Buying a new car usually means accepting that it’ll lose some of its value the moment you drive it off the lot, and Tesla owners certainly aren’t strangers to depreciation. However, a couple of used Tesla Model Y listings have people questioning whether things might be changing, especially as some owners claim their electric vehicles are suddenly worth more than they were just a year ago.
Reddit user u/rtduvall shared a screenshot in the r/TeslaLounge subreddit showing two 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range vehicles listed for sale through a third-party vendor. One had approximately 19,000 miles on the odometer while the other had 30,000, prompting the poster to caption the image, “People are going nuts.”
The post quickly turned into a discussion about used Tesla prices, with several owners sharing stories about how much their vehicles have been worth at different points in recent years. One commenter even claimed their Tesla had gained between $5,000 and $10,000 in value since they purchased it last year, which is certainly not something most drivers expect to say about a used car.
Of course, the asking prices for the two vehicles weren’t included in the information shared here, making it difficult to determine just how unusual the listings actually were. Even if the vehicles were priced significantly higher than expected, two listings wouldn’t necessarily indicate a broader increase in used Tesla values, especially when asking prices don’t always reflect what buyers ultimately pay.
Tesla Owners Debate Used Model Y Prices as Fuel Costs Become a Talking Point
Reddit post follows below; please give it a moment to load completely.
The two listings caught people’s attention, but the discussion became particularly interesting when owners started comparing them with their own experiences buying and selling Teslas. Some recalled the unusual used-car market during the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply shortages and strong demand occasionally allowed owners to sell vehicles for more than they originally paid.
One commenter remembered purchasing a Model Y for $47,000 before selling it for $63,000 during that period, describing it as the only time they’d ever made a profit selling a car. Another shared a similar experience with a Model Y Performance, joking that they specifically negotiated a selling price of $69,420.69 because the market was so favorable to sellers.
Several users also suggested that higher gasoline prices might be making electric vehicles more attractive again, although the post doesn’t establish whether that’s actually responsible for the listings. It’s an understandable theory, since spending less money at the gas pump can make an EV appealing, but factors like vehicle condition, regional demand, incentives, and the prices of new Teslas can also influence used-car values.
Comments and Reactions To Used Tesla Model Y Listings
Reddit users had plenty of personal experiences to share, particularly those who managed to take advantage of the unusually strong used-car market a few years ago. “I still remember buying my Model Y for 47k and selling it during COVID for 63k. Only time I ever sold a car for a profit,” one commenter recalled, while another claimed to have purchased a Tesla for approximately $54,000 before selling it two years and 16,000 miles later for $57,000.
Others believed fuel prices were playing a role in the apparent increase in used Tesla values, with one person writing, “I’m guessing the high cost of gas prices is a big driving factor.” Another commenter went further, claiming, “My car is worth more than it was the day I bought it last year. By like $5-10k,” although they didn’t provide an independent valuation to confirm the increase.
Interestingly, the discussion also drifted into how people feel about Tesla as a company, with some owners admitting they enjoy their vehicles despite having serious complaints about the brand or its leadership. The original poster even acknowledged continuing to drive a Tesla while criticizing the company’s service, demonstrating that someone can appreciate the technology in their car without necessarily being happy with everything surrounding it.