Why I could no longer wait for a Model 3, and got a used Model S instead

Work colleagues will know that I am a long term enthusiast and advocate of Electric Vehicles (EV’s).

In 2013, I purchased my own Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car with a 16kWh battery and range of about 120kms.

This opened a whole new World to me. I was suddenly an ‘expert’ on EV’s and received many invitations to speak about EV’s and display the car. I travelled interstate … and even to New Zealand … to speak about ‘An owners perspective on EV’s’.

On March 31, 2016, Elon Musk released his “Model 3” to the world with great fanfare – the biggest product launch in history.

I, like some 250,000 others paid a US$1000 deposit for this ‘car for the masses at an affordable price’ – ostensibly (but not yet) starting at US$35,000. At the time the AU$ was around 78 cents.

I started saving in earnest…..and sold the i-MiEV in anticipation, whilst it was still under Warranty and modest kms.

In the years since we have seen many ‘variants’ of the Model 3 released – with impressive performance. Dual motors became a ‘must have’ and the long range battery. The AU$ was declining….and the price of the features climbed.  No incentives were forthcoming from Australian Governments.

The ‘affordable’ Model 3 was rapidly getting very expensive…..so I re-doubled my savings efforts and my Tesla savings account grew.

I would occasionally look at car sales at the various EV’s available…..both new and second-hand….but the only vehicle with any decent range was the Tesla S and very expensive….and those awful dark colours that city people seem to like.

I spied what looked liked a ‘cheap’ Tesla – and made some enquiries with a friend. This vehicle was ‘dodgy as’ – a re-birthed statutory write-off. So much for a bargain.

But on January 21 this year that same friend gave me some advice that was to change my life – a website that ‘tracks’ official Tesla Inventory vehicles – that are trade-ins or demonstrators.

An ‘algorithm’ drops the price of these full warranted vehicles daily until they are sold – a reverse auction process.

I browsed through the available vehicles….what’s this? …. A red one! And loaded with extras – but expensive.

I checked again a week later…. the price has rapidly dropped.

Waited another week …. still dropping …. as was the AU$.

Price was about to go under 6 figures…..and my future ‘optioned up’ Model 3 was starting to approach that level.

Checking daily now … sleepless night  …..

And on Feb 7 a big drop … I can’t resist …..and hit the ‘buy’ button as at this price the vehicle won’t last the upcoming weekend.

So dear reader, I am now the proud owner of a second-hand red Model S 85D. The Model 3 deposit has been transferred across and I will enjoy driving an EV again six months (?) sooner than waiting for the Model 3.

The Model S will go further, accelerate faster, and is more ‘luxurious’ than the Model 3 ever will be – so I don’t believe I will regret the decision …. we’ll wait and see.

The future is electric ….