I'm an ac technician, I have been seen an ac system working more than 20 years without the need of replacing the coolant or the "desiccant bag" it's almost impossible to have humidity in the coolant circuit because it's under pressure, the only one case that you can find humidity in the circuit is because of manufacturing default . And even in the worst case, if there is a leak of coolant or ac compressor default, the battery must shut down and stop working.
my frend toyota 2000 Camry never need AC service. the vehicle does not have desiccant bag and it still cold like snow. Desiccant bag in the HV housing is for different purpose. It is for the inside of the HV battery, it remove the moiseture inside the HV battery. He misinformation about the desiccant bag job.
@@tonymai1844 no, the desiccant bag is part of the AC system, it's integral to the condenser. There should be no "moisture from the HV battery" contaminating the refrigerant system. a desiccant bag is a wearable item but most legacy manufacturers do no provide a long warranty on A/C systems and if one fails it isn't potentially detrimental to the vehicle's usefulness. your friends 2000 Camry likely had a non-serviceable desiccant inside the condenser.
I think if you are adding wiper blades to the cost you should add tires too, as they are both consumables. Unless Tesla wipers are unique and ridiculously priced.
One thing to note about the brake fluid is that the reservoir fluid will not be as bad as the fluid in the calipers. Brakes are a closed system, so the fluid is not circulated. The calipers is where the moisture and rust typically gain access to the brake fluid. That's why it is just a good practice to flush the fluid in the calipers on a regular basis (since it's not easily testable).
But doing it right is more important. Those quick lube shop never does the right thing but they recommended a lot. If DIY and you dont have the right pressure tool then we need two people to do the job.
Tesla information states the following on brake fluid: Check it every 2 years using a copper content test strip (commercially available) at the caliper. They pay 0.05 hours for this procedure. If the copper ppm > 30 ppm, flush the fluid. Yes, it must be done with the correct adapter and must be done with a proper pressure bleeder, and it must be done using Service Mode to open the biases in the ABS module to bleed all the air from the system properly. The video also made a mistake: DOT 3 is compatible in the Tesla as a last a resort, but all Teslas come stock with and recommend DOT 4 HYDRAULAN 404 fluid.
Improvement with the realistic service schedule. Main cost is brake pads and discs. I still have trouble accepting discs have to be changed with pads. No way pads can wear out metal discs.
I like that Tesla has adjusted their maintenance schedule as they learned more from their vehicles. It shows that they are not like legacy auto dealers trying to gouge their customers.
If you go back nearly 2 decades at how much they've learned and adapted its impossible to comprehend. The legacy auto makers shat all over them in the early 00s on how poor their overall production was. Such as taking a dozen parts to make a single wheel well. Tesla even stated they hope to make an entire car in just a handful of large parts (the now gigapress). The legacy auto's laughed so hard at that. look at how the tables have turned. its so hilarious.
Great video!!! I’m gonna start saving up for my Tesla model y after I go to the special program that teach people with disabilities how to drive, I have cerebral palsy I use a walker and wheelchair!
It could be Full Self Driving by then, I think end of the year. I know ICE cars can have hand throttles, maybe a lever that parallels the throttle peddle on the left hand side of the console. Best of luck with this.
You could use the coolant half of the strip to test..... the battery coolant. The coolant is pink, I guess it is the OAT coolant, which can last for 8 years in an ICE vehicle. You can rotate the tyres yourself. You can flush the brake fluid yourself.
A common repair is replacing the upper control arms. I've replaced both in my 3 already at 95k kms. It's a heavy car and a performance suspension. About $500CDN x 2. Tech told me that it's very common, he stocks the parts and I was the highest mileage he had worked on, we were the first 3 out of warranty he had seen.
Afternoon. So, on Friday, Tesla finally installed the HW 3.0 in my P3D, and I was excited about it... but, I also noticed that I needed an alignment. That was going to be a $146 cost. Plus a balancing for an additional $97. So I immediately started calling discount tire, Pepboys, Sears, and Walmart.. and all of them said they charge 109 for alignment and 20 for balancing... BUT, they do NOT service Tesla’s at all... that was a blow to the guy. So I had to settle for doing the alignment with Tesla. But the balancing I’m going to do it myself. Paying $97 for a balance is outrageous amount of money. Now granted I know $97 is not a crazy amount when knowing it’s being charged by a manufacturer that has a monopoly on the service. But, I guess it is what it is for now. Now, what truly got to me, was the shitty service they provided. When I receive my vehicle, there was mud and dirt all over my carpet’s, my dash cams were all unplugged from the USB ports. And my suit and tie we’re on the ground wrinkled. They didn’t even have the courtesy to at least vacuum the floors for all the dirt they left behind and hang up my suit where I had it. They just left it on the floor wrinkled up as if they were stepping on it while doing diagnostics... I complained and told them that was f...g stupid service and they should know better than that. I made them vacuum. And they told me “we are responsible for what’s in your car”.. I told them, “ just because you’re not responsible for what’s inside the car, doesn’t mean you can’t have the courtesy of being respectful of what’s inside the car. If you see a suit don’t toss it on the ground. Have the courtesy to put it on the side and then put it back on the hook when you’re done with your service. It doesn’t take much to do something like that. Also, do you know you can put paper on top of the carpets just like any dealership does, to avoid dirty in them. And if you do dirty the carpets, have the courtesy to vacuum what you left behind. As you vacuum all of the cars that you do detail for, why wouldn’t you do that to the cars that you dirty during service? Lexus does it, BMW does, Mercedes does it.. hell, even Toyota and Nissan do it... are you that cheap that you can’t put paper on the carpets to avoid dirtying them?” Sometimes Tesla makes it very hard to defend them and speak great things about them, when they perform this type of shitty service. I go out of my way to promote their brand and say how amazing they are, and they in turn f..k me over like this and still avoid holding themselves accountable for the shitty service. Seriously tesla? YOU.ARE.WRONG.. for doing this. And this is the SECOND TIME they do this to me during service. That’s why I avoid at all costs to go into the service center.
@@iworkhard2013 i went through the app and i demanded i get the hardware... i told them when i got the car and i mentioned that others that got the car after me were already being upgraded.... and within 24hrs, they had me scheduled.
@@bepowerful2160 same here. Rotating is not worth 75. That doesn’t require heavy machinery besides a simple Jack. And most people should be educated in this to save money. Discount tire will rotate for free and balance. Even if you don’t have insurance with them. And if you have insurance then take care of everything on the house. Which reminds me, I’m soon going to need to exchange my tires for FREE. 😉
I notice on tire rotations the manual also indicates as needed by wear differences- "if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater.". This will most likely be the more frequent need for rotations depending on the way the owner drives. I know in my LR Rwd Model 3 with 19400 miles, I rotated at the original recommendation of 6250 miles but haven't since because I keep a log of tread wear and I'm just now down to a 2/32 in. difference between front at 5/32" and rear at 3/32". Since they recommend replacing at 3/32" when wear bars become visible, I plan to replace them very soon. A video showing the use of a tire depth gauge (as you demonstrated for checking the brake fluid) would probably help folks too.
Wow thats impressive for the Model 3, my Nissan Leaf has cost me a small fortune in the 4 years of ownership its cost me $30 for gear reduction fluid and $20 for a cabin air filter, the only other costs have been $10 per week in power and tyres and wheel alignment, such a ripoff having to pay $50 maintenance in 4 years! :-(
My son has an auto repair shop. Part of any routine maintenance they do exactly what you showed. Never flush unless there is an issue. Inspecting rotors is also important. Tire pressure monitoring saves money too
Melvin Scott it won’t disappoint man...I’m 2 years in and still love every opportunity I have to drive. For me the novelty of a new car always wears out after 6 months. This is a new ballgame
To answer your question at the end... I think their original maintenance schedule was WAY too rigorous. A quality-built vehicle does not need frickin' coolant replaced every 20k miles. Plus, this coolant is not exposed to combustion.
Brake fluid change intervals are variable depending on ambient humidity. It does not need to be done as much in Arizona as opposed to Louisiana. Brake fluid absorbs moisture and thats what causes it to lose effectiveness against heat soak. So you could be good at six years in a dry environment, or two years in a humid one.
$15-$20 over 6 YEARS for windshield washing fluid makes much more sense. In AZ probably less in MN at least a 2-3 gallons every winter. (One reason I leave MN until spring). Urban driving in the winter means a car wash every day in St Paul.
2 года назад
Thank you for the water tip. I drive 2020 Prius AWD XLe
My model S P85, bought 3/2014 never got any maintenance at all in more than 7 years. I drive always with care on the cruise control. Hardly ever I use the brakes. Top speeds around 110 km/h , I some times switch on AC , drive with pretty low cabin temp. Almost never use windshield wipers (Rain-X) , never replaced the wipers. Car always is in the garage and is not used when snow or ice is in the streets. My car is still new at 120.000 km . I once bought 2 new tires and now , using winter tires for appr. 20.000 km in total I need 2 pcs summer tires. Average power consumption 165 Wh every year since 2014. No braking means almost new brakes and no tire wear. No power costs as I use my solar panels to charge every time the sun shines and only on road trips free supercharging, so no costs at all. My range max is now still 400 km on one charge when I do a 100% , I prefer however to always keep the battery on 60 to 70% max when I do local trips. This car is amazing, only one repair in 7 years....the battery heater in 12/2020....€ 750,= , that's all in 7 years time.
The battery is an AGM (Absorbed Glass Matt) variety. They aren't like lead acid starter batteries or even lead acid deep cycle batteries. They behave much more like Li-ion in that they don't drain charge, have a wider range of charge level before the voltage drops and have high number of cycles. Add to this that it is hooked up to a huge Li-ion battery means it barely even cycles and it treated like a baby. That said, they can still go bad, but I would expect you can get well above the average 6-8 years you get in a gas car with an AGM battery that is well maintained.
@@gregb7353 The battery runs the entire 12V for the car, it charges/discharges a lot. 12V=computers,stereo,power steering, all electronics besides the drive units. I would expect to change it 2-3 times over life of the car.
Great video....but you forgot tires. This all depends on how one drives. If you like to peel out constantly then one will need to replace tires. Tires can range from $500 on the cheap end to $1100 on the top end. Again, depends on how one drives.
EXCELLENT updated information! I saw your first video and was a bit taken aback by the costs that were explained back then. Now, I'm very relieved. I share your point of view: to keep my car great, I am resolved to do what Tesla recommends. I'm very glad that's not going to cost as much as before.
There is ALWAYS moisture in brake fluid, and it doesn't care what car it is in - it just continuously absorbs moisture. Unfortunately these tests only test the fluid in the reservoir - not at the brakes, where it sees the heat from use. Just flush the brakes every few years, it's easy and cheap for anyone to do. I'd use DOT 4 as well, better fluid and compatible with all DOT 3 systems. For weekend track use we have to change it before every event. I dye every other fluid change so that it is easy to see which fluid is being drained. Clear one time, dyed the next.
I bought a Nissan Leaf 3 years ago with 38 K miles ( 2015 SV $ 9,000. ) . So far my maintenance has been adding some washer fluid ( for which I bought a gallon at the local $1 discount store for . . . . . $1 ) and it did not need but a cups worth . Checking tire pressures about once a month and add as necessary ( have a 2 HP compressor in garage ) . And . . . . that's it . Kept in garage so wiper blades still like new ( no sun degradation ) Concrete floor in garage helps keep it's traction battery cool even mid-summer. Now if I can find someone that wants/needs my 1963 Ford F-100 pick-up truck for sale . ! !
My 2009 Toyota Prius still has original brake pads, brake fluid, coolant, etc. 230,000+ miles on the odometer. Unfortunately the Prius reputation is not as good today. I’m hoping my Tesla Model 3 does as well as my Prius has.
Hey FTG, FYC ... In Canada, I have a 2012 Model-S with ~221,000 Kms on it. Since the warranty end on everything except the drive unit and battery due high mileage 2 years ago I have needed to fix only two things out of pocket ... rear air sockets and a battery heat. One thing to note is that Tesla is now charging a minimum $350 Diagostic Charge (2 hrs of labour) for any repair request.
The washer fluid depends heavily on where you live as well. When I lived in Phoenix it hardly ever rains and there’s no winter to speak of unless you never wash your car the stuff will probably evaporate before it could be used up. However when I lived in Alaska then later Utah I had to buy the stuff like crazy especially in the winter.
That’s great too hear the upfront costs is high but over 6 years the model three is cheaper too operated and ends up costing less the a $25,000 Toyota Camry.
Great video. I haven't purchased a TESLA yet but plan on my first being the 3 or the Y and I'm sure there will be little difference for the Y. Thanks again. I look forward to your next video.
Clarification on the washer fluid. Let's say you go through 1 gallon a year at $2 a pop at most stores: *$2 x 1 times per year * 6 years = $12* If you live in winter climates, it will cost $3 a gallon. Of course, this cost is going to be the same as a gas car. It's still cheaper than having to do oil changes. I do 2 oil changes a year with Mobil 1 full synthetic and it costs me $120 per year just for oil changes. Overall, EV saves *A TON* on maintenance and I can't wait to buy my CYBER TRUCK!
old brake fluid with moisture will cause brake calibers to hang up, not retract properly in time, not so big a problem with gas , but lack of drag is important for electric range.
On top of what Homecomfort said the brake master cylinder and anti-lock brake pressure unit are adversely effected by moisture, and they are VERY expensive. My 1998 Ford Ranger made it twenty years and over 200K on the original equipment with four changes of the brake fluid.
@@richardalexander5758 I've driven cars over 400.00 kilometers with no break fluid change, but if the Tesla is not properly sealed, I better get a tester to control this myself.
Hans Milling you should check the moisture level of brake fluid as water boils at 100 degrees Celsius and brake fluid absorbs moisture which if it boils at the caliper will give a loss of braking
My friend got his brand new camry model 2000. It still driving and the AC system never got any service. The timing belt never got changed. It is now little more than 100k miles. he live in NorCal. Coolant system got service one time just drain and refill. He used all Toyota parts. I just replaced the rear Ò2 sensor once. So AC system not need to service if ac is cold. The desiccant bag service is because its job is to remove moisture in the HV battery housing, not because the AC system. AC system, the evap housing is wet and dirty, it does not need and desiccant to work. Driver only needs to service Cabin air filters. Those filters need to be replaced every two years is reasonable. I just check mine, tap the dirt out. I would replace it when it really dirty. But I dont know how to access to Tesla cabin air filter at this time. RU-vid may have the hint. The only thing I worry on tesla is the tyres, the door weather strips. Tesla car is very noisy from tyre noise, wind noise. But the way they build the car is suck, quality is very bad. that add in the problem of tyre noise, wind noise. Door insulation is suck, roof is hot. You dont have to spend money for gasoline but here and there, you spend money on charging. at the end, it is the same. we keep the air clean for other people, next country or China having the benefit. Toyota hybrid vehicle is the best for all options, all people get benefit.
Great video. I've had my model 3 for 8 months, but have 22,000 miles on it. I was going to look up and see what, if any maintained was needed. BTW you only counted 1 bottle of washer fluid in 6 years. I would count 2 bottles per year
Thanks for doing this! I believe in the new numbers for the most part. I've even created my own spreadsheet to keep track. However, I will happily have my tires rotated far more often than 12k miles...eek. That has to be based on the stock tires only, in the best of conditions and not driving aggressively...right? I drive this car far more aggressively than I did my Pontiac Vibe and adhered to a strict schedule for rotations with it and my tires always wore completely evenly. Plus, I have a set of winter tires for my Model 3 Dual Motor, so I'll automatically rotate every spring when the winter tires come off in March. Then, I'll probably need to rotate by the end of July since I drive so much. As for the washer fluid...yikes, where are you buying washer fluid?!?! I stock up when it's cheap and get 3-4 gallons for that same price. Living in Chicagoland requires a lot more washer fluid and different types for the seasons...
very nice video for owners that's just hitting year 2! I guess now I can just go in for HW3 and some other small issues beside the whole year 2 maintenance lol
Agree this is a great video and thank you for sharing! Having owned gas cars for the last 40 years and paying as much as 10 times that amount over 6 years for maintenance, there is no way any ICE car will ever compare to Tesla. When I look on Edmunds at the maintenance cost for something like a Toyota Camry, they show over $4k for only 5 years. That said, the Camry is a good car but not as good as the Model 3 so you are getting a better car for much lower maintenance cost. Granted you spend more money up front but to me it is absolutely worth it.
You must have abused your car! I have a Lexus 350, I spent only $200 dollars in 3 years! And that’s because I took it to the dealership. Probably could’ve got it serviced cheaper at regular auto shop.
Since you're mentioning washer fluid, you might as well add windshield wipers to the list. Not that's it's much anyway. Seeing this video makes me happy, as I'm a Model 3 owner myself. :)
@@TheCreamRisesToTheTop The 12V battery said that it was about to fail so mobile service came to my house and replaced that. So nothing wrong with the car itself. It was replaced under warranty.
I'd probably spend $15 for washer fluid over the course of six years. I live in PA where we can see all four seasons in a week some times! I've gone through a gallon of washer fluid in winter before too if it's really bad. I don't think I've paid more than $3 for a gallon, even the Rain-X is fairly cheap. But hey, I'd love to get my hands on a Model 3
If yu happen to be driving in Quebec winters, you'll need a LOT more winshield washer fluid than a gallon every 6 years. More like 3 to 4 gallon a year. Fortunately, a gallon goes for 2.95 at Canadian Tire
This is an area traditional automakers are beating Tesla. The Bolt for the first 150,000 miles (241000km) requires LESS maintenance. Pretty much nothing but tire rotations and cabin filter changes until 150000 when you change coolants. Brake fluid is every five years. This is one of the reasons some of us shy away from Tesla for now, they are a tech company, not a car company.
Wheel alignment is missing. My car was off after a hard winter, thus my new tires did not wear well. It looks like the alignment attachments were not torqued right from the start.
The majority cost of owning a car is the depreciation and insurance, not the “maintenance” part. A set of tires will also be much more expensive than the costs he listed.
Another great video straight forward and easy to follow. Thanks, Mike. We don't have a service center here in New Mexico (due to antiquated laws and the influence of the auto dealers association) so getting Tesla service done is tricky.
@@FrugalTeslaGuy I live in Albuquerque and have been here for over 20 years but went to high school and college in Southern California. I am a member of the Tesla Owners Club of New Mexico and have ordered a Model Y and now the long wait begins....Oh, and by the way, my EV Power Share Smart 1030 arrived this week thanks to your review. Now I have this months before my car!
The large cost of EVs in regions of the eart that use road salt is that when you doesn’t use your breaks regularly the brake disks will rust to much before they are worn out.
You didn't add the brake cleaning required annually for customers in northern climates. Tesla quoted me $175 on my M3. I plan on doing it myself when changing from winter tires to summer.. Doesn't look too difficult or costly to do it myself.
I’m glad to see brake fluid change has gone from replace, to test first and replace if needed. My suspicion would be can you expect an unbiased opinion from a T SC? Battery coolant is much more critical and I’d leave that up to it’s recommended intervals. I have read it may be prudent to do the schedule maintenance before the warranty expires then if there are serious issues discovered it would be covered. I seldom step on my brakes and my M3 typically only sees summer conditions so I think the brake fluid should be good almost forever. I do however rotate tires every 6250 miles after buying a service package from a local tire shop. $80 for the life of the tire(s) includes rotation road hazard replacement & puncture repair. I don’t understand why this would be scaled back. I really really doubt these adjustments would be to lightened the load of the service centers. That has to be a cash cow and hiring more techs and adding a few bays would seem an easy way to keep up.
Maintenance costs look realistic. Tires wear quicker due to weight and the beauty of acceleration that comes with owning a Tesla. With your other video of tire replacement from Les Schwab, it would be nice to get a full cost of ownership with tire replacement cost. I use Les Schwas as well, as they have always waived the little stuff in order to achieve customer loyalty. I have two Model 3's and have had to replace one of the tires due to wear already. Once they all wear, I will replace with Les Scwab. Have you noticed an increase in noise from tires you bought without the Michellin foam lininings?
Really good information here, but $10 to $20 for a jug of windshield washer fluid? I normally pay less than half of that... and go through a LOT more than a gallon in six years!
The reason to replace the brake fluid every two years is because it attracts moisture, especially dot 5. You are only testing the fluid in the reservoir, as the fluid cannot flow back to it from the calipers and corrosion is unlikely to be found in the reservoir, so best to replace every two years and the process should be no different to an #ICE vehicle. The fluid is either sucked out which can be done if you have a compressor, or pushed out using the brake pedal and in either case the reservoir is kept topped up throughout the process. Over $200 to replace the brake fluid is a rip off !
What about factoring the cost of tires compared to ICE vehicles. Or that your car insurance can nearly double? Those are important considerations. What you save on fuel costs and repairs you will spend on tires and insurance.
I've paid about double that in Alaska, but it is for an extreme low temperature formulation of wsw fluid. I also use that to put in drains when winterizing cabins, boats, motorhomes, etc. It is about half the price of the winterizing fluid that is sold specifically for motorhomes and boats.
I wonder if it would be prudent for you to reach out to Tesla asking for a credit on your Tesla account for the “unessesary “ battery fluid replacement that you were charged. Cheers
Nice if it’s true, but I’m a bit sceptical about lifetime fluids. Reminds me of lifetime transmission fluid which is only “lifetime” if you want it to fail prematurely. Wonder if Tesla is doing the same with battery coolant. It’s nice marketing to say you don’t need to worry about it.
You can technically change the cabin filter yourself, and some people do. However, on the Model 3, it is kind of awkward and difficult for the average person compared to many other vehicles where it can be done in 5 minutes without tools. So, most Model 3 drivers will pay dealer labor charges for cabin air filters.
Ray Nash I didn’t say it was impossible to do yourself. It’s just a much bigger hassle than on the average car. You have to take things apart with a tool and it’s also possible to drop screws back behind the console trim and turn the cabin filter change adventure challenge into a nightmare. The vast majority of people are going to pay Tesla $150 or more to do this more them. The average person pays a dealer to change the cabin filter even on cars where the filter is super easy to access and change by just dropping the glove box door open, reaching in and swapping filters. So, obviously, on a car where changing the filter is buried and much more difficult to access the percentage of DIY replacement is going to be much, much lower. So, $35 is not a realistic cost for the masses.
Great video & perfect breakdown! I think Tesla changed these maintenance schedules because they weren’t 100% sure or didn’t realize how many cars they would sell (just my opinion). Also I think the washing fluid can be purchased for a lot less. Love the idea of getting your own testers 👍 I can’t imagine the body work/window replacement for the cyber truck 🤔 that’s a whole different topic 🙈. Drive safe ⚡️
Washer Fluid: $15 a gallon? I thought you were "Frugal" LOL. 3 bucks. Can I just pour windex? Jokes aside that was a very informative update and MUCH appreciated. The low maintenance is one reason I'm justifying a soon future Tesla purchase but wasn't sure how much it really is. And (although there is regen braking) I wonder for performance models, how much a those larger ceramic performance brakes replacement eventually would be) thoughts anyone? Frugal guy do you know? :) Thx!
