Why do YOU want a Slate?

[ScooterAsheville]

The most interesting thread to me is the one 18 months for now. Which will be titled, "Now that you have it, do you still want it?".

 

[Shrink36s]

The most interesting thread to me is the one 18 months for now. Which will be titled, "Now that you have it, do you still want it?".

You should start it, as a placeholder. 🤣

 

[NMNeil]

Don’t want in a truck do you.

The poster lives near Chicago, so I wonder how long he would last living in the desert like us before crying about no A/C

 

[aquaman811]

There is definitely something special about simplicity that I miss quite a lot. When I first bought a used car as a late teen that had power windows and locks, it was cool, and, yeah, it's so much easier to draw all the windows down when you want to. I do miss the intention behind it all, though, and the tactile sensations and physical feedback you get from the manual things. I really miss driving a stick. Manual transmission is long gone with EV especially, I suppose, and that's OK.

I guess I just want simple. Maybe I'm just "old man yells at clouds" at this point, I just want simple. So many things are overly complicated with technology built it and it drives me crazy... and I work in tech!

Totally understandable! There’s something visceral about a manually operated vehicle. I have a ‘62 Studebaker Lark, manual steering, brakes, 3 on the tree, no AC, no screens, manual locks & windows. It’s very interesting piloting this machine down the road, the physical connection you have with the machine. (Now, I also have an ‘88 Buick Reatta & ‘22 KIA EV6, so definitely something to compare utility with luxury!)

 

[AmatuerX]

1) EV. This is the second EV I'll have owned. I love the "EV" side of my Tesla, but I don't like the rest of it (aside from the 1-pedal driving, but that's another thread).

2) A (lowrider) truck. I've been wanting a lowered "S10" for a while, but they're all rusty now. This will scratch that itch, and be an easy daily driver - not to mention be the only truck in the household.

3) DIY! - Since I really do want something to fiddle with (but not in the "engine bay") this will work perfectly.

4) Simplicity!! - I was sold with the crank windows, as I've had to fix a power window in the past and it was a nightmare. But, in addition, I hate touch screens, and this trend of going button-less is the WORST!

5) Price. - It's affordable. (see simplicity above)

6) Nothing else good out there. - If you asked me if it weren't for the Slate what would you get? The answer would be absolutely nothing. Damn-near every new car out there is over priced with all there extra garbage the car companies think I want. Nope.

7) A place to use my new Boombox!

 

[KevinRS]

On the manual/powered windows, I will likely add the powered windows at some point, getting in on hot days, they make it a lot easier to dump the hot air from being parked in the sun. Roll them down, turn fan on max, and by the time you make about 2 turns in the parking lot most of the overheated air is gone. Preconditioning of the cab could help with that if you use it, but we haven't really heard anything solid on it existing or how it would work.

 

[sodamo]

My go to vehicle to get parts to maintain my ICE vehicles. 😁

Seriously, I figure it costs up to $12 in gas just to go to the grocery and pharmacy and shopping.

My Tundra getting 18.8 mpg and it’s 20 miles to town, basically 2.5 g min round trip and our gas is still over $4/g in good times. So looking forward to charging at home, off grid from my PV.

 

[sodamo]

The most interesting thread to me is the one 18 months for now. Which will be titled, "Now that you have it, do you still want it?".

Think you will be here, contributing?

 

[ElectricShitbox]

I want a Slate because I want a new vehicle that I can treat like my long line of beater cars I hope to be at the end of.

 

[Mr. Slate]

When I was in high school I drove this little red '76 Toyota pickup, even in Maine winters. It was a 4 speed manual, rear wheel drive, it had an AM/FM radio, and nothing else... except a couple holes in the floor and a dodgy starter. Ever since then I've had a soft spot for small, single cab pickups. I've had a couple Tacoma's, but they just keep getting bigger. I've also become a right to repair enthusiast and I am fond of electric vehicles, so I guess you can see why Slate scratches an itch for me.

 

[ValkorTheOptimistic]

Just chiming in to echo most of what's already being said.
Small and simple, and all the things that follow from those.

I'm not old, but I don't want to have to climb up into the truck I might use for moving the occasional couch. I like easy parking. I like being able to get into the bed without standing on the tire.

I like buttons and knobs and climate control that doesn't require navigating a menu. Actually, I don't like anything with a menu in my car. I don't want a "connected" car. If I want to go that direction, it will be on my terms, not anyone else's. If this thing is as DIY as they say, I'd be able to work in a 360 dashcam with cloud upload through a cheap phone if I want. I definitely want a vehicle that isn't releasing with half-baked software waiting on updates. I like the lack of frills.

Most things that are brought up as objections to the Slate are not my use case or actual selling points for me.

I have a few disappointments and concerns, but that's for a different thread.

The poster lives near Chicago, so I wonder how long he would last living in the desert like us before crying about no A/C

I used to, and I didn't cry. Dry heat is nice.
100% humidity in the South? No thanks. That requires A/C.

 

[bloo]

I guess I don't ***need*** a truck, but it would make stuff like this easier.

Your poor car! It looks very tired.