Used Tesla in San Diego: savings, prices and self-driving

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Waiting for the new Roadster? Tesla flew it on its October 15 livestream, and the prediction markets still price first deliveries a long way off: the Roadster delivery odds, updated daily. A Tesla you can drive this month is on this page.

Gas: California average, EIA, week of 10/19/26. Car efficiency: EPA ratings for 2026 models (fueleconomy.gov). Supercharger: $0.60 per kWh is what the federal station locator lists for the Cardiff Supercharger; PJ saw $0.43 there at 10:30am Oct. 1. Which SDG&E plan with an EV.

Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. PJ runs your real numbers with you: your miles, your SDG&E bill and the car you're looking at. Text PJ

Fuel only. The Tesla rows use a 2026 Model 3 Premium RWD (EPA 24.6 kWh per 100 miles); gas is EIA's California average, $6.03. A gas car on this coast spends about 20¢ a mile before insurance, tires or the car itself.

When you charge matters as much as the car: plugged in at home from 4 to 9pm, a Tesla costs about 20¢ a mile, close to gas; overnight it's about 3¢. Setting the car to start charging after midnight costs nothing: how to set the charging schedule. Which SDG&E plan with an EV.

Older isn't always thirstier: the 2021 Model 3 Standard Range Plus (23.7 kWh per 100 miles) is the most efficient version in this table. Look up the exact year and version you're shopping, then pick it in the calculator: every version below is in its list.

EPA combined ratings from fueleconomy.gov (the first listed option for each version); cost at SDG&E's EV-TOU-5 super off-peak rate this season, 13¢ per kWh. Range shrinks as a battery ages; ask for the car's own range on the test drive.

Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. check what a used Tesla's year and version will cost to run, or read a listing with you Text PJ

What 1,000 miles a month costs in fuel on each rung, with SDG&E's summer prices:

1. Schedule the charge. Free, set once in the car or the app, and it moves every charge out of 4-9pm.
2. Look at EV-TOU-5. Free to switch, but it changes the whole home's prices (4-9pm costs more), so check which plan wins for your house first.
3. Home charger. Tesla lists its Wall Connector at $585 on its order page, installation extra (it adds up to 44 miles of range an hour; the included Mobile Connector, up to 30 on an outlet). Hire a licensed electrician; what to check before you hire.
4. Solar on the roof. Weekday 10am-2pm is also super off-peak on EV-TOU-5, and the panels make the most then: what solar is worth on your town's roofs.

Fuel only. Car: 2026 Model 3 Premium RWD, EPA 24.6 kWh per 100 miles (fueleconomy.gov). Rates: SDG&E TOU-DR1 and EV-TOU-5 total rates tables; gas: EIA weekly California average.

Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. PJ sets the charging schedule, runs your bill on both plans, and switches the one that wins. Text PJ

The government's price index for used cars and trucks is down 1.5% from a year earlier (September 2026); new vehicles are up 0.6%. That's every brand, nationwide (Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED), the backdrop for any one listing.

Tesla's used Model Y near 92007 Used Model 3

Tesla sells its own used cars online; other dealers and private sellers list them too. Whoever you buy from, run the VIN through the federal recall check first.

Shopping help is free: in California, being paid to broker a car sale takes a dealer license, and PJ takes nothing from any seller.

10 used Model 3s under $25,000 on the first page PJ pulled up (AutoNation, CarGurus, Carvana, Driveway.com, Land Rover ... (cut off), Premium Au... (cut off), October 19): from $9,695, typical $14,182. Cheapest newer one: a 2023 RWD with 53,000 miles at $17,500.

The 12 lowest-priced of 17 cars PJ captured on October 19, prices before taxes and shipping fees. Listings change daily. Before you buy any used Tesla: run the VIN through the recall check, ask which computer it has (HW3 or the newer AI4), and whether FSD comes with it.

Where you shop changes the price

From PJ's own searches of public listings, cheapest first, same model. A drive inland can be worth it: PJ can check the car and the paperwork with you there.

A used Tesla under $15,000: it comes down to miles

7 of the Model 3s on PJ's tape were under $15,000, 6 of them past 100,000 miles. Before buying one: run the VIN through the recall check, ask which computer it has and whether FSD comes with it, and ask for the service records. Buying one? PJ looks over the listing with you for free (in California, helping you buy is free; PJ's paid help comes after, the setup and the charging plan). Text PJ the listing.

Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. PJ looks at the listing with you: the miles, the price drops, the computer, and what the car would cost to run. Text PJ

• Federal: no. The IRS says the used EV credit "is not available for vehicles acquired after Sept. 30, 2025," and the new EV credit ended the same day (IRS).
• California's rebate (CVRP): closed since November 8, 2023 (CARB).

Ads that promise an EV tax credit on a car bought today are out of date.

• It's Full Self-Driving (Supervised). The driver watches the road and takes over when needed. Tesla's own update to investors says it "began moving FSD (Supervised) to subscription-only" (Q1 2026, SEC filing). On Tesla's order page it's a monthly subscription, "$99 /mo," and the "Subscription starts after 1 mo trial" (tesla.com, read October 15, 2026). Tesla's support page: FSD (Supervised) "is not available for outright purchase and is only available as a subscription," no refunds, cancel any time and it runs to the end of the billing period (Tesla support).
• Buying used: does FSD come with the car? Tesla's answer: if the last owner bought FSD outright and didn't transfer it to a new car, it stays with the car; if they subscribed, you subscribe on your own account. Transfers ended: "The Full Self-Driving (Supervised) Transfer Program ended on March 31, 2026." On the test drive, tap Controls, then Software, and look for "Full Self Driving Capability" in the included package. A car that has it is worth more than one that doesn't.
• Older cars (HW3): Tesla says it "began delivering FSD v14 lite" to cars with the older AI3 computer, a build that "distills the driving behavior" from the newer cars' version (Q2 2026). On a used Tesla, which computer it has matters: ask, and check the car's software screen on the test drive.
• The name fight is settled: the California DMV found the "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving" marketing misleading; Tesla stopped using "Autopilot" in its California marketing (DMV).

The way to think about it: buy the car for what it does today, getting you or your parent around for less than gas (run the calculator). If Tesla ever opens its ride network to owners' cars here, that's upside on a car you already wanted, not the reason to buy. Until then, the money it makes is the gas it saves: about $1,748 a year in the example up top.

• Tesla's own words: it aims to "eventually deploy unsupervised autonomy on both the Robotaxi fleet and customer-owned vehicles," with no date (Q1 2026 update). The update doesn't say which cars or computers will qualify.
• California today: Tesla is permitted to test with a safety driver, not driverless (DMV), and the CPUC's autonomous ride permits name Waymo, not Tesla (CPUC).

PJ's take: robotaxis are coming, but getting them everywhere will take years, maybe five-ish. In the meantime there's real work: picking the right car, the app and phone key, a charging plan on the cheap hours, and teaching a parent the features. That's the work PJ does.

We check both lists and update this section when either one changes.

Aptera Motors is headquartered in Carlsbad and trades on Nasdaq (SEV). In its own words, the car is "in testing and validation; specifications are subject to change."

• What Aptera says it's designed to do: about 700 watts of built-in solar, "up to 40 miles per day" on sunlight alone, and 400 miles per full charge.
• What Aptera says it will cost: target pricing from $28,000 to $55,000, starting with a 400-mile Launch Edition "targeted at $40,000." Reservations take a refundable deposit; no delivery date is published, and Aptera says it will contact reservation holders with an estimate before delivery.
• The honest comparison: until it ships, it's a reservation, not a car. A used Model 3 you can drive this week starts around $20,590 on Carvana, and its fuel is the charging ladder above.

From aptera.us and its FAQ, read October 15, 2026. Design targets, not road-tested numbers.

You don't have to pick one: their own car while driving feels good, Waymo or a ride you book for the night drives and the days it doesn't.

1. Still driving, with the car helping: PJ sets up the phone key, the app on the family's phone too, the home charger on the right rate, and a first drive through the features in the driveway. Family Assist, $30 an hour, or the parent plan from $25 a month. Worth setting for a parent: the Speed Profile (Controls, Self-Driving) has "Sloth" and "Chill," which drive slower with fewer lane changes. Tesla also suspends FSD for a week after repeated inattention "strikeouts," so the parent stays the driver (Tesla support).
2. No driver at all: Waymo in San Diego.
3. Rides the family books, the bus or Coaster, free volunteer rides, door to door: every senior ride option in North County.
4. Someday, the car works for them: Tesla says it aims to "eventually deploy unsupervised autonomy on both the Robotaxi fleet and customer-owned vehicles" (Q1 2026), with no date. In California today, Tesla holds a DMV permit to test with a safety driver, not a driverless one (DMV list), and the CPUC's list of autonomous ride permits names Waymo, not Tesla (CPUC). We'll update this when that changes.

The full ladder: getting around as you age

Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. PJ helps pick the rung that fits your parent, sets it up, and stays the person they can call. Text PJ

• Cardiff Supercharger, 815 Birmingham Dr: 12 stalls, PJ's photos, and gas vs electric on the same corner.
• Every EV charger near Solana Beach, from the federal station data.

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"Thinking about a used Tesla, or one for mom or dad? Savings calculator, used prices, what FSD really is, and the other options:"

More local answers

• Tesla Supercharger in Solana Beach
• Tesla Supercharger in Del Mar?
• Tesla Roadster delivery odds
• Tesla Superchargers in Carlsbad
• Clean Cars 4 All San Diego

Need a human?

This page is built every morning from public data by SideGuy, run by PJ, a local in Solana Beach. If something looks off, or you want a hand with your plans, text PJ at 858-461-8054. A real person answers.

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