A used Tesla Model 3 is, on paper, the most grown-up entry into EV ownership: sedan proportions, Supercharger access, and a used market that has finally caught up to the new-car waiting list. In practice, ownership is about habits more than horsepower — charging at home, watching tire and brake wear, and accepting that software updates can quietly change how the car drives on a Tuesday morning. Running costs land lower than a comparable gas sedan, mostly because there is almost no service schedule to ignore, but insurance and tire replacement can surprise first-time EV owners.
End-of-quarter is when a dealership's books get interesting. Salespeople are usually working against a unit target, managers are trying to hit a bonus tier, and the used-car manager has aging inventory that costs money to keep. That pressure is your opening. Negotiating the out-the-door price is a separate conversation from how you actually pay for it, and a credit card promo window is best used on the deposit, the add-ons, or a partial balance — not the entire purchase.
An intro window is a deadline, not free money. The 0% period on the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card runs 18 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, and any balance still on the card on day 547 starts collecting the card's standard rate, which on a $24,000 car would be painful. Pay the card slice off inside the window, automate the monthly amount so you cannot forget, and do not treat the promo as a reason to stretch the price you negotiate on the car itself.