How Much? 2012 - 85Base

[jsm]

Hi Everyone-

I am new here - long time EV driver (Leaf, RAV4-EV, S10-EV)

I have been searching for a pre-owned Tesla Model S. Just missed an 2013 S60 CPO last week for $52k - waited 5 minutes too long to decide on the Tesla site. Someone at work (the big boss) is selling his 2012 Model S 85 to get a new one. It has 30,000 miles on it, Tech package and sunroof.

Has the model A battery.

VIN 5YJSA1CN6CFP02252

Has a small dent in the hood with a little scratch and a scratch in the bumper, otherwise all good.

What do you think its worth/how much should I offer for it? What would Tesla give on a trade in?? What else should I know?

Thanks!!

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

offer ~$50K maybe
I think Tesla will give him less for sure

I wish my car was 'worth more' now (it really is to me! especially compared to the newer cars with nanny stuff)
I guesstimate it is under $60k...will hit 40k miles tomorrow probably. has all options except dual chargers
it is close to the Vin you are looking at but I have a B battery

 

[jsm]

Thanks Zextraterrestrial.

I looked in the CPO database and it looks like Tesla sold a CPO 2012 P85 version with 10k miles last week. To me, that put the base version, non CPO, at around 45k - but I am probably crazy......

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

2012? early units and probably will be plagued with little problems throughout its life... Pass
Model A battery? No 120KW supercharging... Pass

Not trying to diss anyone with this a similar car, but I feel like unless tesla upgrades the model A batteries for free to everyone with a 2012 model S, you are essentially getting a S60 (actually worst because S60 can charge rate up to 105KW) with slightly more usable range.

As for the 2012, it's really a hit or miss, mostly misses. Usually with cars, you are lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it) to get a lemon. IMO and from what I have read over the internet, you will be lucky to get a problem free 2012 Model S. You can't really blame Tesla though, it's their first mass produced car from a new car company. I can tell you I have 0 problems from my Chevy Spark EV so far after 8K miles and 6+ months of driving. I am not trying to promote the Chevy and diss Tesla, but I have heard countless people complain about problem with their Teslas a few months into ownership. And probably countless more who don't report their problems. Again that new car company argument is probably the main reason. GM has probably been making cars for over a century and knows what to watch out for.

That being said, I do have to say Tesla's service and support is above standard from what I have read. I guess this can alleviate some of the issues, but still I don't want a car without warranty with such high issue problem rate.

 

[mknox]

What surprises me is how low the mileage seems to be on all these used cars. Doesn't anybody drive them? My early 2013 s85 has a bit over 53,000 miles.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

Thanks Zextraterrestrial.

I looked in the CPO database and it looks like Tesla sold a CPO 2012 P85 version with 10k miles last week. To me, that put the base version, non CPO, at around 45k - but I am probably crazy......

sounds like a 'reasonable' offer for it. Still has infinite mile drive train and battery warranty to 8yrs. Some warranty stuff could be expensive but Tesla does charge wholesale for the parts so just the labor is expensive for the most part.
I looove my 2012 vs later cars. There are quite a few things they pulled out of later cars + other stuff they added to later ones that I am really not interested in.

Is the base warranty transferable? I forgot if it is.

 

[AMPd]

50k sounds fair

 

[mknox]

Model A battery? No 120KW supercharging... Pass

This was debated hotly when it was first discovered. I think the end result is that the "real-world" difference in charging time is close to negligible. It's not zero, but it's not hours. I have an A-pack and the Supercharging experience, the little that I do, is just fine. In pretty much every case, the car is finished charging before I've finished lunch, or whatever it is I'm doing at the stop anyway.

 

[MrJones390]

Considering you're saving ~$7k in taxes buying private, anything under $50k would be a good deal for you. Take it to the service center for a courtesy inspection and have them restore it to new before taking ownership. Also ask for all service records. That's what I did.

Here are some negotiating points you can try to use to haggle:

-Early model
-Lots of miles
-No options
-Battery degradation
-Worn out tires
-No parking sensors
-Swirls in paint
-No tax incentives/rebates
-Tesla trade in value (surely in the $40k range)
-Prices plummeting in a few months when Model X is released
-Find problems in service records. Maybe there are hidden problems that haven't surfaced yet.
-Can buy new 70D for $75k
-Going to be very difficult to sell

I always go with the, "I don't want to offend you, but after looking around, this is what the car is worth..." Check the CPO consolidator every day to keep up-to-date with the market.

Lastly, try calling up Tesla HQ -- they are very helpful and will give you good advice.

 

[mark]

This thread makes me sad - people belittling 2012 S85s like mine - I love my car and have no plans to sell. Most of the recent upgrades are cool but not essential. My car had a few manufacturing issues but after the first 6mo has been perfect. It's unbadged as they all were then - on the street it is indistinguishable from a 130k P85D.

 

[ChadS]

I agree with Mark. I keep hearing things like "early units and probably will be plagued with little problems throughout its life", but I don't understand why people assume that to be true. I have seen no data to back this up. In fact production was much slower and they did more QA back then.

Yes, there were some well-known problems with the early units - door handles, sunroof noise, AC soundproofing, dash vents, etc. But they were all fixed in the first year! Our early model is GREAT now.

The newer ones do have some nice features - parking sensors, folding mirrors, autopilot, AWD (though that gives up significant frunk space, which we do use often). But if none of those are important to you then I would not hesitate to buy a 2012 Model S.

 

[stevej119]

Considering you're saving ~$7k in taxes buying private, anything under $50k would be a good deal for you.

Tax in California would actually be under $5k on a $50k transaction. More to the point, you still have to pay it when you re-register the car. That might be different in other states, but in California you still have to pay the tax.

 

[jsm]

Thanks for the Feedback. I am in CA, so will have to pay tax on the sale - we pay tax on everything. I don't think I will have much use of the SuperChargers, at least right now. I am thinking of starting in the mid 40's and see what happens.

 

[deonb]

I agree with Mark. I keep hearing things like "early units and probably will be plagued with little problems throughout its life", but I don't understand why people assume that to be true. I have seen no data to back this up. In fact production was much slower and they did more QA back then.

Yes, there were some well-known problems with the early units - door handles, sunroof noise, AC soundproofing, dash vents, etc. But they were all fixed in the first year! Our early model is GREAT now.

Same here - I think it's luck of the draw. I think I have received one of the Elon-inspected vehicles.

Every other Tesla loaner that I've driven since mine (VIN:4601), have been more squeaky, lose seats, noisy inverter, thumb-thumbing, steering clicking etc.

Unless Tesla use lemons for loaners, I think my 2-year old vehicle can stand up to anything new. Sure, the service center did some work on it - some of it that I still don't understand (what did they do exactly to the pano roof again?), but at this point it's great.

I think a properly serviced 2-year old car with required specific fixes applied to it over the years, is as good or better than a new car for which you don't know what is going to go wrong yet.

 

[SmartElectric]

I bought a CPO S85 produced in early 2013 just a few weeks ago, it's amazing. I don't want for the extra's added since. It won car of the year in 2012, without the newer features...

And yes, I am thrilled with my purchase!

 

[Khatsalano]

Ask him to get a trade-in quote from Tesla, then offer to buy it from him for $1,000 more. If I were your big boss, I'd take that deal to save the inconvenience of having to do the Craigslist cesspool-of-the-internet to sell this asset.

- K

 

[jsm]

Ask him to get a trade-in quote from Tesla, then offer to buy it from him for $1,000 more. If I were your big boss, I'd take that deal to save the inconvenience of having to do the Craigslist cesspool-of-the-internet to sell this asset.

- K

I like that idea!

 

[paco3791]

Ask him to get a trade-in quote from Tesla, then offer to buy it from him for $1,000 more. If I were your big boss, I'd take that deal to save the inconvenience of having to do the Craigslist cesspool-of-the-internet to sell this asset.

- K

Is California a State where you only need to pay sales tax on the difference when your trading in a car? If so, $1k may not be enough of a sweetener. Since he is planning to buy another Tesla the sales tax savings from doing a Trade in might be significant.

 

[DoubleDownOn9]

He/she could be in shock when they realize the car they bought 3 years ago is half the price. They might think you are trying to take advantage of them, and that is a awkward situation to be in with your boss. I have an 2012 P85 and have no issues. Got it about 5 months ago so and it's crashed in value just since then. Eh whatever, I love the car and don't plan on selling it so I don't care what it's worth.

 

[Andrew Wolfe]

Is California a State where you only need to pay sales tax on the difference when your trading in a car? If so, $1k may not be enough of a sweetener. Since he is planning to buy another Tesla the sales tax savings from doing a Trade in might be significant.

Nope - tax on full value of any new or used car.