MG4 or Tesla Model 3

[Prof1967]

So for around the same price as MG4 Trophy I could but a reasonably low mileage long range Tesla Model 3.

The advantage of the Tesla would be the longer range and the access to the Tesla suoercharger network, which is currently one of the cheaper charging options away from home.

Anyone have any plus sides that may sway me towards the MG4?

 

[siteguru]

You're not really comparing apples with apples ... 2nd hand vs new for a start. If you can get a good quality M3 in your budget range then that's probably the option to go for.

 

[Les burrows]

I agree with siteguru above but knowing what I know now the MG 4 is a great car to drive but it’s not in the same league as the Tesla.

The 4 trophy is not worth the money and I’m glad I didn’t try to push my wife in to buying that but the SESR or LR they are good value but Tesla as you say the charging network and zero need for servicing so they say, so your warranty is no problem because they say there’s no need for servicing for a few years example my son had a model X for over 3years no servicing done at all but did have several repairs in that time without any question about servicing, now with our MGs I’m not sure you would get a warranty claim without an issue if the car had not been serviced any of the Teslas are a better car than MG any day of the week IMHO
Les

 

[Deleted member 10041]

One is a brand new car with a full warranty, now not the bargain it once was when first released, now in the ball park of a good few better EVs. Good size though and handles well.

The other is a big saloon with great performance and economy, cheap servicing and good back up, ota updates, super chargers

It's used, insurance is more and a big saloon isn't for everyone.

If I'd had a crystal ball and could have seen what was going to happen with Tesla pricing, I would have maybe went for one instead of my megane although Im loving the Renault and prefer a hatchback

 

[Prof1967]

I'd have no problem with the size although my wife may struggle.

I'm at the age where a can take a tax free lump sum out of some old pensions to cover the cost of either vehicle. Ok it means handing back the MG5 2 years early.

4 months ago I could have sold the MG5, paid off the finance and had money in the bank. 2nd hand values have dropped significantly since then and I'd now be lucky to cover the outstanding finance.

 

[tsedge]

MG4 - because of the looks

 

[Deleted member 10041]

MG4 - because of the looks

Only if the looks are limited to a front view only

 

[bowfer]

Only if the looks are limited to a front view only

Front and side are nice.
Said it before, the rear looks like a pagoda.

 

[tsedge]

Front and side are nice.
Said it before, the rear looks like a pagoda.

I like pagodas

 

[Les burrows]

Well prof1967 I going tell you a little story, in November last year I had an MG5 SR one of the first to land here and I was over the moon with it, I have driven it around 18500 miles with no issues really apart from squeaking rear brakes when reversing, 4/5 attempts to fix by the dealer but never managed to do.
My wife had recently purchased on MG4 SESR and it is very nice at around the same time the new MG5 trophy came out so I thought I ask the dealer about this new 5 and it’s price which was one hell of an increase over my 5SR, so I asked about PX and no problem he said went to his PC and said £20500, so not happy with that I did what many have done here and tried Carzoo, WBACar, and others and on recommendation by Billy Wizz also on here, I tried Motorpoint.
The first of these two here came back with around £500 more than the dealer had offered but motor point came with £3000 more which was almost £2500 more than I paid for it after the incentives from MG and the government grants, also while doing this shopping around I found several dealers doing a discount of around £1000 on the new MG5 but online only and only in white which was not for me really, but I went back to the dealer and told him my offers and discounts who now increased his offer by £500 but only at list price, no thank you I said and left.
The next day I decided to call the dealers where I got my first MG5 around 45 miles from home, they remembered me and I told them about what I have written above ok they said so couple of days passed and they called back to say they would match any online price I had found and offered £500 more than the first dealer and I could have white or blue, so I said thank you I sleep on it which I did for several days and then said no thank you, but the offer from motor point was still on the table they give you around 14 days to decide, so on the on the very last day I went to see them and around 15 minutes later came out with no car but almost £3000 in the bank more then I had paid for the first MG5.
So then I did nothing but not without a car as we had the MG4 I was in no hurry, a few weeks passed and I had a phone call from the dealer where I purchased my first 5 from to ask had I got a car as they had one for sale a MG 5 Trophy which was 4 weeks old in grey
Metallic less than 350 miles on it £3500 below the price of a new white one so next day I went to have a look and bought it why wouldn’t you latest model top spec best paint and as new with a full warranty so now back in a 5 and quite happy now after I had done the purchase I found out the the first owner and had an illness a stroke I think and couldn’t drive any more so he was a regular customer of the dealer for many years so the took the car back from him and I believe that to be true so fast forward 6/7 weeks and Tesla take the market to pieces with there price drop.

My son who I said earlier had a model X but now 3/4 years old so he speak with Tesla and comes out with a new model Y twin motor performance model with 22 inch wheels beautiful it is double gazing the lot some machine I can tell you now I am not a lover of saloon cars so not really interested in the model 3 but my son tells me that at that time Tesla where offering 3.5% finance if you had no PX that got me thinking so about 3/4 weeks back I’m back on Motorpoint web site put in the details of my MG 5 and was flabbergasted at the price that came back just £10000 pounds less than I paid for it, so I thy a few more like above and they are even more of of a lost.
So no Tesla for me.
So why have I told you this tale simple really,
If you want a Tesla buy it now the market for EVs especially S/H is rock bottom at this time but it will come back and you won’t get a Tesla cheaper in the future than at the moment, there is a lot of the model 3 coming off lease deals so loads of them for sale at rock bottom prices.
Les

 

[TheHypnoToad]

I've driven both, and prefer the MG4 as it's more of a drivers car.

However the Tesla does offer quite a few things the MG doesn't, it depends on what you want from the car really.

I'd test drive both if you can and then see one you like more before buying as it's a lot of money to spend.

 

[Dan C]

Op I’ve sort of been in this same boat a month ago, sadly over the last 2 weeks Tesla approved used cars have dramatically gone up in price - I did see a few 2021 models for less that £30k, but not for the last few weeks.

To the cars themselves, I think the MG4 drives and rides better plus quieter believe it or not, is a hatchback and it’s compact size suits our crappy small car parking spaces / city’s better which is 90% of my driving.

The car Tesla definitely had the upper hand on technology, efficiency, gadgets and feeling more premium.

For me it would £7k-£8k more to sell my MG4 SE and get into a Tesla, as much as I like them I just can’t justify that.

Personally I’m to hold off and keep the MG4 until Tesla announce their “next generation vehicle” which everyone is saying will be there cheap smallish hatchback for around £25k and I’ll preorder that as soon as it’s available.

On a side note the Germans need to get there heads screwed on, £50k for small electric SUV’s ?!?! ( Like the bmw IX1 and merc GLA ) When are we getting an electric 1 series and can it be priced under £30k please.

 

[stevegus]

To be honest, tech aside, Teslas do look quite bland.

 

[bowfer]

Op I’ve sort of been in this same boat a month ago, sadly over the last 2 weeks Tesla approved used cars have dramatically gone up in price - I did see a few 2021 models for less that £30k, but not for the last few weeks.

To the cars themselves, I think the MG4 drives and rides better plus quieter believe it or not, is a hatchback and it’s compact size suits our crappy small car parking spaces / city’s better which is 90% of my driving.

The car Tesla definitely had the upper hand on technology, efficiency, gadgets and feeling more premium.

For me it would £7k-£8k more to sell my MG4 SE and get into a Tesla, as much as I like them I just can’t justify that.

Personally I’m to hold off and keep the MG4 until Tesla announce their “next generation vehicle” which everyone is saying will be there cheap smallish hatchback for around £25k and I’ll preorder that as soon as it’s available.

On a side note the Germans need to get there heads screwed on, £50k for small electric SUV’s ?!?! ( Like the bmw IX1 and merc GLA ) When are we getting an electric 1 series and can it be priced under £30k please.

Agreed, where is the electric A1/Polo/Ibiza/1-series type cars.
I don’t mean specific electric versions of those, I prefer ground-up EVs and not shoe-horned ICE cars.
The ID2 is coming, but it’s taking a long time.

 

[tsedge]

Agreed, where is the electric A1/Polo/Ibiza/1-series type cars.
I don’t mean specific electric versions of those, I prefer ground-up EVs and not shoe-horned ICE cars.
The ID2 is coming, but it’s taking a long time.

I think it is very hard to make small cars profitable, partly due to the cost of EV tech but also all the safety extras required for a decent NCAP. They will eventually come but right now all the profits are in the SUV/big car space.

 

[bowfer]

I think it is very hard to make small cars profitable, partly due to the cost of EV tech but also all the safety extras required for a decent NCAP. They will eventually come but right now all the profits are in the SUV/big car space.

That’s assuming they sell equal numbers, which they’re not.
Lots of profit on a few big car sales, or smaller profits on lots of small cars sold.
Don’t forget servicing too, they stand to make a lot more money servicing XX ID2s a week compared with one large lump.

 

[tsedge]

That’s assuming they sell equal numbers, which they’re not.
Lots of profit on a few big car sales, or smaller profits on lots of small cars sold.
Don’t forget servicing too, they stand to make a lot more money servicing XX ID2s a week compared with one large lump.

I'm not assuming anything, I believe this is a stated fact - a lot of manufacturers abandoned small cars because they couldn't make money on them and that's what they said at the time.

You are quite right though that this isn't a long term strategy because the volumes aren't there at the high end. Some manufacturers like Ford have decided they are ok with declining volumes and want to become a niche player (highly profitable but limited volumes). But the rest do urgently need to fix their declining volumes and margins.

This makes uncomfortable reading for many OEMs:

 

[Les burrows]

I think it is very hard to make small cars profitable, partly due to the cost of EV tech but also all the safety extras required for a decent NCAP. They will eventually come but right now all the profits are in the SUV/big car space.

Sorry can’t agree there tsedge threres profit in all types of vehicles big or small and as bowfer as pointed out both on sales and servicing so they are coming and soon than we think as for NCAP ratings for me it’s not worth the paper it’s written on and not fit for purpose IMO
Les

 

[tsedge]

Sorry can’t agree there tsedge threres profit in all types of vehicles big or small and as bowfer as pointed out both on sales and servicing so they are coming and soon than we think as for NCAP ratings for me it’s not worth the paper it’s written on and not fit for purpose IMO
Les

Teslas require no servicing and don't charge for updates. It won't be long before people realise this and demand little or no cost servicing from their manufacturer. Making a lot on servicing is going to be a thing of the past.

 

[Deleted member 10041]

Not currently for MG, it's a real money spinner depending on where you go