The purely utilitarian value of a vehicle (transporting people, moving cargo) decreases over time as its expected remaining life decreases, which should more or less be linear in time. Transferrable warranties change this slightly.
In contrast, the aesthetic value can change very rapidly, if it is based on things like not having a prior owner, clout, aesthetic defects (minor scratches). These aesthetic factors are not tied to usable life really at all.
People paying $120k for a cybertruck are most likely placing higher weight to its aesthetic value than purely utilitarian value, so we would expect faster depreciation than for a work truck where almost all the weight is placed on pure utility.
That being said, “being associated with an egotistical bully destroying our government” probably affects aesthetic value to some degree.
Correct analysis, exactly right.
The purely utilitarian value of a vehicle (transporting people, moving cargo) decreases over time as its expected remaining life decreases, which should more or less be linear in time. Transferrable warranties change this slightly.
In contrast, the aesthetic value can change very rapidly, if it is based on things like not having a prior owner, clout, aesthetic defects (minor scratches). These aesthetic factors are not tied to usable life really at all.
People paying $120k for a cybertruck are most likely placing higher weight to its aesthetic value than purely utilitarian value, so we would expect faster depreciation than for a work truck where almost all the weight is placed on pure utility.
That being said, “being associated with an egotistical bully destroying our government” probably affects aesthetic value to some degree.