Update 12/19: Tesla is once again promising to deliver cars ordered now by 12/31 in order to qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit.
If you place a deposit on any Tesla via this referral link you will receive 6 months of free Tesla supercharger usage.
Tesla.com is now promising that if you order a Tesla today you will receive it by 12/31. That’s critical as 12/31 is the final day to take delivery of the car and qualify for a full $7,500 credit against your federal income taxes. That’s a credit, not a deduction, so if you owe at least $7,500 in taxes this year, they will be reduced by $7,500 if you receive a Tesla by 12/31.
There is a $2,500 deposit required to place an order and you can use a credit card for the deposit. The rest is due upon delivery either via financing or wire transfer.
Tesla is advertising their Model 3 cars starting at $34,200 after the federal tax credit and gas savings:
Those prices are making a few assumptions though, as the full price is $46,000. Tesla is factoring in the $7,500 federal tax credit that will expire on 12/31.
Deliveries from 1/1/19-6/30/19 qualify for a $3,750 credit. Deliveries from 7/1/19-12/31/19 qualify for a $1,875 credit. Deliveries after that point will not receive any credit.
Tesla also assumes that the average consumer driving 10K miles/year will save $4,300 on gas over 6 years assuming that they pay $2.85/gallon and pay $0.13/kwh for electricity.
States like CA, CT, NY, NJ, and PA also have sweet incentives on top of that.
The car includes the full premium interior and sound package, as Tesla doesn’t yet sell a Model 3 without that.
Tesla and I have a love-hate sort of relationship.
I upgraded my 2011 Altima to a Model 3 last month and it reminded me of when I upgraded from a Palm Centro to a Galaxy Nexus in 2011.
I’ve never been a big car guy, I’ve received some amazing luxury upgrades when renting cars thanks to Avis Chairman’s status, but none of the luxury cars really did anything for me that made me want to trade in my Altima for one.
However the Model 3 isn’t like driving a car. It’s like piloting a rocketship! It’s completely different than any driving experience you have ever had. You will grin from ear to ear and laugh uncontrollably when you accelerate the car and realize this isn’t anything like what you’ve tried before.
I love so many things about the car. Best of all it gets a software update every week or 2 that just keeps on adding amazing new features. While other cars get worse from the second you drive off the lot, this car is constantly getting better. How cool is that?
I didn’t think I would splurge for the autopilot option, but it’s truly amazing. Being able to type in an address and have the car drive itself feels like the future. I now love taking highways even when surface streets would be faster just to be thrown back in my seat as the car accelerates to 80MPH in no time, before the car takes over all of the driving itself.
It’s a real joy to drive and all of the sudden I like to run errands just to drive the car more. It hugs curves in the road like a beast. I love the brake regeneration that means you almost never need to touch the brake. I love how it knows when to open and close my garage door as I leave and return. I love how it stays in place without having to hold the brake pedal at a light. I love the stunning massive HD screen and camera.
I especially love not having to carry a key around, as it knows when to open and lock the car based on me entering with my cell phone. There are backup keys available as well for when you don’t have your phone or when your battery dies.
The all glass roof gives the car a spacious airy feel, which is just the icing on top of the cake.
Tesla built a truly magnificent machine. And does anything get cooler than this to avoid parking tickets?
I did not splurge for the Performance version, though due to Cleveland’s snowy climate I did opt for the all wheel drive. I don’t regret not upgrading. Even without the performance boost, I feel like I no longer have to go to Cedar Point to satisfy my roller coaster adrenaline rush addiction, I now have my own roller coaster!
All that being said, Tesla service is not up to par even for a non-luxury brand, and service can be a painful experience.
I went through Tesla delivery hell and while they did eventually make up for it, it certainly soured me on the experience.
However the product they make is so good, that I’d put up with it again. Does that make me a sucker? Perhaps. As I said before, Tesla makes the Singapore Airlines First Class of cars, but they back it with the Spirit Airlines of service. But in the end, I’m thrilled with the product and that makes up for the shortcomings.
Internal combustion engines have dominated the auto industry for over a century and have made countries with oil, rich beyond their wildest dreams. I’m happy to do my part to turn the corner on that, and it sure doesn’t hurt that the Model 3 makes that an easy corner to turn.
And it helps that the federal government is handing out $7,500 tax credits to encourage that to happen.
Tesla has finally managed to bring electric cars to the masses. Their design, speed, and auto-pilot are part of the fun that causes the Tesla grin, but what really has made Tesla a success is their Supercharger network.
Range anxiety is a big reason why electric cars have failed in the past, but with over 11K superchargers Tesla was the first to eliminate that problem. You can drive across the country and a Tesla will map out exactly where you can stop along the way to quickly supercharge your car so that you never run out of power.
If you place a deposit on any Tesla via this referral link you will receive 6 months of free Tesla supercharger usage.
Haven’t test-driven a Tesla? You can buy one and return a new Tesla for 3 calendar days after delivery for a full refund if you don’t love your car, no questions asked. In other words, if you take delivery of a Tesla on a Sunday you can return it until Thursday. Hopefully nobody does this as a 4 day car rental or a way to spend $2,500 on the credit card before getting a refund check 😀
If you have taken a test drive, then the return policy is one day after delivery.
Don’t plan on driving it across the country though, the return policy is only valid if the car was driven less than 500 miles.
Have you test-driven or do you own a Tesla? What are your impressions? Will you place a deposit by tomorrow to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit?
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65 Comments On "Last Chance To Order A Tesla With A $7,500 Federal Government Subsidy; Try One Out With A 4 Day Free Return Policy!"
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Just had my Model 3 delivered last week and it is AWESOME! I realize everyone can’t afford one and it is a luxury… But the drive and acceleration is like nothing else you’ve driven and the Auto pilot on the highway is by far the best out there. My wife has Audi q7 and it’s not even close… Don’t worry, over the next 5 yrs or so many more models from other car companies will be out and prices will be more affordable.
Really is amazing, words fail to do it justice.
There are somewhat more affordable electric cars like the Leaf, Bolt, and Prius, but none are fun to drive and none have a supercharger network like Tesla.
It will take a long time for others to catch up to where Tesla is, they have a massive head start.
IDK. When the 2016 Volvo XC90 came out with its pilot assist and large multifunction display, it did so pretty much out of the blue, with no head start. It’s not like the Tesla, but the point is that any automaker could, tomorrow, release something that they’ve been working on in the lab for years.
Will Tesla sales plummet when the tax incentives go away? Tesla and Musk’s other science experiments survived thus far primarily because of government subsidies. Will their creditors end up owning the assets?
Unlikely. Musk will eventually release a $35K Model 3 with a smaller battery and the non-premium interior. That will have mainstream success, but you may as well go for the premium now with the mid-size battery and get the $7,500 credit.
On the high end, the tax credit won’t matter as much, it’s just gravy for people who would have bought a Model S or X anyway.
What’s reliability like? Also, given your delivery hell experience, what assurance does Tesla make that delivery will actually occur by year end? Unless they’re guaranteeing a make-whole payment refund/price reduction of $7,500, why would I take their word for it?
There aren’t many parts to fail, so reliability should be good. Even the brakes will last much longer as you don’t typically use them thanks to regenerative braking when you let go of the gas.
Screenshot in the post shows the guarantees 2018 delivery. If that doesn’t happen you have a valid fight for them to give $7,500 off the final price. Or you can always drive it for 4 days and give it back to them for a full refund.
What if you don’t owe any taxes, would you get $7500 return?
Please direct tax questions to a tax professional.
No. You need to owe $7,500 in taxes. Otherwise, whatever you owe up to that amount would be deducted
You need to owe or have a tax liability of at least $7,500 to take advantage of the credit. Let’s say you made $80K and had $10K withheld for federal tax. Let’s say you normally get about a $500 refund. With the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit would would apply the credit and receive a refund of $8k.
Now let’s say you made $50K and had $4K withheld for tax. Let’s also say you were not getting a refund and the $5k withheld was your tax liability. If you apply the electric vehicle credit you would get a refund of $5k. It’s up to $7,500, but you need to owe $7,500 or more.
Even if you don’t owe any taxes and can’t therefore get a refund, you can still carry it for future years.
Is there a lease option for the model 3?
Whats’ your opinion on the lease options shown for Model S?
I don’t believe they are leasing Model 3s.
I’ve never leased a car, so I don’t have an opinion on that 🙂
Is there good resale value should you want/need to sell a Tesla? Is there demand for it?
Very high, yes.
Does this time-frame apply to the Model 3? Doesn’t look like it.
Yes, see the screenshot in the post.
Wow Dan! This sounds like the perfect giveaway oppurtunity lol!
If you pay deposit but change your mind or can’t get financing can’t you get your deposit back ?
The return policy is 3 days. Elon just mentioned it on a recent Twitter post. Just 1 day if you took it for a test drive.
Already maxed out my Tesla referrals. Just preordered the Rivian pickup as I heard their referral program starts soon for deposit holders. Get on that Dan…
Various aspects this car are not well regarded by consumer reports magazine’s test drive etc. – do you disagree with their conclusions or do you simply feel the pros (which they and you both highlight) outweigh the cons?
Consumer reports disagrees with their conclusions:
“Editor’s Note: In response to CR’s test results, Tesla has issued a software update to the Model 3 to improve its stopping distances. Based on further testing, CR now recommends the Model 3. Learn more. ”
The car is AWESOME! I’ve done significant research over several years and there is no car out there like this one. NOT saying it’s perfect, but the OTA updates over the air keep improving the car and they are leaps ahead in Autonomous driving tech, battery tech,supercharger network, etc. Just my opinion!
Lol, can OTA fix the frozen door handles, stuck chargers, reduced winter range or hours long wait at supercharges?
Actually, the OTA most recent update helps with frozen handles, and will only improve in time; they are doubling number of superchargers by end of next year even though right now you can get almost anywhere in US, and V3 superchargers that will probably be at least 2x as fast as current.
They do have issues but usually quickly resolved and bottom line, tell me another car you’d rather have??? For me, no question, this car.
Ordered 12. In it for the cc spending and free rental.
Thanks for providing the link for my order!
According to 3 Tesla representatives in store and on phone the $2,500 down payment is non refundable. So the 4 day trial is not neccescarily free… Unless you heard elsewise?
-The $2,500 is refundable before a VIN is assigned to you.
-The $2,500 in not refundable after you have a VIN assigned, but before you return the car.
-The $2,500 and the full car payment is refundable for 4 days from when you receive the car:
https://www.tesla.com/support/tesla-return-policy
Doesn’t point 3 contradict point 1 then? So it’s always refundable?
Also, can’t seem to find anything you just mentioned on the link you put in the reply.
just asked another Tesla representative again, “If you have taken delivery, the $2,500 is non refundable”. Where can I find something saying otherwise?
You were misinformed.
They have a very clear return policy of 4 days from when you take possession. You receive a full refund of everything paid except for “fees or charges that may later become due while the vehicle was in your possession, such as unpaid tickets and citations or applicable property taxes.”
Feel free to reference the link on their site:
https://www.tesla.com/support/tesla-return-policy
Their emails to customers also clearly say that it is a full refund.
The $2,500 is only non-refundable if you cancel before you take possession of the car and after a VIN is assigned.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1067927074797629440
Not sure where you are getting 4 days from. The link you quoted says 3 days when with no test drive, otherwise 1 day.
Great post! But I love my suburban
Just wondering if the constant updating can freeze the computer and make the car not usable. When we first started using Windows 10, every once in a while the computer decided to update everything and as I ally shut down for half an hour.
This isn’t running Windows. It gets faster and better with every update.
If tesla misses the delivery dates, are they underwriting the 7500?
Based on the screenshot in this post, yes.
So I ordered. 10 minutes later I get a SMS that delivery will be Wednesday. I’m having 2nd thoughts so I emailed them to please cancel the order. But now (less than 30 min after placing the order) I see that they already assigned a VIN. I’m also on hold on the phone to make sure it gets canceled but I’m really starting to have an uneasy feeling. Dan, you say that worse case I could take delivery and then return it within 4 days. But are you sure that I’ll get 100% money back? Even the documentation and destination fees? And where the heck do I return it to? It’s not like there is a Tesla store anywhere near me? Closest one I know of is out in Jersey, about 2 hours away. And shabbos is less than an hour. HELP!!!!
Yes, it’s a full refund: https://www.tesla.com/support/tesla-return-policy
You will love the car. But if you want to return it I’d assume you need to return it to a Tesla store.
That’s what I’m worried about. I’m going to love it and keep it lol
Even worse, you’ll never want to go back to gas again. The car is simply amazing.
And how come my car they’re delivering in less than a week but it took others months to get delivery? I guess I figured I had time.
You’re the first person to ever complain about a fast Tesla delivery 😀
They’re expediting everything to get everyone their cars by the end of the year.
Dan,
Is it too late for the 7500$ tax credit?
As long as you get it by 12/31 then you’ll get the credit.
Current estimate is late December-early January.
You can always order it now and return it within 4 days if it doesn’t come by 12/31.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1067927074797629440
Hey Dan,
Do you know if these incentives will be offered again at the end of next year?
They will not unless Congress passes a new bill.
Ordered and received mine last Friday and returned it on Monday. No questions asked, though have yet to hear anything on status of my refund. In the meantime, I ordered another M3 (this time with EAP) with delivery scheduled for next Wednesday
Nice!
Hi Dan, does this tax credit and return policy apply to all models?
Yes.
Dan-I noticed you paid for full self driving, are you trying to future proof yourself? Do you know if it is still available “off menu” or not?
Pardon the ignorance, but this thing really doesn’t use any gas at all? Entirely battery powered?
lol, correct
Hi Dan, I see on their website that there is a $1,200 destination and doc. fee. is there any way to get that refunded if i’m returning the car or is that a regardless fee?
Would you be familiar with that?
Dan you cost me $2500. I returned the Tesla but the deposit is NON refundable… You just cost me$2500 ..
Nonsense. My BIL used my referral and had no issues making a return within 3 days for a full refund.
Did you actually take possession of the car? The return page is very clear that you get a full refund of you’re not happy.
Go speak to a manager. Or Tweet Elon.
Any updates on this? In a similar situation, my rep is saying that since my vin was assigned if I were to cancel or take delivery my deposit will not be returned.
If possible to screen shot the language you’re seeing stating full refund on return?
The return page I’m seeing states that they will accept returns no mention of full refund…
Positive.
If you cancel before delivery you lose the deposit.
If you cancel after delivery you get a full refund.
Seen this first hand.
Thanks for the reply.
Is it possible that the return policy has changed? Are you seeing the same language on Tesla’s website?
If yes can we arrange a screenshot being sent to me?
One of many examples:
https://i.gyazo.com/434113af6d95ae69bef75bd825870383.png
Thanks Dan, will be taking delivery today.