I still don't see EV's Replacing ICEs.

bobzilla said:

Indy - Guy said:

frenchyd said:

........

  Let me ask you the same question please.   If someone pointed a gun at you and said pick an EV   Which one would you pick    
  You can't pick wrong.  Because this is just pretend and there are no wrong answers.  

   

Can I play?

 

First off, I wouldn't buy new.  I'm too poor & or frugal.  I'm nearly 50 years old and have never purchased a new vehicle in my entire life, so why start now.  But for fear of death, (spending imaginary money) It would be a Tesla Model S Plaid.  In the USA today, Tesla has the best charging network.

Well, first off I'm shooting first. No lie. If we are at that point I don't want to live here anymore and I will take as many of those fascists with me as I can. Not like I got kids to worry about. They've probably already shot my dog and wife anyway so might as well go down blazing. Hopefully helps the next person that doesn't want to live under that type of rule to rise up, resist and rebel. 

If you really don't want an EV. Than take the free imaginary one.  Sell it and put the imaginary  money towards  buying imaginary lottery tickets.     I understand the Lucian is pretty expensive.  How expensive is the Mercedes Benz?  Hey, the Jaguar XKE  conversion is something like $400,000 

kanaric said:

With a gauge tool, Munro evaluated the panel gaps.

Panel gaps are the dumbest thing that Top Gear made a popular car talking point. Nobody cared about them until that show became big and people apparently already don't care about them again since Teslas are popular vehicles. 

I have large panel gaps on my R33 GTR. Literally nobody cares. All american classic cars like my 1970 Cutlass. Massive panel gaps. Nobody cares. 

If someone is going to try and convince people that Teslas are the greatest cars on the planet, and they're being sold as a premium product, at this point they should be able to master details everyone else does on their base models. There are numerous complaints of them with gaps so bad they don't keep rain out. 

In reply to frenchyd :

you don't get it. You put a gun to my head to force me, even theoretical, I'm'a berkeley you up or go down trying (with words in the theoretical). I don't live my life at the end of someone else's gun. There is no fun in that. There is no freedom, no joy. Only subserviance and I do not choose to live that way. You want to live in fantasy land, like you have been, go for it. But I'd rather not and I sure as hell am not going to fantasize about being under someone else's boot. 

Indy - Guy said:

you're welcome.

Yeah, an EV that won't go 60, max range of 80 miles sounds PERFECT for rural america. Too bad it's not made for here. 

In reply to frenchyd :

A $4000 Chinese car is not going to be legal in the US. It's basically a golf cart. 

frenchyd said:

   One recent example is they decided that headlights should come on  when wipers go on.  

 

Wow, just like my 1989 Volvo. Good point.

No one is bad mouthing them here, they are just telling you why they will not work for their situation. You seem to think they are wrong about that.

kanaric said:

Where I live they already limit classic vehicles to 5000 miles and say you can only drive to shows already. 30 years from now that is all gas powered vehicles, at least. 

I have to be a pedant here: As a fellow Las Vegas that is not an accurate statement.

If you want a classic plate and the benefits that brings, you are restricted to 5K per year.  If you simply register the car like any other there is now restriction. I do understand that your car may be operating under a special set aside depending on age.

Wally (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to frenchyd :

A $4000 Chinese car is not going to be legal in the US. It's basically a golf cart. 

I don't know how to show it to you but no it's more than a Golf cart. It's an actual city car.  
 No it probably won't come here for a whole bunch of safety reasons ( like airbags ). Plus the  unions would have a fit.  
  You see that size car in Europe where it is legal. 

Tom1200 said:

kanaric said:

Where I live they already limit classic vehicles to 5000 miles and say you can only drive to shows already. 30 years from now that is all gas powered vehicles, at least. 

I have to be a pedant here: As a fellow Las Vegas that is not an accurate statement.

If you want a classic plate and the benefits that brings, you are restricted to 5K per year.  If you simply register the car like any other there is now restriction. I do understand that your car may be operating under a special side aside depending on age.

Classic plates here in Minnesota limit the use to shows,  events,  etc but also allow  use to bring it into shops for work.  
  The Shows bit is loose and enforced loosely 3-4 guys get together at a drive- in  and that's a show. 
  The Guy I sold my Chump-car Jaguar XJS V12 to shows up at a local drive-in Thursday car show. Every once in a while with no license plate on it and open exhaust.  The local police don't blink an eye.  

Note I do not believe that we will be forced into EVs simply because Europe went all EV for new cars.  

Yes, some manufacturers may go completely to EVs but I still believe there will be plenty of new ICE vehicles to be had in 2030. 

I also believe that some manufacturers may well build models strictly for the US market. They currently do that for other continents so why not the USA.

As I said in the beginning I think (currently) EVs are a bad business model, mostly because as they become a larger segment of the market the government cannot realistically afford to subsidize that much of the market. Once the subsidies are gone the prices will go up significantly.

Steve_Jones said:

frenchyd said:

   One recent example is they decided that headlights should come on  when wipers go on.  

 

Wow, just like my 1989 Volvo. Good point.

 

No one is bad mouthing them here, they are just telling you why they will not work for their situation. You seem to think they are wrong about that.

  Yes if Volvo was the first to do that then Volvo should get the credit.   I know Volvo was early into the safety game and good for them!  
  There are plenty of things said here that are 1/2 truths  or simply not true Dated information and  plain wrong.  
     As punishment I'd like to put them in a 1025 HP Tesla Plaid and give them the ride of their life.  

Tom1200 said:

Note I do not believe that we will be forced into EVs simply because Europe went all EV for new cars.  

Yes, some manufacturers may go completely to EVs but I still believe there will be plenty of new ICE vehicles to be had in 2030. 

I also believe that some manufacturers may well build models strictly for the US market. They currently do that for other continents so why not the USA.

As I said in the beginning I think (currently) EVs are a bad business model, mostly because as they become a larger segment of the market the government cannot realistically afford to subsidize that much of the market. 

Well and fairly said Tom.  
  I agree that well before we get to that 50% goal the subsidies should end.  
    I think statements about metal shortages hadn't spent much time looking at todays actual availability. 
     My fear was copper. So much is needed for the big offshore wind turbines,  Motors,  and upgrading the power grid, 

   Then I realized the amount of copper known to exist in just the western hemisphere. 
  Sweden ( or was it Norway?), discovery of the mountain of rare earth. With supposedly enough for 100 years. And that a lot of the so called scarce  metals are simply a by product of getting other metals.  Minnesota has a mine  filled with them and all they have to do at this point is not pollute on Native Americans wild rice harvesting grounds.   A decent sized pipe should solve that.   
  Recently Lithium discoveries are happening nearly every month.  That's on top of what we know is already in Russia and China. 

In reply to frenchyd :

My 2012 Jeep Wrangler did it too, my 2020 Jeep Gladiator does it as well.  It's not a "new" or "revolutionary" feature. Plenty of the 1/2 truths, dated info, etc. are written by someone with your username, so might want to see who hacked your account.

In reply to frenchyd :

First I agree they aren't for everyone.  
 

That's great, we are making progress. Right now, EV sales are at 7% of new car sales. Which is a solid increase and trending upwards, but answers the question with actual data. So by definition, EV's are currently for 7% of new car buyers. Also notable, 26% of previous EV buyers went back to gas, while another 10% when back to plug in hybrid. 
 

  But I think a lot of people have misperceptions about them.  
 You can't go on the internet without someone bad mouthing them. Or talking old knowledge.  Or partially true but partially false knowledge about them.  
     Maybe I'm the exception but nobody I talk to that has one has anything bad to say about them. 
     I don't hear owners with them coming on this site and bad mouthing them.  
    Yes a lot of people will need to keep what they have and can't even dream about an EV.  
       But I just wish people who don't even like the idea of an EV could use one for awhile.   
               Chevy ( GM) sells an EV  that may be the most popular Chevy made for only $4400 in China.  ( you lease the battery for $28 a month at that price otherwise it's $5000. 
    I think something like that would work for a lot of Americans.   I think the range is trivial. 85 miles or something and I'm not sure it will even go 60 mph. 
     ( wish I could link pictures and specs). 

I stand by my assessment that you yourself have a lot of misconceptions about EV's. You have repeatedly cherry picked numbers that are at best are lab environment measurements that are not applicable to real world use, and at worst pure fiction. You are also likely talking to early adopters who have a greater tolerance for EV's short comings than the average car buyer who just wants their new car to work as well as their current car. Take the EV part out of it.
 

Pretend that you are just trying to sell someone on a new car. We'll use your Model Y example.

For $30k they can get a traditional new small SUV, with multiple to choose from. It's nothing special other than it's new and runs and drives as a new car should. It gets from A to B without issue, and while it won't win any races, the buyer isn't planning on entering any. It will go around 400 miles on a tank of gas, and can be refilled almost anywhere in under 10 minutes. The would be buyer doesn't even consider the range or time to refill, because it's never been a problem in their whole driving history. The color and number of cup holders is more important. 

Or for $50k, they can get a Model Y. Figuring out when and where to charge it becomes a part of their life, which some people seem to enjoy. But not 93% of people. It will go 0-60 in 4 seconds, has an extra trunk, and electricity is cheaper than gasoline. It will go pretty far, but once you hit that limit, you get a long time out while you wait for it to charge. 
 

So which is the easier sell for the average car buyer? 
 

I have not badmouthed EV's once in this thread, unless you call pointing out facts badmouthing. I was much closer than you have been to buying an EV. I was at the dealer (multiple dealers) cash in hand to buy a Lightning. On paper, they were a win. Just over $40k before tax credit, should have a short ROI vs. a gas truck. But Ford raised the sticker price from $40k to $50k. And dealers were marking them up another $10k plus. And those base trucks were nowhere to be found, just higher trims starting $10-20k more. And it wasn't eligible for the tax credit. When all was said and done, the price difference would have paid for well over 100k miles worth of gas and maintenance. We bought an Expedition instead. I was recently offered a Silverado EV to replace my Chevy Malibu for my company car. I declined. As much as I would rather drive the Silverado, the charging hassle just wasn't worth it since I get free gas for the Malibu. I also passed on a new Malibu, as I've heard there may be a Tesla option next cycle, which would have quicker charging and a better network. So I guess I'm doing the same thing as you are, except my current ICE car comes with a free gas card, so not much harm in waiting. 

Man, this thread just gets more and more hilarious.  

"EVs and solar are awesome and I will be condescending when you show how it doesn't work well for some people, but admit that I have neither."

The level of cognitive dissonance is frankly remarkable.

I was actually interested in the Tesla 3 AWD Performance model before I ordered my BRZ in April of last year. But at $65k I can think of a lot of other cars that make cool bang-bang noises,  plus it would have been silly to buy something that expensive with how little I drive. I received the BRZ Sept 3, 2022, it currently has just over 2000 miles. And nearly 250 of that is just one round-trip to Tulsa.  

Yeah, I'm not touching a Chinese EV...

Boost_Crazy said:

In reply to frenchyd :

First I agree they aren't for everyone.  
 

That's great, we are making progress. Right now, EV sales are at 7% of new car sales. Which is a solid increase and trending upwards, but answers the question with actual data. So by definition, EV's are currently for 7% of new car buyers. Also notable, 26% of previous EV buyers went back to gas, while another 10% when back to plug in hybrid. 
 

  But I think a lot of people have misperceptions about them.  
 You can't go on the internet without someone bad mouthing them. Or talking old knowledge.  Or partially true but partially false knowledge about them.  
     Maybe I'm the exception but nobody I talk to that has one has anything bad to say about them. 
     I don't hear owners with them coming on this site and bad mouthing them.  
    Yes a lot of people will need to keep what they have and can't even dream about an EV.  
       But I just wish people who don't even like the idea of an EV could use one for awhile.   
               Chevy ( GM) sells an EV  that may be the most popular Chevy made for only $4400 in China.  ( you lease the battery for $28 a month at that price otherwise it's $5000. 
    I think something like that would work for a lot of Americans.   I think the range is trivial. 85 miles or something and I'm not sure it will even go 60 mph. 
     ( wish I could link pictures and specs). 

I stand by my assessment that you yourself have a lot of misconceptions about EV's. You have repeatedly cherry picked numbers that are at best are lab environment measurements that are not applicable to real world use, and at worst pure fiction. You are also likely talking to early adopters who have a greater tolerance for EV's short comings than the average car buyer who just wants their new car to work as well as their current car. Take the EV part out of it.
 

Pretend that you are just trying to sell someone on a new car. We'll use your Model Y example.

For $30k they can get a traditional new small SUV, with multiple to choose from. It's nothing special other than it's new and runs and drives as a new car should. It gets from A to B without issue, and while it won't win any races, the buyer isn't planning on entering any. It will go around 400 miles on a tank of gas, and can be refilled almost anywhere in under 10 minutes. The would be buyer doesn't even consider the range or time to refill, because it's never been a problem in their whole driving history. The color and number of cup holders is more important. 

Or for $50k, they can get a Model Y. Figuring out when and where to charge it becomes a part of their life, which some people seem to enjoy. But not 93% of people. It will go 0-60 in 4 seconds, has an extra trunk, and electricity is cheaper than gasoline. It will go pretty far, but once you hit that limit, you get a long time out while you wait for it to charge. 
 

So which is the easier sell for the average car buyer? 
 

I have not badmouthed EV's once in this thread, unless you call pointing out facts badmouthing. I was much closer than you have been to buying an EV. I was at the dealer (multiple dealers) cash in hand to buy a Lightning. On paper, they were a win. Just over $40k before tax credit, should have a short ROI vs. a gas truck. But Ford raised the sticker price from $40k to $50k. And dealers were marking them up another $10k plus. And those base trucks were nowhere to be found, just higher trims starting $10-20k more. And it wasn't eligible for the tax credit. When all was said and done, the price difference would have paid for well over 100k miles worth of gas and maintenance. We bought an Expedition instead. I was recently offered a Silverado EV to replace my Chevy Malibu for my company car. I declined. As much as I would rather drive the Silverado, the charging hassle just wasn't worth it since I get free gas for the Malibu. I also passed on a new Malibu, as I've heard there may be a Tesla option next cycle, which would have quicker charging and a better network. So I guess I'm doing the same thing as you are, except my current ICE car comes with a free gas card, so not much harm in waiting. 

Let's take that same ICE at the beginning.   Before Model T's when cars where just coming around.  Say 1910?   What was the percentage of cars to horses?  I'll bet less than 7%. 
 Once the Model T came around and it started  it's downward  price spiral they got a whole lot cheaper.   
     So about 1920'ish?   Cars started catching up to horses?  

  The same issues, where do we get gasoline?   How far away from home can we go?   Plus horses make other horses free.  They can eat grass free 
   It all had to be figured out. 

In Europe they were ahead of America. Right up to Henry FordsModel T. 

         Same with Europe today.   You think it's only about air pollution?    What about all that money that leaves Germany and France etc going to Saudi Arabia? Or Iran,  or some place in Africa?  
  Heck, EV's power comes from wind, sun,  and in some cases nuclear but it stays in country. 
  Yet Europe doesn't get 1/5th the Sun America gets, or 1/4 the wind the Midwest gets. In fact  pretty much everything west of the Mississippi gets plenty of sun and decent or even the best wind in the world.   Up in the mountains Solar really works well.   There are mountain passes  where wind is steady and strong. 
 If you actual read my posts I'm in favor of the new modual nuclear options.  Because yes there will be times when it's night, and the wind isn't blowing. 

   Here  in America  we have states  trying to keep money inside its borders.  The millions/ billions that leave the state to buy gas/ oil / coal  doesn't come back. 
       If pollution sells that story?  OK it's about pollution. 
      With me?  I don't worry that the utility company won't have enough money.  I worry about me.  Now I don't have oil on my property. Nor coal but the wind blows and the sun shines.  That will do.   

STM317 said:

frenchyd said:

STM317 said:

frenchyd said:

Racingsnake said:

frenchyd said:

I just got tired of giving away $50-70  every time I pulled into one of those places. 

Not tired enough to buy an EV yet tho lol

The EV I want isn't in production. 
  If you recall I was very interested  in the Chevy Bolt.  At $28,000,  but the batteries  continue to be an issue and the charging network isn't as good. Plus GM announced they were discontinuing production.  
     When Tesla Announced the series 2  ( at $25,000) I decided to wait.  
    It is projected to have longer range with safer batteries. Plus access to the best charging network available.  
  While you may be willing to take whatever is available I prefer to make my selection carefully. 

You may prefer to make your selection carefully, but apparently not carefully enough to realize that the Model 2 is still imaginary and unconfirmed.

For the last time, Tesla hasn't announced anything regarding the Model 2. Everything that you're spouting in regard to an inexpensive new Tesla is speculation and rumor. Musk breifly mentioned it and hinted that it might happen eventually but that's super vague even by his standards.

You're an overweight guy in his mid 70s. You're not getting any younger. Each day that you spend waiting for a unicorn Model 2 is a day that could've been spent cruising quietly and effortlessly in any of the $25k EVs that are currently available. Instead of going out and actually buying an EV right now that meets your needs, you're pinning your hopes on a mythical cheap Tesla Model 2 that's likely years away if it ever happens at all.

With each of your posts it becomes more obvious that you're not going to actually buy an EV like you're imploring others to do. Or you're going to waste your final days waiting for something, and then find a flaw in it if it does eventually become reality.

Oh a guessing game now?   Well I predict you're going to win a big lottery  and waste all your money on hookers and blow..  

Let's  see which happens first .  Your prediction or mine.   

You're ignoring perfectly good EVs right now to wait and see what might be out there in a few years.  That's not at all like playing the lottery. It would be more like choosing to play the lottery while ignoring CDs that pay 5% guaranteed.

You talk like this purchase has to last you 30 years, so it's worth taking your time to see what's out there on the horizon. I'm sorry to say that you probably don't have 30 years left, so you might as well enjoy your time. You've been telling everybody for 80 some pages that EVs are currently good enough for their use, but you're not willing to back those claims up with your own money. You could have a Bolt or used Tesla today for your budget, and yet you're comfortable to sit back and burn precious time waiting for something that may never happen.

If there's no EV on the market that's good enough for you to buy right now, then all of your posts telling others that EVs are great and will meet their needs are completely hollow. That (and the often incorrect numbers you spout) are why you get so much push back. Instead of just saying "Man, EVs are cool and I can't wait for one that meets my needs" you've been preaching for months and it's empty and tired.

If those EV's suit you, then by all means go ahead and buy one.   
  I've explained why I'm waiting. If you're in such a hurry, go ahead. I won't stop you. 
   I'll admit that Chevy's EUV is astonishingly good looking. It probably meets your requirements and it's available right now.  

z31maniac said:

Man, this thread just gets more and more hilarious.  

"EVs and solar are awesome and I will be condescending when you show how it doesn't work well for some people, but admit that I have neither."

The level of cognitive dissonance is frankly remarkable.

 

I was actually interested in the Tesla 3 AWD Performance model before I ordered my BRZ in April of last year. But at $65k I can think of a lot of other cars that make cool bang-bang noises,  plus it would have been silly to buy something that expensive with how little I drive. I received the BRZ Sept 3, 2022, it currently has just over 2000 miles. And nearly 250 of that is just one round-trip to Tulsa.  

You are absolutely free to choose whatever you wish.  Even if I were buying an ICE that's not what I would choose,  but that does not make your choice wrong.  I wish you a long and happy relationship with it. 
 Anymore than my choosing a Tesla Model 2 is wrong. 
    You are aware that Tesla dropped the prices and with the tax rebate ?  
     But that whole period around the Covid really wasn't  fair.  Some dealers were selling used cars for more than new ones,  or adding outrageous dealer mark ups.  
   I think the less said the better.  

https://cleantechnica.com/2023/06/11/used-electric-car-prices-dropping/

Boost_Crazy said:

In reply to frenchyd :

First I agree they aren't for everyone.  
 

That's great, we are making progress. Right now, EV sales are at 7% of new car sales. Which is a solid increase and trending upwards, but answers the question with actual data. So by definition, EV's are currently for 7% of new car buyers. Also notable, 26% of previous EV buyers went back to gas, while another 10% when back to plug in hybrid. 
 

  But I think a lot of people have misperceptions about them.  
 You can't go on the internet without someone bad mouthing them. Or talking old knowledge.  Or partially true but partially false knowledge about them.  
     Maybe I'm the exception but nobody I talk to that has one has anything bad to say about them. 
     I don't hear owners with them coming on this site and bad mouthing them.  
    Yes a lot of people will need to keep what they have and can't even dream about an EV.  
       But I just wish people who don't even like the idea of an EV could use one for awhile.   
               Chevy ( GM) sells an EV  that may be the most popular Chevy made for only $4400 in China.  ( you lease the battery for $28 a month at that price otherwise it's $5000. 
    I think something like that would work for a lot of Americans.   I think the range is trivial. 85 miles or something and I'm not sure it will even go 60 mph. 
     ( wish I could link pictures and specs). 

I stand by my assessment that you yourself have a lot of misconceptions about EV's. You have repeatedly cherry picked numbers that are at best are lab environment measurements that are not applicable to real world use, and at worst pure fiction. You are also likely talking to early adopters who have a greater tolerance for EV's short comings than the average car buyer who just wants their new car to work as well as their current car. Take the EV part out of it.
 

Pretend that you are just trying to sell someone on a new car. We'll use your Model Y example.

For $30k they can get a traditional new small SUV, with multiple to choose from. It's nothing special other than it's new and runs and drives as a new car should. It gets from A to B without issue, and while it won't win any races, the buyer isn't planning on entering any. It will go around 400 miles on a tank of gas, and can be refilled almost anywhere in under 10 minutes. The would be buyer doesn't even consider the range or time to refill, because it's never been a problem in their whole driving history. The color and number of cup holders is more important. 

Or for $50k, they can get a Model Y. Figuring out when and where to charge it becomes a part of their life, which some people seem to enjoy. But not 93% of people. It will go 0-60 in 4 seconds, has an extra trunk, and electricity is cheaper than gasoline. It will go pretty far, but once you hit that limit, you get a long time out while you wait for it to charge. 
 

So which is the easier sell for the average car buyer? 
 

I have not badmouthed EV's once in this thread, unless you call pointing out facts badmouthing. I was much closer than you have been to buying an EV. I was at the dealer (multiple dealers) cash in hand to buy a Lightning. On paper, they were a win. Just over $40k before tax credit, should have a short ROI vs. a gas truck. But Ford raised the sticker price from $40k to $50k. And dealers were marking them up another $10k plus. And those base trucks were nowhere to be found, just higher trims starting $10-20k more. And it wasn't eligible for the tax credit. When all was said and done, the price difference would have paid for well over 100k miles worth of gas and maintenance. We bought an Expedition instead. I was recently offered a Silverado EV to replace my Chevy Malibu for my company car. I declined. As much as I would rather drive the Silverado, the charging hassle just wasn't worth it since I get free gas for the Malibu. I also passed on a new Malibu, as I've heard there may be a Tesla option next cycle, which would have quicker charging and a better network. So I guess I'm doing the same thing as you are, except my current ICE car comes with a free gas card, so not much harm in waiting. 

I'm sorry that your Ford Dealer was so unscrupulous.   A lot were during that period.  Maybe the less said the better?   
          That is one of the attractions of Tesla. I order it on line.  Buy it for one price. No haggling. Yes timing can change things a little bit.  But nobody is pressuring me to buy now!!! Oh and get the extended warranty!  
 That's hard for most people to do.  They want to trade in and get financing. Etc etc etc.  try before you buy,  test drive!!   Here give me your keys so we can figure out best way to screw you. If you want to leave we'll have to look for your keys. .•••• 

     Oh and that  recharge thing.  That's a half truth.  1/2 of the chargers don't work or won't accept your credit card etc.

  Tesla's system is reported faultless  and extremely fast.  Plug it into the charger and that $5-6 charge is automatic no card needed. 15 minutes can get you 150- 200 more miles   So you start out with 300+ miles available. Add a could of more while you eat and go to the bathroom.  Wanna really push it?  Don't worry  the GPS will tell you exactly how far you have left and exactly  how to get there.    To add to your feeling of confidence you know the chargers will work. 
  Plus there are a lot more than you are aware.  They aren't yet on every corner but they aren't rare. And there will be more and more.  

frenchyd said:

z31maniac said:

Man, this thread just gets more and more hilarious.  

"EVs and solar are awesome and I will be condescending when you show how it doesn't work well for some people, but admit that I have neither."

The level of cognitive dissonance is frankly remarkable.

 

I was actually interested in the Tesla 3 AWD Performance model before I ordered my BRZ in April of last year. But at $65k I can think of a lot of other cars that make cool bang-bang noises,  plus it would have been silly to buy something that expensive with how little I drive. I received the BRZ Sept 3, 2022, it currently has just over 2000 miles. And nearly 250 of that is just one round-trip to Tulsa.  

You are absolutely free to choose whatever you wish.  Even if I were buying an ICE that's not what I would choose,  but that does not make your choice wrong.  I wish you a long and happy relationship with it. 
 Anymore than my choosing a Tesla Model 2 is wrong. 
    You are aware that Tesla dropped the prices and with the tax rebate ?  
     But that whole period around the Covid really wasn't  fair.  Some dealers were selling used cars for more than new ones,  or adding outrageous dealer mark ups.  
   I think the less said the better.  

Still $55k for what I'd want, which is still more than I'd want to spend. 

But like I said the prices were still higher April last year when I ordered the BRZ. They tried to add a markup, and I stood up and shook the salesman hand and told him I wouldn't be paying for any markup. They promptly removed it since I was in the store, ready to put down a deposit for the order.