Typically, the used-car market is where one finds deals. Depreciation does its thing, lops thousands off of the cost of a nearly new vehicle, and second-hand buyers reap the savings. Those in the market for a Tesla Cybertruck aren’t having that experience, though. In fact, the situation is actually better for them since they can get a brand new Cybertruck for less than every single one on Autotrader as of this writing.
That’s right, every example of the Cybertruck on Autotrader right now, all 296 of them, have an asking price above the current price of a new one from Tesla itself. What that means on the flip side of the transaction is less rosy. It appears as though all of these sellers have a giant obstacle to overcome if they want what they’re asking for their Cybertrucks. That obstacle is Tesla itself.
What’s wild is that this entire situation isn’t just one of supply and demand either. Tesla is ready to ship new Cybertrucks to buyers right away. This might just be a hard lesson about the market impact of cars like the Cybertruck for those who bought in early in hopes of flipping for a profit.
Tesla is relatively unique in the automotive world since it sets its prices and customers can just go buy a car online whenever they want. There is no dealer markup which is great but there is a potential downside too. Let’s say you were one of the first Cybertruck owners. You would’ve forked over at least six figures, probably close to $120,000 or more to be an early adopter.
To get one quickly, the used market offered an opportunity at ownership with a much higher cost. Not long after production started, however, Tesla axed prices, and suddenly a new Cybertruck could’ve cost as little as $79,990. For buyers who intended to keep their pickup for good that might not matter too much but they’d still have an object technically worth a lot less than when they first bought it only a few months previously.
Interestingly, Tesla has actually yo-yo’d the price of the Cybertruck a few times already and today, a brand-new dual-motor version again costs $79,990. The Cyberbeast trim with its trio of motors costs $99,990. The automaker does this sort of price switching for whatever reasons it deems appropriate but the result for buyers and potential flippers is the same.
What’s wild is just how underwater the used market appears to be. Of the 296 Cybertrucks available on Autotrader right now, the least expensive example has an asking price of $89,900. It has 7,500 miles on the odometer too. Hey, at least you get a fancy black wrap job on it and some “oversized premium wheels.” Hilariously, the second-cheapest Cybertruck is set to $89,995 and has 9,054 miles on it.
On the other end of the scale, one seller has their Cybertruck listed for $189,000. It’s worth noting that some of these pickups are a bit more unique than what is available through Tesla now. In particular, they’re part of the Foundation Series, akin to a first edition of the Cybertruck that is now out of production.
Early buyers could pick up either trim of the Cybertruck, AWD (dual motor) or the Tri-Motor Cyberbeast with the Foundation Series package which basically meant they were fully loaded. That package added $20,000 to the total of each trim so pricing initially sat at $99,990 and $119,990 respectively. Today, buyers can still spec an AWD or Cyberbeast the same way a Foundation Series truck would’ve come from Tesla but they have to individually add options.
Some of this pricing would make more sense if Tesla was struggling to deliver new Cybertrucks to customers. That’s just not the case though as even in the middle of nowhere Arkansas, I can evidently expect delivery within the month should I order a new Cybertruck today. If Tesla can get one to me that quickly, imagine how fast it can get one to almost anywhere else in the nation.
On top of that, it’s not as though the vast majority of the CTs on Autotrader are priced near the low end of the spectrum. Over 210 of the ones there have an asking price north of $99,000. It’s not as though all of these trucks have a ton of extra features or options that buyers can’t get now. Most Cybertrucks are near exact copies of one another since Tesla limits buyers to two interior colors and two trims in total for now.
Take this Cybertruck as a great example. The seller wants $114,995 because he’s buying a tri-motor Cybertruck and his wife won’t let him have two. For that cash, the next owner will get a truck with no wrap, stock wheels, and 9,272 miles on the odometer. From what the photos show, this isn’t a Foundation Series truck either. It must be a tough time to move these considering Tesla’s own pricing.
Cybertruck fans and owners online don’t seem shocked at all. Here are just a few comments from those on a Cybertruck group on Facebook.
Of course, it’s worth saying with all of this that at any moment Tesla could jack the price of the Cybertruck back up to whatever numbers Elon Musk feels like and the used market could once again be priced beneath that of new trucks. I should probably go check that one more time before we hit the publish button.
Hysterical.
I’ve said it a million times before, and I will state it again.
Lease, lease, lease and EV. Never buy one. If you do…that’s your own whine, not anyone else. I’d rather have actual wine.
Flippers being caught by price decreases is a steaming hot cup of schadenfreude. Every time I see a wank panzer I hate it more. Tesla’s own Model Y is a better mommy mobile and the Rivian is a better electric pickup so CyberCucks trying to hawk incEl Caminos for what they paid is funny as are the price cuts and rapid build and delivery indicating Tesla is running out of buyers