Help Me Decide SR+ vs MR VS LR RWD

[dakshr]

I have been reading this forum last couple of months. Finally i am planning to pull the trigger on ordering a model 3. I need some help deciding what would be a better buy in long run.

The pricing of each model is close enough for me start looking a level up.

So i seriously starting looking on the day SR and SR+ was announced. Looking at those i thought SR+ was a no brainer with on $2K more. I thought i will just add upgraded wheels, autoPilot, MSM color. Total was $43K before destination cost.

After reading bit more on this forum i realized that you should be charging to a 80% which would bring the effective range to less than 200 miles for SR+. So then started looking at MR as it will give me atleast 20 more miles, better music system, garage opener, better maps. Then i configured MR, aero wheels( removed 19inch to save money),MSM, Autopilot. Total now was $44.5K.

Once at this config i started looking at LR as that is really a big upgrade in range which will be helpful in my drives to vegas. Now i thought may be i can remove the color cost to keep the upgrade costs low The final configuration i am at is LR, aero wheels, Black, Autopilot for $46K.

So here are my choices:

1) SR+, MSM, 19 inch wheels, AutoPilot (240 miles) $43k
2) MR, MSM, aero wheels, AutoPilot (264 miles) $44.5K
3) LR, Black, aero wheels AutoPilot (325 miles) $46K

What do you guys suggest would be better if i plan to keep the car for 5-6 years. In terms of which model will hold the value better down the road. Also is MSM worth more than $1500 over black. I love black, but haven't owned one without any metallic in it. Is it going to be an issue maintaining it?

Need to decide in this week. Thank a lot!!

 

[gilscales]

I have been reading this forum last couple of months. Finally i am planning to pull the trigger on ordering a model 3. I need some help deciding what would be a better buy in long run.

The pricing of each model is close enough for me start looking a level up.

So i seriously starting looking on the day SR and SR+ was announced. Looking at those i thought SR+ was a no brainer with on $2K more. I thought i will just add upgraded wheels, autoPilot, MSM color. Total was $43K before destination cost.

After reading bit more on this forum i realized that you should be charging to a 80% which would bring the effective range to less than 200 miles for SR+. So then started looking at MR as it will give me atleast 20 more miles, better music system, garage opener, better maps. Then i configured MR, aero wheels( removed 19inch to save money),MSM, Autopilot. Total now was $44.5K.

Once at this config i started looking at LR as that is really a big upgrade in range which will be helpful in my drives to vegas. Now i thought may be i can remove the color cost to keep the upgrade costs low The final configuration i am at is LR, aero wheels, Black, Autopilot for $46K.

So here are my choices:

1) SR+, MSM, 19 inch wheels, AutoPilot (240 miles) $43k
2) MR, MSM, aero wheels, AutoPilot (264 miles) $44.5K
3) LR, Black, aero wheels AutoPilot (325 miles) $46K

What do you guys suggest would be better if i plan to keep the car for 5-6 years. In terms of which model will hold the value better down the road. Also is MSM worth more than $1500 over black. I love black, but haven't owned one without any metallic in it. Is it going to be an issue maintaining it?

Need to decide in this week. Thank a lot!!

No one has ever posted here and regretted getting the larger battery version of any car, as least as far as I am aware, get the max range and don't look back, price difference for extra range is negligible and it comes in handy on road trips for sure.

 

[InParadise]

Long Range because of your long distance drives.

 

[harrismoe]

I went through this recently as well. Started of with the MR mainly due to the sound system. Just recently changed my order to a LR since I felt that range would be worth the 3K over the life of the car.

 

[dakshr]

No one has ever posted here and regretted getting the larger battery version of any car, as least as far as I am aware, get the max range and don't look back, price difference for extra range is negligible and it comes in handy on road trips for sure.

Thanks for the response. I am also leaning towards LR. Just worried about going with Black vs MSM. Can't spend $1500 more, as i have already extended by budget.

 

[dakshr]

Long Range because of your long distance drives.

Long distance driver will be 2 -3 times a yr max. Most of my drives will be in socal. OC to SD or OC to LA. But i still think having the flexibility of not having to make stops is worth it.

 

[miemrich]

I would go with MR, color, autopilot and appreciate the option package with a nicer interior. If you really need LR a few times a year, you have to make a stop at a supercharger.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Once at this config i started looking at LR as that is really a big upgrade in range which will be helpful in my drives to vegas. Now i thought may be i can remove the color cost to keep the upgrade costs low The final configuration i am at is LR, aero wheels, Black, Autopilot for $46K.

If you're a regular long-tripper, then I'm sure you'll appreciate the extra range and faster Supercharging.

But I'll never advise people to spend more money, so
1) give up trips to Vegas to save money
2) buy an LR
3) take trips to Vegas

OK only 2 to 3 trips per year?

Let's say the reduced range means spending an extra 4 hours per trip to Vegas.
3 trips per year
For 10 years
Then that's 3 x 4 x 10 = 120 hours

$6,000/ 120 hours = $50/hour

SR+ would be cheaper to buy, cheaper to pay tax on, cheaper to insure, and more efficient.

But really think about how you use your car.

 

[Watts_Up]

What do you guys suggest would be better if i plan to keep the car for 5-6 years.
In terms of which model will hold the value better down the road.

4) LR AWD 19" AP-FSD xxx/White

 

[dakshr]

If you're a regular long-tripper, then I'm sure you'll appreciate the extra range and faster Supercharging.

But I'll never advise people to spend more money, so
1) give up trips to Vegas to save money
2) buy an LR
3) take trips to Vegas

OK only 2 to 3 trips per year?

Let's say the reduced range means spending an extra 4 hours per trip to Vegas.
3 trips per year
For 10 years
Then that's 3 x 4 x 10 = 120 hours

$6,000/ 120 hours = $50/hour

SR+ would be cheaper to buy, cheaper to pay tax on, cheaper to insure, and more efficient.

But really think about how you use your car.

$50/hour is not too bad. I didn't know/think that SR+ would be more efficient. I guess being lighter and having slower acceleration would help, but isn't having 19 inch wheel reduces it in comparison to Aero wheels? i know i don't have to go for upgraded wheels. I am just comparing my configs.

Also thinking about the battery degradation after 6 years and a whole lot of EVs with 250 range in lower price point would limit the resale value in long run for SR+.

What would you think the resale value will be 6 yrs down with approx 60K miles for each of the 3 options?

 

[dakshr]

4) LR AWD 19" AP-FSD xxx/White

That is definitely a good option if i could only afford it.

 

[Watts_Up]

Long Range because of your long distance drives.

Long range travel

 

[32x20]

If it's your only car it's pretty easy to justify the LR RWD. As has been posted a bunch here, it's definitely the best $/mi range. I'd expect resale to hold a premium as well.

I originally ordered the SR+ but realized, like you did, that 90%-10% was on the edge of usability for our location. I went MR, just because it was already a bit of a stretch (price wise) for what'll mostly be local car, but it's sized for the longest distance trip I'd take without a supercharger on the way. Out of curiosity I plotted a few cross country trips using abetterrouteplanner.com with the MR and LR and it has you stop at all the same superchargers because it's optimal to charge in the 'meat' of the charge range. LR saved maybe an hour or two total over a cross country trip.

 

[InParadise]

I think a 6 year resale will be drastic. Look at the used prices of the “S” models. I think you will lose less money on a SR+ because of putting less money into it than a LR. Hopefully replacement batteries will be cheap at that time with a much higher range capacity.

 

[OCR1]

You will get a lot more utility out of the extra range of the LR versus some flecks of metal in the paint. And on resale nobody is going to care whether your car is plain black or metallic black, but the extra range will definitely be more attractive to a used buyer. I went from the SR+ to the MR and finally the LR after thinking through the same things you are going through. Only the LR has the 48 amp on board charger which increases charge time by 50% if you add a wall connector. For me that was the final piece of info that nudged me to go with the LR.

 

[Tam]

...3) LR, Black, aero wheels AutoPilot (325 miles) $46K...

Easy choice: Range is King.

...keep the car for 5-6 years...

Tesla is a piece of high tech equipment just like your iPhone. There's no sense wonder how much more you could sell your iPhone 5 in 5 years when iPhone X comes out.

By the time you are done with your Model 3 in 6 years, Tesla has promised a much cheaper version for $25,000 in 3 years.

6-year-old used $100,000 Model S are being sold for about $30,000 or 70% off.

You should get a Tesla because you need it or want it, not because hoping to resell it for a special value.

 

[al503]

Get as much battery/range as you can afford.

I've only had my 3 since early Jan but I have been getting about 2/3 the stated range and my commute is a very slow (usually 50+ minutes for 17 miles). Anything and everything will reduce it including someone named 'vampire...' This will improve as it gets warmer, of course.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining as I have my own spot at work to recharge, I don't really give it a second thought. Just want to give you a heads up that you shouldn't count on stated range as the actual range.

 

[OCR1]

You should get a Tesla because you need it or want it, not because hoping to resell it for a special value.

I’ve never understood this line of thinking. Why can’t you need it, want it, but still pick the one that will give the you the best overall value while you use it along with resale value when you go to sell it? It’s not an either/or argument.

 

[Tam]

...value...

Investing in a stock or a house could increase or decrease the value depending on the market cycles.

However, investing in a Tesla car or a car in general for 6 years have only one outcome in value: decrease, not increase.

So, to maximize my resale value in 6 years, should I pay more now for a Signature version or a plain vanilla version of Tesla?

Both expensive and cheap version of Tesla would have the have same outcome in value: decrease.

When you talk about a loss of value of 70%, it is not much of a consolation that by paying more 6 years ago for the hope that the value would only go down 69% instead.

 

[Fair Verona]

We originally were going to get the SR when the Model 3 was first announced. Didn't want to wait, so got the LR and am soooo happy with that decision. Don't regret it one bit. It makes trip so much easier and if you don't have home charging (like I don't), it makes charging much more manageable. I will always get the longest range option available now. The only time I'd get a Short Range is if I was only using it as a short commuter car where I could charge at home every night.