Would you make this trade? (New SR+ for used AWD)

[acarney]

So I’m kinda stuck on not being able to refinance my 2019 SR+ because NADA doesn’t have a published value for it yet.

My current SR+ is a blue with white interior with just under 7,000 miles on it. I have Xpel Ultimate PPF on the full front (bumper, fenders, hood, mirrors, rockers, a-pillar back to the trunk) and windshield and side windows tinted.

I’m now debating selling the SR+ (Carvana is offering $39k right now) and I have a couple options.

Get a 2020 White/Black SR+ and enough left over for 100% PPF coverage (Xpel Ultimate) and window tint.

Get a 2020 in any color up to blue with white interior and full front PPF and tint and pay about $10/mo less than I do now... or get red and pay about $10/mo more than now

Get a 2018 LR AWD with 8k to 12k miles but no guarantee on color combos and be paying about the same as I do now but NO PPF or tint. (Probably tint by next spring, but maybe no PPF if I have some scratches or chips by then...)

Right now the used AWD option would be MSM/white with about 10k miles. But I don’t hold my breath on any car until I have a deposit on it.

My concern is only have 2 years on the warranty and only six on the drive motors and battery. While it’s low mileage I don’t know how much pain I could be getting into by giving up 50% of the bumper to bumper and some of the battery one... I also don’t know if I would be kicking myself the first rock chip it get...

 

[acarney]

A couple notes;

I actually like all the colors. I’m very happy with blue... but I kinda wish I had picked red. At the same time white looks very classy to me, but I’ve had a white car before so I thought something different would be nice. I think I would miss my blue for any other color, but I don’t think the color is a deal breaker either... can I just have one of each?

I love how beautiful the white interior looks. That said, I am a little cautious on dye transfer. I have some jeans that did start transferring after only a week. I’ve switch to white or black jeans (the black are fine oddly) but that is a factor years down the road that it might not stay pristine and/or with black I just don’t need to worry about it. I’ve heard the white seats are a little softer or more plush, but Tesla doesn’t specifically state they’re different other than color... again that’s a toss up for me.

I really wanted the extra range and the winter traction of the AWD but it was out of my price at the time. But I also worry a little about buying used... and especially a car before 2019...

 

[McFlurri]

A couple notes;

I actually like all the colors. I’m very happy with blue... but I kinda wish I had picked red. At the same time white looks very classy to me, but I’ve had a white car before so I thought something different would be nice. I think I would miss my blue for any other color, but I don’t think the color is a deal breaker either... can I just have one of each?

I love how beautiful the white interior looks. That said, I am a little cautious on dye transfer. I have some jeans that did start transferring after only a week. I’ve switch to white or black jeans (the black are fine oddly) but that is a factor years down the road that it might not stay pristine and/or with black I just don’t need to worry about it. I’ve heard the white seats are a little softer or more plush, but Tesla doesn’t specifically state they’re different other than color... again that’s a toss up for me.

I really wanted the extra range and the winter traction of the AWD but it was out of my price at the time. But I also worry a little about buying used... and especially a car before 2019...

My 2018 RWD has been great.

Not sure why you are worried. You get more for the same price.

Get the AWD!

 

[acarney]

So it’s showing as a 2018 AWD but using Tesla-Info checking the VIN it suggests the car was factory gated on March 6th 2019 and first registered on March 31st 2019. Could it really be possible that a 2018 Model 3 could have been built in early 2019? The VIN is in the 180k range...

I was told my SR+ was built in July of 2019 and has a vin 431xxx. Surely this used AWD must be a mistake right? Or could there be a chance it was held up in the factory for whatever reason and had already been assigned a VIN before it rolled out?

 

[EnrgyNDpndnce]

My advice would be to do whatever reduces your level of debt to zero the fastest. If you like your current vehicle and the range works for you then keeping that is generally your best option. Don’t focus on monthly payment, rather on total debt load and reducing that to zero as quickly as possible.

Signed, dad.

 

[acarney]

My advice would be to do whatever reduces your level of debt to zero the fastest. If you like your current vehicle and the range works for you then keeping that is generally your best option. Don’t focus on monthly payment, rather on total debt load and reducing that to zero as quickly as possible.

Signed, dad.

Thanks dad!

The thing is, based on my interest and the much more favorable (rock bottom rates now), getting a new vehicle (from those options above) basically will make the total cost of ownership very close to the same. I’ll lose what I’ve paid these last 9 months... but I’ve used a vehicle for the last 9 months so I can kinda look at it as a short term lease. I give up something in each case, premium color options, used instead of new, etc. But overall it doesn’t extend my term really (I think by one month) and my payments remain the same, +/- $10 or so in one of the options.

If I could refinance my current one that would save me like $60/mo without extending my term, and I would absolutely go for that. Otherwise I kinda feel screwed right now since I could either have a new car (but same as I have now) for the same price or a higher spec car, but a year old.

The price drop Tesla did, plus Carvana’s weirdly high value, and lower interest rates all combine into their weird situation of basically not amounting to more out of pocket over the term of the loan.

(obviously loan to value would be higher right away, but more of the principal would be paid off each month compared to my current situation)

 

[jjrandorin]

I dont understand at all selling your SR+ to buy another SR+ if the car has not been problematic. What would you actually be losing in your "short term lease" scenario? Look at the total spent on the car, including the PPF, tax, whatever, and subtract the carvana offer from that number, then divide it by the 9 months you have had the car.

THAT would be your monthly payment number you actually spent. I totally get trading up, etc. Sometimes the money doesnt matter, but in no way, shape or form is getting a new SR+ after owning a slightly older one a "trade up, unless you consider things like some reports of a quieter cabin (traded for the things tesla removed) as a trade up.

If you are going to eat the money, then actually trade up in a way you would notice. I personally dont put a lot of value on PPF... I am going to drive my car, and if I dont like the rock chips in 3-4 years, I will likely have it wrapped in a different color to make me feel like I got a new car. Would rather pay for a wrap to change color rather than a wrap to protect tesla's already sub par paint job.

I do place value on tint, because it makes the car less hot inside for me, and gives it the look I want.

I personally see zero value in trading your car in on any option that gets you the same trim level back as a new car, especially if your current one has not been problematic.

EDIT: I never answered your thread question title. Your SR+ isnt new, so you wouldnt be trading it for a used AWD.

The choices are actually keep your car, sell your car and buy the same one for some reason, or sell your car and buy a used LR AWD. I would keep my car, save my money, and then buy a new one LR AWD later, not a used one.. maybe in a couple years when tesla may have introduced a new version, etc.

 

[PNWLeccy]

I’m now debating selling the SR+ (Carvana is offering $39k right now) and I have a couple options.

This does seem like a pretty high offer considering I just got offered 37.6k from Carvana for a 18" LR RWD w/ 10.5k mi. Tesla only offered $32.8k (they offered $37.4k about 3 months ago)

 

[acarney]

I dont understand at all selling your SR+ to buy another SR+ if the car has not been problematic. What would you actually be losing in your "short term lease" scenario? Look at the total spent on the car, including the PPF, tax, whatever, and subtract the carvana offer from that number, then divide it by the 9 months you have had the car.

THAT would be your monthly payment number you actually spent. I totally get trading up, etc. Sometimes the money doesnt matter, but in no way, shape or form is getting a new SR+ after owning a slightly older one a "trade up, unless you consider things like some reports of a quieter cabin (traded for the things tesla removed) as a trade up.

If you are going to eat the money, then actually trade up in a way you would notice. I personally dont put a lot of value on PPF... I am going to drive my car, and if I dont like the rock chips in 3-4 years, I will likely have it wrapped in a different color to make me feel like I got a new car. Would rather pay for a wrap to change color rather than a wrap to protect tesla's already sub par paint job.

I do place value on tint, because it makes the car less hot inside for me, and gives it the look I want.

I personally see zero value in trading your car in on any option that gets you the same trim level back as a new car, especially if your current one has not been problematic.

EDIT: I never answered your thread question title. Your SR+ isnt new, so you wouldnt be trading it for a used AWD.

The choices are actually keep your car, sell your car and buy the same one for some reason, or sell your car and buy a used LR AWD. I would keep my car, save my money, and then buy a new one LR AWD later, not a used one.. maybe in a couple years when tesla may have introduced a new version, etc.

Ok, so the difference between what I paid for my SR+ (including tax and everything) and my trade offer is $4,749 for almost a year (I took delivery mid August of 2019). So that's like $431/mo if you think of the monthly cost for the car. That's not far off from the lease of my Chevy Volt before the Tesla and I spent at least $100 to $200 a year in gas on the Volt AND the Tesla is a heck of a lot more fun. Now you're right, I spent money on PPF and tint, about $2,500 worth. So the tint cost adds another $227/mo to that cost. So that's like ~$660/mo for the use of a Model 3 SR+ with PPF and tint.

Because of the price drop on the Model 3, and if I didn't get the $2,000 in upgrades (blue paint and white interior) the total paid from today including interest is within $1,000 of the current car I have. BUT, I would have one extra year of warranty, a slightly more efficient Model 3 (250 miles vs 240 miles), and FULL ppf on the whole car. So if I put a lot of weight on a warranty and the ease of washing the car with 100% PPF (I really wanted complete coverage before but it was out of my price range at delivery) then that seems like a sweet deal. If I don't care trading in the white interior and blue exterior.

So I feel like I get some extras in the sense that it's a brand new car all over again, not my one year old car, and flawless and protected (or at least as much as Tesla deliveries a flawless car). My current one already has very very minor swirls on the back, no one else notices, but I do, and it bugs me already.

On the flip side, the same situation almost works out but for the Long Range AWD. I wanted the long range at the time I ordered, but I just couldn't swing it. Now I could get a 2018 with 10k miles on it, the same white interior I already like, and MSM, which again I like all the colors. BUT, how much should I be concerned on only having 2 years left of the warranty? It also would be used... it looks great in pictures, but there might be swirls or a couple little rock chips, it hasn't been babied by me since day one, etc...

 

[acarney]

This does seem like a pretty high offer considering I just got offered 37.6k from Carvana for a 18" LR RWD w/ 10.5k mi. Tesla only offered $32.8k (they offered $37.4k about 3 months ago)

It's an insane offer, I can't figure them out at all. Tesla offered me $30,200 just a couple days ago.