campfamily
Well-known member
So, as I've stated in earlier posts, my main motivation in buying the FFE was to take advantage of the carpool lane access here in California, which saves me at least 20-25 minutes in my commute each day. That access expires in January, so I have been evaluating whether it is worth getting another car to renew that benefit, or just continue driving the FFE. To that end, my wife and I went out last weekend to look at what cars were available. We went and looked at the Leaf, but for the money, the range improvement wasn't all that great, plus I wasn't all that impressed with the car overall. I was initially impressed with the Bolt, particularly the range vs cost equation. So we went to the Chevy dealer, and although I liked the way the car drove, I did not like the interior at all. The driver seat was very uncomfortable, and frankly, the interior quality reminded me of a cheapo rental car. The white accents on the dash were jarring to the eyes, and the gap between the dash and the door was big enough on the driver side to fit my fingers in it, while the other side was nice and tight. We looked at several cars, and just did not like it at all. Plus, the discounts on the car weren't all that great (only about $3K off MSRP, including rebates), which made the car close to $40K. Since I spend so much time in the car, I just couldn't see putting up with that interior for the cost.
On a whim, we stopped at the mall and went and looked at the Tesla Model 3, and were just blown away. After some discussions, the sales consultant was able to find a Long Range RWD model already built and in Southern California, and long story short, we ended up buying it. I never thought that I would pay >$50K for a commuter car, but I think this is a car that I could drive long term, unlike my FFE, which as always just a car to get back and forth to work. Add in the 310 mile range, and the Tesla Supercharger network, and we realized that this was a car that could truly replace our other cars, rather than just be a supplement. We take delivery in about two weeks.
I will have to say that owning my FFE for the past 3 1/2 years made it abundantly clear that an electric car is very practical, and can actually replace a ICE vehicle for most of our trips. The Model 3 extends that by making long distance travel possible.
Our plan is to trade the FFE in, either to Tesla, or by selling to CarMax. However, if anybody in Southern California is interested, I'm open to offers around Kelly Blue Book dealer trade in value. The car is a 2015, has ~38,000 miles, has the leather interior with the power seat, has tinted windows, and is in nearly perfect condition (a few minor rock chips on the front edge of the hood, and one chip on the top of the hood). Interior is perfect, wheels have no marks. Tires are original, but still have plenty of tread remaining (rotation every 7500 miles or so). Range is consistently around 75 miles (I average around 245 Wh/mi). There is an open recall, to replace the 110V charger, but all other recalls have been done. Car is almost always stored inside at night. If you have any interest in buying the car, contact me by responding to this message or via Private Message. Cash only, no trades, and local pickup only (no shipping).
This forum has been an immense help for me over the past 3+ years, and I'd like to hope that I've been able to contribute some meaningful content and assistance to others that are here.
Thanks for reading.....
Keith
On a whim, we stopped at the mall and went and looked at the Tesla Model 3, and were just blown away. After some discussions, the sales consultant was able to find a Long Range RWD model already built and in Southern California, and long story short, we ended up buying it. I never thought that I would pay >$50K for a commuter car, but I think this is a car that I could drive long term, unlike my FFE, which as always just a car to get back and forth to work. Add in the 310 mile range, and the Tesla Supercharger network, and we realized that this was a car that could truly replace our other cars, rather than just be a supplement. We take delivery in about two weeks.
I will have to say that owning my FFE for the past 3 1/2 years made it abundantly clear that an electric car is very practical, and can actually replace a ICE vehicle for most of our trips. The Model 3 extends that by making long distance travel possible.
Our plan is to trade the FFE in, either to Tesla, or by selling to CarMax. However, if anybody in Southern California is interested, I'm open to offers around Kelly Blue Book dealer trade in value. The car is a 2015, has ~38,000 miles, has the leather interior with the power seat, has tinted windows, and is in nearly perfect condition (a few minor rock chips on the front edge of the hood, and one chip on the top of the hood). Interior is perfect, wheels have no marks. Tires are original, but still have plenty of tread remaining (rotation every 7500 miles or so). Range is consistently around 75 miles (I average around 245 Wh/mi). There is an open recall, to replace the 110V charger, but all other recalls have been done. Car is almost always stored inside at night. If you have any interest in buying the car, contact me by responding to this message or via Private Message. Cash only, no trades, and local pickup only (no shipping).
This forum has been an immense help for me over the past 3+ years, and I'd like to hope that I've been able to contribute some meaningful content and assistance to others that are here.
Thanks for reading.....
Keith
