Purchase & Pick Up
I picked up my vehicle on September 9th, 2021. I saw Jason Bateman there picking up his car while I was there! My options list is as follows:
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive | $53,000 |
| Red Multi-Coat Paint | $1,500 |
| 19" Sport Wheels | $1,500 |
| Premium White Interior | $1,500 |
| Enhanced Autopilot | $5,000 |
| Full Self-Driving Capability | $3,000 |
| Subtotal | $65,500 |
| Destination and Documentation Fee | $1,000 |
| Total | $66,500 |
| Sales Tax | $6,318 |
| Amount Paid to Public Officials | $710 |
| Out The Door | $73,528 |
Enhanced Autopilot included basic autopilot at this time (it’s standard now). Note that this was during $7,500 federal tax credits and $2,500 California tax credits.
Initial Issues
When I picked up my car, I was too excited to check every detail. However, I noticed these issues almost immediately:
- The left tail light was not working. Mobile service replaced it, but it did not solve it since the issue extended past the tail light; the light on the trunk adjacent to the tail light did not work either. One day, it started working, I am guessing due to a software update.
- Doors are not fully aligned. However, the dealership said that it’s “within spec”.
When you pick up your Tesla, check for any issues because its craftsmanship sucks.
Aftermarket Accessories
These are the only accessories I got for my car:
- Tint $1,350 for the whole car for 3M Crystalline: 70% on the windshield, 35% everywhere else I believe. Unfortunately, this was not dark enough because you can basically see everything inside the car due to my white seats.
- Wireless charger + battery + USB drive: my car didn’t come with a wireless charger, so I bought an aftermarket one for about $150. Unfortunately, to use the wireless charger and a USB drive for my dashcam, I had to buy a pass-through battery to be able to power all 3 USB cables.
Registration fees
My history of registration fees in California:
| Year | Registration Fee | License Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $262 | $259 |
| 2021 | $257 | $303 |
| 2020 | $250 | $346 |
| 2019 | $236 | $389 |
| 2018 | $270 | $433 |
Services
These are all the service invoices I have from Tesla. I think I am missing a few as Tesla was updating their system in 2018-2019 and I can no longer access the invoices.
| Service | Date | Mileage | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tire Rotation | 2019/12/9 | 14.133 | $126.76 | |
| Wheel Alignment | 2019/12/9 | 14,133 | $117.00 | |
| Tire Rotation | 2020/9/19 | 20,322 | $49.00 | |
| Wheel Alignment | 2020/9/19 | 20,322 | $117.00 | |
| Air Filter | 2020/9/19 | 20,322 | $73.00 | Pretty sure I replaced it because it started smelling |
| Brake Fluid Check | 2020/9/19 | 20,322 | $19.50 | |
| Replace 12V Battery | 2021/6/28 | 25,193 | $0.00 | 12V battery died |
| Tire Rotation | 2021/8/4 | 26,327 | $50.00 | Mobile service |
| Tire Rotation | 2022/7/6 | 34,871 | $0.00 | |
| Brake Fluid Check | 2022/7/6 | 34,871 | $21.00 | |
| Replace 12V Battery | 2022/7/6 | 34,871 | $0.00 | Replace before warranty expires |
| Windshield Replacement | 2022/12/21 | 46,037 | $1094.08 | Cracked due to a huge rock, reimburised by insurance |
| Wheel Alignment | 2022/12/21 | 46,037 | $275.01 | |
| Replace Air Filters & Wiper Blades | 2022/12/21 | 46,037 | $62.00 | One air filter was already purchased |
| Replace Tires with Continental 235/40R19 | 2022/12/21 | 46,037 | $1,500.00 | |
| Replace Flat Tire | 2023/3/19 | 50,329 | $375.00 | Damaged the side wall of the tire, so I had to have it replaced |
Most of my maintenace are from the tires, which luckily lasted more than 45,000 miles before Tesla recommended changing them! They lasted much longer than I expected given that I drive very aggressively. The tire rotation and wheel alignment costs significantly varied throughout all the service appointments, but I didn’t really care since I got those sweet Uber credits. I also get very annoyed if I feel like my alignment is off, so you may not need so many wheel alignments.
Be sure to get service before your 4 year warranty ends! They replaced my 12V battery for free before my warranty expired since I didn’t want another dead 12V battery again.
Missing Services
- Two flat tires, one of which was fixed by Tesla (I think around $200) and another which was fixed by Pep Boys or a similar store (I think around $100)
- A broken window due to a break-in. I think this was around $400 to fix, plus I had to re-tint.
- Two Tesla services before 2019/12/9 that I cannot access the PDF for
Every time I called Tesla roadside assistance, they weren’t able to fix my flat. The first time was because they didn’t have a spare 19" wheel for me to swap even though I was right next to the service center, so they just towed my car to a service center. The second time was because I was in Big Bear and they didn’t have service there, so I towed my car to a tire center with my AAA membership.
Battery Degradation
According to Tessie, after about 4.5 years and about 51,000 miles, my battery degraded 10.5%. This is a little bit more than average, but I feel like it’s degraded more. Currently, the app estimates my full range to be about 270 miles, which is about the same as a brand new standard Tesla Model 3, except you can use the entire LFP battery range on the standard.
Trade-In Values
I continuously looked for a new car, so also looked up my car’s trade-in value with Tesla a couple of times:
| Date | Miles | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/9 | 20,403 | ~$42,000 |
| 2021/8 | 26,307 | ~$46,000 |
| 2023/1 | 47,332 | $24,200 - $27,000 |
| 2023/4 | 50,674 | $23,800 - $26,600 |
I should’ve sold my car during COVID!
What I’d do differently
- Don’t upgrade rims. I drive recklessly and have curbed them multiple times. Additionally, they decrease your range by about 2%.
- Don’t get FSD, it sucks. If you need it, just subscribe, but all I need is basic autopilot.
Next Step
I have no regrets buying my car. I didn’t love it and was always looking for a better car, but there wasn’t one out there. I am planning to trade-in my car before my warranty expires in 2026 for the next best EV: a GMC Hummer EV, Tesla Cybertruck, or a Porsche Boxster EV. Just looking at production schedules, it’s looking like my next car will be the Cybertruck.
August 2023 Update
After I wrote this article, my car’s onboard AC charger broke and my car started to only charge at 16A (half-rate) at home. The Tesla Service center quoted me $2k to fix it, which I did not want to pay. Unfortunately, my car was out of warranty, otherwise I would’ve just purchased the extended warranty and fixed it through that. Instead, I sold my car to Shift for about $28k and bought a brand new Tesla Model Y for about $52k before any taxes.
Interested in buying a Tesla? Use my referral code!