Howdy y'all.
I've moved to the US, and my company-provided rental needs to go back in a couple of weeks. Or maybe 4. Who knows.
Anyway, I need my own wheels.
I've narrowed it down to three choices:
- NEW Chevrolet Bolt, ~$42,000 fully loaded
- NEW Tesla Model 3, ~$50,000 in first-run spec (high mileage battery, premium kit)
- USED Tesla Model S, ~$42,000-$50,000 spec as-it-comes depending on exact used vehicle
A Bolt comes with $7,500 off my tax bill for the year and a $2,500 cheque from the state government, bringing the real cost down by $10,000. A Model 3 has the state rebate, but might not have the federal tax break (it's a bit unclear at the moment as there's a cap on how many of those rebates are offered, per-manufacturer). A used car has no rebates or incentives.
A wrinkle is the Model 3 isn't available for me until around April, but I need wheels now - so either I need to rent a car between now & then (about $700 a month), or take over a lease on something like a 3 series or C class (about $400 a month - but I have no credit rating here so might struggle to get this set up).
Thoughts? Do I want a (high end) econobox now, an oversize used luxury car now, or to throw money away until April to get the "right" car for me?