Search any used-EV marketplace and Teslas own four of the top five spots. The real question buyers face isn't "Tesla or not" — it's Model 3 or Model Y, and the internet answers it with vibes. Here are the numbers.
- The Model Y's badge costs you roughly $5,000 up front ('21–'22 LR: $28,500–33,500 vs $24,000–28,000) — only pay it if you actually haul things.
- The 3 is the money play across the board: $7,000–8,500 less over three years once energy, insurance, and depreciation are counted.
- Depreciation is the silent killer — the Y sheds ~$11,600 in three years vs the 3's ~$9,100; buy the Y for cargo, not for "resale."
- Whichever you pick, verify battery health and FSD/Autopilot transfer before money moves — both cars fail the same two checks.
| 2021–22 Model 3 LR | 2021–22 Model Y LR | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical used price | $24,000–28,000 | $28,500–33,500 |
| The premium | — | ≈ +$5,000 for the hatch & height |
| Range (EPA, new) | 353 mi | 326 mi |
| Efficiency | ~4.1 mi/kWh | ~3.6 mi/kWh |
| Energy · 3 yr @ home rates | ≈ $1,230 | ≈ $1,400 |
| Insurance · 3 yr (est.) | ≈ $7,900 | ≈ $8,300 |
| Depreciation · next 3 yr (model est.) | ≈ $9,100 | ≈ $11,600 |
| Cargo, seats folded | 19.8 cu ft (trunk) | 76 cu ft |
01When Paying the $5,000 Y Premium Actually Makes Sense
Kids, dogs, Costco, bikes: 76 cubic feet and a hatch. If your life loads through a trunk lid, the 3 will make you resent it. That's worth $5,000 to a lot of households, full stop.
The Y hauls 76 cu ft with seats folded against the 3's 19.8 cu ft — nearly 4x the cargo — and that single number is the only rational reason to pay the premium. Everything else (range: 353 vs 326 miles EPA; efficiency: ~4.1 vs ~3.6 mi/kWh) favors the 3.
Source: CarmaDeal cost model02How the Model 3 Saves You $7,000+ Over Three Years
It's cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, goes farther on a charge, and — the part nobody prices in — depreciates about $2,500 less over the next three years in our model, because its used price already took the haircut the Y is still taking. Total 3-year gap, all-in: typically $7,000–8,500 in the Model 3's favor.
The sticker gap is $5,000, but the real three-year gap is $7,000–8,500 once you stack cheaper charging (~$1,230 vs ~$1,400), cheaper insurance (~$7,900 vs ~$8,300), and slower depreciation. The Y's premium roughly doubles by the time you sell.
Source: CarmaDeal cost model03Pick Your Winner: Cargo or Cash
Need the space → Y, eyes open about depreciation. Don't → the 3 is the better financial car by every line in the table. Either way, the spread between good and bad listings of the same car is thousands right now — price the exact VIN.