Buying a relatively new Outlander PHEV (UK)

[skutter]

Hi folks,

I have been reading through the forum - great information, much appreciated.

I am replacing a clapped out Zafira ... I ended up looking at automatics as my wife is disabled which led me towards a hybrid then on to PHEV - as we do a lot of short trips so it seems to make sense. I have looked at the Nero and Kona as nearest competitors (notwithstanding not being PHEV) but still like the presence of the Outlander and the higher seating position.

I have been looking at 2019 models (2018 or 19 plate), either 4h or 4hs of which Autotrader has a fair number.

My questions are basically:

1. is there anything particular I should absolutely look for (apart from the usual mileage, condition etc)? I am (now) pretty clued up on the model differences and the upgrades in 2019. Mileages seem to range 8k - 17k ish so I presume there will be no non-warranty surprises.

2. I also read in a couple of places that there is a rather expensive warranty required annual battery check but haven't been able to confirm this (Mitsubishi customer services have not yet responded) ... can anyone conform if this is just on-line BS?

3. is buying from a Mitsubishi dealer worth any sort of premium at this age of vehicle? I know they offer breakdown cover and a check of the car but I have breakdown with my bank account and not sure the checks are that important on a fairly new vehicle under warranty (especially as everyone says they carry out checks).

Any advice appreciated

 

[greendwarf]

Never heard of anyone being required to pay for a battery check to maintain the warranty - in fact many UK users find it difficult to get a battery check done by dealers! :evil: However the annual service is several hundred pounds anyway.

As the vehicle needs to be plugged in to specialist IT at a registered dealer, any other sellers' pre-sale checks will be limited to simple mechanical aspects and even then the high voltages around the car will curtail even those. Given that software issues are a regular complaint e.g. inability to connect 'phones, I would be very wary of buying from a non-dealer. :idea:

 

[user 3575]

Hi folks,

I have been reading through the forum - great information, much appreciated.

I am replacing a clapped out Zafira ... I ended up looking at automatics as my wife is disabled which led me towards a hybrid then on to PHEV - as we do a lot of short trips so it seems to make sense. I have looked at the Nero and Kona as nearest competitors (notwithstanding not being PHEV) but still like the presence of the Outlander and the higher seating position.

I have been looking at 2019 models (2018 or 19 plate), either 4h or 4hs of which Autotrader has a fair number.

My questions are basically:

1. is there anything particular I should absolutely look for (apart from the usual mileage, condition etc)? I am (now) pretty clued up on the model differences and the upgrades in 2019. Mileages seem to range 8k - 17k ish so I presume there will be no non-warranty surprises.

2. I also read in a couple of places that there is a rather expensive warranty required annual battery check but haven't been able to confirm this (Mitsubishi customer services have not yet responded) ... can anyone conform if this is just on-line BS?

3. is buying from a Mitsubishi dealer worth any sort of premium at this age of vehicle? I know they offer breakdown cover and a check of the car but I have breakdown with my bank account and not sure the checks are that important on a fairly new vehicle under warranty (especially as everyone says they carry out checks).

Any advice appreciated

I have to ask the question I am assuming you are in the UK and your wife disabled, if so can you not get a PHEV through the Motability scheme it is designed to support people with mobility disabilities.

 

[skutter]

Fortunately she is not disabled enough (Parkinson's) to qualify so not a motability issue. The automatics requirement more about convenience; practicality and comfort

 

[MrPastry]

As greendwarf suggests, an "expensive warranty required annual battery check" sounds odd.
I cannot persuade my two local dealers to check the traction battery during the annual service.
During my ownership of Mitsubishi Phevs, the annual service has varied between £200 and £240 depending on the service type.
Maybe you'll pay more or less elsewhere.

Plus points:
The Phev has long warranties for car & traction batteries.
Mine have been very very reliable.

Minus points:
Paint quality is utter poop. You'll get chipped paint from flies & wasps (almost). :lol:
Road tax is very high on newer cars.

 

[Bloggsy]

Minus points:
Paint quality is utter poop. You'll get chipped paint from flies & wasps (almost). :lol:
Road tax is very high on newer cars.

Agree! Even though I've not heard stones hit my car, I've found several chips since I bought my car.

Also, I deliberately bought my model as it costs zero in Road Tax. I had my renewal come through last month and I couldn't help but smile all day when I renewed for another year! :lol:

Cheers

Bloggsy

 

[skutter]

Paint issue hadn't occurred although I have heard this about 'modern' (environmentally friendly) car paints.

The current Outlander PHEV (in the UK at least) is £140 road tax plus (from memory) and extra £340 per year for years 2-4 as it retails over 40k ... really quite the incentive to buy a PHEV (not!)

 

[greendwarf]

I've carelessly driven into so many things over the past 6 years that there is no original "thin" paint left. Not that I would recommend this as a way of getting a better quality paint job. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[skutter]

Minor update:

Finally got a reply from MB customer support ... there is no annual battery check requirement for warranty compliance

 

[littlescrote]

Road tax is very high on newer cars.

Road tax is still non-existent on newer cars since 1936. The entitlement to use roads is free to all, and the maintenance for them is supported by general taxation such as Income Tax, VAT etc.

Vehicle Excise Duty the tax that you pay to pollute, is no longer free though. It has also recently been announced that proceeds from this tax will go directly to road funding, although they clearly won't be the entire source and give drivers of heavily polluting vehicles no more right to use the roads than pedestrian, cyclists and those that pay zero VED.

 

[skutter]

RT was used colloquially. Semantics aside ... adding £300+ to the annual tax/duty/amount legally to be paid for a PHEV Outlander (the non PHEV is under the threshold) seems counterproductive to what is being categorised as a pollution tax.

Point is still, the extra cost per year for first few years is a disincentive

 

[greendwarf]

My understanding was that the reduced VED was to "kick start" the market for EV & hybrid cars and once this is achieved would be likely to be withdrawn. :idea:

 

[ThudnBlundr]

They have got themselves in a mess with VED. Our household has 4 cars: a BEV, A PHEV, a 'historic' vehicle (aka classic) and a diesel Yaris. We only pay VED of £20 for the Yaris and the others are free. That level of tax isn't sustainable

 

[twosout]

The age of a second hand car is important if you want to avoid road tax and the more recent high spec cars will incur quite a bit in the second to fifth year. If register before Aug 2018 (I think) there's no tax.
But the government needs it and you can afford it.

Cheapest motoring is probably a classic car (that appreciates) else a small petrol hatchback. Cheaper still may be to use public transport!