More Model 3 changes and leasing now available

[ammulder]

But I do know I still prefer to deal with Tesla mobile service than any dealership.

I really have no gripes with service at the local Honda and Lexus dealerships. The have comfy waiting rooms with food and drinks, loaners for longer services, and the one time one of them screwed something up during a repair, they fixed it the next day (not without trying to stare me down, but they did fix it). We didn't buy the cars at either one, but that's never been an issue. Most importantly, there are dealerships all over the place -- within the 45 for the nearest Tesla service center, there are 3 Lexus dealers and probably 6 or 8 Honda dealers. Some competition likely motivates them to stay in shape, and convenience is surely a thing.

All that said, I'm not going to miss the oil changes and other regular maintenance. Here's hoping for few enough visits that I won't be bothered by the distance to the service center.

 

[ishareit]

What’s the cheapest model 3 you can buy now? 35k without AP, or 37k with bundled AP? A sales person I’m working with told me that SR and LR RWD, Model S and X don’t come bundled with AP and will need to add AP for 3k. Super confused!

 

[Barklikeadog]

If you think that what Tesla is doing would have been successful without billions of dollars in government subsidies I have a bridge to sell you.

I am pretty much set against subsidies and government involvement, but if you really are trying to do something as landmark as shift the automotive landscape from fossil fuels to electric you will need the government carrot to get it done in a reasonable amount of time.

I don't really care if my Tesla ran on whale oil, I bought it because it's fun to drive and, at the time, it seemed like I was getting a pretty sweet deal due to tax credits.

The govt picking winners and losers sucks. The big mistake with the auto credits is not having a limit on price. Guy bringing home 500k every year should not get a taxbreak for buying a 120k luxury auto.

 

[whitex]

Guy bringing home 500k every year should not get a taxbreak for buying a 120k luxury auto.

First, why? Because it seems like a lot of money to you? To the guy who lives under the bridge anyone buying a new car is rich and there should be no tax breaks for anyone who can afford any new car. The tax incentive was put in place to encourage people to buy new, unproved, but expensive technology so that the companies developing those technologies can perfect them and make it available cheaper. How much someone makes has nothing to do with this.

Second, how did you figure that most Model S buyers do not bring 500k home every year? A large portion of Model S buyers to date came from Toyota's and such car, they were able to buy it with way less than 500k annual earnings by managing their money well.

 

[dnvr-ev]

Hey I am not economy major person but the minute you said protect your investment..I lost it..haha A CAR IS NEVER AN INVESTMENT! Its a depreciating asset. Sure you can view it as investment if that car is going to generate cash through your business but for the most part its not an investment for the 99% of people...The minute you drive off the lot the car will lose value and everyday after that too...unless the car happens to become a collectible it will never be an "Investment". Your other comment on welfare is laughable... W.e money you pay goes to the company...its up to the company to do as it pleases with that money, whether its to invest in making more cars at higher profit or selling lower priced vehicles to eventually sell higher volume to the world... Selling 50,000 vehicles at 10,000 profit Vs Selling 300,000 vehicles at 2,000 profit is lower....I would take the 300,000 vehicle orders at $2000 profit. It would yield 100Mil more in profit and I would be happier every night I was able to get it in the hands of more people who desire it.

Two things: First off, I know a car is a depreciating asset. I am not talking about a normal loss on a car. I am talking about a plummet. I bought a Tesla. Not a Pontiac.

Second, making $2000 profit is not viable on a car when it comes with an 8 year warranty. One recall or issue and you can go into the red. If you’re not making $10,000-$20,000 then you shouldn’t bother with the sale.

 

[ucmndd]

The govt picking winners and losers sucks. The big mistake with the auto credits is not having a limit on price. Guy bringing home 500k every year should not get a taxbreak for buying a 120k luxury auto.

Unless your intent is to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy, in which case it matters not one bit who the tax credit goes to and how much they earn.

 

[Barklikeadog]

First, why? Because it seems like a lot of money to you? To the guy who lives under the bridge anyone buying a new car is rich and there should be no tax breaks for anyone who can afford any new car. The tax incentive was put in place to encourage people to buy new, unproved, but expensive technology so that the companies developing those technologies can perfect them and make it available cheaper. How much someone makes has nothing to do with this.

Second, how did you figure that most Model S buyers do not bring 500k home every year? A large portion of Model S buyers to date came from Toyota's and such car, they were able to buy it with way less than 500k annual earnings by managing their money well.

up until the Model 3 came out, the average AGI of a Tesla buyer was in the mid 300's. I never said that was a lot of money. My property taxes cost more than a base model 3.
I'm surely not the only one who thinks a 7500 credit on a 100k+ auto is kinda wrong.

 

[Mdoss]

... sure a Kona or Leaf can get you from A to B but will it turn heads? Will it drive as fast? Will it be as enjoyable...will it offer heating on all seats..the sound system as model 3... the looks... etc..the fact is the MODEL 3 is the least expensive of all EV's out right now... Spec any of the other EVs with similar specs as a model 3 and you will find they go above the $45k price range.

Totally agree. I drive a 2016 Leaf, and got excited when they announced the new Leaf Plus, with a range of 226mi. A great improvement to my current range. I was all set to trade in this Leaf for a new Leaf Plus ----- until I saw the price!! A 226-mile Leaf Plus (the SL version with leather seats, Pro-Pilot assist, Bose stereo, etc) before adding any paint, options or accessories starts at $43,000!!! And it still looks like an ugly Prius.

So what would I rather spend $45,000 on:
1.) a 226-mi car that looks like a Prius and will never be better than the day you drive it off the lot? or
2.) a 325-mi car that looks and drives like a sexy sports car, and constantly improves with over-the-air updates?

No brainer!

(Ordered my Tesla last week. It is now in Nashville, awaiting my pickup in 7 days!!!!)

 

[Kilotango74]

Because I am driving down the street and someone pulls up to me in the exact same looking car and brags that his car is $500 a month and mine is $1000 a month. I know that Tesla sold his car at a loss and sold mine at a profit. Every month I make my payment, several hundred dollars is going to him.

It’s basically car welfare.

I started thinking about these prices changes based on the technology industry vs the automobile one. Tesla's are filled with tech, more so than most car companies, especially when you think about over the air updates and such. So lets look at an analogy here. When flat screen TV's first came out there was this 50in Sony that I had my eye on, but it was expensive. Man it was cool and I really wanted it so I applied for my first credit card to get it (yeah don't get me started on my logic there), but I was denied. I look back on that and thank goodness I wasn't approved because the damn TV cost 10K! What can you get a 50in TV for now? The price for technology changes at a much faster rate that that of the regular automobile industry. Couple that with a company like Tesla who is always updating and innovating and passing these advances on to the customer. I think its hard for us to swallow these changes because we have some predetermined notions about how automobile pricing and value should work based on our experiences with all these companies that have come before Tesla. Yes it stings, but that is the price for getting that brand new iPhone, or laptop, or hey...a Tesla the week it comes out.....a few months later it will be much cheaper.

 

[whitex]

up until the Model 3 came out, the average AGI of a Tesla buyer was in the mid 300's.

Where did you get that data? I would love to see a credible source. I know plenty of people with AGI under mid 300's who has one or more Model S (not using it as proof, since that is just anecdotal of course). I have seen a number of claims that large number of people buying Teslas (before M3) come from cars less than half the MSRP. Please post a link to where you got your AGI data please.

I'm surely not the only one who thinks a 7500 credit on a 100k+ auto is kinda wrong.

It doesn't make you correct. There is more than one person who thinks earth is flat too.

 

[dnvr-ev]

I started thinking about these prices changes based on the technology industry vs the automobile one. Tesla's are filled with tech, more so than most car companies, especially when you think about over the air updates and such. So lets look at an analogy here. When flat screen TV's first came out there was this 50in Sony that I had my eye on, but it was expensive. Man it was cool and I really wanted it so I applied for my first credit card to get it (yeah don't get me started on my logic there), but I was denied. I look back on that and thank goodness I wasn't approved because the damn TV cost 10K! What can you get a 50in TV for now? The price for technology changes at a much faster rate that that of the regular automobile industry. Couple that with a company like Tesla who is always updating and innovating and passing these advances on to the customer. I think its hard for us to swallow these changes because we have some predetermined notions about how automobile pricing and value should work based on our experiences with all these companies that have come before Tesla. Yes it stings, but that is the price for getting that brand new iPhone, or laptop, or hey...a Tesla the week it comes out.....a few months later it will be much cheaper.

Really like the way you verbalized the tech movement. I think cars are different, though. Heavy labor and rare earth materials are required to make them. I don’t think they can be equated to a simple machine. The expense and complexity of a battery powered car puts it into a new category where standard rules don’t apply.

 

[Az_Rael]

But man, the car. I don't think the public at large has grasped how vastly superior the product is.

Oh, love the car! Only reason why I put up with the BS that I do with Tesla service.

However, having owned another brand EV, a LOT of the improvement over an ICE is the “EV” part not necessarily the Tesla part. The 1 gear acceleration, the instant torque, the regen, the quiet operation. Coworkers have test driven Bolts and Volts (Tesla is too pricey) and have been absolutely blown away by the driving experience. And those are “slow” compared to our cars. But they are so much better than your average Accord, people are amazed.

So I suspect that when people test drive an e-tron or I-pace from an ICE, they will equally be blown away. I think once more brands get people to try EVs the revolution will really go full steam. Tesla may not make it out the other side, but we will be better for it overall.

 

[dfwatt]

omfg people stop with the self pitty...

Yes you paid more. boo hoo. I honestly don't understand why people can't grasp this. YOU AGREED TO PAY FOR THE CAR AT THEIR ASKING PRICE! If you didn't see the value, then you shouldn't have made the purchase... plain and simple... My Fking god people. ENOUGH ALREADY!

Plus one on all that. I didn't know that Tesla owners had such a high percentage of whiners. Oh my God. Yes we paid more for our model 3 Performance versions, but we got unlimited lifetime supercharging which looks more and more like a great deal given how much highway driving we're going to be doing, and it ain't coming back either so we're pretty glad we got that option before the door closed.

For folks who can't stop the whining, please try to find another car that has the model 3s combination of efficiency, space utilization, safety, performance, fun-to-drive enjoyment, and great styling. Oh, and try to find one that improves significantly every couple months too.

 

[GDP1]

Granted, I got an extra $3,750 of tax credit (which per the news might come back, another swift kick to the nuts).

If the extension/change goes through at $7k, wouldn't you get an extra $2,250 credit because it's within the same tax year.

I haven't purchased yet but thought in addition to the $3,750 I'd get if I take delivery before July 1st...if this latest bill goes through, my tax credit would be increased to $7K.

Maybe I'm mistaken?

 

[Ulmo]

For 15,000 miles per year with $4,230 due at signing and $535/month, that's a total of $23,490, no equity, for 45,000 miles, or 52.2 cents per mile with no equity. Compare that to my ICE car I own outright, that I will never have to worry about replacing at the end of 3 years, and after 45,000 miles will still be mine, and I don't have to pay $535/month for that. Leasing seems like a really bad idea. If they reduced the down payment to about $500 and reduced the minimum lease term to 4 months with a clause that lets you keep extending it or cancel with 2 months notice, I'd consider it.

 

[Ulmo]

So, for those of us early adopters who really pushed the envelope, waited three hours in line, and two years, paid $50k won't get AP?

1. Waiting in line is a choice. I got an early in-store reservation March 31, 2016, and didn't wait at all.
2. How many miles have you driven on your Model 3? Compare that to me who hasn't spent $50,000 on a Model 3: 0 miles.

 

[Ulmo]

For 15,000 miles per year with $4,230 due at signing and $535/month, that's a total of $23,490, no equity, for 45,000 miles, or 52.2 cents per mile with no equity. Compare that to my ICE car I own outright, that I will never have to worry about replacing at the end of 3 years, and after 45,000 miles will still be mine, and I don't have to pay $535/month for that. Leasing seems like a really bad idea. If they reduced the down payment to about $500 and reduced the minimum lease term to 4 months with a clause that lets you keep extending it or cancel with 2 months notice, I'd consider it.

Plus equity would be great. Maybe shareholders into the car or something.

 

[cdub]

believed in Tesla and I also believed that they would protect my investment.

Hahaha.... Investment. A car is never an investment. An investment is something that earns your money. A new car is throwing $100 dollar bills out your window whole driving.

 

[Knightshade]

Hahaha.... Investment. A car is never an investment. An investment is something that earns your money.

FWIW there's lots of cars that make people money and absolutely have been excellent investments.

The typical new Model 3 likely is not one of them though.

 

[SOAR]

I was at Tesla today for a test drive and inquired about lease options. Here's a data point for those interested, since I haven't seen any numbers discussed.

Grey P3D, black interior
$60,500 MSRP
36 months, 10k miles/yr
0.002708 MF or 6.5% APR - not great for sure
$37,068 residual or 61% - quite a bit higher than I expected, and a lot more that some estimates floating around in this thread

It's a lease so yeah you don't get the tax credit.. kind of. They roll the tax credit into the residual so it's higher and therefore your monthly payments are lower. So you do get it, just in 36 installments instead of 1 lump sum.

Monthly payments will vary widely depending on how much you put down and how your state does taxes so I won't bother listing those numbers, but MF and residual and stuff should be consistent across the board.