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I am a “mostly” retired older fellow. I drive about 10 to 20 miles a day, almost exclusively between my office & home. I can charge overnight in my garage. If need be, I could charge at my office. A few times a year, we drive up to Santa Barbara, which we should be able to do without recharging. If we drive up to Carmel or Napa, there are many places to charge there, but that’s only once or twice a year.
The BMW I7 that I have on order will be leased for 36 months. When I’m done with their car, I’ll give it back to them. There is a BMW dealer about 1/4 mile from my office. If there are issues with the car, it’s an easy drop off. If issues persist, here in LaLa Land California, the Lemon Law is our friend and I am very adept at using it.
For my daily driver, the most important things to me are an ultra smooth ride, a very quiet, very luxurious cabin and a very substantial mass that gives me a fighting chance on the mean streets populated with 3+ ton SUV’s driven like sports cars by very distracted drivers. Short of a Rolls-Royce, the big electric BMW is the closest thing there is, at least for me. And, I agree that new cars, especially big luxury cars, are so heavily laden with electronic gadgets that they can be a lot of trouble. That’s why I stay with new cars under warranty. That and the fact that new cars are pretty much my only vice. This new BMW will be my 61st new car.
Lastly, I was a very vocal EV naysayer, firmly believing that I would never go down that road. However, after my last new MB, a 2022 S580 that MB bought back, I was so disgusted with the crummy, sloppy, “slush box” transmission and other issues, that when I took my first test drive in the I7, I was absolutely astounded at just how great the car drove. Add $6+ gas to the equation and going electric became a no brainer for me. YMMV.
Good decision to lease! There are great financial incentives to do so. Nice looking car except the front view IMHO.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by rmorin49
Good decision to lease! There are great financial incentives to do so. Nice looking car except the front view IMHO.
Yes, it’s a different looking car, no question about it. That said, at my age, several other things are much more important to me than exterior appeal, but the look is growing on me.
Yes, it’s a different looking car, no question about it. That said, at my age, several other things are much more important to me than exterior appeal, but the look is growing on me.
Same here. I felt the grille on our X5 was too large at first but I've gotten used to it. Seems all of the non US manufacturers have gone to a big grille look. Audi started it most have followed including the S. Koreans, i.e. Genesis.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by rmorin49
Same here. I felt the grille on our X5 was too large at first but I've gotten used to it. Seems all of the non US manufacturers have gone to a big grille look. Audi started it most have followed including the S. Koreans, i.e. Genesis.
I’ve been disappointed with the way MB puts solid inserts in what appear to be air ducts, but are merely cosmetic. They are that way on my SL in the front, side “ducts” and on many current MB’s.
Yeah, I know. That’s pretty much how I felt. But when you experience the RIGHT NOW torque & astonishing acceleration, and realize that you are in a 3-ton ultra luxurious saloon, that can probably blow the doors off any vintage super car, well, minds can change.
Never needing $6+ gas is also reasonably addictive.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Originally Posted by Streamliner
Yeah, I know. That’s pretty much how I felt. But when you experience the RIGHT NOW torque & astonishing acceleration, and realize that you are in a 3-ton ultra luxurious saloon, that can probably blow the doors off any vintage super car, well, minds can change.
Never needing $6+ gas is also reasonably addictive.
Obviously, my grandson feels the same. He's going to be real trouble in another 12 years.
I am curious, and I could probably look it up, but what does it cost to charge a 3-ton car? What does the cost per mile work out to be?
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by JettaRed
Obviously, my grandson feels the same. He's going to be real trouble in another 12 years.
I am curious, and I could probably look it up, but what does it cost to charge a 3-ton car? What does the cost per mile work out to be?
You know, I have no idea. I know it works out to WAY below $6 a gallon of gas. But I’m going to put solar panels on the roof, so that should push the cost even lower. That said, let me say this: IF it cost the same to drive the electric 7 Series as the gas version, I would still get the electric. It is THAT much smoother, quieter and better driving. The extra weight and the way BMW has set up the suspension makes it ride like a Rolls-Royce.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Originally Posted by Streamliner
You know, I have no idea. I know it works out to WAY below $6 a gallon of gas. But I’m going to put solar panels on the roof, so that should push the cost even lower. That said, let me say this: IF it cost the same to drive the electric 7 Series as the gas version, I would still get the electric. It is THAT much smoother, quieter and better driving. The extra weight and the way BMW has set up the suspension makes it ride like a Rolls-Royce.
I did look things up last night. The general consensus is that it costs in fuel only (dismissing original costs, maintenance, battery replacement, etc.) about $6 US to go 200 miles (at 11 cents per kWh). That is about 1/10th the cost to go the same distance in a gas Mercedes (assuming 20 mpg at $6 per gallon). Of course, that will vary based on kWh, gas, and mileage, but not enough to become equal.
Maybe if more people would buy EVs, the demand for fossil fuel would decline and it would become cheaper for me.
I always planned to get an EV in the future. There are many that I like and the tech will only get better in time. Look at the first gas powered cars and how far they have come. Same with the EV market. It's only a matter of which EV we will end up with, but its pretty much gonna happen at some point. I am just fine with that.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
