This beautiful white Tesla Model 3 is the secret “off-menu” base Model 3, and it’s the most affordable Tesla ever made. My wife and I visited beautiful sunny California thanks to Canossa Events and Travel Paso who helped put on a 5-day Electric Vehicle grand tour in Paso Robles, California. For this trip I rented this Tesla Model 3 on Turo, not knowing that it was the $35,000 Standard Range base Model 3. It doesnāt have Autopilot. It doesn’t have traffic-aware cruise control. Itās very bare-bones and itās something I’ve been wanting to try for a long time to see if itās actually worth the money. The reason this is the secret Tesla is because it’s not available to order online at Tesla.com like all the other Tesla vehicles. You have to actually make a special request for this Model 3. In this video I’m going to give you my thoughts on what itās been like to travel 1,000 miles in the cheapest Tesla that you can buy right now.
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.
Service & Maintenance
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.
Charging & Electricity Cost
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.
Improvements Over Time
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!
Almost a year ago I took delivery of my Tesla Model 3 and since then I’ve driven it over 26,000 miles. Is it still the best car I’ve ever driven or was it a $50,000 mistake? Let’s find out.
In my original Model 3 review that I did last year I mainly went over the features of the car because I had only owned it for 2 months. In this updated Model 3 review for 2019 I’m going to go over my experience of owning a Tesla Model 3 and focus on the 3 most important categories that I think people look for in a car:
Reliability
Cost
Enjoyment
Reliability
When I first got my Model 3 I was skeptical on how reliable it would be since it was a first generation of its kind, and there were a few horror stories online from early adopters who were experiencing software & hardware issues. And my Model 3 is one of the first 15,000 or so that were produced so I was a little nervous. Not to mention the big lifestyle change from going to a fully electric vehicle where I have to actually do a little more planning when traveling because no longer can I stop almost anywhere at a gas station to refuel in 5 minutes. I was scared I would eventually get stranded somewhere with a dead battery.
Well, I can honestly say my Model 3 has been 100% reliable for me so far, and yes even though that should be expected for a brand new car, itās still a nice surprise how reliable it has been since Tesla is still relatively so young compared to other manufacturers and the fact that the Model 3 is just a very unique car. I have never been stranded. The lowest battery Iāve ever had was 12 miles of range left when I arrived home from a road trip so yes range anxiety does exist, but the Model 3ās energy graph is extremely accurate in predicting the estimated range left when driving so as long as you pay attention to that and plan ahead youāll be fine and shouldnāt ever have to worry about running out of battery.
Iāve never had any major software or hardware failure. The worst things Iāve experienced probably come down to a few minor things that were all related to software. One time my sound system just was completely frozen so no sounds were coming through the speakers: couldnāt hear any music or even things like the turn signal sound. However like most minor software bugs like that it was easily fixed by doing a soft reboot of the screen which takes about a minute to do. Another minor bug I experienced is the backup camera being blacked out when putting it in reverse (which was fixed by switching back to Drive then back to Reverse again). Other than that, it’s been pretty much perfect. Iāve never had any significant reliability issues.
For how heavily itās integrated with software Iām actually surprised my Model 3 has worked this well, and Iāve been extremely satisfied with it over my first 26,000 miles. Iāve had two minor repairs done to the car. One was my driver door handle wasnāt closing fast enough and the other was my windshield wiper was making a clicking noise. Both of those repairs were done by a Tesla Mobile Ranger who actually came to my location and repaired the issue within an hour or so without me having to take the car to a service center which is awesome. And both repairs were covered for free under the warranty.
Cost
That brings me to the cost of ownership which is one of my favorite things about the Model 3. So my biggest and really only complaint about the cost of a Model 3 is the upfront price of the car. Yes it’s the cheapest Tesla model right now and thereās finally a $35,000 base model but a Model 3 with all the desired add-ons is still too expensive for most people. However if you can afford it and it fits your budget, I definitely believe the high upfront cost is worth it in the long run. And I’ll explain.
My Model 3 is a Long Range RWD with Aero wheels and it was around $50,000. However if you compare it to a similarly priced gasoline vehicle, the Model 3 is one of the cheapest cars to own. Since getting my Model 3, hereās how much Iāve spent on: Gasoline ($0), Oil changes ($0), repairs/maintenance ($0), tire rotations ($0). Out of all those things during the first 25,000 miles in a Model 3 you only need to do tire rotations and I know this isnāt the norm but luckily for me thereās a local tire shop that gives free tire rotations to Tesla owners, just one of the many perks of going all-electric I guess. But thatās why I personally havenāt spent any money on tire rotations.
So no more paying for gas or oil or many of the things that pertain to internal combustion engine vehicles. My car insurance went up by about $500/year but it most likely would have went up that much with any brand new car. Really the only things that have cost money to drive my Model 3 is electricity to charge the car and that mainly comes from either my own electricity at home or a Tesla Supercharger. Where I live my charging cost is cheap at 6.8 cents per kWh. My Model 3ās average Wh/mile is 248 which is really impressive because I live in Louisville where we experience all four seasons. It can get below zero degrees in the Winter and it can get over 100 degrees in the summer. So it’s one of the best locations to put the Model 3 range efficiency to the test and with an average of 248 Wh/mile through all the seasons means the LR Model 3 is one of, if not the most efficient electric car out right now.
It took 6,457 kWh to drive just over 26,000 miles, and based on my calculations from a previous video the Model 3 gets about 80% energy efficiency, so it actually took about 8,071 kWh and at my current electricity rate of 6.8 cents per kWh that comes to $549 that Iāve spent on electricity to drive my Model 3 over 26,000 miles. However some of that electricity was obtained a Superchargers where I spent a total of $54. Also keep in mind Iāve charged for free at certain hotels and parking garages that had free public charging and sometimes at family members houses when I visit them so my total cost to drive over 26,000 miles in my Model 3 is less than $600, and my monthly electricity costs have only increased by an average of $36. That is absolutely incredible. To put it in perspective, a car that gets 30 mpg at an average gas cost of $2.75 per gallon would cost $2,383 to drive 26,000 miles and if you add a $50 oil change every 4,000 miles that would be an additional $325. So thatās $2,000 of savings in less than a year. Of course these numbers are personal to my situation so itās not the same for everyone but this is a real life example of how much a person can save in fuel and oil by going all-electric, especially a Model 3.
Enjoyment
Now weāre at the last category, enjoyment, which is also my favorite along with cost, I can have two favorites right? Itās no surprise that the Model 3 is an absolute joy to drive but Iāll quickly go over a few things that I donāt like because after all nothing is perfect. The windshield and windows fog up more than any other car Iāve ever driven, and I donāt know if itās just me or my car or what. If you have a Model 3 and have noticed this let me know. Fortunately I got some fog reducer that I applied to the inside of the windshield which helped a little but itās still quite annoying how easily it fogs up. I wish the frunk had a better closing mechanism or was able to close automatically because I tend to use the frunk pretty frequently and I hate leaving hand prints on the hood from closing it. I also wish the driver profiles would support the lumbar setting. It saves all the other seat and wheel settings but not lumbar, which is strange. Luckily that can be fixed with a software update which leads me into the plethora of things that I absolutely love about owning a Model 3. One of them being the sound system. Listening to music and audiobooks in my Model 3 is one of my favorite things to do.
How a car can be this simple & minimalist yet pack so much power and torque is something Iāll always be impressed with. The instant torque and quickness makes driving, especially things like merging & passing, effortless & fun. It handles as well if not better than any similarly priced sports car because of the better traction control from being an EV and the low center of gravity and balanced weight distribution due to the battery being underneath the entire length of the car.
But the thing that turns a lot of people off is one of my favorite things: the clean minimalist design of the entire car. Driving a Model 3 makes you realize how useless and unnecessary most other cars’ buttons and dials are. Autopilot is a life saver, like literally. Yes there are times when it phantom brakes but if you’re using it as it’s designed you will always have a hand on the wheel ready to take over and I love knowing each time I use it it’s getting better through the neural network. It removes the burden of having to endlessly stare at out of the windshield at the same spot and allows me to be more aware of my other surroundings which has honestly made me feel safer.
The Model 3 is smarter than any other car Iāve driven and automates basic things that allow me to worry less. My phone is my key so ever since I got a smart lock at home I stopped carrying keys. All I carry is my phone and wallet. My Model 3 automatically unlocks as I approach, and it locks as I walk away. Itās always on and ready to drive, and it’s utterly quiet when driving. If itās raining, the wipers turn on automatically. If it recognizes a car ahead it automatically turns off my brights then turns them back on after. It charges overnight while I sleep, it stops charging when it reaches whatever limit I have set, and I wake up to an 80% charge every day or 100% charge if I’m about to take a road trip – no more stopping at gas stations. I can press a button and tell it to play a song and it plays it. I can tell it to drive somewhere and it gives me real-time step-by-step directions on the beautiful responsive 15ā touch screen which is the best screen in any vehicle out right now in my opinion.
My Model 3 gets better over time through free software updates that it downloads and installs automatically. When I got my Model 3 a year ago it had a maximum of 310 rated miles of range on a full charge. Now after a free software update and even after any battery degradation from driving 26,000 miles, my Model 3 now gets over 320 rated miles on a full charge. It actually got better over time, and Tesla is constantly releasing new features, some of which recently included things like Dog Mode, Sentry Mode, and a 5% power boost. No other car is doing this right now. Itās absolutely amazing. Itās so comfortable even for a tall guy like me. The front seats are some of the most comfortable Iāve ever sat in. The backseats are a little firmer and not as comfy as the front seats, but Tesla did start putting updated seating in the back so that has been fixed. Iām 6ā4ā and can sit in the back fairly comfortably without my head hitting the roof. Oh and the roof, itās pure glass and itās seriously one of the things that impresses riders the most. I’m glad they included it on all models, even the base. The manual door handles are a little funky for new riders but as an owner theyāre fine. I love having two trunks, and the ability to control my car from my smartphone like summon it or preheat it in the winter, it really satisfies my inner geek.
Conclusion
So after all that, was the Model 3 a $50,000 mistake? Cāmooon. My biggest mistake was not buying another one for my wife before the Model Y was announced. The Model 3 is a beautiful car full of the latest technology and it’s much better for the environment than any gasoline car would ever be.
The Model 3 is still the best car Iāve ever driven, and it’s ruined all other cars for me. Except maybe the future Roadster. So what do you think? Do you own a Model 3 or are you looking into buying a Model 3? Whatās your favorite thing about it and do you think itās worth it? Leave a comment below and let me know. Thank you for watching, and be sure to subscribe for more Tesla and tech videos in the future. Iāll talk to you in the next one.
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