Need Help Convincing Spouse To Buy

[Notable_Noah]

If she’s going to limit all purchases to companies with CEO’s who aren’t asses she’s going to be living off the land.

Bahahaha this one made me chuckle. You're not wrong at all!!! We actually talked about this a little and I plan on bringing it up again. Some CEOs are nice and do things with well-meaning in their plans, but most big company CEOs I have looked into so far have some dirt on them that isn't good. I will be restating this point to her for sure!

 

[Merrill]

You better throw away your computer and iPhone and anything Apple have her read the Steve Jobs bio.

 

[Notable_Noah]

‘Perhaps you can do some research into the psychological depths to find out what's really behind it.”
——-

This^^^^

Obviously some other stuff going on here. I‘d bet there are a lot of things bought by people who claim these kinds of “reservations,“ from companies headed by people far worse than Musk. These kinds of policies can put a serious cramp in your purchasing patterns to say the least.

I agree wholeheartedly here. I'm hoping to talk more with her about her ideals here and there and try to find the roots!

 

[Notable_Noah]

Buy used. Look at it this way, someone already paid Elon, you’re just buying from another person.

Hmmm this could be an interesting point. I'm still worried her reaction of having it in the driveway would go off, but we'll see if this talking point helps. Thank you!

 

[Notable_Noah]

You better throw away your computer and iPhone and anything Apple have her read the Steve Jobs bio.

Bahahahah right you are, right you are. I definitely plan on bringing up the point that there are a good number of CEOs who aren't testaments of human decency/character.

 

[Merrill]

No matter what you think of Elon, he is very smart and who else could pull off starting an all electric car company from the ground up. He has been a major reason that other manufacturers are now making all electric cars. Also look at what else he has done with all his other companies. You have to keep in mind that any brilliant person has issues, they are in another world.

 

[Notable_Noah]

That "excuse" is masquerading for some other reservation, unless she also made that determination for the fridge you have in your kitchen, or the company that built the house you live in, and she never ever orders anything from any large online company like amazon, home depot, bestbuy, or any other large company,.

The short answer is "dont" (bother trying). That is a COMPLETE no win situation for you, OP. Even if you eventually buy the car, EVERY ...SINGLE...LITTLE ....THING that happens with the car will be a referendum on "I didnt want this thing anyway, why did you make us get it?".

Dont bother, no purchase is worth that kind of heartache that WILL happen, provided this is a real story and not a first post to "get conversation going".

She was the first to bring up the fact that if I get it, she will build resentment, and if I get a different car, I will build resentment. It's certainly a tough situation...

Getting a Tesla has been my dream since 2012 though... so it's difficult unravelling all of that and buying a different EV for about the same amount of money that isn't as objectively as good as a Tesla.

This is my first experience with a financial decision that could have lasting impacts on my relationship, and it just makes it more difficult that it's about my Tesla Dream of almost 10 years. I'm hoping we can talk more about it and find a solution that leaves neither of us with resentment. Thank you for your reply!

 

[jjrandorin]

She was the first to bring up the fact that if I get it, she will build resentment, and if I get a different car, I will build resentment. It's certainly a tough situation...

Getting a Tesla has been my dream since 2012 though... so it's difficult unravelling all of that and buying a different EV for about the same amount of money that isn't as objectively as good as a Tesla.

This is my first experience with a financial decision that could have lasting impacts on my relationship, and it just makes it more difficult that it's about my Tesla Dream of almost 10 years. I'm hoping we can talk more about it and find a solution that leaves neither of us with resentment. Thank you for your reply!

Perhaps, since its your dream for your car, she has her dream car she wants? My wife had a dream of having a BMW X5. We only have 1 child, and that child was in highschool at the time (and we did not host lots of people, etc). there was absolutely no "need" for a vehicle that large, but it was a dream she had of having that vehicle.

We had been BMW drivers for 15 years at that point, but 3, 4 and 5 series vehicles. I didnt think we "needed" it in the slightest, but neither did I "need" the 435 M sport with power and sound kit that I had at the time, either. I figured out a way to make it happen, even though it was stretching a bit to do so. She drove it for 3 years on a lease, and said "its too big" but she was happy to have tried one, and even though I didnt think we needed it, it was her dream.

Life partners shouldnt shut down each others dreams about "mundane" stuff like cars, even if its not practical or the other partner doesnt like it, unless it truly impacts the family (too expensive, corvette as a main vehicle for a family of 5, etc).

Purchasing a car is not endorsing the lifestyle of the CEO of the company. Its buying a vehicle. /shrug...

Ill climb down off my soap box now.

 

[alexgr]

The short of it is my spouse loves everything about the Tesla cars, BUT she absolutely can't stand Elon Musk, his business practices, personal beliefs, how he treats his employees, lack of charity work, and global actions. She doesn't want to even have a Tesla car be in our driveway. She hates the idea of supporting a company he runs. I'm trying to think of good points that make buying a Tesla so attractive that the fact Elon Musk can be a terrible human being irrelevant. Any and all advice is welcomed!

My best,
Noah

1. Replace wife.
2. If 1 doesn't work, research whatever car she drives. Ford - Nazi inspiration, GM - a gang of oil and gas lobbyists, Chrysler/Doge - Fiat Italian mafia company. Toyota - working hard to stop progress and the only company that average fleet mpg goes down. etc. you got the idea. She'll buy Tesla or will ride a bicycle.

 

[cwerdna]

The idea of buying a different EV is tough for me because it's been my dream since 2012. I have so much emotion behind all of the objective reasons why a Tesla is my dream car

BUT I am open to the idea, and did a rudimentary search of other like-priced EVs last night at work on my off time and found possible replacements, if not as objectively good as a Tesla. I do really appreciate the reminder the check out the federal tax incentives!

Yes, part of pointing you to Federal Tax Credits for Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Cars was not only the Federal tax credit but it also was a centralized location to find all the BEVs that are shipping (some previously shipped) in the US. Unfortunately, some area CARB emission state only (+ possibly a few more) and not a choice outside them.

I'm in CA, so we have all of them, thanks to the CA ZEV program (CARB Mandate For Zero Emission Vehicles).

 

[Nosken]

Deflect---sell her on how safe it is.

 

[hgmichna]

Lots of good ideas in this thread. Here are two more.

1. Tell her (once more) that a Tesla has been your big wish for almost a decade and ask her if she would really want to veto it. Perhaps she'll end up saying that she doesn't like it but will not go as far as a veto.
2. Inquire how she came to the conclusion that Elon Musk is a bad person. Dig into it. Reject hearsay. This, by the way, is a good tactic for many anti-electro accusations, because very often one finds that the accusers have no basis.

 

[uujjj2]

The short of it is my spouse loves everything about the Tesla cars, BUT she absolutely can't stand Elon Musk

Elon doesn't hold a candle to Sergio Marchionne, Carlos Ghosn, Martin Winterkorn, or Ferdinand Piech on the corporate evil scale. Does your wife boycott Chrysler, VW, Porsche, and Nissan too?

 

[Nosken]

To help mollify her misplaced disdain for Elon, show her one of Elon's companies, Home which would like to make people with spinal cord injuries walk and some blind people see.

 

[donandersonjr]

Tesla needs to do a better job marketing to women. At least for my wife, having thousands of male over hyped you tubers all focusing on how fast the car will go is not a plus. She also puts Tesla in the ev bucket with the cars that need hours to charge after 40 miles of driving.

 

[WhiteWi]

Hmmm this could be an interesting point. I'm still worried her reaction of having it in the driveway would go off, but we'll see if this talking point helps. Thank you!

Don’t leave it on drive way, build garage

 

[WhiteWi]

Most of her negative views of Elon are anti Tesla paid FUD. Yes he is not saint but he is not as evil as other CEOs for sure plus he is Genius who is trying to make us interplanetary Species in process.

 

[thesmokingman]

The short of it is my spouse loves everything about the Tesla cars, BUT she absolutely can't stand Elon Musk, his business practices, personal beliefs, how he treats his employees, lack of charity work, and global actions. She doesn't want to even have a Tesla car be in our driveway. She hates the idea of supporting a company he runs. I'm trying to think of good points that make buying a Tesla so attractive that the fact Elon Musk can be a terrible human being irrelevant. Any and all advice is welcomed!

My best,
Noah

That is weird. Tesla employees voted against going union because they love where they are. Does she realize this, any idea of how many millionaires they've made? Musk is kind of weird, but really smart ppl generally are, lmao.

Tesla's meteoric rise is making a lot of employees very rich

Tesla’s meteoric rise is making a lot of employees and executives very rich — but none richer than Elon Musk, who is seeing his personal wealth skyrocket. Like most other tech companies, Tesla is offering stock options and grants as part of its compensation packages. But unlike most automakers...

electrek.co

Tesla is offering stock options and grants as part of its compensation packages. But unlike most automakers, the company is offering stock compensations for all employees throughout the organization, including production associates and sales staff, which is rare in the auto industry.

 

[tkizzy]

She was the first to bring up the fact that if I get it, she will build resentment, and if I get a different car, I will build resentment. It's certainly a tough situation...

Getting a Tesla has been my dream since 2012 though... so it's difficult unravelling all of that and buying a different EV for about the same amount of money that isn't as objectively as good as a Tesla.

This is my first experience with a financial decision that could have lasting impacts on my relationship, and it just makes it more difficult that it's about my Tesla Dream of almost 10 years. I'm hoping we can talk more about it and find a solution that leaves neither of us with resentment. Thank you for your reply!

Sounds like there might be a lack of education on the subject. Maybe slowly introduce pieces of the puzzle bit by bit, and eventually the history books will be on your side. But before then when her myopic rage has been channeled elsewhere, will be less resentment