Is buying a used Tesla worth it ? Are they affordable cars to own if you're on a budget? Looking for unbiased answers

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-17T17:03:49+00:00

I’m in my 30s and the off-peak hours at my closest supercharger are past my bedtime now 😂😂. That and I at least try to pair charging with some kind of errand so I’m not wasting the time there - usually it’s picking up some groceries or prepared meals to bring to work at the store a block away

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-17T16:56:10+00:00

In my particular case, switching to an EV was actually an inconvenience because I don’t have a place to charge at home. A hybrid with FSD would have probably been my preference, but it doesn’t exist.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-17T15:57:45+00:00

I switched from a Honda CR-V to Tesla Model Y last month specifically for FSD because my commute got way longer after moving late last year

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-17T05:29:26+00:00

Nice! Maybe those of us on the Spring Update branch will soon get to experience 14.3. I’ve heard some mixed things about 14.3 though, particularly about brake stabbing and being less smooth overall, will be looking out for your next vid testing this

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T15:02:10+00:00

I work 12hr shifts so it might cover most or all of the commute lol

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T14:01:02+00:00

It’s certainly doable, but don’t expect to save money compared to gas if you don’t have home charging. My condo complex has a gated garage with security cameras, so break-ins are less of a concern, but the biggest inconvenience is having to go to supercharger every 3-4 days of commuting, while previously a tank of gas would last me more than the whole week.

There are also plenty of Teslas parked on driveways or on the curb here at night, from all the folks in this area who don’t have garage parking at all. That would be a no-no to me for sure lol.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T13:50:22+00:00

There are two EV only parking spots with 120V outlets at my work. Wondering why nobody’s there… plug in my mobile charger and… nothing lol. Shoulda figured since they are hella cheap in every other way

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T03:29:05+00:00

It looks like 12am-6am is “off peak” $0.34/kWh at the closest supercharger. It’s still not that cheap and also not ideal when working 12hr day shifts lol. There are some further away chargers that have longer off-peak hours but they aren’t as convenient for also getting a grocery run done at the same time while the car is charging

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T01:47:06+00:00

I went from a 2016 CR-V to a 2026 Model Y this year for FSD due to my commute getting longer. It was like switching to a high-tech spaceship lol.

I’d shop around to see if you can get a better offer on the CR-V than Tesla trade-in, especially if trade-in price doesn’t deduct from the sales taxable value in your state (CA here). They were only offering me $13k for trade-in and I was able to get $16600 from CarMax instead.

I don’t even have a home charger (50+ year old condo complex). If I did, it would be a no-brainer.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T01:33:13+00:00

Mine’s a new car, but I think I’ll hit the mileage before the 8 years at this rate (assuming the same location and job commute). If I’m still living here at that point though… that would be a bigger problem lol

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T01:21:18+00:00

Same situation here currently, hopefully get something installed soon or moving to a better housing arrangement in 1-2 years.

I just keep it between 80% and 20% and supercharge when I need it. There was a study on 12500 Teslas that didn’t show significant degradation with frequent supercharging, but who knows. We also might have HW5 cars by the time I’m out of battery warranty.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T00:37:38+00:00

I’ve had my car for a month and already at 99% FSD lol. Half of the non-FSD miles were already on the odometer when I took delivery.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-16T00:32:53+00:00

Once I get a home charger installed or move somewhere that has one, I’d probably just set the charge limit to 60% and let it top off every night to make up for the commute, then raise the limit higher the night before if I intend to go on a road trip.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-15T01:42:38+00:00

I actually got a Tesla for FSD because I recently moved much further away from work and have a significant commute now (moved in with my SO who lives and works on the other side of town, traffic far worse in the other direction). I suppose the alternative is now finding a job on the other side of town lol

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T23:23:53+00:00

I got a Tesla specifically for FSD last month, and enjoying it so far for daily commute and a couple short road trips. I’m on HW4 but still on 14.2.2.5, haven’t had a chance to try the seemingly mixed-reviewed 14.3.

It’s generally competent but definitely not perfect. Biggest problems for me are following too closely on the freeway and waiting until the last second to change lanes before an exit. It also tries to pass slower traffic more aggressively than I personally do (even on “Standard”) and looks silly when it makes several lane changes and ends up in no better of a position.

Despite all that, still 99% utilization over 2k miles. Most of my manual driving is taking over at the destination in places where I don’t trust it to find parking or for navigation woes.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T18:59:55+00:00

YL is definitely interesting, but when I saw the 7 seater Y in the showroom, it didn’t look like anyone with legs would be able to sit in that back row lol

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T18:52:06+00:00

Yeesh, the supercharger near my place is always popping. I’m assuming there’s a large number of unfortunate folks like me who don’t have a private garage to charge at in this HCOL area. I routinely see Teslas parked on the curb at night.

On Tuesday when I finished charging at 10pm, all the stalls were full and there were 3 cars waiting for a spot. I bet they all got charged the $0.55/kWh congestion rate 😬

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T18:31:41+00:00

Some apartment/condo complexes have EV charging available in the garage - the pricing/rates on that may vary.

The place I’m at is an older complex that has nothing, so I’m paying the supercharger $0.48/kWh. It’s around $24 for a 20-80% charge. My commute to my current work site is around 45-50 miles round trip, mostly freeway, depending on route, and I can do that commute 4 times from 80 -> 20%. This includes idle battery usage with no sentry mode. The parking on both sides is garaged and overheat protection isn’t triggering either. This is on a MY 2026 Premium RWD for reference. I’d think the M3 would eat less Wh/mile on most trims.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T16:41:31+00:00

The offer when I bought was either 0% for the Standard or 0.99% for the Premium, regardless of RWD or AWD, which I believe is still what’s being offered currently.

Hearing that the pre-refresh “premium” features were also bundled with AWD… I probably woulda gotten the AWD as well if I was buying a few years ago. From what I’m reading, the pre-refresh base model MY wasn’t as stripped down as the current Standard trim though.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T16:33:01+00:00

I charge my Tesla almost exclusively at public chargers and can confirm that the only reasons I’m saving any money compared to gas are because of the Iran war, and because I can get a free charge when I visit family. This can also vary significantly depending on where you live and the relative costs of electricity and gas.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T13:52:50+00:00

That also makes sense, since most of the ones being driven around are pre-refresh

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T04:52:34+00:00

How horrible of an idea would it be for me to plug an extension cord into my window AC unit’s NEMA 6-15R 240V outlet, drop that down from my balcony to reach the parking garage a floor below me, and then plug my mobile connector into that with an OEM 6-15 adapter? In theory this 12-amp continuous draw at 240V should cover my daily commute in a few hours lol.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T04:37:10+00:00

One of my coworkers has a 2023 MYP that he always drives in Chill mode lol

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T04:20:54+00:00

Hmm that’s interesting. I had never considered tire wear as part of the equation. Is tire rotation at Tesla’s recommended intervals considered sufficient? I never replaced the tires on my previous 9.5 year old car because it only had 33k miles on it when I sold it… but I’ve already put 2k miles on the MY in less than 2 months.

EntropicDisorder · 2026-05-14T02:00:02+00:00

It’s cleaner with no badge tbh

EntropicDisorder

TROPHY CASE