New car

I did it. I upgraded my car and went fully electric. I had planned to upgrade in the Fall 2026 / Spring of 2027, yet I have been watching the options for the past 6 months. I liked the Kia EV6 since I drove it in 2022, and I like the new Tesla Model Y. Shelley hates driving the Model Y with all the controls on the middle-mounted screen. The EV6 has many aspects in common with a typical gas combustion auto.

My Kia Niro, which I bought in November 2018, was approaching 80,000 miles and needed the timing and serpentine belts replaced, along with some other minor maintenance. If I could find a new car at a reasonable price, I would be ready to buy early and use those funds for a purchase rather than a repair.

While monitoring the EV6 and Tesla markets, I noticed a 0% interest option on Kia EV6 vehicles. Although it’s tempting to save money when buying a new car, this could be an easy way to earn conservative returns on cash. I did the same with my Kia Niro, taking out a 5-year loan that I paid off in 40 months. Since I have no debts, this wasn't an issue.

I decided against that option as the prices were still over $40,000.

Then I saw a 2023 Kia EV6 rental return with 15,000 miles for $27,000. The car was listed for over $57,000 when new, as shown on the report below. I convinced Shelley to take a test drive. I had thought the color was white, and that was not my favorite option. However, when the salesman drove it around, I fell in love with the color and look. It was off-white, called glacier.

Shelley test-drove the vehicle and was pleased with it. So I started negotiations. With the trade-in of the Kia Niro, they said I would be able to walk out for under $23,000, including taxes and license fees ($7,500 for the Niro).

I told them I needed to think it over and went home to do some research.  I was all over the map, prepared to buy as proposed, to walking from the deal. I spend at least 5 hours lamenting. I finally decided to approach the dealership, and if they could get me out the door for closer to $20,000, I would do the deal.

I went to the dealership at 12:30 and started the discussion. Four hours later, I left with the car on my terms! I was pleased. In my opinion, this was a great deal! A significant number of leased EVs are being returned, so it is a buyer's market. I may find a better deal over the next year, but this car's color and amenities are just what I want. In the future, I may not see all the desired features in a single vehicle at a great price.

Now the search for a charger installation and learning the new vehicle operation.

Carry on my friends, carry on!