Videos by Andy Slye
No other car in history has changed this much after taking ownership as much as the Tesla Model 3 has in its first two years.
Iāve driven mine over 50,000 miles which means I have no more new vehicle warranty so Iām here to show you what Model 3 ownership has really been like and if it’s actually worth the $50,000 I paid for it.
The 2-year mark for owning a Model 3 is sort of significant because thatās when one of the biggest concerns of owning a Tesla comes into play: Service & Maintenance.
Tesla doesnāt actually require service intervals for the Model 3, but in the manual they do recommend some service at the 2 year mark. Hereās all the service & maintenance Iāve had done to my Model 3 in its first two years (all have been covered for free under the warranty and repaired by a Tesla Mobile Ranger at my location).
Early on, my driver door handle wasnāt closing as quickly as it should have been. Not long after that my windshield wiper was making a clicking noise. Last year my cellular LTE data stopped working. Finally, a couple months ago my driver door was making a clicking noise. I started getting my tires rotated every 15,000 miles, but luckily thereās a tire place in my city that gives me free rotations so no money spent on that so far.
As you can see, all of those were minor repairs that cost me $0 and none of them prevented me from actually driving the car safely from point A to point B so the core driving reliability of my Model 3 has been pretty much perfect.
Once I hit the 2 year mark I figured I would go ahead and do the recommended service because I plan to own my Model 3 as long as possible, so I opened my Tesla app and scheduled a service checkup. Tesla quoted me $600 for cabin air filter replacement, wiper blades replacement, brake caliper cleaning, and brake fluid replacement.
This was a bit of a sticker shock to me, but since this is all just recommended and not actually required I requested only the brake caliper and brake fluid service which ended up being $390. After factoring in the $30 air filter replacement, the total Iāve spent on maintenance comes to about – wait for it – $420. Elon, I see what you did there you sly dog you. That means Iāve spent about $8 on maintenance for every 1,000 miles traveled. Not bad at all if you ask me.
Letās talk about one of the unique aspects of owning a Tesla – charging the car. Some people who have never owned an electric vehicle are quick to bring up the argument āDoesnāt it take long to charge? Where will you charge it? Are you scared youāll run out of battery?ā
Iāve never run out of battery or been stranded, and about 90% of the charging happens at home overnight while I sleep when electricity is very cheap. Owning an electric vehicle has saved me both time and money by never having to stop at gas stations during my normal daily driving.
The only time I charge at a Tesla Supercharger station is when Iām traveling on a road trip. In fact Iāve only Supercharged 29 times during my first 52,000 miles and Iāve only spent $54 on Supercharging so far.
My off-peak home charging rate is about 7 cents per kWh, and since 90% of my miles traveled were done by charging at home thatās about 46,800 miles. My Model 3ās lifetime average efficiency is 244 Wh/mile and if we consider a 90% wall to wheels efficiency my home charging cost comes to about $900.
After adding in Supercharging, my total cost to travel 52,000 miles is right around $950. That means for the same cost of 6 months of cable TV, you could drive over 50,000 miles in a Tesla Model 3. (Seriously, cut the cord if you havenāt already)
That’s pretty crazy, right? That fact that I havenāt even spent $1,000 on charging after 52,000 miles. Of course these are all approximate estimates, but the point is the cost to drive a Tesla Model 3 is way cheaper and more convenient than any gasoline vehicle.
In fact, most people donāt even need to get an additional charging outlet installed at home. On a normal electrical outlet a Long Range Model 3 can regain 60 miles of range overnight assuming itās charging for 12 hours.
Finally, letās talk about the Model 3ās improvements. I recently made a video about the things I dislike about my Model 3, but the beauty is that Tesla can fix a lot of those nit picky complaints through a free software update, which theyāve provided plenty of those since I got my Model 3.
You may have heard about many of these new software updates such as the big one that came out around the holidays that gave Model 3 owners more sophisticated voice commands.
Through free software updates Tesla has given my car fart mode, new games, and entertainment apps like YouTube and Netflix which are a game changer for my wife when we are Supercharging.
But itās not just new quirky features that are being added. Legitimate improvements to the actual performance of the Model 3 have come from software updates. My car has become 10% quicker since getting it in 2018, and my driving efficiency has improved from things like the āHoldā feature.
Tesla also pushed a software update that improved the Model 3ās motor efficiency and based on the Tesla Stats app, my estimated range is now 329 miles. That means after 2 years and 50,000 miles, my estimated battery range has increased by 19 miles. That’s unheard of and completely crushes the argument that the battery will need to be replaced any time soon due to degradation.
Other cool features have also been added like Smart Summon which lets the car drive to me in a parking lot, along with Sentry Mode which records security footage from the carās cameras and lets me view the footage directly from the touch screen display.
Of course one of the best Tesla features, Autopilot, is constantly improving and getting better as more Tesla owners drive their cars which makes the neural network exponentially more intelligent with each mile driven.
This type of dynamic improvement cannot be found on any other car. The Model 3 is an absolutely amazing vehicle, and an even more enjoyable piece of technology. Itās truly a giant gadget that brings so much joy and convenience to me as an owner while also improving the environment ever so slightly by making me never need nor want a gas car ever again.
What do you think of the Tesla Model 3? Let me know in the comments below!
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my Tesla Model 3. I still consider it the best car Iāve ever driven, but nothing is perfect. After owning my Tesla Model 3 for 2 years Iām going to show you some things I donāt particularly like about it in case you’re interested in getting (or you already own) a Tesla Model 3.
Steering Wheel:
The inside of the steering wheel is sharp. I hate it because the sharp edge rubs against my index finger where my hand goes when I have Autopilot enabled. It is pretty uncomfortable. Also I wish it was a heated steering wheel because it feels like touching ice during cold winter days.
Windshield:
For some reason the windshield on the Model 3 seems to fog up easier and more frequently than any other car Iāve driven (when it’s a little cold outside). Not sure if it’s because of the glass roof or what, but it’s annoying because I like to keep my climate control and fan off as much as possible.
Cruise Control:
Sometimes when driving during heavy precipitation the cameras get blocked which causes Autopilot and TACC to be unavailable. During these times I wish the Model 3 had a regular “dumb” cruise control that would allow me to set cruise control based on the speed alone.
Charging Cable:
In the morning when I go out to my Model 3 the car is ready to unlock when I open a door because my phone is in my pocket (unlocks via Bluetooth). However, the charging cable doesnāt unlock automatically. I have to open a door first to unlock the car which will then let me unlock the charging cable. I wish the car would allow me to unlocked and disconnect the charging cable without opening a door first.
Stalk:
This may just be me, but it’s happened on multiple occasions. Sometimes when I go to press the left stalk up (to initiate my right turn signal) the stalk accidentally moves backwards and flashes my brights.
Wheels:
The 18″ Aero wheel rims stick out just a little bit further than the tire so it’s extremely easy to curb rash these wheels. I’ve curb rashed all of my wheels so far. Luckily some cheap paint on Amazon fixes the curb rash cosmetically, but the wheels are damaged physically from the curb rash.
Seats:
Tesla has already fixed this, but my backseats are V1. Right after I got my car Tesla started putting V2 seats in the Model 3. I still have V1 seats which are much firmer than V2 seats and not as comfortable either. Would love to have V2 seats.
Driver Pedal:
I absolutely hate the footrest on the left side of the driver pedal area. I’m tall so I would much rather be able to fully extend my left leg while driving for long periods of time. The footrest is annoying and uncomfortable in my opinion.
Blind Spot:
For as much tech that’s in the Model 3 it still lacks a great blind spot detection system. It doesn’t even have lights on the side mirrors. I would love to see a software update that enables the side camera view to pop up on the touch screen when initiating a turn signal.
Sentry Mode:
Currently it’s not possible to view Sentry Mode clips on the touch screen display, but I think Tesla is planning to release a software update soon that gives us this feature. Also 99% of the Sentry Mode clips are of me walking up to the car to unlock it. I wish Sentry Mode automatically deleted clips when the car is unlocked by a key or phone within 5 seconds.
Wind Noise:
The Model 3 is very quiet at low speeds, but thereās quite a bit of wind noise at high speeds. Maybe due to glass roof design.
Center Console:
The surface of the material inside the center console is a magnet for dirt, dust, hair, etc. Wish it was made of a different material.
Buggy Media Streaming:
Spotify usually doesn’t load unless I play Slacker first. There’s also no intuitive way of sorting/browsing Spotify. Podcast player is rudimentary at best. Sometimes it doesn’t bring up all podcasts and doesnāt give the option to play at 1.5x or 2x speed.
App:
My Tesla app loot box has been broken for almost a year now. Freezes to blank screen.
Iāve been ordering things on Amazon for 12 years, and I had almost 150 orders last year alone so since we are all staying home right now with online ordering at an all time high I wanted to show you my top 10 most useful products Iāve ever ordered from Amazon.
This list is in order from cheapest to most expensive, but all of these items are less than $100 at the time of this video, and I will link to all of these items in the description below for your convenience.
Spigen Ultra Hybrid iPhone Case + Screen Protector
Letās start with my phone (no, not the actual phone). Iām talking about my favorite phone case of all time: the Spigen Ultra Hybrid. Iāve used this model for all of my iPhones Iāve ever owned. I love it because itās a perfect blend of protection and minimalism. It has just enough protection without making the phone bulky, and it has all the precise cutouts so it doesnāt affect the new cameras on the iPhone 11 Pro in any way. Itās made of thermoplastic polyurethane which gives it elasticity and transparency so you can still appreciate the actual phone design. The buttons are easy to press with the case on, and it has just enough of a lip around the edge to protect the screen if you lay it face down. I also use this tempered glass screen protector which is totally worth it as you can see. This literally happened the other day. I dropped my phone, and luckily the screen protector did its job so this case and screen protector is my $15 protection package for my iPhone 11 Pro.
Smart Light Bulbs
If you havenāt upgraded to smart light bulbs yet, check out these. The brand is called Above Lights, and they’re super affordable at around $20 for a 2-pack and the set up is very quick and easy. These have WiFi built-in to them along with the ability to work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Siri so you can control them through voice commands. They also have their own free app so you can control these lights from your phone, and since they are dimmable and can change colors these are great for offices or bedrooms or in my case I like to use these for the background of my videos. The app has different āscenesā and can be set to automatically change colors continuously which is cool so if you want an affordable easy-to-use smart light bulb, check these out.
AeroPress
Next is my favorite device for making a consistent cup of coffee. This is called an AeroPress, and if youāre even just a little bit of a coffee nerd you need this. Itās only $30, and you can use it to make 1-3 cups of rich smooth coffee without any bitterness in about one minute. Itās great because you can play around with the different variables like the water temperature, amount of coffee, type of grind, how long you steep it, and I even use an AeroPress recipe app to take this to the next level and itās amazing. Many people love the AeroPress over other coffee making methods because the AeroPress is pretty minimalist – itās small and easy to clean. It comes with hundreds of micro filters that leave no grit in your cup unlike a French Press. And itās great for traveling too. Stick around to the end of the video to find out the best way to get awesome coffee like this online.
Minimalist Wallet
Next is something that I use every day. This is my minimalist front pocket wallet. I absolutely hate bulky wallets, and I also hate having things in my back pocket so I ended up getting this wallet 2 years go when I got my Tesla Model 3 because that car doesnāt require a key so the only things I carry now are my phone and wallet. I love this wallet because itās slim, compact, and easily fits in my front pocket. The only thing to note is it doesnāt really have a place to store coins, but thatās a non issue for me. This wallet has multiple slots that are designed to comfortably fit up to 8 cards, and the money clip holds up to 10 bills pretty well which is enough for my needs since I don’t carry a lot of cash on me. Itās made of genuine leather and it has held up really well so far. It also has RFID blocking to protect cards that have chips on them. Definitely my favorite wallet I’ve ever owned.
Portable iPhone Charger
This is my portable iPhone charger that I got years ago, and unfortunately this particular model is not available on Amazon anymore, but I found a nearly identical one for around $35 that has great reviews. This allows me to charge my phone wherever I am – whether Iām on a plane or hiking in Europe or camping at a music festival – this has definitely come in handy many times. It has a built in lightning connector so it can charge my iPhone without me having to carry around a cable which is one of its best features. But it also has a USB port to charge any phone if you do have the cable with you. It has a button to let you know the charge remaining, and to recharge it you just plug it into an outlet with the built in prongs that fold out and in so itās a great all in one portable charger for your phone, and I definitely couldnāt travel without it.
Google Chromecast
This next gadget has been my favorite gift to give people during the holidays. Itās the $35 Google Chromecast, and it basically turns any HDTV into a smart TV and allows you to stream videos wirelessly to your TV using your phone, tablet, or computer. The way it works is you plug it into an available HDMI port on your TV, then use the app to connect it to your Wifi network, then open a video streaming app and you should see a Chromecast icon in the video player that you can tap on and it will send the streaming video to your TV like magic. Itās an affordable way to essentially add video streaming capabilities to any HDTV and lets you control it from your phone with whatever streaming app youāre using. It also has beautiful wallpaper slideshows when no video is streaming which is nice.
White Noise Machine
Did you know high quality sleep is crucial for your immune system? Right now more than ever itās important to get a good nightās sleep, and this sound machine has been a game changer for me and my wife. We used to turn on a fan at night just for the noise, but that dried out the air so we got this dedicated white noise machine that has ten fan sounds and ten ambient noise variations which helps drown out noises and allows us to not only fall sleep quicker but stay asleep more easily without having random noises wake us up throughout the night. It has a volume control so you can set the perfect level for your liking. For us itās like a pavlovian response, as soon as we turn it on our brains know itās time for sleep.
Logitech MX Ergo
If youāre like me and youāre doing most of your work at a computer, then ergonomics are very important. This is the Logitech MX Ergo wireless trackball mouse that has helped me avoid the typical wrist pain that comes from using a regular mouse. It gets its name from its ergonomic design including an adjustable hinge that allows you to customize the trackball angle for a more natural, comfortable hand position. Itās compatible with Mac and Windows, and easily connects via Bluetooth. It has a rechargeable battery with up to 70 days of power on a single charge. Itās currently around $75, but if you want to save some money you can get their older M570 model that has less features but itās only around $30. I own both, and either one is a great choice.
Instant Pot
Up next is my Instant Pot, and this is my favorite kitchen gadget because Iām not that great at cooking, and this lets me cook some pretty delicious meals while keeping it very simple and pretty much hands off. Seriously if you donāt like cooking or youāre not good at it this will be your best friend. Itās an extremely versatile multi-cooker that combines 7 appliances in one: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sautĆ© pan, yogurt maker and warmer. It has one-touch Smart Programs for cooking all types of different meals on autopilot. And the cleanup is super easy because the stainless steel container is dishwasher safe. You pair this with a pressure cooking recipe book and youāre golden.
SanDisk SSD
Finally this is my SanDisk SSD, and it is a perfect companion to anyone who wants fast storage on the go. This version can store 500GB and it connects via USB-C so it has extremely fast read and write speeds which allows me to store and edit 4K videos directly off of it using my MacBook Pro or my iMac. Iām constantly editing videos whether itās a video for YouTube or a wedding film for my videography business, and since my Mac has a max of 500GB internal storage, I practically doubled my storage with this SSD for less than $100. Itās lightweight and is very durable. Highly recommend if you have a laptop with a USB-C port.
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