Tesla Model 3 Approach

I put down my $1000 for a Model 3 deposit on March 31 2016, around 1:30pm eastern time. That probably did not guarantee me a forward spot; I don’t own a Tesla and I approach this car as a logical upgrade to my 2012 Miata–from affordable mid-life crisis to an entry level luxury vehicle slash fun toy.

There is no other way to look at the Model 3 as a car than as an entry level luxury car, if we want to talk cars, not religion or philosophy or buy/sell opportunities (securities). Every major milestone as a brand new car, the Model 3 has passed–it drives fun and it has all the amenities, on par with a BMW 3 series or the CLK. The only thing that really nags me is the price, which I expected going in.

That doesn’t make a Model 3 a good deal actually. For my limited use cases, the Mode 3 is going to impinge my road trip abilities, although for the most part I only long-distance-drive between NJ and Bmore/NoVa, and occasionally up to Toronto–routes all well-served by superchargers (and non-superchargers, FWIW). Round trip from my house to Otakon is about 320 miles. Add another 100 to go to Fairfax. One stop is all that’s needed. OTOH I would have to upgrade to the 310mi trim for the trip to ANorth, that’s over 420 miles one way.

I average maybe 3000 miles every year, so I am a very light driver.

But my mind falls into this “crevice” in the sense that I see Tesla trying to overcome the barrier between electric-car buyers and car buyers. To sweeten the deal they are offering a product that has to be superior than the market’s comparatively priced offering. That’s added value. But let’s be clear on what I’m laying out for.

Base model: 35000
Interior upgrade: 5000 – because I’m a creature of comfort and so far no reviews are available for the base interior, so just planning for the worst
Autopilot: 5000+3000 – probably can defer this as a later purchase, but it’s in the plans
19″ wheel: 1500 – I might be ok with Aero wheels but so far, again, not many pics of this to know how it looks.

So at least 45000*, if I put off full auto purchase later. If I get lucky with the 7500 incentive that makes this car a whole $10000 more than my current car. There’s also the $1200 delivery cost and probably another $1000 for the NVM 15-40 installation for the house charger (although I drive so little that I could probably forego this.)

There are no reviews of the base 35000 tier, so that’s kind of a big ? that will persist until they start to make the thing, come November or so.

*The danger here is that the Model 3, at base trim without the premium interior package, feels like a Camry? It doesn’t have power rear view mirrors even. We don’t know what material the cabin is going to be made of, or that if it has a glass roof or not for the front of the cabin. The premium package isn’t leather, but leather-like, so it gets a pass for me, but at this price range it would be a real value miss to not have that.