As an enthusiastic EV owner (we have two and started with one in 2018) I would still be cautious about recommending one without a home (or work) charger. However if you have a local Tesla charging station I can see that might persuade you as the best option without access to home charging. Tesla aren’t my choice for various reasons but their charge network is very good in some places.
Best advice for the EV shy is to rent one for a week, or weekend. Living with it will help your choices about EVs in general as well as which model.
Range anxiety is largely a myth in our experience*. Plan a bit, include breaks in your schedule etc. We’ve toured NW Scotland in our EV6 for example without issues. The infrastructure improvements from when we started are obvious every time we go on a long unfamiliar journey. The in-car information is better now too, both for finding chargers and showing accurate range.
Bruce
*Anxiety about having range anxiety is of course a thing.
@porkyg mentioned “I believe indicators have been removed from Tesla cars already”
Yes, that was part of my point, perhaps not stated that well. The new Model 3 has moved the direction indicator function to the steering wheel. Etc.
Agree use of indicators by the driving population may be reducing, but that is another point. Perhaps influenced by how difficult or not the driver finds it to use indicators.
When we went through the process of buying our Discovery Sport I found out that if I had built my car via the website and added options over the standard spec for the model then we were told that it would be approximately a 4-6 month wait.
But, if I worked out which options I really wanted the dealer could look through the group’s stock and I may be able to get one quickly, as there weren’t any factory fit options that we wanted we just went for the colour we liked and they had that in stock, we were able to collect a week later.
Without knowing the way VW work I would guess that if you asked for a model they had within the dealership/group stock you could have the car quickly but if you want to specify what you want, then you can, but you wait.
They may have the ID.x models I’m not sure but for the Tiguan light hybrid it’s at least 6 months I’m told with virtually no stock at dealerships. I can’t charge at home so VW would not be an option AFAICS, only Tesla with the free charging for a year and cheaper costs for Tesla vehicles vs other brands.
Yes I was but my insurance company can’t give me a quote without a registration number - AFAIK the new vehicles aren’t registered (will check tomorrow) but why can’t they just quote on a known spec?
If I hand the current VW back I could be slapped with a load of charges - I’ve had it almost 6 years which is exceptional for a contract hire vehicle they say (long story).
I kerbed the passenger front wheel when my late father was unwell and I rushed to park outside a chemists some years ago not realising the kerb was curved and high - not awful but enough to be charged for replacement/repair. Another wheel has some scuffs from a pothole. The new alloys would be £800 each.
I consider it wear and tear after 6 years but there’s a hole in the driver carpet where the heel of my shoe has rested on this automatic vehicle slightly to the left of the mat - dealer told me yesterday that to replace the whole carpet (removal of seats required as suspected) would be over £1200.
It passed the MOT yesterday but there’s a screw in one of the tyres - £250 if I don’t fix it, unsure if it can be repaired and good tread left. This is bloody annoying as Mrs AC’s new car (800 miles) had a screw in the tyre a few weeks ago - same wheel position (rear offside) so I’m rather suspicious about this ‘coincidence’.
So do I hand the current vehicle back or buy it as I can live with wheel scuffs and carpet issues and the tyre issue is advisory but on the MOT report. Drat, drat, drat.
If I buy it BCA want £3000 more than they did 12 months ago (and I’ve paid leasing for another 12 months) - is that a sign these older diesels are in demand??? Something isn’t right.
Car ownership certainly isn’t a cheap pastime is it, owned both the Mk 1 and 2 models of the Tiguan (2.0 ltr diesel DSG) its a great car, and if a EV or even PHEV version would have been available, it would have been top of the list, when we went Electric, unfortunately, it wasn’t.
You mentioned test driving the Cupra (I presume thats the Born? ) have you considered the Skoda range, especially the new Skoda Elroq? its been getting good reviews.
Whatever you decide in the future, regarding going EV, I’m sure like many others that have converted, it’s something you won’t regret.
It’s the new Formentor actually, apparently based on the T-Roc chassis (Mrs AC’s car). It looks much more interesting than current VW offerings.
The Tiguan’s slightly larger size is the main thing putting me off the Tesla Model Y purely for shifting things about which doesn’t happen often but is handy when you need to (today!).
I realise that you aren’t from the classic car world where things get repaired rather than the modern way of bin it and buy new.
All of the above issues you mention can be repaired at much less cost than you mention.
Get the wheels and carpet repaired, a proper valet (not one of the petrol station type) and you’ll still be in pocket.
A clar bar, mop any scratches and a polish will make it look loke new.
Tip for you, if you remove the rear seat squab you often find that there is some excess you cam trim some off for the repair needed. Then put the seat back.
Second tip. Unless you ‘own’ the car always use car mats. I’m surprised it doesn’t have factory fit mats
I probably am to be honest, just don’t have the skills myself - only had 4 cars in 40 years - a Datsun Cherry as a student (father’s mate sold it to me), then a Nissan Sunny (excellent spec it seemed for the price secondhand), next a Golf I bought new in 2006 which was written off by an upturned manhole cover on a country lane followed by current contract hire Tiguan. Loved the Golf and suspect I’d still have it today had it not been written off. This PCP/Contract hire stuff is completely alien to me but seemed like a good option at the time.
Have always tended to keep cars for long long periods as if they do the job that’s all I really want.
It did come with mats - never had an automatic before but it meant resting my left foot on what I assumed to be a plastic footrest, can only assume my shoe heels sat slightly to the left of the mat.
Insurance company should be able to quote, blimey I did just that on the big compare sites ahead of buying ours to get an idea of potential cost, just put in not purchased yet.
If I knew of someone locally who could do the carpet repair I’d be on it like a shot.
The wheels are 20" alloys and would need diamond cut repairs apparently - something I’ve never done before but most quotes I’ve had have been quite high. If VW/BCA can repair I suspect they will probably be able to more cheaply than I can source, but still wonder if they’ll try to sting me for £800 to replace alloys instead of repairing.
