Trying to see if the math actually makes sense

GroundFrost1 | 2026-03-10 04:35 | 5 views

Hey everyone, I’m seriously considering pulling the trigger on a Model Y Premium RWD, but I’m trying to sanity-check the numbers before committing. Right now I drive a 2015 Audi A3, and while I genuinely like the car, the reality of owning an aging German car is starting to show. Maintenance costs keep creeping up, parts aren’t cheap, and it always feels like there’s another repair waiting around the corner. For context, I live in Seattle, so energy costs and daily usage matter. Some numbers about how I use my car: • I usually drive 10–20 miles per day • Edge case is around 30 miles if I’m doing a lot of errands • Electricity here is about $0.13/kWh • Gas for the Audi is about $40 per tank (regular, since it’s older) and that lasts roughly 5–6 days • Oil changes every \~5,000 miles, usually $200–$300 What really made me start questioning things was a recent repair. Someone hit my car a couple months ago and the claim ended up getting rejected, so I had to pay around $6,000 out of pocket for a strut and axle replacement. That kind of surprise expense is what made me start thinking about moving to something newer with fewer mechanical components. So I’m trying to think about this more logically than emotionally. A few things I’m curious about from people who made a similar switch: • How has Model Y depreciation actually been lately? Tesla price adjustments seem to have changed the resale dynamics a bit. • For those who moved from an older ICE car (especially German cars), how much did your maintenance and general ownership costs actually drop? • With electricity around $0.13/kWh and driving 10–20 miles/day, what does charging realistically cost you per month? • Do most people rely almost entirely on home charging, or is public charging workable in a city like Seattle? There are also the usual ownership costs to factor in, but the big question for me is whether the overall math actually works out. Part of me wonders if the financially smarter move is to just keep the Audi running for a few more years, even if maintenance is annoying, instead of taking the depreciation hit on a new car. So I’m curious how people here approached this decision. Did switching to a Model Y make sense financially, or was it more about the experience and tech? Any regrets? Appreciate any insights.

Comments (7)

mozman68 2026-03-10 08:38

To be fair, an accident involving suspension repairs isn’t really maintenance…but damn. The expense of repairing it seems high…even for an Audi (I’ve owned 5 over the past 13 years). Here’s the thing, on paper, sounds like getting a “new” car is what makes sense for you since you are correct, regular maintenance on what you have COULD be a big financial drain (read that as “WILL”) You’re spreading out that expense monthly most likely by paying for a new car…but the peace of mind? The warranty? Not going to gas stations? The speed??? Worth it in my book (as long as you can afford the payment).

JackfruitCrazy51 2026-03-10 09:49

Can you charge at home? If not, I personally wouldn't buy an EV. Only you know if you can afford a $50k vehicle. The tesla itself is super cheap to run, but do check to see what your insurance would run.

Background-House9795 2026-03-10 09:52

My 72 mile commute costs me about $3 per day at 16¢ per kWh. 2020 MYLR.

fratzba 2026-03-10 14:54

Figure you will get 3-4 miles per kWh. Compare that to your current car, and what you are paying for gas. Then figure that the only basic maintenance is windshield wiper blades and fluid, tires, a cabin air filter yearly. Compare that to all of those things on your other car, plus oil changes, belts, emissions, etc. Given that you are in Washington, the registration will cost more, I don’t know how much. (In Oregon, it’s about double, but there’s no property or sales tax) In my 6+ years so far, there’s been no comparison as far as maintenance.

Proof_Sheepherder899 2026-03-10 17:18

^^^ This was the case for me.

Daguvry 2026-03-14 21:21

I got my model y December 2021. I'm at about 92,000 miles. Majority of charging is done at home at about 0.12 cents. I've changed air filters and added wiper fluid. Changed original tires at about 40k and just did it again about 45k. This is a graph of what electricity cost me and what the gas equivalent would have been. https://imgur.com/a/dyZYTXu

Extension_Lion_9981 2026-03-15 00:40

Avoid surprises- findout your auto insurance cost using VIN number, cost of registration renewal annually, if flat tire no repair only option to replace. Hope this helps. Model y 2023, in almost 3 years w 32k miles, hood got repainted due to paint issue, suspension replaced, center console replaced, trunk motor replaced, many other minor issue. Hit and run side mirror replacement now finding it out cost will be approx. ~1.2k just to replace one side mirror. Proud unhappy MY owner. Hope that helps, still trying to understand who with right mind buy this awesome vehicle? I wish soneone had told me all this. Luv my MY..

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