Sold the Foundation…now what do I do?

[HaulingAss]

You may love your truck — fine. But let’s stop pretending it’s some unassailable financial or engineering triumph. The data says otherwise.

It's well established that new vehicles depreciate more quickly than used vehicles. But why do you say the Cybertruck is not an engineering triumph? Do you think I'm imagining that it is heads and shoulders above my F-150? It's not even a fair contest in the way they drive, loaded to the hilt, or completely empty. The safety and engineering built into the Cybertruck has no equal. It's not even close.

It's not like I'm new to trucks, I've been driving pickups for decades. I'm well aware of what it can be replaced with, and it ain't pretty! Pickups have gotten better over the years, but with small incremental changes. They are as outdated as any class of vehicle on the road. The Cybertruck is not the end of this evolution, but it's a giant step forward, while legacy automakers have been making little baby steps forward.

Sponsored

 

[vandytom]

That’s just mental gymnastics to avoid facing reality. Inflation isn’t what’s tanking Cybertruck resale — it’s overpromising and underdelivering. ‘Best vehicle today’? Based on what — charging delays, incomplete features, no Autopilot, a broken tonneau, and a $120K truck reselling for $90K if you’re lucky?

Calling it a ‘sunk cost’ doesn’t magically make it a smart one. That’s just resignation, not justification. And let’s be clear — regular owners are getting hit hard too. Dual Motor Foundation trucks are sitting at $60K–$65K resale after being bought for $81K+. That’s a $15K–$20K drop in a matter of months. That’s not inflation — that’s market rejection.

You may love your truck — fine. But let’s stop pretending it’s some unassailable financial or engineering triumph. The data says otherwise.

I see why you're salty as a Foundation owner. Tha'ts why I waited for the regular price with deals. i'm happy with my financial case.

 

[HaulingAss]

Financial, sure, but it’s absolutely an engineering triumph. I won’t even go into why, because everyone on here already knows.

Exactly. @Bobio is talking some real nonsense there, it's disconnected from reality. And that's common when it comes to anything Tesla. There is an army of very vocal operatives out there that are trying to move public opinion in a deceptive manner and even many Tesla fans are gullible enough to let it impact their views.

 

[HaulingAss]

BEST ONE EVER. WHY WHY WHY do people purchase a rig with resale and appreciation in mind. Worst investment ever. CT,,, best purchase ever.

Exactly. Those who wanted low depreciation had to wait for people like me who wanted to pay that premium to get their Cybertrucks, they had to wait for supply to catch up to demand which naturally gets rid of the early adopter premium. Anyone who didn't know there was an early adopter premium is dumber than a rock. It was discussed ad nauseum right here on this forum for two years. Now that that premium has gone away, a few really silly people are acting surprised and butt-hurt.

The idiocy displayed here by the vocal minority is shameful.

 

[HaulingAss]

One question for you though that is purely out of interest. If you sold your CT… why are you here? Isn’t this the CT Owner’s Club? Why even spend time involving yourself here if you no longer own a CT?

I think if you look at the entirety of his post history, starting last fall, you will see every post is a dig at Tesla. I think that answers your question. Not everyone on Internet forums is who they represent.

 

[RustyLopez]

If you're worried about depreciation buy a Toyota, if you want a badass truck buy another Cybertruck.

100% true - I had a 2012 Tundra that I paid $46K for 15 years ago that I just sold for $25K about 2 weeks ago. Not the smallest depreciation I ever had in a car, but close.

 

[Ken in Miami]

Buy a ~20 year old car and fix it up. Then you won’t have to worry about depreciation. Actually, could make money. ?

Just picked up a project car for me and the kids. Got a good deal. Could flip it for a profit if I wanted. Just got done refinishing the wheels and in process of fixing the front bumper.

Project cars are fun!

 

[RAY INGRASSIA]

Never bought a vehicle as an investment. I buy solid stock instead. You'll never enjoy your CT if you treat it like an investment..........it's NOT. If you sell it because you don't like it, or it's broken all the time, or it's not what you thought it would be, or you really couldn't afford it.......that's fine. But selling decision based solely on depreciation is idiotic. You shouldn't have bought it in the first place.

 

[HaulingAss]

100% true - I had a 2012 Tundra that I paid $46K for 15 years ago that I just sold for $25K about 2 weeks ago. Not the smallest depreciation I ever had in a car, but close.

During 2023, people were selling Tesla Model Y's with 10-15K miles on them for $5-$10K more than they paid new. It's all about supply and demand at any given time.

Why do some people on this forum pretend to not understand things that basic?

 

[freddms]

I bought my FS for the lifetime charging benefit and will keep this thing on the road as long as I have fight left in me.

I'm with ya. I figure the truck is about free if you drive it 700,000 miles (excluding any repairs or battery replacement). I'm going to die driving this thing!

We have 5 kids all over the nation - coast to coast - since we are retired we just do the circuit. Free lifetime supercharging BUT I'm a driving advertisement for Tesla (this is our 5th Tesla).

 

[VAF84]

I don’t even have a CT and disagree that CT’s are massively depreciating, at least not any worse than a conventional vehicle.

You sold at the peak of the depreciation curve for FS models. The second that Tesla began selling non FS models you ate the $20k to be a first adopter. Anyone who has a basic concept of Economics would have known that.

Further, the highest trim vehicles depreciate harder than mid and lower trim vehicles. That’s because what you get at the top is only incrementally better than the middle and bottom and you have a smaller pool of buyers willing to pay that premium. So it doesn’t surprise me that a used cyber beast would end up being on par priced with a dual motor in the used market

Generally speaking the cyber truck market appears to be stable now. Prices haven’t lowered in the last two months, much less when compared to its competitors.

Anyway, it seems like you made a decision that made you happy and relieve some stress and that’s worth something. You could probably get into a dual motor cyber truck if you miss it that much, I don’t see what other vehicle offers the value that the Tesla cyber truck does except for the new truck EV’s from GM or Ford if you’re not too concerned with charging speed and range.

 

[Deleted member 22486]

I think you have different personal values than some others. You concerned yourself with massive depreciation. I think we all knew these things were going to depreciate massively. When Hertz was selling 1-2 yo Model 3s that were 18k and couldn’t get rid of them, it was clearly evident the CT was going to follow suit. We knew this when we got into this. EVs just don’t hold their value at this stage.

I bought in knowing full well the CT “value” was going to crash. In fact, I am surprised it hadn’t dropped quicker than it has.

But I didn’t buy the CT to be concerned about its depreciation. It wasn’t an investment. It’s a marvel. For me, I still get wowed every time Iturn on FSD and watch this thing drive me to my location. It passes cars that are too slow… it stops at stop lights… makes left turns in areas that I thought it would be a real challenge. I am in tech and this thing never ceases to amaze me. No other vehicle comes close.

For me, the value is in the pleasure of driving it and having it drive me around. I know I “lost” money and I don’t care. I knew this going in and I am not sorry I did. I don’t buy vehicles for investment retention. I didn’t lose sleep if my 100k goes to zero, as long as this thing runs and keeps me happy. It has exceeded my personal value of this vehicle in how much pleasure I get from it.

So full circle, not everyone’s personal value is monetary based. Personal value is what one gets out of it.

One question for you though that is purely out of interest. If you sold your CT… why are you here? Isn’t this the CT Owner’s Club? Why even spend time involving yourself here if you no longer own a CT?

Because I bought 2 CT’s and still have the other one. And I was as much concerned with massive depreciation as with the massive problems I had with them. You combine those two and it’s not worth dealing with. Oh, and then I forgot Elon‘s big mouth and all the fallout from that.

Good times.

 

[Deleted member 22486]

I don’t even have a CT and disagree that CT’s are massively depreciating, at least not any worse than a conventional vehicle.

You sold at the peak of the depreciation curve for FS models. The second that Tesla began selling non FS models you ate the $20k to be a first adopter. Anyone who has a basic concept of Economics would have known that.

Further, the highest trim vehicles depreciate harder than mid and lower trim vehicles. That’s because what you get at the top is only incrementally better than the middle and bottom and you have a smaller pool of buyers willing to pay that premium. So it doesn’t surprise me that a used cyber beast would end up being on par priced with a dual motor in the used market

Generally speaking the cyber truck market appears to be stable now. Prices haven’t lowered in the last two months, much less when compared to its competitors.

Anyway, it seems like you made a decision that made you happy and relieve some stress and that’s worth something. You could probably get into a dual motor cyber truck if you miss it that much, I don’t see what other vehicle offers the value that the Tesla cyber truck does except for the new truck EV’s from GM or Ford if you’re not too concerned with charging speed and range.

And to be clear, I didn’t sell it. I made Tesla buy it back. I got almost all of what I paid them in the first place and I consider myself very lucky. Once I sell the other one, I will be done with the CT. Maybe in a year or two when they get the engineering straightened out I will revisit it.

Both of them were “less than optimal” reliability wise, and we will leave it at that.

 

[Cincycyber]

If you never sell,depreciation doesn’t matter

Agreed. I run my cars into the ground.

 

[Zipperback]

I'm an edge example because I will readily admit I have an emotional attachment to my CT. I smile every time I walk by the thing in the garage. I smile even more as it drives me about with little intervention out here on back country roads. I smile again as it drives me through major metropolitan centers with zero interventions. Seems to me that FSD works better while under load.

I had another old guy walk across a parking lot the other day with the express purpose of telling me how ugly my truck was. I just chuckled at him and told him that it handles beautifly. It was a design that was meant to elicit emotion. I call it a success - no matter on which side of the pro or con you might fall.

I've enjoyed this thread because it has documented, once again, that the CT is a polarizing vehicle. It's my forever vehicle until, perhaps, another future Tesla comes along that can allow me to stay as independent as I possibly can - maybe the CyberVan. My bet (not at all concerned with depreciation) has been that FSD (and Optimus) will allow me to keep going long after I would be able to do so otherwise. That thought also makes me smile.

Sponsored