Sell my 2018 Clarity or not?

Discussion in 'Clarity' started by Valente, Jan 11, 2023.

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  1. Valente

    Valente Active Member

    I have a 2018 Clarity with 84,000 mi. It's in excellent condition. I am tempted to sell it via KBB for around $17,000. Only reason I'm selling it I need the money. I use to drive to LA for work but no longer drive there anymore. But I am also afraid that since it's the first year model I've heard rumblings about some issues with first year model. However, I've had very little problems with the car and maintain it regularly. I LOVE this car. The best car I've ever owned. I was hoping to keep it up to 150,000 mi and really hate to part with it. Does anyone have a 2018 Clarity with vey high mileage with no issues? Would love to hear back. Thanks.
     
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  3. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    I'm sorry you need to sell your Clarity for financial reasons. I'd miss mine a lot if I had to sell it. I doubt the upcoming Prius Prime will match the Clarity's 47-mile EPA EV range and I'll be surprised if it can match my Clarity Touring's comfort level. So there's no car on the horizon that can replace a Clarity PHEV for what it is.

    I have one of the first 2017 Claritys. I've had problems with rusty brake rotors, but I assume any year Clarity (or most any car) in a non-desert environment that is driven as seldom as mine has this problem. What negative rumblings have you heard about the 2017 Clarity PHEV?
     
  4. Valente

    Valente Active Member

    I thought 2018 was the first year for the Clarity? I didn't know 2017 was first year. I've heard rumblings mostly about AC problems - which I had the first 2 years. They finally fixed it but it took months and months for them to get AC parts....I think due to pandemic. I was considering the new Prius but they are too small. The Clarity is SO comfortable and just the right size for me. I'm having second thoughts now about selling it because it is paid for. I will really miss it! I see that used Claritys with 80,000 miles + are selling for about $19,000/ So I guess dealer is offering me $17,000. Ugh. Such a dilemma! Thanks for your response.
     
  5. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Oops, I goofed when editing my post to make it shorter. I bought my 2018 Clarity in 2017 (there was a 2017 Clarity Electric, but they only leased that model). I did have the A/C condenser leaking problem soon after taking delivery, but I forgot about it. The only other problem I've had was my 12-Volt battery going dead--probably because I didn't drive my Clarity for 2 months. That battery worked fine for another year after recharging it, but I replaced it 6 months ago.

    Instead, sell the stuff your kids are expecting you to store for them forever.
     
  6. ClarityBill

    ClarityBill Active Member

    I have 195,000+ on my 2018 Clarity. I think it is a January 2018 build date.

    I hit a deer in January, and the insurance company totaled it. I never took it off the road, so I bought it out from the insurance company, installed a new headlight, and kept it driving it. Then I hit a bear in August, and lost part of the left front fender, but I still drive it.

    I have the leaking AC condenser. I had a bad front wheel bearing at 80K miles. One front brake rotor went bad (pad ground down to metal), probably because of uneven rust.

    For maintenance, I have been changing the oil as per the maintenance minder, and rotate the tires. I have not replaced the brake fluid, or any other additional maintenance recommended. I bought spark plugs from Rock Auto, and will probably get them installed someday.

    I use the heater in the winter, so I only get about 25 miles on EV, but I only got 28 miles EV when it was new in the winter. I am in upstate New York, so temperatures are regularly below 32F. This year, I installed 4 snow tires, so that would affect EV miles. I have been meaning to check battery capacity again, but I think I am still within 15-20% of new, and work has been busy. (The messed up front end has to really affect the aerodynamics, also.)

    The insurance company only valued the car at $12,000 with 120,000 miles. If I could get another Clarity for that price, I would be very tempted to buy it. (Scrap value of the car was $5,000.)
     
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  8. Valente

    Valente Active Member

    195,000+ miles!!! Awesome! Your reply has convinced me not to sell it. I am 80 years old and it is the best car I've ever owned. I've had at least 20+ cars in my lifetime. Thanks so much for your response.
     
  9. megreyhair

    megreyhair Active Member

    If you drive mainly in EV, and be gentle with the 'gas' pedal (so the motor winding won't burn out), then I think the electric motor will last forever, except for the motor bearing. Electric motor can last a lot longer then ISE. Can't say the same for other opponents in the car, like brakes, AC, belts, brushing, tie rods, struts,etc
    @Valente sorry to say this but I think the car might out last you! :)
     
  10. Valente

    Valente Active Member

    That is the funniest reply ever! I hope the car does outlast me...and it probably will cause I'm a little old man who drives like a little old lady.
     
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  11. Dan Albrich

    Dan Albrich Well-Known Member

    I hope you get to keep your car. But totally understand sometimes the money is required. I do think the Clarity is a bit unique. Maybe the closest comparator in the same ball-park price wise might be a RAV4 Prime. i.e. Standard or better size vehicle, EV range to cover most commutes, PHEV so it can run on gas as needed.

    But even that being said, there appears to be at least a 15K delta between Clarity and RAV4 Prime. i.e. the ones I see here (if I do) go for about 50K, which is not same as 35K even if one can get the rebates on RAV4 Prime. And of course its the same thing as the housing market; you can sell a house for what seems like a lot of money, but the one you want to purchase is similarly marked up.

    For me, and I did pre-pandemic have some vehicle desires (ie. thought about replacing my truck with RAV4 Prime), decided to be happy with what I have. The supply of what I might like to buy is abysmal and hard to get sometimes means unavailable, and minimally means price marked up.

    Edit: one last anecdote. My university employer (state) started trying to buy a RAV4 Prime for work about 18 months ago. No gotty, and its never gonna happen. We have contracted rates which don't work when retail pays 6 or more thousand above MSRP. They just tell us none available, and sell to private customer at higher rates.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2023
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  13. StickWare

    StickWare Active Member

    Wow. I always had the most miles but I’ve had other cars for last two years. My Clarity has 172K. I haven’t had issues other that dumb things I’ve done. Lol



    Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
     
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  14. DaleL

    DaleL Active Member

    I've had no problems with my 2018 Clarity. It has almost 57,000 miles on it. However, last Friday 1/13/2023, Tesla reduced the price of the Model Y by $13,000. That put some trims under the $55,000 MSRP cap needed to qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit. After consulting with my wife, I ordered a blue Model Y long range. We test drove a Model Y yesterday. Tesla offered and I accepted $18,500 for my Clarity as a trade-in. (Used car prices are dropping significantly.) We are scheduled to pickup our new Tesla this Saturday, 1/21/2023.

    I really liked my Clarity during the nearly 5 years that I have owned it. It is comfortable and quiet. It is quirky though and it is a sedan.
     
  15. David Towle

    David Towle Well-Known Member

    I picked up our price cut Model Y today. So far it seems almost as great as my Clarity, but of course there is a huge power difference. Its a replacement for our VW ID.4 that got totaled.
     
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  16. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    A Tesla certainly has more power than a Clarity PHEV and you can pack a lot more stuff into a Model Y. Tesla's Supercharger network is amazing (at least until Elon makes a deal to open it up to all EVs). I don't like the Model Y and 3's interiors compared to the Clarity's interior, however.

    I feel sorry for the people who bought a Y just before it got $13K cheaper. Is Tesla doing anything for these customers?

    Tesla pet-peeve time. Why does Elon insist that only S and X customers are allowed to have instrumentation in front of the driver? Why not sell an extra-cost HUD for the 3 and Y? Alternatively, offer a pay-to-unlock Bluetooth data stream that lets 3rd-party developers provide HUD capability.
     
  17. DaleL

    DaleL Active Member

    It is true that they got "burned". However, used car prices have been dropping fast. Those, who traded a car in for their Tesla last summer, were somewhat compensated by a significantly higher trade in value. Then early December, Tesla had a $3,750 incentive for Model 3 and Y cars. This was raised to $7,500 during the end of December. So from Tesla's perspective, the Model Y incentive became permanent and added another $5,500 to drive sales. However, from a customer perspective, with the tax credit, the Model Y effectively became $13,000 cheaper than one at the end of 2022 and $20,500 than one in November.
     
  18. David Towle

    David Towle Well-Known Member

    I feel a little sympathy for them, not sorry. I would never have bought a Tesla at the pre price cut prices given the competition that is on the market. Markets change.
    I just bought a little unit that slips into the air vent in front of the driver and shows speed and a few other things. $35 at Amazon. We'll see how it works.
     
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  19. marshall

    marshall Well-Known Member

    I don't feel sorry for anyone who bought before December. I've been predicting for months that Tesla would lower their prices in 2023. Anyone with half a brain could see that happening if Tesla was serious about increasing production 50% year-over-year.

    As far as December, I suspect folks where canceling their orders due to the tax credit in 2023 so that precipitated the first discount of $3,750. Then at the end of December the treasury department announced the March delay, and the Model Y sliding out of the SUV category. That precipitated the additional discount. So I think one can blame or thank the treasury department depending if you are a winner or loser.

    I still think there will be a standard range Model Y sometime between July and the end of year, priced somewhere between $45,000 and $50,000, probably closer to $45,000 then $50,000.
     
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  20. marshall

    marshall Well-Known Member

    As far as compensation, I guess Tesla could offer a discount on FSD with the understanding that any hardware updates are not included in the price.
     
  21. David Towle

    David Towle Well-Known Member

    I've seen here and other places discussion of Tesla "compensating" customers over their price decrease. I don't get it. Why do people think Tesla owes the buyers any compensation?
    When egg prices go down will the farms owe us money? (This is a joke son, a joke)
     
  22. How many people bought a Tesla a week or so before there was a price increase? Remember the rapid fire price increases last year? Did they all zip back to the store and pony up the difference because they got a better deal yesterday than the buyer today?

    Negative. Sometimes it’s the chicken, sometimes it’s the feathers.

    At least Clarity owners had the decency to not moan about a dealer incentive that was offered after they paid MSRP for the car. Of course, there’s always a possibility that the Fairness Brigade will squirt out a Tesla Loan Forgiveness Program.
     
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  23. marshall

    marshall Well-Known Member

    FSD is just software as long as they don't have to upgrade the hardware. Discount it $5,000 and pick up an easy $10,000.
     

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