For those that own a Model S Ludicrous without breaking the bank, what is you total comp or job?

[SVMike]

I’m aware of Moore’s law especially where associated with computers until fairly recently. There are huge advances in other areas, immunology, medicine, disease research, cloning, genetic research, composites, superconductivity, fuel cells, hydrides, many of which don’t really follow the Moore’s law model. I don’t know that battery technology has peaked. There’s thought along the line of carbon monolayer based super-capacitors. I do not suggest that electric cars will follow Moore’s law. I do suggest they will advance. A lot.

Computers, communications and data storage have been advancing at around 40-50% per year for many decades. Battery technology has been advancing at about 5% for the last decade or two.
It isn't that computers are advancing 10x as fast. You have to compound for a decade (for example) to see the results.
5% compounded for 10 years is 1.6. 50% gives you ~58. That is 37 times as much improvement.

 

[Darren Donovan]

If you have no one to help you with your finances, let me help guide you a little. And yes, I’m one of the over 40 people you sort of offhandedly blew off earlier. Basically you’re totally asking the wrong questions.

An S with autopilot, a color other than black, and ludicrous will cost $139,000. Assume it is financed at 3.75% for 72 months, At the end you’ll have a 6 year old car for which you’ve paid $155,439. It’ll be worth about 1/3 of that. You’ll be out about $100,000.

Now assume that instead of buying the car, you invest that $2159 per month and you are minimally wise with your investments making 7.2% per year. At the end of 6 years you’ll have $193,715. Now suppose you never put another cent in but leave that money invested at 7.2% for 30 years, assuming retirement in 36 years. That money will have increased to roughly $1.67 million.

So your choice right now is that you can retire with the distant memory of driving the car for 6 years, or you can have an extra $1.67 million. We all get old. You included.

If you learn about investing, it isn’t unreasonable that you can make 20% or better on that same $193,715 over 30 years. For that, you’ll need to spend some time learning about stocks, how to evaluate them, how to value them, how to choose them, and when to sell them. You could learn it in a month or two. Then the value will be over $74 million. There’s more to it but in general that’s the way it works. The time value of money is enormous.

That $74 million in 36 years won’t be worth anything like what $74 million is worth today. Taxes will take a good portion of it. If you trust others with your investments, they’ll get most of it.

Or you can buy a new car.

How about Vanguard's Target Dste Funds? I have my retirement $ there. I'm not knowledgeable enough to pick out stocks.