Have been thinking about leasing my next EV because things are changing fast.

Guessing in a few years a lot of current tech will be a lot less cutting edge and maybe not as desirable in a trade. Buy or lease we pay the depreciation.

Also, by then even more parts might not be available and wouldn't want to be stuck with my car sitting in a dealer lot, waiting for a part while not being in a good position to trade.

Rather have a lease and less worry about owning something might not want to keep.

 

Back in 2018, I sensed the potential for significant changes in EV technology, so I decided to lease a 2018 Bolt EV. By the time my lease ended in 2021, I noticed that the advancements hadn't been as drastic as I had anticipated so I opted to lease a 2022 Bolt EV. Over the past six years, my satisfaction with the Bolt has only grown, leading me to purchase the car at the end of the lease. As of now, there's no other vehicle on the market that I'd prefer to drive. There may be a problem with parts in the future but in the meantime, I’m enjoying my Bolt.

 

I’ve no hard sales numbers, but from what I see on local Chevy lots, the Blazer EV is not selling well at all. Where new Bolts used to be gone in just a few days, and Equinoxs now move quickly, a row of Blazer EVs can sit on the lot for months. It wouldn’t surprise me that dealers now have a big bag of GM incentives available to try to move these things.

 

Price is everything. Every forum post I see is whining about the price of new cars EV or ICE.

 

On Monday, I received in the mails a personalized mailer from a local Chevy Dealer indicating they had a limited "Pre-Presidents Day Sale" for certain qualified Bolt owners to lease a new 2024 Chevy Blazer EV for $3995 down (plus dealer prep, registration and fees) and $89 per month plus sales tax for 24 months.

Now I received one of these once before from this dealer, ran down to the dealer and was informed that the solo car offered on this promotion was, of course, no longer available, so my heart did not beat as fast this time.

But I did notice while using my magnifying glass to read the fine print at the bottom of the mailer, that it did seem to apply to more than one vehicle, so I went over there at about 3:15pm.

To make a long story short, at about 7:30pm, I drove out with a beautiful red Blazer EV by paying $5,310 down total and now $99 per month including sales tax for the next 24 months (i.e., $320 per month for 24 months)! And it was not even one of the listed ones on the mailer; it has more features such as a sun roof.

They claimed that they used rebates for having a Bolt, having a leased car in my household (my daughter drives a leased 2023 Volvo XC60 Recharge Hybrid) and signing up for a GM Credit Card!

I am not even sure what's on it that's missing?!? For sure it does not have the electronic camera rear view mirror of my 2019 Bolt EV, but seems to have everything else I would want, including ACC and this new fangled SuperCruize (which I probably won't use much).

My plan is to go back, after a two year absence, to driving Uber full time and just drown the thing in as many miles as I can get out of it to monetize the deal. Yes, it will be 25 cents per mile after 20,000 miles, but: 1) that amount is not due until after I return it, so I get the use of that money until then; and 2) my Uber income will pay for that extra mileage fee. I will continue to use my Bolt EV for my personal driving.

AND, as I went to Goodyear to get the necessary Vehicle Inspection form needed for Uber today, they claim the VIN indicates it is a 2025 model; not 2024!

So, at my sensitive age as a Senior Citizen, how badly was I taken advantage of?!?

Back in 2019 I was trying to lease the first Hyundai Ioniq, it was $79 a month, and almost no money down. I searched a few dealers, and called all around New England. I was told the only one that qualified for that deal was in Ohio! That sure felt like a scam to get people in the door!

 

My plan is to go back, after a two year absence, to driving Uber full time and just drown the thing in as many miles as I can get out of it to monetize the deal. Yes, it will be 25 cents per mile after 20,000 miles, but: 1) that amount is not due until after I return it, so I get the use of that money until then; and 2) my Uber income will pay for that extra mileage fee. I will continue to use my Bolt EV for my personal driving.

I assume you own the Bolt outright, so there are no mileage limitations. I'd Uber the Blazer for 20K miles, and then use the Bolt for Uber, thus avoiding any extra mileage fees.

 

Thanks for the positive replies; I sure DO like the deal! AND the Blazer is SO big compared to my years of driving a Bolt since January 2, 2017!

After leasing a 2013 Volt for 3 years, I I leased the 2017 for 3 years and actually turned it in 3 months early when I hit the mileage cap in September, 2019 and then purchased a 2019 fully loaded with the incentives they offered me. I drove 50 miles down to an Orange County dealer for the best deal I could find.

I drove Uber part time, then full time, then during the Pandemic, drove one day a week for excursions and then returned to full time Uber driving. I was earning $1.30 per mile and then in December, 2022, they offered a new plan to "help the drivers:" Instead of a base rate, rate by minute and mile, they would tell us exactly how much we would earn when we accepted the ride after a month of this, I did the math and my income dropped to $1 per mile. So I decided I did not want to burn 800-1,000 miles per week for Uber's behalf, and quit driving Uber.



It a roll of the dice, but I hope that the Bolt will have some good years left on it and maybe eventually become my grandson's first car!

Perhaps with $20,000 of mileage penalty in early 2027, it might be worth buying it and selling it and/or getting some other GM product; or just pay it off with the money I earned from Uber!

Maybe a mix of the two, since both will be authorized to drive for Uber!

 

You weren't scammed at all. They didn't get you. $ 320 a month is a great deal. Actually, for just $ 1555.- more than the loss leader cars advertised, you got a better optioned car. Sounds like a win win.
So enjoy your new 2025 Blazer in good health!

 

Cash spent four years ago on new 2020 Bolt is way better than laying out a bunch of cash now or debt in the future.

Maybe not better than some other option, but too late to think about that.

Faster charging, more range, better charging infrastructure, and a great deal might get me out of the ICE SUV sitting around waiting to take a cruise.

No hurry

 

Idk how to financially evaluate a lease vs purchase, but it sure seems like a great deal to me.
All the best!

 

Something here doesn't compute for me. No, not with this lease deal, but rather with the vehicle prices.
I was on a GM dealer's lot in December of 2024 and saw Equinox EVs with sticker prices generally between $50-$55K. Blazer EV's were $74-$76K. The Silverado pickups (only two on the lot) were the same price as the Blazers.

How in heck does GM think they're going to sell the Blazer EV at that price point? Looking at it beside the Silverado, I'd take the pickup ANY day for the same money.

The Equinox EV needs to come down quite a bit in price before I would be able to consider one - that's more than twice what I paid for my '23 Bolt EV with only 25,000km on the clock. There ain't no way the Equinox is twice the vehicle compared to my Bolt.

Maybe I'm too "value oriented" or something...

(Prices in CAD$, plus freight, PDI etc and then add 13% sales tax - maybe there's a $5500 rebate available, or not. The final tab is up there in nosebleed territory for me.)

 

How in heck does GM think they're going to sell the Blazer EV at that price point?

I’m guessing they’re not selling at that price point. Maybe the big SUV fad is fading and people aren’t willing to overpay for them anymore.

The gasoline Blazer is already on the chopping block; maybe GM making an electric Blazer was a bad idea, too.

GM Will Reportedly Stop Selling the Chevy Blazer in North America

The gas-fed Blazer could get the axe after the 2025 model year, as GM is expected to drop some ICE SUVs from its lineup.

www.caranddriver.com

saw Equinox EVs with sticker prices generally between $50-$55K

Equinox pricing in Canada appears to be following a different strategy than in the US. The Convenience Packages are much lower (and reasonably) priced in Canada, but the base Equinox EV pricing is higher. Chevrolet US is playing a different game to get the base Eq EV price low (perhaps for bragging rights), but pricing the option packages very high. Dealers very rarely have a no-option base model but Chevy can say the Equinox EV starts at $35K.

 

On Monday, I received in the mails a personalized mailer from a local Chevy Dealer indicating they had a limited "Pre-Presidents Day Sale" for certain qualified Bolt owners to lease a new 2024 Chevy Blazer EV for $3995 down (plus dealer prep, registration and fees) and $89 per month plus sales tax for 24 months.

Now I received one of these once before from this dealer, ran down to the dealer and was informed that the solo car offered on this promotion was, of course, no longer available, so my heart did not beat as fast this time.

But I did notice while using my magnifying glass to read the fine print at the bottom of the mailer, that it did seem to apply to more than one vehicle, so I went over there at about 3:15pm.

To make a long story short, at about 7:30pm, I drove out with a beautiful red Blazer EV by paying $5,310 down total and now $99 per month including sales tax for the next 24 months (i.e., $320 per month for 24 months)! And it was not even one of the listed ones on the mailer; it has more features such as a sun roof.

They claimed that they used rebates for having a Bolt, having a leased car in my household (my daughter drives a leased 2023 Volvo XC60 Recharge Hybrid) and signing up for a GM Credit Card!

I am not even sure what's on it that's missing?!? For sure it does not have the electronic camera rear view mirror of my 2019 Bolt EV, but seems to have everything else I would want, including ACC and this new fangled SuperCruize (which I probably won't use much).

My plan is to go back, after a two year absence, to driving Uber full time and just drown the thing in as many miles as I can get out of it to monetize the deal. Yes, it will be 25 cents per mile after 20,000 miles, but: 1) that amount is not due until after I return it, so I get the use of that money until then; and 2) my Uber income will pay for that extra mileage fee. I will continue to use my Bolt EV for my personal driving.

AND, as I went to Goodyear to get the necessary Vehicle Inspection form needed for Uber today, they claim the VIN indicates it is a 2025 model; not 2024!

So, at my sensitive age as a Senior Citizen, how badly was I taken advantage of?!?

Uber drivers do not get rich. Leases are based on artificially high residuals. You will get stung trying to buy yours out as the market is same for a year old used as a two year old residual price you'd have to pay, even with saving the $400 turn in fee for not purchasing. You are far better giving the car back and buying used if you still love the car. Look up realistic used prices on autotempest.com to see what I mean.

 

I didn't find any reference to the lease deal.

Uber will be out of a job if the self-driving cars show up. Not just Tesla but a few companies. Short the stock.

 

Gm likes to start high, causing people to think that they are getting a great deal with massive discounts

 

While price is important, for many buyers if we want it and think we can afford it price and interest on the balance is less important than the payments or the term.

jmo

 

For true. The best car salesmen know, "Get to the monthlies and you'll get the ink."

jack vines, who doesn't do monthlies on anything, ever.

 

Since we keep our vehicles a long time, 100% cash up front has worked best for us.

Each time, just for drill, we negotiate the outright, the monthlies, the one-payment lease and the 36-month lease and always end up buying.

Having said that, just now, GM so badly wants to move the Equinox and Blazer EVs, their lease deals are as good as we've ever seen. Unfortunately, they're on a bigger platform than we need.

jack vines

 

That lease deal seems to correlate to pretty attractive purchase deals.

We’ve had a Bolt since 2018 and went to look at EVs to replace our minivan back in November with the potential loss of the fed credit looming. We weren’t planning on pulling the trigger so fast, but we ended up with a Blazer EV. We also drove the equinox, prologue, and Kia EV9.

The equinox and blazer seemed very similar w/r/t cargo space, but the cabin in the blazer FELT much larger (whether true or not). Although the equinox starts a bit less $$ than the blazer, the sale $$ for the ones we found available were actually pretty close. Discounts took >$15k off the blazer before trade in, plus 0% for 72 months to help on the “‘monthlies” : ).