80K mileage check-in

[PianoAl]

I had the same problem with my car which substantially shortened the life of my original tires. When Tesla quoted me over $200 for an alignment, I decided to take it to a local alignment shop and they adjusted it for $60 since it was just a problem of incorrect toe in/out; they were toed out. This seems to be a very common problem, and I'm pretty sure that Tesla just sets them wrong at the factory. When my new Model 3 comes in, I plan on taking it to my local alignment shop to be checked immediately. It's kind of ridiculous to do with a new car, but I've heard of too many Model 3s having the same issue.

Are you saying they adjusted something without doing a full alignment, or that the alignment was only $60? Thanks.

I might follow your advice with Tessie. But with Nick, I had the alignment checked after 20K miles, and it was spot on.

 

[GregD60]

Are you saying they adjusted something without doing a full alignment, or that the alignment was only $60? Thanks.

I might follow your advice with Tessie. But with Nick, I had the alignment checked after 20K miles, and it was spot on.

They checked the alignment, found that the toe was out and adjusted it. Caster and camber were within spec. It took them about 15 minutes.

 

[PianoAl]

They checked the alignment, found that the toe was out and adjusted it. Caster and camber were within spec. It took them about 15 minutes.

Interesting. Alignment check at a local shop cost me $179 (in 2021). Was yours done at a national chain, and if so, which one?

 

[804son]

On the BMW, I was simply listing the maintenance and repairs I did for the first 80K miles to make it "equal" to the repairs and maintenance done during the first 80k of Tesla ownership. In terms of repairs on the BMW *after* 80k, yes - I replaced the tires again at 114K miles. I also did another brake job before the transmission issue at 164K miles.

Ahhh Got it. thanks for the redirect.

 

[GregD60]

Interesting. Alignment check at a local shop cost me $179 (in 2021). Was yours done at a national chain, and if so, which one?

It was a local shop, and all they do is alignments. They're really good at it. It was about 3 years ago, so it wouldn't surprise me if they charge more today.

 

[Spalding]

I would consider replacing the 12v battery. Their life span seems to be gauged more by time than miles - mine died at 3 1/2 years. But when they die, all sorts of odd & problematic things happen, including leaving your car immobile. It'll have to be towed to get battery replaced. Less than convenient when that happens, so you might as well get it replaced while it's already in the shop.

 

[davemath]

If your 12V battery dies, you don’t need to tow it. Just remove the plug at the bumper and jump it with a charge pack to open the hood. Then you can replace the low voltage battery.

I can’t believe the costs for tesla to change simple things like the cabin filters. Wow. Maintenance performed yourself on these simple items would have made the BMW costs look way above the Tesla.

 

[CJCS]

I have a 2020 Model 3 Long Range AWD with the 18" aero wheels that I purchased in Dec 2019 which is going to hit 80K miles in the next few days. Any advice on any pro-active service I should do? I'm still on my original 12 volt battery but Tesla recently told me it is still "healthy".

In terms of high voltage battery, Tesla also says it is "within specs". When I first got the car, my 90% charge would give me about 280 miles of range. Today, I get about 240 miles of range.

Since buying the car, I am on my third set of tires. It seems like my tires last about 37,000 miles before they have to be replaced. I'm using OEM Michelin tires purchased from Costco.

Service wise, I have had my car in for service and mobile service for repairs a total of 14 times. There is an annoying rattle from the rear shelf by the speaker grill that Tesla has fixed several times but keeps coming back within 3,000 miles. It appears the "glue" that holds the metal speaker grill down keeps losing its stickiness and that causes the grill to rattle around until I get it glued back down. I don't know how to fully resolve this issue since it keeps coming back, though. Newer Tesla vehicles appear to use a different material for the grill.

Beyond that, I've had the following done in or out of warranty:

Tesla Repairs:
* The rattle mentioned above - four service visits, no permanent solution found - $0 charge
* B pillar driver side trim popped out - two times, two service visits - $0 charge
* B pillar passenger side trim popped out - one service visit - $0 charge
* High voltage battery charging port pin broke off preventing supercharging - three times, three service visits including one full charge port replacement - $0 charge
* Second row seat back removal and replacement due to it being loose - one service visit - $0 charge
* Trunk harness wiring recall - one service visit - $0 charge
* Second row seatbelt recall - one service visit - $0 charge
* Windshield visor connector broke off - one service visit - $125 charge

TOTAL REPAIR COSTS: $125.00

Tesla Routine Maintenance:
* Air conditioning filter replacements - three times ($156.25 each time for total of $468.75)
* Vehicle tire alignment - one time ($275.20)
* Brake fluid inspection - one time ($21.00)
* Wiper blade replacement - twice ($60.50 each time for total of $121.00)
* Tires replaced - twice ($1,350 each time for total of $2,700)

TOTAL MAINTENANCE COSTS: $3,585.75

As a comparison to my old 2014 BMW 328i in its first 80K of mileage:

BMW REPAIRS:
None

BMW Routine Maintenance:
* Oil changes - 8 (five free, three charged): Total $299.99
* Brake pad replacement - once: $276.75
* Air conditioning filter replacement (DIY): Twice, $19.99 each time, total $39.98)
* Tire replacement - once: $757.23 (tires lasted about 55K each time)
* Wiper blade replacement - twice (DIY): $17.60 each time, total $35.20)
* Routine 60K inspection at dealer - $175 charge

TOTAL MAINTENANCE FOR BMW: $1582.91
NOTE: The BMW had an eventual transmission failure at 164,000 miles which resulted in me selling the vehicle vs paying $6K for a new transmission. It is yet to be determined as to what the condition of the Tesla will be in at 164K miles

Of course, the fuel charges for the BMW were higher than the electricity costs for the Tesla... but interesting that maintenance cost over double for the Tesla vs the BMW.


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I've found the same annoying rattle in my 2023 model 3 long range. I've found a brass colored long machine screw sitting on the back trunk deck and assumed it was the cause. After having my wife drive while I was laying on my back under the speaker assembly it was clear to me the source of the noise was in this area. Have not yet requested service but will do so soon. Thanks for your comments regarding the "rattle noise" clearly something both models share.

 

[Jclboston]

Given the weight of car compared to other smallish ICE sedans of similar class, I think comparing # of tire changes as part of maintenance would relevant, though I'm assuming you got rid of your runflats on your BMW since those don't last very long?

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

Given the weight of car compared to other smallish ICE sedans of similar class, I think comparing # of tire changes as part of maintenance would relevant, though I'm assuming you got rid of your runflats on your BMW since those don't last very long?

That would be a fair comparison, but hard to gauge.

For example, I replaced my Model 3's tires at ~40k miles. fairly average for a new vehicle's first set of tires, and the replacement tires were average cost (about $150-170 each + service if memory serves, it was about $800 to swap them out). I chose all-weather tire replacements. They wear a bit quicker, but also are safer in my climate. Of course, I have since sold the vehicle so there is no way to tell how the tires wore, and the next owners will likely not know how long I had those tires on the vehicle either.

This would be good for owners that have gone through 2-3 sets of tires, and typically would when they owned an ICE car, to see a fair comparison assuming similar driving habits and such.

 

[GregD60]

Given the weight of car compared to other smallish ICE sedans of similar class, I think comparing # of tire changes as part of maintenance would relevant, though I'm assuming you got rid of your runflats on your BMW since those don't last very long?

There's really not much difference in the weight of a Model 3 and it's competition. Model 3 weights range from a low of 3564 pounds for a short range RWD to a high of 4189 pounds for a long range AWD. A BMW 3 series ranges from a low of 3536 pounds for a 330i RWD to a high of 3951 pounds for a M340ix. I don't think a weight difference of 6% or less will account for much difference in tire wear. If you're looking for why a Tesla might go through tires quicker than an ICE car, I think the place to start looking is the instant torque and power of the motor; this means that the tire wear is very dependent on how the car is driven.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

There's really not much difference in the weight of a Model 3 and it's competition. Model 3 weights range from a low of 3564 pounds for a short range RWD to a high of 4189 pounds for a long range AWD. A BMW 3 series ranges from a low of 3536 pounds for a 330i RWD to a high of 3951 pounds for a M340ix. I don't think a weight difference of 6% or less will account for much difference in tire wear. If you're looking for why a Tesla might go through tires quicker than an ICE car, I think the place to start looking is the instant torque and power of the motor; this means that the tire wear is very dependent on how the car is driven.

That is a good point, and with the Model Y for example, while it is a crossover/SUV, it didn't qualify for the tax credits at first because it was too light!

 

[vickh]

I had the same problem with my car which substantially shortened the life of my original tires. When Tesla quoted me over $200 for an alignment, I decided to take it to a local alignment shop and they adjusted it for $60 since it was just a problem of incorrect toe in/out; they were toed out. This seems to be a very common problem, and I'm pretty sure that Tesla just sets them wrong at the factory. When my new Model 3 comes in, I plan on taking it to my local alignment shop to be checked immediately. It's kind of ridiculous to do with a new car, but I've heard of too many Model 3s having the same issue.

Apparently this affects range as well.

Same problem on Y as well?

 

[vickh]

I have 2020 Model 3 Long range with 80k miles.
Recently started to receive tons of errors during driving. Requested service.
Today I have appointment to replace computer! Estimation from Tesla: $1900.

Makes me think I should get the extended warranty... maybe..

 

[leoita]

Any new vehicle maintenance is going to be pretty much 0 if within the warranty
The Tesla doesn't have to hit the dealership for maintenance and that's the convenience
The concern will come after the warranty is over. The BMW will need to be serviced while Tesla will stay the same excluding the tires

 

[afadeev]

The biggest charge is obviously your tires. Factor that out, and your cost has been the same.

The biggest charge for me is not cited at all - that's insurance.
My TM3P insurance runs at a 71% premium over BMW ///M3, which itself is not my cheapest insurance vehicle.

Adding those premium up, year over year, roughly adds another ~$700 K/year extra for driving a Tesla.

I don’t consider tires part of maintenance.

Good luck owning your car without paying for that line item.

The observation on accelerated Tesla tire wear is legitimate. I definitely see that as well, after 53K miles on TM3P.

HTH,
a

 

[afadeev]

Given the weight of car compared to other smallish ICE sedans of similar class, I think comparing # of tire changes as part of maintenance would relevant

Indeed.
And since tires and insurance are (typically) the largest recurring costs associated with owning a vehicle, ignoring them is self-deluding.

That would be a fair comparison, but hard to gauge.
[...]This would be good for owners that have gone through 2-3 sets of tires, and typically would when they owned an ICE car, to see a fair comparison assuming similar driving habits and such.

Easy to gauge without waiting for 2-3 sets of tire swaps to draw the obvious conclusions.
I've had my TM3P for ~4.5 years and 53K miles. while the ///M3 has been around for ~8 years and 45K miles.

Summer:
I go through a set of max performance summer tires every year on TM3P, and one set every 2 years on ///M3 (my wife helps with the wear on both). ///M3 sees track, but has a dedicated set of tires and brake pads for track, so it's easy to segregate the wear for that use case.
There is a significant weight difference between the two (~4,200 for TM3P and ~3,600 for ///M3), but the tire width is the far larger contributor to accelerated tire wear on TM3P. Model 3 spreads load across 235mm wide tires, while ///M3 has 255mm wide fronts and 275mm wide rears.
Both cars get top of the line Michelin tires, which were, initially, PSS's, then PS4's, and will now be PS5's.
Tires cost roughly the same for each car (~$1300 per set).

Winter:
Both cars have winter sets of wheels and tires.
TM3P is the winter beater, so it absorbs more winter tire wear, with winter tires lasting 2 years, on average. I'm on my second set.
///M3 doesn't see much snow, though I do drive it throughout the winter otherwise, which has been 99% of the days this year. It's it still on the original set of winter tires after 5 years.

My experience is, likely, on the higher end of tire wear and maintenance for most folks here. But it is, what it is.

Makes me think I should get the extended warranty... maybe..

If you do, the "maintenance" cost is booked upfront as the cost of the extended warranty.
Unless you can not afford to self-insure, or know that you have a lemon on your hands (and don't tell the warranty company), on average, you will always pay more via the insurance rout.

HTH,
a

 

[vickh]

If you do, the "maintenance" cost is booked upfront as the cost of the extended warranty.
Unless you can not afford to self-insure, or know that you have a lemon on your hands (and don't tell the warranty company), on average, you will always pay more via the insurance rout.

HTH,
a

Good point b/c TSLA has covered things like 12Vbatteries under basic warranty, wonder if true for the extended warranty.

I did have one hiccup on MCU last week that auto reset while driving. Has happened ~2-3 times over ~4 yrs. But I don't use it much for Hulu etc, just "audio" stuff

 

[KenC]

The biggest charge for me is not cited at all - that's insurance.
My TM3P insurance runs at a 71% premium over BMW ///M3, which itself is not my cheapest insurance vehicle.

Adding those premium up, year over year, roughly adds another ~$700 K/year extra for driving a Tesla.



Good luck owning your car without paying for that line item.

The observation on accelerated Tesla tire wear is legitimate. I definitely see that as well, after 53K miles on TM3P.

HTH,
a

Interestingly or maybe not, but my insurance has been exactly the same for my BMW 330xi and my Model 3. Then again, I've been with Liberty Mutual for 46yrs.

 

[vickh]

Interestingly or maybe not, but my insurance has been exactly the same for my BMW 330xi and my Model 3. Then again, I've been with Liberty Mutual for 46yrs.

Insurance is SO variable. I've been with USAA for 20+ yrs too and pay a reasonable.
$ 319.50per 6 months
Deductibles
Comprehensive 1,000 / Collision 1,000

I do have $1M umbrella with them too for $447.36+home $1,869.22 /yr though