Tesla Solar Panels...need some help

[azdave]

I pretty much followed the routine recommended here. Did a home energy audit. Tightened up the insulation and weather sealing as needed. Put in a much better whole house A/C unit and a single room mini-split in the master bedroom, variable speed pool pump and any appliances and lighting needing replaced in the last few years have been swapped with energy star rated units and lighting has gone all LED as they burn out.

I used a local, family owned company that had been doing electric for 25 years and solar for over 10. I paid $11,150 cash in 2014 and leveraged it into a better deal by paying a bigger chunk up front than they required. Electricity is relatively cheap here but I still reached my ROI at 6 years. I pay $120 a year for the meter connection fee. I would discourage a lease or finance deal and certainly would never do a 20-year loan.

[hajalie24]

i cancelled the order with Tesla. Looking at a few other companies locally in my area that are offering me the same panels that Tesla quoted me for, and their price is slightly higher then Tesla's quote. But according to everyone else I do not have to deal with the roof being replaced or any of that nonsense.

The next task is deciding to pay for the panels outright or utilize a loan/finance them. What is the general go to for this that people typically do with solar panels? Finance 20 years, pay low monthly rate and high interest total over the life of the financing (20 years for example) or just pay for them in cash/outright, bank the rebate and keep on moving?

Generally lots of solar companies add a "dealer fee" if you finance through them.

However, many will honor the "cash price" even if you get an outside lender. That's what I did because I didn't want to drop all that $$$ at once. I got an energy loan at a local credit union, rates aren't great like mortgages particularly at 20 years, so I went with a 3 year loan at 2.75%.

[popeyerg]

Before you commit to anything, buy and read the book

what book?

[J.P.M.]

what book?

"Solar Power Your Home for Dummies".

A dated but still useful version is a free online download. A revised version is ~ $25.00 at bookstores/Amazon. Read the part about load reduction first.