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Me, my e-bike, and our Tesla Mannequin 3 with a motorcycle rack and e-bike on again. Picture by Mary Hasler.
My spouse and I are nonetheless simply as thrilled with our Tesla Mannequin 3 in virtually three years of driving since we took supply on October 22, 2019. My odometer simply hit 75,000 miles. The ultra-smooth, quiet, rocket-like acceleration in addition to a number of software program updates, culminating in Full Self Driving (Beta), have saved us excited for the whole two years and 9 months. We have now pushed coast to coast from North Carolina to California and have made a number of spherical journeys from Utah to Wisconsin. In all that driving, we by no means discovered a Supercharger full or out of order. You simply plug in and Tesla payments your bank card routinely. We’re in a position to drive the identical 500 miles per day that we did with our fuel automobiles.
Upkeep Prices
My full guarantee ran out at 50,000 miles.
My battery and drive system guarantee will run out in one other 25,000 miles at 100,000 miles.
I’ve ignored the incessant promoting from Automobile Protect to purchase an prolonged guarantee. I’m going bare as a result of I’m relying on the simplicity of electrical drive in comparison with the complexity of a gasoline motor system and transmission to maintain upkeep prices to a minimal. I’ve additionally taken care by limiting the state of cost of my battery to between 20% and 80% as a lot as doable to maintain my battery wholesome. I cost to 90% about an hour earlier than lengthy journeys, however I’ve by no means charged to 100%.
I needed to substitute one squeaky entrance suspension joint which was lined by the guarantee. My routine upkeep prices have been for tires and wheel alignment. Right now, my alignment is ideal, as Tesla measured 5 mm in every single place on all 4 tires. They really useful in opposition to tire rotation. I’m on my third set of tires due to the heavy weight of the automotive and maybe my acceleration demos to family and friends. I’ve spent $1,143.37 on tires and a complete of $480 for wheel alignment twice. I nonetheless have 5 mm tread after 25,000 miles on my “no-name” $565.44 Kenda Vezda tires. You would want to spend effectively over $1,000 for the equal of the unique gear Michelin tires. My el cheapo tires have lasted considerably longer than the unique gear tires and when new carried out simply as effectively. Because the tires have worn down, the highway noise has gone up. It’s considerably annoying at this level. This might be true of any tires and I’m unsure that the one inch of froth glued into the unique gear tires makes a lot distinction.
I just lately had my first non-warranty restore. I had observed a lack of energy warning and a tough pace restrict of 60 mph a few occasions during the last yr. I informed the service division in Minneapolis about it once I took my automotive in for glass substitute a number of weeks in the past. They requested me for the precise time of the incident and proposed the substitute of the rear Superbottle for $503.50. I perceive it regulates the temperature of the motor and the battery. I consider on newer Mannequin 3s it has been changed by the Octovalve.
I do 95% of my L2 charging in my storage at 32 amps and 28 miles of cost per hour. I estimate my fueling prices are about 1/4 the value of fuel for a equally measurement automotive when others are paying $5/gal for fuel.
Full Self Driving (Beta)
After 200+ days utilizing FSD (Beta), I misplaced entry to it when my spouse and I had 5 compelled disengagements and my privileges have been revoked.
I downloaded FSD (Beta) on November 23, 2021, and used it obsessively driving on daily basis with variations V10.5, V10.8, V10.10, V10.11.2.1, and V10.12.2. for 206 days till it was revoked. Tesla has promised to revive my privileges with a future software program launch, however I’m not holding my breath.
I spent $6000 for FSD once I purchased the automotive. It offers me computerized navigation, computerized passing of slower automobiles on restricted entry highways, flip sign initiated computerized lane adjustments, in addition to stopping at stoplights and cease indicators. Moreover, FSD (Beta) used to drive my automotive routinely on metropolis streets from my start line (in entrance of my driveway or the Walmart car parking zone) to any location I picked or entered into my navigation. It used to drive me the 18 miles on a winding highway with two hairpin turns up and down Large Cottonwood to the Brighton Ski Resort in Utah the place I educate — with out me having to regulate the steering wheel, the accelerator, or the brakes. Now it’s going to nonetheless do this besides that it fails to navigate the hairpin turns prefer it used to do with FSD Beta and it now not navigates the sharp turns in rotaries.
If you happen to have been affected person and there was no different site visitors, FSD (Beta) would do most low-traffic journeys with no intervention. It was additionally significantly good navigating at stoplights and was surprisingly good dealing with 4-way cease indicators.
It could require intervention when there was cross site visitors or when a driver was behind you at rotaries and cease indicators. You didn’t want to the touch the steering wheel, however you wanted to present a bit push on the accelerator to persuade the system to proceed when it was being too timid/cautious.
FSD (Beta) would additionally give me autosteer on any single-lane highway, not simply roads with painted strains just like the common autosteer that’s on each Tesla. This was significantly helpful in Northern Wisconsin the place we’ve got many unmarked roads.
When My Tesla Mannequin 3 Can Substitute for a Full Measurement F-150 Pickup Truck
A 3rd get together receiver, a tow bar or bike rack, and a very good sized trailer let my Mannequin 3 substitute for a a lot greater car.
My Tesla Mannequin 3 pulling a utility trailer carrying an electrical golf cart. Three Lakes, Wisconsin. September 29, 2021. Picture by Fritz Hasler.
A superb sized trailer can allow you to use your Mannequin 3 to haul a golf cart as proven above, tow a 3000 lb ski boat (see beneath), or haul 8×12 ft skilled measurement wallboard. Having 363 hp from the dual-motor drive permits you to pull a heavy boat out of the water so simply you don’t even really feel it.
My Tesla Mannequin 3 simply pulled my 3000 lb competitors ski boat out of the water. Three Lakes, Wisconsin. October 4, 2021. Picture by Fritz Hasler.
My Tesla Mannequin 3 hauling two e-bikes on a tray-type provider connected to receiver. Three Lakes, Wisconsin. October 5, 2021. Picture by Fritz Hasler.
With a very good tray kind bike rack put in in your receiver, you may haul two good sized mountain e-bikes. Sadly, the a lot elevated aerodynamic drag from the bikes vastly reduces vary, however my dual-motor Mannequin 3 has 310 miles nominal vary, so I can nonetheless journey conveniently cross-country since Tesla Superchargers are normally spaced each 100 miles or much less.
Please let me know your experiences with high-mileage Teslas within the feedback part.
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