Is it worth it to take delivery this year?

[DetroitTezla]

I placed an order for a PM3 last week so that I could take delivery before the end of the year to qualify for the $1,875 tax credit, and to lock in FSA at $6,000. My question is which is a better move financially:

1. Taking delivery of the 2019 and saving the $2,875
2. Waiting to buy a 2020 with the thought that the 2019 will have deprecated $2,875 (or greater) when the 2020’s are delivered.

Your insights are greatly appreciated

 

[brkaus]

Based on reading here, cars are starting to be delivered with a 2020 VINs.

How long are you planning on keeping your car?

 

[Joshan]

You are looking at this all wrong. You want to be driving this car ASAP, believe me...

 

[ecarfan]

Waiting to buy a 2020 with the thought that the 2019 will have deprecated $2,875 (or greater) when the 2020’s are delivered.

That is a questionable “thought”/assumption.

I think you know that Tesla does not improve or make changes to cars starting on Jan 1, 2020 compared to cars built on Dec 31, 2019. Tesla makes continuous improvements and changes without regard to calendar year.

Nor does Tesla advertise their cars as “2019 model year for sale now!”, for example.

If you buy a Tesla built in December it does not suddenly depreciate in January any more than any other month. Depreciation is primarily based on mileage and age.

 

[-DA3]

I'd wait-- soon they will have a flying tesla to catch the soaring stock.

 

[Runt8]

Your 2020 will depreciate also, and you won't get the benefit of the tax credit and cheaper FSD.

 

[KSilver2000]

The best move will likely be taking advantage of discounts or free upgrades during the typical end of quarter push in the last few weeks of a quarter.

 

[CharleyBC]

Quoting my former company's training videos:

Do it. Do it now.

What dollar value do you place on the joy of having your car a few months earlier? You may not understand my question yet, but you will once you're driving this magical machine.

 

[Zaxxon]

You are looking at this all wrong. You want to be driving this car ASAP, believe me...

 

[gilscales]

Based on reading here, cars are starting to be delivered with a 2020 VINs.

How long are you planning on keeping your car?

AFAIK, Tesla does not build cars with future dates, a 2020 will need to be built after Jan 1, 2020 in order to be a 2020

 

[Phlier]

There have been quite a few threads about this subject, and I hate to be that guy that says to "do a search," but in this case I think it's actually very appropriate to actually be "that guy:" Do a search.

And I'm not saying that to be a jerk... the threads/posts about this subject have a lot of great information/opinions on the subject, and are well worth the time spent to search/read. Especially the back-and-forth regarding if model year information really applies to Teslas. I'm not going to pre-color your opinion on this by giving you mine.

Seriously, though, it's a complicated issue, with opinions on both sides making strong arguments.

While I'm not gonna give you my opinion on this, I *will* say that I have absolutely no regrets about purchasing my car in the latter half of this year.

 

[GeoX750]

AFAIK, Tesla does not build cars with future dates, a 2020 will need to be built after Jan 1, 2020 in order to be a 2020

I got my VIN for a new Model S that is going to be delivered in a few weeks, November 12, 2019. The VIN shows the car is indeed MY 2020.

 

[brkaus]

AFAIK, Tesla does not build cars with future dates, a 2020 will need to be built after Jan 1, 2020 in order to be a 2020

My VIN reads 2020 model?

 

[DetroitTezla]

Based on reading here, cars are starting to be delivered with a 2020 VINs.

How long are you planning on keeping your car?

Interesting. I'll have to ask my SA if I can expect a 2020 or a 2019. Thank you for the feedback!

 

[DetroitTezla]

You are looking at this all wrong. You want to be driving this car ASAP, believe me...

I know. We got my wife a raven Model X a month ago and I can hardly stand driving our 1 remaining ICE car.

 

[OCR1]

Buying before end of year is a no brainer. It’s a guaranteed $1,875 savings in your pocket versus the possibility that your car might be worth a little more years from now when you go to sell it. And that’s if you really end up with a 2019, which is starting to look less and less likely to happen anyway.,

 

[DetroitTezla]

That is a questionable “thought”/assumption.

I think you know that Tesla does not improve or make changes to cars starting on Jan 1, 2020 compared to cars built on Dec 31, 2019. Tesla makes continuous improvements and changes without regard to calendar year.

Nor does Tesla advertise their cars as “2019 model year for sale now!”, for example.

If you buy a Tesla built in December it does not suddenly depreciate in January any more than any other month. Depreciation is primarily based on mileage and age.

Yes, I am aware of their continuous improvement practices as opposed to the annual refreshes that other automakers practice. I just dont want to take a several thousand dollar bath in, lets say, 2022 when my car appears to be 3 years old as opposed to 2. That being said, given the feedback that I am receiving I'll probably continue to to move forward. I probably should not defer one of the "very few purchases that can give me joy".

 

[kunzjob]

This also confuses me ... let’s fast forward 3 years. Assuming you drive 10k/yr. You either have:
2019 model with 30,000 miles on it
2020 model with 30,000 miles on it.
What would you rather buy? It’s just optics in this case but I always prefer an older year with same/lower miles.

In response to taking a bath above ^. If the 2019/2020 model is the “old style” then depreciation difference probably won’t be much.

 

[Wylecyot]

For what it's worth...I took delivery of my Model 3 on October 19, 2019 and it is considered a Model Year 2019 according to the VIN

 

[CharleyBC]

For what it's worth...I took delivery of my Model 3 on October 19, 2019 and it is considered a Model Year 2019 according to the VIN

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