How do I buy a used Model 3?

[acarney]

I know I’ve been posting a lot today, sorry. But how the heck do I buy a used Model 3? Is there someone I can call and find out where it’s located? Is the $2500 online deposit refundable if I find out the car is in New York and I’m in Washington state? Or if I can’t get financing for it can the deal be canceled?

Tonight there are a bunch of LR RWD’s with under 500 miles, many of them March 2019 builds! I’m thinking these must have been inventory cars or something that for some reason are being dumped on their used sites... or maybe loaners? Whatever the case I know by tomorrow morning they’ll be gone, but I kinda would like to find out where it’s located first before I hand over $2500, and I’m a little worried about financing. I’m approved for a new car, but I would like to check with my bank tomorrow about a used one...

 

[P85_DA]

Best is get connected with inside sales person they have view of all inventory across US and can help you find your car ..good luck in search !!

 

[acarney]

Which one of you A-holes bought that car?! I blindly was calling a store that was still open and of course they can’t tell me much about used... guess I just put down a $2500 deposit, wait for a call back and then cancel and request a refund if I can’t get it financed or the car is in New York or something... these are going crazy fast tonight...

 

[acarney]

Well... now I have two Tesla orders? Man I love that Tesla doesn’t have the pain in the butt dealership experience BUT HOLY COW they need something slightly better then their current system!

Does anyone know if inventory or test driven cars were titles and licensed by Tesla? Or could it possibly be that they listed it on the used site because it’s an inventory but it might be sold new and thus qualify for tax credits? It has 279 miles on it and is from March 2019. There were a bunch tonight from March 2019... I highly doubt these really were customer trade in’s since they all had 700 miles or less, with a lot of them having 300 miles or less on them.

 

[focher]

Possibly demo / test drive cars? 7 day returns?

 

[acarney]

Possibly demo / test drive cars? 7 day returns?

I had a Tesla employee check a couple different ones and they were all 7 day returns. The cars looked great (in pictures) but wouldn’t get any credits (obviously). I really hoped they had been demo units or something since they were all March or April 2019 manufacturing dates... it’s odd, Tesla must have just been holding on to these for some reason and finally got around to listing them for sale. There were like 12 total in all different colors. I’m going to end up canceling my deposit for one of the used one (and totally feel like an ass now :-/)

Could get a hold of anyone at Tesla to talk about them until a couple hours after I noticed them... and three sold out from under me within about a 10 minute period so I panicked and reserved one just in case it turned out to be an inventory car or something, lol.

 

[bnsn]

I realize you sort of figured it out, but demo units are usually sold as new because they didn't get titled. If they were titled, which they would have been for the 7 day returns (if they file the paperwork like they are supposed to), they would have to be sold as used.

Anyway, I see a bunch of them out there and I am trying to decide if I want to jump on one too. I can get a little better car this way. I should call a sales person, but the emails I've received from them indicate my sales person has changed like 5 times. I didn't get a response when I tried to email one a month ago or so.

 

[jjrandorin]

I had a Tesla employee check a couple different ones and they were all 7 day returns. The cars looked great (in pictures) but wouldn’t get any credits (obviously). I really hoped they had been demo units or something since they were all March or April 2019 manufacturing dates... it’s odd, Tesla must have just been holding on to these for some reason and finally got around to listing them for sale. There were like 12 total in all different colors. I’m going to end up canceling my deposit for one of the used one (and totally feel like an ass now :-/)

Could get a hold of anyone at Tesla to talk about them until a couple hours after I noticed them... and three sold out from under me within about a 10 minute period so I panicked and reserved one just in case it turned out to be an inventory car or something, lol.

I know you want a LR RWD tesla, instead of your reserved SR+... but do you really want a car that might have been returned within 7 days?

 

[acarney]

I know you want a LR RWD tesla, instead of your reserved SR+... but do you really want a car that might have been returned within 7 days?

At the time I thought they might be inventory ones or something that had been dumped on there. They all were March/April build dates so it seemed odd they were 7 day returns, and it would be crazy for someone buying it in March and only driving 150 miles and then trading it in now... They were going so far last night (I watch 2 white models sell within about 10 minutes of me finding them) that I just jumped on it until I could figure out what exactly was going on. Once I found out that they were used (no tax credits) and 7 day returns, I decided to cancel that order and stick with my SR+ order....

I'm still digging around trying to find the unicorn LR-RWD/AWD inventory car that's discounted a bunch though, so if you hear of anything let me know! (I'm shocked that a LR-RWD went for $43,820 yesterday! So they still might be out there... that would have been $20 away from qualifying for the WA $2500 sales tax credit. Would have killed to snatch that one and try to get a $21 extra discount so I could save $4375 in Fed/State credits!!!)

 

[PNWLeccy]

I'm still digging around trying to find the unicorn LR-RWD/AWD inventory car that's discounted a bunch though, so if you hear of anything let me know! (I'm shocked that a LR-RWD went for $43,820 yesterday! So they still might be out there... that would have been $20 away from qualifying for the WA $2500 sales tax credit. Would have killed to snatch that one and try to get a $21 extra discount so I could save $4375 in Fed/State credits!!!)

I'm hoping that on 8/1 we get some more clarity about the $45k cap but I've finally reached someone at Tesla who actually responds and she has indicated that for other states the doc/dest fee did not count towards the price but extra's do. This would be great if true, but I'm going to wait a week or 2 to see if we can verify the details on that.

It's crazy that some of these demo/inventory models have more miles than a "Used" vehicles but still qualify for credits while Used don't. Still holding out for a LR demo model until I know more..

 

[Zztops]

You can buy mine in CA haha AWD

 

[Msjulie]

How many folks take advantage of the 7 day free joy ride I wonder..

 

[jebinc]

At the time I thought they might be inventory ones or something that had been dumped on there. They all were March/April build dates so it seemed odd they were 7 day returns, and it would be crazy for someone buying it in March and only driving 150 miles and then trading it in now... They were going so far last night (I watch 2 white models sell within about 10 minutes of me finding them) that I just jumped on it until I could figure out what exactly was going on. Once I found out that they were used (no tax credits) and 7 day returns, I decided to cancel that order and stick with my SR+ order....

I'm still digging around trying to find the unicorn LR-RWD/AWD inventory car that's discounted a bunch though, so if you hear of anything let me know! (I'm shocked that a LR-RWD went for $43,820 yesterday! So they still might be out there... that would have been $20 away from qualifying for the WA $2500 sales tax credit. Would have killed to snatch that one and try to get a $21 extra discount so I could save $4375 in Fed/State credits!!!)

What happened to your new order for the SR+?

 

[acarney]

What happened to your new order for the SR+?

Oh it’s still there... they actually matched me with a car that’s been sitting in Portland, OR... apparently manufactured on July 13, I’m kinda surprised it hasn’t been matched with someone already (SR+ Blue on White, Aero wheels). I’ve delayed delivery until at least August 1st or later due to the state tax credit. I assume I can still switch it (been working with a different sales rep that’s been a HUUUUUGE help) but if I can’t and something else came up that meant I could get into a long range model, I’ll be one of those 7 day return dudes on the SR+

 

[acarney]

I'm hoping that on 8/1 we get some more clarity about the $45k cap but I've finally reached someone at Tesla who actually responds and she has indicated that for other states the doc/dest fee did not count towards the price but extra's do. This would be great if true, but I'm going to wait a week or 2 to see if we can verify the details on that.

It's crazy that some of these demo/inventory models have more miles than a "Used" vehicles but still qualify for credits while Used don't. Still holding out for a LR demo model until I know more..

Please spend the energy to figure out the tax credit thing and then post here with what you find and who you spoke with... after this Tesla search I don’t know if I’ll have the energy to then start hunting around WA government to get the correct info. Honestly I don’t even know where to start... department of revenue?

The original bill that expired clearly said with a “base price”, meaning that upgrades didn’t factor into the qualification. If this is the same, the way these vehicle invoices are done, it looks like every model 3 should count (they all have a base vehicle price of $35,400 and then Plus and Long Range and etc are all *added* to that).

However, I believe the bill now says....

(iii)(A) Have a vehicle selling price plus trade-in property of like kind for purchased vehicles that:
(I) For a vehicle that is a new vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed forty-five thousand dollars; or
(II) For a vehicle that is a used vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed thirty thousand dollars; or
(B) Have a fair market value at the inception of the lease for leased vehicles that:
(I) For a vehicle that is a new vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed forty-five thousand dollars; or
(II) For a vehicle that is a used vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed, does not exceed thirty thousand dollars;
(b)(i) The exemption in this section is applicable for up to the amounts specified in (b)(ii) or (iii) of this subsection of:
(A) The total amount of the vehicle's selling price, for sales made; or
(B) The total lease payments made plus any additional selling price of the leased vehicle if the original lessee purchases the leased vehicle before the qualification period end date, for lease agreements signed.
(ii) Based on the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed of the vehicle if the vehicle is a new vehicle at the time of the purchase date or the date the lease agreement was signed:

(I added the bolded part)
That makes it sound like the absolute price of the car, with all fees and upgrades and everything. But you could argue the destination fee is not part of the vehicle and is simply a dealership fee to cover the cost of the transaction...

 

[jebinc]

Oh it’s still there... they actually matched me with a car that’s been sitting in Portland, OR... apparently manufactured on July 13, I’m kinda surprised it hasn’t been matched with someone already (SR+ Blue on White, Aero wheels). I’ve delayed delivery until at least August 1st or later due to the state tax credit. I assume I can still switch it (been working with a different sales rep that’s been a HUUUUUGE help) but if I can’t and something else came up that meant I could get into a long range model, I’ll be one of those 7 day return dudes on the SR+

Got it, thanks!