Should I Keep My Wrecked Kia Soul EV for Parts?

[JMMaui]

Hi everyone. Looking for some feedback. I just totaled my 2016 Kia Soul EV+, and I want to get another of the same model year and features. The one I'm looking at has a new battery, 30k miles, and 30 months left on the 10yr warranty. The totaled one has a fairly new battery also that's performing well and wasn't damaged in the accident. The insurance company says I can keep the wrecked car for $2000 (salvage value). I live in a temperate climate where I could park it on my property in the shade and it would almost always be under 80°F.

I know the battery is worth more than $2000, but I am concerned about how it will degrade while sitting, given that the new car probably won't need another battery for 3-4 years. Also, the Kia dealership won't install a battery I bring them, so I'd have to find a mechanic to do that, and it might not be easy considering that most electric cars have been serviced by dealerships at this stage, due to them mostly all still being under warranty for powertrain.

I thought about just selling the battery, but there's apparently no market for them yet since almost everyone's Kia electric cars are still under powertrain warranty, at least for another year (except the ones driven over 100k miles). Anyway, I'm not seeing a market for them when I search it on Google.

Anyone have any advice? Oh, and it's not just the battery. I'm also interested in the tires, wheels, and any other part I might need if the new car needs service.

Thanks!

 

[JejuSoul]

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I would pay the $2000 and salvage the damaged car.
Don't keep the 2nd battery. A hobbyist is sure to buy it for more than the $2000.
Take your time learning how to dismantle each part of the damaged car.
That way you will know how to replace the parts that go wrong in your working car.

The good car may easily last another ten years for almost no cost if you can keep doing the work yourself.
Otherwise the exorbitant cost of spare parts means you will end up scrapping the car long before the battery wears out.

I have 2 MY2015 Soul EVs and I intend to keep one for as long as possible by using the 2nd to provide parts.
Both are running fine still, so it might be a few years yet before I put this plan into action.

 

[jray3]

I've become a resource for salvaged i-MiEV parts within that small community through a similar situation. I didn't crash, but needed a battery replacement at 106k miles, so bought a low-mileage wreck from the salvage auction. I'm on my third salvage car now, have learned a heap about that model, and it's made a profitable little backyard side gig...

 

[oliverfrancis]

keep them as a spare

 

[alexank]

@JMMaui
Use the spare battery to make a home storage power wall, someone's bound to have done it using Kia batteries by now!

 

[DOLSENATOR]

Yes, keep it as spare parts. Our 2017 had the water pump go intermittent and needed to be replaced. The bill came to $2500 Canadian. I am sure the price was somewhat inflated for the aftermarket warranty we had. But definitely it can save you lots of money. The head unit (main screen/radio) in ours also needs replacing (still to get done). So especially if you can do some things yourself, it could save you a LOT of money.

 

[Ttd]

My Kia Soul FE my 21 64kwh has now done 50,000 miles so I’ve ordered a new Nero Ev 4 for delivery in April. Then the Soul is going into a heated barn and we’ll let our kid drive it around the property to get used to driving an EV.
He’ll take his test in 4 years.
Don’t want to sell it as there’s plenty of miles left in it and our son loves it.