I'm new to this forum. I have had a deposit of $1000 for over a year now waiting to order a new Tesla 3. My current car is my 2011 Lexus CT200h I purchased new 7 years ago (has 137K miles on it currently, replaced the hybrid battery in it last year). Now that Tesla has opened up ordering for everyone (gee, thanks a lot Tesla. I've only been waiting for over a year for this and now anyone can order it). So, I went and looked and test drove a new 2018 Bolt Premier last weekend. The dealer has a black model, grey grill inserts on front. Not sure exactly what equipment it has but nicely loaded. Sticker price is about $43,500. He tells me after driving it I can buy it for $37,209. Not sure if this is a good or great price or if I should jump on that deal. As I was leaving , he did say it is the last day of the month and kind of threw out there that with an offer I could possibly get it a little better, maybe another $1,000 off. I would love to lease this car as the technology is changing so much and so rapidly it would be nice to walk away in 3 years. My concerns about the car itself are: I have read that the seats are just way too small and not enough padding makes them uncomfortable. Yes, I drove it briefly but didn't read all the seat info before I went down to drive it. Also, for a car of this price, it would have been nice to have power seats (at least one on the drivers side). I think I am pretty much giving up on getting the Tesla as even at the sale price minus the $7,500 tax incentive this car is half the price of the Tesla 3 which I have priced out at $57K. Also, not sure if his car has the $750 upgrade for the faster charging unit but would definitely want that too. Need some help on pulling the trigger now or waiting since I'm not desperate to do this (after all, my Lexus drives fine). When are best incentives? One thing that I can't believe is looking online, a few dealers local to me are still sitting with 2017 models new on the lot. You would think they would be hungry to give a great deal on one of these cars.
Thinking of Purchasing (or leasing) a New Bolt
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I think Tesla is just shakin' out the bushes to see which rez holders are ready to pop for the $57K TM3, and which rez holders are holding out for the mystic $35K TM3.
If you have $57K budgeted for a mid-luxury EV, have you considered the Jaguar I Pace?
Bondguy. $37,000ish for a premiere is a great price. I've seen some well equipped LT's in the $32,000 range lately with the 2 convenience packages and DC fastcharge.
For me, the LT is fine but the blind spot monitoring has saved me more than once. A bolt without it is a deal breaker for me. I have yet to use the DC fastcharge but some swear by it as it really depends where you are going.
As for the seats, I have found they get better with time. I always have to pull my wallet out to sit in them properly. I am 6'-3" and 250lbs. Its a snug fit but way more leg and head room than my 14 camry. Other than that I have no issues with them. If it is a concern then do what I did...go to the dealer, turn the car on and listen to the radio for 2 hours...then you will know. Sounds strange but it worked for me.
As for the technology let me remind you that the Bolt has now been out for 1.5 years and there is STILL no competition. The Tesla is still way, way too expensive ($49,000+) and no other car has the range for the price. The I Pace is not a fair comparison at $70,000+. We are still waiting to see the long range Nissan Leaf with thermal cooling...the kona and niro will start in compliance states from what I hear but when?
The Bolt gives me all the technology I need as a daily commuter. I spend 3 hours a day in it. I still get in it every morning and love driving it as much as the first day. And my $10,000 in tax crefits didn't hurt either. Glad I got my Tesla Model 3 refund check 8 months ago and listened to my wife to test drive the Bolt. Its like an old Volkswagon GTI on steroids. I have over 32,000 miles and she has been rock solid so far.
Its all the car I need...for a long time to come.
Good luck.
For me, the LT is fine but the blind spot monitoring has saved me more than once. A bolt without it is a deal breaker for me. I have yet to use the DC fastcharge but some swear by it as it really depends where you are going.
As for the seats, I have found they get better with time. I always have to pull my wallet out to sit in them properly. I am 6'-3" and 250lbs. Its a snug fit but way more leg and head room than my 14 camry. Other than that I have no issues with them. If it is a concern then do what I did...go to the dealer, turn the car on and listen to the radio for 2 hours...then you will know. Sounds strange but it worked for me.
As for the technology let me remind you that the Bolt has now been out for 1.5 years and there is STILL no competition. The Tesla is still way, way too expensive ($49,000+) and no other car has the range for the price. The I Pace is not a fair comparison at $70,000+. We are still waiting to see the long range Nissan Leaf with thermal cooling...the kona and niro will start in compliance states from what I hear but when?
The Bolt gives me all the technology I need as a daily commuter. I spend 3 hours a day in it. I still get in it every morning and love driving it as much as the first day. And my $10,000 in tax crefits didn't hurt either. Glad I got my Tesla Model 3 refund check 8 months ago and listened to my wife to test drive the Bolt. Its like an old Volkswagon GTI on steroids. I have over 32,000 miles and she has been rock solid so far.
Its all the car I need...for a long time to come.
Good luck.
Since this thread is discussing prices, I’ll just drop in and ask if anyone has thoughts about what a reasonable price for stripped down LT would be? I don’t care if it’s a 2018 or 2019 (just need to buy it this year). I’m in Northern California. The ads I see don’t show any barebones LTs and they start at 37K (plus tax and delivery charges and all that) which seems like a lot. I don’t want or need the fast charger, and other add-ons. Just the black bowties 
(Hoping for a Black Metallic.)
It’s going to be a Bolt for sure. I’m in Tesla country here in NorCal, and see them all the time, but the Model 3 is not as thrilling as the S, which is out of my price range (not to mention could I ever even get one?). A 3 was parked on my street recently so I got a good look. It was lovely but did not have the stylistic oomph of the S (at least in my view). Plus a hatchback is more useful. In any case, I’m trying to figure out how to not spend too much money on a new car. I have not bought a car in years (still driving a 2001 Toyota Avalon I inherited from my mother which is rock solid reliable) so any advice would be welcome. I guess I don’t know if I can expect a discount on the 37K here in this superheated Bay Area economy? I’ll be keeping the Avalon so I won’t have a trade in.
I test drove a Bolt while in Southern California and I know I like it and now the challenge is to get a good deal, or as good as I can.
Many thanks to all who participate on the forum -- I have been following it for a few months with great interest and have learned quite a lot -- I appreciate the discussions.
(Hoping for a Black Metallic.) It’s going to be a Bolt for sure. I’m in Tesla country here in NorCal, and see them all the time, but the Model 3 is not as thrilling as the S, which is out of my price range (not to mention could I ever even get one?). A 3 was parked on my street recently so I got a good look. It was lovely but did not have the stylistic oomph of the S (at least in my view). Plus a hatchback is more useful. In any case, I’m trying to figure out how to not spend too much money on a new car. I have not bought a car in years (still driving a 2001 Toyota Avalon I inherited from my mother which is rock solid reliable) so any advice would be welcome. I guess I don’t know if I can expect a discount on the 37K here in this superheated Bay Area economy? I’ll be keeping the Avalon so I won’t have a trade in.
I test drove a Bolt while in Southern California and I know I like it and now the challenge is to get a good deal, or as good as I can.
Many thanks to all who participate on the forum -- I have been following it for a few months with great interest and have learned quite a lot -- I appreciate the discussions.
I purchased a pre-owned LT a few Months ago. The pre-owned market for Bolt's is sobering and a testament to how folks that drive them simply will not part with them. Even though there are probably over 30,000 Bolts on the road, only about 0015% are ever offered for resale. 31 total Nationwide listed on Autotrader right now. Thus, even for a year and a half old Bolt with almost 20,000 miles on it can still fetch just a $thousand or two less than a discounted new Bolt (not everyone can, or wants to take advantage of the tax credit).
If you keep your eyes open, and $ at the ready, a deal will pop up. Perhaps a low mileage Bolt $10K less than MSRP. Don't be afraid to buy pre-owned out of state.
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158 Posts
A premier with DC fast charging, infotainment and driver confidence comes to $43,510, which is likely how your potential purchase is equipped. 37K sounds like a very good price, which would drop to $26.5 after the federal tax credit, assuming you can take advantage of it.
The dealer can give you a breakdown of pricing, listing their dealership discount along with any state, local, utility company discounts so you'll have a better understanding of how they arrived at their figure. This is also the time to see how generous a trade-in allowance would be if you have one.
It is kind of crazy that GM doesn't build enough cars to meet global demand, yet they're willing to be generous with pricing.
I didn't want the confidence package but accepted it because I wanted the infotainment, and all three premiers in my area with the upgraded sound had both packages. Now though I can't picture myself buying a car without a similar package, primarily because of blind spot detection. It's a real convenience to glance at the side mirror and know before looking back whether someone is beside me. If clear, a quick glance over the shoulder to confirm, then on with the lane change. It's a feature that's used every time I drive.
The review mirror screen is another feature I thought I'd never use as it's awkward to use while driving. But it's now instinct to activate it each time I put the car in reverse. No worries about hitting a small child or animal that might not be visible below the hatch back. Hand in hand with cross traffic detection, the hazards that come with backing up are greatly reduced.
The dealer can give you a breakdown of pricing, listing their dealership discount along with any state, local, utility company discounts so you'll have a better understanding of how they arrived at their figure. This is also the time to see how generous a trade-in allowance would be if you have one.
It is kind of crazy that GM doesn't build enough cars to meet global demand, yet they're willing to be generous with pricing.
I didn't want the confidence package but accepted it because I wanted the infotainment, and all three premiers in my area with the upgraded sound had both packages. Now though I can't picture myself buying a car without a similar package, primarily because of blind spot detection. It's a real convenience to glance at the side mirror and know before looking back whether someone is beside me. If clear, a quick glance over the shoulder to confirm, then on with the lane change. It's a feature that's used every time I drive.
The review mirror screen is another feature I thought I'd never use as it's awkward to use while driving. But it's now instinct to activate it each time I put the car in reverse. No worries about hitting a small child or animal that might not be visible below the hatch back. Hand in hand with cross traffic detection, the hazards that come with backing up are greatly reduced.
Joined
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148 Posts
I would jump on it, you guys down in the US are so lucky to have great availability for the Bolt EV.
Here in Canada, people wait for months to get one. Even the new Nissan Leaf takes months to wait for after putting a deposit.
I waited about 6 months for my first premier which I paid cash at full price minus government incentives. I did order a second premier 2 months ago and got lucky to have 3rd spot allocation at my local dealer for a 2019 model year. I’m also buying it outright in cash when I take delivery.
Interestingly, the dealer also mentioned that all allocations for the 2019 models have already been filled. That probably means anyone who orders now might have to wait for the 2020 model year.
Never mind Tesla, unless you can afford it comfortably and sleep well without worrying about your finances; It’s just like any other luxury item.
I see lots in my neighbourhood now: model S,X and 3s. A lot (not all) are driven by young adults who live in smaller homes and some still live with their folks or extended families in larger homes similar to the size of mine.
Here in Canada, people wait for months to get one. Even the new Nissan Leaf takes months to wait for after putting a deposit.
I waited about 6 months for my first premier which I paid cash at full price minus government incentives. I did order a second premier 2 months ago and got lucky to have 3rd spot allocation at my local dealer for a 2019 model year. I’m also buying it outright in cash when I take delivery.
Interestingly, the dealer also mentioned that all allocations for the 2019 models have already been filled. That probably means anyone who orders now might have to wait for the 2020 model year.
Never mind Tesla, unless you can afford it comfortably and sleep well without worrying about your finances; It’s just like any other luxury item.
I see lots in my neighbourhood now: model S,X and 3s. A lot (not all) are driven by young adults who live in smaller homes and some still live with their folks or extended families in larger homes similar to the size of mine.
I preferred to lease my 2017 bolt premier cause trading in my 2015 Nissan leaf SL with all options only got me $9500 and the 2015 leaf had 10,000 miles !! ( I bought the leaf in sept 2014 so had it for 3 yrs ) Thus I learned about the trade in value for these electric cars . I like driving electric but Georgia used to give advantages for driving electric but now they screw us with $220+ car registration ( ICE cars only cost $20).
And GA no longer gives a state rebate like when I got my 2015 leaf . In 2 yrs I'll decide if I want to stay electric or maybe go back to plug in hybrid since I have a 240 charger in garage and hybrid registration is same as ice cars in GA .
And GA no longer gives a state rebate like when I got my 2015 leaf . In 2 yrs I'll decide if I want to stay electric or maybe go back to plug in hybrid since I have a 240 charger in garage and hybrid registration is same as ice cars in GA .
North Carolina and South Carolina aren't any better. It's pretty sad to see how backward these states are when it comes to our choice in vehicles. SC has an extra tax for Hybrids and EVs since we don't use enough gasoline to add to the state coffers via the gasoline taxes. This has given us another checkbox for any future relocation considerations. Ugh.
Back on the topic at hand: Bondguy - You won't "lose" by getting a Bolt. I'd recommend that you insist on a model that has the Fast Charging option built in. That was a "deal breaker" for me: if the Bolt didn't have the "Fast Charging Provisions" option then I would not buy it. I am not sure if we'll be brave enough to take our Bolt on a long distance roadtrip just yet, but the option opens that as a possibility for us.
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