Apologies in advance for my long post. 
TLDR version: Model S cars are affordable now. Some people like me prefer more luxury and exclusivity. Don't buy RWD or Performance Model S. Plan on buying and DIY replacing headlights, and possibly paying for CCS charging retrofit. Good floor mats for RHD Model S don't exist. Also check out the photo of my awesome car below.
Full version:
After a lot of umming and ahhing, a botched/canceled new Model Y order, a lot of shopping around and several lively conversations with Tesla sales and service staff, I finally pulled the trigger on (pictured below) a black 2019 Tesla model S 75D with FSD and 90,000 kms on the clock, which I expect to be delivered from interstate some time in the next week or so. I bought my car from a third party dealer for $56k, which is a lot of money for me, though it's cheap compared to the $140k or so this car cost when it was new. I always loved the Model S and I've wanted one for ages, but the price was always prohibitively high. You can now find used Model S vehicles in decent nick, for $40k-$60k which is a fraction of what they cost when new.
Along the way I learned a lot about the "legacy" Model S which I will share for those who may prefer this route over getting a new Model Y or model 3. I will be writing about why I chose this car vs a new Model 3 or Model Y in the same price range, and also about performance, warranty, service issues, manufacturing/design flaws, "legacy" Tesla obsolescence and whatever else comes to mind. I am a hire car and rideshare driver in Melbourne, with my main focus being premium service. My current, soon to be repurposed car is a beautiful 2017 Audi A6, loved both by my clients and my family.
Firstly, the reasons I prefer the model S. The biggest one is luxury. The width, legroom, seats, interior finishing are all superior to the 3 & Y. The difference in rear seat legroom and seat width compared to the 3 & Y is vast. The quality of the seats themselves is superior, both comfort wise and in material. All seats front and rear are heated (and so is the steering wheel). Aside from the seats there is of course the air suspension, which provides a smoother and quieter ride than even newer model Y and model 3 with the 2023 updated suspension. My car came with the black alcantara roof liner and figured ash wood decor, both of which look amazing and leave no doubt about this car's premium status. The external design of the Model S looks better than both the 3 & Y in my opinion, despite being more than a decade old.
Other reasons I prefer the Model S: It has an instrument cluster. Any replies saying instrument clusters are not necessary etc will be ignored. The main infotainment screen is built sleekly into the dash rather than bolted onto it. The door handles extend, so when I pick someone up I don't have to explain to them how to open the door. Exclusivity: If you live in Australia and you have been outside recently, you already know there is a Model 3 or Model Y within view whenever you open your eyes. The Model S is a much rarer sight.
Performance-wise, this car is superior to the similarly-priced entry level RWD model 3 or model Y, with better acceleration and AWD. The performance is comparable to what you get in the 3 & Y LR AWD models. The reason I didn't get a more powerful, longer range 100D, is the asking price for them is still beyond my means. Maybe next year. The "P" models like P90D or P100D are similarly too expensive plus they have the problematic LDU motor which is prone to failure.
The warranty on my car is expired, though the battery & drivetrain are covered until March 2027. This was a factor in my choice of a 2019 car as opposed to an earlier model which I could have gotten an even better price for, along with eligibility for certain rideshare service categories (such as Uber Premier).
This brings me to some of the downsides of getting a used Model S. Any non-battery or drive train issues are not covered so must be paid for out of pocket. This unfortunately includes some issues which are clearly design/manufacturing flaws due to how common they are. Almost all 2016-2020 facelift Model S suffer from degradation of the daytime running lights. The top "brow" of the DRLs becomes yellow and eventually fails completely. This doesn't affect roadworthiness but looks ugly compared to new lights. Tesla charges AU$6,000 to replace a pair of such headlights out of warranty. $3k each. The solution is to purchase the headlight assemblies and DIY replace, which costs about AU$1500 in total. You have to ensure the lights are RHD adjusted or be prepared to adjust them yourself.
One minor but potentially dangerous flaw these cars have is unsecured floor mats which slide all over the place. It boggles the mind that Tesla delivered such floor mats in a $100k plus car. Tesla doesn't offer new mats on its website, and there aren't any good aftermarket mats available for RHD Model S which aren't custom made. My plan is to McGyver the Audi/VW mat hooks and fasteners into my car, hopefully before the mat jams my accelerator down and causes an accident.
Another (potentially much more expensive) design flaw is the very common failure of the LDU (large drive unit) motor which is found in RWD and Performance versions of the Model S. Avoiding this issue is simple - don't buy those cars. If it's a non-performance, AWD 75D, 85D, 90D or 100D, then the rear motor is the SDU (small drive unit) which does not suffer from this issue. In short, do NOT buy a RWD or P-designated Model S.
Another issue with the Model S is these cars have been designated as "legacy" cars by Tesla, which makes them more prone to obsolescence compared to newer cars. My car is slightly better off than most due to having the FSD package, but only in terms of what that brings (which is limited, especially in Australia). Tesla updates for newer cars include beautiful graphics which aren't included on cars with portrait screens. The newer cars have Ryzen processors which are superior to the Intel Atom processors in the "legacy" vehicles. Australian legacy Teslas also come with this hilarious "perk": They aren't compatible with Tesla's superchargers until you order a service retrofit of Tesla's CCS upgrade, which costs AU$400-$800. There is also a dearth of accessories available for these cars generally, both from Tesla as well as aftermarket (compared to Models 3 & Y). There simply aren't enough of these cars on the road for businesses to stock for them, including but not limited to decent floor mats.
Conclusion
Despite the issues above, I don't regret my purchase (yet - ask me again in a year). The service and design flaw issues I've listed above might be a deal breaker for some, so it's worth noting that if you buy a Model S from tesla used inventory, they will come with at least Enhanced Autopilot, already have the CCS retrofit done and the faulty DRLs (probably) replaced. They also come with a 1 year warranty. Some of the cars currently listed by tesla are actually pretty good value in my opinion.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on my piano-black beauty:
TLDR version: Model S cars are affordable now. Some people like me prefer more luxury and exclusivity. Don't buy RWD or Performance Model S. Plan on buying and DIY replacing headlights, and possibly paying for CCS charging retrofit. Good floor mats for RHD Model S don't exist. Also check out the photo of my awesome car below.
Full version:
After a lot of umming and ahhing, a botched/canceled new Model Y order, a lot of shopping around and several lively conversations with Tesla sales and service staff, I finally pulled the trigger on (pictured below) a black 2019 Tesla model S 75D with FSD and 90,000 kms on the clock, which I expect to be delivered from interstate some time in the next week or so. I bought my car from a third party dealer for $56k, which is a lot of money for me, though it's cheap compared to the $140k or so this car cost when it was new. I always loved the Model S and I've wanted one for ages, but the price was always prohibitively high. You can now find used Model S vehicles in decent nick, for $40k-$60k which is a fraction of what they cost when new.
Along the way I learned a lot about the "legacy" Model S which I will share for those who may prefer this route over getting a new Model Y or model 3. I will be writing about why I chose this car vs a new Model 3 or Model Y in the same price range, and also about performance, warranty, service issues, manufacturing/design flaws, "legacy" Tesla obsolescence and whatever else comes to mind. I am a hire car and rideshare driver in Melbourne, with my main focus being premium service. My current, soon to be repurposed car is a beautiful 2017 Audi A6, loved both by my clients and my family.
Firstly, the reasons I prefer the model S. The biggest one is luxury. The width, legroom, seats, interior finishing are all superior to the 3 & Y. The difference in rear seat legroom and seat width compared to the 3 & Y is vast. The quality of the seats themselves is superior, both comfort wise and in material. All seats front and rear are heated (and so is the steering wheel). Aside from the seats there is of course the air suspension, which provides a smoother and quieter ride than even newer model Y and model 3 with the 2023 updated suspension. My car came with the black alcantara roof liner and figured ash wood decor, both of which look amazing and leave no doubt about this car's premium status. The external design of the Model S looks better than both the 3 & Y in my opinion, despite being more than a decade old.
Other reasons I prefer the Model S: It has an instrument cluster. Any replies saying instrument clusters are not necessary etc will be ignored. The main infotainment screen is built sleekly into the dash rather than bolted onto it. The door handles extend, so when I pick someone up I don't have to explain to them how to open the door. Exclusivity: If you live in Australia and you have been outside recently, you already know there is a Model 3 or Model Y within view whenever you open your eyes. The Model S is a much rarer sight.
Performance-wise, this car is superior to the similarly-priced entry level RWD model 3 or model Y, with better acceleration and AWD. The performance is comparable to what you get in the 3 & Y LR AWD models. The reason I didn't get a more powerful, longer range 100D, is the asking price for them is still beyond my means. Maybe next year. The "P" models like P90D or P100D are similarly too expensive plus they have the problematic LDU motor which is prone to failure.
The warranty on my car is expired, though the battery & drivetrain are covered until March 2027. This was a factor in my choice of a 2019 car as opposed to an earlier model which I could have gotten an even better price for, along with eligibility for certain rideshare service categories (such as Uber Premier).
This brings me to some of the downsides of getting a used Model S. Any non-battery or drive train issues are not covered so must be paid for out of pocket. This unfortunately includes some issues which are clearly design/manufacturing flaws due to how common they are. Almost all 2016-2020 facelift Model S suffer from degradation of the daytime running lights. The top "brow" of the DRLs becomes yellow and eventually fails completely. This doesn't affect roadworthiness but looks ugly compared to new lights. Tesla charges AU$6,000 to replace a pair of such headlights out of warranty. $3k each. The solution is to purchase the headlight assemblies and DIY replace, which costs about AU$1500 in total. You have to ensure the lights are RHD adjusted or be prepared to adjust them yourself.
One minor but potentially dangerous flaw these cars have is unsecured floor mats which slide all over the place. It boggles the mind that Tesla delivered such floor mats in a $100k plus car. Tesla doesn't offer new mats on its website, and there aren't any good aftermarket mats available for RHD Model S which aren't custom made. My plan is to McGyver the Audi/VW mat hooks and fasteners into my car, hopefully before the mat jams my accelerator down and causes an accident.
Another (potentially much more expensive) design flaw is the very common failure of the LDU (large drive unit) motor which is found in RWD and Performance versions of the Model S. Avoiding this issue is simple - don't buy those cars. If it's a non-performance, AWD 75D, 85D, 90D or 100D, then the rear motor is the SDU (small drive unit) which does not suffer from this issue. In short, do NOT buy a RWD or P-designated Model S.
Another issue with the Model S is these cars have been designated as "legacy" cars by Tesla, which makes them more prone to obsolescence compared to newer cars. My car is slightly better off than most due to having the FSD package, but only in terms of what that brings (which is limited, especially in Australia). Tesla updates for newer cars include beautiful graphics which aren't included on cars with portrait screens. The newer cars have Ryzen processors which are superior to the Intel Atom processors in the "legacy" vehicles. Australian legacy Teslas also come with this hilarious "perk": They aren't compatible with Tesla's superchargers until you order a service retrofit of Tesla's CCS upgrade, which costs AU$400-$800. There is also a dearth of accessories available for these cars generally, both from Tesla as well as aftermarket (compared to Models 3 & Y). There simply aren't enough of these cars on the road for businesses to stock for them, including but not limited to decent floor mats.
Conclusion
Despite the issues above, I don't regret my purchase (yet - ask me again in a year). The service and design flaw issues I've listed above might be a deal breaker for some, so it's worth noting that if you buy a Model S from tesla used inventory, they will come with at least Enhanced Autopilot, already have the CCS retrofit done and the faulty DRLs (probably) replaced. They also come with a 1 year warranty. Some of the cars currently listed by tesla are actually pretty good value in my opinion.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on my piano-black beauty:
