I sold my 2012 model s because within the first 3 months, the door handle failed and I replaced it, and the AGM battery failed, and I had to take apart the front of the car to replace it. Then the drivetrain started to make a horrible noise and the warranty was nearly up. I read it's a $15k repair, so I sold the car. Sexy car, but it was a huge pain in the butt. I would never buy an older Tesla again. The new models are a million times better. I now have a 2020 model 3 and the difference is huge. I haven't had a single issue with the model 3 and I am almost at 20k miles. Works perfect. Faster charging and better tech all around. I would probably never buy a model s again because of the door handles.
You just got a LEMON.. Probably built on a Monday morning, or Friday late-shift. I bought a couple of cars like that. A Chevette scooter, an Innocenti, a Renault 5 and a Volks Rabbit GTI, with ONLY the checkered seat covers that had any GTI in it... The man is NOT stupid and this brand is his lifeblood for the rest of the stuff. So its a pretty good bet that evolving quality control and re-engineering to take the innovations into reality, is a thing..
Well the TM3 doorhandles are a pain in the ass aswell in winter... and the moving windows to open close the door sucks a bit when its really cold and frosty... recently i was able to open the door and drive but the door was unable to close properly so i had that noise going *beep *beep* beep cause the door wasnt closed properly. it got quiet annoying even tho it was only a 10 min ride. But if you're parking your tm3 during the night in the garage its fine.
A high mileage review is the most informative kind. Drive vehicles until they are completely used up, and then you can have a real apples to apples comparison.
another thing is- don't buy after an youtube video. Check the free reviews in the servicing portals and used cars reviews that are anonymous. All youtube video reviews are robotic and they always say the same thing - BUY and PAY cause I want my chips at the end of the month. And btw can you actually see how many actual repairs it got within 2-3 years??? Not even mentioning the costs even with half of them covered by insurance (insurance ends you will definitely sell your car at this rate and cost of repairs)
I have a model X, currently @ 251k miles with the original battery pack. I have had some degradation but not significant in relation to the miles. The car runs like a champ. The maintenance that I have had to perform was of my own doing for hitting curbs, otherwise, the car has been solid. I will likely see a million miles with my Model X.
@@nancyissa4781 Model 3 is a great car to put a ton of miles on. Were you thinking of getting the standard range or long range? The standard range will lose its full tax credit pretty soon.
My 2009 Prius was the most efficient car I’ve ever owned cost wise. 237000 miles with one repair which was a wheel bearing. $1000.00 to replace the hub assay. Averaged 45mpg+.
I'm driving 2k miles per month in my 2012 prius. I bought it for 9k in 2021 with 118k miles. What a great car! 48mpg. No mechanical issues yet. I've driven 12k miles in the past 6 months and have only had to pay for fuel and oil changes.
@@fkp1692 Battery isn't expensive to replace. Tesla's battery is like, $20,000. Prius battery if you're getting royally screwed by the dealer is like, $4,000 but you can just replace bad cells for a few hundred or full battery from somewhere that isn't scummy for
This is arguably one of the most helpful/useful videos on the ownership of the best car in the world. I am seriously considering a used Model S and this helps tremendously. Thanks, Sean!! You da man
@@gjrules2004 What kinda service/maintenance have you had on your Model S now that it's about 3 years old? Would love to get my wife in a Y. Good for you guys!
Compare to a toyota hybrid let's see those comparisons. Part and repairs are too expensive. Even to full combustion to a durable toyota. Hey not to mention those that can fix their own vehicles. To much info for consumer to fix their own vehicles. You can't really dyi on a Tesla or EV. When that does happen hey then we are now at even playing field and energy. It is possible in the future to get battery pack small enough using less energy and more power to power the vehicle yes. EVs are improving but their energy cost is still expensive and waste. You're still using plastics and rubber to make and move an EV vehicle and waste of litium battery yeah no Bueno.
Paid 7300 for my Tacoma ar 78,000 miles. Now, 4 years later at 154,000 miles get 20mpg and put tires brakes thermostat, radiator cap and a set of spark plugs in 76,000 miles. We will call it 9,000$ total. Can't beat a 2010 toyota. F your EV
Honda civic $2000 with 2 sets of wheels (winter and summer) Insurance for a year $250 Fuel is 35$/ 500kms $0.07/km Drove 60,000kms in the year 10 oil changes $500 New tires $400 That's $4,200 Grand total vehicle cost for first year $7350 Verdict.. fuck overpriced Tesla's and new cars!
To completely normalize the cost across the 3 cars, you should have a chart comparing just fuel costs (which you do), fuel and maintenance (which you also already have) but also include the cost of the car itself, since your total cost for each of the cars is cost of car + cost of fuel + cost of maintenance + cost of unexpected repairs.
That would be helpful but as long as they're in the same class, nitpicking over price doesn't help that much, since options can dramatically affect prices while not affecting reliability that much.
The biggest cost of most vehicles is depreciation and that was completely ignored. Does spending $50K more than a Subaru justify a $10K fuel savings over 5 years?
@@runshen7723 I heard insurance is sky high. has anyone found a video that compares bought price, 10 years of usage, lifetime maintenance, lifetime insurance cost, fuel costs minus sold price at 10 years?
I own the 2008 Toyota Tacoma and I've never have had to replace a part other than a new set of tires.. and oh yeah did I mention it has 400,000 miles on it.. still runs like the day I bought it
So much $ omitted for the maintenance on the other two cars: timing belts, water pumps, spark plugs, air filters, and all of those little incidentals ( $100 here, $250 there) that go along with ICErs. So many costs not included, thousands upon thousand of dollars.
With the newer battery, the resale would be much better than the ICE'r and to do a legit cost comparison this should be included. I believe Cathy Woods at Ark has done that level of comparison and that one variable made a huge difference. This is not the tell all analysis, trust me. Its fare if you are looking at a used older model S, but I wouldn't base purchasing a new TSLA on this analysis.
In the uk the average is 7,000 miles per year. So 227,000 miles is 32 years av driving in the Uk. In the past I was able to cycle to work so my mileage was even less than this.
I drive about 20 000 miles a year and I think I spend way too much time in the car. How the hell did he even have time to drive this much, and for what purpose. Is he a taxi driver?
😂🤣🤣 my 2018 f150 has 210k bought it december 15th 2017 drove it 3500miles on the 17th 5.0L v8 i average about 23mpg at 70mph my repair cost its been 0 just maintenance 4500dlls plus fuel which its been alot arround 20k ells
Now THIS is how you do a review. A proper long term ownership review. This tells us so much about the reliability and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Very honest and straightforward. Good job.
The new Teslas are even more reliable with less and less repair/maintenance issues! The only thing I’ve spend money on so far after 60k miles on the Model 3 DM is for tires and the cabin filters. A coworker has an earlier LR RWD with about 100k miles and he said he’s done 0 maintenance/repairs, as well.
True!... One thing a lot of people don’t know is that premium cars and hyper cars like Buggatti, and even motorcycle manufacturers use Electric Motors to test their high performance parts, what is that telling you? It means that Electric motors outperform ICE parts... period !
must agree, 2013 Tesla is no 2018, (and 2018 is no 2021...) but I'm still impressed the literal and figurative 'mileage' he's gotten out of this Nosecone S. I suggest he sees what Tesla has to offer now.
@@SoupLegion is this a joke? consumer reports just wrote a scathing review of the brand overall, Model S just moved into not recommended category, Model X has never been good there. I believe its in 2nd to last place overall. JD Power had a field day with them this year as well.
Just got my new model s . I believe most of the glitches in build quality etc. would be worked out. The paint work is still an issue for a premium luxury car but that is my only reservation. Love the ride , power etc. I tend to drive my cars to old age or hand them down to kids etc. my wife has a model 3 and loves it, but the S is a much nicer car.
Awesome job breaking that down! I used to have a legacy and it was a great vehicle when it came to gas consumption. The fact that the model S still had more savings then the legacy is impressive to say the least! Loved this
Im driving a 244k Honda Accord and so far the total cost of mechanical repairs is under $1,500 over the 11 years of the car. Those numbers are just not normal 😳 Even factoring oil changes its just another $1,500 with a $30 oil change every 5k miles. I really hope new Tesla models become more reliable year after year because my biggest pet peeve is to be stuck with a broken car.
@@AllThingsEV Guessing a 2013 honda accord; 27 city 36 highway. Would be $19k to $25k in the range of 27-36 mpg @ $2.8/gal (average consumer gas price 2013-2022 per EIA). I'll also note this guy said only $1500 in mechanical repairs. Video analysis included many non-mechanical repairs.
Had like a Nissan 350z. The only thing that broke down was cilinder 2 ignition coil. That's it. I had it for 8 years. And i was 3th owner. Reliable as fuck, japanese cars are good quality..
The maintenance cost seems excessive. I've got a 2004 subaru WRX with 230k miles on it as my daily driver. I've considered replacing it with a full EV. While my fuel cost has been likely around $32,000 (24mpg about $3.40 average price per gallon), the car only cost me $24k when I bought it and maintenance has been very cheap ($500/year average maybe?). As far as repairs, I've only had maybe $3k repairs at most in all those miles. I would estimate a cost of $43,500 for repair/maintenance/fuel for 230k miles over 16+ years (about $2,700/year) vs $5,320/year you've paid for 5 years of owning the model S. Then include that I've had ZERO repairs/maintenance paid by the warranty, but model S had a ton of issues within warranty. Literally the only thing that doesn't work on my subaru right now is the rear windshield wiper fluid. That's it. I like the idea of a full EV, but seeing the real world results of the model S in the video, cost, etc...has me second guessing my decision to go full EV. Our family car is a PHEV which is awesome as well, but cheap to maintain/own so far.
I think you mean a lifetime for most CARS and not people. You either have to die early or live in the city center to drive that little in a whole lifetime.
Average person drives 15k miles a year which only puts at 15 years of use. That means you would need to buy at least 3 in a lifetime. Invest say 40k you would save each time by buying say a legacy vs a model s and you will have more money in your investment portfolio than you would save in fuel. You can use those gains to upgrade your house to be more efficient. Its better over the long run to drive cheaper cars
@@Hallowsaw you’re not including the oil changes and brake changes that you won’t be doing. But you’re absolutely correct. They are at the end of the day luxury vehicles. I don’t think they’ll ever compete for the true cost of truly economical ice cars. Oh also I think you have the mileage a bit high. Here in Canada the average is maybe 15k kms. 15 k miles sounds like a lot.
@@DroidRagePsycho I'm not sure I would consider teslas as being luxury vehicles. I mean from a financial standpoint maybe, after all spending 100k+ on a model X isn't cheap by any means. But considering their sacrifices in interior design and materials, I'd question it's status as luxury. After all, it's Elon's vision to build teslas in absolute bulk so as to be the cheapest ev in the market, hence all the cost cutting. So RvMajor's statement is valid imo
I imagine some of these repair costs are a result of the conditions of the Colorado area; things like corrosion and the charge port not opening, door handle etc.
@@gabrielsammut7888 The luxury is not the interior, materials used or any of the traditional luxury items. To Tesla luxury is the convenience of electric, charging network and most importantly their software experience. Your definition is archaic and in this "connected" world we're speeding towards, the meaning of luxury has pivoted to minimalistic materials and a convenient software experience.
@@DroidRagePsycho I reli wouldn't think tesla cars as a luxury I think its the only electric car you can trust to fully replace a good (not luxury) ICE in terms of range, convenience and comfort. This is the standard all electric vehicles must meet. Like, tesla cannot be allowed to become a luxury brand. They need to convince everyday people to switch over
@@gabrielsammut7888 Do you think Genesis (Hyundai) is Luxury vehicle? It's interior and material is even better than its competitor. But most people don't think so because it's Hyundai after all. Do you know what Brand image is? It's like a cloud. But people are willing to pay for it.
@@curvedsight162 That is not true. I know alot if cars that still running that has over 250k miles. Sice they take care of the maintenance schedules briefly.
So just to clarify for you guys, he added all the expenses on the Tesla to show how low it is compared to the other cars where he only included the fuel cost. So if u were to add maintenance and all the other costs with the other cars for 200k miles, it would be WAAAAY more than the Tesla. Just look it like this: the whole price for Tesla is equal to the fuel cost of ur car for the first 200k miles
It sounds like Tesla, after 200K miles, is still have a very useful car. I wonder what the resale price would be. Would those ICE cars at 200K still be worth much?
After 58,000 miles, my Model 3 operates as new. I charge at work , the only maintenance has been new tires. So many costs have been taken out of the equation of operating a car. Why someone would buy a ice vehicle, I can’t imagine. The cost and performance are just so much better.
I liked the video, but would have liked to see a purchase price graph included as well. The Legacy is in the mid 20’s or low 30’s depending on trim and engine, the new Model S pushes close to quadruple that. Both capable vehicles. I was shopping between a new Outback XT versus a Model Y and went with the Outback due to about a $20k savings. That’s a long time for the savings to come to equal footing. ✌🏻
Thanks for the video. I was looking for the battery replacement cost cause that’s what I’m worrying the most for my 2020 Model X. After 19 months of ownership and 53K miles cost me around $750 for the two front tires replacement. Since the car comes with free unlimited supercharge, I supercharge my car once every other days up to 80%. I hope the battery will last at least 150K miles and I hope the replacement cost for the 100 kW battery pack not over $20K. So far I love my so much. No problem whatsoever.
Update: After reviewing my spreadsheet I noticed I failed to add my 4 year average premium fuel cost to my formula. This update took the $3.20/gal (a stat from last year's video) down to $2.94/gal and a reduction of $2,570 in total costs for the Audi. Hat tip Keillor for prompting me to revisit the numbers. There is no change to the Subaru.
Also, now that Rivian did release their pricing...are you going to get one? I can’t wait for Monday to get my order in. Although not sure if I should wait for the 400 mike pack. I have an Audi etron right now and get around OK with 200 miles, but 400 would be nice for those longer trips we do as a family.
I think Rivian will see some growing pains when they release their trucks... I wonder if they can keep their promised release date, also. Seems a smart strategy for newly introduced cars, to put new designs into the high end luxury price range, as rich folk are more willing to 'donate to the cause' and forgive flaws. it makes sense that the more frugal customers are more demanding on service, maybe more vocal about complaints. Today the models S3 & X are definitely more refined than they have ever been, and with Shanghai and Berlin (and Austin) producing cars I'm certain the quality is going to get better, and the price is going to go down.
In 94 I bought a $10 Ford Escort that went 256k mi and the most expensive thing I had to replace was a $70 5th gear ring in the manual transmission. That right, the clutch lasted that entire time. The total cost of the transmission repair was $70 because it was under a cap near the driver front tire and I did need to remove the engine or transmission. Just jacked up the front, pulled the tire and changed the gear myself. Even after a quarter of a million miles, the car still managed to average 40mpg on the last 3 fills. I've been total electric for my last 3 cars, and I won't go back, but for cost of ownership, my EVs have never matched that Ford and I doubt any ever will.
The Cost of all those repair costs on Tesla is horrendous. And it takes enormous amounts of energy to make those replacement parts. The old Escort is the clear energy winner
I bought my dual motor long range tesla 3 in 2019 and drove it 11000 miles since in temperatures down to -37f. Recharge at home. It runs better than my gas car. Still waiting for supercharger stations. Douglas in Alaska.
@@ryanwwest Unclear but the battery has apparently failed again just now. You can look at his recent videos for the cost, but it's in the USD10k range. CORRECTION: I confused channels! Here's the one I was thinking of. It's in UK tho. @JamesCookeVlogs
Just like Elon said “ buying ICE cars is a waste of money” or something like that haha We have a model Y and I preordered the cybertruck! I own 3 trucks and I’m planing to replaced them all with cybertrucks... there’s nothing better than Tesla!
@@Matzes my wife and I have 2 different businesses, and trucks are very useful, but honestly, I love the model Y! That model Y takes off faster than my 1200 cc motorcycle. It’s fast! I’m sure if you have a Tesla you know what I mean.
You must have watched a different video than I just did...he spent almost 10 grand out of pocket keeping his 7 year old Tesla running. That's ridiculous for anyone who isn't a fanboy.
Similar to me. Replacing my Zoe lease with a Model 3 in about a month. I'd prefer a Model Y, but our taxes change significantly in 2021, and the Model Y can't be bought before then.
If you subtract the cost tires from the model s, you get $17,531, about $5,000 less than the Subaru, and $20,000 less than the Audi. Tires for the Tesla being $9117.17
@@khuo0219 Add at least 2 timing belts to the list too, possibly 3. I mean, if you are crazy enough you could maybe do just once, but that's the limit of pushing it, and i honestly wouldn't risk it. On top of that, new suspension, full control arm, tie rods, thermostat, oil filter housing, coolant flange, brake vacuum pump, cam follower and the list goes on and on. At that kind of milage, the car starts to break apart and issues snowball if you don't proactively replace many problematic and worn down parts. There will be a lot of small and big maintenance needs. You are probably better off just buying a new car at 230k miles with audi.
If you have 10-15k to spend on a car, ICE makes sense. But if you're dropping new/nearly new money on an Audi/BMW/Merc (40k+) you're insane for not getting a Tesla.
@@AllThingsEV Yes, but as I understand the problem, they overflow a finite eeprom by too verbose logging. This is a design flaw, and as such they should replace it when it fills and fails. Of course, in your case, it may have failed for some other reason.
Interesting problem with the battery at 145K miles. Sounds like the BMS may have failed and this is not the first time I have heard this with Tesla. In fact there is a secondary market for Tesla batteries for in home usage because many of the cells have a lot more life in them when the pack as a whole is discarded and the needs of home usage are not nearly so demanding. Also interesting that the fueling port failed. That design is flawed as I have seen that mentioned in almost every long term review. Great review by the way, very informative.
Thank you for sharing your analysis. I hope and expect that the reliability of their newer production will be greatly improved as this was their first shot at mass production, so the first model years were bound to have some teething problems. Thanks again.
Pretty much agree with you. One thing you didn’t mention is Safety. God forbid you get in an accident, but you gotta feel good that you’re one of the safest cars ever tested by NHTSA. I like the Rivian truck, too. But the Tesla Supercharger network is tough to walk away from. Even with all the new Model 3’s and Y’s on the road, I still have only had to wait for a Supercharger stall to open up once (live in Midwest & Florida). Rivian says they’re going to build a charging network, but only time will tell. Great video - thanks!
Thank you. Lots of info and very clear. 1. In California the Subaru gas cost would be up 50%.and the Tesla e cost up 100-125%. 2.. I was surprised at the huge number of repair issues. As the owner of two 250k mile Nissan/Infinitis of the excellent Japanese years, this was astounding. I appreciate the honesty, but for me this is probably a deal killer. 3. Nice to see those batteries last so long. 15% range loss in 150k seems reasonable. 4. Battery replacement cost of $20k at around 150k miles is a cardiac event. Do people put $20k into a old car worth maybe $10 - 20k? Thanks.
Good, honest assessment and I'm quite glad you included your electric and gas cost. I'm in the Northeast where electricity is from piped in natural gas that's from far away with inadequate pipelines, so my electricity cost is literally double yours. My gas is under $2 because of promotions I can always take advantage of. We do own a Legacy and a couple crosstreks because....snow. I've done the calculations many times and for me, fueling a Tesla is always more expensive than my Crosstreks or Legacy. But a comprehensive maintenance comparison would likely expose some interesting data. I'm a DIY mechanic, so things like tire rotations, brake jobs, suspension repairs, I'd do in my own garage, so would cost me parts. All our Subarus use a timing chain, so the dreaded 100k mile timing belt of old is no longer an issue. Interesting that range really is a problem in your situation as the most common answer I've received to this is that nobody drives beyond the range in a day. I hold my tongue about driving from Boston to Orlando in the Subaru making exactly 4 stops including an overnight stay and the final stop in Orlando.
Thanks Sean. A fair assessment, and that's appreciated. For a high mileage driver, it has fared pretty well. Most lesser cars are worn out completely, long before reaching 227,000 miles.
I have owned 35 cars 34 of which were ICE s and 1 a hybrid. All but the hybrid and my truck were in the 300k plus km range and seldom cost that in repairs.
RWBHere: In the real world, decent modern ICE cars routinely last a good 200K miles, NOT "wear out completely LONG before then". If you're going to just totally lie, why bother to post?
Extremely expensive repair history, more than negates energy expense saved. All that money for parts, and the enormous energy it took to make them, totally makes this an Energy Black hole ecologically.
Really good job. Seeing this data from a person who drive a lot like you do is really good. It’s clear that even from a pure $ perspective it’s effective to drive an electric vehicle already. If gas prices were to hike, and a few of the big repairs you’ve had are taken out of the equation a Tesla really looks like a winner. Thank you for this video
Great info, I own the stock and several others. I plan on buying a Model Y. I’ve always had a company car, I’m heading into retirement in a year and a half. I already have solar so my charging will be simple. Thanks for the video! You do great work!
I am in a similar situation (but no solar yet), with less than a year left to work. Looking seriously at a MY performance (just because of the wait time). My gains in Tesla stock will afford this luxury. (It will be the first new car that I have ever bought)
Wait you never replaced serpentine belt, tensioner, bearings, transmission fluid, coolant, struts, pads/rotors, all the air/cabin/fuel filters, spark plugs, 02 sensors, battery, light bulbs front and rear, engine mounts, bushings etc if not it's wwaaayyy overdue.
@@NoHarmDunn, I was about to say the same. Overall I spent 10K on maintenance to take my accord an additional 200,000 km from the purchased 120,000k km. 1 alternator, 2 timing belts and water pumps, sparkplugs, and wires, entire front brake assembly 2x, rears brakes pads and rotors 2x. Transmission fluid did every 50k km, and oil changes every 10k km. Headlights and wipers once a year because they damn bulbs would burn out in the winter, coolant changes every 80k km... Didn't touch the struts, bearings, or 02 sensors. It was a highway cruiser that could reach 140mph with the V6. But I easily spent 16k-18k on Oil, gas, and maintenance. I spent probably 2k - 3k on premium fuel every year until I sold that car.
Alittle surprised by the repair costs but it's a breathe of fresh air to see a more realistic view of owning a Tesla...most of the other fanboy videos consistently claim $0 for repairs/maintenance or close to nothing...like you can love Teslas but still acknowledge there are real trade offs to owning one.
@Sean I've had my Tesla Model 3 SR+ for 3 months now - your cost of ownership videos helped me think through the purchase (along with other reviewers on RU-vid). My wife almost refuses to drive her own car, preferring our Tesla when at all possible. Only service item I've had was to fix the left side camera which wasn't booting up properly - staff were prompt and courteous with the repair, not much to say - it was a busy delivery day. The outlay for the car is expensive, I've bought it on a seven year Tesla loan, putting up a 20% up front deposit. So its the most expensive car I've ever owned, but it drives like a dream. I installed rubber winter mats, and a rubber boot cover, so I can be a bit muddier with the car :). Sound system great. Navigation system great. Keyless entry great. Acceleration amazing. Regen breaking with one peddle control is amazing. (The car stops itself if you take your foot off the accelerator - normal cars just seem wrong and unsafe now). Frunk occasionally useful. Storage in the boot is huge. Memory adjustable seat on the driver side based on driver profile is amazing - my wife loves that - she wishes it came on the passenger side as well. Sentry cam is cool, although slightly slow to boot up the viewer. Charging at home is super convenient - just used an outside socket with the home charger. Super charger network is amazingly simple to use. Range anxiety is a thing - but not much worse than motorway driving on a low tank of petrol. We constantly joke now about the existence of petrol stations, it seems so odd to us - why would you burn fuel to move fuel around... overall, its been brilliant, I'm glad I saved up and I feel fortunate that I can afford one.
@@jakkbatt4711 prices are much different now, I'm paying £600 a month over 7 years to own the car outright. Between the two of us is very affordable, but we're only running one car.
@@christopherleighton2679 update on that - we decided to get solar and battery storage installed back in November - so we have the odd and satisfying knowledge that we can drive on sunshine most days; the recent petrol hikes have made the solar cost of ownership a much better investment - as well as peace of mind. I really am loving the new ecosystem.
Great overview! I'm just thrilled with my Model Y, that the repair and maintenance costs are so low. 8,000 miles, and rotated the tires for like $50, and all else was warranty.
Great video and presentation. Viewers need to keep in mind that the cost comparison is between an older pre-owned Model S vs. a new Audi and Subaru. I have been wanting a Tesla since 2012 and may be taking the plunge this year on a Model Y. Tesla has perfected the drivetrain and a bill is pending in Congress that will restore tax credits on a Tesla again. It’s the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act.
This is why I love out hybrid Lexus’, the ES300h is not a small car averages 36 and gets 42 on a freeway trip and the RX450h averages 25 all the time getting 29 on freeway with few repairs, just regular maintenance, both are still low mile vehicles, but we love them. Previously we drove Acura’s - loved then and never ever had the repair totals that you mention.
2021 model Y long range ordered 5/26, received 8/16/21. As of today (10/10/21) I have 11,806 miles. Zero issues and I enjoy every minute driving it. My electric bill at home literally doubled (average is 130.00 a month) now it’s 295.00. Supercharging (about 5-6x a week) on top of charging at home is roughly 350.00 a month. Thanks Tesla for no free superchargers on newer models. So in essence it’s costing me 500.00 a month to run 5800 miles. Love the car just wish supercharging wasn’t so expensive. Great video and it gave me tons of hope. I plan on driving this thing till the wheels fall off lol. I’m definitely one to truly test the longevity of Tesla plus I drive spirited and hard. Thanks for the vid, you definitely got a 👍outta me.
Thanks Sean. You may be a little jaded from driving an early adopter model. I think you will see a huge quality bump when new factories come on line. For me there’s no other choice. I want tsla to keep making great products and keep innovating. So my dollars will continue to go towards tsla products. They are hitting their stride.
Model 3 owner here. It's always hard for me to answer the "would you recommend" question. So much of it comes down to personal taste. When you spend 20 hours a week in a car, does a few hundred dollars savings even matter? I bought the car that makes me happy every day. For someone else, that may be an F150 :) I sure love mine though!
Great Video. Bought a 2012 Tesla S with only 45k miles..got charger for garage and came with unlimited charging...first EV...was amazed at how advanced this 10yrold car is compared to what is out now!...on waiting list for two versions of the Cyber Truck, and also reserve for the Rivian Suv...Rivian says I might get it in July...but I would prefer to stick with Tesla if I can wait it out...love my Model S!!!
This guy works for Tesla. Just look at all his contents. It is all about praising Tesla and comparing it with some lousy cars. Why didn't he compare it to a good old Toyota? LOL
the subaru legacy costs 25k BRAND NEW. the tesla s he bought was 50k USED. he never factored that into the cost. if you do that, and the maintenance/fuel then the teslas S cost him that much more. a brand new model s would have cost him 75k more. people preach cheap fuel, but the cars are so goddamn expensive that is negates ALL fuel and maintenance costs to ICE cars. maybe the model 2 will bring it into the range of the normal average consumer.
@@jebes909090 Not to mention in 10 years when you have to replace the batteries. Ouch I have seen estimates of 15-20 grand. All these teslas will be up on blocks in the alleys of ghettos all across America.
Very informative video, thanks. In my personal situation, being retired and not driving very much I think I'll stick with our Toyota products: 2009 Camry (104K miles), 2004 Land Cruiser (235K miles), and 2002 Lexus LX470 (62K miles) - all three have been at the service center lass that your Tesla 🙂 Sure gas mileage on the latter two suck but we don't drive a lot and there is tremendous comfort level with all three, especially the latter two. I am though quite intrigued by what I read about the Tesla's and just might rent one for a weekend to get that out of my system. Regarding maintenance, I am a bit of a DIYer and do some moderate repairs on our vehicles. When I factor in that I have no skill levels with the Tesla but I do with my gas guzzling Toyota's, I come out way ahead with maintenance. In addition, since I purchased just the Camry new and the Land Cruiser and LX470 used I have a low up front cost. Then factor in that Toyota vehicles do and have appreciated like used Tesla's, that is a wash. Toyota's are well built vehicles and don't exhibit the Tesla "fit and finish" issues. I would go out on a limb and say that Toyota gas engine products are a major competitor to Tesla as Toyota's are well built long lasting vehicles resulting in much lower long term cost than a Chevrolet, Ford, Mercedes, Jaguar, BMW, etc. Repeating, there is still that cool factor about an electric vehicle, but as you mentioned in the video there are some aggravating issues with recharging where I don't have a problem finding a gas station. Finally, where I live there are no local Tesla dealerships or repair centers or even a local Super Charger ... oh well, but I do find the Tesla an intriguing vehicle. Thanks for posting your video, it was both informative and well done.
Well said it’s intriguing but major issues and if not considering upfront (Vehicle price that a 20-40k premium to buy Tesla plus the additional interest being paid every month to finance that + higher insurance cost).I’d stick to traditional reliable vehicles in addition to that I have concern of getting electricity raised due to strain on the power station Imagine starting to have power outages and raised electricity bills India is a good example
just the fact that the car isn't falling apart after 227k miles is crazy, this isn't a fair comparison if you can't factor in the ICE maintenance costs
So it cost 30,000 dollars less to fuel. Say with that savings alone maintenance costs are no big deal. Yep. If I could afford one I would definitely buy.
Well, if you need to drive so many miles a year the fuel savings alone would cover the cost of the car. So, if you do not have cash it might make sense for you to borrow money to buy. But if you drive little this calculation probably doesn’t make sense.
To be honest my Mazda 3 diesel is on 170k km and the service costs were less than $500 and the maintenance under about $1500. Yes in Bulgaria everything is cheap but still it seems very high to me. Before I were getting 400km for $25 of fuel but now the price has increased and it became like 500km for $50. So I spend $11900 for fuel, and $2000 for repair and maintenance, which is $13900 total for 170k km or in other words $0.08 per km. But I also saved a lot, because Mazda 3 is a lot cheaper. So it's better using an economini instead of fancy electric.
Just bought a 2020 model 3 from a friend of ours that put 60,000 miles on it, going 120 miles to Midland from San Angelo where he stayed 3 nights for work, drove it around there some and drove it back. He charged up before he left on both ends and still had plenty of range when arriving at his destination on either end. We are going to use it for a local commuter, that will average about 60 miles a day. We charge it at home overnight to the 90% mark and it’s easier than plugging in the vacuum cleaner. The original owner only had to replace the small battery once and just recently put on a replacement set of tires. The fit and the finish of the car appears to be great in my opinion. It’s a nice car and a blast to drive. I sure don’t see the issues that people are talking about. Hope it works out for us as well as it did for him. Because he had zero issues and the car made the trip easy to make on the long boring straight road with the autopilot feature. He could handle business on the phone while the car pretty much drove him back and for the 240 mile round trip. Yea he had to rest his hand on the wheel, but it pretty much did all the driving for 90% of the trip each direction.
Informative video, but I feel the total cost comparison is disingenuous as you're not including tire replacements in the other two vehicles so it's skewing the comparison data. Actually, the whole comparison is a bit apple to oranges as it's not factoring maintenance costs in the other two vehicles either; the total maintenance cost of any average vehicle driven 200k by a single owner is much higher than negligible.
I think Sean could have put more emphasis on his statement that he did not factor repairs/replacement costs for the Audi and Subaru. Obviously, he does not have that experience, nor any hard data, because he was not driving those cars during the time he drove the Tesla. This is an important distinction in the overall cost comparison of the three vehicles, but again, Sean only had data for the Tesla, and he is unwilling to speculate on the costs for running an Audi and/or a Subaru. So his report is entirely factual, and it is left up to the viewer to decide how much expense to add to the Audi and Subaru totals for repairs and replacements. Someone else who actually has that cost data could offer it, but using it here would add an element of uncertainty to Sean's otherwise crystal clear reporting.
It is, but he also didn't mention that a new Tesla battery is what, $20,000? So if you do it outside warranty, which most used Model S will be, it easily balances out the cost-benefit analysis when considering total cost of ownership. I think the only way to do a Tesla is new, and then you're dealing with the price premium over used Toyotas and the massive depreciation of a new car if the argument is cheapest vehicle to drive. No Tesla will ever beat spending $5-$7k on a used Prius with 150k miles on it. The only variable with significant tangible impact is fuel cost per mile since we're at $5/gal for regular.
Hi Sean, thank you for your long-term review. I'm curious about the condition of your body and undercarriage? Any signs of corrosion or rust anywhere? Where I'm from (Toronto, Canada), the body of any vehicle usually goes before anything else.
@@babybirdhome wrong that aluminum bubbles and rust all to be damned, that’s the main reason my coworker sold his less than 3 years of owning it. Rain sleet snow here on the upper east coast that Tesla didn’t stand a chance and it’s minimum charging stations here
I live in Canada desperately wanted to test them for years. I put a deposit on a Model 3 but ended up because of delivery times I had to go ahead with the Chevy Volt. I do a lot of driving because of my sales job and my new construction company and found it the Tesla as I was lined in this video was only about two and a half cents more a mile then my Chevy Volt has been. I use a lot of gas and try to plug in as much as possible but could be better with plugging in. By next vehicle that I want is going to be a Tesla Model X for a service vehicle for my business. My old company was spending about $1,500 per service vehicle. This would have made a model X a no-brainer for our service Vehicles as each vehicle monthly cost would equal what we paid in fuel. The added lift to our business for having all these beautiful cars as service Vehicles would have no doubt made up for the cost.
That's crazy all the problems you've had with it only at 200k miles. The instrument cluster shouldn't ever go out. My 1995 F150 instrument cluster is still working after 26 years. A bunch of other things are still working on my old truck that has broken on yours. Your battery replacement was free too so the operating cost would be +$10,000 if it hadn't been for that and the fact that you have free charging skews the results too.
My Prius costs the same in gas. Over 500k miles, I have spent under 5k in maintenance in 13 years. If Tesla could figure itself out with the batteries and repairs, I would get one. But, now with 150k miles on the warranty, at 25k to replace the battery, this car doesn't make sense.
He had a very early model, that kind of battery (the original was a 60 kW model) isn't even made anymore. I think Tesla is on their 6th generation battery pack now. Glad you're having good results with your Prius, they're a good automobile.
Just SomeGuy Battery degradation is a real thing no matter what generation tesla is currently on. There are a few main types or causes for degradation being: Super charging Temperature aging Calendar aging Cycle aging Lithium ion just isn't the future
Just SomeGuy I’m talking on more of the rate at which the battery degrades and not the fact that all batteries degrade. The fact that if I drive 20 miles a day or no miles at all the battery will still degrade from calendar aging and to make things worse the battery degrades even faster from cold temperatures and you can’t charge it to 100% or youll degrade the battery. There are just so many things that speed up the lifetime of the battery that id rather have choose a gas guzzler than a tesla
I had a 2009 toyota camry hybrid. Had 220k miles on it. No issues at all. I was averaging 40 miles a gallon and never spent more than basic oil change etc. Paid it off and 3 months latery wife wrecked it. Brought it with 90k miles on it for 7900. Drove it 2 years.
I have to admit i am someone in the older age range and looking to chop in my honda jazz and get my first EV, i am blown away simply by the fact that these tesla s, will do such a brilliant high mileage , excellent review many thanks you have given me plenty to think about.
Three years ago, I bought a 2014 Model S 85 after considering an Audi A7 to replace my 2008 Lexus GS Hybrid. I undoubtedly made the right choice. I haven't put nearly as many miles as you have but I would agree that the maintenance and fuel costs are significantly low as compared to its luxury competitors. The biggest disappointment has been the poor quality of the accessories inside the car. But the performance and tech enhancements live up to the hype. I'm looking forward to upgrading to a newer model once the time comes to replace my current.
Don't wait to long, take care of your 2014 and upgrade when you can and provide someone with a good used Tesla as they/me may not afford a new model. Glad you enjoy though.
On my 2nd M3. 1st one midrange rear drive. Only repair was a flat by me running over a screw. 2nd one long range dual motor no repairs. I believe the M3 and likely MY are much easier and cheaper to repair and will require less repairs because of simpler design. Model S and X are more complicated and will have more issues, IMO.
How many miles did you do in the M3? Because they are notoriously unreliable once you have done 70k miles and become rapidly less reliable as the miles go up. I know several garage owners who have an M3 as a "Sunday car" because even with their service labour being free the vehicle is far too expensive and unreliable to use. M3 less complex than a Tesla?? 4x drive Tesla has maybe 10 moving parts.. the engine alone has about 1000 wearing surfaces. The 1st service on my rear electric motor of my PHEV is at 25 years.. to change the coolant oil. The engine given it is in use as a taxi. Is recommended every 3,500 miles!!
Totally agree, the new Tesla's are much different especially the M3 and Y. This, in my opinion is a bit Jaded. Odd sets of circumstances make this less useful.
@@joweb1320 BMW or Audi, which is less reliable and more outrageous to repair? It is a tie but the BMW will have a little higher resale value but both are at the bottom of the retained value department. Tesla have much lower depreciation, so the cost of owning M3 Versus Model 3 is about $2000 a month for the first 4 years. Just waking up in the morning and walking out to an ICE car you have to consider it dropped $80 overnight. Not many people consider resale value when buying new, they never see it as a direct hit in financial position because their high credit payments are just rolled over into the next 4-5 year contract. The first and last BMW I bought was a 3.0CSL in 1975. It was the only one available in Northern California so I paid full sticker but my then-wife thought she would look cool in it. She did but we had it for 6 months and it was in the deal shop a total of 4 months of that time. The final straw was her driving to the shop for another problem that popped up in the two days it was out of the shop. In driving rain, in the evening so very dark, she was in the left-hand lane turning left into the service shop entrance when both window motors turned on and fully opened the windows, and all power went off as while she was midway across the oncoming lane with a dead car, no lights and broadside to the cars during too fast, she got out and ran to the other sidewalk just as oncoming cars sported the dark figure of the silver car broadside to them, Somehow the cars managed to not hit it but 2 spun around and ended up going through a chain-link fence. That was the best luck we had with it. It was expensive, the sale price as a lower end Ferrari that was also looked at before she decided on the BMW due to its more luxurious interior. The legislature had just passed the Lemon Law that allowed unhappy buyers right to get out of the deal if the dealer could not solve the mechanical problems. Before that, if it was crap, it was your crap because the dealer had no obligation to take it back even the 16 times it was in the shop, Twice the replaced the disk brakes, at 300 miles and 640 miles. We got nowhere with the dealer, who was politically connected in the capital and had all the German car franchises. We were the second plaintive to file under the new lemon law. The legal team for the dealer painted a picture of a woman who just did not know how to drive a performance car and that it was normal to wear out $2000 in disk brakes in 2 months of driving that totaled less than 700 miles. They also charged us towing to move the car into their driveway and actually came up with that charge as a demonstration of our greed in that I refused to pay the towing bill for moving it 25 feet onto their property. We won, they had to take it back but it took $9,000 in legal fees to give the car back. We got her a 450SL which she still has...or did the last time I saw a decade ago. My only German cars were the 930 Turbo Porsche and later the much more docile 928S4. The 93o was a terribly unbalanced car, too much power too little balance so was dangerous even with very experienced performance car drivers. The worst Porsche for handling. The 928 was one of the best. Overall I am not impressed with the value proposition of any German car. At least the Italian cars had soul. I amassed a large collection of late 50s to late 70s Maserati GTs that I restored and the only car I still have, is 9,000 miles away in California in long time storage, a 1974 Bora Maserati 5ltr hemi head v8 mid-engine that was very reliable and my everyday driver. Now I use electric public transportation for the personal freedom it gives, and my next vehicle will be a 2 motor CT and a year or so later after those ahead of my have theirs, I reserved a 3 motor CT so will have two trucks for my tour business and robotaxi for those who want to carry larger things or seat 6 people, and get noticed. The total cost of buying and maintaining a car and factoring in depreciation is the biggest drain on personal finances there is, At least a house usually appreciates, unlike cars that always tank in value. If people in cities used Robotaxis, it would almost eliminate poverty in the US. But so would decent public transportation. I now live where the public transport system is really good, cheap, clean, safe and reliable and lead a very active social and cultural life, and getting around costs me about $45/month. RoboTaxi and route electric buses will transform cities, especially when private cars are banned from the city center in major cities of the world.
Just out of curiosity, how much time approximately did Tesla take to fix most of those first year warranty issues and how many separate trips for repairs roughly did you make in that time. Also would like to know if they provided a free loaner car. Thanks, I really enjoyed the video.
So glad I saw this video!!, I own a 2018 Subaru Legacy purchase price $41k! New windshield was $800 out of pocket because of eyesight recalibration that insurance doesn’t cover total bill was over $1400. Additionally a squirrel chewed the engine wire harness (because the plastic coating covering the wires are made out of soybeans) $2500! New tires $1k with discount offer from a local tire shop after I spent a few days shopping around. I prepaid all my regular maintenance at the time of purchase for the first 75k miles $4,300. Brake job front only was $800 that had to be done at 22k miles (this was upsetting because my 4 previous Subarus I got over 50k miles out of breaks) I blame eyesight and it’s excessive braking when cruise is engaged. I have been a loyal Subaru owner for 22 years BUT the new Subaru’s are junk! I currently have just under 40k miles on my Subaru and I’ve been so unhappy I decided to buy a new car. On Christmas Day I ordered a new 2021 model 3 I paid $46k or $5k more then the legacy. The total purchase price is $56k that included $10k for autopilot because well you don’t get a Tesla without autopilot!! My home is completely solar powered and so charging my car won’t cost anything additional. I already spoke with my insurance company and the model 3 is $200 less per year over the Subaru. I’m going to lose my butt on selling my Subaru but I want a car I’m happy with. Im so excited and can’t wait for my new Tesla!!
New tires $1k with discount offer from a local tire shop ?? Thats a rip off. I can guarantee you will pay only half of $1K for your four tires in Costco Tire Center.
Great review, thank you so much! When you said 7 cents per km, was it including the purchase price or not? And if not, how would factoring in the purchase price change this figure? Thank you!
We are very interested in buying a Model 3 Tesla but your video surprised me. With nearly 150,000 miles on our 2012 Chevrolet Volt, we have never spent a dime on ANY maintenance other than tires. It has been the best car I've ever owned. I will always own an electric vehicle. I also have a 2020 GMC diesel truck so I have people who hate me on both ends of the spectrum. Ha!
Great info, thanks! The number of expensive repairs surprised me. I wonder if the newer Teslas are significantly better now. Looks like a good deal for you because you drive so much. Maybe not as much of a deal for anyone that drives less than average. Additionally, 'free supercharging for life' is now gone for S & X. ☹️ Still, I would love to have a used Model S P100D for ~$70K+tax. Or a new Y Performance for ~$62K+tax.
For sure. The newer larger windshields might be more expensive, but there are no lights in the door handles, for example. All vehicles have suspensions that need servicing from time to time.
Thanks - appreciate sharing your records and experience. I'd love to know how you replaced the breaks. :) I noticed a few other little gems too...(I can't help it - spelling/grammar errors seem to stick out like dogs balls for me.)
I have a Cyber Truck on order for when they start actually making them :). Currently driving a 2020 Raptor. I love my Raptor, it’s my second one but the Cyber Truck is going to have a different sort of cool factor. I get around 12-13 miles to the gallon and fill up 1.5 times a week at current cost to fill the 36 gallon tank is $116.00 so I am filling up 6 times a month which is right at 700.00 per month in fuel. The Cyber Truck is going to certainly help with keeping cost down and should last forever 😅. We will see, I am encouraged to see that you have a 220k+ mile Tesla and still loving it.
I've had zero maintenance cost for my Model 3 which I've had for a year and a half and driven about 3,600 miles only. It is about time to put in some windshield wiper fluid. Purchase and delivery experience was simple and fast. Would highly recommend. My electrons cost 12 cents per kWh and my "fuel" cost per mile is about 2.7 cents US.
@@jebes909090 Well, 16,000 miles in three years now and still no maintenance visits. Used to use public transit but drive to work now, almost an hour each way. The ADAS system handles the rush hour traffic quite well.
Insane!! I love my BMW, however, Tesla looking good for next car. I drive approx 13,000km per annum. At that rate I could purchase model 3 now and it would still be good when I am 90!! (25 years).
Don forget that Tesla is a electric car. There is battery and even if you don't drive too much. Every year battery lose 10% of their capacity. If you drive not so much probably best buy regular car.
@@jbnitpou9942 I you stupid or what? Tesla use lithium ion battery, i don't know much about 4680. Read about lithium ion battery they all losses capacity over years even if you don't use them.
Holy crap. I've have a 2013 Hyndia Tuscon I bought new, now has 170k miles. I've changed oil, tires, wipers, brakes, spark plugs ..... and that's it. Pay around $450 for tire changes about every 60k miles.
