Tesla offering insane perks as sales dry up

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Perks and how unusual they are

  • Original perks described as free charging and low APR financing.
  • Several commenters say these are normal auto incentives, not “insane,” and only suggest weaker demand.
  • Some argue truly aggressive perks would include free Full Self-Driving plus low APR.

Demand, incentives, and competition

  • One view: Tesla is “definitely under pressure,” with letters offering lease buyouts and 0% financing on new cars.
  • Others frame this as routine inventory-clearing, especially ahead of a refreshed Model Y.
  • Comparisons show Ford and others offering extensive EV incentives too, suggesting the entire EV market is soft, not just Tesla.
  • Disagreement over whether EV sales are “stagnant” versus Tesla being an outlier with sharper declines, especially in Europe.

Musk, politics, and buying decisions

  • Some refuse to buy Teslas until Musk relinquishes control; others think he’s already too distracted and should hand over day-to-day reins.
  • Counterpoint: avoiding every company he invests in would be impractical if he diversified, so some limit their boycott just to Tesla.
  • Several commenters explicitly choose or avoid Teslas for political/ethical reasons; others find it “insane” to let his government role affect car choices.
  • Debate over whether boycotts are among the few practical ways individuals can “vote” against powerful unelected figures.

Product quality, software changes, and resale

  • One former owner reports severe depreciation and over-the-air updates that degraded features (Autopilot behavior, parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers) without consent, and sees this as short-termism.
  • Another owner says the same updates largely improved their car, calling “deprecation” subjective, with some FSD versions singled out as missteps.

Cybertruck and model lineup

  • Potential buyers see the low APR Cybertruck financing as attractive, not desperate.
  • Many others call Cybertruck ugly, poorly built, and a bad truck functionally, suited mainly for ego/attention.
  • Some note its heavy stainless body and powerful drivetrain might appeal to people who’d otherwise buy cheap beat-up trucks, though serious structural concerns (e.g., hitch issues) are flagged.

Future of Tesla

  • A few predict that without a sale or major government contracts, Tesla may struggle and face layoffs; others do not engage with that scenario.
  • USPS EV contracts are mentioned as a missed or partial opportunity; unclear if Tesla could still benefit.