FSD price hike during delivery

[RT-3]

Except this part isn't quite true. Elon Musk always warns the herd when FSD prices go up in advance, so buy, buy now!

FSD originally started at $5k.

Before increase to $6k: Tesla will increase Full Self-Driving option price 'substantially' on May 1 - Electrek
Increased to $6k 20 days later: Tesla increases price of Full Self-Driving in move to make its cars ’appreciating assets’ - Electrek

Before increase to $7k: Tesla plans to increase its Full Self-Driving price again on August 16 - Electrek

3 months before increase to $8k: Tesla prepares to increase the price of 'Full Self-Driving' again with new features - Electrek
Before increase to $8k: Tesla to increase 'Full Self-Driving' price as Elon Musk sees value rise to >$100k - Electrek
Increased to $8k 44 days later: Tesla increases Full Self-Driving price to $8,000 as promised - Electrek

Before increase to $10k: Tesla is increasing price of Full Self-Driving package to a whopping $10,000 - Electrek
Increased to $10k 7 days later: Tesla officially increases price of its Full Self-Driving Kickstarter campaign to $10,000 - Electrek

I wish they would do a subscription service where we wouldnt have to pay 10K all at once. people who do want the FSD should have the option to purchase this at a more affordable rate.

 

[wraithfive]

Except this part isn't quite true. Elon Musk always warns the herd when FSD prices go up in advance, so buy, buy now!

Except that it's entirely true. If OP was accounting for the possibility of a price increase and watching for the warning from Elon, which we should NOT count on always getting, then this whole thread would not exist.

 

[wraithfive]

I wish they would do a subscription service where we wouldnt have to pay 10K all at once. people who do want the FSD should have the option to purchase this at a more affordable rate.

I really think that's where he's heading. Remember that Elon seems to always have an motive behind anything, and he has almost always told us what it was, even if we didn't pay attention. We know that he has stated many times that he plans to have a fleet of Tesla self driving Taxis. He's trying to make the FSD option so expensive so that people will sign up for the self driving taxi program when it is viable to recoup the cost. My theory at least. I expect to see a subscription option where you sign up for Self Driving Taxi, get a subscription price on FSD, and the proceeds from your taxi earning cover the subscription and you keep anything over that amount.

 

[Lpfan2002]

One possible explanation maybe. In this particular case I think it would still work out better just to build this into the original purchase, if financed anyway. If paying cash then the ability to earn cashback or points makes sense.

I earn my points a little differently. I make all of my every day purchases (that don't have a fee associated with using my card at least. Damned utility companies!) on my credit card and then pay it off monthly. So I didn't immediately think of your method as a possible connection.

Another factor when adding FSD to the purchase price, California DMV assess vehicle registration on the purchase price of the vehicle. You’ll end up paying more every year when renewing your registration. Adding FSD post delivery would avoid being assessed the extra 10k.

 

[wraithfive]

Another factor when adding FSD to the purchase price, California DMV assess vehicle registration on the purchase price of the vehicle. You’ll end up paying more every year when renewing your registration. Adding FSD post delivery would avoid being assessed the extra 10k.

The OP is in TX though.

 

[kishkaru]

Even if the OP is in CA, the diff is so small its negligble. The DMV has a calculator you can use to see the registration fees.
I punched in a base $50k AWD vs $58k AWD+FSD and got:

$50k AWD: Total Registration Fees: $598.00
$58k AWD+FSD : Total Registration Fees: $650.00

So the diff for year 1 is $52.
Assuming this value stays the same (which it doesn't, since the vehicle depreciates), over 5 years, you pay $260 more in registration fees if you buy FSD. This is negligible compared to the $2k+ you save if you buy FSD pre-delivery!

 

[acarney]

Musk has said that FSD will be a subscription based option, possibly as soon as next year (2021), however it would be a "bad deal" compared to buying. I'm guessing it'll hit at ~$200 or more a month, that means 5 years would be $12k (I would assume FSD will be up to $12k by then... honestly maybe within the next two years). $250/mo might even be realistic.

Adding on $10k to a 5 year car loan at 3% would be an extra $179/mo... so it would be much better to roll it into your financing, assuming you can afford it right at delivery.

 

[AmbienWalrus]

The thing about FSD that made me hesitate is the possibility that if something happens to my car, it has to be purchased again for the replacement vehicle. It really should be attached to the owners account.

 

[wraithfive]

The thing about FSD that made me hesitate is the possibility that if something happens to my car, it has to be purchased again for the replacement vehicle. It really should be attached to the owners account.

That would just be yet another reason to purchase it with the car. Have it on the original invoice so that if something happens to the car it's factored into the value of your car for insurance purposes. If you add it later, they MIGHT cover it, (check your policy and with your agent) but if it's on the car at original purchase it definitely will be covered. Depending on your policy it might even be more valuable. For instance if they value your car at 50K because that's what used ones are going for currently in the market that match your specs other than having FSD, and none on the market currently HAVE FSD, then you could argue with them that replacing your car with one from the market would cost the current price of FSD on top of any other available car.

 

[mushymango]

To clarify, I paid for the car in full, no financing. I wanted to charge the FSD to my card for points which effectively offsets the cost. I realize there were numerous articles posted prior to the price hike, but as I had openly admitted before, I wasn't keeping an eye on it nor was I directly notified by anyone. I'm not blaming anyone, it's just not something I constantly read up about like others that keep up with such topics. I didn't expect FSD to go from 7k to 8k then 10k so quickly this year. I could be wrong but if I recall correctly, the website said something to the effect of upgrade to FSD to lock in your price, and if I'm being honest with myself I have seen other marketers use the same tactics to get people to panic-buy something. It was my misunderstanding and I was poorly informed. I only wanted information on who might be best to talk to, but as an update to everyone, I have reached out to everyone I could think of, and all of them have said there's nothing that can be done about the price of FSD once you take delivery, which is what others above have predicted.

 

[wraithfive]

To clarify, I paid for the car in full, no financing. I wanted to charge the FSD to my card for points which effectively offsets the cost.

Thanks for coming back and updating us. Paying cash was the only scenario I could think of where it made any sense to attempt to do what you attempted but was genuinely curious if there was some other advantage you might have thought of I was missing.

On the bright side, you got even more points