Article states M3 maintenance costs highest

[JeffK]

View attachment 244540

It appears San Jose has higher maintenance costs than my zip code

 

[Phrixotrichus]

whoa those service costs are actually quite high...then again they used model s prices.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Or, you can just do the essential basic items (which is to replace the windshield wipers) and then be prepared to hire a lawyer if something goes wrong and they won't fix stuff under warranty.

 

[chronopc]

If you're paying per inspection can you pick the services you want them to do? For example can I skip the year 1 service and just go straight to year 2?

I find it interesting that year 1 and year 3 costs the same when year 3 has less services.

 

[voip-ninja]

Edmunds TCO posts contain a maintenance section
2017 BMW 3 Series 2.0L 4-cyl. Turbo 8-speed Automatic True Cost to Own

People want to talk about FUD. That shows a $700 maintenance cost the 3rd year of ownership of the 320i when it is still covered under BMW 3 years, 30K standard maintenance that covers everything.

$2300 service in year 4? I don't think so. Even if it needs new brakes it won't cost that much.

 

[Waiting4M3]

I'll see your battery upgrade and raise you one EAP.

Same HW, same SW, why would EAP cost less on the M3 than MS/X? You might have also forgotten that the HPWC costs the same between the M3 vs MS/MX. Also my parking garage charges me the same for parking a M3 vs MS/X, trust me, I've checked.

 

[McRat]

What a silly article to write. Must have been a slow news day.

 

[JeffK]

People want to talk about FUD. That shows a $700 maintenance cost the 3rd year of ownership of the 320i when it is still covered under BMW 3 years, 30K standard maintenance that covers everything.

$2300 service in year 4? I don't think so. Even if it needs new brakes it won't cost that much.

This only applies to the first owner as far as I know.

 

[Trips]

There are only a few things that Tesla will have to do. I do not plan on bringing it in for Year 3.

Items in Bold are what I am unsure or cant do myself.

Recommended based on the Model S:
Year 1: Drive Unit Fluid (Model 3 has new Drive Units so this could change but most likely not)
Key Fob Battery - There is no fob
Multi-Point Inspection - Not sure what that is
Tire Rotation - I will not need that
Wheel Alignment - Will not need
Wiper Blade - $30 from auto store every 2 years or so

Year 2
A/C desiccant bag replacement - Unknown as Model 3 has a new system
Brake Fluid - Unknown
Cabin Air Filter - $20 at Auto Store
Key Fob Battery - There is no fob
Multi-Point Inspection - Not sure what that is
Tire Rotation - I will not need that
Wheel Alignment - Will not need
Wiper Blade - $30 from auto store every 2 years or so

Year 3: Same as year 1 without the Drive Unit
All services I can do

Year 4 Same as year 2 + Battery Coolant Replacement
Battery Coolant Replacement - Tesla will have to do this
A/C desiccant bag replacement - Unknown as Model 3 has a new system
Brake Fluid - Unknown
Cabin Air Filter - $20 at Auto Store
Key Fob Battery - There is no fob
Multi-Point Inspection - Not sure what that is
Tire Rotation - I will not need that
Wheel Alignment - Will not need
Wiper Blade - $30 from auto store every 2 years or so

 

[voip-ninja]

This only applies to the first owner as far as I know.

Was there something I missed in the edmunds article where they insisted that this was only the case of someone buying a brand new BMW second-hand without the standard included maintenance?

The bottom line is their costs are way off, even at over-inflated priced BMW dealers.

With the BMW you also have the option of taking your car (once complimentary maintenance is over) to any mechanic you want, often times at a savings of 20-40% from what the dealer charges.

That's not currently an option with Tesla. Sure you can have tire rack swap the tires and have meineke work on the brakes, but anything else and you are risking the wrath of Tesla.

 

[Scannerman]

Interesting that they estimate the insurance cost to increase. Shouldn't it decrease with the value of the car going down?

The increased use of steel (on the M3), versus aluminum (on the S/X) could also reduce relative insurance costs.

Scannerman

 

[heysteveh]

What a silly article to write. Must have been a slow news day.

It seems that with all the hype surrounding Model 3 coupled with the TESLA brand name, you can find a silly new article almost every day right now. Much of it is speculation with a sprinkling of facts here and there. Even on this forum, if you look at at all the post titles, a large number of them are largely speculation... not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[tony b]

the cost of never having to change the oil or go to a gas station again...priceless

 

[Gt1948]

I don't necessarily agree with the conclusions, but the quoted data makes the point :
Tesla Model 3 Maintenance Costs May Be Higher Than ICE Cars | Torque News

Now, while I don't have to follow Tesla's recommended maintenance schedule, why do they set themselves up for an article like this?

Bogus article....doesn’t mention M3. Guess you’ve heard that though.

 

[Foxhound199]

There are only a few things that Tesla will have to do. I do not plan on bringing it in for Year 3.

I'm wondering if this will be a big difference between 3 drivers and S and X drivers. There's no way on earth I'm paying for someone else to replace wiper blades or cabin air filters. I'll probably have a maintenance schedule close to yours, though I probably won't replace anything on the AC until the air doesn't feel cold and I have a very hard time believing the brake fluid needs nearly that much attention.

 

[techmaven]

The first year drive unit oil change is important.

Tesla is clearly charging a lot for annual maintenance. It's not absurd compared to Mercedes, but as with all things, one has to have a comprehensive view of all costs... how the costs are allocated in each bucket in isolation is not all that useful. For example, Tesla does a wheel alignment at every annual service. That's an as-needed item for most other vehicles and therefore not included in the normal maintenance schedules, but something that is likely needed annually in order to continue to achieve the same energy efficiency over time. Therefore, what is put into as-needed maintenance and routine maintenance, as well as the difference in warranty terms will swing value proposition greatly. The pricing is also likely to vary greatly between regions. At some point, Tesla's service centers may be able to operate at a cost efficiency that will allow them to reduce the annual maintenance fees. I certainly hope so.

 

[gregincal]

I'm wondering if this will be a big difference between 3 drivers and S and X drivers. There's no way on earth I'm paying for someone else to replace wiper blades or cabin air filters. I'll probably have a maintenance schedule close to yours, though I probably won't replace anything on the AC until the air doesn't feel cold and I have a very hard time believing the brake fluid needs nearly that much attention.

I always think that people make too big a deal about the difference between those buying a 35-60K car and those buying a 70k+ car. We're talking about pretty affluent people in either case. Both groups will have some people that like to do their own maintenance but most won't. Now if you are comparing to the group of people that buy 10K used cars, then sure there would be a difference. Look at the Model S and X forums and you will find people saying exactly the same thing as you.

 

[Foxhound199]

I always think that people make too big a deal about the difference between those buying a 35-60K car and those buying a 70k+ car. We're talking about pretty affluent people in either case. Both groups will have some people that like to do their own maintenance but most won't. Now if you are comparing to the group of people that buy 10K used cars, then sure there would be a difference. Look at the Model S and X forums and you will find people saying exactly the same thing as you.

Granted you're not going to group all S or 3 buyers in neat little categories, don't you think significantly fewer 3 drivers will stick to this schedule--especially if it's at these prices? I'd bet there are a lot of 3 buyers like me driving around currently in cars worth much less than $10k.

 

[RobertF]

I had an 8 year Tesla maintenance plan. They included rotating tires every 6K miles and annual full wheel alignments. Also when I traded it in on a new Tesla they rebated my unused maintenance cost. I don't have maintenance experience with the new Tesla. I do plan on getting a maintenance plan for the new car just before 6 months of ownership.

 

[206er]

As someone who has only ever owned Hondas and Acuras and drives about 5-6k miles per year, the thought of having to pay anywhere near $500 a year for routine service seems crazy. I think our '14 ILX has only cost around $200 per year (if that) for dealer service (just basic oil & filter changes, tire rotations, multi-point inspections).