Cost Perception

[skippyinspace]

I have amazingly only mentioned my upcoming delivery of the M3SR+ to a few people and my 8 year old mentioned it at School as they are doing alternative energy and sustainability in class and the reactions have been as follows (Noting this is the most expensive car I have ever bought)

Daughters classmate who's parents drives a Brand New Range Rover approx £55K+ worth - You must be Rich to own one of those.
You must be doing well.
How can you afford one of those?
In Laws - Why a Tesla you would be better spending your money on something cheaper (who had bought an e-corsa and have complained about Range anxiety since buying it).

In all adults that came back with these types of responses, I asked them how much they thought I had paid, The closest was £50K but on average it was around £80K.
When I told the Father in law how much I paid, he responded with that reasonable price. (He thought I had paid around £85K,, Where I would have got that kind of money no one knows and know wonder he was concerned)

There seem to be a lot of people who won't even look at an M3 because its perceived to be a VERY expensive car but will spec up a Leaf, ID3 etc to within a few £K of what a SR+ costs.

 

[tomorrowman]

Yes I do get the impression that people think of them as a luxury card due to the S & X luxury car pricing, but are not really aware that the Model 3 is substantially more 'affordable' i.e. in the category of your German exec cars.

As they become more and more common and people become more aware of the pending ICE ban, I'm sure fewer people will have these misconceptions.

Upcoming $25K Baby Tesla would probably help as well.

 

[NewbieT]

Just goes to show that ‘brand’ and ‘perception’ is important.

 

[OliLondon]

Interesting, I have had a lot of interest in my model 3, but no one really commenting on Tesla prices, quite a few high end cars which are worth considerably more than mine in my neighbourhood (range rovers and a few Aston martins etc) - people are generally just interested in talking about how i have found the transition from petrol to electric and what my views on Elon musk are rather than discussing price

 

[pgkevet]

Interesting, I have had a lot of interest in my model 3, but no one really commenting on Tesla prices, quite a few high end cars which are worth considerably more than mine in my neighbourhood (range rovers and a few Aston martins etc) - people are generally just interested in talking about how i have found the transition from petrol to electric and what my views on Elon musk are rather than discussing price

...well if you have to ask the price...

 

[RedMod3]

I've parked in car parks and a few people have asked if they could peer inside it and see the screen, I've always obliged. No questions on purchase price, but questions of driving, running costs and range. I think people are just curious.

 

[YorkshireBrew]

Until now I’ve had EVs that aren’t partially obvious as EVs so I’ve been able to go about my business unhindered. Apart from pensioners asking me all about it when they see me plugging in, usually when I’m in a rush.

I’ve been loathed to tell acquaintances or colleagues I’m getting the Tesla. I had a Cayman a few years ago that I ended up not being able to take into the office because it got too many passive aggressive comments. That’s how I got into EVs actually the Renault Zoe daily was the perfect thing to get people at work to stop screwing up their faces.

And when I moved onto my current street we found out that one of our neighbours had been put out the hypothesis that we were dealers being that was the only explanation for me having a Porsche.

People never cease to surprise me. I think we’re best just trying not to think about what other people think

 

[Dilly]

When asked, I usually reply “it was reassuringly expensive”

 

[Alic01]

I agree the general perception is that the cars are more expensive than they are.

I haven’t told that many people what we are getting either, and tbh I’m not sure why!?

When we had one on test drive and brought it home it gathered a good bit of attention so will be interesting to see the reaction when it’s delivered.

 

[Jason71]

Conversation at my daughters school.
Child 1: Jess has got a Tesla
Child 2: No she hasn't. Jess is too poor to have a Tesla.

Jess's dad on hearing this.:WTF?

 

[Drew57]

When asked by strangers I don't give the actual cost of the car but do tell them how much the first 5800 miles of 2020 ownership cost:

The grand total of £0.17 - shameful that I had to squander so much but my Zappi was fitted on a cloudy day & that was a quick check that a timed charge would work ('fast' draws more than the 4kW inverter will put out).

Other than that, mostly Solar/batteries plus free local 7kW at Tesco & the Zoo or Tesla Destination chargers at the shopping centre and free Supercharging on several long journeys. There's also the lack of regular servicing costs, break pads etc etc to factor into ownership costs.

.....these are all part of the 'true' cost of ownership & always impresses people - in fact one man took my referral and ordered a few weeks later!






I guess the biggest downside to cost of ownership is the hours, days, weeks and months spent reading & tapping away on here where we all should be doing something far more productive

 

[SR-Plus]

When asked by strangers I don't give the actual cost of the car but do tell them how much the first 5800 miles of 2020 ownership cost:

The grand total of £0.17 - shameful that I had to squander so much but my Zappi was fitted on a cloudy day & that was a quick check that a timed charge would work ('fast' draws more than the 4kW inverter will put out).

Other than that, mostly Solar/batteries plus free local 7kW at Tesco & the Zoo or Tesla Destination chargers at the shopping centre and free Supercharging on several long journeys. There's also the lack of regular servicing costs, break pads etc etc to factor into ownership costs.

.....these are all part of the 'true' cost of ownership & always impresses people - in fact one man took my referral and ordered a few weeks later!






I guess the biggest downside to cost of ownership is the hours, days, weeks and months spent reading & tapping away on here where we all should be doing something far more productive

17p plus the cost of the zappi at £800 plus £10k solar panels

 

[pgkevet]

When asked by strangers I don't give the actual cost of the car but do tell them how much the first 5800 miles of 2020 ownership cost:

The grand total of £0.17 - shameful that I had to squander so much but my Zappi was fitted on a cloudy day & that was a quick check that a timed charge would work ('fast' draws more than the 4kW inverter will put out).

Other than that, mostly Solar/batteries plus free local 7kW at Tesco & the Zoo or Tesla Destination chargers at the shopping centre and free Supercharging on several long journeys. There's also the lack of regular servicing costs, break pads etc etc to factor into ownership costs.

.....these are all part of the 'true' cost of ownership & always impresses people - in fact one man took my referral and ordered a few weeks later!






I guess the biggest downside to cost of ownership is the hours, days, weeks and months spent reading & tapping away on here where we all should be doing something far more productive

The true cost of any car includes depreciation, any interest payments/losses by not having invested elsewhere, your time in dealing with any issues the vehicle has and so on. If we credit the Tesla as having the same basic cost foot print as another car you still have to factor in the differences; Cost/maintennace/depreciation of your charging system, insurance, tyre wear, connectivity, percentage effect on any solar/wind/battery system you may have at home, any extras you bought for it you wouldn't have bought otherwise (pucks, cables, jacks, mats, ceramic coatings...)
Your sign off sums up a whole other aspect but don't forget the need to project feelings of superiority, wealth and reverence towards the marque and bragging rights....
There must have been some erosion into your ability to plant trees, pick up litter, volunteer at the soup kitchen and build hopsitals in africa...

 

[Drew57]

17p plus the cost of the zappi at £800 plus £10k solar panels

Well there is that haha (although I had solar long before the car, a really good FIT that's paid a high percentage off already & the Zappi was £625 installed, far less than I was previously paying for diesel pa)

 

[Dilly]

When asked by strangers I don't give the actual cost of the car but do tell them how much the first 5800 miles of 2020 ownership cost:

The grand total of £0.17 - shameful that I had to squander so much but my Zappi was fitted on a cloudy day & that was a quick check that a timed charge would work ('fast' draws more than the 4kW inverter will put out).

Other than that, mostly Solar/batteries plus free local 7kW at Tesco & the Zoo or Tesla Destination chargers at the shopping centre and free Supercharging on several long journeys. There's also the lack of regular servicing costs, break pads etc etc to factor into ownership costs.

.....these are all part of the 'true' cost of ownership & always impresses people - in fact one man took my referral and ordered a few weeks later!






I guess the biggest downside to cost of ownership is the hours, days, weeks and months spent reading & tapping away on here where we all should be doing something far more productive

Now I’m really miffed. I was so chuffed that 2700 miles had only cost £10.87. Well shamed

 

[Alistairuk]

Now I’m really miffed. I was so chuffed that 2700 miles had only cost £10.87. Well shamed

Haha I was so proud of my just under 3000 for a grand total of £0.50 Although I fear it won’t be long till the free public charging disappears in North Lanarkshire.

On the original point I agree, a lot of people seem to just see Tesla and assume it’s 80k+

 

[Peter 224]

The perceived market position of the M3 is probably down to the prices of the S and X and an assumption is made that the M3 is in the same price zone. The car's performance is comparable with sports saloons from a number of premium manufacturers that, with the options packs needed to match the M3s competences, takes them to well over £60k and on towards £70k.
I cannot find another AWD saloon with a 0-60 in the low 4 second band for £50k... to my mind this makes the M3 ER AWD a real bargain.

 

[Wol747]

In over a year of ownership I've only had one adult ask about it - but quite a few children! They seem to know everything about Teslas from the door handles to the acceleration.

 

[Durzel]

Despite what Elon might say about pushing the market towards electrification, I don’t see Tesla as a “brand for the masses”.

It is basically the EV brand, and has a suitably aspirational quality to it, and pricing that is commensurate with that.

Perhaps the Model 2 will change that, but I would still expect it to be “suitably expensive”.

 

[Ben177]

Don’t forget, for the vast majority of people owning a £40,000 new car is beyond the realms of comprehension, so it’s not surprising to get these sort of comments when the car is noticeably different and high tech. This is compounded by the fact that until recently, a Tesla in the UK was substantially more expensive.

That said, I used the get the same comments when I owned Jaguars. Despite them being no more expensive than an equivalent BMW or Mercedes, I’d always get the comments about “doing well“. Perception is powerful.