I’m an enormous EV and Tesla fanboy. I do know that in principal EVs are a lot much less advanced than automobiles with inner combustion engines. An inner combustion engine (ICE) alternative value is ~$7000. It’s way more advanced than an electrical motor. As well as, ICE automobiles have very advanced transmissions (alternative value ~$5000). You even have exhaust and emission management techniques, which EVs don’t have, radiator/cooling techniques, and so on., and so on., and so on. An EV has a really costly battery, however I’m treating mine with child gloves and hope it’ll final over 10 years. My Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary was warrantied utterly for 50,000 miles. The drive system and battery guarantee will run out at 130,000 miles. The quite a few comparisons I’ve seen estimate upkeep prices for EVs to be a lot decrease than for ICE automobiles. Nevertheless, the heavy EV battery causes tires to wear down extra rapidly than for an ICE automobile, so that’s an elevated value for EV upkeep.
Mary, Zuni, my e-bike, and our Tesla Mannequin 3 with a motorcycle rack in Zion Nationwide Park, Utah. January 10, 2022. Picture by Fritz Hasler.
Itemized Restore & Upkeep Prices for Our Tesla Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary
In simply over 90,000 miles, the overall value of the tires and out-of-warranty repairs for my Mannequin 3 have been $5,441.42. See itemized prices beneath. That is way more than I anticipated. I’ve had the upkeep points detailed within the following paragraphs. Conveniently, I used to be in a position to get hold of the dates, mileage, and actual value of my Tesla repairs from the Tesla app on my cellphone. Not conveniently, it seems to return solely 2 years.
1) I’ve wanted to exchange the tires thrice (the third set ought to take me to 120,000 miles) for $578.93 + $565.44 + $1,252.23 = $2,395.60 Be aware: The primary two units of tires had been bought in a hole-in-the-wall tire retailer within the Wisconsin Northwoods close to Rhinelander. The third set was bought at a Les Schwab tire retailer in Orem, Utah, the place I arrived with a completely flat proper rear tire. I had no alternative to buy tires and didn’t understand how way more I had paid for that 3rd set.
2) There was constant squeaking and Tesla carried out the next: “Reseal Left Entrance Higher Management Arm Ball Joint.” This occurred when the mileage was underneath 50,000, so it was lined underneath the guarantee. (Be aware: I don’t have the precise date and mileage as a result of this is among the older repairs that are not given underneath service historical past within the Tesla app on my mobile phone.)
3) ~April 2020 and April 2021: 4-wheel alignment twice = ~$280
4) ~October 2021/~53,000 miles: take away and exchange rear aero defend = ~$427.13
5) November 3, 2021/54,131 miles: “Reseal Proper Entrance Higher Management Arm Ball Joint” (for squeaking once more) = $49
6) November 3, 2021/54,131 miles: 4-wheel alignment = $90.75
7) July 22, 2022/73,149 miles: Take away and exchange Superbottle (battery and drive system cooling valve) as a result of automobile wouldn’t go over 50 mph = $672.75. Be aware: this has been changed by the Octovalve on newer Mannequin 3s.
8) February 2, 2023/88,705 miles: Take away and exchange entrance aero defend (underneath automobile fiber apron) = $427.13.
9) February 20, 2023/90,029 miles: Take away and exchange PTC/cabin heater (automobile wouldn’t go into drive) = $1,148.00 (Be aware: I perceive that newer Mannequin 3s now have a warmth pump as an alternative of resistance heating. The PTC is now remoted from the drive system, so if the warmth pump fails, it shouldn’t trigger the drive system to freeze up.)
The nice: Regardless that I stay solely 4 miles from the Nice Grove, Utah, Tesla showroom and repair middle, a distant service technician was despatched to my home to make the restore.
The unhealthy: Sadly, the “bushing bracket — stabilizer bar” with the threaded holes was broken, so the brand new aero shied couldn’t be put in. I needed to go to the Nice Grove Tesla service middle to have the “bushing bracket — stabilizer bar” eliminated and changed so the restore might be accomplished. Additionally, once I first had squeaking from the left entrance suspension, Tesla despatched a cellular repairman to my residence in Saint George, Utah. He was in a position to diagnose the issue however not repair it. I had it fastened later on the Tesla service middle in downtown Salt Lake Metropolis underneath the guarantee.
When the Superbottle failed, the automobile gave me warnings and I used to be unable to drive at greater than 50 mph. When the PTC (cabin heater) failed, the automobile gave me the warning that when I turned off my automobile, it won’t be capable to begin once more. I drove on to my neighborhood Tesla service middle and put the automobile in park. After I tried to place the automobile in drive to enter the service storage, it refused. The Tesla service technician had to make use of his helpful automobile lifting machine to pull the automobile into the service bay.
Primarily, I had two costly repairs for objects which had been “not a part of the drive system.” Nevertheless, they brought about the drive system to fail. Additionally, I managed to peel off two components of the undercar fiberboard aero defend. The primary occasion occurred once I hit 12” of water that I didn’t see in a flash flood at 40 mph. The second occasion occurred once I drove my automobile out of the Brighton ski resort parking zone in 6” of packed snow.
Tesla cellular restore technician jacking up my automobile and holding the brand new entrance aero defend in my driveway. January 26, 2023. Picture by Fritz Hasler.
It appears to me that Tesla ought to have fastened free of charge the 2 objects that brought about my drive system to fail because the drive system was nonetheless underneath guarantee. Additionally, the fiberboard aero shields underneath the automobile should not very sturdy. In actual fact, when the entrance undercar aero defend failed, it was changed by a brand new plastic model which is supposedly extra sturdy.
Tesla Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary Restore & Upkeep Price Summation
- 3 units of tires: $578.93 + $565.44 + $1,252.23 = $2,395.60
- Change rear aero defend: ~$427.16
- 4-wheel alignment × 3: $370.75
- Change Superbottle (battery and drive system cooling valve): $672.75
- Change PTC (the cabin heater failure brought about the drive system to freeze up): $1,148
- Change entrance aero defend: $427.16
- Complete: $5,441.42
Out-of-Guarantee Tesla Mannequin 3 Service & Upkeep Prices vs. Prolonged Guarantee
I nearly universally keep away from shopping for prolonged warranties on merchandise that I purchase. That features the ~10 vehicles I’ve owned over time. I assume that I’ll lower your expenses by self-warranty. Within the instances the place the product, like a automobile battery or automobile tires, comes with a guaranty, I’ve by no means collected on one. I’ve just lately been deluged with advertisements from Automobile Protect attempting to promote me an prolonged service guarantee on my automobile. I obtained a quote from Automobile Protect simply now. They need $220/month, or $2640/12 months, with a $100 deductible for every incident. If I had bought a Automobile Protect coverage once I went over 50,000 miles in November 2021, I’d have paid 14 × $220 = $3000 by now. My restore prices over that interval have been $2247, much less $300 in hypothetical deductibles can be $1947. Due to this fact, it has been cheaper up to now to go with out a Automobile Protect coverage.
I’ve instructed myself that my EV can be so dependable {that a} Automobile Protect coverage can be a waste of cash. Nevertheless, I’m not unaware of the flowery pc, show display, and electronics in my Tesla, in addition to the electrical seats and home windows, stereo system, and so on. and so on. and so on. There are many issues within the automobile that would fail … and now I’m studying about failure modes of issues I by no means thought of. For now, I’m forward and I’m holding my breath and hoping for one of the best for the long run.
Please add your experiences with repairs in your Tesla automobiles within the feedback part beneath.
I do not like paywalls. You do not like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Right here at CleanTechnica, we applied a restricted paywall for some time, nevertheless it at all times felt incorrect — and it was at all times powerful to determine what we must always put behind there. In concept, your most unique and greatest content material goes behind a paywall. However then fewer individuals learn it! We simply don’t love paywalls, and so we have determined to ditch ours.
Sadly, the media enterprise continues to be a troublesome, cut-throat enterprise with tiny margins. It is a unending Olympic problem to remain above water and even maybe — gasp — develop. So …
