Throughout the United States, used Model 3 electric cars are starting to come out of the woodwork. One of the trends propping up this relatively new market is the sale of demo cars by Tesla, which are often discounted by between $1,500 and $3,000.
Are there any disadvantages to buying a used Tesla Model 3?
Demo cars are often considered to be ‘used goods’, which means they’ll have a few miles on them and will have been driven by several potential customers, not to mention Tesla sales staff. Considering that the resale value of any Tesla EV is considerably higher than a traditional ICE, a discount of up to $3,000 is not a bad deal. Does it come with any disadvantages? Possibly, but there would be minimal wear and tear. An interior clean-up might be required, but Tesla will do that anyway before selling these cars.
On the whole, it’s not a bad deal because you’d likely still get the tax credits and other incentives since you’d be the first registered owner. And the fact that Tesla’s Model 3 warranty runs for a minimum of 4 years or 50,000 miles means you’ll still be covered for several years.
The only hurdle might be a mental block about driving a used Tesla Model 3 rather than owning a brand new one that’s only been driven around the factory as it gets fitted out. About 30 to 50 miles on the odometer is normal for any new car, so a demo car with about 100-200 miles on it shouldn’t make that much of a difference.
In reality, the life of an EV is much longer than that of a traditional internal combustion engine or ICE car. In addition, maintenance costs are known to be much lower. And any serious problems with a used Tesla Model 3 will show up long before the warranty period is over.
Where Else Can You Find a Used Model 3?
Onlyusedtesla.com has a great collection of used Model 3s listed by sellers from all over the United States. Don’t expect bargain-basement discount prices, but do expect a quality selection of Model 3s that have done as little as under 5,000 miles.
As mentioned, Tesla outlets across the country will have demo cars in their inventory, but you’ll have to call one near your location to see if anything is currently available.
Other avenues include Carfax, Truecar and Autotrader, not to mention eBay and Craigslist, but the latter aren’t exactly reliable sources so you’ll have to proceed at your own risk. Ideally, getting them directly from Tesla or a reputed site like onlyusedtesla.com would be the best way to go about it.
