Help Me Tesla Peers! Contemplating Trading/Selling 10 Day Old Model 3 AWD for Performance

[XLR82XS]

Not worth taking the financial hit unless you REALLY MUST HAVE performance. You ever do track days/DE events? If not, don't do it.
Invest the 10K and in a couple years you'll be ahead.

 

[StellarRat]

I NEED MORE POWER!

 

[MichaelP90DL]

That argument isn’t true for me. Not even remotely interested in a P100DL. Too big, too boaty, outdated interior and screen layout etc, and too big to fit in my garage, too.

In any case, it all depends on how much money you have lying around whether upgrading to the P model is worth it.

I prefer to have the essential info about the car on the screen directly in front of me, not off to the right side. One of the reasons I bought an S, not a 3.

 

[AndrewAllen]

If you can eat the depreciation and it not impact you or your family I’d say do it. There is nothing else I’ve owned (other than pets and my house) that has brought me as much joy as the P3-.

I was an SR+ owner for a few months before the P3- came out. Thankfully my wife wanted the SR+ which we will upgrade to a Y when the bugs are worked out.

Cars are literally terrible when it comes to depreciation. If $10k isn’t going to hurt you, I’d pull the trigger. If money is part of it, I’d hold onto the AWD for at least a year. Who knows what they are going to come out with. Maybe a 2.8 second stealth P for the same price. It’s only going to get better and cheaper as the years go on.

Again though, if pissing away $10k is doable, go for it. The car is nuts!!!

 

[MXWing]

Maybe a 2.8 second stealth P for the same price. It’s only going to get better and cheaper as the years go on.

I don’t think this will happen anytime soon with the reasons being:

The S and X have to be the fastest by a measurable margin. Tesla has to leave room for those two who can and will spend $50K more to be the fastest of all Tesla ands other cars on the road.

Tesla, if they can make improvements would work to get the range and performance of Y down to Model 3 levels.

The Y margins will be better than the 3, it would be counter productive to make the 3 better.

 

[Mr X]

I prefer to have the essential info about the car on the screen directly in front of me, not off to the right side. One of the reasons I bought an S, not a 3.

My steering wheel position in the S blocks the center HUD so it's non visible to me. Middle screen FTW

 

[WilliamG]

I prefer to have the essential info about the car on the screen directly in front of me, not off to the right side. One of the reasons I bought an S, not a 3.

Sure. Personally I prefer not to have any bright screens directly in my line of vision at night. The 3 is the absolute best car I've ever driven in this regard, and my night vision is incredible with it. The S screens are low contrast nightmares (in terms of technology), poorly laid out (by comparison to the 3), with interactive buttons too close to the corners, and all 4 corners are difficult to interact with when you're tall and have your seat back.

Not to mention my legs block part of the screen in the S.

 

[tomas]

I cannot freaking believe this thread is turning into a debate on S vs 3 screen!

World record topic leap!!!

 

[WilliamG]

I cannot freaking believe this thread is turning into a debate on S vs 3 screen!

World record topic leap!!!

Yeah, I got trolled. lol.

 

[davewill]

OK, I"ll give it a shot.

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!

Seriously, enjoy this car for a while. It's not likely to be the last EV you ever buy, so you can look forward to upgrading performance on the next car.

 

[Kamban]

I've owned an AWD and now drive a P3D-

I think the offer from Tesla is very low for your AWD. If you can find $50k then I think you are getting in the ballpark of getting value for your money.

Another option if you are taking the $45k: Call around for a P3D-, its only $2k more than a new AWD. I picked one up three days ago, and at the time I ordered there were two others available.

Maybe I am missing something but if I can custom order from Tesla a brand new AWD, pearl white with 19 inch wheels for 49,490 + destination fee and get the $1875 fed tax credit why would I pay $50K for the OP's second hand used AWD car.

 

[WilliamG]

Please talk me out of this crazy idea...
I've been losing sleep over this dumb issue.
Bought the White Pearl LR AWD with 19 inch sports10 days ago, has about 600 miles on it. Love the car but a part of me is calling for the performance.
Haven't driven the Performance b/c I'm afraid I'll be too hooked.
Tesla offered a 45K for trade in, I paid 55K
Waiting for a quote from Carvana but thinking i'm going to be hosed either way.
I know i know i should've just bought it from the start. Please talk me out of this...
I dont want to live with regret but the financial difference...
ARGH

My final opinion is trade the car in, and get a 3P- for $5k more. Done. You'll end up with both tax credits (unless someone says otherwise), I imagine, so it's really not quite $3k out of pocket.

 

[Phlier]

Buy the Performance and eat the depreciation loss. You'll have nagging doubts as long as you own the LR AWD, and those doubts will cloud your enjoyment of the car.

This.

I've owned too many "one step down from the top" cars. Each time, I told myself that the financial benefit of saving the money would offset the feeling of trying to convince myself of "it's only one step down from the top model." It never did. I regretted every one of those cars. You'd think I'd learn, but I did this more times than I'd care to admit.

My wife was the one that ended up talking me out of doing exactly the same thing with the Tesla. I told her that the LR AWD was "just one step from the top" and that I was fine with it. She said no freaking way, and asked the SA what they had available in Model 3 Performance. His response was when I learned about the P3D-. So thanks to my wife, there's no more "one step from the top" this go around, and I couldn't be happier.

Sometimes, you just can't put a price on happiness. Especially if cars are responsible for bringing you a lot of happiness in life like they do for me and my family.

 

[tvad]

Sometimes, you just can't put a price on happiness. Especially if cars are responsible for bringing you a lot of happiness in life like they do for me and my family.

A perfect example of an emotional purchase versus a rational purchase.

Nothing wrong with either.

The OP just has to decide which he/she is.

 

[iwannam3]

Another think to think about is the remote possibility of the tax credit being expanded to 600,000 vehicles. New Bipartisan Legislation Would Expand Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit

Enjoy your car and pull the trigger if and when the tax credit starts again.

 

[AndrewAllen]

This.

I've owned too many "one step down from the top" cars. Each time, I told myself that the financial benefit of saving the money would offset the feeling of trying to convince myself of "it's only one step down from the top model." It never did. I regretted every one of those cars. You'd think I'd learn, but I did this more times than I'd care to admit.

My wife was the one that ended up talking me out of doing exactly the same thing with the Tesla. I told her that the LR AWD was "just one step from the top" and that I was fine with it. She said no freaking way, and asked the SA what they had available in Model 3 Performance. His response was when I learned about the P3D-. So thanks to my wife, there's no more "one step from the top" this go around, and I couldn't be happier.

Sometimes, you just can't put a price on happiness. Especially if cars are responsible for bringing you a lot of happiness in life like they do for me and my family.

You have a great wife!!

 

[Phlier]

You have a great wife!!

I do indeed. And it was actually on our 25th wedding anniversary that we visited the Tesla Store. So yeah... my wife bought me a Tesla for our 25th anniversary. But hey, I bought her a nice dinner!

 

[happyzod]

Just keep the AWD. Remember, after a few years, you can always sell your AWD and buy a used Performance Model 3. The delta will be much less than 10k.

 

[ForeverEv]

Maybe I am missing something but if I can custom order from Tesla a brand new AWD, pearl white with 19 inch wheels for 49,490 + destination fee and get the $1875 fed tax credit why would I pay $50K for the OP's second hand used AWD car.

The used car market for 3s is crazy right now, people are overpaying for used models.

 

[yerEVan]

I was waiting for my AWD last summer. I finally test drove a performance with PUP prior to delivery of my AWD. I thought it to be insane, and too much power for me. But I struggled realizing I didn’t have the fastest Model 3, and was really at odds with my brain.

Upon waiting for delivery of my AWD (LR), they told me it was delayed, once again, stuck in a train depot in Baltimore. So I asked my local sales advisor, do you offer any cars that are sitting around? There were barely any as it was close to end of Q3 2018. But he said, because i had a VIN that he could put me in something if it’s sitting on a lot somewhere nearby. I asked if he has any P3D-‘s sitting around. He found one, about 100+ miles away, it was P3D- with same color combo i wanted, 18” wheels, for 11k more. I said, please put me in that. He did, i picked it up the next day, and was so happy i made that decision.

Dude/Dudette, the difference off the line is amazing btwn AWD and P3D-. I got 5K back from Elon for the price decrease thing, so i paid 6k more for the car.

If you can afford it, just eat it, get the P3D- and feel that it was a learning experience in future Tesla car purchases. The car is sick fast. It is an angry beast.