About to leave warranty - any recommendations? Should I get a service?

[craigpugsley]

Hi everyone!

Firstly, thank you to all the regular contributors who have made this community such a great resource of the years. I’ve learned many useful things that have made my M3 2019 ownership more enjoyable.

I’m coming to the end of my 5yr basic warranty soon, and I was wondering if this community could help me make a decision, please?

Ultimately: should I keep the M3 and risk expensive repair bill or bite the bullet and trade up to an in-warranty newer model?

Some facts
- My car’s worth £20k less now than when I bought it. I appreciate depreciation, but that’s a killer. Far more than I was budgeting for when I bought it. This makes me want to keep the car for as long as possible, to now get the most use out of that sunk cost.
- I’ve had several issues repaired under warranty (foggy headlight clusters, faulty Autopilot / overheating computer / SuperBottle replacement). But most of those I would have lived with (except the SuperBottle, which I expect would have got worse and eventually caused the car to break down).
- Other than that, my M3 has been super reliable.
- I’ve not seen the community mention many widespread significant known issues with a M3 my age. Am I missing something?
- Battery still seems healthy (70% charge - 200 miles predicted on GOM). I know that‘s covered under different 8yr warranty, but it’s all still a consideration for a few years down the line if I decide to keep.
- I love the M3. Every time I get into it I realise how much car it really is. I‘m very happy with the product as is - nothing in the newer M3s would tempt me to upgrade.
- I don’t really want to spend any more money on the car, considering how much I’ve ‘lost’ in (what I consider to be) excessive depreciation.
- That said, I would quite like a MY, but not enough to upgrade.

So, the bottom line is do you think I should:

A) take the risk, and keep my M3 for a few more years, because 5yr old Model 3s are actually really reliable and ride out the depreciation to get my money’s worth?

or

B) stay on the safe side, because M3s from 2019 have some nasty known issues that rear their head around now and the cost of getting them repaired would be more than I’d lose trading up to a newer model?

To help me decide (apart from the sage words of advice from this community) I was going to get a service done at LCM Automotive here in Bristol, to see if they can find any signs of potentially expensive problems occurring. I’ve heard they’re probably the most knowledgable non-Tesla mechanics around this area.

So, that’s it. What should I do?

 

[Js1977]

Dont forget to mention What mileage your car has.

 

[Kansalis]

Along with the mileage being important, you don't mention if you owe any finance on the car. I assume not, as you didn't say.

Up until quite recently, I would have almost certainly had the opinion that changing for a new car would be the better option, but with the current rate of depreciation for EVs it no longer seems to be a good idea for now. Having said that, I personally definitely would not keep an EV outside its battery warranty. A battery failure on an out of warranty Tesla is an instant write-off cost wise, I think.

If I were in your position today, I would probably wait a year & see what the used market is doing and what's happening with new models and deals. Again, it very much depends on how you'd finance the next car, whether it be cash, PCP, lease, salary sacrifice etc.

 

[NewbieT]

I’d get Tesla to service the brakes. Any faults e.g. ceased pins fixed under warranty

 

[WannabeOwner]

My car’s worth £20k less now than when I bought it. I appreciate depreciation, but that’s a killer.

Price of a new car has fallen significant (in real terms) during that period. So depreciation against original is significant, but less so against a replacement. EV are only going to become cheaper over the next X years - as Battery tech improves (more energy density, smaller-battery for same-range and so on), and economies of scale - there has been a big cost for all Auto brands to retool factories for EV etc. etc.

do you think I should

My only thoughts are:

If you have enough warranty left that would encourage a new owner to buy it, then that might be a factor for "sell now, rather than later"

I think older cars, like yours, are likely to have more problems as they get older than newer generation cars where, hopefully!, some age-related problems have been sorted on in design / on factory floor.

But .. .flip side ... what is there to go wrong, compared to an ICE engine with cam-belts and con-rods and exhaust / CAT replacement all sorts of stuff

A battery failure on an out of warranty Tesla is an instant write-off cost wise, I think.

I wonder ... basically us lot don't have personal experience, yet, of that, and what the Up / Down-sides are.

If battery dies that's a big bill (notwithstanding longer warranty for a few more years). But ... you then have a car with a brand new battery (or a better reconditioned / repaired one)

Also, I think independents will spring up who will replace a module, whereas Tesla is going to swap the whole thing

If you bought a new car you'd have massive depreciation (if you then had to sell it). If you replace battery on current car you have the cost of that, some increased 2nd hand value, but no hefty depreciation.

(I appreciate you are thinking of a used one as replacement, so that just by way of comparison)

Replacing a battery is a new experience for folk. I don't know how it compares to replacing an ICE engine in terms of a) cost and b) how much it extends the life of the vehicle. At some point the bodywork and all the other bits becomes the maintenance issue. But I think that the simplicity of the EV mechanicals will become an interesting factor for folk that like to keep cars long-term.

 

[M00cow]

I think the thing is - everyone who has a UK Model 3 is in the same situation as you are.
The oldest cars are what Mid-2019?

The standard warranty is FOUR years by the way.

I am in the same situation - with a 2019 Performance variant - and I fully expect it will be stuff like suspension and brake components that will need replacing before I get to the end of my ownership. A lot of that wouldn't be covered under warranty anyway, considered "wear and tear" parts.
Possibly some electrical too - maybe seat sensors or ABS sensors wouldn't be uncommon.

You are not far from Cleevely Electric Vehicles | Electrical Vehicles | Gloucestershire - and they do mobile servicing too. Maybe ask if they can do a service/health check on the car for you if you are not mechanically minded?

For info, I am likely going to maintain mine myself when possible, I have done a lot of vehicle maintenance tasks over the years (clutches, suspension bits, brakes, subframes, bearings, cooling systems, body panels etc) as I have only ever had one near new car before.
The battery - mine will probably be getting handed back about 3 months before that warranty expires as I am on PCP...but we will see nearer the time what battery replacement costs are looking like.

 

[pdk42]

I’m in pretty much the same position. My Model 3 is now a little over 4 years old so now out of manufacturer’s warranty. But I added the Helvetica extended warranty which gives me two years of Tesla-backed repairs. It wasn’t cheap and I wasn’t sure whether I’d be keeping the car, but since it’s transferable, I figured it would have some value if I sold the car.

I’ve now got the option of a new Model Y at a decent monthly via a salary sacrifice scheme. It’s very tempting, but with my current car worth only about £20k, I’d basically spend the proceeds on a three year lease at the end of which I’d have nothing. But what would a seven year old Model 3 be worth if I hung on?

Basically, with EV depreciation at the level it is now, it’s a case of just accepting high financing costs to run a newish car. The alternative is to run the car for as long as possible and live with any maintenance costs. My Model 3 has basically cost me nothing for its first four years, so if that’s an any predictor then I needn’t worry.

I’m leaning towards keeping the 3, but if I do I’m going to fit air suspension. It’ll fix the two big complaints I have with the car - crashy firm suspension and cabin noise. To be confirmed by a test drive, but the OnAir kit looks like it’ll solve both.

 

[MrBadger]

I can second Cleevely - probably not too long a drive from Bristol. Whilst they do do mobile, it’s about 20% more than on site and when we booked, had a waiting list of several months.

They really know their stuff with Tesla and EVs in general.

We had a near £400 service/brakes and they found a front suspension issue (quite common apparently) that would have cost far more than that to fix out of the 4 year/50k warranty and at very least been an MOT advisory if spotted. Tesla found that bush had completely delaminated at <4yr/30k and needed 4 wheel alignment.

Could have got away with cheaper service but wanted full professional brake service from a reputable garage and not DIY. Couple of £££ for peace of mind. Could feel improvement in pedal after.

 

[btc1k]

Hi everyone!

Firstly, thank you to all the regular contributors who have made this community such a great resource of the years. I’ve learned many useful things that have made my M3 2019 ownership more enjoyable.

I’m coming to the end of my 5yr basic warranty soon, and I was wondering if this community could help me make a decision, please?

Ultimately: should I keep the M3 and risk expensive repair bill or bite the bullet and trade up to an in-warranty newer model?

Some facts
- My car’s worth £20k less now than when I bought it. I appreciate depreciation, but that’s a killer. Far more than I was budgeting for when I bought it. This makes me want to keep the car for as long as possible, to now get the most use out of that sunk cost.
- I’ve had several issues repaired under warranty (foggy headlight clusters, faulty Autopilot / overheating computer / SuperBottle replacement). But most of those I would have lived with (except the SuperBottle, which I expect would have got worse and eventually caused the car to break down).
- Other than that, my M3 has been super reliable.
- I’ve not seen the community mention many widespread significant known issues with a M3 my age. Am I missing something?
- Battery still seems healthy (70% charge - 200 miles predicted on GOM). I know that‘s covered under different 8yr warranty, but it’s all still a consideration for a few years down the line if I decide to keep.
- I love the M3. Every time I get into it I realise how much car it really is. I‘m very happy with the product as is - nothing in the newer M3s would tempt me to upgrade.
- I don’t really want to spend any more money on the car, considering how much I’ve ‘lost’ in (what I consider to be) excessive depreciation.
- That said, I would quite like a MY, but not enough to upgrade.

So, the bottom line is do you think I should:

A) take the risk, and keep my M3 for a few more years, because 5yr old Model 3s are actually really reliable and ride out the depreciation to get my money’s worth?

or

B) stay on the safe side, because M3s from 2019 have some nasty known issues that rear their head around now and the cost of getting them repaired would be more than I’d lose trading up to a newer model?

To help me decide (apart from the sage words of advice from this community) I was going to get a service done at LCM Automotive here in Bristol, to see if they can find any signs of potentially expensive problems occurring. I’ve heard they’re probably the most knowledgable non-Tesla mechanics around this area.

So, that’s it. What should I do?

What's a Superbottle, and what's a GOM? Curious....

 

[Zilla91]

you then have a car with a brand new battery (or a better reconditioned / repaired one)

Don't they just lump a reconditioned battery that matches the level of degradation rather than something approaching a brand new battery?

 

[M00cow]

What's a Superbottle, and what's a GOM? Curious....

GOM - guess-o-meter
Superbottle - basically it's the coolant system and it's self contained pretty much together. Rather than a top up bottle, a separate pump and a separate heat exchanger unit, Tesla opted to put it all in one unit including a diverter valve. Whether that's good or bad is another story - I mean who wants to replace the entire system if a reservoir starts leaking ?(£10-£15 vs £250 on the used parts market)
Can see the whole thing and how it works here - The Tesla Model 3 'Superbottle' Easter Egg Is a Fascinating Packaging Solution

 

[gangzoom]

But what would a seven year old Model 3 be worth if I hung on?

Why would you worry? If the car does what you need now, why would you need to change it in another 3 years? Our X is now coming up to 7 years old, with the number of SCs now around, its easier than ever to go on long distance trips. Out of warranty, it’s actually been OK, no real issues in the last 18 months, and on a 3 you don’t have power doors, air suspension, powered rear seats to worry about.

 

[gangzoom]

Ultimately: should I keep the M3 and risk expensive repair bill or bite the bullet and trade up to an in-warranty newer model?

If you have deep pockets, trading up a brand new car every 3-4 years is a great luxury. If you cannot afford to do that (we cannot), than there is nothing wrong with keeping these cars for a much longer period. Mechanically these cars are really easy to work on, with no massive engine/radiators getting in way. The biggest cost that only Tesla can fix is traction battery, which is worth factoring in when you get close to the 8 year mark, 100K miles mark.

If you want a new car that’s a different matter, but interms of cost, keeping your current car will usually work out much cheaper.

 

[WannabeOwner]

trading up a brand new car every 3-4 years is a great luxury

I used to do that with ICE. Reasonably high mileage, intended change was around 75K miles which was about 3 years, because I wanted something that was unlikely to break down, nor to be off the road for maintenance - back then an increased service-interval was a buying trigger. Did that with the original 2015 MS which did 95K miles in 3.5 years ... but since then my mileage has dropped and, like you, I'm not hankering after changing anything ... but a RHD MS Plaid would do it!

Now? Only reason really is that there is some new functionality that I hanker after. But lots of that I get through OTA anyway

The biggest cost that only Tesla can fix is traction battery

No independent that can fix a dodgy module? Unless I'm mistaken they already exist Norway, so only a matter of time until they are here. Early adopters didn't have that benefit (but back then Tesla readily replaced batteries under warranty), now its mainstream I expect all sorts of independents to appear. Cleevely Motors are doing really well, there will be more like them.

 

[gangzoom]

No independent that can fix a dodgy module? Unless I'm mistaken they already exist Norway, so only a matter of time until they are here. Early adopters didn't have that benefit (but back then Tesla readily replaced batteries under warranty), now its mainstream I expect all sorts of independents to appear. Cleevely Motors are doing really well, there will be more like them.

If you read around the US bits of the forum, I think the answer to that is a clear NO.

There are lots of reasons the old S/X packs fail, some stuff is ‘repairable’ - like contactors etc, but a dead module….I don't think anyone but Tesla can actually offer a reliable solution. These two videos are from the same car.....You can judge how well the 'repair' went.

 

[MrT3]

No independent that can fix a dodgy module? Unless I'm mistaken they already exist Norway, so only a matter of time until they are here. Early adopters didn't have that benefit (but back then Tesla readily replaced batteries under warranty), now its mainstream I expect all sorts of independents to appear.

Older S/X batteries are relatively simple to work on compared to 3/Y batteries. Not aware of anyone repairing M3 batteries (yet).

 

[GlynG]

I know many people fear a total failure of the HV battery, the model 3 uses the 2170s - just a tad bigger than the 18650s - and coincidently used by Dyson in some of their cordless vacuum's.
I have power tool batteries with 18650s that are older than 8 years and continue to provide what appears to me to be as good as new performance - not noticed any reduction in operating time - and i have 12 of them.

My car will be 4 in March 2024 and there is no way I will take an extended warranty - if you read the small print so much is excluded anyway - The warranty companies know from empirical data the average repair costs so of course the premium is greater than the average repair costs as they want a nice big profit.

The two things I would say is
1 - don't buy the extended warranty
2 - print yourself a copy of the Consumer Act - and read it the whole way through.

You will find that everything in life produced by man is subject to being of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and to last a reasonable amount of time, of course reasonable amount of time isn't specific - so for a pencil you may expect a short period, but for a car in excess of £45K 10 years and 100.000 miles seems reasonable - and if something fails that makes the car unsafe, or would fail an MOT test (Consumables excluded from this like bulbs, tyres, brakes - or damage due to accident or modification) then the consumer Act will put the responsibility to fix right back on the manufacturer of the product.

Of course companies will resist and deny taking responsibility because they don't want to pay out for repairs - they want your cash so they will reject every approach by a customer in the first instance - and to be fair it usually pans out well for them as the public accept what they say as being right.

Just look at the number of companies selling used cars that advertise a 3 month included warranty - its utter tosh - every single car sold by a bona fide dealer to a member of the public has to accept the law - and consumer law under the act provides full coverage of everything for a period of 6 months unless the fault is declared by the dealer in advance of the sale or the fault has been caused by damage or modification by the consumer during use.

In 50 years of driving, majority of my cars had no warranty and I've never suffered any catastrophic failures - these were all ICE and obviously with a lot more moving parts and sensors that could go wrong, EVs have few moving parts so reliability has to be a great deal better, the chances of a catastrophic failure with an EV has to be super low. However, occasionally it may happen, so the individual has to consider just how risk averse they are. You can get insurance policies for ill health and having to pack up work - but how many people actually buy them? the risks are so low so few bother - and the same applies to EV extended warranties in my book.

If a part fails without providing reasonable durability then you have a claim, get familiar with the small claims courts - cheap and easy to do and you can do it all from home online - by googling money claims.

Once the company accepts your not being fobbed off and there is a good chance you will take them to court they usually cave in with a so called goodwill gesture (In the small claims court the burden of proof is on the balance of probabilities - not beyond all reasonable doubt, The defence cant use a solicitor to beat you in the court to prevent the David V Goliath scenario, and if they fail to attend - they loose automatically.

I'm not a solicitor but i have studied criminal and civil law. My history is such that I've instigated or prepared for litigation against the Ford Motor company twice, ICI, Hotpoint, there are many others and every single one of them have taken responsibility or settled before a court date was fixed - every single one of them has caved in, not because they were being nice or reasonable but because they knew i could prove my case, and to be honest I was so looking forward to presenting my case in court with most of them - I feel cheated.

Therefore, to conclude, The consideration of an extended warranty is misplaced when you have a great deal more protection just knowing the law.

 

[NewbieT]

Epitome of someone that doesn’t go down without a fight.

My advice is to choose your battles. Even if you are ‘right’, life is short.

 

[Adopado]

Hi everyone!

Firstly, thank you to all the regular contributors who have made this community such a great resource of the years. I’ve learned many useful things that have made my M3 2019 ownership more enjoyable.

I’m coming to the end of my 5yr basic warranty soon, and I was wondering if this community could help me make a decision, please?

Ultimately: should I keep the M3 and risk expensive repair bill or bite the bullet and trade up to an in-warranty newer model?

Some facts
- My car’s worth £20k less now than when I bought it. I appreciate depreciation, but that’s a killer. Far more than I was budgeting for when I bought it. This makes me want to keep the car for as long as possible, to now get the most use out of that sunk cost.
- I’ve had several issues repaired under warranty (foggy headlight clusters, faulty Autopilot / overheating computer / SuperBottle replacement). But most of those I would have lived with (except the SuperBottle, which I expect would have got worse and eventually caused the car to break down).
- Other than that, my M3 has been super reliable.
- I’ve not seen the community mention many widespread significant known issues with a M3 my age. Am I missing something?
- Battery still seems healthy (70% charge - 200 miles predicted on GOM). I know that‘s covered under different 8yr warranty, but it’s all still a consideration for a few years down the line if I decide to keep.
- I love the M3. Every time I get into it I realise how much car it really is. I‘m very happy with the product as is - nothing in the newer M3s would tempt me to upgrade.
- I don’t really want to spend any more money on the car, considering how much I’ve ‘lost’ in (what I consider to be) excessive depreciation.
- That said, I would quite like a MY, but not enough to upgrade.

So, the bottom line is do you think I should:

A) take the risk, and keep my M3 for a few more years, because 5yr old Model 3s are actually really reliable and ride out the depreciation to get my money’s worth?

or

B) stay on the safe side, because M3s from 2019 have some nasty known issues that rear their head around now and the cost of getting them repaired would be more than I’d lose trading up to a newer model?

To help me decide (apart from the sage words of advice from this community) I was going to get a service done at LCM Automotive here in Bristol, to see if they can find any signs of potentially expensive problems occurring. I’ve heard they’re probably the most knowledgable non-Tesla mechanics around this area.

So, that’s it. What should I do?

You’re out of warranty after four years. year so a bit late for worrying now!

 

[pdk42]

I know many people fear a total failure of the HV battery, the model 3 uses the 2170s - just a tad bigger than the 18650s - and coincidently used by Dyson in some of their cordless vacuum's.
I have power tool batteries with 18650s that are older than 8 years and continue to provide what appears to me to be as good as new performance - not noticed any reduction in operating time - and i have 12 of them.

My car will be 4 in March 2024 and there is no way I will take an extended warranty - if you read the small print so much is excluded anyway - The warranty companies know from empirical data the average repair costs so of course the premium is greater than the average repair costs as they want a nice big profit.

The two things I would say is
1 - don't buy the extended warranty
2 - print yourself a copy of the Consumer Act - and read it the whole way through.

You will find that everything in life produced by man is subject to being of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and to last a reasonable amount of time, of course reasonable amount of time isn't specific - so for a pencil you may expect a short period, but for a car in excess of £45K 10 years and 100.000 miles seems reasonable - and if something fails that makes the car unsafe, or would fail an MOT test (Consumables excluded from this like bulbs, tyres, brakes - or damage due to accident or modification) then the consumer Act will put the responsibility to fix right back on the manufacturer of the product.

Of course companies will resist and deny taking responsibility because they don't want to pay out for repairs - they want your cash so they will reject every approach by a customer in the first instance - and to be fair it usually pans out well for them as the public accept what they say as being right.

Just look at the number of companies selling used cars that advertise a 3 month included warranty - its utter tosh - every single car sold by a bona fide dealer to a member of the public has to accept the law - and consumer law under the act provides full coverage of everything for a period of 6 months unless the fault is declared by the dealer in advance of the sale or the fault has been caused by damage or modification by the consumer during use.

In 50 years of driving, majority of my cars had no warranty and I've never suffered any catastrophic failures - these were all ICE and obviously with a lot more moving parts and sensors that could go wrong, EVs have few moving parts so reliability has to be a great deal better, the chances of a catastrophic failure with an EV has to be super low. However, occasionally it may happen, so the individual has to consider just how risk averse they are. You can get insurance policies for ill health and having to pack up work - but how many people actually buy them? the risks are so low so few bother - and the same applies to EV extended warranties in my book.

If a part fails without providing reasonable durability then you have a claim, get familiar with the small claims courts - cheap and easy to do and you can do it all from home online - by googling money claims.

Once the company accepts your not being fobbed off and there is a good chance you will take them to court they usually cave in with a so called goodwill gesture (In the small claims court the burden of proof is on the balance of probabilities - not beyond all reasonable doubt, The defence cant use a solicitor to beat you in the court to prevent the David V Goliath scenario, and if they fail to attend - they loose automatically.

I'm not a solicitor but i have studied criminal and civil law. My history is such that I've instigated or prepared for litigation against the Ford Motor company twice, ICI, Hotpoint, there are many others and every single one of them have taken responsibility or settled before a court date was fixed - every single one of them has caved in, not because they were being nice or reasonable but because they knew i could prove my case, and to be honest I was so looking forward to presenting my case in court with most of them - I feel cheated.

Therefore, to conclude, The consideration of an extended warranty is misplaced when you have a great deal more protection just knowing the law.

Well, I don’t 100% agree (but do to some degree see what you’re saying). There are numerous non “fair wear and tear” parts that you will struggle to get manufacturers to fix past the warranty period. For example, failure of the PTC heater component is not uncommon as the car ages and it’s probably a £2k repair. Extended warranty will cover things like this and will pay for itself if it did fail.

Of course, it’s a gamble - but that’s how insurance works. Hardly anyone would self insure for all risks.