What is your true Model 3 budget?

[Woosie]

I never saw a HUD option which I think many here would purchase. I don't feel it'll be part of the $35K base car, because the essential info is close to the driver's right hand.

 

[Canuck]

Model S logic is funny sometimes. you would be surprised to find that u would rather haul something in your Model S than drive your other car. The same will probably be true of the Model 3. and at that point. cubic carrying capacity will come into play.

That's so true. I have a Model S and a Tahoe Hybrid. I recently found myself packing a patio slider screen door into the S (amazingly it fit!), plus a ton of other stuff for my cabin and leaving the Tahoe behind. It's amazing all the building supplies you can fit into a Model S and -- if I can make it fit -- I'm driving it instead of the Tahoe. It's such a drag driving an ICE after driving a Tesla. If only it could tow my boat!

People who say their other vehicles are trucks and they don't need a hatch back likely haven't driven a Tesla. I thought the same thing, and I thought no way would I load crap into my new S when the Tahoe is for that, until I got the S. Then that reasoning sure went out the window fast!

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Technically "unlimited," but I don't expect to pay more than $60k, based on Elon's tweets and educated guesswork.

 

[Ardie]

I have decided that I won't be torturing myself with a self-imposed budget. At least not at this early stage in the game.
Suppose I set myself a budget of, say, $50,000, and then I find out that Tesla has priced the Model 3 with my list of options at something more like $55,750. I will then spend the next several days/weeks/months agonizing over the additional cost that I will have to endure to acquire the car of my dreams.

So I'm taking the attitude of "whatever it costs, that's what I will pay (within reason)." So as long as its "within reason," which may be something more like < $60,000, then it won't bother me. And it won't bother my better half. Much.

Many (many!) years ago, I bought a new sports car. They saw me coming a mile off. I got a rotten deal on the price, I got a rotten deal on the trade-in, I got gouged on the loan interest rate, but the sour taste of the buying experience was gone in a day. I loved driving that car for over 200,000 miles. And that's what counts.

-- Ardie.
Life is short. And getting shorter every day.

 

[doublejj]

[QUOTE="

-- Ardie.
Life is short. And getting shorter every day.[/QUOTE]

I'm a US Army Vietnam Veteran & I've been living on borrowed time since 1969....I feel you

 

[jbcarioca]

I will be financing, so I am more concerned with monthly payment. Right now about $500 a month would fit nicely in my budget. But if there are some compelling options I am definitely willing to go above that. The silver lining of the car not being delivered for ~2 years is an opportunity to save for more down payment and no need to commit to a specific budget for quite some time.

It will depend on what happens between now and then... (Like if I still have a job.)

But look at my estimates:
Base $ 35,000.00
Supercharging $ 1,500.00
Paint $ 1,000.00
Larger battery $ 7,500.00
AWD $ 4,000.00
Wheels $ 2,500.00
Auto-Pilot $ 2,500.00
Leather Seats $ 2,000.00
Premium Interior $ 2,500.00
Panoramic Roof $ 1,500.00
Fancy trim (Carbon fiber) $ 750.00
HiFi $ 2,000.00
Sub-Zero $ 1,000.00
Peformance $ 10,000.00
Ludicrous $ 5,000.00
High amp charger $ 1,000.00
Towing option $ 750.00
Smart Air Suspension $ 2,500.00
Carbon Fiber Spoiler $ 1,000.00
Grand total: $84,000.00

I came up with US$99,000 for the one I chose for US, my price is that of a BMW M3 equipped as I would do it, assuming that Tesla will nearly match the BMW pricing range as they do with the S vs BMW 7 series.

I also ordered one for Brazil, where the 3 should be easily not more than 60% of the equivalent BMW 3 series because the Tesla will be exempt for import duties and for the state licensing tax which will be annually 0.5% for Rio de Janeiro vs 7% for the BMW. There I'll order a more basic one so I'll speculate it will end out being ~US$50,000, or maybe even less.

 

[doublejj]

I'm going to request a 10% military discount like I get at Burger King.....

 

[nime01]

Budget probably around $70k given the exchange rate at the moment. Hoping to be able to get a Px0D with a few options for that price.

( @jbcarioca, is that you from the old mp/kiva team? )

 

[danox574]

I have a lot of cars, I am not trying to make this car into all things. Range upgrades won't matter (there are enough jobs around my local area for me), daily driver performance levels don't need to be high (already have fast cars), long trips are going to be in other cars generally, supercharging doesn't fit with how I see myself using it. Not a vegan. AWD here in my snowy area could be important, I do like heated seats and convince features, and if there are higher end stereo options, I will pay attention to those. Most of the things mentioned don't do much for me. Wife will have the car during the summer months plenty as well as I will pull out the sports cars with manual transmissions and no autopilots. She could care less about much in the way of options either.

 

[ucmndd]

Like many, the likelihood of being able to capitalize on federal/state/local incentives would play a significant role in my configuration choices and budget. If, at the time I was invited to configure, it seemed likely that I could receive those incentives by building a more highly optioned car and ensuring quicker delivery, then I would be inclined to do that. If that was impossible or seemed unlikely, I'd probably be a bit more thrifty and wait longer for the car configured with only the options I deemed mandatory.

For me, fed/state/local incentives currently add up to $13,000 - a fairly large chunk of change.

 

[kablammyman]

looking to spend 50k ish, and it will mostly be for performance, no cowbells in the interior or exterior. I drive cars from the 80s and 90s, so even the basic interior options will feel like luxury to me

 

[zuwarrior14]

Like many, the likelihood of being able to capitalize on federal/state/local incentives would play a significant role in my configuration choices and budget. If, at the time I was invited to configure, it seemed likely that I could receive those incentives by building a more highly optioned car and ensuring quicker delivery, then I would be inclined to do that. If that was impossible or seemed unlikely, I'd probably be a bit more thrifty and wait longer for the car configured with only the options I deemed mandatory.

For me, fed/state/local incentives currently add up to $13,000 - a fairly large chunk of change.

I live in California and I am curious where did you get the $3K extra tax incentive?

 

[Darryl]

Model 3 Base is half that of a Model X Base. $35 vs $70k. If you project that the top of the Model 3 will be half of a top of a Model X which is $165 before taxes or $83k. Add the average sales tax in most states makes the top $90k with taxes.

 

[ucmndd]

I live in California and I am curious where did you get the $3K extra tax incentive?

I am in the San Joaquin Valley - the local air pollution control district has its own rebate program with a max incentive of $3k for BEVs.

Grant and Incentive Programs

Though it's unclear whether or not there will still be funds available in the program 2 years from now.

 

[chadever]

41.4% are 35-45k. Hope we all get $7,500 or more in tax credits!

 

[ModelNforNerd]

41.4% are 35-45k. Hope we all get $7,500 or more in tax credits!

that number warms my heart.....

I'm closer to the front than I thought!!!

 

[anticitizen13.7]

I am expecting a modestly optioned Model 3 with metallic paint, enabled Autopilot convenience features, and Supercharging to run about 40k. With a larger battery and AWD, I'm expecting 51k.

I honestly do not know what my budget will be, as the purchase decision is years away and my financial situation may have changed by then.

 

[mistermonty705]

I honestly will be happy with the base model in black, plus awd. I barely drive now that i work from home. one half tank of gas can last me a month. However, depending on how many extra miles a larger battery will add, i may upgrade. For road trip purposes

 

[igorEV]

Base model, pay per use supercharging. If after our tax credits it's around 25-27k that's all I want

 

[voip-ninja]

My current ride is a leased 340xi with an MSRP of $58,000. It's fairly loaded with leather interior, m-sport, AWD, HK sound, convenience features, top/surround parking cameras, etc.

I would not want to spend more than that on a model 3 and I wouldn't want to sacrifice what I am driving now so we will see.

While EVs offer some long term savings over ICE cars, they still need to compete with them. The Model 3 is not a niche luxe novelty like the model s. It is the mass market Tesla and is going to be going head to head with ICE vehicles in same segment like C class, BMW 3, Audi A4, etc.

I can't possibly see a $85K+ model 3 when those cars top out with everything imaginable for around $62K.