Thoughts on Purchasing Second Hand Tesla in 2025 Considering Current Political Climate?

mavis30551 on 25/03/2025 - 15:59
Last edited 25/03/2025 - 16:07 by 1 other user

I am in the market for a new car.

I honestly would love to just buy another Camry. Was the best car I ever had, but alas FBT exemption is making me look towards EV's. (Plus my previous $30k brand new Camry is over $40k brand new now, wth is up with that!)

I've already discounted buying a new Tesla, I don't agree with Elon's political views but surely some 3 year old Tesla's coming out of 3 year novated leases couldn't be a bad deal?

If I cash in on the drop in value to Tesla and get a good deal on a few year old Tesla am I still supporting Bozo over there?

Obviously other things to consider like battery health and I'm sure depreciation will be even worse but you don't buy a second hand car worried about depreciation as much do ya.

What are peoples thoughts? They're setting fire to them in the states surely that doesn't happen here. Is buying second hand just as bad as buying new when it comes to supporting muskies ideals.

Automotive Tesla Inc

Comments

  • MS Paint on 25/03/2025 - 16:00
    +9

    @jv - any suggestions?

    • Murkymerv on 25/03/2025 - 18:38
      +11

      Since when have cars and political climate been an issue ? Oh , let me guess 😅

      • Dr Phil on 26/03/2025 - 08:10
        +1

        In which case we should not be buying any Chinese cars, be they EVs or ICE vehicle

        But reading further OP has listed several other reasons to avoid a Tesla

        One choses a particular car to buy for thier own reasons (not for those of others) and I think OP has already concluded and made thier decision

        • JoBevo on 28/03/2025 - 16:07

          Does that mean the chinese should also stop buying our dirt? Lol.

          I would hate to imagine what the impact of that would be to this country, some people need to use their brain a bit more.

        • Cletus vandamme on 28/03/2025 - 19:53
          +3

          Why stop at Chinese cars? China is the main reason consumer products are as affordable as they are. People seem to paint China as some sort of villain but never seem to ever be thankful for the things they have made.

          • Euphemistic on 28/03/2025 - 20:07

            @Cletus vandamme: China has done some pretty ordinary things. They dont appear to treat their population or the environment very well. BUT, there a lot of countries that also have pretty ordinary track records on human rights and maintaining a clean environment.

  • Brick50 on 25/03/2025 - 16:03
    +10

    Bought one last Monday, 2021 SR+ from Pickles Auctions with 67000kms and battery health is 93%

    • mavis30551 on 25/03/2025 - 16:04

      from ATO

      1 July 2022
      Eligibility. You do not pay FBT if you provide private use of an electric car that meets all the following conditions: the car is a zero or low emissions vehicle. the first time the car is both held and used is on or after 1 July 2022.

      I am curious how much you paid though?

      • Brick50 on 25/03/2025 - 16:06
        +2

        31.5k it was, Not allowed to inspect car prior to auction

        I didn't buy it for any FBT purposes.
        Even if I was eligible for a lease as well it didn't make sense for my circumstances, so I just used funds from home loan offset

        • Wiadro on 25/03/2025 - 16:26
          -2

          31.5 before or after the fees?
          About 4K to get it on roads.
          So call it 35k
          I’d rather buy something better for that

          • Brick50 on 25/03/2025 - 17:04
            +10

            @Wiadro: After all auction fees, not sure what 4k fees you speak of

            stamp duty and 12 months reg, plates, rwc & vicroads appointment fees would be $2500 all up. Bought 40+ cars and never bought a car with 12 months reg so not including rego fees would be $1800 or so

          • wozz on 26/03/2025 - 16:36

            @Wiadro: In NSW last Tesla i purchased at $51k.
            Total fees was somewhere arouns $50 after exemptions
            Nowhere near 4k.

    • entropysbane on 26/03/2025 - 12:18

      Battery health should be the key criterion for second hand EVs

      • WhyAmICommenting on 27/03/2025 - 00:27
        +3

        Only if you’re buying a 10 year old Nissan leaf. Tesla have good range and unless it’s somehow defective very unlikely to be an issue.

        • meong on 27/03/2025 - 14:30
          +1

          They use different battery between their RWD vs AWD/Performance btw.

          • WhyAmICommenting on 27/03/2025 - 15:37
            +1

            @meong: True. Still, I’ve seen no evidence of significantly reduced/unusable Tesla batteries except because of accidents.

            • meong on 27/03/2025 - 19:13

              @WhyAmICommenting: Oh yeah just saying ideally you want to buy an EV with NMC battery.

              • WhyAmICommenting on 27/03/2025 - 21:43

                @meong: I think you mean LFP if 2nd hand but both should be fine.

                • meong on 27/03/2025 - 22:40

                  @WhyAmICommenting: Why do you think LFP is better for 2nd vehicles?

                  I assumed NMC is better in general for long range anyway.

                  • WhyAmICommenting on 27/03/2025 - 23:01

                    @meong: Yes NMC is often used for long range models but they should only be charged to 80% for daily use.

                    If someone just charges to 100% all the time then LFP will cope with that better.

                  • May4th on 27/03/2025 - 23:55
                    +1

                    @meong: LFP has more stable chemistry, less risk of thermal runway, less need to look after when charging and generally less degradation. downside is less energy dense so bigger heavier and less performance. this is why RWD tesla uses LFP while performance/long range uses NMC

                    • meong on 28/03/2025 - 00:37

                      @May4th: Interesting…

                      I got the MYLR so now I'm questioning my battery degradation now 😅

        • entropysbane on 27/03/2025 - 17:23

          Any age. Any manufacturer.
          95% plus no worries
          85% to 95% think carefully
          Less than 85% it would be a no from me unless very cheap.

          It is not a vehicle age issue, but how it has been used and charged.

    • axlfan on 28/03/2025 - 20:14

      Sounds like a good car.

      Dumb question: so why would the owner sell it via pickles?

      • Brick50 on 28/03/2025 - 20:25

        Returning a novated lease most likely

        • axlfan on 29/03/2025 - 13:55

          So they would have lost money on this?

  • Duckie2hh on 25/03/2025 - 16:14
    +10

    Considering Current Political Climate

    What does this have to do with cars?

    • mavis30551 on 25/03/2025 - 16:18
      +41

      A lot really. Specifically Tesla.

    • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 16:19
      +6

      A little more accurately, the political climate in the USA, plus the recent actions of the public figurehead of tesla.

    • mapax on 25/03/2025 - 16:22
      +5

      Terrorists have fire bombed Tesla dealerships, shot cars and lit charging stations on fire because they don’t like Elons political stance.

      • CaptainJack on 25/03/2025 - 19:40
        +13

        Jesus, there are a lot of (profanity) in that country.

        • WhyAmICommenting on 27/03/2025 - 00:27

          Jesus wept.

        • Nugs on 27/03/2025 - 00:31

          The fish rots from the head……
          .

      • tasty-falafel on 27/03/2025 - 11:15
        +17

        To be fair, there's a bit more to it than just a "political stance", and I think it's disingenuous to downplay it to that level. The way I see it is -

        1) Musk, the richest man in the world is has taken charge of a "department" of government efficiency, and is systematically dismantling or firing organisations and key people who have been critical of him, his companies, or have pending investigations. For example, the gutting of the FDA who was investigating Neuralink, the head of the FAA who had been critical of SpaceX, USAID and the inspector general who was investigating Starlink.

        2) He is illegally cutting programs which have been approved by congress, and should be dismantled by congress, leaving thousands without job, with many having to be rehired after it goes through the courts. They are simply cutting things that they disagree with, and have already been approved.

        3) He is positioning his companies to take on additional government contracts which is a massive conflict of interest, for example the $2b FAA Verizon contract which they are now trying to replace with Starlink.

        4) Probably the thing that has angered people the most, his choice to do "that" salute (and no, it's not a Roman salute), then doubles down, then make jokes about that political party back in the 1940's. While doing these things he also chooses to support right-wing borderline fascist parties like the AFD party in Germany, which openly trivialises the atrocities that happened in the 1940's.

        In summary, it's not just his political stance, there's a lot more to unpack here.

          • Randolph Duke on 28/03/2025 - 10:06
            +7

            @DewinDell: Agreed, he did more than one.

          • tasty-falafel on 31/03/2025 - 11:44

            @DewinDell: Using that logic people aren't committing domestic terrorism by burning Teslas, it's just Roman dislike ✋😎

        • Nitrollparty on 27/03/2025 - 16:35
          -8

          and whats this got to do with australia and buying a car with a badge on it… fukn lol, you guys are such morons

        • trapper on 29/03/2025 - 15:08

          It sounds like you may not realise that DOGE is strictly an advisory body.

          Its purpose is to review government finances, pinpoint waste and fraud, and nothing beyond that.

          DOGE submits its recommendations to the executive branch, which then determines the next steps.

          Every country should have a DOGE.

          • Euphemistic on 31/03/2025 - 12:15

            @trapper: They already had a process for what dog is doing, but they fired the people who control that.

            Australia has processes that regularly audit government spending. There are processes of review for govenrment activities. Even internally government agencies try to become more efficient so they can do more with less. On top of that we have regular changes in government leadership that point things in a different direction and cut and add processes. We dont need a special department of 'cull everything and see what happens'

      • EitherWayUp on 27/03/2025 - 16:06
        -3

        Terrorists or the "tolerant" left?

    • moar bargains on 25/03/2025 - 16:27
      +3

      Well there will be a lot of some dumb people selling their cars to spite The Chief Twit (ignoring the fact that they've already given him their money). In similar fashion, there will be people changing their mind about buying a Tesla now that their favourite tech bro apparently no longer aligns with their worldview, which may lead to Tesla discounting some stock. Probably have to wait and see how much that actually plays out here.

      People who care more about how far their dollar goes than what some billionaire thinks could pick up a bargain.

    • meong on 27/03/2025 - 14:31

      People who are ashamed of owning a Tesla will sell their car at a bargain.

    • AustriaBargain on 28/03/2025 - 10:51

      Plenty of Jewish people still won't buy German cars. These things do matter, if not to you then the people you live with in society.

      • Duckie2hh on 28/03/2025 - 10:57

        Plenty of Jewish people still won't buy German cars

        lol do they also not take any medication (Merck, Bayer, etc).

        • AustriaBargain on 28/03/2025 - 11:17

          Some of them, probably they try to avoid it. Germany did some pretty bad things to Jewish people like 80 or so years ago.

        • machej on 29/03/2025 - 15:40

          Meds kind of a bit less discretionary than a car. Generics are also a thing for many after the patent ends.

  • netjock on 25/03/2025 - 16:17
    +4

    Never a good time to buy a depreciating asset. If you need it then buy it.

    It might be FBT free.

    The question is what basis are you claiming for car usage (right now) or you not claiming at all? If you claim 5,000km at the current rate of 88c km ($4,400 basically pays for rego, insurance and probably a good deal of fuel) or actual cost method.

    • bigticket on 27/03/2025 - 11:40
      +1

      Correct me if I'm wrong, but $4400 is what can be claimed as a deduction, the actual dollar savings on
      tax would max out at $1980 ($4400 x 0.45) at the highest tax rate.

      • netjock on 30/03/2025 - 10:32

        You are assuming OP is at 45% tax rate.

        You also got to know under what basis FBT is worked out for OP.

        The joke used to be buy a Tesla for $60k so you can save on fuel and maintenance. How long before you save $30k in fuel and maintenance. It is a sum everyone needs to work out.

        Tax "saving" is a way to suck people into a bad deal.

        • May4th on 30/03/2025 - 12:52

          like any other new car. and there's no need to buy new with NL, you can buy a $35k 3 year old model 3 down the depreciation curve. very hard to be worse off if you are on the top bracket though as the spreadsheet posted by a reditor/ozbargainer shows. you can be paying 15% interest and still be better off

          • netjock on 30/03/2025 - 20:38

            @May4th: Another assumption of top bracket tax rates. Have you seen the distribution of incomes?

            • May4th on 30/03/2025 - 22:30

              @netjock: go fiddle with the spreadsheet. there's no arguing with numbers

              • netjock on 31/03/2025 - 10:03

                @May4th: Of course. It is like that same spreadsheet from WA Tesla owners association a few years ago how a Tesla Model 3 is cheaper than a Camry which is based on the fact residual values will remain high and forgetting to account for consumption of tires / servicing (even if you haven't changed / done it).

                You ever had someone tell you they are a millionaire / billionaire by savings a few bucks on FBT.

                FBT is just topping on the cake if you can making it work without it. It is only temporary and economics can change overnight (like losing your job). Your NL is guaranteed but losing or changing jobs isn't.

  • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 16:18
    -5

    At this point it mainly seems to be new stock teslas getting torched. Are you willing to risk that yours just happens to be the one that ends up roasted on the slim chance that some loony takes a dislike to the nearest Elon mobile?

    Other than that, there are some other options for EVs in thw used market.

    • mavis30551 on 25/03/2025 - 16:19
      +3

      Ive had a look, its really slim. Particularly long ranged EV's

      • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 16:21

        Are you really sure you actually need the long range? Lots of people seem to forget that for most driving they dont travel much more than the charge your standard wall socket can supply overnight except very rarely.

        • mavis30551 on 25/03/2025 - 16:28
          +3

          I do los of day trips to the coast about 2 hours away.

          Would be much easier if I dindt have to worry about range tbh

          • chuq on 25/03/2025 - 16:35
            -2

            @mavis30551: I do day trips that are 2hr 20mins each way on a regular basis. I live in one of the few parts of the country without superchargers, and it's still no stress.

            • Brick50 on 25/03/2025 - 17:05
              +4

              @chuq: Assuming you charge when you get there? My SR+ wouldn't do 4hr 40 driving without charging

              • chuq on 26/03/2025 - 00:13
                +1

                @Brick50: I do a 10 minute toilet/snack stop at some point during the trip. That adds 20% or so to the battery.

              • wozz on 26/03/2025 - 16:41

                @Brick50: In traffic it would :D i think speed/distance is more important than time

                During the week i can easily do over 8hrs driving and still have charge left in sr+

          • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 18:39
            +2

            @mavis30551: Sounds like youre a true candidate for long range then.

          • Dslrfirst on 26/03/2025 - 09:04
            +1

            @mavis30551: why "tbh"?

          • wozz on 26/03/2025 - 16:40
            +1

            @mavis30551: Fyi only I drive minimum 150km each day, never have an issue with range in standard model 3.

            During a week if i drive 800km it costs me $8 in electricity. Could do it for less if i scheduled for solar or free time of day too.

    • Dslrfirst on 31/03/2025 - 09:06
      -1

      Why "At this point" if you must use "Now".

  • Cluster on 25/03/2025 - 16:20
    +7

    If you like the car, buy it. It's your money.

    Is there an increased risk of the vehicle being vandalized in Australia? Sure. But it's not as bad as in the USA. Unless you buy parts or servicing from Tesla then no money will flow back to Musk.

  • Porker on 25/03/2025 - 16:24
    +13

    As an alternative, consider BYD? eg. Seal in place of model 3.

    I'm currently reviewing novated leasing a Sealion 7.

  • Russell Dupsumtucka on 25/03/2025 - 16:26
    -2

    Bozo is dead. I don't see what he has to do with your car buying decisions.

  • Benoffie on 25/03/2025 - 16:27
    +27

    Who buys cars based on politics?

    Clearly not the vast majority of people. Otherwise it would rule out huge swathes of manufacturers and their governments.

    • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 18:40
      +7

      Plenty of people not buying chinese cars because 'china bad'

      • brendanm on 25/03/2025 - 19:04
        +24

        I think people simply don't buy them because the cars are crap.

        • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 19:31
          +5

          There is that too.

          Tesla isnt just tanking because of their wierd leader. They havent kept up with the market. Current models have aged and they arent offering anything new except the stupertruck. The model 2 is a non starter. Self drive is delayed and delayed. Competition/choice has increased.

          That and we are finding out that more and more they are trying to get around regulations, have a bunch of lawsuits against them and they collect a whole bunch of data about your usage.

          • brendanm on 25/03/2025 - 20:50
            +8

            @Euphemistic: I also wouldn't buy a Tesla.

            • Euphemistic on 25/03/2025 - 21:40

              @brendanm: 3-4 years ago id have considered it. Not anymore. There seems to be better options now. The ioniq 5N sounds pretty cool and looks good, but its waaayyy out of budget.

              • wiltonson on 26/03/2025 - 18:06
                +2

                @Euphemistic: you'll be surprised some of the tech is actually better on the Tesla compare to ioniq when paying the similiar model range.

                • Euphemistic on 26/03/2025 - 19:20
                  +2

                  @wiltonson: Tech isnt everything. Driving exlerience and style wpuld win out over some extra tech features. Ultimately, its a driving thing, not a laptop.

      • Benoffie on 25/03/2025 - 19:47
        +1

        Which is perfectly fine, I appreciate informed consumers.

        Just dont know why we need a post for someone's diatribe re Tesla. We'd be here for all and sundry if we all did it.

      • Binchicken22 on 28/03/2025 - 10:24

        Yeah "China bad"… What a ridiculous take aye… Not like they literally run concentration camps for certain racial groups n shit hey.

    • Aureus on 25/03/2025 - 20:45
      +16

      Running?? He isn't running the government, he is dismantling it.

        • Aureus on 25/03/2025 - 21:00
          +5

          lol

          • JimmyF on 25/03/2025 - 21:01
            -3

            @Aureus: So you haven't read the list… How will Iraq now get by with the USA funded Arabic version of 'Sesame Street'?!

            • Aureus on 25/03/2025 - 21:44
              +12

              @JimmyF: The USA funded Arabic version of Sesame Street was supported by both sides.

              Being the largest economy in the world, they do things like this because they have a return on investment, just not an easy dollar figure that someone like Trump can understand.

              Providing western books, set in western locations to children in countries high in radical Islamic views is a very good return on investment. The $20 million saved is enough to blow up around 20 Houthi $2000 drones. Yeah Trump/Musk is soooo smart. 🙄

              • dins on 27/03/2025 - 09:57
                -3

                @Aureus: Clearly you are the smart one eh 🤡🤣

        • smartazz104 on 27/03/2025 - 07:08
          +2

          Yeah 'findings'.

        • Purp on 27/03/2025 - 08:17
          -6

          Can't reason with the leftist cult, they go by feelings not facts.

          • Euphemistic on 28/03/2025 - 16:32

            @Purp: Cant reason with the right wing cult, they go by propaganda not facts.

            It cuts both ways.

            • dins on 30/03/2025 - 10:28
              -1

              @Euphemistic: Yeah it's the right that keeps damaging private property of others just because they are too stupid to figure out that they're being played.

              🤡

              • Euphemistic on 30/03/2025 - 12:26

                @dins: The right has been played by the billionaires that they will never have anything in common with. Cant see that they are being exploited to line the pickets of those far more wealthy than they deserve to be.

                • dins on 30/03/2025 - 14:49
                  -2

                  @Euphemistic: Aside from Elon and a couple of others rest of those billionaires you speak of are on the left. 🤡

                  Not just the left, the far-left to be precise.

                  They are the ones playing you like a fiddle. You know the ones who lecture you on climate change while they travel the world for fun in their private jets and superyachts. Even worse the ones with god complexes.

                  “I fancied myself as some kind of god … If truth be known, I carried some rather potent messianic fantasies with me from childhood, which I felt I had to control, otherwise they might get me in trouble.”

                  “It is a sort of disease when you consider yourself some kind of god, the creator of everything, but I feel comfortable about it now since I began to live it out.”

                  ~ George Soros circa 2004

                  “First, we've got population. The world today has 6.8 billion people. That's headed up to about nine billion. Now, if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by, perhaps, 10 or 15 percent."

                  ~ Bill Gates during a TED talk in 2010 about reducing carbon emissions to ZERO by 2050 🤡

                  You seriously can't be this clueless. Then again not surprised.

                  • Euphemistic on 30/03/2025 - 15:17

                    @dins: Yeah… nah. Bilionaires are largely not left wing, they got where they are because of right wing 'small government', 'trickle down economics' and union busting.

                    • dins on 30/03/2025 - 15:19
                      -1

                      @Euphemistic: That's why I said you are clueless. Thanks for proving my point beyond any doubt.

                      • Euphemistic on 30/03/2025 - 15:20
                        -1

                        @dins: I would have said you are also clueless, like brainwashed right wingers are.

                        GEorGE sORoS! Give me a break.

      • entropysbane on 26/03/2025 - 12:29
        +4

        You say that like it is a bad thing.
        More seriously, he isn’t actually doing that, that is for the administration to decide what it will do.

        He is identifying waste and plausibly dodgy programs, identifying functions that are duplicative of state processes, and looking at poorly maintained data systems that needed to be cleaned up and modernised. An example being the social security database where some very old people ,have apparently forgotten to die.the database needs better verification and review systems that could be automated.

        Now no doubt there will be some programs that we would argue should be kept and that is a separate conversation.. Such an audit should become on a regular basis rather than let things accrete over the decades.

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