Tesla for years had more repeat U.S. customers than any other major automotive brand but its loyalty has plunged since CEO Elon Musk endorsed President Donald Trump last summer, according to data from research firm S&P Global Mobility shared exclusively with Reuters.

The data, which has not been previously reported, shows Tesla’s customer loyalty peaked in June 2024, when 73% of Tesla-owning households in the market for a new car bought another Tesla, according to an S&P analysis of vehicle-registration data in all 50 states.

That industry-leading brand loyalty rate started to nosedive in July, that data showed, when Musk endorsed Trump following an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on the Republican nominee.

  • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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    5 days ago

    Wow, those must be some shitty cars if you have to buy another one in that short of a time frame

    • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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      5 days ago

      Not really though. My brother bought a Model 3 when they first came out and loved it so much he traded it in for a Model 3 Performance version a couple years later. Then he bought his wife a Model Y. Some people (with money) buy cars every couple of years.

      Since Elon started doing Nazi salutes and started ripping up the government with DOGE, my brother traded in both cars for an F150 Lightning and a Rivian R1S. He’ll never buy a Tesla again as long as Musk is involved.

      I know several people who currently have Teslas but won’t buy another. Brand loyalty is absolutely in the shitter.

      • Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        I have an ex who would penny-pinch the little things that would have made me happy, like using 2-ply toilet paper, claiming that it was too expensive. But then the MFer would buy a brand new car every year.

        So yeah, you’re right. Some people truly do buy new cars every year. I can’t understand it, and I especially can’t understand it when the person buying the car claims to be “an environmentalist” (like my ex) without considering the massive environmental impact of building/buying/shipping new cars instead of using one you already own. Just another example of some people having more money than sense, I guess.

        • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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          5 days ago

          Yeah my brother always complains he’s broke, but buys a new car every year or two. It’s wild to me.

          Also, if someone is using single-ply toilet paper and driving a new car, they gotta fix their priorities.

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        traded it in for a Model 3 Performance version a couple years later.

        This is an example of not thinking critically.

        • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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          5 days ago

          Actually it was pretty impressive. It was during COVID where used cars were going for a ton. He had originally bought “Full Self Driving” on his original car, but then found out that wasn’t a real thing. He was able to trade in his rear wheel drive car with 40K miles on it for a brand new all wheel drive Model 3 Performance, getting rid of Full Self Driving, and it only cost him like $2 grand.

          If someone offered to give me the lastest model of my car, shaved a second off the 0-60 time, made it AWD, and rolled back the odometer 40K miles for $2k, - I’d take that in a heartbeat.

          • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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            5 days ago

            You’re right, it does sound like he got extremely lucky.

            He had originally bought “Full Self Driving” on his original car, but then found out that wasn’t a real thing.

            This is another example of a lack of critical thinking.

            • asteriskeverything@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              Now you’re just being a jek. Dude enjoyed his teslas, so what? I appreciate that when he found his values didn’t align with the company he went and did something about it instead of slapping on some stupid “before musk was crazy” sticker.

              Get off your high horse and learn to just appreciate when people change their minds.