Man who spent $46,000 on Tesla lost brutal amount after selling just five months later

We've all made dodgy investment decisions in our time, be it an overly ambitious jacket that looked better in your head or the golf clubs gathering dust in the attic.

But whatever foolish purchase you regret, it's unlikely to have been as costly as one man's $46,000 splurge on a Tesla.

Teslas, the (mostly, definitely not including Cyber Trucks) sleek and stylish cars, are the face of the transition to electric vehicles across the world.

There are now over two million electric vehicles on the UK's roads, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, with the historic milestone being reached in April as sales increased by 59.1 percent.

With the United States' war in Iran and the continued blockage of the Straight of Hormuz leading to soaring gas prices, it's little wonder more and more people are going all Bob Dylan and turning to electric.

Though there are over 160 competitive EV models available in the country, Elon Musk's brainchild remains synonymous with the gas-free motors, yet that doesn't mean they're a risk-free investment.

In fact, Tesla fanatic and YouTuber Andy Slye has revealed he lost a staggering amount on one of his cars just five months after purchasing it.

Slye, from Louisville, Kentucky, spent $46,000 on a 2025 Model 3, but then sold it shortly afterwards for just $33,800. That's a brutal loss of $12,200 in a few short months.

Though it could have been lower, as he was offered even less from several other buyers, with one offering him just $27,000 for the motor.

But that's still far from Slye's biggest loss. He also purchased a 2018 Long Range RWD Model 3 for $56,000 before selling it for a mere $19,000 after seven years.

And while that works out at a depreciation rate of over 60 percent, the motor nut felt it was probably fair considering its age and the miles on the clock.

There may be yet more bad news on the horizon, as another car in his locker, the 2022 Model Y, was bought for $55,000, but the car is currently worth less than half of that.

Yet, with so many cars to choose from, it doesn't seem like he'll be struggling to get around places any time soon.

But why do such popular and in-demand cars like Tesla go down in value so drastically?

Why Tesla's and electric cars depreciate in value

New cars famously drop in value the second you drive them out of a showroom, be they gas or electric.

However, EVs are particularly vulnerable to depreciation as advances in battery technology soon make older models feel outdated and obsolete.

Sharing his big losses in a YouTube video, Slye explained why Teslas depreciate so much. He said: "The $25,000 Tesla is finally here. Yes, it's called a gently used Model Y. Teslas depreciate like crazy.

"It's true that Tesla specifically seems to suffer from higher depreciation rates. According to Data from CarGurus, Tesla's used car prices have dropped by as much as 25 per cent in the first year, and that is significantly more than other automakers. So why is that?

"First, Tesla is consistently introducing new features and updates to their vehicle lineup, which makes the older models seem outdated and less desirable. And Tesla's pricing also fluctuates quite frequently. This dynamic pricing strategy impacts the value of used vehicles."

He continued: "Although Tesla vehicles are not luxurious compared to actual luxury cars, at the end of the day, Teslas are lumped into this luxury category and luxury vehicles, in general, tend to depreciate more quickly than lower-cost mainstream models."

Thinking of getting a Tesla? Maybe don't get a new one if you want a good return on it!