Moving out of CA: sell or keep?

eschatfische · Aug 20, 2017

Next month, I'm going to be saying goodbye to California and hello to Wisconsin, and I've been mulling over the fate of our 2012.

It's fully paid off, 59900 miles, and I did purchase the platinum warranty. It's going to cost around $1000 to ship to where we'll be.

We've been lucky to have an unproblematic RAV, but it has developed some whine again after getting its propulsion unit replaced a while back. Not bad enough that I think it would qualify for replacement right now (otherwise I'd try to get it in the shop before the 60k mark), but at some point, we'd probably want a propulsion unit replacement. In the end, getting service if the heater or charger fails in Wisconsin is my primary concern, since that sounds like pulling teeth. It's probably better it stay in California.

However, I have a very limited window in which to sell it, since I'll be leaving in late September but would want to keep using it until then.

Any thoughts? Worth it to keep, or does it make more sense to sell... and if sell, what's the best way these days?

smkettner · Aug 20, 2017

Since you paid for the warranty and have not had trouble I would keep it.
Yes it might be a bit of extra effort if work need to be done. Worst case you trade it in (WI) and move on.

Hoosier · Aug 21, 2017

Snow and Ice in Wisconsin? Almost 60,000 miles? I would sell it. It's just not worth the hassle shipping it halfway across the US then something breaks? Wisconsin dealers won't touch it.

There are plenty of people on this forum looking for a used Rav4 Ev with a transferable Toyota Platinum Warranty. Some of them might even wait until late September when you move.

If you want to sell it fast...take it to Carmax.

TonyWilliams · Aug 23, 2017

Well, I would ship it if you enjoy it. There are other RAV4 EVs around the area up there, if some with JdeMO.

My bigger question is where will it be and where will you be driving it?

eschatfische · Aug 23, 2017

We'll be in Milwaukee, and I think the RAV would be great for city driving, but we have family 100+m away in Rockford that we expect to be visiting frequently. There's no chademo stations along that route, unfortunately, although there is a Tesla Supercharger in Rockford.

My internal debate is whether to ship the car, use it for city driving, and then use a gas-burner for the Rockford runs, or sell the RAV in CA and eventually use the money towards something (Bolt or used Model S) that we could get maintenance on and could conceivably get us to Rockford and back.

TonyWilliams · Aug 23, 2017

There are several Tesla stations and NEMA 14-50 outlets along that route, so while the RAV4 can definitely do the 100 mile trip nonstop, you can stop somewhere in the middle and use a NEMA 14-50 (with JESLA or similar 40 amp capable portable charge cable) or JDapter Stub at the Tesla stations.

Presumably, you have a place to plug in at Rockford.

Lake Lawn Resort
http://api.plugshare.com/view/location/90440