How Many Considering Model X or Much Less Expensive Car?

[HugoBoss]

I'm a new member on the forum. 4 years ago my wife needed a new car to replace her Camry. Camry was here dad's car that she took over when he passed away. We had one child at the time, he was 2. We thought of buying model S but didn't cause they were rear wheel drive only at the time. We wanted AWD for winter driving. We can get lots of snow in Toronto. And the price scared us too.

She ended up leasing a 2013 Lexus GS AWD. What she spends on gas and car payment a month the model S would not have been that much more. It would prob have been about the same cause of oil changes and maintenance. She does about 35 thousand kilometers per year. Oil changes come a lot more often.

Fast forward 4 years we now have three kids. 6, 2 and 8 month old. She bought out lease on Lexus and We just ordered seven seat model X two days ago. Yes it is expensive but the way we look at it we need SUV for family. We both don't like mini vans. Model X will probably be cheaper in the long run than an SUV. I say in the long run cause we plan on keeping it. I still drive a 99 civic. I keep cars long term. If your the type of person who likes to have new cars often then it's really expensive. And you really can't compare model X to a Porsche, unless it's the cayenne SUV. And that will def be more expensive

 

[jasonb]

between me and wife we have owned 6 cars over the last decade and a half. if you add them all up it comes approx the same price as we paid for MX. so right there with you. still boggles my mind.

 

[ztaylor]

I am posting this in the MX forum, but it really has equal application in the MS form. Bit of an odd post / question but here goes.

A few months ago, a neighbour of mine purchased a MX and while I thought it was a "cool car", my reaction was that "you must be out of your mind to spend that kind of money on a Tesla,(here in Canada, a nicely equipped MX 100D, (no P) is about $140,000) when you can get a 911 (a couple of years old) for similar money. (I appreciate that the MX can hold 6 or 7 people and can effectively replace a Van for many families. I am really just making a point, that if I was going to spend that kind of serious money on a car, I would only do it on something like a 911 (fill in the blank).

Fast forward a month or two and the lease on my existing car is coming up so I have begun the process of looking for a replacement. For me, half the enjoyment (if not more) is the process of reading, researching, test driving and looking for another car.

I briefly thought about a Tesla but (i) I have never, ever, spent any where near that kind of money on a car; and (ii) if I were to consider spending that kind of money on a car...see above.

Fast forward another month, and I started spending some time on these forums, watching MX road trip YouTube videos and reading every thing I could about the MX. Then I went my local "store" and test drove an MX with my kids. Needless to say, I was blown away on so many levels (and I am now officially "obsessed").

So where am I now? While I am still uncertain about spending that kind of money on any car, I have actually done a complete 180 and I am now of the view that if I were going to spend that kind of money, I would ONLY consider spending it on a MX.

So here's my question. While I know from reading the forums that several of the posters here own (and have owned) lots of expensive cars before purchasing their MX and I would wager that when people cross shop cars, they are generally looking at different cars from different manufacturer, but in a similar category / price point.

What I am really asking is how many out there, were willing to spend this kind of money on an MX (or MS etc) but would never have considered spending this kind of money on an ICE? (Maybe I will get an MX, or a Mini Cooper clubman.)

In addition to the actual drive of the vehicle, is it a combination of environmentally friendly, being on the cutting edge of technology, being part of a still relatively exclusive club and being at the forefront of the next stage in sustainable transportation? Obviously I am still wrestling with my decision and I am not looking for anyone to give me an answer; I am simply curious whether others out there are in a similar situation.

Thanx in advance.

I also live in Canada. My lease was ending on my Nissan Pathfinder 2014 Hybrid. I looked around at other 6 or 7 PAX cars and really anything that was "nice" was going to run me about the same when you factored in gas. For me gas is somewhere north of 1.45 a litre so most larger SUV would be running $500 plus a month in fuel.

I got a great lease rate, Tesla bought my pathfinder out and the rest is history. I probably pay about 200 more a month now and I drive a car that is about 1000 times cooler than anything out there. We only have one car so to answer you question you really need to look at your individual economics of it, for my family it just made sense. I would have had a hard time buying Porche, Mercedes or another fancy brand and had to go to the pump every week to feed it.

 

[Freedom101]

...6 cars over the last decade and a half...

I think it depends on how you look at it. That's a new vehicle every 2.5 years suffering depreciation everytime you sell. Plus the true cost of the vehicles likely doesn't account for inflation over that period. Ie: your real money cost for those 6 vehicles now, adjusted for inflation, was likely higher than the cost of the X now in real money terms.

The question to me given this scenario is would you rather have a vehicle like the model x for 15 years or 6 different vehicles approximately 1/6th the cost over that same time span?

If you can maintain your vehicles and keep them for long periods of time it significantly affects the actual cost of ownership. In the last decade and a half I've owned 2 vehicles,one or them free and another was purchased 3 years old for under 20k (worst part of the depreciation went to the original owner).

Then I bought an X a month ago and plan to keep it for a long time. I'd rather have the X for the next 15 years than 6 significantly lesser (ice) vehicles between now and then. At the end of the day they all get you from point a to point b, but if the cost was close to the same, it's an easy decision for me. I know I can take care of my vehicles and keep them for a long time, I've proven that with a much lesser vehicle than the X that I had no real attachment to or pride of ownership like I do with the X. I feel an attachment with this vehicle, that I'm a small part of something special, and a real pride of ownership. I look forward to keeping it as long as possible and enjoying the journey.

 

[JCLeonard]

Love this thread. We have been stalking Tesla for some time now and I am still working on "justifying" purchasing an S or X. I have never considered, and will likely never consider, spending that amount on an ICE. The idea of building a sustainable "system" to power our home and our vehicles is very intriguing to me and is really the driving force in the consideration of EVs and solar system. All my financial TCO calculations lead me to conclude that buying an $80,000+ EV is not fiscally prudent, especially considering we typically buy used vehicles to avoid the depreciation hit. I am sure others have done the same calculations and come to different conclusions.

Currently, we own a Leaf as my wife's commuter and our around town car with the kids. We use a Ford Flex for my short commute, longer trips and lugging larger items. The logical EV replacement for the Flex is a Model X but we struggle with the idea of spending 3x+ what we spent on the Flex. However, we have committed to an EV for our next and likely all future vehicle purchases. It's just a matter of defining our budget and pulling the trigger. We have test driven the S a couple times and are driving an X tomorrow for the first time. I don't expect to fall in love, but I am not ruling it out. More than likely we will follow through on our Model 3 reservation and see how the Model Y (and truck) unfold and plan on a second Tesla several years down the road. But, who the heck knows what will happen after we get our butts in an X for the first time

Another thing I ponder on is whether or not it is easy to commit to driving a Model S/X for 15 years. Technology moves so fast that no matter what we do it will be tempting to upgrade to the latest and greatest.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Fast forward a month or two and the lease on my existing car is coming up so I have begun the process of looking for a replacement. For me, half the enjoyment (if not more) is the process of reading, researching, test driving and looking for another car.

I find this pretty normal for car enthusiasts. I am the same.

Fast forward another month, and I started spending some time on these forums, watching MX road trip YouTube videos and reading every thing I could about the MX. Then I went my local "store" and test drove an MX with my kids. Needless to say, I was blown away on so many levels (and I am now officially "obsessed").

This happens. I wrote this: "Car market literally down to 2 cars today" when I came to TMC three years ago. Driving a BEV is unlike and I have also heard of people coming from a Porsche 911 testing a Tesla and moving to it immediately. The massive, instant torque sure is unique. I mean, seeing a Model X SUV beat the Lamborghini Aventador SV on a quarter mile drag race, well, that sells it to some. The quietness, lack of vibration, environmental factors to others.

So where am I now? While I am still uncertain about spending that kind of money on any car, I have actually done a complete 180 and I am now of the view that if I were going to spend that kind of money, I would ONLY consider spending it on a MX.

This happens too. Many people are coming from the likes of Prius to a Tesla. For many a Tesla has been the most expensive car they've ever bought. These stories like yours are very usual on TMC. The reason this happens is basically the lack of choice in large-battery BEVs, though, more so than the want to buy an expensive BEV. Once Model 3 and other large-battery BEVs in a lower price-point get out there, I expect this to change.

So here's my question. While I know from reading the forums that several of the posters here own (and have owned) lots of expensive cars before purchasing their MX and I would wager that when people cross shop cars, they are generally looking at different cars from different manufacturer, but in a similar category / price point.

I came to Tesla from a similarly priced car (a high-end Audi A8) and am now on my second Tesla. I would say myself and people like me do cross-shop with the usual premium brands. Some Model X interested people and indeed some past Model X owners on TMC seem to have gone for the Volvo XC90 hybrid, for instance - it gets you more toys, so to speak. Personally I am tempted by the new Audi A8 coming later this year, that is a gorgeous car in interior appointments and features, that Tesla does not offer.

That said, once you go BEV, it is hard to go back. For me ICEs are about utility and long range as well as fun, by this stage. I have ICEs and can still see buying an ICE because my needs require (say, not enough charging available on a route), or because there is no real alternative as a BEV (say, cabriolet open-top driving or a non-drag trackday weapon), but realistically I doubt I'll buy another ICE in the Model S/X size and price.

Still, I am not sure my next car will be a Tesla. I think the car and especially the drivetrain is great, but I don't like the company much. They're pretty disappointing in many ways. The Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron quattro, for example, are interesting developments.

Another thing is the total cost of ownership. There is actually an interesting conversation going on on that, for some reason on an Audi thread: First Pictures of Audi Q6 EV Check it out, some interesting points being made depending on how long you keep the car and what incentives etc. you can get, how differently BEVs TOC may be formed. Some certainly can get big savings over time on a BEV, though personally for me the Model S depreciation killed any benefit from my first Tesla, but YMMV.

 

[Birdman325]

[QUOTE="JCLeonard, post: 2283878, member: 44629". I ponder on is whether or not it is easy to commit to driving a Model S/X for 15 years. Technology moves so fast that no matter what we do it will be tempting to upgrade to the latest and greatest.[/QUOTE]

This is really a great community! All of these responses are extremely helpful. This last point is also one that I struggle with. Our current van (Honda Odyssey) is a little over 10 years old. While it has its fair share of dents and dings (and a non working sliding door!) and doesn't have wifi hot spots or inductive phone charging or adaptive cruise control, it is pretty similar to a brand new Odyssey I would buy today.
With the technology of EVs changing so quickly while I am pretty confident that an EV I might buy 10 years from now will be significantly different (in terms of range, charging time) than one I can buy today, how will a current year MX compare? And does that make the MX a prime leasing / short to medium term purchase choice (which makes the high purchase price tougher to amortize over a long term hold) as compared to an equally expensive ICE that may "stay in the family" for years and remain fundamentally the same.
I don't know the answer (and there probably isn't t one, or at least not one that will satisfy everyone) but I really enjoy reading through everyone's comments and observations.

 

[ztaylor]

We bought our MX with a 8 year finance. I plan to have this car well into the 250k range.

We don't go on long trips so the battery range and charging every night, now that I have a plug at home make it a great fit for us.

It sounds like your van is a good comparison. I'd go into a store and talk to them about the annual Km/miles you drive, Maintenance cost, etc. You'll see a base MX is possible over the long run.

[QUOTE="JCLeonard, post: 2283878, member: 44629". I ponder on is whether or not it is easy to commit to driving a Model S/X for 15 years. Technology moves so fast that no matter what we do it will be tempting to upgrade to the latest and greatest.

This is really a great community! All of these responses are extremely helpful. This last point is also one that I struggle with. Our current van (Honda Odyssey) is a little over 10 years old. While it has its fair share of dents and dings (and a non working sliding door!) and doesn't have wifi hot spots or inductive phone charging or adaptive cruise control, it is pretty similar to a brand new Odyssey I would buy today.
With the technology of EVs changing so quickly while I am pretty confident that an EV I might buy 10 years from now will be significantly different (in terms of range, charging time) than one I can buy today, how will a current year MX compare? And does that make the MX a prime leasing / short to medium term purchase choice (which makes the high purchase price tougher to amortize over a long term hold) as compared to an equally expensive ICE that may "stay in the family" for years and remain fundamentally the same.
I don't know the answer (and there probably isn't t one, or at least not one that will satisfy everyone) but I really enjoy reading through everyone's comments and observations.[/QUOTE]
MX

 

[MikeQ]

We've never been "high end" car people. We can afford high end cars but never saw a car as much more than a tool to get us where we needed to go. We did own a 40' diesel motorhome that we traveled the country with. It was about 2 times the price of a model X. However, I don't really see that as a car. It was more of an investment in our family vacations, memory making opportunity, adventure, etc...

We'd talked about getting a Model S for a long time but just couldn't bring ourselves to spend that kind of money on a car. I think the most we'd ever spent for a vehicle was about 1/2 a model X and that was for a Toyota Tundra.

We'd put a deposit down for a Model 3 when they announced it with the expectation that we could get it by the end of this year. This past year made it apparent that we needed a 3rd car before the end of this year. My oldest son had started driving and had a lot of school related activities that required him to have transportation. Over the Summer we started thinking about how we were going to chauffeur the kids around when school started again and how we were going to share 2 cars between 3 people.

We realized the model 3 was not going to fit our time frame so we decided to buy a Model S. After test driving both, we decided we don't like the low slung feeling of cars. I've been driving the Tundra and my wife has been driving a Honda CR-V. We are both use to sitting up higher and being able to step out of a vehicle. The S just felt like you were sitting so low. Getting out felt like you were climbing out of a hole. I love the look of the S but the X just fit our needs better. We also liked the idea of having a 6 seater for when guest came to town.

I still love the S and could see having one for a daily driver to work but we'd use the X as the family car on the weekends. I'm thinking that when my younger son starts to drive next year, I'll pick up an S. Another though is that in about 3 years we'll be empty nesters and retired. We could pick up a new Roadster when it comes out.

 

[ImpetuousRacer]

My current car I just sold was a highly modified 740 HP 2015 BMW M5. Before that, I had a 2006 Supercharged 6-Spd Infinti G35 Coupe with 430HP. I love performance. I like the sounds of exhaust, intake, turbo whooshes. It's always been an exciting drive.

I now have a 3.5 year old and a 2 year old. I was looking at the Model S now that I moved to CA from AZ and SMOG regulations are ridiculous. At the dealer, I saw the Model X. It had 6 seat configuration where I could stretch my legs out in the back. Had the additional Soft Close the S didn't have, and I love all the tech.

To match my speed needs, I really needed to look at the P100D. The price jump is ridiculous for it. But I'm hoping that the new venture will enjoy less maintenance hassles, quieter ride, no gas cost, comfortably fit the family, and still get the performance I love.

I am worried about the appeal of the vehicle not being that great, limited modification potential, and if I'll miss the sounds of a performance ICE. Let me know how it goes.

 

[FURY]

Love this thread. ...

...Another thing I ponder on is whether or not it is easy to commit to driving a Model S/X for 15 years. Technology moves so fast that no matter what we do it will be tempting to upgrade to the latest and greatest.

I think that the requirement for support for car manufactureres is five years after out of production, unless warranty otherwise overrides that, but I could be wrong.

In any case,the current battery in S/X may not even be available at year 8.1 of the vehicles life and/or the cost to retrofit a newer versin of the battery nay be prohibitive to retain the vehicle, as one scenario.

Thank you very much

Fury

 

[hmcgregoraz]

Hi,

We spent more on the Model X (90D) then all previous cars combined (especially when you subtract out the trade in values involved at times)... And we would do it again in a heart beat.

2005 Prius, package 5 (First new car purchase)
2007 Prius, Touring package 6
2005 Prius went to my parents (long term loan) - Purchase 2012 Plug-In Prius
Traded 2007 Prius - Purchased 2014 Nissan Leaf
Sold 2012 Plug-In Prius back to the dealership, purchase 2017 Model X 90D

Now we are considering when/how to unload the Leaf for a Model 3 (and yes, it does not make sense $ wise, but you only live once).

-Harry

 

[doctheseus]

my wife drives a Volvo XC 90 and use it as family car and drive a Hyundai Sonata 2011, been a big Tesla fan, but was not able to afford one before but when I was ready to buy one , the delivery was taking about 4-6 months , so bought a brand new Volvo XC 90.
I still want to buy a Tesla but cannot justify the price. I barely drive 20 miles a day on my sonata and for long drives use the XC 90.
I really wish I can justify the price , so I can buy it and enjoy it guilt free..

 

[dragonxt]

I am posting this in the MX forum, but it really has equal application in the MS form. Bit of an odd post / question but here goes.

A few months ago, a neighbour of mine purchased a MX and while I thought it was a "cool car", my reaction was that "you must be out of your mind to spend that kind of money on a Tesla,(here in Canada, a nicely equipped MX 100D, (no P) is about $140,000) when you can get a 911 (a couple of years old) for similar money. (I appreciate that the MX can hold 6 or 7 people and can effectively replace a Van for many families. I am really just making a point, that if I was going to spend that kind of serious money on a car, I would only do it on something like a 911 (fill in the blank).

Fast forward a month or two and the lease on my existing car is coming up so I have begun the process of looking for a replacement. For me, half the enjoyment (if not more) is the process of reading, researching, test driving and looking for another car.

I briefly thought about a Tesla but (i) I have never, ever, spent any where near that kind of money on a car; and (ii) if I were to consider spending that kind of money on a car...see above.

Fast forward another month, and I started spending some time on these forums, watching MX road trip YouTube videos and reading every thing I could about the MX. Then I went my local "store" and test drove an MX with my kids. Needless to say, I was blown away on so many levels (and I am now officially "obsessed").

So where am I now? While I am still uncertain about spending that kind of money on any car, I have actually done a complete 180 and I am now of the view that if I were going to spend that kind of money, I would ONLY consider spending it on a MX.

So here's my question. While I know from reading the forums that several of the posters here own (and have owned) lots of expensive cars before purchasing their MX and I would wager that when people cross shop cars, they are generally looking at different cars from different manufacturer, but in a similar category / price point.

What I am really asking is how many out there, were willing to spend this kind of money on an MX (or MS etc) but would never have considered spending this kind of money on an ICE? (Maybe I will get an MX, or a Mini Cooper clubman.)

In addition to the actual drive of the vehicle, is it a combination of environmentally friendly, being on the cutting edge of technology, being part of a still relatively exclusive club and being at the forefront of the next stage in sustainable transportation? Obviously I am still wrestling with my decision and I am not looking for anyone to give me an answer; I am simply curious whether others out there are in a similar situation.

Thanx in advance.

I think many of us have had the same situation as you.

This was my timeline

1999 Toyota- 2008 -> Several years of free company Toyota hybrids -> 2017 9k Used prius->2017 ModelX

Possible 911 Zone ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yep. 911 never happend. But the Model X did.

Never would consider another ICE rather than the Tesla X. So much unique about it.

 

[MikeQ]

my wife drives a Volvo XC 90 and use it as family car and drive a Hyundai Sonata 2011, been a big Tesla fan, but was not able to afford one before but when I was ready to buy one , the delivery was taking about 4-6 months , so bought a brand new Volvo XC 90.
I still want to buy a Tesla but cannot justify the price. I barely drive 20 miles a day on my sonata and for long drives use the XC 90.
I really wish I can justify the price , so I can buy it and enjoy it guilt free..

This is where we were at. My wife and I both have about 10 mile round trip commutes to/from work. The savings in gas vs electric isn't that great when you drive such short distances. Once we started looking at long term savings of gas, maintenance and the tax credit, it started to make a little more sense to us. Probably still would be cheaper in the long run for us to own an ICE car but not by much. We're really enjoying the Model X and I think that's worth something too.

 

[inconel]

I had a 911 Turbo before switching to Tesla, I am now on my second Tesla. Looking back 911 are so last century as someone said here. They burn and stink of gas, pollute, are obnoxiously loud, and with all this cannot even accelerate as smoothly and quickly as my X.

 

[MonkeyTOGA]

Like @outie and @cantbechanged, we were looking at a minivan or a MX. I really liked my 10 y/o 3-series, but with another kid on the way, we needed the third row. I wanted the X more than the Odyssey, but what sealed the deal was when my wife threatened me, "Just so you know, if you buy a minivan, I will never drive it." End of discussion. Deposit in that night.

 

[Ugliest1]

Over 40 years and about 20 vehicles, the two most expensive we had ever bought were a Dodge Caravan minivan for $22,000 that lasted us 16 years and thousands of high school sports trips, then in 2009 our very first "luxury" vehicle a used Infiniti M35 for $32,000, 1.5 years old and about half-price of new. All the other vehicles were anywhere between $400 (no kidding, and we sold it after a year for $500) and $10,000.

Our son saw Who Killed the Electric Car in 2008 and got really interested in the Roadster. Yap, yap, yap all day "Tesla". Otherwise Tesla wouldn't have even been on my radar. When the S came out, it looked great but we couldn't afford it. Finally did buy some Tesla stock though. It went up quite a bit, and we were following the mission statement by that point. We wanted to do something to support Tesla in their mission statement. In the end, the profits from Tesla stock were such that it put us, not really in the ballpark but where we could stretch to get it and we figured Tesla's profit from our purchase was our support. My plan A was buy a Volt while waiting for the Model 3, but then I realized that the purchase price of the two cars would equal an S, 4-5 years earlier. So we pulled the trigger and the rest is history.

A number of people have mentioned they only use their Tesla around town. Well, for us, it's actually brought BACK road trips. It's a fabulous car for driving, and I don't have Autopilot (Dec 2013 build). No regrets, fabulously happy.