Thoughts on my second thoughts

[Slatester89]

And the safety rating:

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/ford/bronco-sport-4-door-suv/2025

Being an EV in 2026 is absolutely critical. 23 mpg from a 4-cylinder is embarrassing!

And there's the repairability to consider. And the customizeability. And the simplicity. And the lack of computerization. And there's the fact that you have to go through a Ford dealer to get it!

Really, about the only things that are the same are the number of seats and the front end styling if you squint hard!

Yes to the above, but my point was if the need is for a 4 doors and better equipped at near the same price, pick Bronco Sport or similar over Slate SUV.

A Slate can't be had with 4doors at any price.
A Slate can't be had with power windows, mirrors, radio, at any price without DIY mods (and no warranty).
A Slate w/SUV kit has an unknown range as of yet. We know it will be less than the Blank's 205. And what will it be during the cold winter months: 100-150? The Bronco's mpg/range won't be cut by 40% when the temp drops to 32 every day in half the country.

One other topic we avoid is depreciation. A $30k Slate could drop to a $10k Slate in 3-5years. Tis the nature of EVs. The Bronco Sport could still demand $20k on the used car market. That $10k is the equivalent of 2500 (57.5k miles) to 3333(76.7k miles) gallons of gas at $3-$4/gallon.

A Slate doesn't have safety rating yet. 5-star is a "goal". I doubt Ford said, " let's design/build a 3-star Bronco. Our Slate could earn less than 5-stars. I hope not, but if it is 3,4, I'll still buy but others won't. Or maybe they will.


I stand by my original assessment regarding the SUV. If your NEED (not want) is an SUV with 4-doors to use as a kid hauler, and your budget is $30k-$40k, the Slate SUV is absolutely the wrong choice, the wrong tool. Sure, it will work, but as gear heads we know that while a hammer might work for the job at hand, many times it's the wrong tool.

b

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Yes to the above, but my point was if the need is for a 4 doors and better equipped at near the same price, pick Bronco Sport or similar over Slate SUV.

A Slate can't be had with 4doors at any price.
A Slate can't be had with power windows, mirrors, radio, at any price without DIY mods (and no warranty).
A Slate w/SUV kit has an unknown range as of yet. We know it will be less than the Blank's 205. And what will it be during the cold winter months: 100-150? The Bronco's mpg/range won't be cut by 40% when the temp drops to 32 every day in half the country.

One other topic we avoid is depreciation. A $30k Slate could drop to a $10k Slate in 3-5years. Tis the nature of EVs. The Bronco Sport could still demand $20k on the used car market. That $10k is the equivalent of 2500 (57.5k miles) to 3333(76.7k miles) gallons of gas at $3-$4/gallon.

A Slate doesn't have safety rating yet. 5-star is a "goal". I doubt Ford said, " let's design/build a 3-star Bronco. Our Slate could earn less than 5-stars. I hope not, but if it is 3,4, I'll still buy but others won't. Or maybe they will.


I stand by my original assessment regarding the SUV. If your NEED (not want) is an SUV with 4-doors to use as a kid hauler, and your budget is $30k-$40k, the Slate SUV is absolutely the wrong choice, the wrong tool. Sure, it will work, but as gear heads we know that while a hammer might work for the job at hand, many times it's the wrong tool.

b

I would LOVE to pick up a 3-year old Slate for $10K!!! Put me on the list...have kids, desire Slates.

 

[Slatester89]

I would LOVE to pick up a 3-year old Slate for $10K!!! Put me on the list...have kids, desire Slates.

You might have to wait until 5years.

b

 

[KevinRS]

I really doubt Slates will drop that much. Without the federal tax credit, that's 7500 instant depreciation off the table. Then being a small pickup, it's got utility that means people are always going to want to buy them. Check prices for good running used 2 door pickups. Slate is selling new at a price competitive with current used cars, so I think there is a floor that working used won't drop below that Slate is close to new.
A lot of the depreciation in EVs is the tech, which Slate doesn't have, so it's not built into the new price, to then be outdated 2 years later.

 

[Slatester89]

I really doubt Slates will drop that much. Without the federal tax credit, that's 7500 instant depreciation off the table. Then being a small pickup, it's got utility that means people are always going to want to buy them. Check prices for good running used 2 door pickups. Slate is selling new at a price competitive with current used cars, so I think there is a floor that working used won't drop below that Slate is close to new.
A lot of the depreciation in EVs is the tech, which Slate doesn't have, so it's not built into the new price, to then be outdated 2 years later.

My fingers are crossed that you are correct. I'm not too concerned because I don't see myself selling it any time soon. But others will be xoncerned with depreciation. Mainly, I'm not too concerned because it is more than a car/truck to me. It's another TOOL in my tool box. And I don't sell my tools.

I'm buying it because I need on occasion something useful enough to carry odd sized items from A to B.

I'm buying it because I want a runabout for short trips that don't lend themselves to "roadsters".

I'm buying it because it is cheap.

I'm buying it because it is EV-Truck. (I've owned ICE since 1968...that's a lot of Carbon, etc., that I've been crapping in the environment. Maybe this will decrease that.)

I'm buying because it is quirky and I do love quirky.

b

 

[RedJoker]

Depreciation is weird. A huge % drop on a low cost item is frequently less money loss than a more expensive item that retains a higher % resell value. For example, a $25k vehicle that has a complete and total value collapse loses $25k. A $50k vehicle that retains half it's value is also a $25k loss.

 

[knob]

A low starting price will help temper depreciation. It's also interesting that a pickup can be rewrapped, transformed, customized and restored without a shop or licensed wrench. I think both will buffer the heavy drops common in EV resale.

 

[adele]

Yes to the above, but my point was if the need is for a 4 doors and better equipped at near the same price, pick Bronco Sport or similar over Slate SUV.

A Slate can't be had with 4doors at any price.
A Slate can't be had with power windows, mirrors, radio, at any price without DIY mods (and no warranty).
A Slate w/SUV kit has an unknown range as of yet. We know it will be less than the Blank's 205. And what will it be during the cold winter months: 100-150? The Bronco's mpg/range won't be cut by 40% when the temp drops to 32 every day in half the country.

One other topic we avoid is depreciation. A $30k Slate could drop to a $10k Slate in 3-5years. Tis the nature of EVs. The Bronco Sport could still demand $20k on the used car market. That $10k is the equivalent of 2500 (57.5k miles) to 3333(76.7k miles) gallons of gas at $3-$4/gallon.

A Slate doesn't have safety rating yet. 5-star is a "goal". I doubt Ford said, " let's design/build a 3-star Bronco. Our Slate could earn less than 5-stars. I hope not, but if it is 3,4, I'll still buy but others won't. Or maybe they will.


I stand by my original assessment regarding the SUV. If your NEED (not want) is an SUV with 4-doors to use as a kid hauler, and your budget is $30k-$40k, the Slate SUV is absolutely the wrong choice, the wrong tool. Sure, it will work, but as gear heads we know that while a hammer might work for the job at hand, many times it's the wrong tool.

b

How are "power windows, mirrors, radio" in any way relevant to the need for a kid hauler? I cannot fathom why those things would be necessary for the "right tool for the job" in your scenario. I don't even think 4 doors are necessary. As a kid I climbed in the back of plenty of 2-door cars, and I don't remember any problems with it.

You assume a lot about what other people want, and then you try to talk wants into absolute needs. Maybe you want 4 doors and power windows, but not everyone does. (I don’t want them, and I wouldn’t want them if I had kids either.) A vehicle isn’t objectively “better equipped” just for having those specific attributes.

 

[Slatester89]

How are "power windows, mirrors, radio" in any way relevant to the need for a kid hauler? I cannot fathom why those things would be necessary for the "right tool for the job" in your scenario. I don't even think 4 doors are necessary. As a kid I climbed in the back of plenty of 2-door cars, and I don't remember any problems with it.

You assume a lot about what other people want, and then you try to talk wants into absolute needs. Maybe you want 4 doors and power windows, but not everyone does. (I don’t want them, and I wouldn’t want them if I had kids either.) A vehicle isn’t objectively “better equipped” just for having those specific attributes.

They aren't ^^^^. But they are standard in the Bronco Sport SUV and not available in the Slate SUV while the the two have similar prices.

I didn't assume anything. (But you are assuming a lot about me, aren't you?) If you read back far enough, you'll find the threads that started this discussion where a forum member wrote that the Blank wouldn't necessarily work for him (although that's what he wants) because he had kiddo duties which eliminates the Blank. That led him to the SUV. A criticism of his was that the Slate SUV only had two doors which could be a PITA with respect to kiddo duties. Plus, the base SUV is very spartan. This led to my original comment that the right tool for the kiddo-duty is a 4-door with more standard options: the Bronco Sport which can be had for a similar price as the basic Slate SUV.

b

 

[adele]

They aren't ^^^^. But they are standard in the Bronco Sport SUV and not available in the Slate SUV while the the two have similar prices.

I didn't assume anything. (But you are assuming a lot about me, aren't you?) If you read back far enough, you'll find the threads that started this discussion where a forum member wrote that the Blank wouldn't necessarily work for him (although that's what he wants) because he had kiddo duties which eliminates the Blank. That led him to the SUV. A criticism of his was that the Slate SUV only had two doors which could be a PITA with respect to kiddo duties. Plus, the base SUV is very spartan. This led to my original comment that the right tool for the kiddo-duty is a 4-door with more standard options: the Bronco Sport which can be had for a similar price as the basic Slate SUV.

b

Yes, I did see your original comment. (It's just annoying to quote multiple comments.) I just disagree that the right tool for the kiddo-duty is a 4-door with more standard options. Both are equally fine for the task; it's just a question of whether or not someone wants those standard options which have nothing at all to do with carrying kids.

I don't know, if my kids cry about not having their own doors, I can get them pretty nice Christmas presents with the $2k (plus gas money) I saved by choosing the Slate over the Bronco.