Leasing from Tesla is a far worse idea than leasing from other manufacturers. Why? The lease terms are non-negotiable, you can only deal with Tesla Finance, and you don't have the option of buying the vehicle at the end of the lease. Don't walk away, run! If you want a Tesla, buy it and finance the purchase.
I concur with the above post. Tesla's are horrible to lease. Audi is offering far superior leases on their E-Tron if you're able to deal with the lower range and are OK with an SUV. Most dealers do mark up the captive lender's base lease rate by a few points and you can negotiate down to the base rate if you find a good sales person. Check Edmunds lease forums for the base rate.
A few weeks ago, I was planning to go for Tesla Y (Autopilot) or Tesla 3 and I wanted to lease it. It might be better to think twice before going for it. Here are my thoughts and I decided to go for Kia EV instead of Tesla:
- The Tesla EVs look much much better than the other car manufacturers (e.g. Autopilot option). If I want to score the EVs, I score Tesla 10 and the other EVs start from 7.
- Tesla delivery time is currently ~2-3 weeks (depending on location) and typically, it cannot be purchased via dealers. If you plan to buy from other manufacturers, you can buy almost at the same day, using a possible free delivery to home option.
- Tesla almost does not provide incentive for leasing or purchasing. Also, no tax credits. The other EV manufacturers provide lots of discounts and incentives, especially at the end of the year.
- At the end of the lease, you must return the Tesla car. No buyout option.
In a few years, if I want to go for Tesla and if the leasing situtation remains the same, I might go for financing.
Fico8: EX~EQ~TU~810 (12 month goal~840).