At What Point

[wayne kemp]

Every car dealer stretches the gas millage.
My new Ford truck was told to get 15 in city. It gets 11.5
A lot depends on how, where, and how far you drive.
They give you numbers where EVERYTHING is perfect conditions.
I look for MAYBE on a 200 mile trip at 60 MPH you may get 80 MPG but no more.
Ever seen a car salesman tell you 100% truth? LOL

 

[Ekh]

Why let Paul know you are speculating and willing to pay more? He seems to be firm on $6800 and confident that he can do it...........so am I.

It's not an issue. They KNOW the car would sell at $10,000 (Jerome Vassallo told me that in person), but their commitment is to make something affordable by hard-pressed workers with long commutes who are going broke just getting to their jobs. Paul DOES know he may wind up a few dollars higher than $6800, but he's not going to go there willingly. It isn't only about profit for him.

 

[UCF'73]

I expect they'll try to hold to the $6800 goal for non-refundable reservation holders or else a lot of people will be crying foul. After that, any smart company will price the car at whatever the market will bear, which could be quite a bit higher.

 

[Folks]

I really sense that Paul and the others are on a mission. You see I'm on a mission too. And it takes one to know one. $6800 for the first year and just slightly more after. Plus some kind of Company owned financing for the struggling young families who are still responsible enough to work for a living. It is the soul of this country at stake. Socialism works until the money runs out. Anyone spied the National Dept lately? No? then don't blame me.

 

[Husker1]

I really believe the first year base price is going to be in the $6800 area and the extras and add ons is where the $$ cha-ching $$ will come into play. I'm unsure if we will see a crash rating. Sure Paul wants them tested as do we, but are the results from a private testing group going to be at the same standards? If the mpg is anywhere close to 84 I think everyone will be happy.

 

[BlioKart]

Every car dealer stretches the gas millage.
My new Ford truck was told to get 15 in city. It gets 11.5
A lot depends on how, where, and how far you drive.
They give you numbers where EVERYTHING is perfect conditions.
I look for MAYBE on a 200 mile trip at 60 MPH you may get 80 MPG but no more.
Ever seen a car salesman tell you 100% truth? LOL

Allegedly it is suppose to be 84mpg with a/c on @ 65mph. But I can see mileage varying depending on driving habits and terrain.

 

[UCF'73]

Allegedly it is suppose to be 84mpg with a/c on @ 65mph. But I can see mileage varying depending on driving habits and terrain.

I confess to hypermiling: long coasts to the stop light, going into neutral when going downhill, gradual slow down going uphill, shifting at lowest speed possible, limit rpm's, etc. It drives people crazy and may even be un-American.

http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/hypermiling-quest-for-ultimate-fuel-economy.html

 

[RMClubfitter]

I confess to hypermiling: long coasts to the stop light, going into neutral when going downhill, gradual slow down going uphill, shifting at lowest speed possible, limit rpm's, etc. It drives people crazy and may even be un-American.

http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/hypermiling-quest-for-ultimate-fuel-economy.html

Good article. This one caught my eye;

Draft at your own risk A "draft-assisted" auto-stop involves tailgating a semitruck. By taking advantage of the draft generated in the truck's wake, wind resistance is markedly reduced for the hypermiler's car. "This is particularly dangerous," said Thomas, "as you must travel dangerously close to the 18-wheelers for the technique's full effect."

I was doing this several years ago. I had a CB radio and was listening and another trucker radioed to the truck I was drafting, "You got a hemorroid on your arse". Don't think truckers like this technique.

 

[JEBar]

I confess to hypermiling: long coasts to the stop light, going into neutral when going downhill, gradual slow down going uphill, shifting at lowest speed possible, limit rpm's, etc. It drives people crazy and may even be un-American.

and I thought I was the only one ..

Jim

 

[AriLea]

I expect they'll try to hold to the $6800 goal for non-refundable reservation holders or else a lot of people will be crying foul. After that, any smart company will price the car at whatever the market will bear, which could be quite a bit higher.

They still have to keep the volume up to keep the cost per unit down, so I would not expect the price to go up where people stop thinking this is an excellent deal. So think about it, what price point makes you recalculate your thinking? For me 7-7.k doesn't do much, but 8-8.5k does a little. Over 9k and I start thinking sternly about it from a cost standpoint. My guess is that looks a lot like each year if the car remains very popular,
Year0=6800(reservations), Year1(after reservations)=7.5k, Year2=8k, Year3=8.5k. (adjust for inflation) Depends on just how popular it is, IMHO.

But you know Paul has already thought strongly about the production volume issue, he wants that high, and so he will keep the price low. This IS the biggest fight with the investors into the future.