In this week's automotive adventures, Steve explores buying an EV car online, appraises a (virtual) Austin Montego facelift and exhorts you to take a snap of your car - one: it's a nice keepsake; and, two: you never know when you'll want to look back on it.
Monday
This might just be the right moment to buy your electric car online. Three weeks ago, there were none available: I walked into a Kia dealership in Swindon to ask about an Kia e-Niro and the bloke behind the desk (who didn’t bother standing up) told me he could probably swing six months’ delivery as a favour to a stranger. In dealer speak, that means nine months. However, as I write now, there are five e-Niros available on Auto Trader, at mileages from zero to 10,000, without premiums.
There are also dozens of R135 (latest) Renault Zoes for immediate delivery. Until recently, it was impossible to get a Hyundai Kona Electric: take your choice now. And before you go to Auto Trader for a Tesla Model 3, there are 31 available from stock: 17 Standard, 11 Long Range and three Performance.
My choice? A Zoe for the household or a Model 3 Long Range, with its four-wheel drive, 350-mile range and 0-60mph in 4.4sec. Can’t see myself paying Elon an extra £9000 to shave another 1.2sec off that already-blistering time. Bigger question: would I feel right ignoring all the pristine Porsche 911 Carrera S (997 generation) that are available for £10,000 less?
Tuesday
My journalist friend Peter Robinson (he was my mentor and later Autocar’s European editor) wrote today from Sydney with memories of Stirling Moss, his boyhood hero who he eventually got to know pretty well. Here’s an unparalleled Robbo extract:
“In 1976, I spent the weekend covering his return to racing at Bathurst in a Holden Torana shared with Jack Brabham. Their car was hit from behind on the grid but was eventually repaired. Stirling went out for a few laps before the engine dropped a valve. After it was over, he told me, eyes sparkling in the euphoria of the moment: ‘I had a ball, boy. We all stop too early. I made a mistake. I should never have retired.’”
Wednesday
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Standing?
Seriously Steve - did you just write that "He didn't bother standing up" when you entered? The 1870's just called - they want their forelocks back for tugging.....
I agree with Jeremy
I can't think of a worse time to buy an EV and I certainly wouldn't buy anything online at the moment. No way is that going to be the best method to obtain a bargain.
Dealers are closed and my local BMW dealer has gone as far as to cleared it's entire stock of cars. It's just an empty showroom and forecourt, so once lock down is over they are going to be desperate to sell cars that have been sitting in a compound somewhere for months. The question is who will have the money to buy them?
Oil has collapsed and petrol and diesel have never been as cheap.
Filling up.
I haven't put Petrol in either of my cars since the lockdown began!, but, hopefully, and depending on how the Virus going, lockdown will be eased a bit at a time, life will be different because of the Virus pollution has dropped and people have coped with it.
Sorry Steve, but...
In the current climate with such an uncertain future I for one will not be ordering any new car, never mind one that doesn't suit my requirements (an EV). I need a large estate/MPV type car with comfortable room for 5 to go on long journeys. The only EV that might have come close is a Tesla Model X, but just look at the price?! A ICE equivalent can be had for at least 1/3 of the price of a Model X.