Hey wanted to know if the hive mind think it’s a good idea to buy a car just off the warranty (150.000 kms). Found a BYD Dolphin for almost the same money of a similar ICE car. Any tips on what things I should check?
Edit: the battery is covered until 500.000 kms.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy used. I’ll probably never by another new car. Cars depreciate rapidly once driven off the lot, and electric cars are simpler than ICE cars so they should be more reliable over the long run. I’d look at the reviews and reports for whatever make/model I was considering. Find the forums discussing the cars and see what the common issues are for the vehicle you’re considering.
Like everyone else is saying, make sure to check the battery health, but otherwise just treat it like any other used car. Take it to a shop you trust, tell them you might be buying the car and to tell you everything they can about it. If your country has something similar to a CarFax (basically a background check on a car), it would also be helpful to pull that as well.
Definitely check the battery with a proper gadget. That’s what my ev friends would say.
Like any other car, but less worry about the drivetrain and a bit more about the suspension.
It seems batteries last quite wel. Our car has 250k km on it. The battery is fine (90%-ish) and the engine runs smooth. Listen for sounds of bearings failing if there’s no extra sounds. Drive a second one of the same make and model to compare suspension and noise to.
Check the reputation of the brand and see if it lives up to your standards in terms of wear.
If ive done the math right, the previous owner was averaging around 40,000 km/year that seems awfully high. Was this a Uber or delivery driver vehicle?
Check the battery health.
If it was thrashed (like in Uber driving or cold weather or something), and it needs replacing, the car could be basically totaled. Or so I hear with Teslas.