Buying CPO - how much does it matter where the car has been driven? Mild climate vs cold.

[JimmyMcNulty]

Hoping this is self explanatory. I am planning on getting a 2014 CPO 85 soon, and keeping it for many years. Anything to worry about regarding mechanics/dynamics/drivetrain or anything else for the long term, if the car has been driven in cold climate and rough roads of the Northeast and Midwest compared to the mild California/Florida?

Thanks in advance, y'all.

 

[Chopr147]

Just be informed
Look through this forum but weed thru some of the mis-information.

For the battery: Older cars have shown very little degradation with climate not even a factor.

It is only a factor when driving. Colder days get less efficient use of the battery.

Check into what your warranty will be. A Tesla w/o a warranty can be a scary proposition.
VERY IMPORTANT: Check your cars history. Some of the 2013-2014 versions have had the drive units replaced
Look into the common issues for those years etc.........
I had a 2012 S for the past week and it is really a great car! Good luck

 

[JimmyMcNulty]

Thanks for the quick response.

So, just ask the CPO advisor for histories on the specific vehicles I'm considering, and avoid if the drive unit has been replaced? Not sure I understand that last part.

Any idea what the common issues are for 2014s?

 

[Gizmotoy]

Take care to check the usual problems with cars from colder climates, like rust intrusion. Much of the Model S is aluminum, so you won't see much on the bodywork, but the suspension parts should be examined.

Drive units could go either way, IMO. The ones that have been replaced, save a few exceptions, are usually good. The ones that haven't been replaced still seem to start getting noisy. So you've got the choice between a vehicle where you know it was bad in the past, but is probably OK now, vs one that is an unknown. I think you'd have a hard time taking one side or the other, IMO.

But that point may be moot. Tesla may or may not provide you with vehicle histories. A few people have gotten them, but mostly Tesla says they won't provide the vehicle's history.

A couple common issues: drivetrain noises, sunroof problems, bent/damaged wheels, creased or dented frunks, and door handle trouble. From there the problems get more diverse. Inspect thoroughly before delivery.

 

[Chopr147]

I am far from an expert. But, I have been on this forum awhile and read about the many drive-units that went bad. They have been replaced with mostly no further issues, that has been my understanding.
So it's a good thing if it was. The drivetrain/battery is covered for 8 years.
Like I said this is a great forum for information. You can learn just about everything about the Tesla right here. I have a 2016 so maybe some members with the earlier models can be more helpful

 

[taminatorv]

There are so many Teslas in California that I wouldn't bother buying a CPO car from anywhere else. The few parts that could corrode will corrode much faster if it is subjected to salt. I bought a CPO car from Buena Park and drove it back up to Fremont. The only problem I've had in 8k miles is a squeaky brake pedal that was fixed with a brake booster replacement. The only history of the car they would share with me was that the driver's side fender was replaced and that was reflected in the price.

If you go by Consumer Reports, 2014 Model S' have the least amount of problems of the owners surveyed with 2012-2015 models.

 

[virtualsmack]

second/third the call out on salt. I would worry more about the elements impacting the car / suspension vs. the battery life.

 

[Mike K]

Fourth on the salt. Having lived in Chicago up until 3 years ago I can attest first hand to how it completely destroys cars. It's generally less of a problem on higher end cars like the Tesla where they are either galvanized or use a lot of aluminum parts but still, if you can avoid it, do.

With respect to the battery, all things equal, a warm climate car is going to be better in the degradation department than a cold climate car. When referring to a battery's useful life, people generally go by how many cycles it has and a cold climate car will have more cycles than a warm climate car with the same mileage. More cycles is bad by the way.

 

[beefnog]

I recently ordered a CPO car. In the beginning of my search I had the same concerns about corrosion. Then I watched videos of Bjorn Nyland putting a hilarious number of miles on a Model S. If his Model S didn't turn to a pile of oxides with all of the salted winter roads, then I don't think mine will. If I'm wrong, well, I'll post pictures.

I ended up selecting a CPO car from New England by pure coincidence. The CPO refurbishment process seems to be quite thorough. I'll try to remember to post to this thread again once I take delivery. As mentioned by others, just make sure to check it over when your car is ready. A mirror on a short rod can let you inspect pretty much an entire car.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I recently ordered a CPO car. In the beginning of my search I had the same concerns about corrosion. Then I watched videos of Bjorn Nyland putting a hilarious number of miles on a Model S. If his Model S didn't turn to a pile of oxides with all of the salted winter roads, then I don't think mine will. If I'm wrong, well, I'll post pictures.

Here's the problem, though: Bjorn hasn't kept any of his cars very long. OP plans on keeping the car long-term.

For those not from the NE or Midwest where it's really bad, on vehicles this new the issue is generally not acute: as in, pieces are rusting off. It's more like things rust together, never to be parted, making what should have been a cheap repair into an expensive one.

For example: I had a Toyota in Ohio where two rear control arms were somehow bent. It was something like a $50 part, and could usually be replaced in 30-60 minutes. Three days and almost $900 later I had new control arms. The bolts were frozen and they had to be very careful not to damage anything else during the extraction process that ensued (a mix of oiling, cutting, and drilling was required).