EVs past the end of battery warranty

FC · 03-10-2023, 10:28 AM

Out of morbid curiosity, I check to see what the values were on eGolfs. I as astonished to see 2013-2015 cars going for $15-20k.

I liked our eGolf plenty for what it was 7 years ago when new. It had all the excellent attributes of the MK7, moved fine around town, and had enough range for our purposes. Residual at the time of trade-in was $13k and I deemed it not worth it considering its early EV shortcomings and the fat that given the 8-year warranty on the battery meant that whatever I paid had to be amortized over the remaining 5 years of warranty. I moved on.

To see 8 year old cars asking for more than that amazes me. We are talking about early VW EV technology completely out of warranty with replacement battery cost in the mid teens $k range. How are these cars worth more than $8k, or even just $5k? Even if the battery continues to work without major issues, the lower range on an already marginal range when new would be terrible. I don't get it.

03-10-2023, 10:28 AM	#1
FC Solving problems Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4 Location: Metro Boston Posts: 25,248	EVs past the end of battery warranty Out of morbid curiosity, I check to see what the values were on eGolfs. I as astonished to see 2013-2015 cars going for $15-20k. I liked our eGolf plenty for what it was 7 years ago when new. It had all the excellent attributes of the MK7, moved fine around town, and had enough range for our purposes. Residual at the time of trade-in was $13k and I deemed it not worth it considering its early EV shortcomings and the fat that given the 8-year warranty on the battery meant that whatever I paid had to be amortized over the remaining 5 years of warranty. I moved on. To see 8 year old cars asking for more than that amazes me. We are talking about early VW EV technology completely out of warranty with replacement battery cost in the mid teens $k range. How are these cars worth more than $8k, or even just $5k? Even if the battery continues to work without major issues, the lower range on an already marginal range when new would be terrible. I don't get it.