Moving On

[CCIE]

So after almost 2 years driving my Spark EV, I traded it in against a Model 3 yesterday. It was a solid car, but if the battery degradation kept up at the same pace this would have been the last winter it would work for my use case. Decided to jump on the M3 while the full tax credit was available. Love the car so far.

Best of luck everyone, and happy motoring!

[evboy]

Aren't u concerned that everything is controlled by the tablet. If the computer crashes u have no ac or radio and God knows what else. Also the poor workmanship of the car. Some peoples bumpers r falling off just driving down the road.

[CCIE]

Aren't u concerned that everything is controlled by the tablet. If the computer crashes u have no ac or radio and God knows what else. Also the poor workmanship of the car. Some peoples bumpers r falling off just driving down the road.

No, I’m not concerned. If the BCM or HPCM2 (computers) in the Spark fail the car is a brick too. You may think you have direct physical switches and buttons in the Spark, but most are actually talking to central computers to achieve actions.

My M3 was made in 7/2018. Build quality and workmanship seem great. No issues with panel gaps or misalignment. Paint job is good too.

I’ve been reading the M3 forums for a while. The only bumper issues have been a couple people who drove through deep water. The water was so high it pushed up under the bumper and the hydrostatic pressure ripped it off. I’m not planning to drive through any rivers, so not an issue for me.

Sparkie was a good car. But, the battery chemistry it’s using is really designed for a PHEV and it’s regularly charging/discharging to very high and very low states-of-charge. Those two things don’t bode well for long term battery life. After monitoring the loss in capacity over the last year I decided the car wasn’t going to work for me long term. Plus, I’m looking forward to using as much heat as I want this winter without worrying about range!

[Jedi2155]

I’ve been reading the M3 forums for a while. The only bumper issues have been a couple people who drove through deep water. The water was so high it pushed up under the bumper and the hydrostatic pressure ripped it off. I’m not planning to drive through any rivers, so not an issue for me.

Sparkie was a good car. But, the battery chemistry it’s using is really designed for a PHEV and it’s regularly charging/discharging to very high and very low states-of-charge. Those two things don’t bode well for long term battery life. After monitoring the loss in capacity over the last year I decided the car wasn’t going to work for me long term. Plus, I’m looking forward to using as much heat as I want this winter without worrying about range!

I think the majority of the range loss is still primarily due to the calendar life IMO. Regarding the bumper/water issue, I think Tesla really needed to more testing prior to mass production, but as long as they're company they won't leave us high and dry. GM definitely has much more thorough test procedures.

https://youtu.be/FSt2lzoLvqM

[TheLondonBroiler]

if the battery degradation kept up at the same pace this would have been the last winter it would work for my use case.

I'm in the same boat and have been thinking along the same lines. If you don't mind me asking, when did you initiate your M3 order?

the battery chemistry it’s using is really designed for a PHEV

It will be interesting to see how degradation between the 15/16 Spark & 2nd gen volt compare in about a decade or so, being that the battery packs are near identical. Hopefully, even with all the different variables, the flaws can be realized (if they haven't been already), by GM.

Happy travels, take care.

[CCIE]

I ordered Late July and got it late August on the east coast. I was not a reservation holder. Only option I ordered was Blue color. I’m doing a trial of autopilot now and I’m glad I didn’t pay for it. Way too buggy for my taste.

If you want a RWD model, odds are you could still get it before end of year and qualify for the full tax credit.

[NORTON]

I ordered Late July and got it late August on the east coast. I was not a reservation holder. ..

If you want a RWD model, odds are you could still get it before end of year and qualify for the full tax credit.

So you are on the record that there IS such a thing as the highly publicized $35k Tesla Model 3, WITH the $7500 Tax incentive?
I'm sure that's what most wanted when they stood in line long ago...

Of course we'd like to ask you the question.... $$$???

But we're too polite to ask that...

[TheLondonBroiler]

So you are on the record that there IS such a thing as the highly publicized $35k Tesla Model 3, WITH the $7500 Tax incentive?

Of course we'd like to ask you the question.... $$$???

I'd wager a nice steak dinner, that there isn't a way for a person who has no reservation, or got one this year, to buy a $35k TM3 direct from Tesla this year (to receive the full EV tax credit of $7500).

A long range TM3 is $50k and any color other than black is $1.5k minimum, last time I checked. It's a beautiful car. I had Sparky at a Drive Electric Week event last Saturday in Charlotte, NC (will do so again for a second event tomorrow), and there were half a dozen TM3s. I'm envious.

[SparkE]

Ah, but you can easily buy a Spark EV for under $10K, and get it in a week!

I may end up buying a model 3 next year (or the year after). I don't need an EV for roadtrips (family man with a very-low-polluting 40mpg PZEV gasmobile for the freeway), but ...

It's an inner conflict. A Bolt or model 3 would push us from 80-85% electric to much closer to 96-98% electric.

[CCIE]

I ordered Late July and got it late August on the east coast. I was not a reservation holder. ..

If you want a RWD model, odds are you could still get it before end of year and qualify for the full tax credit.

So you are on the record that there IS such a thing as the highly publicized $35k Tesla Model 3, WITH the $7500 Tax incentive?
I'm sure that's what most wanted when they stood in line long ago...

Of course we'd like to ask you the question.... $$$???

But we're too polite to ask that...

Not completely following you. I don’t expect a $35k model 3 to ever ship in more than token quantities. I never stood in a line and waited about a month from order to delivery. No complaints.

Mine was $49k + $1k for color + $1k delivery. Color and delivery are more expensive now. I’ll get $7500 federal credit and $3000 state credit. Both will be exhausted by year-end, which is why I bought when I did.