u/Available_Mud_1842

I’ll be picking up a new BZ Woodland in the next week or so and have a couple of questions! I’m trading in an EV so I’m familiar with the usual EV stuff and lifestyle changes :)

1. I plan on asking the dealership to turn off the chime inside the car when it’s in Reverse, but I’m skeptical they will actually know how. Are there instructions somewhere that I can give them?

2. My home charger is a j1772 (ChargePoint) but I understand the BZ has an NACS port, is that right? Should I change my home charger to NACS so I don’t need to use an adapter every time I charge at home (and is that something I’d need an electrician to do)?

3. I really don’t want to deal with 12v issues and I know they’ve been discussed on this sub ad nauseam. Am I better off just never installing the Toyota app? Or installing it but immediately disabling DCM? What do I miss out on without the app, versus having it without DCM? What can I still use it for without DCM?

4. What’s the secret to keep AC on in the car while my dog is in there for 20-30 minutes of grocery shopping?

5. Any accessories you recommend for making the stupid wireless phone charging pads more useful, and/or organizing the center console or the space beneath it?

I may have more questions when I get the car, but thanks for any help you can send my way in advance!

What kind of prices are folks getting for the BZ Woodland these days? I’m planning to get quotes from a couple nearby dealers that each have one “in transit” and not yet reserved, but it’s unclear what additional leverage I have to get the price down, besides leveraging them against each other. I would love to know if people have had any success negotiating a decent discount on the Woodland, despite the fact that it is still relatively rare on most lots as far as I can tell. Although the Trailseeker is significantly less expensive, so maybe that provides additional leverage?

I’m in the market for a new vehicle because my current non-Toyota EV is essentially bricked and the dealer (and manufacturer engineers) don’t know how to fix it. I was previously a RAV4 Hybrid owner, so as I await my lease buyback, I’m trying to decide between the BZ and the RAV4 PHEV. I’m sure this sub leans heavily EV (as do I in general) but was hoping for some outside perspective since I’m torn like Natalie Imbruglia. Here’s what I’m struggling with:

BZ: I live in northern New England so it’s cold 4-5 months of the year, resulting in only 200 miles of range instead of 300 for long stretches. I have an L2 home charger and don’t take many long trips, but when I want to, the range anxiety is still real for me even after driving an EV (with comparable range) for the past two years. Having to stop and charge often seems to add 1-2 hours for longer trips with multiple charges, when I am not someone who needs/wants to get out of the car, have lunch, poke around a shopping mall, etc. I can’t stand the lack of individual storage spaces or nooks/crannies to stash things, the wireless charging pads, etc. in the BZ. I also occasionally need to travel with large items in the back, and I’m concerned about them fitting. On the other hand, physically driving an EV is so superior to an ICE vehicle and would be hard to give up!

RAV4 PHEV: My previous Rav was my favorite vehicle that I’ve ever owned. It held lots of stuff in the back and had lots of places to stash things (the current version seems somewhat less - but at least there’s a glove compartment!). This is a big selling point to me. Being able to charge at home would get me 40-50 miles of EV range every day, which would be useful during the summer but which I would likely exceed by small amounts many days during the winter. And I wouldn’t have the range anxiety for longer trips since it still has a 14.5 gallon gas tank. On the other hand, I’d still have to go to gas stations now and then on my regular drives, and the ride just wouldn’t feel (or sound) as nice as a pure EV.

Any feedback would be appreciated! Tell me I’m a fool, convince me one is better than the other, do your worst. I don’t really know how I’m going to decide otherwise 🚙