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Depreciation impact of buying a 2019 instead of a 2020
- Thread starter Denis54
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hocr
Member
Don’t worry. Tesla’s are appreciating assets. 
I thought about the same thing for a second but then came up with. “Nah”
I thought about the same thing for a second but then came up with. “Nah”
Tesla does not use the traditional manufacturing model year system. Tesla continuously improves its vehicles. It makes no difference whether a Tesla is manufactured on Dec 30 or Jan 1 of the following year.
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
This question comes up often this time of year.
We have been trained to consider only model year to determine depreciation.
The depreciation for Tesla happens more with the introduction of new features than with clicking over to the next model year.
Configurations matter much more than Model year. Used buyers usually want the month and year of manufacture.
Battery size, range, Autopilot, Computer version (now V3) number of cameras, security, etc all set the depreciation calculation more than the year of origin.
We have been trained to consider only model year to determine depreciation.
The depreciation for Tesla happens more with the introduction of new features than with clicking over to the next model year.
Configurations matter much more than Model year. Used buyers usually want the month and year of manufacture.
Battery size, range, Autopilot, Computer version (now V3) number of cameras, security, etc all set the depreciation calculation more than the year of origin.
LakeWorthB
Member
I think your concerns are valid. Sure everyone above says there are no real model years, but when you see a used one for sale, like a 2014 Model S, or a 2015 Model S, if they have the same mileage and features, you would expect the 2015 to get more money. But is it significant I don't know, you could look at some used teslas and figure that out. I would just buy now.
super20g
Member
It probably makes little difference if you sell it to someone pretty knowledgeable with Tesla's... To the standard buyer, newer model year will always command more money... I mean, who wouldn't prefer a 2020 over a 2019 build?
A knowledgeable and savvy buyer would use this info to their advantage to negotiate a lower price
The interesting thing is that model year has always been a stand in (if a rough one) for the age of a vehicle. The main barrier I see to getting around the model year involved in deprecation is how cars are advertised. If you list your car for sale on autotrader, you will have to describe it as "2018 tesla" rather than "1.5 year old Tesla".
Lifeinabox
Member
Based on my experience buying a used S, “MY” still matters to both buyers and sellers.
Yes.
But you can also snag significant end-of-year discounts from most OEMs, including Tesla, as they are pushing to get the inventory out the door. Also, dealers/sales-people, including Tesla's, are pushing to meet their quotas in December, so expect extra incentives (free supercharger miles, free feature upgrades, etc).
It will.
Do you have any evidence to back up this claim?
Model year (MY) is a proxy for age, mileage, and wear an tear. As imperfect as it is, it has stuck for a reason. All wear considerations are fully valid when shopping for a used Tesla, as with any other automotive OEM.
If anything, features are less of a factor with Tesla's due to over-the-air upgrades, and loosely documented hardware evolution milestones.
Not true.
I've bought and sold multiple vehicles on Autotrader (have one listed right now).
Not once has anyone ever asked me for a month of manufacturing.
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TT97
Active Member
It's tricky with Teslas as they don't have true model years but even though the cars will most likely be the same, waiting for the MY 2020 will have a higher value later on (but keep in mind you will lose the remaining $1,875 federal kickback that expires at the end of the year).
Even on the Tesla page, the used inventory shows MY only, you can't find the month of manufacturing. In addition, as the 3 becomes more mainstream, there will be less "enthusiasts" buying the cars and the average consumer will not know that a MY '19 and a MY '20 are the same cars.
Even on the Tesla page, the used inventory shows MY only, you can't find the month of manufacturing. In addition, as the 3 becomes more mainstream, there will be less "enthusiasts" buying the cars and the average consumer will not know that a MY '19 and a MY '20 are the same cars.
Paul8810
Longtime Member
The VIN for my new ordered X showed up in the source code of my dashboard today, and the 10th digit is "L". According to NHTSA's website Welcome to VIN Decoding :: provided by vPIC, this is a 2020 model year. Maybe Tesla has changed things to align model years with other manufacturers?
Paul8810
Longtime Member
Model year depreciation is usually a combination of mileage and year. If you do not put many miles on a car then it is best to buy at the beginning of the year. In turn, if you are a high mileage person, then buying at the end of the year is your best bet. If you keep the car for more then 6 years it hardly matters at that point.
XLR82XS
D M C
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