Is the i-Miev for us?

[cdysthe]

Hi,

This is my first post here since we do not own an i-Miev yet. We do own a Mitsubishi Outlander GT which we love summer and winter here in New England.

Our use case for a second car: I live 1,5 miles from my office and mostly walk or bike, but now and then I need to drive for one reason or the other. We also take a couple of kids to school a few miles away but not every day. And then we may want a small car to go in to town 3 miles away in or to the grocery store. We will not use this car for anythig more than 25 miles away. We live in a rural community and do get some snow in the winter. That's about it.

We can get an i-Miev with 500 miles on it for around $8K. It's for all practical purposes new. This is far less than any other alternatives even when only looking at sub compacts. I've seen some one star reviews and complaints that the i-Miev Is cheaply built without any bells a whistles but as an European I think this is based on expectations here in America to what a car should be like. To me it fits right in among cars I've owned back in Norway like Citroen 2CV, Renault 5 and Fist 500s.

My question is if there's any good reasons we have overlooked for not getting the i-Miev? This would be our first electric so we do not have any experience with batteries and charging but it can't be that hard? My wife thinks the i-Miev is "cute". I'm getting nostalgic driving it and have driven one several times when I go to Iceland and do not have any complaints. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Don]

I would certainly disagree that they are 'cheaply built' as we have two of them and after more than 5 years, we've yet to have so much as a rattle show up in either of them. The interior is a bit sparse and some of the plastic bits do look a bit cheap, so maybe that's where the comments come from - It is an econobox after all and you'll never mistake it for anything else, but IMO it's very well designed, engineered and put together

Your proposed uses are about the same as ours. We recharge 99.9% of the time at home and very infrequently ever drive either of them more than 25 miles from home, but I think it will surprise you how much of your needed transportation that covers - We have to keep a trickle charger on our ICE from time to time because sometimes it doesn't get started for 5 or 6 weeks. The iMiEV's take us just about everywhere we need to go, other than for long distance trips out of town

I doubt you would regret buying a nearly new one for only $8K. We paid 3X that for our first one and would certainly do it again. We got a deal similar to what you're looking at on our second one - Just too good a deal to pass up. I would say go for it for sure. Even if for some off the wall reason that we can't think of, if it didn't work out for you, you're not risking too much - You could easily get most if not all of your money back

Don

 

[JoeS]

cdysthe, welcome to the forum. I agree with Don's comments and, given your appreciation of smaller cars, believe you will be extremely happy with an i-MiEV (as all of us here are). You will find how capacious it really is, especially with the rear seats down and the flat surface of the cargo area. Range will be a complete non-issue for you.

I would suggest that you ensure that a Remote comes with the car, as using it to pre-heat the car in winter is simply decadent! If there is none and you are buying from a dealer, that is a good argument for lowering the price by $1000.

 

[wmcbrine]

Be aware that the heater kills the range, much moreso than in an ICE car because an electric doesn't have all that waste heat to work from to begin with. I find the heated seat is very effective at keeping me warm, at a much lower battery drain, but it doesn't defog the windows. Still, it hasn't really been a problem for me.

I bought my i-MiEV for $10K with only a thousand miles on it, in 2015 (a 2012 model).

 

[phb10186]

Hi,

Citroen 2CV, Renault 5 and Fist 500s.

Citroen 2CV: 2 cylinder biscuit tin with no power

Renault 5: 1980s evolved biscuit tin

Fist 500s: as per 2CV but more cramped


Its certainly not 'cheaply built', but it is a light car - those two things being mutually exclusive. It's got the same feel as most of the small sub-compact Japanese cars. If you compared it to a Toyota Yaris, the internal plastics and build are slightly worse in my opinion, and the bodywork also not quite up to Toyota/ Honda standards - but in that same ball park really. Very Japanese in design and construction.

Seats are very good, that I have to say. Power is better than an equivalent gas vehicle. There is no under body rust protection whatsoever as far as I can see, so that for me is the only thing Mitsubishi cheaped out on.

Air conditioning is very good, rear headroom is very good, turning circle is excellent, brakes are excellent.

Boot is tiny.

Access to the front 'engine bay' is all but limited to the hands of a 3 year old.

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

I went thru all of the research before buying mine and saw the same negative reviews. I bought a 2017 used a month or so ago and have been loving everything about it ever since. I drive to work, pay for my normal lot and plug in for free and charge up, move it at mid-day to another spot, drive home, and still have enough to go to the grocery store and return to work for another free charge. Bought the car for$10,000 and there is nothing wrong with it. I love the driving experience more than any other car - light and nible, soft and comfortable ride, precise steering and acceleration/deceleration, easy to fit into parking or turn around, everyone loves it that rides in it. Seems very solid to me and nothing seems cheap. Simple and inexpensive, yes, which I love, but not cheap to me. I think it is the perfect car and wouldn't change a thing. I looked at all other options for years now and have been watching this car becuase of its simplicity, low cost, reliability and the fact that there is no gas option.

I think for your situation you are the perfect customer for this car and would be very happy with it. Go for it.

 

[kitkit]

I bought my 14 I-miev brand new 2+ years ago and my family has been loving it. In fact, I have been looking for a 2nd one but I bought a VW Golf Electric instead as I got a great deal. I agree with phb10186, I-Miev is simple and it's a standard subcompact car made in Japan. When I compare it to VW, I-Miev is a light car while VW is soild. If you are only driving it around town, I-Miev is perfect. Now that I own a eGolf, I found the I-Miev is quite responsive, easy and fun to drive. Test drive one and see if you like it.

BTW, if you are looking at this car at Richard Chevrolet in CT (a couple hundred miles away from you):

http://www.richardchevy.com/VehicleDetails/used-2012-Mitsubishi-i_MiEV-ES-Cheshire-CT/2988336423

DO NOT buy it despite it only has 350 miles! There was a picture showing the warning light for the "Electric motor" is on but the dealership deleted that picture.

 

[cdysthe]

Hi,

Thanks to all of you! The one we are looking at is a 2014 but was delivered new late 2015 but hardly driven. It has the remote and looks great. I tried with kids and a couple of backpacks. We are getting it from CarMax who are transfering it from California to Boston, MA where we will.

Thanks to your input we have decided to give the iMiev a try. We did find one, a 2012, we could try. The only issue I had since I am more than 6 ft tall is that it would have been nice to be able to adjust the steering wheel up a little, but that's about it. We do have some winter up so how it will perform on snow is an open question. We have also gotten confirmed that it has the origfina remove and we will be getting a warrantly on the battery. We do not know anything about how electric cars works, the do's and dont's, but I'm sure we will find out soon enough!

And, we will be putting in a charging station here at my office. Just for me!

 

[phb10186]

and the fact that there is no gas option.

There is no gas option now, but it was designed and built as a gas vehicle in 2007, later introduced as an EV. Likely not sold in NA, it was sold as gas in Europe, and I see them running around from time to time. The gas version was discontinued in the UK a short time before the EV was introduced. The gas version was not a success here, the EV was a marginal success, but is more successful as a legacy vehicle that it was while on sale I think. The EV has since been rated (with it's clones) as top city car used purchase, though as it sold in relatively small numbers, the demand is now higher than the used suppy - which as I type this is zero used ones for sale in the UK.

Likely not a great car as ICE, but a very good platform for an EV for sure.

The simplicity is certainly a benefit, and to be fair, it's got everything you actually need.

 

[JoeS]

cdysthe, a relatively-rare 2014 AND from California! Go for it, you will not be disappointed!

 

[Don]

and the fact that there is no gas option.

There is no gas option now, but it was designed and built as a gas vehicle in 2007, later introduced as an EV.

Actually, the longer, wider, heavier North American EV version was never offered anywhere as a gas powered vehicle - It is significantly different in many aspects from the domestic and European version which was originally gas powered

Don

 

[cdysthe]

The simplicity is certainly a benefit, and to be fair, it's got everything you actually need.

The term "everything you actualy need" differs a lot between Europe and the US. When I discuss cars with many of my friends here the list of "what you actually need" is much more comprehensive than what I am used to from Europe. I have a friend who's first question was: "Does it have a way to plug in your iPhone?". Another "if the 0-60 is above 10 seconds I could not use the car". What I am looking for is four wheels, a seat I can sit in relatively comfortably being taken from A - B. This car does that it seems. And then some. We are signing the papers on it Friday.

 

[sandange]

Congratulation on your decision,
You won't regret it.
I'm 6ft and dropp the seat height to the lowest position.
I also lifted the carpet and removed the dead pedal foot rest ( a block of Styrofoam, at drivers left foot position, ,gained a few extra inches.
Good luck and safe travels

 

[jray3]

cdsythe, you appear to have the requisite practical nature and intestinal fortitude to excel as an i-MiEV driver! :ugeek:
As a former resident of Stavanger, I'll say Velkommen og lykke til!

 

[cdysthe]

cdsythe, you appear to have the requisite practical nature and intestinal fortitude to excel as an i-MiEV driver! :ugeek:
As a former resident of Stavanger, I'll say Velkommen og lykke til!

Stavanger is a great town! I grew up in Oslo. Went to live in Austin, TX for 15 years. I drove a Fiat 500 on Texas freeways including I35. That makes me brave and a good Austin hippie wannabe

Now we live on the coast north of Boston in MA. I have driven an iMiev on Iceland where I also have an office. Pretty sure the iMiev is the car for us around town.

 

[Don]

I drove a Fiat 500 on Texas freeways including I35. That makes me brave and a good Austin hippie wannabe

A high school friend had an old Fiat 500, so I'm very familiar with it's performance - You were brave indeed!! With that in your background, you're going to think the iMiEV is a ROCKET!

Everything you need indeed. I'm also 6' and the iMiEV is by far the easiest car to get into and out of I've ever owned. Plenty of room inside for four full sized adults in reasonable comfort. If you're already familiar with the Euro version, you will immediately notice all the 'extra' interior room the NA version has

Don

 

[rkarl89203]

And, if you are adventurous, remember www.plugshare.com.
With planning, day trips and more are possible!

Congrats on your imiev!

 

[misterbleepy]

We do not know anything about how electric cars works, the do's and dont's, but I'm sure we will find out soon enough!

Do plug it in to recharge it.
Don't put petrol in it.

I think that covers the do's and dont's

 

[ed5000]

We do not know anything about how electric cars works, the do's and dont's, but I'm sure we will find out soon enough!

Do plug it in to recharge it.
Don't put petrol in it.

I think that covers the do's and dont's

Maybe add don't change the oil?