The used Model S "Sweetspot" for bargain shoppers, Total budget $41k or less.

[CLOONEY003@GMA]

So for the past several weeks, I have been cramming as much Tesla knowledge down my throat to try and make sensible choices. I've made a couple of posts and I think I know where to go on the charging aspect of things now for my house but still feel a little squeamish about what to look for in buying a used Tesla Mosel S. I just sold my 2014 Lexus IS350 AWD for a decent profit and am looking to cut the gasoline out of my life for commuting to work. Sorry but I am not a fan of the Model 3(no heads up display, too small overall) and the Model S has such a "presence" that I really like not to mention roomy inside. My Lexus was very nice inside but it wasn't that roomy which is still ok, My wife and I don't have any children and we usually road trip in her Mazda CX-5. I don't have any plans to be driving a Tesla on long drives where I need to charge on the way. All of my travels will be well within range of the battery. I also don't mind tinkering with cars, I'm no mechanic but I know how to keep a car on the road without it breaking down. I'm a petrol head!

I live in Indiana so the weather is all over the place but I do not intend to drive the Tesla in the snow ( I have an older Trailblazer 4x4 for that.) but I will drive it in the winter when it is not snowing. I am also a performance enthusiast but it seems I am more fascinated with cars with quick acceleration and grip and also how sexy a car can look.

I feel the Model S fits this criteria like a glove.

Now I havent owned a RWD "car" since my first car a 1980 Chevy Monza and several Chevy S-10 pickup trucks, yes I had a GMC Syclone as well but it was AWD. All of my other vehicles have been FWD or AWD. But this is where my first question comes up that I fight myself over. AWD or RWD? Keep in mind I am budget conscious! I also dont need a "P" model either, these are plenty quick enough for me in the non "P" versions.

Question two, who should I buy from? Private seller or dealer or is there another resource I am not aware of? I have friends that can buy from auctions but those cars scare me.
My dealership experience in the last 3 weeks while looking in my area has been a disaster, no used car dealer close by knows anything about Tesla's and they let them sit on their lots without charging them. Then you ask for a test drive and they say they need charged first. I also ask questions and they give me BS answers, typical car salesman mumbo jumbo. I do not want to rush this process of finding a bargain Model S Deal and no dealer will "haggle" like they did back in the day.

I test drove a 2017 Model S 75D and loved it and the technology in it, but we couldn't agree on a price. I was amazed at seeing cars all around me showing up on the heads up display as I sat at a stop light, the whole time my wife was fiddling with the 17 inch screen. I love technology but am not sure if I would use it to its fullest on my daily commute. I also don't drive distracted like others around here on the road. I think just the thought of knowing its there is really enticing, but will I use it?

And the last question is battery size. Again, commuting only and no road trips. Id say the most I would ever drive in a day would be 150 miles, and that would be like once a month to visit family.

From looking around the forums here, it seems as though the most desirable Model S is the 2016.5 model and newer . I am assuming that is because of all of the cameras and AP2, remaining DU/Battery warranties and newer MCU? It seems however that only 2014-2015 are in my budget and if I do find that 2016 or 2017, its thousands of miles away.

I am interested in everyone's thoughts.

 

[r1200gs4ok]

I'm more thrown off by the lack of a heads up display on the Model 3. Im 49years old and I need to glance down, not over to the right. I think they are really nice cars, but it just isn't me.

try it once......you will love it.....after years of driving, everyone kind-of-knows how fast they are going w/o having to see it....

 

[r1200gs4ok]

I own both the S and the 3, and so I think I can compare their displays. Sure, you're USED TO the display sitting right in front of you, but it takes only a few miles to get used to looking slightly to your right to see the speedometer on the 3, or any other information. I'm 78 years old, and I've never had any trouble learning to glance over to the center display on the 3 even though I usually drive my S. It probably won't take you one drive to get used to it. People can learn, even at the ripe old age of nearly fifty.

I am 73 along with my wife.....we too have a Model 3 and Model S......it took about 4 miles for me to get the hang of the M3......I think if our friend drives a M3, he too will find out how much he will like it

 

[CLOONEY003@GMA]

I am 73 along with my wife.....we too have a Model 3 and Model S......it took about 4 miles for me to get the hang of the M3......I think if our friend drives a M3, he too will find out how much he will like it

I sat in a brand new one when i started this journey and immediately noticed how incredibly comfortable the drivers seat was. I asked the salesman if there was a MyPillow under me because that's what it felt like. But I don't know, if an older Model S is out of my price range then a new Model 3 is WAY out of my price range. My limit is $600 monthly or it doesn't make sense. I guess I will just save as much money I can in the next few years so I can put a nicer down payment on one and just stare at my Gen 3 Charger I just won on eBay.

 

[mswlogo]

I sat in a brand new one when i started this journey and immediately noticed how incredibly comfortable the drivers seat was. I asked the salesman if there was a MyPillow under me because that's what it felt like. But I don't know, if an older Model S is out of my price range then a new Model 3 is WAY out of my price range. My limit is $600 monthly or it doesn't make sense. I guess I will just save as much money I can in the next few years so I can put a nicer down payment on one and just stare at my Gen 3 Charger I just won on eBay.

BTW there are 3rd party kits for instrument cluster if you absolutely have to have one.
I do like the instrument Cluster in the S, but it's not a make or break deal.

And I'm NOT saving money with a Model S. Model 3 is really the only practical EV.

If your dream is a Model S, go for it, just realize what the real budget is to own one.
Like I said there are 3rd party warranties.

I paid cash for my 3 Tesla's, but I won't keep it without warranty. You can't goes to Joe's garage around the corner for a new motor.
You have to go to Tesla and buy new parts for a $100K EV car. Actually more like a $120K EV car now.

 

[father_of_6]

This thread definitely seems worth reading:

2013 Model S a money pit

Has anyone else had a long string of expensive repairs needed for their older Model S? We purchased a 2nd hand 2013 Model S in 2017. In the past 4-5 years we have pumped over $10k in repairs into the thing. Replaced every door handle. A few years ago a coolant leak destroyed important parts...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[r1200gs4ok]

BTW there are 3rd party kits for instrument cluster if you absolutely have to have one.
I do like the instrument Cluster in the S, but it's not a make or break deal.

And I'm NOT saving money with a Model S. Model 3 is really the only practical EV.

If your dream is a Model S, go for it, just realize what the real budget is to own one.
Like I said there are 3rd party warranties.

I paid cash for my 3 Tesla's, but I won't keep it without warranty. You can't goes to Joe's garage around the corner for a new motor.
You have to go to Tesla and buy new parts for a $100K car.

of my 2 cars, paid cash for both also, but I must say, the Model 3 is probably the most fun car to drive.....turns on a dime and power like a rocket.....the seats on the M3 are not quit as comfortable as the MS but it a really maintenance free car.....my wife does not like me to drive it and she refuses to drive the MS because it is so big.....

the MS has great suspension and is a dream to ride on the road trips and longer drives.....I find the M3 a little more harsh.....

waiting for the CyberTruck with air-suspension and AWD.....not sure if I will sell the MS or keep it....2020 with FSD and FUSC....cant drive two at once.....will camp with the truck......sorry for being long-winded but I guess you c an tell we love our EVs

 

[Plood]

This thread definitely seems worth reading:

2013 Model S a money pit

Has anyone else had a long string of expensive repairs needed for their older Model S? We purchased a 2nd hand 2013 Model S in 2017. In the past 4-5 years we have pumped over $10k in repairs into the thing. Replaced every door handle. A few years ago a coolant leak destroyed important parts...

teslamotorsclub.com

When the worst case is $2000 per year, they make the case in the other direction. That’s annual maintenance in a Mercedes or Land Rover (under warranty), if you’re lucky.

 

[father_of_6]

That thread seems very relevant regardless. The OP said $600 / month... and $2k per year in repairs is another $166 / month. It was suggested that $2k per year in repairs actually seemed low to others.

These quotes stood out to me:

Luxury cars are expensive to maintain, and the older they get, the more they cost. With that being said, 10k over the amount of time they owned it does not seem out of bounds to me, for a luxury car.

Makes me glad I sold my 2014 S in 2018 to buy a model 3.

 

[ElectricIAC]

This is what I'm saying. Your budget is ballpark *brand new* Model 3... new car, new technology, new warranty, new BATTERY.

That same budget is going to get you a many years old Model S with tens of thousands of miles, battery wear and degradation, end of it's warranty, very expensive to repair, early technology (before they worked all the kinks out).

Sure, maybe everything will go okay with your 6 year old $41k Model S. Or maybe it'll need $20k worth of repairs in year 1. Are you prepared for that?

All I'd say is... before you totally write off the Model 3 because of the right-handed speedometer, I strongly suggest you take a test drive. The test drive is free, and you might just *love* the car.

It’s cheaper to add a driver display to a Model 3 than it is to replace the door handles.

 

[jjrandorin]

Reading this thread, one of those old "car sayings" comes to mind. Before Tesla, I came from like 18 years straight of only BMWs in the house for my wife and I. On the BMW boards, one of the sayings was " The most expensive luxury car you will ever own is a Cheap BMW 7 Series". I am sure all luxury brands had a similar saying.

The budget put forth in this OPs first post only makes sense if the budget "I want to only spend....." and not "I cant afford to spend more than....". The first one implies that one has the finances to deal with issues that could arise if one is unlucky with the purchase, and the second one implies that a person cant.

Buying a used luxury car, one can many times get a LOT of car for the money, but one also has to be prepared to pay to play so to speak. Given what I read in the rest of this thread, If I were advising OP I would say "dont do this". People have the opinion that "because its an EV it doesnt cost much to maintain, right?" and that can be true, but it can also not be true.

There are plenty of people for whom this might be a good avenue to pursue, but in my opinion none of those people would fall into the "I cant afford a new model 3" category. They might fall into the "I dont want to buy a model 3 because its to small / I like the hatchback / (insert some other non financial reason), but anyone who could afford to buy a very used model S and keep it up could also afford to buy a new model 3 SR+.

 

[dannycamps]

This has nothing at all to do with luxury vs. non-luxury.

The biggest issue with every single EV on the market today is the cost of the battery pack. You can buy a 2014 Chevy Volt for less that $15k (in today's market) and still get hit with a $12k battery repair bill if the HV pack fails. Same for a Leaf, a Bolt, or any other car.

Until economies of scale bring down the cost of battery packs to something manageable, it's going to remain an issue where a failed pack will effectively mechanically total the car. Remember that a failed pack on a Model 3 will probably cost the same $22k that it does for a Model S.

You can roll the dice with an older (e.g. 2013/2014 Model S) any you might get lucky and get a car that will run for another 10 years or you might be looking at a HV pack replacement. It does seem with lithium packs (anecdotally at least) that age is a bigger factor in their demise than mileage.

--

If I were going to buy another used Model S right now, I'd either look for something between a 2015.5 85D through a 2018 100D depending on budget. Mid-2015 because while still nosecone and AP1, the seats, interior, etc... are pretty close to the later Model S especially if you get one with a center console. I would not buy anything older than a 2015 at this point unless I was 100% sure it had a replaced pack and DU.

 

[mswlogo]

This has nothing at all to do with luxury vs. non-luxury.

The biggest issue with every single EV on the market today is the cost of the battery pack. You can buy a 2014 Chevy Volt for less that $15k (in today's market) and still get hit with a $12k battery repair bill if the HV pack fails. Same for a Leaf, a Bolt, or any other car.

Until economies of scale bring down the cost of battery packs to something manageable, it's going to remain an issue where a failed pack will effectively mechanically total the car. Remember that a failed pack on a Model 3 will probably cost the same $22k that it does for a Model S.

You can roll the dice with an older (e.g. 2013/2014 Model S) any you might get lucky and get a car that will run for another 10 years or you might be looking at a HV pack replacement. It does seem with lithium packs (anecdotally at least) that age is a bigger factor in their demise than mileage.

--

If I were going to buy another used Model S right now, I'd either look for something between a 2015.5 85D through a 2018 100D depending on budget. Mid-2015 because while still nosecone and AP1, the seats, interior, etc... are pretty close to the later Model S especially if you get one with a center console. I would not buy anything older than a 2015 at this point unless I was 100% sure it had a replaced pack and DU.

Warranty replaced packs mean nothing. They are refurbed (I.e. repaired) packs. It’s extremely rare to find one with a NEW pack. And if you do, they will probably want more $$$.

 

[PCMc]

This thread definitely seems worth reading:

2013 Model S a money pit

Has anyone else had a long string of expensive repairs needed for their older Model S? We purchased a 2nd hand 2013 Model S in 2017. In the past 4-5 years we have pumped over $10k in repairs into the thing. Replaced every door handle. A few years ago a coolant leak destroyed important parts...

teslamotorsclub.com

Just my two cents as an owner of a June 2016 built MS90D which I purchased new ...

I think there is a big difference between potential repair exposure for a 2012-2013 car and one build after May 2016 when they first revised the front fascia. In the past 2.5 years since my car went out of warranty (I hit 50k miles in about 3 yrs 3 mo) my failure maintenance costs have been a little under $450 total including sales tax. That's for a total replacement of 1 door handle ($300) and a rebuilt of a second door handle ($150).

I did elect to do the MCU2 infotainment upgrade with radio for a total of $2140 (7% sales tax in Indiana). You are argue that as maintenance but I consider it to be a discretionary expense as I was not experiencing yet any bubbles in either display, etc.

I am due for another set of tires before long (I'm at 67k miles, I get about 35k out of a set of the OEM Goodyears).

@CLOONEY003@GMA - You're the only one that can fully judge your budget as well as your vehicle preferences. Please do not take this as my judging your priorities, but you mentioned owning multiple other vehicles. Maybe think about if there is an option to downsize your fleet? Also realize that you will likely have some possible costs increase with the Model S. Indiana registration now includes a $150 EV fee (offset for not paying gas tax) plus insurance may go up depending upon what the vehicle is you replace.

The number of cars you can find will go down as you become more restrictive, but my 2016 is standard coil suspension, not air suspension, I do not have cold weather package (no heated rear seats, steering wheel), standard audio and get by just fine. While my MS90D was the most expensive car I've ever purchased (by over a factor of 2), I decided to not do some of these options due to managing cost.

For reference on range, my 90D pack at 67k miles has about 8%ish apparent degradation, will charge to 268-269 miles at 100% versus 294 rated when new. It does still supercharge at peak rates up to 140kW, so no obvious signs to me that charge rate is limited. Again, I've supercharged for about 40% of my total miles traveled.

 

[mswlogo]

Just my two cents as an owner of a June 2016 built MS90D which I purchased new ...

I think there is a big difference between potential repair exposure for a 2012-2013 car and one build after May 2016 when they first revised the front fascia. In the past 2.5 years since my car went out of warranty (I hit 50k miles in about 3 yrs 3 mo) my failure maintenance costs have been a little under $450 total including sales tax. That's for a total replacement of 1 door handle ($300) and a rebuilt of a second door handle ($150).

I did elect to do the MCU2 infotainment upgrade with radio for a total of $2140 (7% sales tax in Indiana). You are argue that as maintenance but I consider it to be a discretionary expense as I was not experiencing yet any bubbles in either display, etc.

I am due for another set of tires before long (I'm at 67k miles, I get about 35k out of a set of the OEM Goodyears).

@CLOONEY003@GMA - You're the only one that can fully judge your budget as well as your vehicle preferences. Please do not take this as my judging your priorities, but you mentioned owning multiple other vehicles. Maybe think about if there is an option to downsize your fleet? Also realize that you will likely have some possible costs increase with the Model S. Indiana registration now includes a $150 EV fee (offset for not paying gas tax) plus insurance may go up depending upon what the vehicle is you replace.

The number of cars you can find will go down as you become more restrictive, but my 2016 is standard coil suspension, not air suspension, I do not have cold weather package (no heated rear seats, steering wheel), standard audio and get by just fine. While my MS90D was the most expensive car I've ever purchased (by over a factor of 2), I decided to not do some of these options due to managing cost.

For reference on range, my 90D pack at 67k miles has about 8%ish apparent degradation, will charge to 268-269 miles at 100% versus 294 rated when new. It does still supercharge at peak rates up to 140kW, so no obvious signs to me that charge rate is limited. Again, I've supercharged for about 40% of my total miles traveled.

Yeah, you enjoyed the sweet end of buying a brand new car. Do you think it would continue for another 4-6 years? Even the car you have now might be over his budget. Do you plan to keep it for another 4-6 years? I don’t know how many years OP is expecting to keep his new to him Model S.

 

[ElectricIAC]

I think a use case where one could justify the expense of deferred and or wear related repairs would be a car that comes with FUSC and is expected to be driven a lot.

I would avoid an air suspension car in that instance if one can help it.

 

[3Volts2aTes]

I'm more thrown off by the lack of a heads up display on the Model 3. Im 49years old and I need to glance down, not over to the right. I think they are really nice cars, but it just isn't me.

While I thought that at first, it took all of about 30 miles to get used to it. Naturally, you do you…but since Hertz in some places has some rentals, it might be worth your time to spend a day in one before you rule it out. If that isn’t an option in your area, maybe Turo.com - Something more than just a test drive. I would think you could get newer and lower mileage for your budget, if you got used to it quickly.

 

[jjrandorin]

While I thought that at first, it took all of about 30 miles to get used to it. Naturally, you do you…but since Hertz in some places has some rentals, it might be worth your time to spend a day in one before you rule it out. If that isn’t an option in your area, maybe Turo.com - Something more than just a test drive. I would think you could get newer and lower mileage for your budget, if you got used to it quickly.

You would think so, but many model 3s are selling used for at, or more than, prices of new model 3s due to the current used car market.. Finding a 41k used model 3 would likely be a serious struggle. I didnt read to see if the OP upped their budget but the budget of 41k would need to be upped a bit to start looking at most used model 3s.

 

[3Volts2aTes]

I sat in a brand new one when i started this journey and immediately noticed how incredibly comfortable the drivers seat was. I asked the salesman if there was a MyPillow under me because that's what it felt like. But I don't know, if an older Model S is out of my price range then a new Model 3 is WAY out of my price range. My limit is $600 monthly or it doesn't make sense. I guess I will just save as much money I can in the next few years so I can put a nicer down payment on one and just stare at my Gen 3 Charger I just won on eBay.

Shop the used Model 3’s - you will find one pretty close to your budget. Carvana (although they go fast) and plenty of others.

 

[3Volts2aTes]

You would think so, but many model 3s are selling used for at, or more than, prices of new model 3s due to the current used car market.. Finding a 41k used model 3 would likely be a serious struggle. I didnt read to see if the OP upped their budget but the budget of 41k would need to be upped a bit to start looking at most used model 3s.

Low to mid 40’s seems to be pretty common, if we are talking a SR+, which seems like it would fit the OP’s use case. I agree 41 would take a lot of looking, but I have seen (recently) 42 and 43-45. I also agree it is more than a lot of those cars sold for new - but that is the market now.

 

[Plood]

It’s not enough to warn IF a battery pack needs to be replaced. To make a good decision one must understand the probability in the pertinent time frame.