Buying a refreshed 2021-2022 Model S 35k miles vs 45k miles or a 2024 Model 3

[redt3sla]

Hi folks, looking for opinions on selecting between three cars w/FSD - buying all cash have money set aside for a car purchase (this would be a second car for my household):

• 2021 Model S 45K miles ~$63k all in with taxes + $3.1K for the extended limited warranty
  • Vehicle report - link
    • I know the $$ value is reported lower here but the options on this car + accessories coming with it make me okay with the extra few thousand
  • Arachnid wheels (don't care for the looks to be honest)
  • 1 owner, no accidents reported, clean title
  • Manufactured in Dec 2021
    • Driven about 20k miles per year
    • The interior and exterior (PPFed) condition are basically immaculate I can tell that it was kept well and there's no squeaks or rattles in particular
    • This high milage concerns me slightly this is the main opinion I'm looking for
      • Am I missing something?
      • Is it okay to buy a "high" milage refreshed Model S?
      • I didn't check the battery degradation from the service menu
      • 100% charge = ~370miles
    • I feel like if it lasts mechanically I could definitely keep this car for 5-10years
      • Expecting to drive ~8000miles/year

• 2022 Model S 35K miles ~$67k all in with taxes
  • Vehicle report - link
    • The condition of the car made me consider buying in the mid range
  • Stock wheels (prefer these for milage)
  • The interior and exterior (PPFed) condition are basically immaculate I can tell that it was kept well and there's no squeaks or rattles in particular
  • 1 owner, no accidents reported, clean title
  • Manufactured in ? 2022
    • Am I missing something?
    • Is it okay to buy a "high" milage refreshed Model S?
    • Driven about 23k miles per year?
    • 100% charge = ?
  • I feel like if it lasts mechanically I could definitely keep this car for 5-10years
    • Expecting to drive ~8000miles/year

• 2024 Model 3 ~$61.5K all in with options and taxes
  • I test drove the 2023 Model S & 2024 Model 3 back to back on local roads
    • I feel like the suspension for the new model 3 is ~80% of the model s
    • I feel like the noise suppression is also comparable I can't pin point it
  • It just feels way too basic to spend this kind of money on this car
    • I would feel good about it around $40-$45k
  • I like the looks but the interior is really basic feeling even with the upgraded white
  • I don't NEED the additional trunk space so the Model 3 would be fine
  • I feel like I would buy this car and want to change it within 3-5years just because I may feel the grass is greener on the other side

 

[redt3sla]

p.s. I don't care about the updates between 2021-2022 model s I don't think its a big change (screen, charge port, and gaming features)

 

[RSpanner]

Hi folks, looking for opinions on selecting between three cars w/FSD - buying all cash have money set aside for a car purchase (this would be a second car for my household):

• 2021 Model S 45K miles ~$63k all in with taxes + $3.1K for the extended limited warranty
  • Vehicle report - link
    • I know the $$ value is reported lower here but the options on this car + accessories coming with it make me okay with the extra few thousand
  • Arachnid wheels (don't care for the looks to be honest)
  • 1 owner, no accidents reported, clean title
  • Manufactured in Dec 2021
    • Driven about 20k miles per year
    • The interior and exterior (PPFed) condition are basically immaculate I can tell that it was kept well and there's no squeaks or rattles in particular
    • This high milage concerns me slightly this is the main opinion I'm looking for
      • Am I missing something?
      • Is it okay to buy a "high" milage refreshed Model S?
      • I didn't check the battery degradation from the service menu
      • 100% charge = ~370miles
    • I feel like if it lasts mechanically I could definitely keep this car for 5-10years
      • Expecting to drive ~8000miles/year

• 2022 Model S 35K miles ~$67k all in with taxes
  • Vehicle report - link
    • The condition of the car made me consider buying in the mid range
  • Stock wheels (prefer these for milage)
  • The interior and exterior (PPFed) condition are basically immaculate I can tell that it was kept well and there's no squeaks or rattles in particular
  • 1 owner, no accidents reported, clean title
  • Manufactured in ? 2022
    • Am I missing something?
    • Is it okay to buy a "high" milage refreshed Model S?
    • Driven about 23k miles per year?
    • 100% charge = ?
  • I feel like if it lasts mechanically I could definitely keep this car for 5-10years
    • Expecting to drive ~8000miles/year

• 2024 Model 3 ~$61.5K all in with options and taxes
  • I test drove the 2023 Model S & 2024 Model 3 back to back on local roads
    • I feel like the suspension for the new model 3 is ~80% of the model s
    • I feel like the noise suppression is also comparable I can't pin point it
  • It just feels way too basic to spend this kind of money on this car
    • I would feel good about it around $40-$45k
  • I like the looks but the interior is really basic feeling even with the upgraded white
  • I don't NEED the additional trunk space so the Model 3 would be fine
  • I feel like I would buy this car and want to change it within 3-5years just because I may feel the grass is greener on the other side

A Model 3..for $61K?????? As far as I know, a 2024 M3..With Everything added...would be $51K..and then the tax rebate..if you qualified would bring it to $44K what are you talking about?

 

[AS9.9.]

In my opinion, buy the model 3.

Not sure how you got $61K for a model 3. If the "options" you are referring to are FSD, save your money and don't buy that crap.

 

[Kairide]

Did you just bump your own post after just a few hours?
Don’t buy a model 3 for $61.5k. Honestly they all seem overpriced.

 

[redt3sla]

Did you just bump your own post after just a few hours?
Don’t buy a model 3 for $61.5k. Honestly they all seem overpriced.

sorry I'm new so this thread wasn't actually visible to anyone until hours after it was posted

Thoughts on the 2021 Model S @ 45K miles or the 2022 Model S @ 35K miles? what do you think a decent price for these cars should be?

milage too high or I shouldn't be concerned?

M3 feels a bit too pricy for what I'm getting in return for nearly $60k

 

[redt3sla]

A Model 3..for $61K?????? As far as I know, a 2024 M3..With Everything added...would be $51K..and then the tax rebate..if you qualified would bring it to $44K what are you talking about?

In my opinion, buy the model 3.

Not sure how you got $61K for a model 3. If the "options" you are referring to are FSD, save your money and don't buy that crap.

no tax rebate on the M3 unless you lease (which imo doesn't make sense its almost $30k over 3 years and no option to buy at the end)

in Cali w/o FSD the M3 LR, Black EXT, White INT, stock wheels is $56.5K including taxes and other fees since I ordered on day one. you can fudge things around a bit and land at $60k-61k if you order today rather than day one like I did.

 

[AS9.9.]

no tax rebate on the M3 unless you lease (which imo doesn't make sense its almost $30k over 3 years and no option to buy at the end)

in Cali w/o FSD the M3 LR, Black EXT, White INT, stock wheels is $56.5K including taxes and other fees since I ordered on day one. you can fudge things around a bit and land at $60k-61k if you order today rather than day one like I did.

Gotcha. Oregon sales tax rates on cars is like 0.5%, so apologies, as I never really factor that in.

I could never pay $60K for a Model 3, simply not worth it. Depreciation hit is too tough for me to swallow. Would rather buy a used one and live with the older features (and feel like I still got a bargain) versus feeling like I got ripped when Tesla goes on their price hopping spree every few months and makes my car worth pennies on the dollar.

I don't think the Model S is a bad deal, and 34K miles isn't terrible. That is still in warranty from what I understand, and you can get a lot of defects fixed before you are out of warranty.

I'm also not a fan of not being able to buy the car at the end of a Tesla lease. Can't understand why someone would do that unless they were leasing for a very short time (like you said almost 30K down the drain over 3 years, with no hunk of metal to show for it).

Hope you make a decision you are happy with!

 

[PCMc]

So my two cents related to the two reference Model S cars and your concerns around "high mileage".

First, the difference in mileage between them is 10k; 2021 with 45k vs. 2022 with 35k. My first reaction when I saw your post and your concern about high mileage was did I overlook a digit or a zero somewhere. If were taking 145k vs 35k, yeah, that's a big difference. But 45k vs. 35k is nothing in my book.

The other thing I'd personally want to confirm is not just the manufacture date, but the original purchase date of both cars. That will set the start date for the 4 yr/50k OEM warranty coverage. Given you say you only drive 8k a year, you'll have less than 1 year of warranty on the higher mileage 2021. Whether you'll get a full 2 years of warranty coverage on the 2022 depends a lot on whether you'd hit the 4 year mark vs. the 50k mile point first. That will all depend upon when the original purchase date happened.

Knowing when the 2022 went into service will also help you understand how many miles a year it was being driven. If it was a late 2022 build/delivery, then it's been driven upwards of 25-30k miles a year vs. if it's a Jan 2022 delivery, then it's a more modest 16-18k a year. A car that gets driven a lot of miles a year isn't necessary a worry bead. Just maybe let you understand if how the cars have been used are a lot different.

One thing you mentioned is the one car has Arachnids vs. stock wheels. I think you're also implying 21" vs. 19" wheels. A lot of reports of people having issues with inner tire wear, leading to very short life, with the 21" wheel setup. You can find many posts about this and owners frequently quote only getting 8k miles per set. More people also report issues with tire sidewall damage due to things like potholes with 21" wheels. It's a personal preference, and I don't want to trigger yet again "which is better 19 vs 21" wheel" debate, but I personally stay away from the 21" wheels on Model S.

The wheel difference would factor a lot more into my decision than the mileage distance. But that's my preferences and bias.

Good luck with your purchase decision.

 

[redt3sla]

Gotcha. Oregon sales tax rates on cars is like 0.5%, so apologies, as I never really factor that in.

I could never pay $60K for a Model 3, simply not worth it. Depreciation hit is too tough for me to swallow. Would rather buy a used one and live with the older features (and feel like I still got a bargain) versus feeling like I got ripped when Tesla goes on their price hopping spree every few months and makes my car worth pennies on the dollar.

I don't think the Model S is a bad deal, and 34K miles isn't terrible. That is still in warranty from what I understand, and you can get a lot of defects fixed before you are out of warranty.

I'm also not a fan of not being able to buy the car at the end of a Tesla lease. Can't understand why someone would do that unless they were leasing for a very short time (like you said almost 30K down the drain over 3 years, with no hunk of metal to show for it).

Hope you make a decision you are happy with!

All good! man... I'm gonna show the tax rate to my SoCal raised GF and see if she wants to move haha

Yeah, feel very similarly about the lease, M3 pricing, and depreciation concerns. Having read a lot of the responses and doing my own DD feeling more confident about getting the MS and maybe just swinging the extended warranty near the 50k mark for added peace of mind if I think its necessary.

 

[redt3sla]

So my two cents related to the two reference Model S cars and your concerns around "high mileage".

First, the difference in mileage between them is 10k; 2021 with 45k vs. 2022 with 35k. My first reaction when I saw your post and your concern about high mileage was did I overlook a digit or a zero somewhere. If were taking 145k vs 35k, yeah, that's a big difference. But 45k vs. 35k is nothing in my book.

The other thing I'd personally want to confirm is not just the manufacture date, but the original purchase date of both cars. That will set the start date for the 4 yr/50k OEM warranty coverage. Given you say you only drive 8k a year, you'll have less than 1 year of warranty on the higher mileage 2021. Whether you'll get a full 2 years of warranty coverage on the 2022 depends a lot on whether you'd hit the 4 year mark vs. the 50k mile point first. That will all depend upon when the original purchase date happened.

Knowing when the 2022 went into service will also help you understand how many miles a year it was being driven. If it was a late 2022 build/delivery, then it's been driven upwards of 25-30k miles a year vs. if it's a Jan 2022 delivery, then it's a more modest 16-18k a year. A car that gets driven a lot of miles a year isn't necessary a worry bead. Just maybe let you understand if how the cars have been used are a lot different.

One thing you mentioned is the one car has Arachnids vs. stock wheels. I think you're also implying 21" vs. 19" wheels. A lot of reports of people having issues with inner tire wear, leading to very short life, with the 21" wheel setup. You can find many posts about this and owners frequently quote only getting 8k miles per set. More people also report issues with tire sidewall damage due to things like potholes with 21" wheels. It's a personal preference, and I don't want to trigger yet again "which is better 19 vs 21" wheel" debate, but I personally stay away from the 21" wheels on Model S.

The wheel difference would factor a lot more into my decision than the mileage distance. But that's my preferences and bias.

Good luck with your purchase decision.

haha, I didn't think these were high milage either until my dad made me think why the cars may have been driven ~20k miles/yr.

I'll definitely confirm the original purchase date on the 2022 - you bring up good points on what it'll let me deduce. Also good point on the warranty lasting longer depending on the purchase date. Since both cars are within 5-15k of 50k miles I was going more by miles rather than years initially rather than thinking about the time factor.

I also prefer the 19 based on my assumption that the ride quality would be better as well, I just have been careful with negotiating with the person that listed the 2022 since they started in the really high 60s initially and already knocked 5k off. I'll give it another try on seeing if they're willing to come down on the price a bit. Seems like others on commenting on my reddit thread have had luck finding LRs w/FSD near the $60k mark.

 

[Izzyz28]

The 3 is like driving a tin can compared to the S refresh. My advice: Ditch the whole FSD idea(it sucks) and buy a '21 Plaid with 19's for under $70K.

 

[Made in CA]

You should look for a leftover new 2023 M3P. They are eligible for the full $7,500 fed tax credit. When I was shopping at the Camarillo, CA store a couple weeks ago I was told they are selling them for around $42k before the tax credit. They had 3 gray ones in stock at the time.

 

[Jayskywalker21]

The 3 is like driving a tin can compared to the S refresh. My advice: Ditch the whole FSD idea(it sucks) and buy a '21 Plaid with 19's for under $70K.

Seriously. FSD is a waste and you'll feel scammed. It's a 12k option worth like 1-2k on the open market. PPL don't value FSD because it's really not great. You can get a plaid with reasonable mileage for mid 60s EASILY a refreshed long range S over 60k is LUDICROUS you will be kicking yourself trust.

 

[redt3sla]

The 3 is like driving a tin can compared to the S refresh. My advice: Ditch the whole FSD idea(it sucks) and buy a '21 Plaid with 19's for under $70K.

Yeah after seeing a lot of the opinions here and on reddit not going with the M3. It may sound stupid but I feel like even the M3 LR on chill feels fast to me haha

I feel like I'll develop serious lead foot w/ the Plaid!

Seriously. FSD is a waste and you'll feel scammed. It's a 12k option worth like 1-2k on the open market. PPL don't value FSD because it's really not great. You can get a plaid with reasonable mileage for mid 60s EASILY a refreshed long range S over 60k is LUDICROUS you will be kicking yourself trust.

What do you think a well kept 21-22 MS LR is worth ? $56-$60k pretax? Definitely agree that FSD on the open market is valued between $1k-$3k

The thing is both of these cars are within that margin of ~$61k-$63k. The PPF done on them alone is ~$8k which is why swinging $2k-$4k above market for a S LR w/FSD+PPF doesn't feel that off, I do agree that they're not the best deal in the market but after hearing a lot of you out it doesn't feel like they're the worst deal either.

I'm still looking for better deals out there, also the Plaids I've found command serious premium over their identical LR counterparts ~$5k-$10k more?

 

[redt3sla]

You should look for a leftover new 2023 M3P. They are eligible for the full $7,500 fed tax credit. When I was shopping at the Camarillo, CA store a couple weeks ago I was told they are selling them for around $42k before the tax credit. They had 3 gray ones in stock at the time.

Really not in love with how harsh the suspension on the old M3s is. I would at least get coil over suspension on those which basically wipes a decent chunk of the fed tax credit off of the deal.

Plus the road noise in them is a decent consideration as well, its not terrible but its noticeable which is why I was waiting for the 2024 model.

^ There's ways around that noise through tearing apart the trunk and adding in noise suppression but going that route involves adding in personal time into that car.

These considerations are mostly why I didn't look at the 23 M3-MY

 

[Jayskywalker21]

Yeah after seeing a lot of the opinions here and on reddit not going with the M3. It may sound stupid but I feel like even the M3 LR on chill feels fast to me haha

I feel like I'll develop serious lead foot w/ the Plaid!


What do you think a well kept 21-22 MS LR is worth ? $56-$60k pretax? Definitely agree that FSD on the open market is valued between $1k-$3k

The thing is both of these cars are within that margin of ~$61k-$63k. The PPF done on them alone is ~$8k which is why swinging $2k-$4k above market for a S LR w/FSD+PPF doesn't feel that off, I do agree that they're not the best deal in the market but after hearing a lot of you out it doesn't feel like they're the worst deal either.

I'm still looking for better deals out there, also the Plaids I've found command serious premium over their identical LR counterparts ~$5k-$10k more?

LRs to ME are worth no more than 50-53k pretax. The PPF is good tho but yes FSD shouldn’t be heavily priced into the car. Plaids are worth the premium IMO but you can 100% get one in mid to low 60s. Be patient and search the whole US for a plaid or LR you will find a great deal. Not to mention many of these teslas are sitting on lots for months just negotiate and you’ll get a steal

 

[redt3sla]

LRs to ME are worth no more than 50-53k pretax. The PPF is good tho but yes FSD shouldn’t be heavily priced into the car. Plaids are worth the premium IMO but you can 100% get one in mid to low 60s. Be patient and search the whole US for a plaid or LR you will find a great deal. Not to mention many of these teslas are sitting on lots for months just negotiate and you’ll get a steal

thoughts on this one? better deal than the couple I posted? this car would end up being $74k all in (almost 10% use tax in california)

not in a rush, probably the lowest FSD plaid i've seen this weekend - just wanted to get a gauge

 

[iloveplywood]

I'm sort of debating the Used Model S vs refreshed Model 3 right now too. I've test driven the model 3 recently and the new suspension was great, I'm not sure if I could confidently say that the model s that I test drove a week earlier was any better. Both are significantly better than my Model Y. Pros and cons of the vehicles mainly come down to the size for me. Model S has more leg room in the back seat and a lot more trunk space. On the other hand the Model 3 is a more engaging vehicle to drive and day to day would be a lot easier to park, get in and out of my garage, etc. . Then of course there are all the worries of buying used . . .

Anyway, I reiterate what everyone is saying about not buying FSD and I like FSD more than 99% of the people on this forum, probably. Just get the subscription and then if you really do fall in love with it you can always buy it later.

One more thing, if you do decide to go the used S route -- maybe wait a bit. There's been rumors of a mild refresh on the S (ambient lighting and a front bumper camera) this could further reduce the values of used model Ses.

 

[Jayskywalker21]

thoughts on this one? better deal than the couple I posted? this car would end up being $74k all in (almost 10% use tax in california)

not in a rush, probably the lowest FSD plaid i've seen this weekend - just wanted to get a gauge

This one in good with that mileage without FSD it'd probably still sell around 62-63 IMO so I guess it would be worth it if you really NEED FSD