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Does The Elio Make Sense As An "and" Car?

Elio Amazed

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I've always had a spare car. I work on them myself. Over the last 30 years I've tracked the cost of keeping that spare as opposed to not having it. In the end, it costs more vs the mileage and time I keep them as opposed to just having one. Since the spare car ends up being the older one, it's more prone to having an issue as opposed to having that spare car being new. It is convenient to have that spare car but not necessary and when you look at just 10 years of ownership of both, not just the upkeep on both but insurance, license and inspection that they both need every year. So, paying just those three for a car that sits 90% of the time is not the best use of money. Same for cable TV. When the TV bill is the same whether it's on 100% or 10%. Same for when something like a transmission controller goes out. It's a harder pill to swallow when the car is only driven 10% of the time as opposed to 90%.

What it comes down to is, it's a convenience car. It ends up making your overall cost go up over a year but you are willing to pay to have it sitting there in case you need it. It's no different when someone has to buy the latest version of a phone because it'll do more when in fact, all then do with it within a week is text, check social media, take selfies and make a phone call once in a while. People justify it because of the convenience of having some new feature.

It's NOT just a convenience especially for the high-miler unless that's all they let it be.
That second vehicle is an opportunity instead of a liability if you think of it as such.
Being creative and frugal is not just a hobby for a few individuals. It's a lifestyle.
Having that vehicle CAN be totally the opposite of your phone example.

I paid $79 for an Android with all the bells and whistles two years ago.
I transferred 3900 accumulated minutes from my 10 year old LG four days ago.
They GAVE me 3900 texts and 1000mb of data. The old phone used minutes for everything.
I pay $19 every three months. And I get triple minutes, texts and data. I use the magicjack at home.

The magicjack costs me about $25/yr and gives me everything I could ask for.
I paid $7,100 cash for a nice home including closing costs, taxes and inspections in '08.
I cancelled cable TV a couple of years ago. Problem is that I live in a "bowl" with hills 360 degrees.
Instead of getting brain damage by continuing to watch pixelation/dropout, I'm going YouTube TV @ $25/mo.

My property, school and per capita taxes all total around $300 a year.
The state subsidizes them. I checked into the cost before I bought the property.
My furnace is efficient. My December gas bill was $104. My December electric bill was $83.

Bottom line is that I have saved money with a backup.
A wise person does not speak in absolutes.
As they say, your results may vary...
 
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Rickb

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If you’re single with an “and” vehicle you drive one and park one. If you’re married both vehicles are daily drivers. A new “and” Elio should be cheaper to drive regardless.
 

RSchneider

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It's NOT just a convenience especially for the high-miler unless that's all they let it be.
That second vehicle is an opportunity instead of a liability if you think of it as such.
Being creative and frugal is not just a hobby for a few individuals. It's a lifestyle.
Having that vehicle CAN be totally the opposite of your phone example.

I paid $79 for an Android with all the bells and whistles two years ago.
I transferred 3900 accumulated minutes from my 10 year old LG four days ago.
They GAVE me 3900 texts and 1000mb of data. The old phone used minutes for everything.
I pay $19 every three months. And I get triple minutes, texts and data. I use the magicjack at home.

The magicjack costs me about $25/yr and gives me everything I could ask for.
I paid $7100 cash for a nice home including closing costs, taxes and inspections in '08.
I cancelled cable TV a couple of years ago. Problem is that I live in a "bowl" with hills 360 degrees.
Instead of getting brain damage by continuing to watch pixelation/dropout, I'm going YouTube TV @ $25/mo.

My property, school and per capita taxes all total around $300 a year.
The state subsidizes them. I checked into the cost before I bought the property.

Bottom line is that I have saved money with a backup.
A wise person does not speak in absolutes.
As they say, your results may vary...
That's great you are thrifty but you are not the customer that Elio is looking for. They are looking for the average customer where they can make money on. I could talk about how much money I save all day long but in the end, I'm not the average consumer. So I'm the niche. Sounds like you are the niche too. I have found that you can't use your personal spending habits and portray them as to what everyone else does. Maybe what you think they should do but we know that's not what the average consumer does.

I could tell everyone that we get free a brand new SUV every three years that costs us nothing, no matter how much we use it and everyone else should do the same. I know that's not what the average person has, so I can't use that as an example of a great way of saving money or why it justifies me having an i3.
 

Elio Amazed

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That's great you are thrifty but you are not the customer that Elio is looking for. They are looking for the average customer where they can make money on. I could talk about how much money I save all day long but in the end, I'm not the average consumer. So I'm the niche. Sounds like you are the niche too. I have found that you can't use your personal spending habits and portray them as to what everyone else does. Maybe what you think they should do but we know that's not what the average consumer does.

I could tell everyone that we get free a brand new SUV every three years that costs us nothing, no matter how much we use it and everyone else should do the same. I know that's not what the average person has, so I can't use that as an example of a great way of saving money or why it justifies me having an i3.
Yes, I think it's best if you do speak for yourself instead of presuming to know what the "average consumer" does.
I do. I also usually make an effort to not be presumptuous enough to know exactly what kind of customer Elio is looking for.
That said, please don't put words in my mouth. I never claimed that EVERYONE saves money with an "and" vehicle.
Apparently that includes you, since you seem to have indicated that you have not been able to do so.
I only stated that it can easily be done. Right?

No, eveyone doesn't get a new free SUV every three years. Neither do I.
However, most everyone has the same OPPORTUNITY I have to SAVE money by having an "and" vehicle.
Even more so for high-milers. IMO, it's possible that high-milers are exactly the kind of customer EM is looking for.
Again, I never said that most people ever take advantage of that opportunity.

To review...
Due to the reasons I've already listed...

"Bottom line is that I have saved money with a backup.
A wise person does not speak in absolutes.
As they say, your results may vary..."
 
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RSchneider

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I'm just thinking the same way Paul Elio does. He's expecting to sell Elios for $10,769 average price (as per what he said). So, he's counting on the Elio owner to not just buy the bare bones model but to add $2,324 in options and $995 more if they want an auto. For every bare bones model, there will be an Elio that will be going out the door for just over $14K.

Obviously, Elio is using that as their business model because the way I see it, that's the only way they can stay in business. If it was to just sell to the thrifty, then they would forget the options and just make it 1 color and no transmission choice (which would definitely lower the cost of the car). Then ship them directly from the factory to a distribution center where you pick it up or you just show up at the factory. Then if they did that, you can forget about the investors because Elio needs the fluff to make up for the bare bones thrifty type because that adds to the bottom line. It's how the car industry works and I don;t see it changing in the future.

With that, you have to look at the average consumer as your moneymaker. It's just basic business and especially when it comes to high volume items like the Elio. If it's a niche, then a whole different ballgame. Low cost, low volume niche never works if you want to make a decent living.
 

Sega

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Again, the problem is you guys are only thinking about saving money. You are thinking of it as a business decision. Many people don't think that way. They think about bluetooth, the nice seats, the comfortable ride, looks, and yes, other comfort features and many people think of what others say about their vehicle.

There are a large group of people that mainly base their car buying decision based on the looks of a car. Many people aren't going to fall in love with the looks of this car.
 

larryboy

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Again, the problem is you guys are only thinking about saving money. You are thinking of it as a business decision. Many people don't think that way. They think about bluetooth, the nice seats, the comfortable ride, looks, and yes, other comfort features and many people think of what others say about their vehicle.

There are a large group of people that mainly base their car buying decision based on the looks of a car. Many people aren't going to fall in love with the looks of this car.

I did
 

Sega

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I’ve sat in many cars over the years. I’ve never sat in anything like the Elio. I would buy it purely for the cockpit feel - not to mention the 84mpg.

Sega... have you sat in any of the prototypes?

Nope, but I have a small 2 seater car. I have no opportunity to sit in one. Again, you would buy it for that feel, but a lot of people don't like that tight feel.
 

Sega

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When we talk about selling 100k per year, have to look at what a lot of people like. Very very few people are going to buy this car based on a cockpit feel.
 
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