What percentage of your liquid assets is being used to fund your Model S purchase?

[onlinespending]

Without anyone actually answering that question directly (since it indirectly reveals your net worth), I'm curious through a poll to see just how much people are stretching themselves to purchase this car. By liquid assets, I mean money in your checking, savings, and brokerage accounts, or other short-term investments that can be liquidated in the near future. Don't include the value of your house, existing cars, or 401k/IRA. And calculate it based on the model and options you plan on getting with your Model S.

[ckessel]

Pretty much 100% of my liquid assets. It's a giant stretch. On the other hand, previous cars were financed.

[Beavis]

I lied.

[gg_got_a_tesla]

I'll be begging, borrowing or stealing

[rlawson4]

Seems a little personal. I think it's fair to say that this is a major purchase for most.

[onlinespending]

Seems a little personal. I think it's fair to say that this is a major purchase for most.

That's the beauty of the poll. Keeps it anonymous. Although it's a small sampling size, so far you see both extremes. Those that can comfortably afford the car, and those that are willing to sell their second kidney to get it Such is the passion for this one-of-a-kind automobile.

[hcsharp]

Doesn't seem like a very useful poll to me. Most people will re-establish the same level of liquid assets within a year or so after purchasing a car like this. What if we are expecting to sell some non-liquid assets and may or may not need to borrow short-term while waiting for that event? There are many scenarios for juggling assets that make it hard to answer the poll.

I would rather see a poll that compares the purchase to net worth, and separately how many will borrow. You could have a net worth of tens of millions and still borrow to buy the car because the timing is bad or the rates from B of A are significantly lower than your normal cost of capital.

[goyogi]

"The cost of the Model S I want is more than the money I have. I'll be forced to borrow money"

I don't know about being forced. I qualify for 6 year loan @2.5% through keypoint credit union here in the bay area and it makes more sense for me to borrow the money. I'll be financing and taking the money that I would normally use to buy the car and invest it.

[AndrewBissell]

WARNING: Polls are not anonymous. I followed a link to a poll on TMC recently (I think it was plugincars.com reporting about us). I was taken to a page which showed the login handles of everyone who voted EDIT and what they voted for. I was taken aback.

[AndrewBissell]

This story:

Poll: Tesla Model S Buyers Willing To Spend Big for Extra Range | PluginCars.com

Includes this link:

Poll on battery size. - View Poll Results

Which shows who's voted for which range option.