So I just happen to be browsing the exisitng and used inventory (like I have been since I ordered mine) and there hasnt been anything up. However today there were a bunch of standard and a few AWD LR, one of which happened to match my config which is basically an AWD LR with less than 100 miles on it they are offering 2000 off. I went ahead and scooped it up. I'm thinking it might be one somebody backed out on? Hopefully I can go check it out tomorrow but the pictures look good. Is 2000 off for a 2019 AWDLR with less than 100 miles a good amount off?
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Used inventory on Tesla site
- Thread starter Cronn
- Start date
Correct me if I’m wrong but the 1850 tax credit just means I get that off on my taxes next year. Wouldnt getting 2000 off the price now be essentially the same thing? What’s the benefit of 1850 tax credit vs 2000 now?
Nothing, you are correct... with the exception that you are taking a car with "less than 100 miles on it" that is being sold as used. That means it wasnt a demo, but someone likely bought it and returned it in a very short time.
We wont know why (but tesla will).
"occams razor"... sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one,. basically. We can speculate that someone returned it because they didnt have the money, bought too much car, found another car, etc etc...
Ot we can speculate that they bought it, and found some problem they couldnt live with and returned it within the 7 day window, making it now a used car with less than 100 miles on it.
You are paying new car price, for a car with "some unknown" history, for basically a $125 discount.
If I were you, the things I would ask tesla:
1. Has this car been titled, is it actually USED so I wont get the tax credit?
2. When is the cars "born on" date. What date was it actually manufacturered?
if this car was made a couple of months ago or more, I personally would RUN, not walk... because that would indicate to me there was some problem the original owner brought it back for, then tesla "fixed" (or got it good enough), and is now selling it.
I would also go over it with a fine toothed comb when picking it up,,, but I still likely wouldnt do it for such a small difference over "never been titled".
I kinda was thinking the same thing so I did a carfax on it and this is what I got...
Attachments
jonquiljo
Active Member
"Dealer took title of this car while it was in inventory?" What does that possibly mean? Loan or lien on the car.
But all this happened in California. How did it get to Texas?
jonquiljo
Active Member
I just looked within 200 miles in the SF Bay area and there are over 100 Model 3's - all SR+'s -- all listed as used with varying mileage. Most all of the colors. Not one AWD LR, or Performance car. Listed as "Clean."
What's all this about? Not one new vehicle, though.
What's all this about? Not one new vehicle, though.
Congratulations; you effectively paid more for a used car than a new one.
Factoring in the tax credit and depreciation on the used car, you got hosed. Back out if you can.
Yes, $2000 in your pocket today is better than an $1850 credit on your taxes next year, that is true and also means your sales tax obligation is less at purchase.
However, it merely just evens the field, or a couple hundred dollar advantage in your favor.
A used car is worth less due to depreciation and you are getting very little compensation for that.
A used car is worth less cause whenever you sell it you have to sell it as a multiple owned car, not a single owner and you are getting no compensation for that.
Not to mention the always present thought in the back of your head of why did a previous owner return it and/or what did they do to it?
I would personally prefer new unless given a discount more than one that just covers the rebate plus $150.
Now, if you were in a situation where you do not qualify for the Federal Rebate (which is true for some folks), than I might be more inclined to think the pricing is fair.
There are no new vehicles in inventory because they were all sold end of Q3 , that is Telsa's goal every quarter to sell all of the cars they make.
October production is to tackle overseas markets which require a month long boat journey so in order to sell Q4 they have to make them at the start.
US production will likely trickle to handle older custom orders that are still waiting until early Dec where all cars made in Dec will be sold in the US. This is basically how Tesla works currently.
July and August were exactly like this. Some new inventory came in but at a very slow rate to US locations. Then loads of Sept build cars starting hitting the dealerships in the US by mid-Sept and Telsa was in full on sales push to sell them all off by end of the month.
Tesla does not identify the location of used vehicles on their web site so everyone sees the 100+ inventory regardless of their location. The delivery fee of a used vehicle is $2,000 while the delivery fee of a new vehicle is $1,200 so you have to factor in the extra $800 you are paying for a used car, plus the possible loss of the federal tax rebate, when calculating the true cost. Generally this has resulted in Tesla’s used pricing making no sense and just being a bad value.
In theory, if you could locate a used vehicle within driving distance of your home you could negotiate away the $2,000 delivery fee. But it’s not easy to do when Tesla does not identify the location of any of their vehicles.
In theory, if you could locate a used vehicle within driving distance of your home you could negotiate away the $2,000 delivery fee. But it’s not easy to do when Tesla does not identify the location of any of their vehicles.
Good point, they used to only list within 200 miles if the website is aware of your location. They may have changed that now though for the search to show more results.
If you open the chat and ask about a Vin they should be able to quickly give you an answer where the vehicle is and yes if you drive to pick it up there is no delivery or destination charge.
Or any owner advisor can look this up, but that may take a bit to get an answer that way.
One other trick, is some of the cars show actual car images and have the Nav screen pictured. On the Nav screen map you sometimes can tell where the car is, many are at Mannheim Auction sites in only a handful of states in my experience, Telsa seems to contract them for storage on their used and I assume to take the pictures for them.
Im not an expert on this, but that seems to me that with the "odometer updated" in july of 2019 but the dealer "taking title of it in september of 2019 there was "something" that took 2 months to "do something with".
Maybe your risk tolerance is different, but there is no way in "heck" I would buy such a car with a $125 discount. Me personally, I would need at least 4k or more to even consider it, but my risk tolerance is very low for something that I want "new". Some people want "a deal". I value "brand new" more than I value "discount for a slightly used car". I personally would prefer a car that had a few thousand miles on it that was used as a demo, vs one that had VERY low miles like this... but again thats just me.
Good luck with your decision.
So after talking to some folks at my local Tesla store I cancelled my used order and I'm sticking with the new order. They said no matter what the website says they are seeing 21 days from order to delivery on avg for Texas orders. They said the latest would be mid Nov which is fine with me.
gigawatt1010
Member
Yeah I mean when a local Tesla person who has nothing to gain or lose by me keeping new or buying used suggests I do not buy the used one.... that pretty much was all I had to hear. As I was leaving the Tesla store I got a call from Fremont about the used order and I had them cancel it. It was quick, simple and painless.
jonquiljo
Active Member
Very good decision indeed! Your dealer is so optimistic about delivery. Some dealers are more optimistic than other, but only a few are predicting end of December like before. Tesla so often changes it’s plans - you never know.
Good luck!
gigawatt1010
Member
jonquiljo
Active Member
The threads show a lot of August deliveries in Q3. So either Q4 is different, or Tesla has new marching orders.
Tesla can easily make 20,000 - 25,000 cars a month. By the end of October, they should have enough for overseas deliveries. They have to sell $105,000 cars this quarter (2/3 are Model 3’s) to meet their guidelines. Tesla had 3000 cars in inventory at end of Q3 and was supposedly not happy about it.
To sell all NAmer cars in December will be impossible for Tesla. December is a very difficult month to do anything. Even shipping in bad weather is a mess. People also tend to spend fortunes in December, and could be spent out when their Tesla arrives. Trade-ins depreciate, loans expire - Tesla can’t just hold N American delivery for 2 months and expect an easy delivery season.
They have a plan - maybe - but we’ll be the last to know.
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