Watch This Before You Buy a Used Tesla Model S 

Does your car have Autopilot? I've read horror stories about Tesla disabling autopilot on used cars and demanding a ransom from the new owners.

@@BenchRacer Autopilot scares the crap out of me so I'll probably never get a car with autopilot.

@@xyzxyz6406 If you're using AP and dozing off, you're right to be scared. I predominantly use AP when I'm stuck in slow stop and go traffic. In such instances, I do trust the system to adjust to frontal and lateral traffic safely. And if there were to be an accident, it would be slow enough that it'll be more of a fender bender. The other time I use AP is for brief moments when I have an urgent text message and need to take my eyes off the road for a few seconds. In such circumstances, I'll pull to a slower lane and check my message briefly, always with one eye still on the road. It's still safer than checking a text message while driving, but never as safe as waiting until I arrive at my destination or a traffic light), but sometimes we can't wait....

Dude, you are going to get hit very soon for a $20k battery. Do you have that cash on hand? Also, keep $7k ready for a drive unit failure. Tesla will give you a very short warranty, so be ready for repeat failures in short time. Sometimes as little as 1 yr warranty. Your AC is likely to fail. The AC works while the car is sitting. Often a $6k repair. You have the poorly designed subframes, so be ready for $5k to replace it when your suspension arm comes off while driving. Your battery heater will fail too. And expect the on-board charger to fail as well. Also at that age, the air suspension is close to failure. Not cheap. But hey, you got a clean Carfax, right? 😂😂😂

@@JetFire9 You seem like a real great person. It sounds like your almost taking glee in the fact that I might have to pay a bunch of money for repairs. What the hell is wrong with people in this country knowing that some random stranger having to pay a bunch of money for car repairs would make you add a bunch of laughing emoji's? I feel sorry for you.

I second this! Your positives are strong arguments, but so are your negatives.

Thank you. I'll soon do a review on my Model 3 as well. If you subscribe to my channel, you'll be notified when I upload it.

They are very good cars overall. But unlike other Tesla reviews out there that offer only praise for these cars, I wanted to present an unbiased view of my experience.

I have similar 8 yr car but not such issues. For the slow reboot, take out the energy saver, rear drive( have then regrease), the door panel can be missing / broken clip after they fixed your handle..

What year? I’m looking at a 2018-2020 Model S 100D/LR but usually they’re very close or out of their 50k mile warranty and debating on just getting a new 3/Y for the same money

I know I'm a little late to the replies section, but how quickly would you say something like a 2014 Model S would charge at a supercharger? And feel free to use laymen's terms since I'm pretty new to all the terminology.😂

What would be a really good price? Meaning range x to z. I’ve looked at 1 at a dealership with 141k has a center display unavailable and due to its age I don’t know how long the battery is going to last. I’m probably not going to but 1 just yet but the idea of evs intrigue me

Thank you. Maybe I’m picky but I just expected more reliability from a $100k car. But compared to my 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia, it’s not as bad so I suppose it could be worse.

I had the key in my pocket the entire time I shot the video, yet the car was struggling to “boot up”. Recently, I was trying to reposition the car in my driveway and used my phone. It recognized my phone to unlock the car but would not let me start the car. I had to run back into the house to get the key.

​@@BenchRacer You can start the car with the app, fwiw.

@@usa-ev you are supposed to, and I’ve always been able to in the past… but recently it has stopped allowing me to start the car from the app.

I have a 2014 s85, I updated de MCU to MCU 2, it has now almost 150000 miles and I think it holds up very well, the seats are without much wear, the car does not make any strange noises, I had it battery and motor replaced under warranty, and so I have almost a brand new car for 1/3rd of its initial price… and has superchargers. The only thing that I don’t like is that when you want to overtake using autopilot, if you let it do it it takes some time (when it does not abort) and if you force a lane change it disconnects and you have to re engage it again. But apart from that… it’s is a great deal to have lifetime free supercharging and free Spotify… it adds so much value to it considering gas and even electricity prices here in Spain.

​@@FranCarreirahola Fran. Estoy pensando en comprarme un s85 como el que tú tienes. ¿Me recomiendas que lo haga? El vendedor dice que Tesla le cambió el motor en noviembre.

I don't plan on sticking with Tesla much longer, especially not with the Model S.

@@BenchRacer why? Considering buying a used 2014 p85 with 41k miles tomorrow. Not worth it?

@@gabeagex It depends on your expectations and how the previous owner treated the car (just like any other car I suppose). In my case, I expect my cars to be perfect so I tend to take them in more often than most. But if you're willing to put up with constant interior rattles, minor suspension clunks, and occasional slow laggy infotainment (including starting up the car), then you'll be fine. I personally would avoid the Model S platform (which includes the Model X). In 2014, the Model 3 wasn't out yet, but since then our Model 3 has been a much better car in every way (except looks). I've never owned a Model Y but according to even the Tesla service tech, the Model 3 is much better because it has a better starting platform.

Thanks for the advice.

I've had several Model S P100D and a Model X P100D loaners over the past few months. They were all 2020 or 2021 models. The most recent one had under 30K miles and I drove it for 6 weeks. My first impressions of nearly all of them so far have been disappointment. In fact, when I pulled away from Tesla service in the most recent Model S and the previous Model X before, my initial reaction was "This thing rattles like a bucket of bolts and the steering feels vague". Perhaps as loaner cars, they've been beaten on. I remember saying to myself that my 2014 Model S actually drives better than the loaner cars, despite the quirks that I complain about. Our Model 3 with 40K miles on it drives significantly better than any Model S and Model X that I've ever driven, new or old. It has fewer rattles, feels more driver centric, and you sit "inside" the car instead of the Model S and X where you feel like you sit "on top" of the car. Pity because the Model S is a much better looking car than the Model 3. I just think that the Model S/X platform is an earlier development and not as good as the Model 3/Y platform which came a few years later. The lead tech at Tesla also told me that the battery technology between the S/X platform is very different from the 3/Y platform, but he declined to say if one is better than the other. Of course this is my personal opinion. If you don't need the added space of the S/X and MUST have a Tesla, I'd stick with the 3/Y. For me, I'm going to be looking at other brands when we replace our Model S.

That’s a very fair and sensible view. Thank you for pointing it out

@Jack did you buy from Tesla or Carvana, Carmax etc. How is it doing after warranty expiration?

According to the Tesla tech, it was coming from the bushing on the power unit so they just replaced the entire PU

Thanks for the info.

Interesting.

Can you elaborate please? Not sure which door cover you’re referring to.

That makes sense! I have the aluminum shell on mine. Guess I’ll have to switch to the vinyl or rubber ones

@@BenchRacer the video was great. Very fair and informative. I upgraded to MCU2 and Iit seems like a new car, so responsive now, I would highly recommend it if the budget allows.

See, I actually prefer the pre-face lift look. I think the face lifted cars look weird with a bland and blank nose. I actually wish that our Model 3 didn’t have such a bland nose. Yes there’s no dash cam or sentry but for you can add dash cams that fit in the mirror pod made specifically for Model S by several companies now. Its not as good as the oem and doesn’t have sentry footage though. As for Ap1 vs Ap2, I suppose that’s evolution of development over time. But there are a few videos comparing the 2 and some people actually prefer Ap1. Here’s an example: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-J4OF11Lglr0.html

@@BenchRacer Oh ok,it's preference,at least you have a tesla 😅

@@Joni-C137 FWIW, these things cause a jump in price around these features. If you can live without them then you save some money.

Yes, actually I had the entire wheel painted, not just the rim. I had a professional body shop do it.

Any update? I’m eyeing a friend’s 2014 P85D with Ludicrous update. 85k miles for $22k. Definitely a bit worried about maintenance since it’s out of warranty.

Already have a Model 3. By the way, I'll post a video review of the Model 3 at some point as well. We have the Model S for when we take out friends or relatives. Our Teslas are our commuter cars and they serve that purpose perfectly. For weekend fun and performance, I have an ICE sports car.

Thank you. Interesting you should ask if the glitchy electronics and laggy start will be addressed with a swapped MCU2. On March 24 I have an appointment with Tesla to address the suspension issues. They informed me that the MCU will also be updated at no cost to me during that time. I will post a follow up on whether the update will address some of my glitchy concerns. As for your question regarding a Model S versus a model three, I think it’s really a question of personal preference and needs. Our Model 3 suits my driving style better than the Model S which my wife typically drives. The Model 3 is sportier and feels more engaging to the driver. Whereas the Model S feels as if you sit on top of the platform, the Model 3 Is a bit more sports car like. The Model 3 handles much better as well. However the Model S is a lot more smooth and comfortable and is a much larger car for more passengers.

@@BenchRacer Thanks for the speed response! I thought MCU upgrade was required to be paid for, no questions asked! You must have good service center for the free upgrade. Personal preference leans towards S and I already drove a longish car (Kia Optima) and I do enjoy an overall smoother ride. I'm a single guy so need-wise makes sense for 3, but hey, personal preference always seems to take the cake. Cheers and thanks again for the honest/realistic review.

@@DayoAworunse the MCU upgrade is for pre-2018 Model S & X cars with the 8GB eMMC and Tesla will replace it at no cost as part of a recall. One important factor to consider when choosing between the S & 3 is that the Model S is a lot wider too so you'll have a harder time fitting into parking spaces and likely suffer more door dings. I will be filming a review of my Model 3 in the upcoming weeks. I'll also be equally honest about it.

@@BenchRacer Did you get your MCU upgrade? I thought the recall was only replacing the eMMC memory card for free.

@@usa-ev still no upgrade. Tesla keeps scheduling my appointment, only to reschedule it another 2 weeks later due to “parts on back order”. So I’m still stuck with a laggy screen.

Yes, pretty sure it's 2016 and older, but Tesla did remove it from some that it sold used, so always be sure to check.

I often hear the same poor excuses from Tesla fans. “It’s eight years old, what do you expect?“, “It’s a heavy car. Of course things are going to wear out faster“, “compared to a Range Rover. It’s better.” What happened to comparing Tesla against top rated cars of its class? Are we so desperate that we are now making excuses for poor engineering? I have owned multiple luxury cars that were equal or lower priced that were far more durable after more than a decade. I think Tesla did a remarkable job disrupting the automotive industry with innovative technology. But as a car builder, their mechanical engineering is extremely poor, and from a hardware and electronic standpoint, their durability needs much more improvement. If the purpose of the car is to be more environmentally friendly, then the disposable attitude towards the car “it’s 10 yrs old, time to get rid of it”, completely contradicts this philosophy of being more environmentally friendly.

For people reading this in the future, that’s not what NHTSA ordered Tesla to do. They ordered Tesla to replace the 8gb memory module for everyone who had one with a 64gb module at no cost. They keep the MCU1.

That’s a great question. Not being able to charge at home would certainly make me reconsider any EV at the moment. If my work place offered chargers, or if a charging station near my house or work place had other conveniences, then probably yes. Otherwise I would wait a couple more years when the level 4 charging stations are everywhere.

It’s the original battery. I haven’t needed to charge it to 100% in a while. For daily use, I typically charge it to 78% which works out to about 189miles. The car was rated originally for 265 miles on a full charge, but with battery degradation I’d guess around 255-260 miles now at 81k miles on it. Range has never been an issue for us. The supercharger networks are so common nowadays, and always growing.

Howdy Carl! Depending on the battery size, I got my 2015 Model S 60 (200 Miles) for $33k. The best part is my battery and drive unit is still under warranty and I get to charge for free!

@@davidcoylejr.3967 how much do you pay a month ?

@@davidcoylejr.3967 last question can you buy a used Tesla for 25 k?

You inspected the panel gaps at a stoplight? I call bs on that.

A 2013 model with about 100k miles are selling for $28-33k

Quiet is nice for a daily driver. You can stealthily accelerate without appearing like a douche bag. When I want to make noise and experience the gears shifting, I have a weekend toy.

@TheBenchRacer yeah true it is i have a fiesta with an exhaust, but im into the loud stuff at the moment i cant afford weekend cars so its the daily driver

@@Dimondgamer123 Sigh... I was young once ;-)

Commufornia

Perhaps I was a Tesla fan at one point. But having owned them for a few years, I've seen their ugly side. I still think that overall, it's a good car for most people. But don't keep a Tesla longer than the warranty period. Ultimately, their poor build quality, their closed service and parts network, their abundance of poorly trained technicians, and most recently, their poor business practices when it relates to warranties, has made me look elsewhere when it's time to replace them. As for Mercedes ownership, actually we owned 4 MBZs in the past (2 E-Class, 1 CLK, 1 GLK). The single best car I've ever owned was a W211 E-Class 4Matic Wagon. At nearly 150K miles, it didn't have any interior rattles and I could count the number of repairs on one hand. It could cruise effortlessly at 90mph on a rainy highway. Conversely, the CLK was a bit of a problematic car. But none of the MBZs came close to being in the shop as much as this Model S. Even my Jaguar XJ-R was in the shop less than the Model S.

All good points. I’ve read several reports about battery degradation on Teslas and the typical amount is no more than 5% at 100k miles. Real world data shows less than 10% at 160k miles. I just read a report of a 317k mi Model X with 10.5% degradation. Interestingly enough, the newer 90 KWh pack batteries degrade faster than the older 85 KWh batteries. If I recall correctly, I think this car is around 2% - 3% degradation at 70k miles. As for using the app for everything, I agree with you. The idea of minimal styling is fine until you’re trying to access controls while driving, and the phone as a key doesn’t always work. Sometimes the car doesn’t read the signal if I put my phone in my back pocket so I end up fumbling around as I stand next to the car. I don’t think the solution is to go to a full array of buttons like the overly busy interior of the Audi eTrons. But maybe a few more buttons for instant access to controls would be nice.

This used to be the case with ICE cars, but EVs cause this kind of thinking to be re-evaluated.

@@usa-ev I’d say visa versa. Who wants to take the risk of a 20k battery crapping out outside of warranty

​@@deruko1251 $20K is if you're replacing the entire battery pack for a premium Model S or X. In most cases, a single module goes out and that's more like $5K - $7K each for a brand new one. I've also seen independent companies popping up now with used battery pack replacements for $1,200 per module. If the engine in my ICE Porsche went out, it would cost at least $14K to replace it, and at least $10K to rebuild it. ICE engines tend to let go around 200K miles whereas there are plenty of Teslas out there with 300K - 400K miles on their original batteries still. My problem with Tesla is not with the battery technology, I feel that battery prices will continue to drop as more of these cars populate the roads. My problem with them is with their closed network service, that as a Tesla owner you never truly own the car because they ultimately have full control of the car, and all the little internal squeaks and rattles.

At a fraction of the cost