Will Your Elio Retain Its Resale Value?

[Horn]

at 75K you'll need at least 3 tires & brake pads/rotors. The clutch will be weak as will the shocks, you'd likely need those within the next 25K. At this point you're still living with "chances are". If you add those parts & labor in you've moved closer to a new one. The 3 year warranty and peace of mind alone carries substantial value. Unless you're going to pack on the options you'll need to save way more than half price to make this work. That's why a 5 year old Elio won't be worth 3.5K.

Really the clutch will be weak?....really? BS. Unless they just really cheap out on the clutch, it should last you at least 150k.

I have never had to replace a clutch on my metro due to wear. I have replaced it due to transmission swaps.

The shocks also shouldn't be that weak. 75k on a well maintained car is nothing.

 

[Horn]

I'm thinking Elio will come up with an innovative auto-recycling program.......return your used and worn out Elio to the Sales/recycle center they pay you a flat rate return fee and you drive off in your new Elio. I wonder if Elio will offer a Lease option?

Hahahaha. I think this is what they call "trading in your vehicle". Re-using is 10x better than recycling (melting down and going through that process).

Also, you would get more for selling your older elio to a private party than a recycle premium.

 

[KN16]

Really the clutch will be weak?....really? BS. Unless they just really cheap out on the clutch, it should last you at least 150k.

I have never had to replace a clutch on my metro due to wear. I have replaced it due to transmission swaps.

The shocks also shouldn't be that weak. 75k on a well maintained car is nothing.

Exactly how much clutch do you think you're going to get on a <$7K vehicle? As for shocks there's no manufacturer that claims their shocks will last half of 150K The smaller the shock the shorter the useful life. No amount of maintenance can extend the life of a shock absorber so being "well maintained" is irrelevant.

 

[Craig]

I'm thinking Elio will come up with an innovative auto-recycling program.......return your used and worn out Elio to the Sales/recycle center they pay you a flat rate return fee and you drive off in your new Elio. I wonder if Elio will offer a Lease option?

Isn't it customary for the cost of recycling to be paid up front by the original customer like tires and things like that? For EM to pay a flat fee and ship the old units back LA to be stripped down would be a little expensive. JMO

 

[jtmarten]

The smaller the shock the shorter the useful life.

This is complete nonsense. Service life is not size dependent, it is dependent on the quality of construction, vehicle weight, driving habits, road condition, etc.

 

[KN16]

This is complete nonsense. Service life is not size dependent, it is dependent on the quality of construction, vehicle weight, driving habits, road condition, etc.

No, that is nonsense, the life span is HIGHLY tied to the amount of oil in the shock and the size of the sealing surface around the pistons.

Everything else you mentioned are also factors but, as with other things we don't want to admit to size matters.

 

[Ty]

Isn't it customary for the cost of recycling to be paid up front by the original customer like tires and things like that? For EM to pay a flat fee and ship the old units back LA to be stripped down would be a little expensive. JMO

Elio stores could simply remove the body panels and take the rest to their local scrap yard... maybe even the plastic panels too.

 

[Craig]

Elio stores could simply remove the body panels and take the rest to their local scrap yard... maybe even the plastic panels too.

I would think, if the frame had some kind of rust proofing, for the money, it would be the most feasible part for recycling, barring any structural damage or degradation. JMO

 

[Ty]

I would think, if the frame had some kind of rust proofing, for the money, it would be the most feasible part for recycling, barring any structural damage or degradation. JMO

I agree. Well, that and the aluminum block. I mentioned taking the panels off so the recycling center would get a much higher steel to plastic ratio.

 

[Craig]

I agree. Well, that and the aluminum block. I mentioned taking the panels off so the recycling center would get a much higher steel to plastic ratio.

Sorry, I meant taking it back to LA, not melting down. This part will have the highest labor cost in it. JMO