Advice for buying a P100D

[Cage]

Hi. I'm about to buy a Model S P100D. I'm stuck between two cars and I would love some advice on which way to go.

P100D # 1
Obsidian Metallic Black, sunroof, partial leather seats, grey 21" wheels, got everything except the extra seats and the ability to drive by itself. It's an inventory car but it's brand new. Price is $145.500. If I spec'ed it myself it would cost about $9.000 more, so there's a decent discount.

P100D # 2
Midnight Silver Metallic, body colored roof, white leather seats, silver 19" wheels, got everything except the extra seats and the ability to drive by itself. This one also comes with 19" wheels for winter use. Previous service/demo vehicle, driven 7.300 miles. Price is $129.500.

Personally I don't like the sunroof and I do like the midnight silver color better than the obsidian black. The partial leather seats are fine, so is the white leather. I suppose the white seats will be a pain to keep white, as I've got 2 kids.

I'm a bit sceptical when it comes to buying a car that's been used as a loaner. I expect that alot of people will have driven it relatively hard, with ludicrous+ and 0-100 runs etc. If it was a used car with a single owner I probably wouldn't have the same negative thoughts. Is the new car worth $16.000 more? I can afford it, but I'm far from a rich guy.

 

[DrivingRockies]

I would assume the loaner had at least 1 launch per 100 miles. Most likely driven like it was stolen. How long do you keep vehicles? Outside of full warranty?

 

[BBB4000]

Do the cars have autopilot ? Or is it FSD that you are referring to?

 

[Cage]

I would assume the loaner had at least 1 launch per 100 miles. Most likely driven like it was stolen. How long do you keep vehicles? Outside of full warranty?

I'm afraid you are right.

The plan is to keep it for several years. My better half has made it clear that if I'm using all this money on a car I've got to be my very best around her and the house, so I guess it's sort of up to myself. But I'm not aiming for a sale next year unless we suddenly need the money or I forget to do the dishes....

 

[Cage]

Both cars have autopilot. Neither car has the FSD.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

How about going for a brand new full load 100D? You can spec what you want perfectly and it'll be brand new. Yes it's not the P version but a 100D is no slouch and will give you plenty of "stank" you need on a daily basis.

 

[DrReid]

Inventory cars are perfectly fine to buy. I bought mine inventory but it only had 25 miles on it. I can't imagine buying "new" when you can get an automatic discount for something that is basically new other than some mild mileage on it.

The only legit issue is if it's been driven "hard" as other said, but honestly if the mileage is low that won't have happened TOO much so that wouldn't concern me either.

My opinion - buy the one you want that is spec'd the way you like. If the inventory car meets those needs, it's a no brainer. If it doesn't, then buy new. You won't be "upset" that you saved money!!

 

[JPUConn]

White isn't real leather and is supposed to be easier to keep clean than any other offering.

Sunroof is a personal preference but make sure you're aware that the roof rack mounts are only included with sunroof as is the ability to have Sirius/XM (also need premium sound)

Is option 2 really 2 sets of wheels or just one set that's 19's? My preference is option 2.

Have you considered this one?
Model S P100D 5YJSA1E43HF200939 | Tesla

If you don't have a referral code please pm me and I'd gladly offer mine for $1k off and free supercharging.

 

[number12]

This is why Tesla should have a lifetime power meter (as if they never reset trip meter).

 

[D.E.]

I think the car tracks launches. I can't be sure but if you ask they may be able to tell you how many before you commit to purchase. I understand there is a warning about increased wear and stress, and an "are you sure" before you can launch. So it can't be good for the car.

You might drive a 100D and the P100D and see if the P model is right for you.

I'm not a sunroof fan either. I do like the leather.

Before you buy, you might spec out a new one and see the price difference. When I was looking I assumed all the new inventory cars were discounted. It turned out they were the same as the factory order price. The only thing I'd have saved would have been the ability to order exactly what I wanted. It didn't even take much longer, I had it right at 30 days after the configuration went final. When you order, there is a week's delay "going final". It's to give someone time to change or cancel the order. The inventory P100Ds are supposed to have a pretty good discount currently. They can add or subtract the autopilot and fsd and adjust the price accordingly.

The maximum acceleration of the P100D is pretty violent. I didn't like it that much. I wanted to like it. I'm old and retired but still juvenile enough to want one of the quickest cars made. I just don't know how often I'd dip my foot into that acceleration.

I've posted before about a previous car I had, a Nissan 300ZX twin turbo. It came with ~300 HP, a lot for that car. There was a kit I added from Jim Wolfe racing, it reduced the turbo dump and remapped the electronics which increased boost and took it up to 400HP. That little car got up to 80 MPH quickly, really quickly, and still in 3rd gear. It was impressive. Anyway I put my foot into it a few times to feel that acceleration but honestly it just wasn't that useful. So I'd recommend you at least drive the 100D and see if the additional power of the P is something you want. Since you have kids, they may be driving it one day. They'll enjoy that extra acceleration. They may be little now but they'll be driving soon, way before you are ready. You'll send each them off. They'll be 10th graders. They'll go, at night, alone, in a car capable of out accelerating anything else currently made. In a car that has about 1/3 of the acceleration of an F16 being catapaulted from a carrier deck. I just wanted To plant that little mental seed. You're welcome.

They've been making a lot of changes in the last couple of months. You'll want to pay attention to the build dates and see if it makes a difference. You don't want to end up with a car built 2 weeks before something changed that you want. I don't think much changed with the Ps but worth checking. It's more of a thing with the Ds, and much more of a thing with the 75Ds.

There is talk about chronic supercharger use and a charge speed limitation that is triggered after an unknown number of charges. It probably isn't a worry but better to know about it if you are considering cars with some miles on them.

Any car with "50 miles" is new. It doesn't really have 50 miles, mine was a factory order, I think it had 8. Officially it had 50. Still an inventory car listed as "50 miles" is a brand new car.

If you get an inventory car it will be stored somewhere. If there is something you need to know about a particular car, they can find it and it is possible to talk to someone wherever that car is.

I love my Tesla. I love everything about it. Yup, great purchase. That said, the Tesla marketing division presents you with many "alternative facts". What they claim for the car and what you get are quite different. So if there is a marketing claim that promises something that is important to you, be very skeptical. Assume they've bungled facts and are serving up those promises through a haze of futuristic calendar-independent optimistic corporate giddiness. What you get is today's car. You get this weeks beta software. I like beta software. I feel like Forrest Gump and his chocolates. If performance numbers are important, look to independent testing and for God's sake, treat Motor Trend's numbers with total disbelief. Tesla now advertises their cars with Motor Trend numbers. So the company that uses dead accurate data for aerospace research is feeding you the bogus numbers from a car magazine. Add at least 0.3 seconds. Maybe more. It's still wicked fast. Just not Motor Trend magically fast.

OK, out of advice. You're no doubt glad.

Me too.

Best,
David

 

[number12]

If performance numbers are important, look to independent testing and for God's sake, treat Motor Trend's numbers with total disbelief. Tesla now advertises their cars with Motor Trend numbers. So the company that uses dead accurate data for aerospace research is feeding you the bogus numbers from a car magazine. Add at least 0.3 seconds. Maybe more.

Solid point. Is Tesla doing it on purpose or seriously has typos on one of their biggest marketing pitch (0-60)?

 

[Cage]

To clearify a little bit here. The P100D # 1 is a new car. I guess the person who ordered it didn't want it for some reason. Financial I guess. There is a 9000 dollar discount on it compared to the exact same car if I configure it myself today. So I either get a new car with a 9.000 dollar discount with a sunroof I'm not too fond of, or I get a service car that's been driven 7.300 miles with a 25.000 dollar discount. The service car has the 'right' roof for me, the other differences between the cars are very minor and doesn't really matter when you take the price difference into consideration.

The P100D # 2 has two sets of wheels, the first one comes only with 21"/summer.

I have owned a P85D, so I know a little bit about the power and acceleration.

I'm not so hung up in the numbers, but I have serious issues buying a Tesla without the Performance-package. Call it stupidity or some sort of ancient need to 'dominate' (read : more stupidity) ... I really don't know why this matters to me, I just know that it does. If I were to make a sensible decision here I would buy an electric Golf or maybe a Leaf.

You do make several good points David. I'll contact Tesla and ask them about any data they might have on the used car. Thanks!

 

[RyanT]

I currently have a P100D loaner I've driven 500 miles. I love the car. I wouldn't worry about the launches. It's an electric car and I don't think it will wear like a ice and you have the warranty. I would definitely go for the new faux leather seats. They are outstanding. It the one with white interior the new material?

The P100D is such a great car. I would definitely go for it over the 100D if you can afford it. It feels so light and precise with that acceleration. Like a totally different car than my P85 with "only" a 4.2 second 0-60.

I would personally not get the sunroof again.

 

[Shock-On-T]

I'd get #2.
It's the colour and design you want, and you can get a lot of coke and hookers for $16,000.

More seriously, the car can handle launches just fine and I'm sure you'll do plenty of your own. It's just electric motors running within spec, like an elevator or a subway.
It comes with an 8 year unlimited distance warranty on motors and battery too.

 

[D.E.]

Then, Cage, I didn't know about the P85D, awesome car. A friend put me in the drivers seat of his, that's what started me on my Tesla quest.

As far as the wheels and tires go, you can get a set of new 19s, pulled from a new car in which the new owner wants different rims and tires. I've seen the sets for $1200-1600. So that's the value I'd count for that.

So it's a P100DL for you. 7500 miles on the clock and they are giving you $25K off. That's $3.33 per mile. There's another $7500 tax credit. Plus you don't need to pay all that sales tax on that $25K you're not spending, so that's more money saved. And no sunroof. And they'll fix all the running gear for 8 years... How can you not get this car?

It sounds as if your decision is already made. I feel all purposeful and all, just having helped. Thanks for that.

Can I see a picture of it when the moment arrives?

 

[Cage]

I put in the order on # 1 last Sunday (10 days ago). There's been some issues with the pricing since then. Original price was $145.500. Then I suddenly got a price reduction on My Spec, new total was $131.300. This Monday I got another adjustment for a new total of $126.500. For a brand new P100D. I suspected false hopes and talked to Tesla yesterday and they didn't really understand the adjustments given. Got told it is probably an error and that I should expect to pay the original price of $145.500 for it.

I asked my sales advisor last week if I could change my order, i.e. pick another car. When he told me about the initial price reduction on the one I'd already ordered I told him I would stick to it. $131.300 for a new P100D beats $129.500 for a used one, even with the wrong roof. I expect they will let me change my order if I ask them.

I'm surprised by the differences in information provided on their webpage and that given to their employees.


The problem right now is that my gut doesn't help me at all. Both seems like decent choices in all aspects except the financial ones. I don't think I'll regret buying # 1. I guess there is a small chance I might regret buying # 2. However, $16.000 is a lot of money.

Appreciate all of your posts!

 

[D.E.]

Ah, the plot thickens.
Historically, sales advisors haven't been in the know. This is based on all the experiences I've read about here. OK, there was one. He didn't know. One guy didn't know.

If you are getting official notices from Tesla that your price is falling like the 97 stock market, I'd ride that pony 'till it drops. Why are you calling up a sales rep? The website is the official word. Everyone says it's the website. A lot of people. Well, OK, it was one guy, one guy says the website is official. He's not here any more. He was here. I remember. I think I remember. Crap. I could have dreamed it. No, I think it was real. OK, I'm sure now. It's the website. For sure, use that number.

 

[xyeahtony]

Aren't the loaner cars capped at 85mph?

 

[stan23]

Aren't the loaner cars capped at 85mph?

That can be removed with a simple phone call. It's just a toggle on their end.

 

[xyeahtony]

That can be removed with a simple phone call. It's just a toggle on their end.

so if you pick up a loaner to borrow (not buy) you can ask them to remove the caps? or do they leave it in there to preserve the car.