Selling Used

[randynotcandy]

Hey guys,

About to be first time Tesla buyer.

I was wondering what are the options if I decided to get rid of the Tesla in the next 3/4 years?

Is this something that I can go into let's say, a BMW dealer as a trade in? Or would I even be able to sell it at a CarMax?

What have you guys done in the past with other Tesla's or planning on doing in the future?

 

[ChadS]

Sure, you can trade them in.

I have sold a few on craigslist. It wasn't terribly different than when I used to sell gas cars.

 

[N1L CO2]

Here's my strategy for when it comes for me to unload in 3-4 years. Unless the Tesla quality is markedly improved, I'll walk into a competing brand dealership for their latest EV. They would have caught up in range by then and want to provide a handsome trade-in value for you to switch into their EVs. A lot of them will still have the hefty Fed rebate too so definitely makes it attractive.

 

[Georgia_Y]

Shouldn't be any different than an ICE car. Heck, when I took our BMW in last week for an oil change, they offered to buy my Y off me out right when they saw it in the parking lot.

 

[CapeOne]

Assuming you are buying and not leasing, all down the road selling options would be open.....selling privately, selling or trading to a dealer including Carvana, CarMax, etc.

 

[LevelHeaded]

It’s not about the range, it’s about the charging infrastructure. A competitor would need to have a 600 mi battery for the same price as the MY to make it compelling without an equivalent supercharging network.

 

[Georgia_Y]

It’s not about the range, it’s about the charging infrastructure. A competitor would need to have a 600 mi battery for the same price as the MY to make it compelling without an equivalent supercharging network.

That's why too broad of a claim to make. I have absolutely no need for the super charging network and based on the number of Leafs and other low range EV's I see on the road, I'm not the only one.

 

[BlindPass]

That's why too broad of a claim to make. I have absolutely no need for the super charging network and based on the number of Leafs and other low range EV's I see on the road, I'm not the only one.

Agree, the range narrative reminds me of the Tesla haters 5-8 years ago.

I want more range, but a 200 mile S with an immature SC network didn’t stop us from getting an early S. We jumped in on EVs because we realized how little we needed more than 200 miles.

We never SuperCharge. Charging is charging, and we’d rather rent or drive our PHEV in the very few instances in which we need more range.

 

[LevelHeaded]

That's why too broad of a claim to make. I have absolutely no need for the super charging network and based on the number of Leafs and other low range EV's I see on the road, I'm not the only one.

For those that don’t value the charging network AND don’t need high range, there are already compelling competitors, just as you stated.

 

[LevelHeaded]

Agree, the range narrative reminds me of the Tesla haters 5-8 years ago.

I want more range, but a 200 mile S with an immature SC network didn’t stop us from getting an early S. We jumped in on EVs because we realized how little we needed more than 200 miles.

We never SuperCharge. Charging is charging, and we’d rather rent or drive our PHEV in the very few instances in which we need more range.

It’s strange you want something that you yourself stated you have little to no need for: range over 200 miles. For those (like you) that don’t need range or super chargers, leafs and bolts already exist. For a vast majority of the population, supercharging is significantly more value and of more utility than going from 250 to 500 miles of range, because requiring 300+ miles of range implies a lack of charging opportunity or the desire to go on road trips. Supercharging solves both, yet also provides the opportunity for road trips in excess of 500 miles.

 

[BlindPass]

It’s strange you want something that you yourself stated you have little to no need for: range over 200 miles. For those (like you) that don’t need range or super chargers, leafs and bolts already exist. For a vast majority of the population, supercharging is significantly more value and of more utility than going from 250 to 500 miles of range, because requiring 300+ miles of range implies a lack of charging opportunity or the desire to go on road trips. Supercharging solves both, yet also provides the opportunity for road trips in excess of 500 miles.

What’s strange about it? There are many aspects that are preferable, but not requisites. I’d like an instrument cluster, but bought a M3, for example. The overblown range narrative on here is entertainingly ironic. We’ve come full circle.

SC solves nothing at the moment, and you can go 500 miles in an EV with or without SC. Both are to be avoided, which is easy to do given the infrequency of such trips for most.

 

[LevelHeaded]

What’s strange about it? There are many aspects that are preferable, but not requisites. I’d like an instrument cluster, but bought a M3, for example. The overblown range narrative on here is entertainingly ironic. We’ve come full circle.

SC solves nothing at the moment, and you can go 500 miles in an EV with or without SC. Both are to be avoided, which is easy to do given the infrequency of such trips for most.

I doubt you can provide the evidence necessary to show that “most” people don’t take road trips. Other than the senior crowd, of course.

You’re right that the twisted, nearly unintelligible logic on here is something. I wouldn’t describe it as entertaining, however.

 

[N1L CO2]

I doubt you can provide the evidence necessary to show that “most” people don’t take road trips. Other than the senior crowd, of course.

You’re right that the twisted, nearly unintelligible logic on here is something. I wouldn’t describe it as entertaining, however.

I take 80 to 100 mile (one way) trips every couple of weeks with my homies to golf courses all over. Range is totally a factor for me. Having a network of superchargers and other charging outlets are a huge relief as I no longer have range anxiety.

 

[EnrgyNDpndnce]

Since this has basically turned into a range discussion thread, I’ll weigh in. Prior to COVID, and presumably one day we will return to normal, I was driving 50k+ miles per year (primarily business travel). So when I bought my Model 3 in late 2018 the range and SC network / charging speed were key factors in my decision. I need the ability to travel all over the Southeast up to 500 miles per day, and Tesla gives me that. Other charging networks are growing rapidly, and I will consider all options when I replace my 3 in a few years (Mach E, Volvo/Polestar, VW, etc as long as it’s an EV). But if you look at Plugshare today, and filter for CCS, you see large gaps in the network around the Southeast. That will change one day, and hopefully before I have to buy my next car, but if I had to buy today it would be another Tesla for sure.

Granted, my use case is a bit extreme. However, if you talk to most people who still drive ICE (the great unwashed masses), they BELIEVE their use cases mirror mine. Or at least they believe they need the capabilities I need, even if they only drive 15k miles per year and road trip twice a year. Convincing them otherwise will be a very difficult task. In the near term, I think Tesla may sell a lot of cars for that reason, to people who are buying their first EV and are still stuck in the ICE paradigm. Over time that will change.

 

[BlindPass]

I doubt you can provide the evidence necessary to show that “most” people don’t take road trips. Other than the senior crowd, of course.

You’re right that the twisted, nearly unintelligible logic on here is something. I wouldn’t describe it as entertaining, however.

Don’t resort to strawmans- it was never stated most people don’t take road trips.

Road trips generally constitute a very small percentage of a car’s use. This, of course, is why we had issue buying a S. The PHEV/ICE is still a better car for road trips, and SuperCharging doesn’t appreciably improve on that.