it's spring 2020...where are the SEs??

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zanzabar

***
Joined
Jun 4, 2019
Messages
38
Location
Petaluma, CA
I would like to trade my 2016 SE in for a new 2019 (or "2020") e-Golf SE but there aren't ANY AT ALL on dealer lots. Plenty of SELs available but the best purchase price I can find is about $31k. We bought our 2019 SE for $23k last year and if I could find another one I'd buy it immediately so I could get the tax credit next year (and spend my 2019 tax return on it!).

So, should I just be patient and assume some new SEs will show up at the dealers eventually (and that I can get one for $23-24), or do I need to convince myself that the SEL is worth it and start playing the dealers against each other to see if I can get one for about $29k purchase price?
 
We don't know if VW will make any more e-Golfs at all. They've stated there will be no model year 2020 e-Golf (after initially stating there would be), so my assumption is they have stopped producing them. It's certainly possible they'll make some more to use up existing parts inventory, but it's very possible this is it.

I do wonder why there are only SELs left. It could be because people don't buy them as quickly so they simply have a lot left, or perhaps they switched the production mix to favor SELs (due to higher margins or to use up SEL-specific parts). Who knows.

I would operate with the assumption that there won't be anymore SEs, so if you want an e-Golf now, get an SEL. Good luck!
 
I completely agree with srue's analysis. At some point this year, VW will stop making e-Golfs while it ramps ID.3 production. The ID.3 is essentially an e-Golf replacement (Golf replacement, too, though VW won't publicly admit it), so to me it makes no sense for them to produce both cars.
 
There will be no 2020 e-Golfs in the US (the car is still being offered in other markets so the 'discontinuation is specific only to the US market). ID.3 is not coming to the US; we're waiting for the US-specific premiere of ID.4 (Cross).

Not sure where the OP has been during the past few months but being located in CA, he has certainly missed the boat. The first posts about heavy discounts on 2019 SE has appeared on Slick Deals form in June of 2019. After all the rebates/incentives, one could score an SE in CA for as little as 10,000 (probably not common but certainly possible). It should come as no surprise that the SD thread has exploded and folks have snatched those in great numbers until the supply ran out.

I've read somewhere that CA has no SE in stock but a number of SEL still available. Whether dealers are still taking off 10,000 (or more) off the MSRP on those has not been uniformly confirmed. For the record, the SEL adds about $6000 - 7000 to the bottom line price. Whether this premium is worth it - it's for the buyer to determine.
 
The e-golf will be discontinued around the world (~within 6 months is my guess) very soon because it is a stopgap model until the MEB platform EVs (ID.3 and ID.4 initially) production ramps (which is starting to happen). ID.4 is the "Crozz". VW says it wants to sell millions of EVs, most of which will be the ID.3 and ID.4 in the near future, so it makes no sense for VW to make MEB BEVs AND the e-Golf when it has already said it will have healthy profit margins on the MEB BEVs. I don't recall seeing any VW press about profit margins on the e-Golf, so my guess is there isn't much profit being made on the e-Golf. Also, I believe the ID.4 will be a Canadian model as well.
 
zanzabar said:
SEL is worth it and start playing the dealers against each other to see if I can get one for about $29k purchase price?

Sunnyvale is selling the 2019 SELs for $31,500. That's probably the best you'll be able to do right now.
 
johnnylingo said:
zanzabar said:
SEL is worth it and start playing the dealers against each other to see if I can get one for about $29k purchase price?

Sunnyvale is selling the 2019 SELs for $31,500. That's probably the best you'll be able to do right now.

The 2019 SEL with all the bells and whistles isn't worth that much, not to me, not with a 35.6kWh battery and limited range. Not with Tesla 3's for sale. Grossly overpriced for what you get.
 
JoulesThief said:
The 2019 SEL with all the bells and whistles isn't worth that much, not to me, not with a 35.6kWh battery and limited range. Not with Tesla 3's for sale.


Lolz. Spec out a Model3 with light interior and a non-white color, it's well over $40k with no tax credit. I mean that's great if you actually need the range, but overkill for 98% of driving needs.

Then compare that to a 2019 SEL, which after the $7500 credit takes it down to $24k. Yes, you're overpaying for the digital cockpit which really isn't all that useful due to not being paired with the phone, but it's still not a horrible deal.

The era of $50/month EV leases are gone, my friend.
 
I can't justify the extra $8k for the SEL either. If it was $4-5k maybe. But I'll keep my 2016 SE unless another good option comes around for under $20k new after rebates and etc. Or I may try to talk my wife into letting me get a used Model S for $30k.
 
The fact of the matter is the era of "reasonably" priced EV is over and done with. Going forward, we should all expect to pay market rates for the EV. Of course the federal tax rebate helps with purchase of some makes and models but as someone else said, the ultra low deals are not coming back.
 
Oakland VW emailed me and said they have a couple SEs available. Hurry up if you want one! I believe they were advertising them online for about $6k discount off of MSRP, so it wasn't quite the deal I was hoping for ~$10k off).
 
I just bought a new egolf se for $9k off msrp from Capitol VW in San Jose, Ca. They have 5 more se’s and a lot more sel’s. Salesman’s name is Juan V. Highly recommend him for easy sale.
 
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