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I'm just about to hit 10k miles in my Model 3, so thought I'd share my experience and thoughts. I picked up a Model 3 Long Range on 21st August and have used it predominantly traveling to and from work (200 mile round trip) but have also taken it on one or two longer trips.
Is it about to fall to bits?
No.
Build quality isn't as good as it was on my previous German cars and there are a number of annoying cabin rattles, but these are down to the passenger seat-belts when not in use so can be resolved by plugging them all in or through the tactical deployment of felt or rubber bands.
When cornering at speed, the sound of air rushing in to the cabin increases around the drivers window suggesting the car could be more rigid and the sealing could be better. This is only discernible when driving like a hooligan.
Have I spent days of my life sat watching it charge?
No.
Being the long range version, the motors will easily eek out 300 miles of charge when driven sensibly, or 240+ miles when driven spiritedly. This means I have only once completed a journey (400 miles) where I couldn't get to my destination in one go and plug it in.
I find the predicted mileage to be most accurate when the battery is warm, immediately after charging or after 30-40 miles on the road. As a rule of thumb, I deduct 10 miles of range if starting the car on a mild day and 30 miles if starting the car on a cold day if the battery has not preconditioned.
I have generally found the charging network suitable for my needs. There are some cold spots in my routine (such as between Chester and Shrewsbury), but in reality I've only had to use charging stations a handful of times and can plan around those cold-spots.
It is not disingenuous to say that I probably spent longer stood at a fuel pump in my previous BMW to cover 10k miles than I have spent sat at a charging station in my EV. In fact, I find the very notion of standing to fill up a car with fuel hilarious now and cannot imagine going back to that... and handing over £70 each time for the privilege.
I have a 32A Commando charger at home that I installed for <£70. Don't believe the haters, this is a perfectly legit set-up and offers no tangible disadvantages over a more expensive rig. I am fortunate to also have a 32A Rolec charger at the office in Manchester where I do the majority of my charging (it's free!)
Have I saved a fortune in fuel?
Yes.
To do 10k miles in my BMW would have cost me c.£1,600 and worn the rear tyres down to ready to be replaced (I averaged a new set of rear tyres every 12k in my 4-Series and front tyres every 20k).
So far in my Tesla I have spent £112 at Superchargers and £126 in increased electricity usage at home
That's just £240 in total! an 85% saving.
I've also had a bit of luck on occasion where chargers have been faulty and discharged for free. Imagine going to a petrol forecourt and being given free diesel because the tills were down?
Tyre-wise, I will probably need to replace them in another 10k miles. The tread is ok and consistent across the 4 wheels, presumably due to the clever torque vectoring. The only other thing I've had to put in the car is air for tyres and screen-wash.
Do I miss levers, dials and knobs?
No.
Admittedly the air-con takes a little getting used to but I find I can adjust effortlessly now, and I've never struggled to do what I'm trying to do on the touch-screen. The voice control is excellent and covers more functionality than it ever did on my previous car. The steering wheel controls and stems are sufficient to cover all I need, though it would be a nice touch if they were configurable... especially the automatic wipers, which are as pants on a Tesla as they are on a BMW.
Is it the best car I've ever owned?
Yes.
It is faster, more comfortable and more efficient than anything I've ever owned. The acceleration is intoxicating and I haven't had a passenger yet that hasn't reacted. My wife and mother hate it, but the kids (and my grown up friends) squeal with delight.
I've owned some nice cars, but this is the first one I've driven that has made me question my ownership of all my previous cars. I simply cannot imagine going back to an internal combustion engine now... they just don't make any sense.
). Car has been flawless but for one rear view mirror tends not to auto adjust correctly now... quite minor issue and I expect will be covered under warranty. I
