I was seriously considering buying a Tesla Model 3, but I ultimately decided against it — here's why (TSLA)

Matthew DeBord/BI

• I recently bought a new car, but it wasn't a Tesla Model 3.
• The Tesla Model 3 has wildly impressed me in the multiple times I've driven and tested it. But while I seriously considered buying one, I ultimately chose something closer to my old Toyota Prius.
• I haven't ruled out future Tesla ownership, of course. There's a pretty good chance I'll own one on the next decade.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

For various reasons, I had to buy a car recently. The details aren't terribly important, but I ended up with a certified pre-owned Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

Of course, the vehicle that's most influenced my thinking about cars in the past year or so has easily been the Tesla Model 3. I seriously considered ordering one, and for the record, I fully expect to own some sort of Tesla vehicle in the next 10 years.

I didn't go for it this time around, however. And I had my reasons! 

Here they are:

Tesla can set you up with home charging, but it is an additional initial expense. And were I to go for it, I'd be limited to charging only my Tesla, as the company's chargers aren't compatible with other EVs.

I've sampled several different versions of the Model 3, and while the current Standard Range Plus, rear-wheel-drive (single motor) trim level is priced under $40,000, I prefer to spend around $25,000 (or less) for my family's basic transportation needs. 

Some of this is because of my job. I test at least one new car each week, so we don't require anything too fancy for getting around. Our "second car" can be fairly basic. We chose the RAV4 because I already had a relationship with a local dealer and because we figured a hybrid crossover with all-wheel-drive would would be a little bit better for us than the Prius we had been driving.

I essentially use my car for local errands and ferrying my kids around, with an occasional longer trip thrown in.

On paper, I'm an ideal candidate for an EV. And in my estimation, if you're going to buy an EV, you might as well make it a Tesla. (You can always get something else if you're unhappy after a few years.)

A Model 3 would also be extremely cheap for me to operate, if somewhat more expensive to buy or lease. I'd end up recharging the cheapest Model 3, with its 240 miles of range, perhaps two or three times per month with my typical use pattern.

Still, having the ease of a gas-powered car remains something I need. It boils down to the longer trips and the need to avoid any sort of range anxiety, largely because we drive our car so infrequently that we gas up only about once a month. We forget about how much fuel is in the tank, and in that context, being able to fully refuel in five minutes makes a difference.

The Model 3 is a darn good car, and even though I should buy one but haven't, I must note that the Tesla-designed sound systems is incredible — among the best I've ever experienced. Just throwing that in because I'm somebody who likes a great audio setup in his ride.

See Also:

• Mark Zuckerberg's net worth increased by over $1 billion after Facebook's FTC fine — see the houses, cars, and travels where he spends his billions
• The 12 books Elon Musk says shaped his worldview and led him to business and personal success
• Tesla's go-private debacle was a year ago — but there are still good reasons for the company to leave the stock market

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