Lease a PHEV For My 6 Mile Work Commute?

[shawn130c]

I live 3 miles from work and thinking of replacing my 06 Equinox before something major breaks. I have been looking at manufacturer certified used cars (all brands) and not seeing anything that match my wants for a price that I want (under $13000). I know there are a lot of other used cars out there, but I prefer the peace of mind of a manufacturer warranty for at least the first two years that I own the car.

My wants:

1. Elevated Seating Position. I prefer the seat/driving positions on Crossover/SUV over Sedans. Some ground clearance is also nice.

2. Big increase in gas mileage. I currently get about 15 MPG or so and spend about $100 in gas each month. I figure if I want to replace my current car, might as well save some money in gas. There are a lot of Crossovers out but the fuel economy does not seem that great for short trips.

3. Low Maintenance Cost.

4. Roomy, 5 seats preferred.

Regarding other EV/PHEV. I have sat/tested the Volt, Leaf, Fusion and CMAX. I really like the CMAX.

So right now I am thinking of leasing a 2014 CMAX Energi. Depending on the package I would be looking at $300-$400 a month depending on the equipment packages. Right now I have been getting quotes for zero/very low down and $6500 in rebates.

Most importantly, I have a charging station at work/most shopping centers. So if I plan it correctly, I will probably never have to pay for gas to get to work 🙂.

Doing that math, I know I probably won't ever make up the cost of paying more for a PHEV, but with my current gas mileage, age/more risk of repairs. A lease gives me peace of mind for the next 2-3 years and reduction in gas costs over my current car. In addition this would be a good opportunity to see if an electric car makes sense for the next car after the CMAX.

Current Car:
GM Certified 06 Chevy Equinox LS FWD
-109,000 Miles
-No recalls yet 🙂
-Paid $11,300 for it 5.5 years ago. So far I have been really lucky and have not had to any major repairs. But I have a feeling that these short trips aren't going to help with the reliability and rather replace it before something major breaks.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Yuriman]

How old are you, and what kind of shape are you in? If I lived that close to work, you'd not see me driving. 3 miles isn't enough to warm the engine up (not even close), and can be covered in about 10 minutes on a bicycle assuming hills aren't too bad. Expect anything that has a gasoline engine to experience abnormal wear and deliver far worse than EPA rated mileage due to your incredibly short "commute".

 

[Jumpem]

Living that close, I would certainly lease over buying used.

 

[nedfunnell]

+1 for biking with a backup option. I like 2.5 miles from work and I bike regularly.

I say get a cheap electric if you can live with the lowered seating position and rent an SUV when you want to tower over people for more than 80 miles at a time.

 

[michal1980]

What kind of work do you people do that you can bike to work?

While it wouldn't be a long bike ride, you'd surely come to work sweety plenty of times. Shop work probably not a problem. office, might be.

 

[shawn130c]

How old are you, and what kind of shape are you in? If I lived that close to work, you'd not see me driving. 3 miles isn't enough to warm the engine up (not even close), and can be covered in about 10 minutes on a bicycle assuming hills aren't too bad. Expect anything that has a gasoline engine to experience abnormal wear and deliver far worse than EPA rated mileage due to your incredibly short "commute".

25 and in ok shape. No issues brought up at this years medical check up and I feel the $35 gym membership is a lot more convenient to loose the extra pounds than biking.

+1 for biking with a backup option. I like 2.5 miles from work and I bike regularly.

I say get a cheap electric if you can live with the lowered seating position and rent an SUV when you want to tower over people for more than 80 miles at a time.

I have some range anxiety/safety concerns with small EV only car, though by cheap electric are you thinking like a Spark EV or a Leaf or is their something cheaper? The Spark EV is not a bad option and gets a decent crash test rating.

What kind of work do you people do that you can bike to work?

While it wouldn't be a long bike ride, you'd surely come to work sweety plenty of times. Shop work probably not a problem. office, might be.

Good point, I work in an office and dress code is business casual. When I first got this job, I looked into biking and this was one my concerns (besides riding at night and distracted drivers). There is no showers/lockers at the place I work. So to me is not worth the extra hassle to bike to work.

 

[Wuzup101]

A 3 mile ride probably isn't even enough to get you truly sweated if you aren't sprinting it and temps aren't rediculous. That being said if no showers are available and you don't want to baby wipe shower... I would blame you. Also you have to take weather into account.

The question is... Will your current car use 3600 to 4800 in gas, repairs, and depreciation a year for the next 3 years? Probably not... And thus financially it may not be the best move. That being said... Piece of mind does have a price... As does having something new. I personally would drive my commuter car into the ground if I had one.

 

[Kaido]

1. Elevated Seating Position. I prefer the seat/driving positions on Crossover/SUV over Sedans. Some ground clearance is also nice.

...

4. Roomy, 5 seats preferred.

A little bit offbeat from what you're looking at, but have you considered the Kia Soul? I am on my second model (leased the first one, liked it so much I bought a second one). Pricing is $15k to $26k depending on options. 24 MPG city, plus optional start/stop engine technology. Has excellent elevated seating positions & room for 4 adults (tested! and it does have 5 seats). I really enjoy mine!

 

[shawn130c]

The question is... Will your current car use 3600 to 4800 in gas, repairs, and depreciation a year for the next 3 years? Probably not... And thus financially it may not be the best move. That being said... Piece of mind does have a price... As does having something new. I personally would drive my commuter car into the ground if I had one.

Yeah that is the question I am struggling with it, though more importantly if something major goes wrong is it worth fixing. Assume my luck stays, this year is probably just tires, oil and brakes. If something major goes wrong, I can probably expect about $1000-$2000 in repairs (I randomly picked important stuff that could break and got some quotes from repairpal.com)

A little bit offbeat from what you're looking at, but have you considered the Kia Soul? I am on my second model (leased the first one, liked it so much I bought a second one). Pricing is $15k to $26k depending on options. 24 MPG city, plus optional start/stop engine technology. Has excellent elevated seating positions & room for 4 adults (tested! and it does have 5 seats). I really enjoy mine!

They actually have Kia Soul EV coming out this Fall, but I did look at the Kia Soul. I am hesitant to buy any new car, but looking around I saw two issues:
1. Stop and Go in city is fine, but my MPG killer is the short trips. Looking at KIA soul forums, others are getting between 17-20 MPG for short trips.
2. The lease is about $240 (current special). Though once I add taxes/extras + work commute gas. I am about even with a lease of a PHEV.

 

[TridenT]

I'd bike that... If it was 3 miles in San Francisco or Seattle then I'd understand. Similarly, if it was regularly 100F on the way to work then I'd also understand.

I don't know about leasing. Seems like you'd be tossing $5k down the drain every year.

 

[Yuriman]

3 miles... how about an electric bicycle? Or perhaps a scooter? That'll eliminate the wear on your primary vehicle and the cost of ownership is basically nothing.

 

[TridenT]

3 miles... how about an electric bicycle? Or perhaps a scooter? That'll eliminate the wear on your primary vehicle and the cost of ownership is basically nothing.

Electric bicycle might be a good alternative. I think a scooter is overkill for that commute. (And it's worse for the environment and parking is more troublesome)

 

[vi edit]

For that type of a commute a Volt is probably a better option. The CMax Energi still relies heavily on the ICE and will take 3-5 minutes for it to warm up and flip over to battery. The Volt works more like a true EV and will condition the battery when not in use and be ready to go any time. The ICE in the volt is there for your range anxiety and get you around when you deplete the battery.

Downside is that the seating position in the Volt is vastly different than the Cmax.

I own the Hybrid version of the CMax and the seats sit up crazy high in it. Volt has a much lower seating position.

As for biking...most of these are college kids suggesting it. If you are a business professional and live in a place where the weather changes frequently and have extreme seasons biking just isn't an option. I got about 60 days a year where the weather is perfect. The rest range from swamp ass muggy, to bone chilling sub-zero cold. With a healthy does of thunderstorm and downpours in between.

Plus you have things like poor bike acceptance in your town and the risk of being hit, trying to haul anything back and forth. Needing to travel between sites in town. Ect. It sounds great but for a lot of people it's just not as easy as it sounds.

 

[mmntech]

Biking may not be an option if the OP lives in a cold climate. There's a few crazy people here who try to do it in winter, but I don't envy them.

I think a plug in hybrid would be a good option if you don't mind spending the money. They tend to be more expensive than petrol cars. It will give you the option to go further if you need to without the range anxiety of a pure EV.

If you want something cheaper, there's always the Prius C, which is essentially a hybridized Yaris. It doesn't have an all-electric mode though. Both the Volt and Prius PHEV run at $35k brand new, so the lease won't be cheap either. The C-MAX Energi is a little cheaper but still runs at $32k.

 

[michal1980]

For that type of a commute a Volt is probably a better option. The CMax Energi still relies heavily on the ICE and will take 3-5 minutes for it to warm up and flip over to battery. The Volt works more like a true EV and will condition the battery when not in use and be ready to go any time. The ICE in the volt is there for your range anxiety and get you around when you deplete the battery.

Downside is that the seating position in the Volt is vastly different than the Cmax.

I own the Hybrid version of the CMax and the seats sit up crazy high in it. Volt has a much lower seating position.

As for biking...most of these are college kids suggesting it. If you are a business professional and live in a place where the weather changes frequently and have extreme seasons biking just isn't an option. I got about 60 days a year where the weather is perfect. The rest range from swamp ass muggy, to bone chilling sub-zero cold. With a healthy does of thunderstorm and downpours in between.

Plus you have things like poor bike acceptance in your town and the risk of being hit, trying to haul anything back and forth. Needing to travel between sites in town. Ect. It sounds great but for a lot of people it's just not as easy as it sounds.

your wrongish on the energi

I lease a cmax energi, and only on super cold days, does the ice engine kick in to warm up the cabin. But you can schedule the car to warm up while plugged in so its warm for you do.

I'm a mile from work, and the gas engine in winter rarely turns on for the times I drove to work.

 

[Yuriman]

As for biking...most of these are college kids suggesting it. If you are a business professional and live in a place where the weather changes frequently and have extreme seasons biking just isn't an option. I got about 60 days a year where the weather is perfect. The rest range from swamp ass muggy, to bone chilling sub-zero cold. With a healthy does of thunderstorm and downpours in between.

I suppose most of the others may be college students, but I work about 8 miles from home a for a software company where I am expected to sit at a desk and look professional. I don't wear a suit, so that's a factor, but I find 9 days out of 10 I can bike to and from work and that's 9 days I don't have to drive. This would save me around $1500 per year in gas if I drove a typical car, cuts back on vehicle wear, and makes a gym membership unnecessary. It frees up time I would otherwise dedicate to exercising because I incorporate it into my daily routine.

I understand OP might have some factors that make it impractical for him to get to work in anything but a new car (sometimes we're expected to display an air of wealth, for instance), but I am a strong promoter in my circles of fighting lifestyle inflation where it's reasonable, which is not the same as being poor and forced into these behaviors, especially in those ways that negatively impact health and free time.

 

[shawn130c]

For that type of a commute a Volt is probably a better option. The CMax Energi still relies heavily on the ICE and will take 3-5 minutes for it to warm up and flip over to battery. The Volt works more like a true EV and will condition the battery when not in use and be ready to go any time. The ICE in the volt is there for your range anxiety and get you around when you deplete the battery.

Are you sure that Energi relies heavily on the ICE during startup? From my research both the Volt and Energi will only use the ICE during startup outside temperature is really low and if heater is on (to get the cabin hotter faster). Though it does look like the Volt is better with some of the heating aspects, but still both will use ICE if temps, get too low.

Though I live in Sacramento, CA so I am not very concerned about very low temperatures 🙂

 

[HitAnyKey]

Keep what you have - if anything super expensive breaks then just dump it for another cheap beater. Get a weekend car for fun if you like to drive i.e Fast Convertible.

If you can keep the used car repairs under $2000 per year (or just buy a new beater yearly and then dump it when it breaks) then your ahead of the game. I would not lease a new car for this distance unless you need it for business and/or business expectations.

Been in your boat years ago when I lived in Southern Cali and lived very close to the office. I gave up my cars for a few months and walked, biked and borrowed wheels to get around. It was fine until I left Cali. I should have tried that sooner to save cash. Rented a car when I needed wheels for the weekend.

Think it over.

 

[vi edit]

It's my understanding that the Energi is like the regular C-Max hybrid in that it will run the ICE for a couple minutes to get the battery up to temp and also bring the ICE up to operating temp. With that short of a commute you might see about half the value of the Energi premium.

 

[halik]

I don't think you'll be able to recoup the hybrid premium with such a short commute. I would keep what you have a drive it till the wheels fall off; the finance for anything else simply doesn't make any sense.

 

[halik]

For that type of a commute a Volt is probably a better option. The CMax Energi still relies heavily on the ICE and will take 3-5 minutes for it to warm up and flip over to battery. The Volt works more like a true EV and will condition the battery when not in use and be ready to go any time. The ICE in the volt is there for your range anxiety and get you around when you deplete the battery.

Downside is that the seating position in the Volt is vastly different than the Cmax.

I own the Hybrid version of the CMax and the seats sit up crazy high in it. Volt has a much lower seating position.

As for biking...most of these are college kids suggesting it. If you are a business professional and live in a place where the weather changes frequently and have extreme seasons biking just isn't an option. I got about 60 days a year where the weather is perfect. The rest range from swamp ass muggy, to bone chilling sub-zero cold. With a healthy does of thunderstorm and downpours in between.

Plus you have things like poor bike acceptance in your town and the risk of being hit, trying to haul anything back and forth. Needing to travel between sites in town. Ect. It sounds great but for a lot of people it's just not as easy as it sounds.

Bolded for reality. Unless you do phone tech support or work at a coffee shop, commuting on a bicycle simply isn't an option for vast majority of people.

 

[TridenT]

Bolded for reality. Unless you do phone tech support or work at a coffee shop, commuting on a bicycle simply isn't an option for vast majority of people.

Apparently 36% of a major city commutes by bicycle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_Copenhagen

Places I've worked and have friends work at, people ride bikes all the time. (And we're not talking 1-3 flat miles. A lot of them ride 5-10+ miles with >1000 ft uphill) This includes people who have to look professional. I've worked in IT (hospital, professional folks, in person for a lot of stuff) and in software dev. Half of the people at my last job rode their bikes to work. (It was a research group in Seattle) Some of the people I know who don't ride a bike to work are usually people who live in the suburbs, have to commute 10+ miles, and don't exercise anyway.

Don't tell me it's not an option. Unless you have multiple feet of snow or super icey roads (to the point where cars even have trouble getting around) or it's over 100F out... I think biking is always going to be a viable option. Even if it's hot out, you can manage a few miles at a 15mph pace quite fine.

This dude lives in Sacramento. It is a flat place that doesn't get cold. (even in the dead of winter) It might get warm in the summer but 3 miles ain't that much (Definitely isn't going to be peaking temps at 8:00-9:00 in the morning). I'd be surprised if he didn't sweat a lot just from the car being an oven when you first get in.

Biking is a very viable option and if this dude is super lazy (sounds like he doesn't even use his gym membership, TBH) then he can still get an electric bike to power most of the way.

 

[michal1980]

It's my understanding that the Energi is like the regular C-Max hybrid in that it will run the ICE for a couple minutes to get the battery up to temp and also bring the ICE up to operating temp. With that short of a commute you might see about half the value of the Energi premium.

your wrong.

 

[heymrdj]

Apparently 36% of a major city commutes by bicycle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_Copenhagen

Places I've worked and have friends work at, people ride bikes all the time. (And we're not talking 1-3 flat miles. A lot of them ride 5-10+ miles with >1000 ft uphill) This includes people who have to look professional. I've worked in IT (hospital, professional folks, in person for a lot of stuff) and in software dev. Half of the people at my last job rode their bikes to work. (It was a research group in Seattle) Some of the people I know who don't ride a bike to work are usually people who live in the suburbs, have to commute 10+ miles, and don't exercise anyway.

Don't tell me it's not an option. Unless you have multiple feet of snow or super icey roads (to the point where cars even have trouble getting around) or it's over 100F out... I think biking is always going to be a viable option. Even if it's hot out, you can manage a few miles at a 15mph pace quite fine.

This dude lives in Sacramento. It is a flat place that doesn't get cold. (even in the dead of winter) It might get warm in the summer but 3 miles ain't that much (Definitely isn't going to be peaking temps at 8:00-9:00 in the morning). I'd be surprised if he didn't sweat a lot just from the car being an oven when you first get in.

Biking is a very viable option and if this dude is super lazy (sounds like he doesn't even use his gym membership, TBH) then he can still get an electric bike to power most of the way.

Wow you can't be more wrong. Using a whole different culture in a different climate in the world? Don't care what you think, my employees can't come in smelling sweaty. We don't have changing rooms, and we don't have showers. If they can bike in without a drop of sweat, or with a way to wash out in the sink, absolutely they can. Otherwise, they'll be told to go back home and come in looking presentable. These are IT people that meet with end users, no suits and ties or anything, but they are expected to look (and smell) on point.

 

[Greenman]

Electric bicycle might be a good alternative. I think a scooter is overkill for that commute. (And it's worse for the environment and parking is more troublesome)

You park a scooter anywhere you feel like parking it. I always park my scooter right outside the door when I take it to the store.