Mercedes C300 or Model 3 for Son?

[Ghosty]

Evening all,

I would like an opinion from Model 3 owners. My son recently had his Ecoboost totaled from a car accident (he is ok, thanks). I was contemplating getting him a C300 Mercedes CPO for about 30k. However, I've been reading up on the base Model 3 for 35k to be out 1st Q of 2019? If so, I'm thinking of waiting.

Are you happy with your Model 3? Is a Model 3 more fitting for the younger crowd? Is the Base worth waiting for or should I consider the current 45k Medium base Model 3?

Thanks in advance,

 

[Drax]

Model 3 is worlds safer, comes with a tax credit, and the cost of operation is practically nothing. As long as your son has a reliable place to charge, go for the Tesla. I wouldn’t wait for the $35K version though - get the midrange battery. Chances are if you order soon you could take delivery this year and get $7500 back rather than half that too.

Oh, and if you need a referral code for free supercharging for 6 months let me know!

 

[WileyTheMan]

Are you happy with your Model 3?

Immensely.

Is a Model 3 more fitting for the younger crowd?

It's not geared towards any particular age group, to be honest. It's design is purposely generic enough to appeal to a wide demographic range.

Is the Base worth waiting for or should I consider the current 45k Medium base Model 3?

If cost isn't an issue, you might consider a medium or long range. There is no real timeframe for the base model, as it's been pushed out multiple times.

 

[Glamisduner]

Damn way more car than my parents ever bought me.

I mean at least they bought me something, old nissan with 200k+ miles on it.

 

[redan]

I wouldn’t expect you’ll get many Mercedes votes on a Tesla forum. But that being said, I recently made a similar decision to buy a Model 3 for my daughter.

I’m a big Tesla fan in any event, but the question boiled down to this: If I can afford it, why wouldn’t I buy my child the safest car on the road?

Oh, and it’s super fun to drive. You’ll want to borrow it often, as I have since we picked it up two weeks ago.

I say order soon and pick it up this year to get the full tax credit. If you are contemplating the short range, see if you can get the mid-range before 12/31 and with the full tax credit as opposed to a half credit in January, it will be almost like getting the mid-range battery upgrade for free.

 

[ww73]

What's the daily driving range that he needs? There are much cheaper EV alternatives.

Otherwise the M3 is a fabulous car.

 

[Lasttoy]

Think safety.
You can't get a cheap 3 noe, all are over 50k
BUT
You can get a nice S for that price. And maybe lifetime free charging?
The S is the safest car on the planet. Given a few stupid people who did really stupid things, like sleeping.
But the S is the safest car you can put a love one in. New option, you can limit speed, say 75.

 

[brkaus]

M3 does have chill and speed limit mode.

But my answer would depend on the charging availability and expected daily mileage.

 

[2012MS85]

My first car was a 1980 Smurf blue Plymouth Horizon that cost $586, bought with my paper route money. Will you please adopt me?

Get him the 5-star rated Tesla MR3 that’s now available with very low cost of operation. Lucky young man!

 

[Daniel in SD]

Get them a used Nissan Leaf. WAY cheaper, more reliable, keeps them from going too far from home, and slightly less likely to be driven like madman. IMHO a Model 3 is way too much car for a teenager.

 

[eye.surgeon]

Neither. See here for details.

 

[Daniel in SD]

What happens when you buy a teenage male a Model 3: Premature Tire Life
Also keep in mind that Tesla's are crazy expensive to fix and you'll be without the car for months if he gets in a fender bender.

 

[zhu-]

What year and trim C300 are you looking at? I'm coming from a 2016 C300 and personally don't think any other non-Mercedes even triple the price has a better looking interior. Exterior I also think Mercedes looks better than almost every car in its class except for some of the newer Audi's (Sportbacks). I would imagine the Model 3 is probably more fitting for someone younger but then also depends on his lifestyle.

Damn way more car than my parents ever bought me.

I mean at least they bought me something, old nissan with 200k+ miles on it.

Mine was a 1996 Honda Accord with 150k miles and the speedometer hasn't been working for the prior four years of me receiving it so nobody even knows how many miles it had - i'd guess at least 200k as well.

 

[Ormond]

The C300 has a smoother ride. If it were my money, I'd go for a new Camry because of its 5 star safety rating and cheaper insurance rates.

 

[mtndrew1]

Have you considered an old Plymouth with a broken tail light? That’s what I got when I had enough to pay half. Get off my lawn.

 

[BenPrice]

Evening all,

I would like an opinion from Model 3 owners. My son recently had his Ecoboost totaled from a car accident (he is ok, thanks). I was contemplating getting him a C300 Mercedes CPO for about 30k. However, I've been reading up on the base Model 3 for 35k to be out 1st Q of 2019? If so, I'm thinking of waiting.

Are you happy with your Model 3? Is a Model 3 more fitting for the younger crowd? Is the Base worth waiting for or should I consider the current 45k Medium base Model 3?

Thanks in advance,

Heya.

My kids aren’t driving yet but they’ll be in the safest car on the road. I intend to pass down my current model 3 in a few years to them.

If I had to make that choice now I would get them into a LR AWD model 3.

I also like that I can limit the max speed of a Model 3 and see where it is anytime I want via the app. I’m not into spying on my kids but if there’s an emergency...

Lastly, I own the model 3 and a 2016 Audi RS3 and the Audi is legit trash compared to the Tesla. Legit trash - feels like driving farm equipment. I used to be mesmerized by the tune of the turbos - and now it feels archaic, cheap, and is not fun to drive compared to the Model 3. The Tesla is literally better in every single way - better audio, technology integration, driving experience, on and on.

 

[zhu-]

The C300 has a smoother ride. If it were my money, I'd go for a new Camry because of its 5 star safety rating and cheaper insurance rates.

That really depends on the spec. I have Sport 4matic with 19s and it rides very poorly. Night and day difference vs a base/luxury suspension with 17s or 18s. If you add airmatic then it would probably ride smoother than a Model 3.

 

[Gavyne]

If he was my kid I would put him in the safest car on the road. Go for the Model 3 if you can afford the mid-range currently available. Order it within the next 10 days you'll even get the full 7500 tax credit. Heck you can even parental limit the top speed of the car if you want to.

Also I can't with good conscious recommend any ICE cars. In order for humanity to move towards sustainable renewable energy, it has to start with the young ones. Our future. What a great message to send to the rest of his friends and their families by putting him in a clean 100% EV.

 

[eye.surgeon]

The "safest car" is largely a fallacy...according to the IIHS a 2018 Kia Forte is just as safe as any Tesla vehicle.

 

[Gavyne]

The "safest car" is largely a fallacy...according to the IIHS a 2018 Kia Forte is just as safe as any Tesla vehicle.

Come again?

2018 KIA FORTE 4 DR FWD

4 star frontal, 4 star rollover. Kia Forte is not as safe as the Model 3.