Texas Leasing

[gizmoboy]

Just got an email from Tesla saying they now offer leasing in Texas. However, I was under the impression that they already did.

The "learn more" link in the email just takes me to the design studio.

Has anyone else heard about new programs or is this just a sales-juicing email?

 

[JMG]

I got the same email, and like you, I thought it was already available. So no idea there.

I would've considered it, but I drive about 25k miles a year.

 

[supersnoop]

Leasing in Texas is a terrible idea. You're on the hook for the business personal property tax on the car every year.

 

[TexasEV]

Leasing in Texas is a terrible idea. You're on the hook for the business personal property tax on the car every year.

Not only that, but you have to pay sales tax on the entire price of the car, not just your lease payments.

 

[gizmoboy]

Not only that, but you have to pay sales tax on the entire price of the car, not just your lease payments.

Either Mercedes or BMW (can't recall which) has some special program where they take some of the leasing penalty sting out of Texas; I can't recall the details but IIRC it made it so that you weren't paying all the sales tax for the full purchase price of the car up front.

When I lived in California, I always leased, but in Texas it was so bad that I haven't since. I was wondering if Tesla might have come up with a program like that of whomever it was (MBZ or BMW).

 

[Stenn]

I considered leasing a Model S back in May and even got a quote emailed to me from a Tesla Credit Specialist so this latest email seemed like old news to me. Despite the disadvantages of leasing, I seriously considered it for two reasons:

1. I'd never owned an electric car. There was a chance I'd hate it and want to exercise the 90-day return policy.
2. I considered electric cars to be a rapidly evolving technology so that what I buy today might be woefully obsolete in two or three years making a short-term obligation desirable.

I purchased my car instead and...

1. You can have my Tesla back when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
2. Three months after purchase, elves visited in the middle of the night and installed Auto Pilot. If they keep that up, it will be a while before the car becomes obsolete.

At this point, I'm not sure why anyone would lease. In addition to the above mentioned issues, they'd lose the federal tax credit and not be able to trade in an old car to Tesla to get credit toward a new one.