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While not direct competitors, I am sure there is some cross shopping between Model 3 and Camry, since a loaded Camry can cost well over $30k. I don't remember where I saw it but there was an article I read that aggregated the data for Model 3 owners and their trade ins. A major portion of the owners came from non-luxury makes.
I do think the Model 3 is a bargain in terms of operating costs for a car that performs like it does.
Nice, I was pretty sure that was the case though I never dug up any reports on that.
Yea, Model 3 seems like a pretty fantastic bargain given its price, operating costs, and how fun it is to drive. It’s a really solid car—hard stop. Not just good for the category of electric vehicles.
Were I to be cross-shopping new "entry level luxury sedans" - Tesla Model 3, BMW 3-series, Mercedes C-class, Lexus IS350 - I'd probably choose the Tesla. Even with Camry/Accord/Altima, as new cars, the cost-comparison may in some cases favor the Tesla.
But my perspective is that of a bottom-feeder. I buy a car after the second owner's son's girlfriend refuses to keep driving it, because the engine makes weird knocking noises and the steering wheel vibrates and the A/C no longer works. In that market, Tesla simply isn't a player - at least not yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ziggy100
...
What can you expect from CleanTechnica ...aka “Tesla’s propaganda machine”?
Even Clean Technica admits that Teslas are a poor choice for bottom-feeders, who only buy cars after they've depreciated to <10% of their original value. Indeed, the whole argument is new vs. new (Tesla vs. BMW vs. Toyota), or at most gently used vs. gently used.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OutdoorLover
...EVs have no transmission to service, and an electric motor is far simpler and has less to service than an internal combustion engine. These things do matter.
They do matter, but a consideration that’s often left-out, is that older lower-end economy-oriented cars have a particular robustness to rough usage and shoddy maintenance. Corollas/Camrys from the 1990s are still doing fine. How many Tesla Model-3’s will remain roadworthy in the year 2040?
A Corolla is a vehicle that a lot of people buy when they’re younger and couldn’t get financing for anything much more expensive. Teslas used to qualify for a $7,500 tax credit, but it’s slowly sunsetting.
If someone were considering a BMW 3-Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class, then I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending a Tesla Model 3. Those three vehicles are similarly priced and sized.
Wow!
I live in a 7 figure house, and own 2 Corollas. I can afford way more, who cares it's a car. Every day it looses value.
Again, what are the logistics of replacing a bad “module” in the Tesla battery? Seems like a major disassembly task to drop the battery and open it up for service. Do they swap the entire battery instead? If so, what a PITA.
It's major no matter what.
Given that any of these things would be 8 yrs old or have 100K+ miles on it, it's probably not worth doing.
Rebuild Rich on YouTube (he oughta know) says $20,000 for a new pack. Don't know if that includes installation.
The only (mostly) EV I can think of where a battery might be worth doing would be a Cadillac ELR.
It was quite an expensive car when new and a battery pack is much less... no more than $10K installed.
Short range EVs and Volt, forget about it.
Given that any of these things would be 8 yrs old or have 100K+ miles on it, it's probably not worth doing.
Rebuild Rich on YouTube (he oughta know) says $20,000 for a new pack. Don't know if that includes installation.
Elon Musk tweeted: "Model 3 drive unit & body is designed like a commercial truck for a million mile life. Current battery modules should last 300k to 500k miles (1500 cycles). Replacing modules (not pack) will only cost $5k to $7k."
Is he wrong? If I could buy a deeply discounted used 8 year old Model 3 with over 100k miles and spend $7k to get me 300k more miles, I'd do it.
Probably about right. Not much to do besides rotate tires, look at the brake fluid, and change the battery coolant. Tesla charges outlandish amounts of money for maintenance though so done at a Tesla service center that could be correct. Honestly I doubt 10% of people actually follow the maintenance schedule. I don't know anyone that goes in for tire rotations outside of oil changes and since there's no oil changes they probably just don't get rotated.
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