New vs Used: Dacia Spring vs Tesla Model 3

For a budget under €19,900, should one opt for a new Dacia Spring or a powerful and well-equipped but outdated Tesla?

There’s no need to inform us that these two cars are not comparable, except by their price. And that’s the main point of this article which, at the moment when motorists are encouraged to switch to electric, reminds us that the used market is already perfectly mature.

Thus, a common misconception might be that to be more virtuous towards the planet, but also to save money daily, one must settle for a nearly €20,000 electric city car. With or without a bonus, European or Chinese. And this is where the absurdity comes in: for the price of a base Dacia Spring priced at €18,900 (no bonus allowed), you could opt for a Tesla Model 3 that is certainly used (90,000 km), but more than four times more powerful and with triple the range. And we’d spare you the standing, comfort, ability to travel (huge trunks), equipment, access to the Supercharger network, etc.

TECHNICAL DATA

With a bit of negotiation, both of these cars, new and used, will slightly revise their price downwards. Targeting €18,000 for the Tesla is a certainty, as the abundance in the used market favors the buyer. More than just choice, there’s even an embarrassment of riches, as you can find everything and anything in the classifieds.

This is the problem with early Teslas whose specifications have changed significantly. Power, battery size, number of driving wheels, etc., it’s easy to get confused. In this case, we find a Standard Plus version but with a 75 kWh battery, whereas the “small battery” version was limited to 50 kWh for a real range of about 250 km. The 75 kWh version, rated for 491 km, was more like 370 km in real conditions. A good performance already for its time… and even more so compared to the restyled Dacia Spring which has to settle for 225 km on paper… and 150 km in reality.

Beware of Tesla warranties

The only argument that can make one hesitate when opting for a used vehicle is, of course, reliability. There’s a significant risk of spending a lot on repairs. At Tesla, we differentiate between the “car” and the “battery”: 4 years or 80,000 km for the former, 8 years or 160,000 km for the latter.

The first of these two terms has expired with this entry-level used Tesla, but not the second. However, the second is the most expensive, which is reassuring. Just like the reliability of batteries with Model 3 2020 examples showing over 300,000 km without any failure.

The Dacia for maximum savings

If all these contingencies bore you to tears and you are only aiming for a very precise management of your budget, then the Dacia is for you. Lightweight (1 ton), low-powered (65 hp), it does not strain its mechanical parts. Tires, braking, but also a small battery that needs less frequent charging thanks to unbeatable consumption. Ultimately, the impact on the energy bill and the garage will be that much lower.

One simply needs to overcome the psychological barrier that an urban vehicle, just to go to work, costs €20,000 today. Certainly, the running costs may recover some value, but still…

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