CoolChange
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2006
- Messages
- 969
I am going to follow the lead of several other folks in tapping the collective wisdom here about my next vehicle purchase.
Currently, the only vehicle I own is a fairly small, 20 year old, class-C RV. I have not been home much (think high airline and hotel status) over the last couple of years and do not drive much in any case. The RV has been sufficient in that time to get me from point A to B when public transport or my bicycle were not reasonable options because of distance, weather, time, etc.
Now, I am not traveling so much; and, I would like to have something more practical for non-camping travel. Unfortunately, the vehicle that I really want, an Elio, will not be available for at least another year.
The thought of getting a vehicle for only a year or two, while waiting for the Elio to ship, is painful for me since I tend to keep vehicles at least 10 years. I have spent a bit of time looking for a lease to take over but have not found anything resembling economical.
I have wanted an EcoMobile (now MonoTracer: German site; USA site) since seeing the first article about it; but, I have never been willing to part with that kind of cash for a vehicle.
Of course, the Elio may never ship. I have watched several similar concepts which never made it to production. And, even if it does ship, I am not going to be at the head of the line to get one since I still do not have any kind of deposit down.
I will probably put a small ($100) deposit down on an Elio soon and just keep getting by with my RV, bicycle and occasional rental car for another year or two.
What would you do (or suggest for me)? And, how crazy is it to buy a brand new vehicle from a brand new manufacture with no track record assuming it ships at all? (Assuming they are actually able to keep the sticker price under $7k, this would not have a significant impact to my financial picture.)
Currently, the only vehicle I own is a fairly small, 20 year old, class-C RV. I have not been home much (think high airline and hotel status) over the last couple of years and do not drive much in any case. The RV has been sufficient in that time to get me from point A to B when public transport or my bicycle were not reasonable options because of distance, weather, time, etc.
Now, I am not traveling so much; and, I would like to have something more practical for non-camping travel. Unfortunately, the vehicle that I really want, an Elio, will not be available for at least another year.
The thought of getting a vehicle for only a year or two, while waiting for the Elio to ship, is painful for me since I tend to keep vehicles at least 10 years. I have spent a bit of time looking for a lease to take over but have not found anything resembling economical.
I have wanted an EcoMobile (now MonoTracer: German site; USA site) since seeing the first article about it; but, I have never been willing to part with that kind of cash for a vehicle.
Of course, the Elio may never ship. I have watched several similar concepts which never made it to production. And, even if it does ship, I am not going to be at the head of the line to get one since I still do not have any kind of deposit down.
I will probably put a small ($100) deposit down on an Elio soon and just keep getting by with my RV, bicycle and occasional rental car for another year or two.
What would you do (or suggest for me)? And, how crazy is it to buy a brand new vehicle from a brand new manufacture with no track record assuming it ships at all? (Assuming they are actually able to keep the sticker price under $7k, this would not have a significant impact to my financial picture.)