Long Long Term Storage (>=1 year)

[Blitz3RS]

A job opportunity has popped up to work overseas for a year, with a potential following employment opportunity in Germany for the next 3 years following that. So in short, I could either be working abroad for 1 years and then coming back to the USA, or going onwards to Germany after that. So I'm now trying to figure out what to do with my Model S (in my sig).

I have friends in Germany that have confirmed it's quite easy living with a US Spec Tesla, but before I (hopefully) get there I'll be going to another European country that has zero Tesla presence (no service centers/mobile service), and that country's safety standards WOULD require me figure out a rear fog light retrofit.

I've been battling this decision back and forth. I've only owned the car for a short time (since October 2018) but have fallen deeply infatuated, and have considered a storage company who has assured me that the car can be plugged in 24/7 and 1x per month would be unplugged to roll the tires to prevent flatspotting.

Wife's stance: Currently a family of three, but maybe four soon, and my wife absolutely adores the Model X. It makes a ton of sense to just sell the car, pocket the money, then revisit this choice in a year at which time I'd have the money probably to buy a depreciated Model X w/ the AP2 & Free Supercharging OR maybe just skip that and get in line for a Model Y.

My stance: I love the looks of my current Model S and the somewhat unique basic spec config w/ the AP2, FSD enabled, and free supercharging. I like the looks of my S>X, but I love the utility value (people carrier/we have family visit often) of the X.

What would you do in my situation?

 

[Cheburashka]

I wouldn't pay to hold on to a depreciating asset that I cannot use.

Sell it.

 

[Big Toys]

A job opportunity has popped up to work overseas for a year, with a potential following employment opportunity in Germany for the next 3 years following that. So in short, I could either be working abroad for 1 years and then coming back to the USA, or going onwards to Germany after that. So I'm now trying to figure out what to do with my Model S (in my sig).

I have friends in Germany that have confirmed it's quite easy living with a US Spec Tesla, but before I (hopefully) get there I'll be going to another European country that has zero Tesla presence (no service centers/mobile service), and that country's safety standards WOULD require me figure out a rear fog light retrofit.

I've been battling this decision back and forth. I've only owned the car for a short time (since October 2018) but have fallen deeply infatuated, and have considered a storage company who has assured me that the car can be plugged in 24/7 and 1x per month would be unplugged to roll the tires to prevent flatspotting.

Wife's stance: Currently a family of three, but maybe four soon, and my wife absolutely adores the Model X. It makes a ton of sense to just sell the car, pocket the money, then revisit this choice in a year at which time I'd have the money probably to buy a depreciated Model X w/ the AP2 & Free Supercharging OR maybe just skip that and get in line for a Model Y.

My stance: I love the looks of my current Model S and the somewhat unique basic spec config w/ the AP2, FSD enabled, and free supercharging. I like the looks of my S>X, but I love the utility value (people carrier/we have family visit often) of the X.

What would you do in my situation?

Sell, buy again later. Keeping the car will cost you about $50K. Still interested?

 

[Brettski]

Only you know what’s best. I’d hate to take the depreciation hit but I’d consider it part of the package. If it were definitely just a year, I might store it. But since there’s a question mark, I’d bite the bullet and liquidate. Best of luck!

 

[brkaus]

Have to sell it. Especially with the additional 3 year option of being away. Sure, you have the initial depreciation hit... but it isn't going to get much better sitting for a year and you will have to spend some brainpower worrying about it instead of enjoying your opportunity overseas.

 

[aerodyne]

Sell it, and add the proceeds to the Roaster II savings fund...

 

[dk10438]

I wouldn't pay to hold on to a depreciating asset that I cannot use.

Sell it.

+1
sell it and roll the money into some Tesla stock if you must own a Tesla

 

[AMPd]

I wouldn't pay to hold on to a depreciating asset that I cannot use.

Sell it.

+1

 

[D.E.]

I vote with the others, sell and buy another when you get back. At the very least it’ll depreciate as the car ages and age is the prime determinant of depreciation. Next you’d need to find a place to store it, you’ll want to insure it while it’s stored, you’d expect to get some degradation of rubber parts, and you’d need to tend to the battery. It’s simpler to just sell it.

Or you could lend it to someone. I have a 3 car garage. I want to get rid of that old Toyota anyway. We’ll just call you when we need tires.

 

[davewill]

...
I've been battling this decision back and forth. I've only owned the car for a short time (since October 2018) but have fallen deeply infatuated, and have considered a storage company who has assured me that the car can be plugged in 24/7 and 1x per month would be unplugged to roll the tires to prevent flatspotting.
...

I take it you never watched Ferris Bueller?

 

[maximizese]

Easy solution for me would be to loan my cars to my many local relatives and friends for awhile until I had some greater clarity of what the future holds. My family generally shares assets anyways and we've never been attached to cars like they were personal items. However, I bought my MS 85 used so depreciation is not a concern of mine; if I can get >60K miles out of the car I would consider myself ahead.

The last thing I would do is store the car for more than 45 days. It can't be good for the battery, costs you money store it (insurance), is depreciating, and has zero utility value at that point.

 

[Blitz3RS]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

I really did try to consider everyone and anyone I know in the family or friends. But everyone is either at garage capacity (it would have to either rotate being in and then out--- I don't want to burden others), just straight out exposed all the time or no driveway space to begin with.

It's sad because I was so excited to see how the whole FSD HW2 to HW3 upgrade was going to go, but I guess I'll have to watch from the sidelines.

.
..
...
I've decided I'm going to sell the car and put most of it in stock and save the rest for rainy day funds abroad, and then when I come back I can assess my options. Maybe get a P-trim Model S or X or who knows if they'll start taking pre-orders for the pickup or what Model Y is doing.

I'll be listing my Tesla shortly and will share the link. Thanks again! Won't be a strange and will keep reading and participating (despite the lack of owning one) in these awesome threads.

 

[Blitz3RS]

In case anyone is interested, I've officially listed my car for sale here's the link:

TMC Forum Posting:
2016 Tesla Model S 75D (AP2/FSD/Free Supercharging for Life) [Hampton, VA]

External Site:
Model S / 2016 / Solid Black - 5455f | Only Used Tesla