Jkel said:
I still don’t like paying high dollars for a car. I usually let others pay for the huge depreciation drop. In other words, I buy used
What gets fuzzy is how much the 2017 models will depreciate in 3-4 years. Will they take a huge hit like the 2014? Dunno. B
My thinking....
In general I buy used or lease new. I've been leasing* EVs because the technology is changing so rapidly. I had my LEAF 30 on a 2-year PCP with the plan to buy our next EV. The contract ended without there being anything worth buying as a long term keeper. I'm leasing an i3 as an interim car. Hoping I can get into a used Model 3 or ???? 3 years from now.
Have you asked for lease quotes on a new i3? You might be surprised. Total cost might be competitive or even lower than buying a used 2017 and selling it 3 years from now.
I think the 2017 probably has the best bang for the buck in the used department.
Agree, at least as far American i3's are concerned. The asking prices for '18s on US AutoTrader look silly to me. I don't know why. Here in the UK, the best i3 deals are for unsold left over 2018s. UK dealers plate** them and sell or lease at a considerable discount.
My
guess is the US resale for 2017's will fall like a rock. That's ok if you keep the car a long time. Run the car into the ground and resale doesn't matter. If you stick to your plan and keep the car 3 years, you do have to consider resale.
As a rule the value of
any new BMW falls off a cliff when you drive it off the lot and takes another dive when factory warranty runs out. Buying a '17 means taking advantage of the first cliff and falling off the second one.
In the US, BMW discounts the new i3 heavily. They also get the tax credits. I've seen lease deals with well over $10,000 in credits and up-front discounts. On top of that BMWFS subvent the residuals to get the payments down. The big discounts must impact on what people are willing to pay for used ones. MY 18 prices make no sense to me. Leasing a new one for 3 years is probably a LOT less expensive than buying a 2018 and selling it 3 years from now.
Reliability should be much better but the '17s still only have the 94Ah battery. The are before the face lift. Both the s and the regular i3 are different starting with MY 18. You should look at one even if you aren't going to buy. That will give you an idea of what you will be selling against, 3 years from now.
The 120Ah is out now and there will probably be another battery bump within the next three years.
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*UK finance is different than the US. It would take pages to explain the differences. Easiest to just say lease.
** plating - UK dealer buys their own stock and registers it to the dealership. They put a number plate on the car and sell it as used.