotiating steam towards the end, but over the many years I anticipate owning the vehicle it ends being a negligible cost. It was clear from when we walked in we were only interested in electric. And, it was the lowest mileage unit within battery driving distance. From everything I've read the battery life is a function of number of charges (less miles, less charges) so that was a big priority.

[forummm]

What did it cost you?

[Katsplaying]

After reading Wait But Why's recent posts on EVs, Tesla, & SolarCity, I am completely sold; my next (last) vehicle will be an EV. Given that my current ride is a 2011, that is many many years away and by then most/all manufacturers will have their own versions.

Besides the benefits of lower ownership/driving costs over time, the move to cleaner transportation is the smart one.

Grats on making the switch!

[evmustache]

Out the door for $9300 including tax.

I read that WBW post too. Made me even more convinced, if not was the final push that got me to do it.

[forummm]

Out the door for $9300 including tax.

I read that WBW post too. Made me even more convinced, if not was the final push that got me to do it.

A decent price. Hopefully the battery is enough for your in-town needs for a long time. Eventually you may be able to buy a much larger battery (not from Mitsubishi probably) for not too much money (say after Tesla has opened a few gigafactories). The car could last you a really long time. We bought our Leafs with the hope of keeping them a really long time. There's not a lot to wear out.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

What maintenance costs do you estimate for it?

[evmustache]

(Anticipated) Maintenance costs were estimated at $300 / year.

Full DIY brake job = $400
Four new tires = $800
Both probably last 40k miles and I drive about 10k / year.

Averaged out over four years, came to the $300. Unanticipated maintenance costs were hard to guess, so I left them out.

[forummm]

Hopefully you get a lot more mileage out of your brakes than that with the regen.

Is there any other stuff in the maintenance schedule? The Leaf has some reduction gear fluid (probably change it every few years) and brake fluid and battery checks (not useful except to keep the warranty). There's almost nothing to do.

[evmustache]

According to the Mitsubishi maintenance schedule, there's not much either. Typical inspections every 15k miles: brakes, coolant levels, CV boots, etc.
As far as parts replacement, only the cabin air filter every 15k and the brake fluid every 45k (which I would do with the brakes).