We have maxed out all liability, uninsured, and underinsured, (you have to to get an umbrella policy), upped the PIP, $100 deductible on comprehensive, and $1000 deductible on collision (I’m rethinking that one). It is not through Tesla. Coverage and costs:
Too late to add to above post:
Same coverage on our 2012 Sub Forester with $1000 deductible on collision and comprehensive is $800/yr.
You’re in Idaho, right? Insurance seems to be very inexpensive there. A brief search shows the average full coverage rate is $1400/year, while in Colorado it is $2900/year. The national average is $2500/year.
Yes, northern ID on the WA border. I guess when you factor in cost of living, auto and home insurance should be part of that since that is a fairly large difference.
You know how I know FL is filled with retirees?
I always set my deductible to $1,000 or even more if I can, because I would never make an insurance claim under that amount anyway, as insurance increases after a claim would eat that up over time. Make a $500 claim that wipes out your perfect record, and you’ll pay a lot more than $500 in increased insurance costs until your record clears. At least that’s the way it works here.
To be fair, the Model 3 in in the “middle of the pack” range. The super expensive insurance is for the performance version of the Model S, which is way off the chart compared to the others for what I’d think would be obvious reasons. Expensive high-powered sports cars would probably have similar rates.
True. I’ve also learned that I live in a relatively inexpensive insurance area which explains why I am seeing it so much less than posted elsewhere.
When I moved from the city out to the suburbs, my insurance rate dropped substantially. Somehow although I changed my mailing address the change wasn’t properly reflected in the policy. When this was corrected a year or two later I got a nice big cheque from the insurance company. 
So far, loving the Y. We took it today to a trailhead that most people would never take one and it did fine: Rocky, wet, potholed BLM road. The lack of a spare isn’t super exciting for me. I wouldn’t take it to places my previous full-sized pickup went that got flats due to the rocks, but I’ve been places I needed the shitty donut on my Subie. I’m seeing people carry patch kits and pumps, but I need to dig into this a bit more. I haven’t had a lot of flats out there, but I’ve always been able to rectify them.
My bikes, well that is a different story. I’ve spent way the fuck too much time fixing flats. Putting sealant in the tube is helping, but still, too much!
ARRRGGGHHH! Wife and I found/drove a perfectly cromulent Chevy Bolt this weekend. 2017 with a replaced longer range battery. Only 22,000 miles (we’re back in Hawaii on Oahu) for $16,000; with the Fed tax credit on used EVs, another 30% of the purchase price up to $4.000. So $12k plus the dealer doc fees. Pretty plain inside but good enough for our errands. The front seats aren’t much but our usual trip is less than 20 miles (Oahu isn’t that big). Charging at 110v in the garage is easy, so what if it’s 4 mile/hr. We’re home a lot. My wife didn’t like the style - too stubby. AAAHHHH! We had agreed before to only grade on function, not form.
Then we drove a 2019 Tesla 3. Flashy even if all the bones aren’t that well put together. too many miles (62k) though we won’t kill it before the kids take away our licenses 
Over the $25k threshold for the tax credit but negotiable. At that price with those miles and no warranty it’d be cheaper to get a new Y ($42k - $7.5k tax credit) with the warranty. The $7.5k tax credit might require the sale to be structured as a lease but that’s fine too.
I’m cheap, I just want the Bolt. Simple, good sized trunk for airport pickup/drop off, Costco. Rear seats fold easily. Someone talk to my wife, please?
I’m the original owner of a 2017 Chevy Bolt. It’s sporty, it’s practical, it’s fun. It’s a great little car. The seats are plenty big, despite being a little car. Very low maintenance.
But a word of warning: a Costco shopping cart is bigger than the cargo space of a Bolt. If you fill a cart, you will need to fold down the rear seats.
Are these guys as good as their puff piece?
Bolt is now out of the equation; I’ve been vetoed. Next up is Kia Niro EV. 2019 but only driven 16,500 miles in the 4 years (it’s Oahu - we’re you going to go?) Obviously excellent condition/battery life is unchanged from new ~ 255 miles/charge. It’s the top trim with sunroof (not a big deal), heated/cooled seats (nice), heated steering wheel (Hawaii? but part of a package), high zoot Harmon Kardon surround sound (nice). Eligible for the $4000 used EV tax credit. $19k after the credit. Any experience out there with these? Drove great, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, a little more space than the Bolt and definitely more upscale in every way. And the wife liked it. 
I’m (we) also looking at a new Niro, same drivetrain, slightly more room, with a very good lease deal; and the new car warranty. Not eligible for the $7500 tax credit but Kia is offering the same $7500 off the list price. Dealer is padding the lease price but I’m a stickler, he’s come down twice already. 36 months/10k miles per year (Hawaii - Oahu so not a problem), $345/month with $2000 down. Leases are not the best in most cases (I drive my cars into ground (current Acura is at 160,000 miles - 2006) but for electrics with battery advances and costs moving all over - some auto sites recommend a lease.
As an aside, I have long thought that EVs would make the perfect “island cars”, ever since I visited Kauai and noticed someone with a Nissan Leaf. I’m not sure if it’s even possible to drive fare enough to exceed the range of many EV’s on Kauai (or Oahu).
Only the Big Island (Hawaii) has enough road length to tax an EV. You can drive all day there. Maui stretches a bit going from the west part by Kapalua to Hana in the far east. With 200 miles of range, I could circle Oahu 3 times at the extremes and still have power left over.
I’ve never been to Hawaii. How often do people travel from one island to another? Are there car ferries? Just curious.
I have never seen car ferries. I’m sure others know more than me, but I have made quite a few trips to several of the more popular islands. The people I know flew from island to island when necessary.
We’ve driven 436 cold-weather miles (about a quarter of the miles even warned that regenerative braking was reduced) and charged a total of 160 KWh which is about $15 for us.
An electric car sounds perfect for Hawaii, so long as you have reasonable charging. And the Kia Niro is one of the better EVs, I’ve been told. Kia is making seriously good electric vehicles.
Thanks for the gift link. That was an interesting article. It looks like BYD is mainly heavy competition for Tesla, as they are in the same markets. But the fact that they can make a car for 35% less than VW probably puts them close to the efficiency of Tesla. However, Tesla doesn’t have the Chinese government underwriting them.
I’ll bet BYD is hit with heavy tariffs in America, to protect the domestic auto industry. Or perhaps blocked entirely.