5 Years & 138,856 Miles on My 2019 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, Where Do I Stand Now?

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Why we nonetheless love our Mannequin 3 after 5 years and ~138,856 miles

October 21, 2024, would be the 5-year anniversary of our dual-motor Tesla Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary (see our 2019 supply day image above). As of October 14, 2024, the odometer reads: ~138,856 miles. Please discover beneath a assessment of my upkeep and restore prices throughout these 5 years. Don’t cease studying earlier than you get to the elephant within the room. My editor, Zach Shahan, just lately reviewed his Model 3 Standard Range Plusadditionally on its 5^th anniversary. You need to use this text as one other information level on the reliability of Tesla Mannequin 3s and what you may anticipate it to value you as time goes on. In my value estimate, I haven’t included gasoline prices, curiosity prices, insurance coverage prices, or resale worth.

The bodily look of the automobile remains to be good, however not nice. I really like the look of the automobile’s entrance facia (bumper, and many others.), and I by no means put in the entrance license plate, which might destroy that look. Nevertheless, that good, almost flat white floor collects bugs like loopy, particularly in moist Wisconsin. It additionally has some small dings that seem like bugs the place the paint has chipped. I must have put in an unsightly front-end bra to keep away from these chips. Nevertheless, a brand new entrance facia for $650 would give me a brand-new entrance floor. I’ve the usual black vegan leather-based seats, which nonetheless look excellent. The automobile has two USB charging shops beneath the entrance console that are not working. Thankfully, it has two behind the automobile which nonetheless work, so we plug our telephones in there. Subsequent time I have to go in for service, I’ll ask for the value to restore the entrance ones.

A giant plus! No new service bills within the final 20 months.

I’m an enormous proponent of inexperienced know-how, and specifically electrical autos. I’m additionally an enormous Tesla fanboy! Though, Elon Musk is doing his greatest to drive me away. I nonetheless get an enormous kick out of my Tesla Mannequin 3. Cause #1: the super acceleration. Cause #2: it now has “Full Self Driving.” FSD makes my automobile drive completely routinely — at the very least beneath splendid circumstances, as described beneath.

Full Self Driving (FSD) Supervised V12.5

I’ve the spectacular Full Self Driving (Supervised) bundle, now on V12.5.4, which can completely drive my automobile to any location I put within the navigation nearly in addition to a very good human driver. Nevertheless, sadly, it nonetheless screws up often, so I must be ready to intervene instantaneously. If I didn’t intervene on these events, I may have been in a severe accident. Additionally, it’s a little bit too timid at cease indicators and in heavy site visitors. I want to present it a little bit assist with the accelerator pedal at intersections. FSD has been improved quite a few instances during the last 2 years. For instance: 1) It now navigates rotaries correctly. 2) It goes round vehicles and obstacles protruding into your lane. 3) It now responds correctly to development barrels closing a lane of site visitors on a 4-lane freeway. 4) It slows down for pace bumps. 5) Nevertheless, it nonetheless ignores 20-mph college zone indicators and the double flashing lights.

My upkeep prices (I haven’t had any new upkeep prices since my report at 90,000 miles, nearly 50,000 miles in the past).

I do know that in principal EVs are a lot much less advanced than vehicles with inside combustion engines. An inside combustion engine is way more advanced than an electrical motor, they usually seldom run over 200,000 miles and not using a very costly rebuild or alternative (rebuild value ~$9000). As well as, ICE vehicles have very advanced transmissions (alternative value ~$5000). You even have exhaust and emission management methods, radiator/cooling methods, and many others., and many others., and many others., which EVs should not have.

Nevertheless, an EV has a really costly battery, do I must be nervous about changing it? I’m treating mine with child gloves and anticipate it to final over 10 years and over 500,000 miles. I nearly by no means cost over 80%, and at the very least ¾ of my charging is finished on the Stage 2 charge in my storage. Nevertheless, I’ve used Tesla’s fabulous Stage 3 Supercharger community usually for lengthy cross-country street journeys. The EPA vary of my automobile was given as 310 miles when new. When your Tesla is charging, you may set the cost restrict to 100% and your automobile provides you with a battery vary estimate. Mine is studying 271 miles now. Doing a little fast calculations, 310 − 271 = 39, and 39/310 = ~12.5% battery loss at 138,856 miles. At 112,000 miles, I had misplaced ~8%. Meaning I’ve misplaced ~4.5% within the final 26,856 miles. That’s not nice. I had hoped that battery degradation can be slowing down at increased mileage.

The drive system and battery guarantee on my Mannequin 3 ran out at 130,000 miles. Due to this fact, I’m on the hook for something that goes mistaken going ahead. I’ve photo voltaic panels on my roof, so when at my Utah house, I’m driving on sunshine. Driving cross nation utilizing Tesla Superchargers, your electrical energy value can be just like driving a fuel automobile. Very luckily, a lot of our readers have used my referral code (see final paragraph), so, for the final yr, I’ve been getting free charging at Superchargers. Nevertheless, the heavy EV battery and fabulous acceleration trigger tires to wear down extra shortly than for an ICE car, so that’s an elevated value for EV upkeep.

In ~138,856 miles, the overall value of the tires and unforced out of guarantee repairs for my Mannequin 3 have been $5,290.15. For 3 of the 4 units of tires, I purchased economic system tires, which labored out simply nice. Nevertheless, I needed to pay ~$1,200 for my third set of tires as a result of I had a tire go flat on the freeway and I simply barely made it to the closest tire retailer. I had no probability to buy a very good deal. Thus, my complete value is greater than I anticipated, however in all probability no more than what I might have paid driving a fuel automobile with prices for repairs, tires, oil modifications, emission inspections, brakes, different miscellaneous objects, and better value for gasoline. The massive financial savings will come going ahead, when the fuel automobile will see these prices repeated, plus the prices of a timing belt, muffler, exhaust and emission management system alternative, and ultimately transmission and engine rebuild. If I dwell lengthy sufficient, I anticipate to drive my Tesla over 500,000 miles. It’s not unrealistic to anticipate the electrical drive system and battery to final that lengthy.

In Determine 2, we see my spouse with our canine Zuni, our Tesla Mannequin 3, and my e-bike on again at Zion Nationwide Park. We spend a great deal of the winter at our daughter’s house in Saint George, Utah, solely 40 miles away.

Beneath, see my itemized service prices by 138,856 miles. Apart from needing one other set of tires earlier than too lengthy, I’ve had no extra service prices since 90,000 miles.

Conveniently, I used to be capable of receive the dates, mileage, and precise value of my Tesla repairs from the Tesla app on my telephone. Not conveniently, it seems to return solely 2 years. Discover beneath what I paid for unforced points with my automobile not coated by the guarantee.

1. I needed to exchange the tires 4 instances. The fourth set ought to take me to 150,000 miles. Nevertheless, with winter approaching, I’d get tires earlier in order that I don’t get caught on my means up the canyon to go snowboarding. I’ve paid $578.93 + $565.44 + $1252.23 + $644.15 = $3,040.15 for the 4 units of tires.
2. I additionally changed the cabin air filter for $29.00. The cellular service man didn’t cost for the set up. Additionally notice: the cabin air filter comes as two items. I watched the cellular service man do it and I wouldn’t suggest doing it your self until you might have the suitable instruments and are very useful with DIY repairs.
3. ~April 2020 and April 2021: 4 wheel alignment twice ~$280.
4. November 3, 2021 (54,131 miles): Resealed proper entrance higher management arm ball joint (was squeaking) — $49.
5. November 3, 2021 (54,131 miles): 4 wheel alignment — $90.75.
6. July 22, 2022 (73,149 miles): Eliminated and changed Superbottle (battery and drive system cooling valve) as a result of the automobile wouldn’t go over 50 mph — $672.75.
7. February 2, 2023 (88,705 miles): I had the cellular service man exchange the windshield wipers for $23.00. This was a easy operation which most anybody may do themselves.
8. February 20, 2023 (90,029 miles): Eliminated and changed PTC/cabin heater (automobile wouldn’t go into drive) — $1,148.00.
9. March 2024: Changed the automobile’s flooring mats. The unique fabric floormat would not keep in place by the motive force’s left foot. The Velcro was not working. I purchased a set of rubber flooring mats on Amazon for $49. These look significantly better, clear simpler, and keep in place. Nevertheless, they cowl the rear trunk effectively, which makes it a little bit tougher to make use of. Additionally, there’s a slight buckle in one of many mats, however in any other case I’m glad I didn’t pay extra.

Word: Paradoxically, regardless of all of the excessive tech, my Mannequin 3 has an old school 12-volt lead-acid battery that’s used besides up the electronics when my automobile begins up. This battery is meant to final 4 to five years. Mine remains to be working nice, however I’m questioning whether or not I ought to change it proactively. I imagine newer Teslas are utilizing lithium-ion batteries for this perform. Lithium-ion batteries are lighter, are extra sturdy, and may final at the very least 10 years. (Editor’s notice: Tesla has a notification pop up in your touchscreen when it’s time to interchange your 12V battery. It tells you to do that earlier than your battery really dies. —Zach)

Restore/Upkeep Value Summation

• 4 units of tires: $578,93 + $565.44 + $1252.23+ $644.15 = $3,040.15
• 4-wheel alignment × 3: $370.75
• Exchange Superbottle: $672.75
• Exchange PTC: $1,148
• Exchange cabin air filter: $29.00
• Exchange windshield wipers: $23.00
• New flooring mats: $49
• Getting choosy: 4 bottles of windshield wiper fluid at $2.50 every for a complete of $10.00
• TOTAL: $5,290.15

Different Prices

The annual registration in Utah for my 2019 Tesla Mannequin 3 is $318.25. A part of that is the electrical car charge of $188. Utah has levied this charge on EV drivers to make up for the truth that we don’t use gasoline and due to this fact don’t pay the street use tax. Utah affords a mileage-based charge which saves cash for low-mileage vehicles. Mine is excessive mileage, so I paid the fastened $188 charge.

The Elephant within the Room

I simply checked on the price of my Bear River Insurance coverage coverage on my Tesla. Previously, Bear River Insurance coverage was all the time low value. I used to be shocked to be taught that I’m paying $3,089 per yr these days. Due to this fact, for 5 years, my insurance coverage value could possibly be as excessive as $15,000. This dwarfs the ~$5,200 I paid for tires and out-of-warranty repairs by a big margin. It’s clear that if I believed shopping for an costly electrical automobile can be saving me cash, I’ve be sadly mistaken.

Please add your experiences with repairs in your Tesla autos within the feedback part beneath.

Referral Program: In case you are shopping for a brand new Tesla, Tesla has reactivated its referral program. For those who discover any of my articles useful to you, please use my referral hyperlink: https://ts.la/arthur73734 (make sure to use it whenever you make your order). In case you are shopping for a brand new Tesla and use my hyperlink, I imagine you’ll obtain $1,000 off the acquisition value of a Mannequin S or X, or $500 off the value of a Mannequin 3 or Y. Additionally, you will get 3 months of Full Self-Driving (Supervised). Simply be ready to intervene instantly if it screws up.