I Never Thought I'd Buy a Tesla
Pulling into my local Wawa to fill up my V8 “gas-guzzler” Mustang GT, I braced myself for another painful experience at the pump. Looking across the parking lot, I noticed a row of Teslas plugged into charging stations. Their owners sat comfortably in their cars, seemingly unbothered, while the dissatisfaction among those of us filling up at the pumps was palpable.
It must be nice not having to worry about skyrocketing fuel prices at a time when it seems as though everything is becoming unaffordable. Just last year, filling up my Mustang cost me around $35. Today, it's nearly double that. Given the situation in Iran and the ongoing war in Ukraine, I struggle to see how fuel prices will come down anytime soon.
Lately, I've also been noticing more and more Teslas on the road, along with all the developments surrounding autonomous vehicles. The thought of cars navigating public roads without anyone behind the wheel still feels surreal to me. How strange would it be to pull up next to a car at a red light and find the driver's seat completely empty? It's remarkable how quickly something that once seemed like science fiction is becoming part of everyday life.
For years, I told myself I would NEVER buy a Tesla. But, as they say, never say never.
I had plenty of reasons. I thought Teslas were unreliable, ugly, cheaply made, overpriced, and last but not least... electric. As someone who genuinely enjoys the sound and character of a naturally aspirated V8, the idea of driving something without an engine seemed, dare I say, almost sacrilegious.
Between the rising cost of gasoline and the seemingly endless number of Teslas on the road, I found myself wondering, what's all the hype about? So I decided to find out.
My wife, baby daughter, and I made our way to the Tesla showroom near International Plaza here in Tampa for a test drive. We arrived right on time and within ten minutes we were behind the wheel with a Tesla representative. My first impression was that the car looked great. The refreshed Model Y was noticeably different from the Teslas I remembered. The exterior looked sharper, the interior was much nicer, and the overall build quality seemed considerably better than what I had come to expect from the brand.
Then the representative, Darrien, showed us the self-driving feature. “Enter your destination on this screen and hit this button. The car will take you anywhere you want to go.” Okay, sure it will. He entered the name of a taco shop about five minutes away, pressed the button, and off we went.
I'll admit, I felt a bit of panic initially, especially as the car pulled onto the road. My wife, our baby, and I were now putting our trust in Tesla's supervised self-driving technology. The steering wheel turned on its own, the car navigated traffic, and I sat there watching something I had previously dismissed as dysfunctional and unreliable. To my surprise, it worked better than I could have ever imagined. Dare I say, it drove better than most people I know.
The car navigated the entire trip without a single issue and even parked itself at our destination. I was beyond impressed, not just by the technology itself, but by how natural the whole experience felt. We then entered our home address, about fifteen minutes away, and it did the exact same thing. Of course, the system still requires a driver to supervise it, but the experience was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Long story short, I walked into Tesla as a skeptic and walked out a customer after a 45-minute test drive.
I placed my order almost immediately, a process that took legitimately less than five minutes. No hassle, no headaches, and no pushy car salesman trying to upsell me on unnecessary features. The pricing was plainly displayed, and to top it all off, Tesla was offering 1.99% financing over 72 months. Coming from the traditional dealership experience, the simplicity felt like cheating. Is this what it's supposed to be like?
Perhaps the most surprising part of this whole experience wasn't the technology, the financing, or even the car itself. It was how quickly I changed my mind about something I had been so certain of for years.
I'm Enzo Cespedes-Correa, a financial advisor based in Tampa, Florida, with an interest in the intersection of finance and technology. You can learn more about me on my About page or read my other articles.
