5 ms·

Damn - really looking to buy one... only if the price was actually $35k - not $60k

by mtw 8y ago

mtgx 8y ago
It's not the only factor, but it's a shame Musk really wanted to put the Autopilot hardware into all Model 3s. I think that increased the base price of the car by at least $5,000.
- Cshelton 8y ago
  The autopilot hardware IS in every single car. Every autopilot feature as of now is a software feature flag. That's why you can buy "Enhanced Autopilot" and "Full Self Driving" features after your car is delivered at any time. Someday when Tesla has scaled up, those features will most likely be standard. Right now, they are trying to be profitable and a high number of current orders are willing to pay for at least the Enhanced Autopilot.
- martythemaniak 8y ago
  The 35k version is still on track for a few months from now. The autopilot hardware does not add 5k and the basic safety features are included in the base model (crash warning, emergency breaking) etc. What costs 5k is the convinience of on ramp to off ramp autopilot.
rconti 8y ago
$60k is FUD. It's $50k. Inflating the price by 20% does not add credibility to your argument. I, too, was hoping for a $35k Model 3, but when it came time to pull the trigger, I realized I'd want the $5000 Premium package regardless, so it wasn't hard to talk myself into the extra $9k for the bigger battery when considering the guaranteed tax incentives vs the unknown ETA of the mythical "short range" car.
- mtw 8y ago
  There are 2 reasons to buy a Tesla - electric power, and self-driving capability. If I don't get full self-driving, I can get a Jaguar, a Hyundai or a Nissan Leaf. These are cheaper or have more options and better return for your dollar. On the configurator, it gives me $58.4K with the base motor
  - rconti 8y ago
    As a followup comment mentioned, the Supercharger network is a huge plus; whether or not road trips are possible with other DC Fast Charging networks on another manufacturer's car, the seamlessness of the Supercharger experience from the number of installed units, to realtime charger status on your nav screen means it can't be beat. If nothing else, it solves for the uncertainty, even if that's just FUD. I still think the 3 is hard to beat for the combination of real-world usability, range, and tech. I think it's a fantastic car in its own right; I preferred it to the options that were available at the time, which did not include the Jag or Hyundai. Googling it now, the Jag starts at $20k more than our 3, is "available in the fall" and has a much crappier range. The Hyundai is like the Leaf and eGolf; $30-$35k for an extremely limited range and performance vehicle. If you don't mind spending that much money on what is solely a commuter car, that's fine. With Tesla I'm able to use it as a commuter and as a nice weekend getaway and roadtrip vehicle. I did the 14 day autopilot trial, and... it works, but I'm more nervous using it than just driving myself. I certainly don't want to be a beta tester of this stuff at 70mph. It was occasionally nice in traffic jams, but not $5k nice. Put simply, every other car I've owned, I had to drive myself. And I don't mind it; in fact, I enjoy driving. The 3 is pleasant to drive, so I don't see why I wouldn't want to. Some folks on the forums disagree and think the only reason to buy one is autopilot/FSD. They're welcome to their opinion, but I don't share it.
  - aembleton 8y ago
    Tesla also gives you access to a supercharger network that you won't get with the other brands.
  - Latteland 8y ago
    But none of those cars are practical for long distance travel. Superchargers are only for the tesla (today at least, it must be in a few years other companies will make competitors?) and that makes them vastly more practical for long distance travel. For a few 100 mile trips the other cars are okay. So add #3 distance travel. #4 way better consumer electronics and ui.
- reitzensteinm 8y ago
  Calling $60k FUD is way overboard considering that's the average selling price...
  - rconti 8y ago
    That was about the absolute most you could possibly pay for one (assuming you ordered the 19" wheels AND paid for autopilot AND paid to pre-order FSD) until they started shipping the Dual Motor and Performance models, what, 1 month ago? When 60k was the max, it couldn't have been the average, and now that there's been a sudden backlog of AWD/Performance demand being satisfied, the numbers are being skewed up similarly. There's no way 60k can possibly be the average of all sold 3s. And, regardless, in the context of parent's post "if only it was $35k instead of $60k", the correct way to phrase it would have been "if only it was $35k instead of $50k".
    - reitzensteinm 8y ago
      The averages went from $55k to $56k to $60k in the last three quarters. Including Autopilot and FSD does actually make sense, considering at the $35k unveiling Musk joked it wouldn't have a steering wheel... A reasonable person with the facts at hand could have written what OP did. Calling it FUD is straight up uncalled for, even if your argument is correct.

Damn - really looking to buy one... only if the price was actually $35k - not $60k

by mtw 8y ago

Damn - really looking to buy one... only if the price was actually $35k - not $60k

mtgx 8y ago

It's not the only factor, but it's a shame Musk really wanted to put the Autopilot hardware into all Model 3s. I think that increased the base price of the car by at least $5,000.

Cshelton 8y ago
The autopilot hardware IS in every single car. Every autopilot feature as of now is a software feature flag. That's why you can buy "Enhanced Autopilot" and "Full Self Driving" features after your car is delivered at any time. Someday when Tesla has scaled up, those features will most likely be standard. Right now, they are trying to be profitable and a high number of current orders are willing to pay for at least the Enhanced Autopilot.
martythemaniak 8y ago
The 35k version is still on track for a few months from now. The autopilot hardware does not add 5k and the basic safety features are included in the base model (crash warning, emergency breaking) etc. What costs 5k is the convinience of on ramp to off ramp autopilot.

rconti 8y ago

$60k is FUD. It's $50k. Inflating the price by 20% does not add credibility to your argument. I, too, was hoping for a $35k Model 3, but when it came time to pull the trigger, I realized I'd want the $5000 Premium package regardless, so it wasn't hard to talk myself into the extra $9k for the bigger battery when considering the guaranteed tax incentives vs the unknown ETA of the mythical "short range" car.

mtw 8y ago
There are 2 reasons to buy a Tesla - electric power, and self-driving capability. If I don't get full self-driving, I can get a Jaguar, a Hyundai or a Nissan Leaf. These are cheaper or have more options and better return for your dollar. On the configurator, it gives me $58.4K with the base motor
- rconti 8y ago
  As a followup comment mentioned, the Supercharger network is a huge plus; whether or not road trips are possible with other DC Fast Charging networks on another manufacturer's car, the seamlessness of the Supercharger experience from the number of installed units, to realtime charger status on your nav screen means it can't be beat. If nothing else, it solves for the uncertainty, even if that's just FUD. I still think the 3 is hard to beat for the combination of real-world usability, range, and tech. I think it's a fantastic car in its own right; I preferred it to the options that were available at the time, which did not include the Jag or Hyundai. Googling it now, the Jag starts at $20k more than our 3, is "available in the fall" and has a much crappier range. The Hyundai is like the Leaf and eGolf; $30-$35k for an extremely limited range and performance vehicle. If you don't mind spending that much money on what is solely a commuter car, that's fine. With Tesla I'm able to use it as a commuter and as a nice weekend getaway and roadtrip vehicle. I did the 14 day autopilot trial, and... it works, but I'm more nervous using it than just driving myself. I certainly don't want to be a beta tester of this stuff at 70mph. It was occasionally nice in traffic jams, but not $5k nice. Put simply, every other car I've owned, I had to drive myself. And I don't mind it; in fact, I enjoy driving. The 3 is pleasant to drive, so I don't see why I wouldn't want to. Some folks on the forums disagree and think the only reason to buy one is autopilot/FSD. They're welcome to their opinion, but I don't share it.
- aembleton 8y ago
  Tesla also gives you access to a supercharger network that you won't get with the other brands.
- Latteland 8y ago
  But none of those cars are practical for long distance travel. Superchargers are only for the tesla (today at least, it must be in a few years other companies will make competitors?) and that makes them vastly more practical for long distance travel. For a few 100 mile trips the other cars are okay. So add #3 distance travel. #4 way better consumer electronics and ui.
reitzensteinm 8y ago
Calling $60k FUD is way overboard considering that's the average selling price...
- rconti 8y ago
  That was about the absolute most you could possibly pay for one (assuming you ordered the 19" wheels AND paid for autopilot AND paid to pre-order FSD) until they started shipping the Dual Motor and Performance models, what, 1 month ago? When 60k was the max, it couldn't have been the average, and now that there's been a sudden backlog of AWD/Performance demand being satisfied, the numbers are being skewed up similarly. There's no way 60k can possibly be the average of all sold 3s. And, regardless, in the context of parent's post "if only it was $35k instead of $60k", the correct way to phrase it would have been "if only it was $35k instead of $50k".
  - reitzensteinm 8y ago
    The averages went from $55k to $56k to $60k in the last three quarters. Including Autopilot and FSD does actually make sense, considering at the $35k unveiling Musk joked it wouldn't have a steering wheel... A reasonable person with the facts at hand could have written what OP did. Calling it FUD is straight up uncalled for, even if your argument is correct.