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Better to buy a used tesla model 3 around 20-23k or a used toyota corolla for 25k?

lomotil

Well-known member
Mar 14, 2004
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Buy the ICE Toyota for practicality and peace of mind in these strange times. Avoid used Tesla’s like the plague, especially going .forward .
When the settles, in the future , when Robotaxi comes to Canada, Toyota BEV will be used, not Chinese BEVs
 
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The Options Menu

A Not So New Member
Sep 13, 2005
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Most people are able to charge their EVs at home, not so if you live in Toronto. Especially if you live in a condo/apartment and don't have a driveway, which means you're limited to street parking. Very inconvenient.
Then factor in having to drive Canadian scale distances. (Which I do.)

I'll take a peppy Japanese 4-banger any day. At least for the foreseeable future. Ignoring the issues of repairability and quality, the issues of charger density and speed make EVs a no go for me.

Maybe in another decade.
 
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stinkynuts

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Jan 4, 2005
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Yes, if you travel long distances, it's harder for EVs. I remember driving across Canada, and there were so many times I almost ran out of gas because there are huge distances between gas stations. So for EVs, it's ten times worse.

If you own an EV, you really have to worry about finding a charging station to end up not being stranded, espeically in the winter where it could be deadly. There is no way I would want to go on road trips and have to constantly worry about whether there is a charging staton nearby.
 

stinkynuts

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Jan 4, 2005
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When I went to Thailand, there were BYDs everywhere. The looked amazing, so sleek and stylish. Tesla only has one model, for all practical purposes. The model 3 and model Y are essentially the same thing, and have had the same design for the last ten years.

If you really want an EV, wait for the BYDs. They will be available later this year.

 
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crocket

Well-known member
Nov 10, 2001
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I saw tesla have buttons for activating the turn signals, while every car uses the turn signal stalk. If you like pressing buttons get a tesla.
Also how is the Chinese steel quality? Will they rust fast? Can you oil spray these EV's?
 
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Adamxx

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Oct 29, 2018
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The Chinese EVs are just around the corner, so the popularity of EVs are about to take off in Canada. When Trump is out of office at the end of his term or hauled out in a box if he keels over in office. The new president will capitolize on fixing all the wrongs Trump has brought on his country. A popular move by the next president is to bring modernity and envirnmental benefit to America. Chrysler already has a joint venture with a Chinese manufacturer to produce EVs in America, Ford is lobbying the government for consessions so they too can have a joint venture to bring jobs into the American car industry. GM will have to do the same or die. Many countries around the world have embraced EVs. Norway is a big oil exporter in Europe, and yet half their new car consumer purchases are EVs. Electric vehicles are the future and is here to stay.
I am not going to jump on the EV band wagon at this time because I suspect big changes are coming. New batteries that are cheaper and have longer range are being developed, new EVs that have a 1.2 to 1.5 liter onboard engines to charge the battery will be available soon. As far as Chinese brands go, I suspect the cars to be of good quality and reliable. It would not be wise for them to have spent $Trillions to put out a bad product. They also have a good track record, Chinese EVs are very popular in Scandinavian countries where the conditions are simular to the envirnment in Canada. It is going to be interesting when the legacy car manufacturers compete for sales with the new Chinese EV car companies.
Same here waiting. Recently read about a battery using salt, which came out recently, The Changan Nevo A06.
 

GameBoy27

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Nov 23, 2004
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That was one of the most annoying narrations. Oh, and when he asks, how can these (Chinese) companies manufacture these cars at such a low cost? For starters, it's called, pay workers next to noting.

Question. How well do all of these sensors that control self-driving mode, mirrors etc. work when they're covered in snow, ice and slush during the winter?

I still can't see these electric cars being a large percentage of Canada's car sales.
 

lomotil

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Mar 14, 2004
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Never buy a used EV. They are not designed to be resold, but to be discarded once the battery stops working, after about 10 years, creating an environmental nightmare, ironically 😆
Used EV batteries can be “repurposed “ in secondary roles for grid storage or low speed vehicles or even telecommunications back ups.
If the battery is severely damaged, then the lithium and cobalt can be extracted and recycled. Still this is just “ kicking the can” in terms of the environment because a big percentage of these used EV batteries will end up just sitting idle in storage areas, potentially leaking out toxins into the environment.
 

Daveboy

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Feb 18, 2026
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Used EV batteries can be “repurposed “ in secondary roles for grid storage or low speed vehicles or even telecommunications back ups.
If the battery is severely damaged, then the lithium and cobalt can be extracted and recycled. Still this is just “ kicking the can” in terms of the environment because a big percentage of these used EV batteries will end up just sitting idle in storage areas, potentially leaking out toxins into the environment.
This is neither practical, cost-effective, nor good for business, and doesn't happen in real life. EV and lithium battery manufacturers want us to keep buying new EVs. Just like our mobile phones and batteries that we replace every 3 years.
 
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Kristsj

Sarah- 💘
Jan 28, 2026
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3
China made model3 price is really good and those are the premium RWD ones too. For Vancouver I definitely see this being worth it. But Toronto, nope. Especially the weather this year.even with the winter tires it still will be sketchy. Also u don’t get the $5k Ev rebate with this one. If u were holding out mainly for rebate then u might wna reconsider. But if you care more about the extra features and overall driving experience, this acc a pretty balanced choice
 
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