2017 Tesla Model S 75D front three-quarter imageToday's Nice Price or No Dice Tesla Model S makes a strong case for bang-for-your-buck performance and efficiency. Let's look at its features and price, and decide how we rule on the case.A popular phrase in the English lexicon is "Use it or lose it." It's a reference to the idea that a skill or physical ability will be lost over time if not regularly practiced. In contrast, there are some skills—like riding a bike—that many consider intrinsic and enduring, regardless of how often they are practiced.We could easily apply the "use it or lose it" maxim to the 1980 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am custom convertible we looked at last Friday. Per its ad, it spent only 8 years on the road before being squirreled away (likely with actual squirrels, based on the pictures) for nearly four decades. As a result, the Trans-Am had "lost it" in many ways and would require a full restoration. At $10,000, far too many of you felt that it would be better to leave the car lost and find another way to spend the cash. A massive 98% 'Nice Dice' loss was the inevitable result. I sing the body electric2017 Tesla Model S 75D driver's side imageAccording to AAA, the national average price for regular gasoline in the U.S. is currently $3.978 per gallon. That's a jump of over a dollar a gallon from a year ago, and the increase doesn't seem to be stopping there. One way to beat the gas price gouge is to get a plug-in electric car, which seems to be a popular option in Europe, at least.Here in the States, there are a slew of used Teslas on the market, and they range from weirdly cheap to egregiously expensive depending on the model year, condition, and equipment level. The cheapest ones, it seems, are being snapped up by YouTubers looking for easy content. There are still lots of cars out there, however, like this 2017 Tesla Model S 75D, for the rest of us to consider.Now, there are plenty of reasons not to buy a Tesla. Perhaps you don't like the company's CEO. Or maybe you're scared of this voodoo called electricity. But as the car builder has sold millions of cars and trucks globally, including topping the sales charts several years in a row, enough people can get past those issues and just enjoy the cars. Let's see if we can as well. Taking it to the streets2017 Tesla Model S 75D Pirelli tire imageBeing a 2017, this Model S has the refreshed grille-less nose and adaptive LED headlamps. Aside from the chrome window trim and door handles, it looks similar enough to the current model that it wouldn't be tagged as an oldie. Tesla was once pretty good about describing a model's specs in the name, which is the case with this car. The 75D badge on the back indicates it has a mid-range 75kWh battery pack (the 75) and a dual-motor setup (the D), making it AWD and offering enhanced regenerative braking performance.According to the ad, this Model S has 76,000 miles on the clock and can do upwards of 270 miles on a charge. The seller claims the battery has "excellent" health.It also has the added option ($8,000, back in the day) of Tesla's hallmark "Full Self Driving" function. Yeah, that scares me too. Still, plenty of people apparently rely on it to get from point A to Point B while avoiding slamming into Point Tree. If not interested in that feature, prospective buyers can at least be reassured that the FSD package makes the traffic-aware cruise control and lane assist better than on the non-equipped cars. Upgrades2017 Tesla Model S 75D front seats imageOther benefits of this Model S include an updated Hardware 3.0 computer and MCU2 screens, so there's no delamination or dripping glue that afflicts many earlier models. The rest of the interior appears to be in excellent condition, with a stitched dashboard and burlwood trim adding some semblance of luxury. Unlike the lower-echelon Tesla models, the Model S still has manual air-vent controls, which is a nice throwback. Also, unlike the lower-end Model 3 and Y, this has an instrument display in front of the driver, in addition to the large center-stack screen. This model is old enough (i.e., pre-2021) that the center screen is vertically-mounted, which is still kind of cool.CraigslistThe exterior is claimed to be in just as nice a condition, with no dings or scratches, and a set of new Pirellis on the 19-inch alloy wheels. Some things to consider with any older Model S are whether all the door handles work and if there is any coolant on the hall sensor in the rear drive unit. Both are annoying issues, with the latter potentially leading to the motor's total failure from coolant intrusion through a rotor seal if not caught early enough. Fortunately, Tesla is really good about parts and handily puts all of its vehicle service manuals online for reference. Plugging in2017 Tesla Model S 75D rear three-quarter imageOkay, so we've gotten to the point of leaping over the avoidance of a Tesla or any older electric car due to fears over battery degradation or outright failure. We're now ready to consider a purchase scenario for this clean title Model S. The asking price is $22,500, which, while not YouTuber cheap, is a far cry from the cost when new, the cost of its newer counterparts, or pretty much any other luxury electric out there.What's your take on this tidy and clean Tesla and that $22,500 asking price? Does that seem like a deal to stop suckling at OPEC's greasy teat? Or do you find that price to be shockingly high?You decide!H/T to Thomas D. for the hookup!Help me out with Nice Price or No Dice. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and add us as a preferred search source on Google.
