5 ms·

Teslas aren't exceedingly expensive. They're not cheap, but they're not iPod vs Amazon MP3 expensive.

by dangayle 13y ago

Locke1689 13y ago
Compared to what? A Tesla isn't anywhere near my price range (and I drive a C-class).
- toomuchtodo 13y ago
  My Infiniti payment is something like ~$550/month. To go to a Model S would only cost me ~$800 more per month, which is 5 hours of my time from a billable perspective. Yes, the payment is higher, but I'd have no fuel expenses (currently ~$350/month), so technically its only $450 more a month (3 hours of my time).
  - Locke1689 13y ago
    That just indicates that you make enough money to buy a more expensive car, not that the Tesla is not significantly more expensive (i.e., about double what you are paying).
    - toomuchtodo 13y ago
      That's entirely fair. I didn't look at it that way. What do we consider affordable? I haven't had the time to do this, but you could take US Census data (average/median income per zip code), derive a formula for percentrage of income someone can spend on transportation, and thereby determine what affordable is. A Model S is definitely a luxury item at this time; on the other hand, if it was self-driving, and could roll into bays to recharge all in software, with access being on-demand (Uber, with no drivers), they wouldn't be expensive. It would be the same as a company buying airplanes and selling seats on said expensive aircraft. Maybe we're looking at Tesla wrong. They're not selling luxury cars; they're bootstrapping a mobility company by selling to the wealthy.
      - Locke1689 13y ago
        Maybe we're looking at Tesla wrong. They're not selling luxury cars; they're bootstrapping a mobility company by selling to the wealthy. I would agree with this statement 100%.
        darkmighty 13y ago
        It's the best strategy also because it makes sense to them to produce a car that has a controlled demand, since they're essentially limited by battery production. It also showcases the quality of the brand, associating it with reliability and luxury -- and it's a sedan, which has a smaller power requirement than other luxurious classes.
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        > and it's a sedan, which has a smaller power requirement than other luxurious classes. Model S vs the new Corvette Stingray https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VOqWlOrlkIg https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VOqW... If you need more power than that, you might as well bolt a turbine engine on your car.
      - Tossrock 13y ago
        That is actually what Elon Musk has explicitly said: http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-just-between-you-and-me http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-p... "1. Build sports car 2. Use that money to build an affordable car 3. Use that money to build an even more affordable car"
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        Yes, but you're assuming those affordable cars are for purchase. If Elon can make them self-driving, you get the benefit of never having all the expenses that go with vehicle ownership, and he makes the spread between an expensive electric transportation appliance and people paying dirt cheap rates to get from A->B (because electric is so much cheaper per mile than petroleum).
  - dangayle 13y ago
    If you went with the 60 kWh Model S, your payment would only go up $130, INCLUDING gas. If you're spending $350 a month in gas, you'd actually save money over your Infinity. http://www.teslamotors.com/true-cost-of-ownership http://www.teslamotors.com/true-cost-of-ownership
    - toomuchtodo 13y ago
      Think you just sold me on one. Well done :) I'm not worried about going with the smaller pack; it only takes 90 seconds to swap it with a new, higher capacity pack down the road.
  - josephlord 13y ago
    So at 3 hours per month you are talking about 36 hours per year or three to four days of holiday (depending on the length of your work day). That sounds significant to me. It might be worth it but there are other ways to spend that time and money.
    - toomuchtodo 13y ago
      We each value our time differently. 3 hours per month is more than acceptable to me.

Teslas aren't exceedingly expensive. They're not cheap, but they're not iPod vs Amazon MP3 expensive.

Locke1689 13y ago

Compared to what? A Tesla isn't anywhere near my price range (and I drive a C-class).

toomuchtodo 13y ago
My Infiniti payment is something like ~$550/month. To go to a Model S would only cost me ~$800 more per month, which is 5 hours of my time from a billable perspective. Yes, the payment is higher, but I'd have no fuel expenses (currently ~$350/month), so technically its only $450 more a month (3 hours of my time).
- Locke1689 13y ago
  That just indicates that you make enough money to buy a more expensive car, not that the Tesla is not significantly more expensive (i.e., about double what you are paying).
  - toomuchtodo 13y ago
    That's entirely fair. I didn't look at it that way. What do we consider affordable? I haven't had the time to do this, but you could take US Census data (average/median income per zip code), derive a formula for percentrage of income someone can spend on transportation, and thereby determine what affordable is. A Model S is definitely a luxury item at this time; on the other hand, if it was self-driving, and could roll into bays to recharge all in software, with access being on-demand (Uber, with no drivers), they wouldn't be expensive. It would be the same as a company buying airplanes and selling seats on said expensive aircraft. Maybe we're looking at Tesla wrong. They're not selling luxury cars; they're bootstrapping a mobility company by selling to the wealthy.
    - Locke1689 13y ago
      Maybe we're looking at Tesla wrong. They're not selling luxury cars; they're bootstrapping a mobility company by selling to the wealthy. I would agree with this statement 100%.
      - darkmighty 13y ago
        It's the best strategy also because it makes sense to them to produce a car that has a controlled demand, since they're essentially limited by battery production. It also showcases the quality of the brand, associating it with reliability and luxury -- and it's a sedan, which has a smaller power requirement than other luxurious classes.
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        > and it's a sedan, which has a smaller power requirement than other luxurious classes. Model S vs the new Corvette Stingray https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VOqWlOrlkIg https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VOqW... If you need more power than that, you might as well bolt a turbine engine on your car.
    - Tossrock 13y ago
      That is actually what Elon Musk has explicitly said: http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-just-between-you-and-me http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-p... "1. Build sports car 2. Use that money to build an affordable car 3. Use that money to build an even more affordable car"
      - toomuchtodo 13y ago
        Yes, but you're assuming those affordable cars are for purchase. If Elon can make them self-driving, you get the benefit of never having all the expenses that go with vehicle ownership, and he makes the spread between an expensive electric transportation appliance and people paying dirt cheap rates to get from A->B (because electric is so much cheaper per mile than petroleum).
- dangayle 13y ago
  If you went with the 60 kWh Model S, your payment would only go up $130, INCLUDING gas. If you're spending $350 a month in gas, you'd actually save money over your Infinity. http://www.teslamotors.com/true-cost-of-ownership http://www.teslamotors.com/true-cost-of-ownership
  - toomuchtodo 13y ago
    Think you just sold me on one. Well done :) I'm not worried about going with the smaller pack; it only takes 90 seconds to swap it with a new, higher capacity pack down the road.
- josephlord 13y ago
  So at 3 hours per month you are talking about 36 hours per year or three to four days of holiday (depending on the length of your work day). That sounds significant to me. It might be worth it but there are other ways to spend that time and money.
  - toomuchtodo 13y ago
    We each value our time differently. 3 hours per month is more than acceptable to me.