Jim wants a new motor

I love electric cars, we have had only electric for 6 years now. I wouldn't change, having said that I would agree with Tricky that you need to seriously think about whether it is right for you if you don't have off road parking.

You mean like going to the petrol station? (winky thing)

Agreed. We're lucky to have off-street parking to allow a home charger, but I'd have to think very hard about the practical merits of an EV if we didn't.

I'd concur. Without off road parking it's probably going to be a right bollock ache.

I had an electric (Cupra Born) for a bit through a work salary sacrifice thing, since you ask about that but, one of the key deciding factors was that we had several 7kW and 22kW PodPoint chargers for employees to use free of charge.

Definitely worth my while at the time for that reason alone. The Born was also a lot of fun to drive and lighting quick off the mark, being an EV aimed at the 'hot hatch' market (it wasn't really IMO, but nice to look at and as I say, fun).

On the salary sacrifice front, it's obviously a personal thing depending on circumstance and what you value, but for for me personally I decided driving a quite nice top spec brand new car without having to really think about paying for servicing, tyres, tax or insurance made it worth my while.

On the flip side, if your personal circumstances change, you're also still committed during the length of the contract, obviously and I think some schemes would still hold you to an (substantial) early termination charge even if you leave your employment during the term (mine didn't, but you may want to check).

That said I did get hit for a hundred and a bit quit when the car went back having left the company due to a rather badly kerbed nearside alloy due to some piss poor parking when in a hurry once. So don't park lime a spazwit would be my advice. The third party supplier was Tusker btw.

I now own a hybrid, which is good for 40 odd miles on a charge which is good enough for my daily commute on a weekly basis and works out worth my while charging in the garage overnight off a domestic 3 pin plug once a week.

You may still want to consider a fuck off Hummer though, just for the lolz on the school run.

I fairly often look around the EV deals and second hand market as it’s the way it’s all going. And I keep thinking it will be time for a new car as I keep expecting my current one to die.

It’s a 16 year old Golf with 184000 miles on the clock. Got it in 2014 with about 60k on the clock to tick me over for a couple of years but it’s been the best car I’ve ever owned by a long way. I wouldn’t even say I’ve particularly looked after it but it’s done very well and it seems pointless to get rid whilst it’s working.

Jim, glad you have started listening. Buy a Ford Ranger.

Once with extra large wheels and big fuck off off road tyres.

Diesel, obs. And don’t opt for any pedestrian/cyclist safety features.

We bought a three year old VW iD3 for £13k (fully electric). I am not a car person but it is lovely to drive. It's the smaller battery model though so I wouldn't do it without the drive charge point that we had installed at the same time.

If it's just for around town, get a new Dacia Spring. Cheap (about £12k), low range, but when the battery goes it shouldn't cost too much.

You wouldn't want one going down the motorway though.

If you're wanting longer range, get a two year old Dacia Jogger. About the same price, but petrol and you'll be more likely to survive a high speed impact.

Anything else is just vanity.

Everything is vanity, including going electric.

Nah, a petrol Dacia is purely functional.

James May, one of the world's leading motoring Journalists, loves the Dacia brand and drives one for the image.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIUQq7t6brM

Google tells me that was a running joke on Top Gear. I’m pretty sure James May isn’t driving around daily in a Dacia.

Google talks shite.

Have you been banned from Google yet?

I'm pretty sure James May was a running joke on Top Gear

Since age-verification I've had to diversify.