Tesla Sales Promotions Include Model 3 Ahead Of Quarter

Tesla's fiscal quarter is about to end. There are just 12 days left in the quarter, including two Saturdays and two Sundays. Tesla has been offering discounts, and incentives to shoppers at quarter-end now for years. These discounts have been reported by shoppers (including the author). Incentives include perqs like free supercharging.

If you have not been paying close attention to Tesla's sales in the U.S. lately you may not realize that Telsa's sales pace has dropped by about 40% in past months compared to its run-rate in late 2018. Every very vehicle that Tesla sells, the Model S, Model X, and the hugely-popular Model 3, has seen back-to-back monthly sales (or delivery) declines in the past two months. Tesla wants to boost its numbers as much as practical in its home market prior to the close of the month. Another SEC filing will soon be due and Tesla doesn't want to have to answer a lot of tricky questions from investors like "Why are sales down in key markets?"

Related Story: Peak Tesla - All Three Tesla Models Drop In U.S. Sales For Second Consecutive Month

If you have been considering a Tesla, now may be a good time to buy. Teslas still qualify for federal tax deductions (if you have enough to deduct). With the fiscal quarter ending now, your next best chance to buy may be at the end of December. However, Tesla's inventory allocation may have shifted again by December, leaving Tesla with fewer vehicles to try to deliver. Tesla has also been shifting prices and packages frequently. There is just no way to know if prices will remain stable through year-end.

One excellent source of Tesla discount information is the Tesla-advocacy publication Elektrek. That publication is reporting that Tesla is authorizing its sales associates to discount vehicles and also to offer up to two free years of supercharging to close deals. The discounts are offered in the form of no up-charges for options on in-stock models. In essence, a discounted price on a model that Tesla can send you home with now, rather than deliver after quarter-end. These discounts can add up to thousands off the price of a Tesla vehicle.

This author was offered a discount of over $2,000 on a Model 3 a few days before the end of last quarter. The vehicle was a blue, Long-range AWD Model 3 that was ready to bring home and had never been driven or used as a tester. It was a new car in every way. This discount was first offered by phone - Tesla's Dedham Massachusetts location phoned me (I am on the promotional offer list) and then again in person at the Dedham Tesla dealership (unlike some states, Tesla's Dedham location is a full-service location owned by Tesla with full dealership privileges).

There are also Facebook clubs dedicated to Tesla deals. Check them out with a keyword search and be sure you are following the forums. Deals are a very popular topic and members want to help shoppers joint the owners' club. To view the current Tesla incentives that are offered by the federal and local government in your area, check out Tesla's handy guide.

In addition to covering green vehicle topics, John Gorehamcovers safety, technology, and new vehicle news at Torque News. You can follow John on Twitter at @johngoreham.