Blasphemy

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CuriousGeorge

Well-Known Member
My SE is the first EV I have owned, and I didn't really know how well it would fit my lifestyle. I therefore hung onto my Mazda 3 until I figured things out. Fast-forward 3+ years, and I love my SE to the point that I don't drive it the winter, or even when it might rain, just to keep it clean. Unfortunately, the Mazda now has 165k miles, needs a lot of work (shocks, clutch, exhaust), and is starting to rust. So, what to do? The cheapest option is to just get some winter wheels for the SE and not have two cars. OTOH, I could replace the Mazda with something a bit newer/more reliable. If so, what? Possibilities I have considered so far are 1) an ICE MINI, 2) a Chevy Bolt, 3) a newer Mazda 3, and 4) a Honda Fit (see the theme here?). Any other suggestions? Budget is $20k or less.
 
CuriousGeorge said:
My SE is the first EV I have owned, and I didn't really know how well it would fit my lifestyle. I therefore hung onto my Mazda 3 until I figured things out. Fast-forward 3+ years, and I love my SE to the point that I don't drive it the winter, or even when it might rain, just to keep it clean. Unfortunately, the Mazda now has 165k miles, needs a lot of work (shocks, clutch, exhaust), and is starting to rust. So, what to do? The cheapest option is to just get some winter wheels for the SE and not have two cars. OTOH, I could replace the Mazda with something a bit newer/more reliable. If so, what? Possibilities I have considered so far are 1) an ICE MINI, 2) a Chevy Bolt, 3) a newer Mazda 3, and 4) a Honda Fit (see the theme here?). Any other suggestions? Budget is $20k or less.
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I admire your protective instincts. To keep my first new car, a 1973 Porsche 914 2.0, out of the salt, I rode my bicycle 7 miles to work every winter (I couldn't afford a 2nd car with my Porsche payments). I piled the logs for the fireplace behind my 914 in the garage to ensure I wouldn't go soft on the nastiest, icy days.

No manufacturers are hinting that they will be bringing anything like our MINI Cooper SEs to the US. You're on the right track with your sacrificial candidates.

Now I'm feeling a little guilty for enjoying my SE all year round.
 
What could be better than one MINI SE? Two MINI SEs. Cars.com has a few of them available for $20k (though used prices seem to have gone up about 20% over the last few months).
 
Qisl said:
What could be better than one MINI SE? Two MINI SEs. Cars.com has a few of them available for $20k (though used prices seem to have gone up about 20% over the last few months).
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I've thought about it! But, it seems like more of an indulgence than I am up for. $20k on a 2nd car is one thing, but $20k on another short-range EV exactly like the first is another.
 
Our 2023 SE has full coverage Xpel PPF and ceramic coating. It goes in once a year for a complete detail and ceramic refresh. The black parts are so easy to scratch that it bothered me. The car was paint corrected before the Xpel was applied and now it is so easy to wash the car. I'm not concerned with swirl marks anymore as the Xpel is "supposed to be self-healing" (it actually is, there was a scuff on our Taycan Cross Turismo and the scuff dissapeared after leaving the car in the sun per instructions).

I realize PPF is not for everyone, but the exterior is so much easier to keep clean now.
 
Not to be Debby Downer, but can you get a descent preloved car for $20K? Have you priced what the repair items would be on the Mazda, or are we at diminishing returns? At least you know the history.
 
Busdriver said:
Not to be Debby Downer, but can you get a descent preloved car for $20K? Have you priced what the repair items would be on the Mazda, or are we at diminishing returns? At least you know the history.
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I guess that depends on how you define decent, but 3-6 y old models of all three of the examples I mentioned are available at the price point. Right now I am vacillating between a Fit Sport (Honda reliability, cloth-but-quite-serviceable interior, but ICE) and a Chevy Bolt (EV, but I'm not a fan of either the original interior or the post-LCI exterior). It's a bit harder to find a nice Mazda 3 hatchback with under 60k miles for that price, but I've come across a few. However, Mazda has gone so up-scale with their interiors that I'd feel a bit guilty using it as my winter car.

I have considered just continuing to pour money into the my old car, as that would be the least expensive option. But, as I mentioned it needs new shocks, exhaust, and clutch, which Google AI estimates would cost between $2800 and $5450, depending on whether a new catalytic converter is required or not (based on the sound the exhaust is rusted-through somewhere closer to the engine than the rear of the car, but I haven't investigated to determine exactly where). Moreover, even if those problems were addressed it is starting to rust rather badly, the tech is outdated (stopped automatically connecting to Bluetooth after a phone update), and of course the Takata airbag was recalled long-ago but no replacement is available. Thus, it seems like after 165k miles it is time to move on.

First world problems, eh?
 
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