Owning a Tesla can Save You Time and Money

[Buster1]

An article I just finished up.

I have a friend who is as stubborn as they come, he can't stand Teslas because of the TIME it takes to fill up, specifically on long road trips. No matter what I say, he always reverts to that defense for his arguments about what Teslas and EVs are so bad.

Anyway, I did the math, A Tesla is cheaper (for me, in my economy) than a $60k Lux sedan of similar after 4-5 years of ownership. If you'd like to know more...and how much TIME a Tesla can save you...read on!

Tesla Economy: Can Owning a Tesla Save You Time and Money?

 

[kosarfan]

I would also add in the time and money it takes to have your car “serviced” and oil changed. I am a traveling salesman, put 36k miles on a car every year and no longer go to the Lexus dealership (owned a GS350 before) every 6 weeks. That is significant time and money saved.

 

[aollivierre]

I have had the opportunity to own a Mercedes, BMW and Lexus vehicles in the past and I will tell you that I am not going to miss the time and attention it require for me to service these vehicles.

 

[D.E.]

Your friend has decided he will not be happy with the charging delays required during a trip. He's decided the electric car is not for him. There are a number of compromises one makes with owning an electric car, just as there are compromises one makes when owning an airplane. The lengthening of trips is a real disadvantage and as long as he sees it as a deal breaker, other arguments are not going to change his mind.

There are some trips you cannot make. When I last checked, you could not drive a Tesla from Tennessee to Alaska. Color choices are limited. The paint chips. Options change without notice, sometimes significantly affecting the car's value.

Neither the Tesla nor the $60,000 luxury sedan is a rational choice if economy of travel is the primary goal. The comparison you present is contrived; the selection of those two vehicles itself weeds out those people that are economy driven, so presenting a choice between those two cars on the basis of economy alone isn't likely to be successful.

You can make your arguments. You will not change his mind. There are some subjects that it is useless to argue. I don't discuss religion or politics with people because it doesn't matter the logic, no one will change his mind. All they'll do is just try to convince you their view is right. It turns into a colossal waste of time.

Labeling someone stubborn who doesn't agree with you is also problematic. In his eyes he's the one who has made his decision and you are the one who cannot accept it. So, in his eyes, you are the stubborn one. Unless he actively asks you for a cost breakdown, your argument is going to fall on deaf ears. And if he does ask, your analysis is too superficial. It doesn't include taxes, future value of the initial expenses, financing if that is used, insurance, depreciation, increased cost of repairs, tire issues, and limited options for approved service and repairs.