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Used or New (cash or finance) HELP

EmploymentSolid2555 | 2026-02-16 21:32 | 17 views

I’m trying to think through this purely financially and would appreciate some outside opinions. I currently own a model 3 worth about 20k and need to move to a Model Y for space. The decision is between a used one around 29-32k cash with no payment, or a new Model Y RWD premium around 54k total with 0.99% financing for 72 months. Payment would be roughly 700/month. If I buy new, I would invest the cash instead of spending it upfront. I drive about 70 miles per day and would likely keep the car 5–6 years. My rough thinking is the used might lose around 10k in value over that time, while the new might lose closer to 24k. But investing 30k at around 7% could grow to roughly 45k over 6 years (\~15k gain), and the loan interest is only about 1k total. That makes it seem like the real cost difference might be fairly small. Am I thinking about this correctly, or missing something obvious? At what return assumptions does the used option clearly win? Does the heavy mileage push things toward buying new because of warranty/battery risk? Not trying to justify anything (jk I really am), just want to understand the economics before deciding.

Comments (3)
Fantastic-Army-7671 2026-02-16 21:45

24k loss in 6 years? No way more if your avg 18k+ miles a year.

BestSpatula 2026-02-16 21:50

I think the older gen model Y looks nicer, personally. Plus you won't get screwed on Tesla autopilot.

mindguard 2026-02-17 04:46

Same exact thinking here. Thinking 2023 MYLR AWD or brand new juniper. It seems better value to invest the 20k via sale of current car to my local car dealer and buy new. I would rather loose money to depreciation than paying a bank, and the investment will help out. All this with a quieter, smoother car with more cameras and a larger screen.

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