OWNERS! - do you get awkward questions about price tag?

[johnnyS]

Someone asked about my electricity bill. I mentioned that Chevron stopped sending me bills the month after the model S came. When I asked I say it starts in the 50s and goes up but there is a California rebate and federal tax credit and no worries about gas costs. If I keep the car long enough it will save us money

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[hans]

Someone asked about my electricity bill. I mentioned that Chevron stopped sending me bills the month after the model S came.

I always put this one into perspective. "I used to spend about $XXX / month on gas, and now I spend about $YY on electricity". It gets the thought process going on just how much we spend on gas over the lifetime of a car.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Well I'm glad you're not my financial advisor. Your math is WAY off. That would only be $12.5k in interest, not $23k.

I understand what you're saying though. But soon Lithium Ion batteries will be a fraction of what they cost now (especially after the fed's commitment to lowering these battery costs announced this week), and seeing that gas will probably cost triple in 10 years closer to $11-$15/gallon (fyi gas is already over $11/gallon in Europe if you weren't aware of that, it's only a matter of time because it reaches that level here), the TCO of an EV is not just tipping but rather landsliding over to being sooo much cheaper than ICE over the years.

Gas is not $11/gallon in Europe. Gas plus gas taxes are $11/gal in Europe. There is a HUGE difference between the effects of the two.

There's really only 1 way that US gas prices could rise that high in 10 years and that's a fundamental technology improvement in nanotechnology manufacture in next couple of years that would allow multiple dramatic improvements in energy technology that would allow a high price. Quite simply, the global economy is so dependent on petroleum that there is effectively a price cap because a high price sends the world into recession, lowers demand and causes the price to fall. Only a shift away from petroleum in key sectors would allow the price to rise without bringing down the world economy. Besides, petroleum prices are already high enough that use of GTL technology is expanding.

 

[Daniel Scherer]

I commute 20,000 miles per/year for work and get mileage reimbursement. Between that and the fuel cost difference from my prior vehicle, the difference is making my monthly car payment. I'm also holding Tesla stock which I hope will make it to about $250 per/share so I can get a couple more Tesla's by 2016. I'm a Fleet Maintenance Manager with a major retailer with 350 truck drivers. Every single one of them has stopped by to see the car and they love it. They understand my math and motivation and say its cool! Several company executives have come to see me with their Audi's and MB's. My company has installed 4 separate 14-50 outlets for me at our various Distribution Centers and are allowing me to plug in at no charge.

 

[blakegallagher]

I totally agree. Unfortunately most other people's parents did not do as good a job raising them as ours did us.

Still tough economic times, and haters gonna hate whether they bring it up to you, or just think it in their beanie little heads behind your back. Or get in the car with their spouse to go home and all be talkin smack about you to make them feel better about their own pathetic lives.

Here is a crazy idea ... maybe the guy asking how much is set you back is interested in buying one .... heres another crazy shocker ... maybe he was brought up that it was not rude to talk about money .... maybe thats ok and it does not make your parents better than his .... maybe some people would think your upbringing was antiquated and your uptight attitude about sharing price info is only turning people off to Tesla because it makes you look like snob ..... then again ... maybe not ...

 

[Al Sherman]

Here is a crazy idea ... maybe the guy asking how much is set you back is interested in buying one .... heres another crazy shocker ... maybe he was brought up that it was not rude to talk about money .... maybe thats ok and it does not make your parents better than his .... maybe some people would think your upbringing was antiquated and your uptight attitude about sharing price info is only turning people off to Tesla because it makes you look like snob ..... then again ... maybe not ...

Yeah. I grew up in a family that asked "how much?" on everything from a candy bar to a car. My wife who comes from a totally different background thinks this is somewhat "unusual" and finds it very amusing. We've even made a game out of it when my parents come to visit. Counting how many times we hear the question. What I've learned is that people who do this can have so, so, so many different reasons for asking. Their own pathetic lives not withstanding. :smile:

 

[Trnsl8r]

Here is a crazy idea ... maybe the guy asking how much is set you back is interested in buying one .... heres another crazy shocker ... maybe he was brought up that it was not rude to talk about money .... maybe thats ok and it does not make your parents better than his .... maybe some people would think your upbringing was antiquated and your uptight attitude about sharing price info is only turning people off to Tesla because it makes you look like snob ..... then again ... maybe not ...

Sir, you got reputation points from me for that one.

I know this is a cultural difference to some extent, but consider how much efforts many of you go through just trying to think of ways of getting out of the question (such as reading 11 pages of forum answers), is it worth it? To reiterate, here's what I do:
- How much are those?
- They start in the upper 50's.
- How much was yours?
- I have most of the options, so 90.

Done. Then we can go on about GenIII, range, superchargers, tax incentives, etc. What I have found is that most people that go through this Q&A are genuinely interested in the car and how much it is - they're not interested in me (yeah, disappointing, I know), not how much I make, not how I was able to pay for it. And I do the same thing myself about other things such as houses, trips, whatever, because I try to stay informed and up-to-date.

Give askers the benefit of a doubt... I have yet to run into jealousy. Closest I got was an old buddy that just looked at me and said with a smirk and soft voice "you f---er", but that's just how we talk.

 

[kinddog]

Here is a crazy idea ... maybe the guy asking how much is set you back is interested in buying one .... heres another crazy shocker ... maybe he was brought up that it was not rude to talk about money .... maybe thats ok and it does not make your parents better than his .... maybe some people would think your upbringing was antiquated and your uptight attitude about sharing price info is only turning people off to Tesla because it makes you look like snob ..... then again ... maybe not ...

ouch, Blake. very ouch... :redface:

 

[Elshout]

I tell them what it cost, most are somewhat surprised at the amount, then I thank them for providing part of the $7,500 Federal tax credit and if they live in California I thank them for contributing to the $2,500 check I received recently.

 

[dsm363]

I tell people who complain about the $7,500 that it is $7,500 dollars of my money I am not sending in, not taking money from them.

 

[rlawson4]

I tell people my tax dollars are paying for 2 Aircraft Carrier Battle groups in the Gulf protecting the oil supply and 7000 dead Americans and 50000 plus wounded Americans and almost 2 Trillion Dollars and it shuts most people up.

 

[Kaivball]

I tell people if they are part of the 47% they need to shut up.





Just kidding.

 

[kinddog]

I tell people my tax dollars are paying for 2 Aircraft Carrier Battle groups in the Gulf protecting the oil supply and 7000 dead Americans and 50000 plus wounded Americans and almost 2 Trillion Dollars and it shuts most people up.

nicely done. permission to use...

 

[Psullivan]

I am amazed how often I am asked this question and coming from just driving 2 Honda Accords over the last 20 years it was a bit hard to get used to. My new answer for my Sig Red with almost everything in it is:

It is over $100K but this is my mid-life crisis. It is much cheaper than a divorce.

 

[rlawson4]

nicely done. permission to use...

Anytime. I usually say it when questioned about the tax credit.

 

[bonnie]

I should mention that several neanderthals, after asking the awkward question of 'so how much is it?', then have asked first if it's my husband's car, quickly followed by 'so do you work for Tesla?'. My answer is typically, 'no, why?'. With a subtle snort.

One young guy, waiting for the owner of the Tesla outside of Whole Foods, asked all sorts of questions about the car, then said, 'So you're not who I expected to come out to this car.' Oh? 'Yeah, I thought it would be a guy and someone ummm much ummm ...'. Right. Not older and female. He's going to go far in life!

Yes, really.

 

[brianman]

I should mention that several neanderthals, after asking the awkward question of 'so how much is it?', then have asked first if it's my husband's car, quickly followed by 'so do you work for Tesla?'. My answer is typically, 'no, why?'. With a subtle snort.

One young guy, waiting for the owner of the Tesla outside of Whole Foods, asked all sorts of questions about the car, then said, 'So you're not who I expected to come out to this car.' Oh? 'Yeah, I thought it would be a guy and someone ummm much ummm ...'. Right. Not older and female. He's going to go far in life!

Yes, really.

A few thoughts on the above:
1. Fun convertible sometimes is automatically associated with "male mid-life crisis".
2. Automotive enthusiasm is generally more male dominated in terms of numbers.
3. I have yet to see a post on this forum of a wife trying to convince her husband why she's not crazy for wanting a Tesla. We frequently see the reverse.

So this doesn't surprise me in the least.

 

[bonnie]

I am amazed how often I am asked this question and coming from just driving 2 Honda Accords over the last 20 years it was a bit hard to get used to. My new answer for my Sig Red with almost everything in it is:

It is over $100K but this is my mid-life crisis. It is much cheaper than a divorce.

A Tesla is a cure for a mid-life crisis, not a symptom.

 

[Kaivball]

A Tesla is a cure for a mid-life crisis, not a symptom.

Lol

 

[ElSupreme]

I did a little song and dance with my Tesla after the Super Bowl last night. Was my 11th in a row at the same party. Had a bunch of college friends there. I did the little starts at $60k. I got the $85k version. Got all the 'rob a bank' jokes. But my one friend, the accountant, did my justification for me. Good job, hard work, smart (they all know that one) no kids, and 'cheap' house = Disposible income. And that it really wasn't all that of a stretch to actually purchase one. Then I looked around and everyone there (except one unmarried friend) had kid(s) or a kid on the way.

Throw in the fact that I get $12.5k back in rebates, and I save ~$300 a month in fuel, and I made a 'car payment' for ~3 years to a savings account, they all sort of lit up. I don't expect any of them to go out and buy one tomorrow. But they all got the picture.