Buy now or wait?

[eustachio]

Been back and forth on this in my head...with more ev competition, battery prices getting cheaper, I know if I wait the price of the M3 will come down. And I don't need to buy right now.

What I might want is another thing...

Anyone care to offer words of wisdom?

 

[Richarditis]

I have the same dilemma. I'm thinking about this for a few months, I ready to buy it now, but my wisdom says me wait for a little. I think it is reasonable to wait for the price will come down.

 

[verystandard]

I have the same dilemma. I'm thinking about this for a few months, I ready to buy it now, but my wisdom says me wait for a little. I think it is reasonable to wait for the price will come down.

True, Quarter end is coming so just look for a good deal inventory model/demo model around your area!

 

[zhu-]

Tax credits are cut in half again at the end of June so that would be $1,875 you could have received back. There's a chance Tesla could cut prices to match like they did in Jan but you never know. There will always be more EV competition and cheaper batteries but I doubt things will change much within the next 6 months if you're interested in buying now.

 

[JulienW]

Something is almost always changing with almost all products If you procrastinate trying to predict or wait on the next change or feature about all you will ever buy is toilet paper.

 

[Ilikestuff]

Oh I think the tax credit makes it an easy choice. That is, you are *hoping* the price falls by at least $2k, whereas you *know* you will lose the $1875 by waiting until July or later.

You could also scour for a good deal on a used one. I found a good deal on a used M3, but that unusual; In general the used prices are crazy high relative to non-Tesla new vs used prices.

 

[ammulder]

If you're flexible on color/options, I think waiting for the end of the quarter might make sense. There were a lot of deals at the end of last quarter, for sure.

I'm not sure that prices are going to go down substantially on their own in the near term.

You could wait for a Model Y, or Rivian, or German EV, or whatever car "is next", but that's years. There was a good argument made for buying an SR+ to tide yourself over if that's the plan:

Buy Model 3 with intent to trade for Model Y - is this crazy?
Added second Model 3 to family, 3SR stupid cheap.

 

[GSP]

Buy now.

GSP

 

[dmurphy]

If you wait, you’re guaranteed to miss out on $1875 of the fed tax credit.

So, let’s say the vehicle price drops by $2k in July. You’d have saved a grand total of $125 by waiting.

I can p@@s away $125 a lot worse ways than driving the most amazing car on the market.

 

[Saghost]

If enough buyers decide to wait, Tesla goes bankrupt. Every dollar you save is one more they don't have to continue their mission with.

So you have to balance the various factors and decide what's right for you.

 

[phigment]

How much will you spend in gas in the time you wait for the price to drop?

Oh, and referral program is 5000miles of free supercharging until end of May.... It is scheduled to drop back down after that.... So you lose that too.

 

[ammulder]

I think I didn’t say strongly enough: you’d be crazy to wait. Every minute without the car is a minute too long.

But also, the only way I see the car getting substantially cheaper is if the battery cost goes down a bunch. That seems like something that may happen over the next few years, but not over the next few months. I wouldn’t wait years on this. I guess federal/state incentives could change, but that also doesn’t seem near-term.

 

[TMThree]

Tesla bounces the price around a lot. With the exception for the early P3Ds, most of the price drops haven't really been price drops. My friend who bought a LR RWD 10 months ago paid about $1000 more than I did in March.

Even recent changes are the same - case in point, AP/FSD.

Before it was:

5k for EAP, 3k for FSD = 8k.

When I bought, it was:

3k for AP, 5k for FSD = 8k

Now the price is:

2k for AP (included in price of car), 6k for FSD = 8k

You can sometimes come out ahead a little bit, by having bought in the time between the 2k AP and the price increase for FSD. You also come out significantly more if you only wanted AP and never buy FSD.

 

[Darmie]

Owning a Tesla is a life game changer. You take road trips to places you may not have gone in a car. You visit friends more often and give them rides. You start looking for the car shows in the towns you visit over holidays. It's awesome to have your own referral code. End of quarter is always a good time to buy but any time is really a good time to own one. It's like moving to Texas, people ask, what took you so long to get here.

 

[Casmium]

I didn't wait and I'm glad a didn't, saved about $2200 in fuel and $600 in service that I would have had to do to my previous car. Any price drop will be cancelled out by fuel savings and the joy of driving my tesla.

 

[Wennfred]

I guess you guys haven’t been to a delivery center especially on the weekends, on average 30 cars of all types from the S, X and the 3’s are being sold by the hot cakes, as Inventory drops the prices for the demand will go even higher... also every time Tesla tacks on another “optional” feature like they did with Auto Pilot the price goes up some more. If you’re worry about the price of this sweet ride then don’t get it, get something else like a Kona with a lot less CSS charging stations. Also as someone pointed out, the 3750.00 tax credit will be cut in half again. I’m glad I got my Plus when I did, a week later I would of have to fork out another 2k for the Auto Pilot I don’t need.

Fred

 

[Wennfred]

Owning a Tesla is a life game changer. You take road trips to places you may not have gone in a car.

You can say that again! I’ve always drove by Yermo California on my way to Las Vegas and back, they have the coolest store there called Eddies World. With many Super chargers. It’s a nice stop, even tour busses stop there..

You know, even with the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt I don’t care to leave the house, since owning this car I am making excuses to go anywhere... even to go research Supercharger stations.. been to Rancho Cucamonga twice.. who would of known.

The ride is amazing and I spend time keeping it clean means I’m more active. Got my XM radio with the car kit in with 3 month free.. another fun project.

So stop with the being on the fence, go out and get one ... I’m very happy with my ride so glad to own one.


Fred

 

[Andy_STL]

Just do it. You may save $1000-2000 here or there. That is minimal over the life of the car. But then you just wasted a few months NOT DRIVING A TESLA!

 

[mediaboy]

If you're flexible on color/options, I think waiting for the end of the quarter might make sense. There were a lot of deals at the end of last quarter, for sure.

I'm not sure that prices are going to go down substantially on their own in the near term.

You could wait for a Model Y, or Rivian, or German EV, or whatever car "is next", but that's years. There was a good argument made for buying an SR+ to tide yourself over if that's the plan:

Buy Model 3 with intent to trade for Model Y - is this crazy?
Added second Model 3 to family, 3SR stupid cheap.

I am in a lease that ends in Nov. I have been back and forth in my mind for a while ... Lease balance is like $2,000. The $3750 tax credit and the insurance i would have to buy would make it almost a wash to get vehicle now. However if i wait i could score a better deal maybe on an inventory car and also get half the tax credit.

The other option is a M3 lease which i would not mind doing. I think i would rather own the Model Y. On a lease i think i should wait it out for a better deal ... They might try and get rid of inventory through better lease deals ...

 

[Kmartyn]

Been back and forth on this in my head...with more ev competition, battery prices getting cheaper, I know if I wait the price of the M3 will come down. And I don't need to buy right now.

What I might want is another thing...

Anyone care to offer words of wisdom?

There are currently government incentives in the U.S. and Canada. The US rebate reduces in June, and the CDN $5k has limited funding, and could disappear with a fall election. If you want FSD, Elon has said the price will increase over time, and they just gave it a price bump.

I think June will be a zoo, as they go into quarter end panic mode. In July there will be less of a selection, but deliveries from inventory will be fast. August could be a dry month, while they ship to Europe.

What competition? Audi’s Etron is delayed, inefficient, and expensive. Getting a Kona or Niro EV in Canada is next to impossible, very limited supply. Not sure about US market but sounds like the focus is on states with ZEV programs. VW keeps announcing vehicles, but is not delivering any for a while, and there are serious questions about their battery supply. The Bolt is a bit of a kludge, and not an attractive car.

I think now is the perfect time to order, for a short delivery, price reduction with incentives, and not at the end of the line in the June rush.