Florida man paid $65,000 for his 2023 Tesla Model Y and 35,000 miles later he's left shocked by what CarMax will offer him for it
Published on May 07, 2026 at 2:50 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 15, 2026 at 6:23 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A Florida man bought a Tesla Model Y for $65,000 a few years ago, and was stunned when he tried getting it appraised.
The driver took his Model Y to by CarMax and has since shared their valuation.
While the owner may was shocked, there are three reasons why the appraisal is not that crazy.
Two are case-specific reasons, and the other one is more generic.
The Tesla Model Y valuation
“[I] paid $65,000 (with Enhanced Autopilot) for my Tesla back in March 2023, and now Carvana and CarMax are offering me around $25,000. I’m honestly shocked by the depreciation. didn’t expect it to drop this much,” the Redditor said.
“I’m in Tampa, Florida. The car has approximately 35,000 miles, is always charged at home, and is a 3rd-row version, Long Range, Dual Motor, White with Enhanced Autopilot and a tow hitch,” he added.
The depreciation is definitely the sort of thing that’ll make you raise your eyebrows but it’s not unheard of.
First, 35,000 miles in three years is not nothing, mainly because, in the used car market, anything over 30,000 often triggers a lower valuation bracket.
Second, depreciation tends to hit EVs harder.
And third, there are precedents.
Is that depreciation rate really that crazy?
Broadly speaking, a $25,000 offer for a three-year-old Model Y sounds plausible – as crazy as it may seem.
Not long ago, another EV owner bought a Model S for $93,000, drove it for just 9,000 miles, and then received an offer for just $75,000.
A Cybertruck owner had an even worse experience when he received a $76,000 offer for a truck that, in his estimation based on market value, could’ve been worth six figures.
Not everyone had a bad experience, though.
Another Cybertruck owner was expecting an offer just north of $50,000.
Instead, she got one for $66,000.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
