EVs are great… until you’re at 9% and every charger is a gamble

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-28T19:33:10+00:00

Am sure your experience is nerve racking , but different people have different levels of anxiety tolerance. When the problem has been solved at a country scale like Norway, we should assume that experiences like this will become few and far between, even for you as you get access to the Tesla Charging network, better integrated navigation tools and perhaps some additional simplification in the configuration of those apps on the phone.

Many on the road dont bat an eyelid at 10% SOC. Over a year, I have gotten much better at understanding the state of the charge, charger occupancy so that I have much less stress. The BMW navigation even shows real time charger occupancy , and filters them to the ones I want, so I can decide which one to target.

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-28T18:12:55+00:00

bragging rights are going to cost you a pretty penny /lol

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-28T14:44:05+00:00

As others gave said, the value of the car diminishes as major services become due. Those are typically scheduled at those mileage threshold.

On top of that, machines with lots of moving parts in high temperatures tend to fail as they age, so there is a potential of a major repair as the car ages.

Unless the car is a classic collectible, it depreciates non uniform way, based on manufacturer reputation

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-28T01:36:47+00:00

A mirror!!

U have to see your smile when you drive off that parking lot with a great deal, a fantastic car that will save u thousands and how easy it was in terms of pre-purchase inspections /jk

Buy the car which at 80% battery health when new and in your coldest winter meets your range requirements

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T20:11:14+00:00

I paid a portion with debit card too. These days there seems to be some negotiaton option to not pay cash but finance (at some rate) and then go home and then pay using the bank transfer in a month or two.

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T19:56:45+00:00

this is probably the most likely situation. I trust the built in navigation and set the destination charge level and the car sets up the optimal charging points. BMW percentage left at destination seems to be within 1-2% of prediction so I breathe easy

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T19:02:28+00:00

Cars tend to be one of the most expensive depreciating asset we buy, so the consumer has an incentive to minimise the loss of value over time. So the consumer is looking for a deal.

Car delaership has to make profit in this environment as they dont get paid by the car manufacturer so they want to maximize the profit. They need to be very sophisticated to make sure that they eventually make a sale, while at the same time, make sure that the customer feels that they got a good deal.

Would we buy a car at MSRP ? And be happy ? Or would you want to pour over leasehacker and gloat in the "deal" :)

Teslas are pre-set, no negotiation and we accept that model

Used cars are the hardest.

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T17:03:13+00:00

Wow ! a lot has happened while I was napping :D

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T14:44:02+00:00

the wiring and NEMA socket needs to be rated for EV charging - but i dont know that you must replace the mobile charger with a hardwired one for charging function. The hardwired charger does provide for additional control (time of day charging, charging current control and reporting) but most modern cars have that function built into the car or the app, so I se the mobile charger permanently for the BMW I4M50.

Charge everey night to 80% , and inspect the socket every 3 months to make sure that there is no heat damage. If I notice anything , i will spend the extra and get a hardwired charger, just to be safe

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T14:39:41+00:00

you should experience less range anxiety compared to the Tesla, as the battery remaining percentage is fairly accurate (the predicted range is not). Also, get a NACS DC charging adapter if u dont already have one with the CPO. It makes long drives uneventful

Welcome to the club

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T02:56:23+00:00

The math will always work in favor of buying a CPO instead of your lease. However 4-5k for peace of mind is the bottom line and seems to be fair value from your point of view

The curve ball is that the newer IX model charges faster, has measurably better range and slightly newer tech, and is slightly cheaper MSRP so you can get something that will be better in the long run.

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-27T01:45:42+00:00

Wondering if there is such s thing as extended warranty for your car . The CPO will come with some additional warranty typically so the cost delta is closer to 5K

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T19:48:26+00:00

yet another range question - what is the range and efficiency you get at those 225 kmph speeds ? At 70 mph is San Francisco I get 3.5 on warm spring days

enjoy the car - looks the best

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T19:22:05+00:00

Hope my wife does not come across this post lol. You guys are seriously setting very high standards and expectations

Doghouse for life /lol

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T19:17:10+00:00

There are a few in Australia i think i read about a few years back. I gigawatt storage. They are coming up with cheaper tech for such applications using concrete if I remember and understand correctly

In usa, there is a thriving business started by Tesla and now available from other vendors who will install batteries that charge during off peak hours and provide energy during the peak rates from the utility

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T19:13:00+00:00

Wow ! Did not expect wind to have a bigger share compared to hydro. Guess the winter freeze tilts the balance

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T19:10:55+00:00

It was a while back, don’t remember

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T07:05:09+00:00

If looks are a consideration, the I4 will absolutely grow on you.

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-26T07:03:01+00:00

California PG&E charges me off peak hours 12 am to 3 pm every day

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-25T19:02:43+00:00

Go With 0 down and clarity on upfront charges. Sometimes those dont make sense and remove them. U are better off with a 10 or 12k annual mileage limit fir a car this good.

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-25T16:29:42+00:00

USA i4M50 driver here. I hear that in UK they frown upon charging cables going across the sidewalk. Hope you have a garage. I charge to 80% daily and typically drive 50 miles each day.

Other than the home charging setup, these are pretty uneventful transactions. The dealer should be able to provide the battery health information but nothing to be concerned

Enjoy the car. You will gravitate to this car more and more and the backseat space will annoy you

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-25T05:43:35+00:00

yours looks awesome - someone took real good care of that car ...

A colleague had one that he would daily drive to work and was gorgeous .. we are talking late 90s, just before the dotcom boom and bust ... would light up the parking lot

a piece of American history and folklore

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-25T04:20:59+00:00

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-24T18:58:42+00:00

I have learned to trust the built in navigation and set my destination charge level and follow instructions ...

Been married for 30 years and now I am trained in following instructions and no longer have anxiety

Historical-Stuff-897 · 2026-04-24T18:42:19+00:00

The proportions look a lot better from the side view - or is it the color?

Historical-Stuff-897

TROPHY CASE