Selling My 2009 Baby...
February 16th, 2018, 7:07 AM
#1
Selling My 2009 Baby...
Welp kids, the time has finally arrive. Wife's new car will be here in 3-6 weeks, and I know private sale will net us more cash than trade in.
It's been a long, long, fun road these 133,000 miles. I still remember the day I test drove and bought this thing in March of 2009.
Looking back, and being older, slightly less stupid, and overall more relaxed, I think I have a good perspective on this vehicle.
For the $55,000 I paid for a loaded 09 LTZ (I skipped the 6.2L and power running boards). I can say this.
It's good "Truck". Long as you understand it's a truck. It's a 4x4 truck with a big body. It's not the luxury cruiser I was expecting at this price point.
Maybe my price point was misaligned. When I bought my first house, I thought $100,000 was a lot of money. For a house. It wasn't. To get where I wanted to be, it was $140.
Same deal here. $55,000 was more than I ever thought I'd ever, ever, ever spend on a car. (blew that idea w/my next one lol).
Turns out $55k gets you a nice ride. It doesn't however buy Merc. or Audi level luxury. Of course those don't tow the weight I needed, and cost 10-20k more...
All in all, it's served me well, with few significant mechanical issues. Namely only a ETB really. Ohh, and the OEM battery was awful. It's had a Yellow Top since 2010, and that still works great.
Really GM did a 'good enough' job of building something, and I think that's their market. Good enough for the cost. And that's an amazing market. The Corvette is 1/2 the price of cars the same speed...
At the end of the day, who doesn't want to keep more cash in their pocket?! Producing inexpensive parts helps get nice things to more people.
With this however, is also the end of another era for my wife and me... both of our daily drivers consume zero gasoline. At $2.85/gallon, we won't miss it.
Fear not though, the jet skis still consume a healthy dose of petrol power, and manage an amazing 4 MPG.
https://harrisburg.craigslist.org/ct...497846746.html
I will miss this Tahoe. It was the first car I ever bought 'new'. I will miss it's brute size, power, and the ability to push cars out of the way in the passing lane.
I will not miss filling it with gas, when it's 20 below and snowing
It's been a long, long, fun road these 133,000 miles. I still remember the day I test drove and bought this thing in March of 2009.
Looking back, and being older, slightly less stupid, and overall more relaxed, I think I have a good perspective on this vehicle.
For the $55,000 I paid for a loaded 09 LTZ (I skipped the 6.2L and power running boards). I can say this.
It's good "Truck". Long as you understand it's a truck. It's a 4x4 truck with a big body. It's not the luxury cruiser I was expecting at this price point.
Maybe my price point was misaligned. When I bought my first house, I thought $100,000 was a lot of money. For a house. It wasn't. To get where I wanted to be, it was $140.
Same deal here. $55,000 was more than I ever thought I'd ever, ever, ever spend on a car. (blew that idea w/my next one lol).
Turns out $55k gets you a nice ride. It doesn't however buy Merc. or Audi level luxury. Of course those don't tow the weight I needed, and cost 10-20k more...
All in all, it's served me well, with few significant mechanical issues. Namely only a ETB really. Ohh, and the OEM battery was awful. It's had a Yellow Top since 2010, and that still works great.
Really GM did a 'good enough' job of building something, and I think that's their market. Good enough for the cost. And that's an amazing market. The Corvette is 1/2 the price of cars the same speed...
At the end of the day, who doesn't want to keep more cash in their pocket?! Producing inexpensive parts helps get nice things to more people.
With this however, is also the end of another era for my wife and me... both of our daily drivers consume zero gasoline. At $2.85/gallon, we won't miss it.
Fear not though, the jet skis still consume a healthy dose of petrol power, and manage an amazing 4 MPG.
https://harrisburg.craigslist.org/ct...497846746.html
I will miss this Tahoe. It was the first car I ever bought 'new'. I will miss it's brute size, power, and the ability to push cars out of the way in the passing lane.
I will not miss filling it with gas, when it's 20 below and snowing
February 16th, 2018, 12:24 PM
#3
Yepper. Many times... I like spreadsheets 
My Model S EPA rating is 300 Wh/Mile... at $0.115 a kWh, that works out to $0.0345 per mile. (that's my total bill).
$2.85 / gallon at 15 MPG = $0.19 per mile. It's 5.5x more expensive, per mile to drive a Tahoe than a Model S.
Not to mention free for life super chargers, instantaneous torque, never having to stand out in the cold to fill it, and flying past everything with zero noise..
Here's a fun one: 133,000 miles consumes (let's call it 16 mpg) = 8,312.5 gallons of gasoline. which, at $2.85 = $23,690.62
That's a lot of fuel! $24,000! Model S would consume 39,900 kWh (a lot?), but at a cost of: $4,588.5
Don't even get me started on oil changes
I honestly don't see us ever buying a gas car again... at least not a daily driver. (I still need to tow on occasion). (Model X does tow 5k).
The model 3 is even more efficient than the S, so it would again cost even less.
And this doesn't even count free super charging... https://supercharge.info/
We are at the early tip of the change.
Today EVs are treated like cars were, when everyone in the world owned a horse. It's hard to imagine, but there was HUGE resistance to cars many moons ago. People would actually break the radiators so they couldn't run. (People who used horses for deliveries, etc.). Just like Blockbuster laughed at NetFlix... and people laughed at the telephone... give it 10 years.
It's an exciting time.
**I purposely didn't take into account charging inefficiencies, battery efficiencies, etc, but when you factor in no oil changes, and brakes last forever... I figure they about balance out, or even up in the EVs bucket anyway...
I didn't know how deep you wanted to dive...
Looks like maybe the newer ones are better:
https://jalopnik.com/america-finally...ive-1823066673
My Model S EPA rating is 300 Wh/Mile... at $0.115 a kWh, that works out to $0.0345 per mile. (that's my total bill).
$2.85 / gallon at 15 MPG = $0.19 per mile. It's 5.5x more expensive, per mile to drive a Tahoe than a Model S.
Not to mention free for life super chargers, instantaneous torque, never having to stand out in the cold to fill it, and flying past everything with zero noise..
Here's a fun one: 133,000 miles consumes (let's call it 16 mpg) = 8,312.5 gallons of gasoline. which, at $2.85 = $23,690.62
That's a lot of fuel! $24,000! Model S would consume 39,900 kWh (a lot?), but at a cost of: $4,588.5
Don't even get me started on oil changes
I honestly don't see us ever buying a gas car again... at least not a daily driver. (I still need to tow on occasion). (Model X does tow 5k).
The model 3 is even more efficient than the S, so it would again cost even less.
And this doesn't even count free super charging... https://supercharge.info/
We are at the early tip of the change.
Today EVs are treated like cars were, when everyone in the world owned a horse. It's hard to imagine, but there was HUGE resistance to cars many moons ago. People would actually break the radiators so they couldn't run. (People who used horses for deliveries, etc.). Just like Blockbuster laughed at NetFlix... and people laughed at the telephone... give it 10 years.
It's an exciting time.
**I purposely didn't take into account charging inefficiencies, battery efficiencies, etc, but when you factor in no oil changes, and brakes last forever... I figure they about balance out, or even up in the EVs bucket anyway...
I didn't know how deep you wanted to dive...
Looks like maybe the newer ones are better:
https://jalopnik.com/america-finally...ive-1823066673
Last edited by SabrToothSqrl; February 16th, 2018 at 12:35 PM.
February 16th, 2018, 9:25 PM
#4
Administrator
What I really wondered was actual kwh difference on your meter and actual cost per kwh. But your figures illustrate the difference. However when everyone goes electric, the grid will crash cuz it can't support that amount of power. Saw the numbers in an article (can't remember them) and it would be dire.
Haven't seen any all-electric cars disabled yet. Not sure most folks can even recognize one if the saw it tho. Like the instant torque. Never thought I'd own a V6 vehicle let alone a Ford but got a Transit w/ a 3.5 V6 Ecoboost w/ twin turbos. It's quicker than my Tahoe was. Times are achangin'.
Haven't seen any all-electric cars disabled yet. Not sure most folks can even recognize one if the saw it tho. Like the instant torque. Never thought I'd own a V6 vehicle let alone a Ford but got a Transit w/ a 3.5 V6 Ecoboost w/ twin turbos. It's quicker than my Tahoe was. Times are achangin'.
February 17th, 2018, 11:09 AM
#5
Maybe not...
Well after looking at our finances and insuring a beater car versus this Tahoe I think I am actually keeping the Tahoe...
In PA it’s nice to have a large 4x4.
To keep insurance on a 2005 Mazda tribute is only $25 a month less than the Tahoe. Given that they are about the same cost yearly in miles per gallon and maintenance I think it makes sense to keep the nicer car, with fewer miles. $25/month to drive a 15k car. Vs a 2k car...
Insurance is such a scam... plus we can always sell the Tahoe in a few years when I get my Tesla Pickup.
My bank gave me favorable terms to keep a loan on it... so I do not have to pull any money I am using for investments. That was my biggest concern. Currently I’m getting about 30% return in a motif I built. And I do not want to pull funds from that!
https://www.motifinvesting.com/motif...stuff-mc8Gbv53
72 month car loan, at 3.5%. That’s like free money. My other loan is 2.5%. Even cheaper.
I saw that same article but I think it is actually a anti-EV company producing that type of misinformation.
Companies simply cannot produce electric cars fast enough to cause any type of grid crash.
Even if only electric cars were sold from today on it would still take 20 years to replace all cars. Just in the US.
So in the real world it might take closer to 40 or 50. I would hope 40 years is long enough to beef up our infrastructure!
Most cars are charged at home, overnight, when consumption is not very high, you can even schedule it to start at 9 PM or 11 PM or 3 AM if there was any actual concern. Some states give you lower rates if you charge off peak.
The car only pulls what an oven or large AC unit pulls. Model 3 default charge is 32 amps. And it ramps up slowly, as to not shock the grid.
As for my bill, it’s been 3 years since I didn’t have an EV, but, I think before it, we averaged 800-1000 kWh/month. Now we average 1500. But in that time, we also installed an electric heat pump (was previously all propane. Now it’s dual source). And an electric heat pump water heater. After the car, I went all matrix like and re-evaluated all our efficiencies. Don’t get me wrong, I love this blue planet, but the green I’m most interested in, is my wallet! I’ve run the numbers a dozen ways on solar. In PA it just doesn’t work. Limited sun, plus cheap power means we stay on the grid for now.
Ford has done some amazing things with their eco boost engines, But I cannot help but think every dollar spent on engine is a dollar spent in the wrong direction... no one is sinking money into black-and-white television. Or telegraph companies.
If I was running Ford, I would tell the government that we cannot achieve any better fuel economy with gas engines, but ask that we be continued to allow to sell them for the next 10 years, as is. Then we could dedicate every penny of research and development towards electric vehicles.
I do miss working on cars though. I feel like I spend a lot less time at advance auto after buying my EV! On the gas car there was always something to do...
This winter though I did manage to rebuild two bravo one outdrives and gimbal rings, and steering shafts... little project that should hit 70 this summer.
I’ll give you a hint, they bolt up to something with a 113 gallon fuel tank. So don’t think I’ve gone all hippie lol.
I do encourage everyone to swing by a Tesla show room and go for a test drive. You’ll never look at cars the same way again. Or go test drive a bolt EV. Although for me the front seats pinch my legs. And I am only 180 pounds.
$0.115 per kWh is my whole bill. That’s the total $/kWh used. All taxes, generation, distribution, etc.
In PA it’s nice to have a large 4x4.
To keep insurance on a 2005 Mazda tribute is only $25 a month less than the Tahoe. Given that they are about the same cost yearly in miles per gallon and maintenance I think it makes sense to keep the nicer car, with fewer miles. $25/month to drive a 15k car. Vs a 2k car...
Insurance is such a scam... plus we can always sell the Tahoe in a few years when I get my Tesla Pickup.
My bank gave me favorable terms to keep a loan on it... so I do not have to pull any money I am using for investments. That was my biggest concern. Currently I’m getting about 30% return in a motif I built. And I do not want to pull funds from that!
https://www.motifinvesting.com/motif...stuff-mc8Gbv53
72 month car loan, at 3.5%. That’s like free money. My other loan is 2.5%. Even cheaper.
I saw that same article but I think it is actually a anti-EV company producing that type of misinformation.
Companies simply cannot produce electric cars fast enough to cause any type of grid crash.
Even if only electric cars were sold from today on it would still take 20 years to replace all cars. Just in the US.
So in the real world it might take closer to 40 or 50. I would hope 40 years is long enough to beef up our infrastructure!
Most cars are charged at home, overnight, when consumption is not very high, you can even schedule it to start at 9 PM or 11 PM or 3 AM if there was any actual concern. Some states give you lower rates if you charge off peak.
The car only pulls what an oven or large AC unit pulls. Model 3 default charge is 32 amps. And it ramps up slowly, as to not shock the grid.
As for my bill, it’s been 3 years since I didn’t have an EV, but, I think before it, we averaged 800-1000 kWh/month. Now we average 1500. But in that time, we also installed an electric heat pump (was previously all propane. Now it’s dual source). And an electric heat pump water heater. After the car, I went all matrix like and re-evaluated all our efficiencies. Don’t get me wrong, I love this blue planet, but the green I’m most interested in, is my wallet! I’ve run the numbers a dozen ways on solar. In PA it just doesn’t work. Limited sun, plus cheap power means we stay on the grid for now.
Ford has done some amazing things with their eco boost engines, But I cannot help but think every dollar spent on engine is a dollar spent in the wrong direction... no one is sinking money into black-and-white television. Or telegraph companies.
If I was running Ford, I would tell the government that we cannot achieve any better fuel economy with gas engines, but ask that we be continued to allow to sell them for the next 10 years, as is. Then we could dedicate every penny of research and development towards electric vehicles.
I do miss working on cars though. I feel like I spend a lot less time at advance auto after buying my EV! On the gas car there was always something to do...
This winter though I did manage to rebuild two bravo one outdrives and gimbal rings, and steering shafts... little project that should hit 70 this summer.
I’ll give you a hint, they bolt up to something with a 113 gallon fuel tank. So don’t think I’ve gone all hippie lol.
I do encourage everyone to swing by a Tesla show room and go for a test drive. You’ll never look at cars the same way again. Or go test drive a bolt EV. Although for me the front seats pinch my legs. And I am only 180 pounds.
$0.115 per kWh is my whole bill. That’s the total $/kWh used. All taxes, generation, distribution, etc.
February 17th, 2018, 11:23 AM
#6
interesting to see the cost numbers...thats info buyers don't know untill you have a ev to compare.
At what point are you at time zero...the year where the saved fuel, maitenance repairs etc, offset the purchase price of the ev
when hybrids first came out...the time was 14years for a escape hybrid.
At what point are you at time zero...the year where the saved fuel, maitenance repairs etc, offset the purchase price of the ev
when hybrids first came out...the time was 14years for a escape hybrid.
February 20th, 2018, 7:57 AM
#7
With the Model S, and maybe even the 3, I don't know if you'll ever hit a (realistic) "savings" based on fuel cost alone. But the driving experience of an EV is amazing. First time you floor it, you'll want one
Someday, I imagine that the costs will be such it doesn't make sense to buy a gas car, but for now, it's the fun factor.
If I get time later today, I'll run some numbers, what car do you want to compare it to? The Model 3 is a BMW 3 series competitor, so that would be a logical choice.
So... in other news... my wife decided to venture out in 6" of snow here and didn't make it past our street without putting the Tahoe face first into a dirt bank covered in snow...
She's fine, drove it back home, missing the air dam, and the front bumper is scratched to hell. I asked her to not go out, but short of pulling the starter relay... what can a man do?
I found some "already painted" bumpers on ebay for $300. it shouldn't be hard to match black right? Junk or good enough? thoughts?
Someday, I imagine that the costs will be such it doesn't make sense to buy a gas car, but for now, it's the fun factor.
If I get time later today, I'll run some numbers, what car do you want to compare it to? The Model 3 is a BMW 3 series competitor, so that would be a logical choice.
So... in other news... my wife decided to venture out in 6" of snow here and didn't make it past our street without putting the Tahoe face first into a dirt bank covered in snow...
She's fine, drove it back home, missing the air dam, and the front bumper is scratched to hell. I asked her to not go out, but short of pulling the starter relay... what can a man do?
I found some "already painted" bumpers on ebay for $300. it shouldn't be hard to match black right? Junk or good enough? thoughts?
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February 20th, 2018, 9:07 AM
#8
Quick config of a BMW 330i series, with an engine that can 0-60 in the same speed as a Model 3 shows: $43,000 MSRP
If we have a long range 3 + premium interior (skip the auto pilot), we get $35+9+5k = $49,000
EV has a $7500 federal tax credit, resulting in a price of: $41,500.00
Model 3 is EPA rated at 237 Wh/mile, and in PA Let's call it $0.12/kWh.
BMW is rated for 27 MPG Combined: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/39132.shtml
Vehicle Life: 200,000 miles:
BMW will consume 7,407 Gallons of fuel, at $2.8/gallon = $20,740.00
Model 3 will consume 47400 kWh of power, at .12 = $5,688 worth of power.
so... yea.. you tell me which one you'd rather drive
Even if you take out the tax credit, you still come out ahead w/the Model 3... so.. yea... math.
If we have a long range 3 + premium interior (skip the auto pilot), we get $35+9+5k = $49,000
EV has a $7500 federal tax credit, resulting in a price of: $41,500.00
Model 3 is EPA rated at 237 Wh/mile, and in PA Let's call it $0.12/kWh.
BMW is rated for 27 MPG Combined: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/39132.shtml
Vehicle Life: 200,000 miles:
BMW will consume 7,407 Gallons of fuel, at $2.8/gallon = $20,740.00
Model 3 will consume 47400 kWh of power, at .12 = $5,688 worth of power.
so... yea.. you tell me which one you'd rather drive
Even if you take out the tax credit, you still come out ahead w/the Model 3... so.. yea... math.
February 20th, 2018, 3:37 PM
#10
Administrator
No matter the cost, (relatively) of the EV's unless folks buy them the cost won't come down, but I think that foothold has already taken place since most all MFG's are producing a hybrid or full electric at this point.
I do think the Tesla is the gold standard at this point. What surprises me is the cost of the Volt and Bolt, they are expensive relative to the brand, for the cost of a volt you are half way to a Tesla.. I know that is a lot of money but the Tesla comes with a ton of support and goodies if you will. I suspect Tesla service reps aren't likely to tell you "yeah we've never seen or heard of that insert defect before"
I do think the Tesla is the gold standard at this point. What surprises me is the cost of the Volt and Bolt, they are expensive relative to the brand, for the cost of a volt you are half way to a Tesla.. I know that is a lot of money but the Tesla comes with a ton of support and goodies if you will. I suspect Tesla service reps aren't likely to tell you "yeah we've never seen or heard of that insert defect before"