Long time lurker - trying to convince the better half on MG4

[Matdun374623]

evening all

I currently lease a car,2 years in, I get a car allowance as part of my salary but it's more of a benefit rather than actually needing to travel. The car is basically used to take the kids to school (1 mile! - and they walk home), and at weekends, but not mega distances. We live on the coast so most of the trips are just visiting place within a 30 miles radius.

before I took this car, I had been looking at EVs, I was expecting to visit my mum occasionally so wanted more range, and ID3 turned out to be a lot more expensive than at first thought, so back to ICE I went. In the end, my Mum moved closer to us so didn't need the range.

Now I'm approaching the time of decision - is it the right time to go EV, especially the MG4. I keep going back to the bouncing petrol prices and occasional rush and lack of fuel - compared to charging at home on a decent tariff.

I've currently got a VW Golf Style - it's packed with kit -rear camera (+f/r sensors), ambient interior lighting, wireless charging and wireless carplay, easy to use safety features from the steering wheel, puddle spot lighting on the motorised mirrors, Head up Display (which carplay apple maps integrates with), Autoparking (I've never used it!) - and despite the reputation(!), it's been very reliable and comfortable, probably because I don't do many miles ! The only thing I hate about it, that seems to be the madness of new cars is **** haptive/soft touch buttons (and just why do i need to go into a screen and take my eyes of the road to change the direction of the blowers, yet you've spent millions on car safety features)

all this for £250 a month (setup was about £800).

So my other half won't compromise on the rear camera, and with other things it looks like the Trophy is the way to go - but then we come to costs

PCP for a trophy over 4 years, £460
Lease for a trophy £380. and £2k up front
note - other deals are available

so forgetting the environmental side, and now subsidy/cartax isn't any more help, I'd be looking at £130 on petrol (I spend about £50 a month) before getting even with a EV cost (excluding charging costs)

great fun convincing the wife on this one.

 

[Jomarkh]

Your milage does seem low although you have said a annual figure, so the fuel savings might not be that high if you need to spend £1000 on an EVSE.
Do you solar panels?

 

[Deleted member 10041]

If it wasn't for the kit you wanted I would have said SE SR everyday of the week.
As you have said the trophy is no longer the bargain it once was before the rise/Apr rise.

I agree re VW/Cupra buttons, VW have apparently listened and are moving back to normal buttons
I think a common criticism of the 4 is the reliance on the screen to change a lot of functions

 

[Rip Van]

Your milage does seem low although you have said a annual figure, so the fuel savings might not be that high if you need to spend £1000 on an EVSE.
Do you solar panels?

This was part of my better half's argument against an EV and solar PV. Her other main point being payback time. When I suggested that it was less about payback time than ongoing costs she accepted that. We've now got solar PV, battery storage and a charge point, waiting on an MG4.
Fuel costs are more likely to rise than fall ongoing, so payback is coming towards us all the time.

My point being, if you can make the one off costs of these installations, they shouldn't be over emphasised as they're gone. For myself it's almost all about the ongoing costs.

 

[Tig170]

... the only way you'll save any cash with an EV is whether you have a peak / off peak tarrif (& battery storage) / home solar etc. with access to cheap overnight charging.. otherwise just forget it, as its cheaper with a ICE.

 

[Matdun374623]

thanks all for the replies, a lot to consider. I don't have to change the Golf for another year, but if it became a no brainer, then I could go earlier. House doesn't have solar/battery - again one off costs to be considered, and my wife isn't too keen on "spoiling" our new home's slate roof !

and yes, mileage is very low - wasn't expected to be until the pandemic and switch to WFH and moving house. Lease has 7k a year, we've done 6k over 2 years !!

 

[Deleted member 9692]

thanks all for the replies, a lot to consider. I don't have to change the Golf for another year, but if it became a no brainer, then I could go earlier. House doesn't have solar/battery - again one off costs to be considered, and my wife isn't too keen on "spoiling" our new home's slate roof !

and yes, mileage is very low - wasn't expected to be until the pandemic and switch to WFH and moving house. Lease has 7k a year, we've done 6k over 2 years !!

Do what I do, quote random figures repeatedly, introduce some form of time sensitive call to action eg “I hear prices are going to rise dramatically, there is lots of talk about this”, and then do some mild to moderate sulking. You will prevail.

 

[tsedge]

Can you deploy the "saving the planet" argument?

 

[Matdun374623]

Do what I do, quote random figures repeatedly, introduce some form of time sensitive call to action eg “I hear prices are going to rise dramatically, there is lots of talk about this”, and then do some mild to moderate sulking. You will prevail.

I've tried that before trying to get a bigger TV. It's always me who says sorry even if it's her fault

today's view is Renault Zoe - not as pretty as the MG4 and a bit more sluggish/small - but for my needs , maybe it's worth it as a first dip into EV.

Current leasing prices for our required mile range are around £230

for that the spec includes rear camera, auto parking (yes, I never used it on the golf - don't trust it!), wireless phone charging, heated leather seats/steering wheel, motorised mirrors and 230 mile range. It also has BUTTONS for full heater control

But yes, it's a Zoe -it's not overly exciting, but my days of me being excited are long gone

If I lease a base MG4, looking at £340 for the base version (with none of the above), against £230 for 2 years, then come out of the lease and see what the state of the EV market is then.

now going off to watch some ZOE videos - I'm sure there will be some horror stories.

ahhh, zero ncap rating

 

[siteguru]

... because it doesn't have all the driver "assist" technologies, plus they removed some side air bags (which would have allowed the Zoe to get a 1 star rating based on the latest NCAP rules).

 

[Matdun374623]

... because it doesn't have all the driver "assist" technologies, plus they removed some side air bags (which would have allowed the Zoe to get a 1 star rating based on the latest NCAP rules).

I thought the reason Renault claimed they removed the air bags, was that they were concentrating on drive assist technologies - the current Zoe has AEB,LDW,LKA,BSW,TSR,ESC as standard. Of course none of these help if a van swerves into you and knocks you into the central reservation - whereas an airbag might help.

the reporting after the NCAP rating seems to concentrate on removal of key airbags as well as the general survivability

Renault Zoe awarded zero-star Euro NCAP safety rating | Auto Express

The all-electric Renault Zoe hatchback is only the third car in history to receive zero stars from Euro NCAP, despite the previous model scoring top marks

www.autoexpress.co.uk

I just watched this video and it crystallised what Renault did. Shocking to remove the airbag from the new model