Towing with Tesla Model X

[Julian]

I considered dropping cash on a Tesla X but it just doesn't do it for me. Now I'm in line for an Ioniq 5 at 1/2- 1/3 the price. Plenty of people like me out there that have a big retirement fund from working in tech business (assuming they saved well).

Anyone have a matt finish car? Was just called about an Ioniq 5 in matt gold color....says there is something one has to do to maintain the matt finish properly???

 

[adrianp89]

I considered dropping cash on a Tesla X but it just doesn't do it for me. Now I'm in line for an Ioniq 5 at 1/2- 1/3 the price. Plenty of people like me out there that have a big retirement fund from working in tech business (assuming they saved well).

Anyone have a matt finish car? Was just called about an Ioniq 5 in matt gold color....says there is something one has to do to maintain the matt finish properly???

Inlooked into a matte finished vehicle and decided against it. I don’t remember the details but it definitely needed special maintenance. Of course this was Circe 2014/2015 but doubt much has changed. Alternatively you could have the car PPFed for about 4-5k then it’s normal washing and the car is always protected. We do PPF on the front end of all our cars now. If your care for your stuff it is worth every penny.

 

[Julian]

Inlooked into a matte finished vehicle and decided against it. I don’t remember the details but it definitely needed special maintenance. Of course this was Circe 2014/2015 but doubt much has changed. Alternatively you could have the car PPFed for about 4-5k then it’s normal washing and the car is always protected. We do PPF on the front end of all our cars now. If your care for your stuff it is worth every penny.

Wouldn't PPF defeat the point of having a matt finish?

 

[BlkGS]

Wouldn't PPF defeat the point of having a matt finish?

No, quite the opposite! They make special matte PPFs for them.

Short story for matte vehicles is you can't touch the paint like ever. If you say, scrub off bug guts, you just polished your matte finish and now it won't match well. You also can't fix it to be back to matte from a it's new semi gloss. You have to use special everything to have a hope to maintain it, and realistically you're probably gonna end up with a ruined paint in the end.

I think it'd be tough for me to ever own a matte car. Maybe a lease. Maybe a vinyl wrapped matte. If I was in a "must buy" situation, I'd wrap the WHOLE car with either a similar vinyl, or a matte PPF. Or lease it and not care how ruined the paint is afterwards.

One more thing about PPF, it has a lifespan. Depending on climate and film quality, it's 3 to 7 years. Once it has yellowed from UV you're already in a world of hurt, because it will tear instead of remove cleanly. They're getting better, but if you're keeping it long term it's something to be aware of.

 

[adrianp89]

No, quite the opposite! They make special matte PPFs for them.

Short story for matte vehicles is you can't touch the paint like ever. If you say, scrub off bug guts, you just polished your matte finish and now it won't match well. You also can't fix it to be back to matte from a it's new semi gloss. You have to use special everything to have a hope to maintain it, and realistically you're probably gonna end up with a ruined paint in the end.

I think it'd be tough for me to ever own a matte car. Maybe a lease. Maybe a vinyl wrapped matte. If I was in a "must buy" situation, I'd wrap the WHOLE car with either a similar vinyl, or a matte PPF. Or lease it and not care how ruined the paint is afterwards.

One more thing about PPF, it has a lifespan. Depending on climate and film quality, it's 3 to 7 years. Once it has yellowed from UV you're already in a world of hurt, because it will tear instead of remove cleanly. They're getting better, but if you're keeping it long term it's something to be aware of.

Quality PPF does not yellow….. the modern day stuff is light years ahead of what it used to be.

 

[BlkGS]

Quality PPF does not yellow….. the modern day stuff is light years ahead of what it used to be.

I can't speak to this other than what I've seen. I think the UV will eventually break down almost any PPF. It may be 10 years, maybe 20, I dunno. It doesn't help if it sits outside in a place like South FL. In a place less UV intense the lifespan may be nearly infinite nowdays. But last time I checked a year or two ago no PPF makers were saying that.

We have PPF on the Expedition and it looks like new. It's likely only 3 years old but it looks as new, hopefully it stays that way cuz the expedition is a big girl to be doing PPF on lol.

 

[buckbuck]

My invitation top buy a Ford Lightning came last night. I believe it would be a good tool for my lifestyle.
I currently own an Expedition with 190,000 miles. I use it for Home depot runs and pulling the boat to the lake 9 miles away. The Lightning, of course, would easily do this with little concern for maintenance the rest of my life. (The IRS has me scheduled to die in April of 2044.)
I can purchase any model but was leaning toward the PRO, which, when I registered was $46,000 with all the tow packages. Today the same model is $67,000.
Lots of criteria to process to arrive at a value proposition but it would be a great tow vehicle for me.

 

[tabbibus]

My invitation top buy a Ford Lightning came last night. I believe it would be a good tool for my lifestyle.
I currently own an Expedition with 190,000 miles. I use it for Home depot runs and pulling the boat to the lake 9 miles away. The Lightning, of course, would easily do this with little concern for maintenance the rest of my life. (The IRS has me scheduled to die in April of 2044.)
I can purchase any model but was leaning toward the PRO, which, when I registered was $46,000 with all the tow packages. Today the same model is $67,000.
Lots of criteria to process to arrive at a value proposition but it would be a great tow vehicle for me.

Ugh, hate that price jump

 

[Bruce]

I can purchase any model but was leaning toward the PRO, which, when I registered was $46,000 with all the tow packages. Today the same model is $67,000.

How does the price compare to a gas model with similar trim?

I am wondering how many miles are needed before the EV costs less.

 

[2kwik4u]

I am wondering how many miles are needed before the EV costs less.

Best I can figure it's in the 60k mile range. Lots and lots of factors in there. For my personal research I've gotten a break even as soon as 45k miles and as far as 90k miles.

 

[buckbuck]

I am not sure about the dollar ROI. I think it would be difficult to make a case on fuel costs alone. Some of the criteria that are most important to me are low maintenance, ride quality, silence, full tank every morning, power and torque.
I just came from the local Ford dealer. The Pro model cannot be purchased. I priced a next step up XLT and it was $70,000. I went online and priced a comparably equipped gas burner and it was $60,000. Do I want to give up the things that are most important to me for $10,000?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I am not sure about the dollar ROI. I think it would be difficult to make a case on fuel costs alone. Some of the criteria that are most important to me are low maintenance, ride quality, silence, full tank every morning, power and torque.
I just came from the local Ford dealer. The Pro model cannot be purchased. I priced a next step up XLT and it was $70,000. I went online and priced a comparably equipped gas burner and it was $60,000. Do I want to give up the things that are most important to me for $10,000?

I think the manufacturers are 5-10 years away from making the EV an affordable option. Hopefully by then, the charge network and range will have expanded massively.

 

[adrianp89]

Best I can figure it's in the 60k mile range. Lots and lots of factors in there. For my personal research I've gotten a break even as soon as 45k miles and as far as 90k miles.

One thing that can't be measured is time. If staying local only, time saved at pumps is huge. On the other end - road trips will be longer.

 

[tabbibus]

One thing that can't be measured is time. If staying local only, time saved at pumps is huge. On the other end - road trips will be longer.

This is a great point. The amount of time I save not going to the pump on my day to day life is fantastic. To the point that I get annoyed when I have to go gas up the expedition or the minivan.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

This is a great point. The amount of time I save not going to the pump on my day to day life is fantastic. To the point that I get annoyed when I have to go gas up the expedition or the minivan.

I spend less on impulse gas station buys like drinks and snacks. So many benefits with charging at home while we sleep!

 

[2kwik4u]

I spend less on impulse gas station buys like drinks and snacks. So many benefits with charging at home while we sleep!

That's one thing I've never really succumbed to. I rarely leave the car when I'm refueling around town. Just get fuel and go.

I should make a Youtube video "Gas stations HATE this one trick!!!" and then scream through the whole thing. I'm gonna be famous.

 

[CarolinaJet]

I should make a Youtube video "Gas stations HATE this one trick!!!" and then scream through the whole thing. I'm gonna be famous.

The screaming part is key, at least according to what my kids watch.

 

[2kwik4u]

For anyone wondering.....this is what a deposit refund looks like when you cancel your Silverado EV reservation.



Because it's been over a year, the local dealership had to send me a check. If you cancel online it doesn't tell you that. I called the dealership and asked. Once they were alerted, it's only been a few days, so kudos to them for making it right quickly.

Wonder how many deposits will never get refunded because of that?!?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

For anyone wondering.....this is what a deposit refund looks like when you cancel your Silverado EV reservation.

View attachment 197245

Because it's been over a year, the local dealership had to send me a check. If you cancel online it doesn't tell you that. I called the dealership and asked. Once they were alerted, it's only been a few days, so kudos to them for making it right quickly.

Wonder how many deposits will never get refunded because of that?!?

LOL....That is Chevy Dude's former employer.

 

[2kwik4u]

LOL....That is Chevy Dude's former employer.

Yea.....ChevyDude lives across the street from me. I'm well aware of his shenanigans.