Justify the cost to own

[No-mo-ice]

Definitely not scraping by. Can afford the truck even by the Dave Ramsey rules. Just generally very frugal when it comes to buying vehicles. I generally buy 2-3 yr old vehicles and hold for 200k+ miles. Posted the question, because I wanted to see how other people worked it out in their heads. Maybe there was something I hadn't considered. Since it's not only my daily driver, but also my hunting truck, I do need the tri-motor range. We also make several CO to MO and MI trips annually. The 500+ was the only thing that even made me consider buying.

The FSD add on was really only done because I felt like it might help the resale value 20 years from now, but since I have no idea how it transfers, or if can transfer, or if a model without FSD can acquire FSD with a new owner, the FSD may not be worth it to me. I would really like to know for certain how the transfer will or will not work before I finalize the purchase.

I spend a great deal of time hunting and fishing. I live in Washington state, and to say it mildly.... it rains far to much. That being said, the CT will be an excellent option for me.
For hunting, on public land hunts (which is 90% of the time), after I’m out of sight of my $60k truck , I struggle knowing things are easy pickings for theft. The CT will make it much much harder for theft, and if they do get their way, I have a picture as a starting point to catching them. There are mazes of logging roads out here, and sometimes finding a spot to park a camper is very hard to do, and with the CT, I can park on the side and camp inside the truck comfortably... little refrigerator keeping the beverages cold, the little portable tv, charging my phone and camera equipment, gps is now easy breezy. Also, every hunting rig I’ve owned has had the paint scratched to death by branches, ding and dents sliding down some mud or ice to find the only tree near the road.

I also think of this.... I will love the fact that I can have my CT all packed up for fishing and hunting, so when I get off work I’ll have it good to go, without the worry of leaving highly valuable equipment open to the eye of a thief.

I should tell you I just love it. It’s fast as a super car, it goes like a rock climber and a Baja ...high speed off roading is freaking amazing.

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[Rthardison]

Definitely not scraping by. Can afford the truck even by the Dave Ramsey rules. Just generally very frugal when it comes to buying vehicles. I generally buy 2-3 yr old vehicles and hold for 200k+ miles. Posted the question, because I wanted to see how other people worked it out in their heads. Maybe there was something I hadn't considered. Since it's not only my daily driver, but also my hunting truck, I do need the tri-motor range. We also make several CO to MO and MI trips annually. The 500+ was the only thing that even made me consider buying.

The FSD add on was really only done because I felt like it might help the resale value 20 years from now, but since I have no idea how it transfers, or if can transfer, or if a model without FSD can acquire FSD with a new owner, the FSD may not be worth it to me. I would really like to know for certain how the transfer will or will not work before I finalize the purchase.

Sounds like you would enjoy the 500 mile range.
I expect Tesla to move to a monthly subscription

Definitely not scraping by. Can afford the truck even by the Dave Ramsey rules. Just generally very frugal when it comes to buying vehicles. I generally buy 2-3 yr old vehicles and hold for 200k+ miles. Posted the question, because I wanted to see how other people worked it out in their heads. Maybe there was something I hadn't considered. Since it's not only my daily driver, but also my hunting truck, I do need the tri-motor range. We also make several CO to MO and MI trips annually. The 500+ was the only thing that even made me consider buying.

The FSD add on was really only done because I felt like it might help the resale value 20 years from now, but since I have no idea how it transfers, or if can transfer, or if a model without FSD can acquire FSD with a new owner, the FSD may not be worth it to me. I would really like to know for certain how the transfer will or will not work before I finalize the purchase.

It sounds like you are smart with your money. I too have generally bought used and driven well over 200K. It sounds like you will make good use of the 500 mile range. This technology is a whole new game. You either buy new or wait for it to age.
I think FSD will be a monthly subscription in 2-3 years. Selling your truck will bring more if it has FSD included without the need for subscription payment. When you sell, the buyer gets the options you purchased. Hard to say what that will be worth. The main question is do you think you will ever use it?
I bought it on our Model 3. It is cool, but not worth the cost so far. I am passing on the Cybertruck because I enjoy driving. Autopilot will do.

 

[Mudduck]

i was really fortunate in that i was able to self-contract my install. Went with Wholesale Solar. My contractor, whom i've known for a long time, did installs once upon a time. the biggest pain in the ass was the permitting required by the electrical utility but they were NOT gonna put me off. Ended up having to call the state Public Service Commission because of the "foot dragging". That lit the fire. Mine is on my roof. Installed in March 2020. Has SMA inverter which makes up to 45 KwH on my best day. It's a 7.7 Kw system and so far, so good. The utility here is extremely antiquated and we were out of power for 4 days with that little piss ant Cat 1 storm that made land fall. In some places, people were without power for months post Katrina. Hurricane Betsy in 1965 was a bitch. We ate sandwiches and Chef Boy o'De spaghetti out of the can for 11 days. I want to get off this damned grid!!!

I hear you, I used to live in N.O.L.A. (Gretna and then out Jeff Hwy, west of the Huey P.) I worked offshore for ODECO. I do not miss the traffic. I had wanted to install a 22 kW ground array, happy for you to get past the hurdles.

 

[hobbit11]

I hear you, I used to live in N.O.L.A. (Gretna and then out Jeff Hwy, west of the Huey P.) I worked offshore for ODECO. I do not miss the traffic. I had wanted to install a 22 kW ground array, happy for you to get past the hurdles.

i WILL get off Entergy's grid. it's one of my bucket list items. Thanks so much for your response. I grew up in Marrero, went to West Jeff, worked offshore as a college kid and then for 35 more years after college. Crawled many a ballast tank for Odeco doing internal inspections for the anode systems both in the ballast tanks and the exterior. Thanks so much for the encouragement!

 

[drscot]

In my opinion you are way over analyzing. If you want the Cybertruck order what you can afford and start seriously saving in the meantime. I'm a retired doctor but I'm driving a 1993 Dodge beater truck after my Chrysler 300 C Hemi blew. I'm saving out the wazoo. Couldn't justify the extra 20k for the tri-motor so the dual it is. Don't try to afford what you get. Get what you can afford. Sacrifice to get there.

 

[hobbit11]

In my opinion you are way over analyzing. If you want the Cybertruck order what you can afford and start seriously saving in the meantime. I'm a retired doctor but I'm driving a 1993 Dodge beater truck after my Chrysler 300 C Hemi blew. I'm saving out the wazoo. Couldn't justify the extra 20k for the tri-motor so the dual it is. Don't try to afford what you get. Get what you can afford. Sacrifice to get there.

i ordered a dual CT for the same reason and am saving money for the purchase while STILL investing as much as i can in Tesla. Let your "needs" be your "wants" and your "wants" your "needs".

 

[Mudduck]

I can hear people's gennys in the next neighborhood over. So it's always an issue.

100 miles a day is alot of driving. At half that is 18250 which is far more than the average annual driving. Most people do much, much less.

-Crissa

The portable generators put out about 95 db whereas the standby units have a noise attenuation cabinet only give off 65 db.

 

[Crissa]

The portable generators put out about 95 db whereas the standby units have a noise attenuation cabinet only give off 65 db.

Yeah, and I can hear a standby fire up ever time. Damn thing is around the mountain about a quarter of a mile in the next neighborhood.

65 is like an impact drill. Pretty loud.

Ours doesn't turn on until we need heat, but theirs turns on like immediately. Ugh.

-Crissa

 

[Mudduck]

Yeah, and I can hear a standby fire up ever time. Damn thing is around the mountain about a quarter of a mile in the next neighborhood.

65 is like an impact drill. Pretty loud.

Ours doesn't turn on until we need heat, but theirs turns on like immediately. Ugh.

-Crissa

Just for Hurricanes here on the coast. Live out in the country and it's heavily wooded so noise does not travel too bad anyway when the hurricane rolls into town everyone has one purring so it blends in. We use a wood stove to heat the whole house, have been for years, love it. This year's hurricane wood will be the next three seasons heat.

 

[Crissa]

Out fireplace took damage in the earthquake, so we retired it.

-Crissa

 

[Mudduck]

Out fireplace took damage in the earthquake, so we retired it.

-Crissa

Ever consider a wood stove that sits on the hearth smack dab up against the opening of the old fireplace and then run a stainless steel flue pipe up thru the old chimney with a new cap on top.
My neighbor did a retro on his old fireplace and was amazed at how efficient they are and keeps the house warmer and not as drafty as the old fireplace was.

 

[Crissa]

Ever consider a wood stove that sits on the hearth smack dab up against the opening...

...I removed the insert, because the pipe wasn't to code and the bricks were cracked which would make putting another in no safer. It was just a giant heat-sink.

We filled the flue with expanding foam, and refinished the mantle, then built a book-shelf inside to line it with old video media and video games.

-Crissa

 

[ajdelange]

The portable generators put out about 95 db whereas the standby units have a noise attenuation cabinet only give off 65 db.

I have a 48 kW Briggs and Stratton Fortress spec'd at 68 dBA at 7 m. My meter describes that sound level as "Normal Conversation". At 100 m that works out to 41 dBA which my meter qualitatively describes as "Quiet Whisper". Thus the only way my neighbors can tell its running is when my lights are on during a power outage. If fact I usually can't tell its on by the sound.

 

[Crissa]

I would not consider those quiet, but okay.

-Crissa

 

[lancethibault]

In my opinion you are way over analyzing. If you want the Cybertruck order what you can afford and start seriously saving in the meantime. I'm a retired doctor but I'm driving a 1993 Dodge beater truck after my Chrysler 300 C Hemi blew. I'm saving out the wazoo. Couldn't justify the extra 20k for the tri-motor so the dual it is. Don't try to afford what you get. Get what you can afford. Sacrifice to get there.

I analyze every major purchase I buy...even some of the smaller purchases. Analysis paralysis is a real thing. My wife loves it!! It is rarely a matter of if I can afford it, but rather how I can afford it or do I want to afford it. To me, it's not a matter of "If you want the Cybertruck, order what you can afford..." Because I definitely want it, and I can definitely afford it. But that does not make it an open and shut case for me. It becomes a little philosophical. Is it the right thing for me to do at this time...that's where the analysis comes in.

In addition to what I initially posted, for me, there are more implications for purchases like this. In this case, I know I can afford it. But should I put that money somewhere else instead. (I'm having the same argument with myself when it comes to the adding solar on the house.) I'm just wondering how other people work it out for themselves. How do you/they make the argument for purchases like this? I definitely do not need a new truck right now...nor will I in the next 2 years (I would expect my CT3 sometime in the summer of 22'). My 2013 F150 has about 103k miles on it. But I do really like the CT so I was just trying to work the numbers out on paper. Once I had that, then I take into account the rest of the things I need to consider. My daughter starts law school next year. My son will start college in 4 yrs. I will retire from active duty (enlisted) in 2 or 3 years. If I spend the $40k premium on this truck, is that worth it over putting that premium toward another rental home? This premium spending to me feels a little extravagant (because my current truck is fine). I don't always mind spending extravagantly, but when I do, I will typically make an additional contribution to charity or our church on top of what we already give and tithe. In this case, I would give an additional~$4k somewhere. These are the things I think about. A lot of people are not going to give specifics, and that is o.k. Many people will say they want it, they can afford it and that's enough argument for them. I'm just curious to hear from those willing to give their detailed thoughts.