Inventory cars - determining vehicle age

[kgclark]

Considering purchasing an inventory car....

I understand that the vehicles are discounted 1% per month (in addition to mileage). Does the age of all vehicles adjust on the first of the month, or does each individual vehicle adjust monthly based on the specific day that vehicle was produced. It would be a shame to buy a car that was set to adjust downward an additional percent the next day, so I'm just trying to figure out how it works to plan accordingly.

 

[MsElectric]

Considering purchasing an inventory car....

I understand that the vehicles are discounted 1% per month (in addition to mileage). Does the age of all vehicles adjust on the first of the month, or does each individual vehicle adjust monthly based on the specific day that vehicle was produced. It would be a shame to buy a car that was set to adjust downward an additional percent the next day, so I'm just trying to figure out how it works to plan accordingly.

You can ask them for the production date and VIN number. You can calculate time depreciation a month after the production date. Having looked at several Inventory cars, my best advice for you is be careful to not overpay. Build a brand new car with just the options you want and let that be your baseline for the car and don't pay more for an inventory car unless it has an option that you really want and would not mind paying for.

Some of the inventory cars that were presented to me made absolutely no sense as they were offered at just about the same cost as a new car or some were offered at an even higher cost than a new car due to most of the former Tech Package now being included.

IMHO for all the wear and tear and the fact that the car has been driven by many other people you should get at least about a 7-10% discount. Otherwise I highly recommend that you just buy new, unless you absolutely can't wait.

 

[brianman]

Additional advice: Make your decision quickly. Good deals vanish soon.

 

[taurusking]

I got an inventory car and to my luck it was in a pristine condition...There was a small scratch on the front hood and you really need a magnifying glass to find it.

2 weeks after I bought my car...Tesla announced deeper discounts on the inventory cars because they started rolling cars with autopilot features

@kgclark: If you are not in a hurry ...may be wait until Model X rolls out and who knows there might be steeper discounts or follow MsElectric advice of carefully selecting an inventory car

 

[kgclark]

Thanks everyone for the advice. The new referral discount on ordered cars makes the case for inventory vehicles a tad bit tougher. I'I really want the 85d (or 90d), but I'm more comfortable with the price of the 70d. I was thinking a discounted inventory 85d might be a reasonable compromise.

 

[ww73]

@kgclark: If you are not in a hurry ...may be wait until Model X rolls out and who knows there might be steeper discounts or follow MsElectric advice of carefully selecting an inventory car

This is a good tip. We bought our inventory S right after the D announcement. Instead of 1% off per month, it was sweetened to 2%. Obviously we knew we were buying an obsolete car, but it didn't matter to us.

 

[MsElectric]

Thanks everyone for the advice. The new referral discount on ordered cars makes the case for inventory vehicles a tad bit tougher. I'I really want the 85d (or 90d), but I'm more comfortable with the price of the 70d. I was thinking a discounted inventory 85d might be a reasonable compromise.

Just wait for the Model X to come out and you will likely get a better deal. Don't let the referral discount affect your decision to get a inventory car. The Referral Discount is only $1K. So we are talking about essentially 1%. My advice is to hold firm on at least a 7-10% discount on an inventory car and that should get you close to where you want to be. If you can afford it go for the 85D. It is such a pleasure to drive.

The key thing with an inventory car is to not end up paying for options that have zero value to you. For example if you don't want 21" wheels, why waste away $4,500 on that option as you'd need a $4,500 inventory discount just to "neutralize" that option cost wise. This is why I suggested to build the car you want new and let that be your baseline and your goal should be to save a bunch from that baseline and not whatever cost the inventory car cost prior to the discount.