Seems like your mind is cherry picking the bad information to filter through. The overall reviews of the Model 3 have been stellar. The car has won several car of the year awards despite being largely unavailable to auto reviewers and available in only one config. Almost all of the negatives have been a result of unfamiliarity/lack of time with the UI or early builds with issues that have been resolved (stiff suspension, no AP controls on the scroll wheel, etc.).
I, too, have seen "several" Model S owners who sold their Model 3. Any by several, I mean like 2-3 posters who did this as compared to dozens and dozens who have gone from the S to the 3 and absolutely love it, often more. Keep in mind you are talking about very well off people who drive a large, expensive car that is supposed to be at the top of Tesla's line-up. It would be pretty shocking if there were people who didn't prefer their S to a 3, given where the 3 is supposed to stack up. The fact that a lot of people prefer their 3 should be what's speaking volumes to you.
As a natural skeptic myself, I firmly believe the bankruptcy talks were a function of (1) the overall market decline the past couple weeks, coupled with (2) the long official information gap from Tesla. As soon as Tesla's production numbers came out and showed they were on track, the stock went up 20%. With such a watched company as Tesla, the media needs a steady stream of information to feed the rabid base, including those betting against it. The current articles talking about how Tesla is going to run out of cash are incredibly shallow. Of course they don't have enough cash to meet their ambitious growth plans... that's why they'll do an equity raise as soon as they get Model 3 production on track and operating at a respectable gross margin. That will show the market that they can make money on their massive investment and are worthy of getting more of the market's money for the next phase (Model Y, Semi and Roadster). Anecdotally, the exploding number of Teslas I see in the DC area and the interest from people in my office who see my Tesla desktop phone charger, speaks to a company doing everything right in the market. There are a handful of levers they could pull to flip to profitability if the situation actually got dire. In my view, the cash issue will be resolved (favorably) in the next 6-8 months, especially if they are able to flip to a profit on an operating basis in 2018 as planned.
I am also a value person, and I built a spreadsheet way early on in the process to prove out the value in the car as compared to other vehicles I would purchase, like a maxed out Accord or an Acura TSX. Here is some quick math:
$50,000 base price (LR, PUP, Color)
- 7,500 fed tax credit
42,500 price after credit
(7,500) 10-year gas savings vs current car/comparable MB or Lexus (YMMV)
35,000 effective price
Then factor in things like Autopilot (+$5,000) that no other company is currently offering at this price range, a potential state tax credit (-$2,500 or more), and potential maintenance savings. So if you are looking at an ICE car that's not ultra fuel efficient as a comparable, $35k is around the relative value. That's around the same price as an entry level luxury ICE car with no options and decently worse performance. I personally view Autopilot as a toy for myself that I certainly don't need but can't imagine getting my Tesla without, so while it adds to my overall price, I don't take it into account in my comparison with other cars that don't offer anything comparable.
If you don't know why you should get a Tesla vs an MB or a Lexus, then I'm surprised you're on this forum in the first place. You buy a Tesla because you want the auto industry's leading engineering, performance & driving technology while making a difference in the future of the Earth. You want one of the safest cars available. You're tired of the legacy auto cartel polluting the Earth, faking emissions tests, and trying to squash progress on improved MPG and electric vehicles. You want the convenience of never stopping at a gas station again and starting your day with full range every day. You don't like dealing with unnecessary and inefficient auto dealerships. You also are probably be a fan of, or at least okay with, Tesla's minimalist design philosophy. And let's be real, many of us also love the blend of style, rebelliousness, and cutting edge cool that Tesla, Elon, Franz, etc. espouse. It's a great company that has turned a massive, and often boring, industry on its head in a little over a decade.
