Only if you are comparing Tesla to "not having a car", otherwise gas costs are extremely important.
The problem is, when you tell someone their $30k car actually ends up costing $70k over a few years, they have a knee-jerk reaction (as seen in this thread) - "I don't spend that much" / "Gasoline hardly makes a difference" / "Maintenance costs nearly nothing".
They are basically saying a Model S will affect your monthly budget as much as a $580/month car, I see that as absolutely fair.
The problem is, when you tell someone their $30k car actually ends up costing $70k over a few years, they have a knee-jerk reaction (as seen in this thread) - "I don't spend that much" / "Gasoline hardly makes a difference" / "Maintenance costs nearly nothing".
They are basically saying a Model S will affect your monthly budget as much as a $580/month car, I see that as absolutely fair.