2015 eGolf: Buy lease or return?

Hi,

Anyone else in a asimilar situation?

My 2015 eGolf is coming out of lease in October and I am debating whether I should buy it off for ~ $12,500 residual value or return it to VW. Here my thoughts:

- after trying out EV, I am committed never again to buy an ICE car;
- the car still feels brand new and it has sufficient range for 90% of the days (wife has ICE I can use is needed);
- other than some hiccups with the charging outlet and the start button I love that the car is virtually maintenance free

Any thoughts regarding whether it is a good value, concerns about possible trouble down the line due to unproven technology? Any recommendations on best replacement options .

Look forward to starting an interesting conversation around the topic!



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To be honest that residual is not bad depending on how many miles you have in it, I would buy it since you can pay that amount in a couple of years and still have plenty of car for a few more years.

Used eGolfs go for around 16-17k used so 12 is a nice price.

I’m a big fan of EV’s in general



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Not to take this off-topic, but how well do the heat and AC work? You're in CT, so similar climate as your neighbor to the northeast . I'm EV-curious and this is my biggest concern, basically how much of an energy suck the HVAC is on really hot or really cold days.

The low residual and the lack of good alternatives are certainly big drivers. I was paying 200 a month for the lease. At this rate I would ‘pay off’ the car in 5 years. But that only works as long as there are no costly repairs to take care of, which is hard to predict given the lack of any track record.





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southpawboston said:

Not to take this off-topic, but how well do the heat and AC work? You're in CT, so similar climate as your neighbor to the northeast . I'm EV-curious and this is my biggest concern, basically how much of an energy suck the HVAC is on really hot or really cold days.

Click to expand...

Heating and AC work great but they do drain the battery significantly. If you have set departure times, you can program the car to run climate control while on the charger reducing the toll on the battery. Not always possible, of course. Cooling down or heating up up a car 20 degrees and maintaining it could reduce range by 10 miles or more.

Another aspect to consider is the effect of the low temperatures here in the north. My estimated range could go from 103 miles in the summer to 65 miles in the coldest winter days (0 degrees and below).

These miles are for trips on local roads at a speed of ~ 45-55 mph. On highways, respecting safety distances at speeds of 65-75 mph mileage would also be closer to 60 miles.

Overall I have been very happy driving this car! It is quick but firm on the road, looks and feels great and is cheap to maintain. Perfect for daily commutes of 50-60 miles and no problem charging overnight with the 110 volt charger.



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I remember test driving one when I picked up my GTI and I loved it, great car

I don’t think that you’ll run into major issues besides the battery itself and maybe the charger, I would keep it for sure, especially since you know the car and what is capable of doing


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First, the eGolf can be impossible to even get so you have one now and may not be able to replace it. At that price I would buy it. It will last you until the new gen of EV's from VW come out (2020 or 2021) and they look to be a big upgrade and pretty exciting.

get the car appraised by the dealer bc if the appraisal is higher than residual you should buy since youd be paying less that what its worth....if the appraisal is lower than residual...dont buy it...normally buying a lease is a big waste of money bc of the value.