The £6k Zoe - Anyone taken the 'gamble'?
Discussion
Currently looking at a £6k mini or similar and noticed I can get a Zoe with a purchased battery for the same money.
Realistically it will be a third vehicle used for my daily commute (total 20m per day) however I will also use my van at least one day a week and hopefully a classic 280Z next summer.
My wife also has a car but would probably use the Zoe locally
We would never expect to take it on long journeys - therefore no range anxiety issues. We live in a cul-de-sac so charging will be easy.
My commute is pretty boring so won't miss out on the driving enjoyment a Mini would add, I drove a Zoe when it first came out and seemed ok. Hopefully the zed will keep the petrol flowing thru my veins!
At 6k it would be pretty much bangernomics and run into the ground so not really concerned about eventually putting a new battery in it (assuming they don't suddenly fail?) ideally next year the kids could learn to drive it under their provisional licence
anything I am overlooking and not thought about?
Realistically it will be a third vehicle used for my daily commute (total 20m per day) however I will also use my van at least one day a week and hopefully a classic 280Z next summer.
My wife also has a car but would probably use the Zoe locally
We would never expect to take it on long journeys - therefore no range anxiety issues. We live in a cul-de-sac so charging will be easy.
My commute is pretty boring so won't miss out on the driving enjoyment a Mini would add, I drove a Zoe when it first came out and seemed ok. Hopefully the zed will keep the petrol flowing thru my veins!
At 6k it would be pretty much bangernomics and run into the ground so not really concerned about eventually putting a new battery in it (assuming they don't suddenly fail?) ideally next year the kids could learn to drive it under their provisional licence
anything I am overlooking and not thought about?
I did the gamble a few years ago. I got a 2013 Leaf for around £5k. The sums worked for me. It was costing less than my previous diesel car per month (even including the loan cost).
Had it for a few months. Really should have kept it.
Didn't because the range (which was realistically about 65 miles on this car with 82% SOH remaining meant it did struggle for anything that wasn't very local or my commute.
I should have just kept it for my commute, it would have more than paid for itself now.
(EDIT - i knew the range would be 65....and went for it fully knowing and accepting that....but in reality it proved quite tricky in our circumstances.)
Had it for a few months. Really should have kept it.
Didn't because the range (which was realistically about 65 miles on this car with 82% SOH remaining meant it did struggle for anything that wasn't very local or my commute.
I should have just kept it for my commute, it would have more than paid for itself now.
(EDIT - i knew the range would be 65....and went for it fully knowing and accepting that....but in reality it proved quite tricky in our circumstances.)
Edited by M1C on Monday 19th June 17:23
I did this with a 64-plate Zoe back in 2020. Under £6k at the time for a battery lease model.
I’d say go for it and I bet you use it more often than you planned.
Car was faultless and actually a really nice city car with a tiny turning circle, a surprising amount of space inside and good fun to drive for what it was. The build is quite tinny, I guess to be expected.
Only got rid when I was given a Tesla company car.
I’d say go for it and I bet you use it more often than you planned.
Car was faultless and actually a really nice city car with a tiny turning circle, a surprising amount of space inside and good fun to drive for what it was. The build is quite tinny, I guess to be expected.
Only got rid when I was given a Tesla company car.
Thanks some great feedback, I can't recall the last time I did a journey over 90miles that didn't involve collecting something big (in which case I would be using the van anyway)
I think my wife would end up using it for all the little local journeys.
Just waiting for either the E63 or 914 to sell and free up a parking space...
I think my wife would end up using it for all the little local journeys.
Just waiting for either the E63 or 914 to sell and free up a parking space...
Mrs K_K drives a battery purchased Zoe - 2017, so early 42kW.
It's now done nearly 80,000 miles with no issues other than a failed motor sensor in the first couple of months (warranty) and a poorly fitted windscreen that leaked and had to be removed and replaced (warranty). Needed an aircon regass at year 6 which couldn't be done just anywhere due to using a more recent and less common refrigerant.
Suspension components are a weakness. I'm not convinced they're properly specced for the weight of the car. Although the crap quality of roads probably isn't helping. Year 6 saw most of the front suspension, shocks, and anti-roll stuff done, which wasn't cheap.
Build quality is objectively pretty reasonable but it does feel (subjectively) tinny.
Battery health is presently 89% according to CanZE, so 11% loss in nearly 7 years and 80k miles.
It's now done nearly 80,000 miles with no issues other than a failed motor sensor in the first couple of months (warranty) and a poorly fitted windscreen that leaked and had to be removed and replaced (warranty). Needed an aircon regass at year 6 which couldn't be done just anywhere due to using a more recent and less common refrigerant.
Suspension components are a weakness. I'm not convinced they're properly specced for the weight of the car. Although the crap quality of roads probably isn't helping. Year 6 saw most of the front suspension, shocks, and anti-roll stuff done, which wasn't cheap.
Build quality is objectively pretty reasonable but it does feel (subjectively) tinny.
Battery health is presently 89% according to CanZE, so 11% loss in nearly 7 years and 80k miles.
My pal was trying to sell his battery lease Zoe not long back for just over 6k and no one was interested, costs too much to buy the battery and then sell it for 6k still as the prices seem to have slumped so he has kept it.
It's been a good car for him really, a couple of suspension issues which were fixed by renault but that's about all.
It's been a good car for him really, a couple of suspension issues which were fixed by renault but that's about all.
I definitely have no interest in battery lease, because it will be used locally and return to home I would never need the flat battery recovery.
Even if/ when the battery degraded beyond 50 miles range it would still remain usable for my daily commute however it would lose the cost per mile advantage over a small diesel.
Even if/ when the battery degraded beyond 50 miles range it would still remain usable for my daily commute however it would lose the cost per mile advantage over a small diesel.
Looked at this recently and decided against it.
The battery lease ones are around £6k, the benefits of EVs come with more mileage (to a limit), the lease goes up with more mileage and with electricity prices where they are now vs then, the economics make less sense than they did when it was new.
The cheapest battery owned version I could find at the time was £9k, would buying a leased version and buying the battery be cheaper, possibly, but it would depend on the specific car, this takes analysis, understanding and time, which when buying a 2nd hand car is not always practical.
The main advantage of the lease is a rolling battery warranty and you get breakdown cover included.
But it's a 10+ yr old car, with all the associated issues that typically come from owning a 10+ yr old car.
So vs the Battery owned version, for £5k more I was able to get an 18m old one with 10k miles, more than double the battery size and range and more critically rapid charging, 3.5yrs/90k miles of OEM warranty.
Yes it's more money that many may not be able to afford, but from my perspective, the old one looked like poor value.
The battery lease ones are around £6k, the benefits of EVs come with more mileage (to a limit), the lease goes up with more mileage and with electricity prices where they are now vs then, the economics make less sense than they did when it was new.
The cheapest battery owned version I could find at the time was £9k, would buying a leased version and buying the battery be cheaper, possibly, but it would depend on the specific car, this takes analysis, understanding and time, which when buying a 2nd hand car is not always practical.
The main advantage of the lease is a rolling battery warranty and you get breakdown cover included.
But it's a 10+ yr old car, with all the associated issues that typically come from owning a 10+ yr old car.
So vs the Battery owned version, for £5k more I was able to get an 18m old one with 10k miles, more than double the battery size and range and more critically rapid charging, 3.5yrs/90k miles of OEM warranty.
Yes it's more money that many may not be able to afford, but from my perspective, the old one looked like poor value.
matstand said:
The only issue will be teaching the kids to drive, as I am guessing that the Zoe is an auto?
our kids have had to learn to drive in the fiesta, as it is still feels restricivte to let them get an auto licence.
I would have agreed with you a decade ago but the swing is very much to auto boxes and as EVs become predominant a licence for a manual will become less relevant. our kids have had to learn to drive in the fiesta, as it is still feels restricivte to let them get an auto licence.
I would leave it to them to decide for themselves. It is after all their choice. My GD lives in the USA and at 14 next year she will be able to get a license. Stick shifts there simply don't exist in the overwhelming majority of cars. Her first car will be an EV.
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