An earlier version of this article was originally published on Tesla Oracle.
It’s been two years and 50,000 miles since Andy Slye, a popular YouTuber, purchased his Tesla Model 3 RWD.
After his two-year Tesla anniversary, he shared his Model 3 experience after clocking that many miles on the odometer.
According to Andy, the Tesla Model 3 has been the most economical car he’s ever owned. This also holds true for many other owners around the world. And even though the car is still under warranty, you should still expect some (typical) out-of-pocket maintenance after two years.
To that end, Tesla recommends the following items be replaced or serviced within the two-year period (refer to the Model 3 owner’s manual for complete details).
- Brake fluid health check every two years (replace if necessary).
- Cabin air filter replacement every two years.
- Clean and lubricate brake calipers every year or 12,500 miles (20,000 km) if in an area where roads are salted during winter.
- Rotate tires every 10,000–12,000 miles (16,000–20,000 km) or if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater.
Total cost of service and repairs after 2 years
By using the DIY Model 3 air filter replacement method, Andy saved around $225 and the total cost of service and parts replacement after 2 years was only $390 which is around 50 cents a day or $8 per 1,000 miles. Possible in a BMW 3 Series or an Audi A4? Don’t think so.
Issues fixed under warranty
Shout out to Doug and his super handy awning for fixing my door clicking noise in the freezing rain. Tesla, give this man a bonus! pic.twitter.com/oebLJY47Bv
— Andy Slye (@slye) February 26, 2020
Tesla fixed a number of issues (without any added cost) covered by Tesla’s vehicle warranty. For example, the Model 3’s driver door handle was not closing as quickly as it should have — the automaker fixed this and a few other minor issues at the owner’s location using the Tesla Mobile Ranger service.
Charging cost
Tesla cars are primarily meant to be charged at home overnight, and the automaker provides necessary gear to do so with the vehicle purchase. Superchargers are intended to accommodate road trips. This is how Andy charged his car, and after 50k+ miles of driving, his Model 3 has only incurred a $54 cost for Supercharging, very cost-effective and environmentally friendly of course.
Tesla charging at home. Image courtesy of Tesla
Of course, most of Andy’s charging, as mentioned prior, was done at home. Still … throughout two years of ownership charging at home (about 90% of the time), it only totaled about $900. Therefore, the grand total for charging after two years: $950, which translates to around $0.019 per mile.
Last year he also gave us a full breakdown of what it costs to complete a 1,000 mile US road trip in a Tesla Model 3 — and, yes, it’s extremely cost-efficient (in every aspect) when compared to a gas car.
It’s taunting me. pic.twitter.com/3UxuKM05Xv
— Andy Slye (@slye) May 28, 2020
Featured Image: Tesla Model 3, by JRR/CleanTechnica
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