So How Much Does It Cost? (my most hated question)

[Cal1]

I completely agree. Up until Tesla, I was one of those people. If I was going to be buying an ICE vehicle, I would be shopping for a Sonata or Fusion, not a 5 series or Jag. Now that I am a convert, I fully plan to simply not let those people make me feel guilty about buying my dream car

You guys are part of the reason I bought the stock (after owning the car for a couple of months)! I've hear this story from too many folks to ignore the obvious. Tesla is here to stay. And after seeing the i3 at a recent car show, I'm even more convinced Tesla will dominate for years. Nissan can't really focus on ev's, too many ice products that need support. BMW, GM aren't even trying.Their offerings seem like blind stabs in the dark.

 

[Lawsteve]

I simply say "too much" and tell them that if they really want to see how much the car costs, go to the Tesla website and configure one themselves.

 

[jerry33]

I say "They start at $70K and go up depending on how much junk you add--just like a BMW". If they look somewhat serious, I whip out the window sticker with the price.

 

[ohmman]

I think it's a classless question, so I don't think it matters what you answer. I haven't received mine yet, but if someone asks, maybe I'll just respond by asking the color and cleanliness of their underwear.

 

[Solarguy01]

So How Much Does It Cost? (my most hated question

Funny thing about the price of the MS, it starts the price of a FORD F250 Diesel Crew Cab nicely appointed.

 

[tomas]

Funny thing about the price of the MS, it starts the price of a FORD F250 Diesel Crew Cab nicely appointed.

Nice research.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I'm one of those people. 100k car is ridiculous. I spent it anyway.

ya, 100k cars are stoopid ridiculous! this one is soo worth it.
(my car limit is $30k, it was for an Ice anyway)

you can add in the $ value of all the time saved just jumping in the car and driving without an engine to start/warm + no waiting at a gas stations.
at green lights you can be at least a few seconds faster than everyone else...this is hours, maybe even days per year that will be saved

or the $ value of silence and not breathing vapors from your own car

or the silence

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I think it's a classless question, so I don't think it matters what you answer. I haven't received mine yet, but if someone asks, maybe I'll just respond by asking the color and cleanliness of their underwear.

haha :tongue: and do they stitch their name on it?

 

[Joe H.]

I am just a developer at the bottom of the totem pole at my company. I am sure there are several of my peers who make less than what my car costs so I've been asked the question by them as well as the VP of my department. I of course sugar-coat it for these people, throwing out base price figures and mentioning tax credits and gas savings. Strangers who have the cojones to ask, like the people who installed my HPWC, I just tell them around 90k. The fact of the matter is people will have their preconceived notations about you and your financial situation and I am already at a point in my life where I don't care. I'm sure the range of thinking goes from that person is well off to he probably cashed in his 401k and can barely pay any other bills. I am currently driving the same car I purchased new at 19 and decided I was in a position to vote for EVs with my wallet by purchasing a Tesla.

 

[Ugliest1]

ya, 100k cars are stoopid ridiculous! this one is soo worth it.

... and decided I was in a position to vote for EVs with my wallet by purchasing a Tesla.

+1 Zex although I really can't justify it on a $/c basis;
+10 Joe

When asked I also try to talk about a few advantages of EV's in general to get people thinking in that direction at least (stopping *before* the eyes glaze). If they want to discuss then we can get into the vision of a "compelling affordable safe vehicle that happens to be electric" etc etc.

 

[VolkerP]

I often answer, Model S is a steal for being the best car in the world. Some people get it.

 

[bareyb]

I think in the future I'm just gonna go with the "About the same as 7 Series BMW or Audi A8". If they really want to know specifics they can go on the Website. I'll never forget the look on my friend's face when I told him 118 Grand. It was a combination of disappointment and disgust. There's just really no way to justify a $100k Car like the Model S to someone who has never owned or driven one.

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I often answer, Model S is a steal for being the best car in the world. Some people get it.

It's amazing how little I care about the price now that I've owned mine for a while. It's worth every penny and I'll never go back to a Gasoline powered car again.

 

[Velo1]

I always say it costs 100%, but then you get Federal and Colorado tax credit. No one has ever followed up that reply with "what is 100%", as I think they feel embarrassed asking in the first place.

 

[MarkR]

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

 

[shepali]

I'm one of those people. 100k car is ridiculous. I spent it anyway.

+1!!!

I was really uncomfortable with the question at first, and my husband answered for me the first few times. He said 'you can look it up on the website....but its about 100k'. I'm not comfortable with that answer, for all the reasons others have stated. So, I started going with: They start at $60k and go up to $126k fully loaded. I pause, and wait for them to start breathing again. Then I say, mine's NOT fully loaded. And I leave it at that.

For friends that are asking because they are possibly actually considering it, or those that I know CAN afford it but don't WANT to afford it, I have started going into the EV side of it. The gas savings, maintenance savings, license tag savings ($32/yr vs. $500+ in arizona), lower electricity rates (in AZ, which can also benefit your nighttime AC usage), the HOV lane time savings (which for me was actually the REAL reason I bought it...), the fact that my first 875 miles only cost me $12.....and I point out that really it ends up closer to a $50k-60k car, or even less if you drive more miles.

 

[HankLloydRight]

For those of you who might disclose the near-real cost of your MS to close friends, would you include (a) state sales tax and/or (b) the $7500 federal (and possible state) tax credits? I think most people do include the tax credit, but do you also figure sales tax in the total cost?

There are lots of ways to come up with a "total" number if you want to be honest with folks and answer their questions.

In my case, I have a bunch of different numbers I could use. I'm taking delivery of an P85+ inventory car tomorrow(!). So my options are that I could tell people how much the car is configured as new today (the biggest number), or how much it was configured as new last July when it was built (somewhat less), or I could tell people what I actually paid (a lot less)...and then maybe adding the sales tax and deducting the tax credit,which are pretty much a zero-sum wash at this point.

I mean, if people ask me what my car *would* cost them now, it's going to be a lot more than I actually paid. So is that a fair answer for them?

 

[caddieo]

I have two stock answers. For those who (I think) are just price-curious (you can tell most of the time by the way they ask), I say it's about the same as if I got a replacement (emphasis on replacement) A8 or switched to a BMW 7 or Mercedes S. For those who appear to be interested in the car itself, I give them the base price and explain the option loading until max, adding that I do not have the top of the line. If the latter type of questioner still shows interest, I then go into an explanation of the order and delivery process, or the range and charging issues depending on the subsequent line of questioning.

 

[AudubonB]

OP chiming back in. I am going to stick with the refined version of how I began this thread, most succinctly put by Bareyb:

"About the same as 7 Series BMW or Audi A8".

and then tune further discussion of its economy of use and so on to the perceived interest level of any particular questioner.

on edit: as prior poster also wrote whilst I was typing the above!

 

[albiefett]

I am just a developer at the bottom of the totem pole at my company. I am sure there are several of my peers who make less than what my car costs so I've been asked the question by them as well as the VP of my department. I of course sugar-coat it for these people, throwing out base price figures and mentioning tax credits and gas savings.

I too have been negotiating the employee parking lot politics of "WHO GOT THE TESLA?"

But overall questions and concerns have been supportive, especially because I've been giving rides to interested co-workers pretty regularly, and sharing that Tesla Grin...

When it comes to cost, I am pretty honest, but also sugar-coat with Gas Savings, Tax Credits, and Clean Vehicle Rebates.

There are still those that push and say, "Whoa, you splurged and got a RICH MAN's Electric Vehicle..."

To which I simply reply, "Nope, I got a POOR MAN's Space Shuttle..."

 

[CDT]

Funny thing about the price of the MS, it starts the price of a FORD F250 Diesel Crew Cab nicely appointed.

Funny how no one ever commented on the price of my F250 Diesel Lariat, but the comments about me buying a Tesla have started and I won't have the car until May. Thanks for making me feel better about making the leap.

 

[MikeL]

I was reading comments after articles on Green Car Reports today. In the ones about Tesla/Model S, it struck me that fully half of them contained the words "can't afford one". Do they not know there are banks for this kind of thing? A fairly fat down payment, or even not so fat, and finance the rest. Even better, a Credit Union would love to help if you become a member (and are a "good risk").
Problem for me is, I have to remember to say "Financing!" before I blurt out "100 thousand dollars!"