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Talk me out of the Spark EV

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PandaGTI

Go Kart Champion
I have been thinking of leasing a Spark EV to commute with to work.

Currently my commute is 2 miles by bike to the train station then 1 mile to work after that by bike. That is just costing me $215 a month to cover a 50 mile commute.

However with the current Spark EV deals... $139 a month and Zero down... I can make the whole commute by electric car. Also I would get $2500 from the state.

So on one hand
- commute by bike and train
- health benefits

or let the state pay me $2500 to stop commuting by bike and train and drive to work in an EV.

Any other EV car deals as good as the Spark? I already test drove one and the 400lb/ft of instant torque is pretty nice, handles great, looks like an appliance... but I wish I could get a golf EV or Leaf but that would be more expensive than the train.
 
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PandaGTI

Go Kart Champion
Rotaryknight said:
I thought there was a Fiat 500 EV deal like $89 a month. Only downside is giving up your "man card."
Click to expand...

That deal came and went. All the Fiat dealers sold out of those. The downside with the Fiat is that they are even smaller than the Spark, they are 1 sec 0-60 slower than the Spark, and they have no DC fast charging (charge to 80% in 30 min).

As far as giving up my "man card"... I think I gave that up when I got my folding bike to commute... imagine a grown 225lb man on a bike with 16 inch wheels... actually I get a lot of compliments on the bike every day especially with how small it folds.

If I get the Spark EV I'll tint the windows really dark so no one knows it is me.
 
Thumper

Thumper

Autocross Champion
Probably safer riding the bike. LOL

I guess, technically, car always beats public transport....even if that car is a toxic waste heap, testicle removing POS......still a car. :thumbsup:
 
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PandaGTI

Go Kart Champion
I keep thinking there is gonna be a good lease deal on either a Golf EV or Leaf... Best I found for the GOlf EV so far is $199 a month for the LE version... but its $1999 down and even less miles a year.

If anyone sees any good deals... lemme know... otherwise I'll be renting a Spark EV for 3 years
 
NolaMKVI

NolaMKVI

Ready to race!
$2500 one time or a year?

Its $2580 what youre doing now per year (bike/train)
$1668 for the car per year (not including insurance)
I think after insurance gets you you'll be about even per year or even a little more...
$2500-$1668= $832
divide that left over cash by 12 [months] and you get $69.33.

If you can get the insurance below that then you'd be coming out ahead by very little... but then how much more would your electric bill be charging the car at night?

If your got the car, you'd probably start to grow little small vaginas all over your body like vegetarians do..plus you'd be stuck in a lease for what like 3 years or something..?

I'd say stick to the bike/train combo.. its better for your health, and im sure just one guy giving up his man card to help the planet wont make any difference anyway..

sorry to be so blunt about it but the title does say "Talk me out of the Spark EV"
 
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PandaGTI

Go Kart Champion
NolaMKVI said:
$2500 one time or a year?

Its $2580 what youre doing now per year (bike/train)
$1668 for the car per year (not including insurance)
I think after insurance gets you you'll be about even per year or even a little more...
$2500-$1668= $832
divide that left over cash by 12 [months] and you get $69.33.

If you can get the insurance below that then you'd be coming out ahead by very little... but then how much more would your electric bill be charging the car at night?

If your got the car, you'd probably start to grow little small vaginas all over your body like vegetarians do..plus you'd be stuck in a lease for what like 3 years or something..?

I'd say stick to the bike/train combo.. its better for your health, and im sure just one guy giving up his man card to help the planet wont make any difference anyway..

sorry to be so blunt about it but the title does say "Talk me out of the Spark EV"
Click to expand...

Crunching the numbers for 39 months:

Spark EV Lease is going to be $5421 minus $2500 state rebate is $2921 for 39 months (also there is no limit to how many times you claim the rebate... I can claim again in 39 months when I lease another car as long as the state funds aren't diminished)

Additionally Chevy gives you $500 credit towards a Bosch Level 2 charger and I plan to use the $2500 state rebate towards a new home breaker box... the old one is actually an old dangerous 60's breaker box that needs replacing anyhow.

Bike/ Train is $8385 for 39 months and that doesn't include the cost of my folding bike which was $2,000ish. However since I bought the bike already a year ago lets just leave it at $8385.

So for 39 months it's $2921 vs $8385.

As far as electricity. I plan to switch to a time of use plan which means charging will probably add just $40 to $50 a month. Additionally I get to run my home AC at night at a cheaper rate.

I still have to see how much it changes my auto insurance policy. However it would mean that my FJ and M3 would just be 2ndry weekend recreation cars and the EV would be the main car.

As far as becoming vagiterian... that is worrisome... I'm already tricking myself into eating vegetables by wrapping deli meats around veggy burger patties and making paninis at work on my cheap George foreman grill.

I'm also going to see about parking my EV in the train station parking lot 1 stop from my work which actually gives me a longer bike commute as well.
 
Tk_mkv1

Tk_mkv1

Go Kart Champion
for financial standpoint, it's a great idea. So you're really driving 50 mi roundtrip?

And i would tint windows asap lol.
 
G

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
One of my co-workers bought one when they first came out - loves it, zero problems and it is surprisingly fast.
 
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