Considering a Used Tesla, what should I expect?

[CardGuy]

So I have been thinking about buying a used Tesla, either a CPO or from a private seller. I am thinking something along the lines of a 13 or 14 85, something in the 30-50k miles range.

If I get CPO I would get a 50k limited warranty, which I cant get a reply back from Tesla on what that means exactly, and some of them I could buy the extended warranty.

I am dying to get an EV, and I am sure I would enjoy driving it, but what I am trying to figure out is what should I expect from a repair standpoint?

I have read about the door handles issue, and various other issues.

Can I expect these to be reliable enough to have as a primary car?

Should I expect to put so much money on it annually that I am better off buying a new one?

 

[shelbri]

I have an 2014 85 which is about to hit 70k miles. Other than some initial warranty issues up front such as pano roof alignment and bearing issue with drive unit the car has been flawless - I have not spent anything on repairs. I have had to replace a set of tires, I also bought a set of winter tires and I have replaced the wiper blades.

With battery and drive motor warrantied for 8yrs and unlimited miles, I think mileage is less relevant with EVs. Electronics seem to die random, they can die quickly or last for ages.

Build quality has improved over time so the newer the better.

 

[jaguar36]

Its rather rare for a Tesla to break so badly that it leaves you stranded, however its quite common to have issues that require service, particularly, door handles, 12V battery, Pano Roof, and the drive unit. These issues are almost always expensive out of warranty, so there is some real value in the CPO warranty. The extended warranty has a $200 deductible and is less comprehensive. I would estimate that the CPO warranty is worth about $5000, and the 4-year extended warranty is worth about $4000. There is also some value in purchasing a vehicle directly from Tesla beyond the CPO or warranty as they tend to stand behind them more than a private party would.

 

[Yarder]

The one in the picture is my used 2015 70D. I got it off eBay. I had test driven probably a half dozen other cars so I knew what they felt like on the road and what the interior was. I had probably been looking for two years, studying the various options and features. So, I pretty much knew what I wanted. Then it was a waiting game to jump on the one that met my desires. I made a descending list of the options that I wanted in order. So, when I looked at a unit, I could objectively reject or pursue it. In my case, in order, I didn't get the adjustable suspension, the winter package, the light package, motorized rear lift gate or the sound package. But, by buying used, I got a center console, rear spoiler, custom black wrap on the outside, custom green brake calipers, sunshades for the roof, and a front windshield sunshade. Oh, and he put on 21 inch wheels and rims. And about 20k less than the CPO units.

Needless to say, I'm very, very happy!

 

[Manzacoty]

I bought a high mileage used 2013 with no ESA or CPA warranty. I've only had the car for 2 months and put 5k miles on it but I was able to see the service records for what has been done in it's 90k life.

New drive unit at 60k - warranty
New door handles - good will
New screen at 86k - ($1k - paid out of pocket)
New windshield at 86k ($1k - paid out of pocket) - could have had covered by insurance but it was damaged when I bought it.
New TPMS sensors 88k - ($300 paid out of pocket) - could have gotten cheaper but I didn't want to mess with it.
New 12v battery at 85k - repaired by Tesla before sale

If you sleep better at night knowing you have a warranty then spend the extra money and get a new/CPO. My personal opinion is the warranty is priced so as a whole, they will make money and repairs won't be more than $4k. I paid about $60k less than new and about $12k less if I were to buy as a CPO (I'm estimating as they won't sell a CPO with as many miles as I have). My thought is have about $12k to spend before I realize I made the wrong decision. I'm about $1,300 into covered repairs and when you back out the deductible, I'm in $900.

All depends on your risk tolerance.

I also believe they are reliable enough to use as a daily driver. We have two cars in our household with two drivers. I did opt for rental car coverage on my insurance as body repairs can take a while...

Good luck - I would 100% do everything over again!

 

[Vitold]

The one in the picture is my used 2015 70D. I got it off eBay. I had test driven probably a half dozen other cars so I knew what they felt like on the road and what the interior was. I had probably been looking for two years, studying the various options and features. So, I pretty much knew what I wanted. Then it was a waiting game to jump on the one that met my desires. I made a descending list of the options that I wanted in order. So, when I looked at a unit, I could objectively reject or pursue it. In my case, in order, I didn't get the adjustable suspension, the winter package, the light package, motorized rear lift gate or the sound package. But, by buying used, I got a center console, rear spoiler, custom black wrap on the outside, custom green brake calipers, sunshades for the roof, and a front windshield sunshade. Oh, and he put on 21 inch wheels and rims. And about 20k less than the CPO units.

Needless to say, I'm very, very happy!

So buying a Tesla is like getting married?

 

[Max*]

So buying a Tesla is like getting married?

Only if you mail-order your bride.

 

[Az_Rael]

I bought a 2013 CPO P85 from Tesla. The CPO buying process is an exercise in faith in that you put money down on a car that you don't get to see and might turn out to have issues. Luckily for me, even though my first CPO ordered (a 2014 S85) turned out to be damaged when Tesla retrieved it from the loaner fleet, they were very upfront about it and gave me several options (getting my money back, choosing a different car, etc). The car I ended up buying was in great shape for a 40k mile vehicle and Tesla even left most of the previous owner's full wrap on for me (they took off the frunk portion to fix a frunk dent).

If I get CPO I would get a 50k limited warranty, which I cant get a reply back from Tesla on what that means exactly, and some of them I could buy the extended warranty

The CPO warranty is essentially the same as the new car warranty as far as I can tell and can be found here: https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model-s-preowned-warranty.pdf

The mileage starts on the day you pick your car up, which is nice. I don't think you can buy an extended warranty if its a CPO (vs an inventory car)

 

[myblubu]

I think buying one in that range (date and mileage) is a good spot to get a lot of car for your money. The biggest hits in depreciation have already been been factored in on cars in that range. You're also right to check to see if ones you are considering have had the known issues taken care of.

If you decide to move in that direction, I have a 2013 P85 that I'm selling - Service Center has updated all of the known issues with the latest generation parts (latest generation door handles, rear lights, drive motor, etc). People constantly believe it's a 2016. I've bought 4 Teslas and have learned that it really pays to have a good relationship with your service adviser. A good one will keep you informed of things you might want them to address 'before' you have issues with them and 'need' them addressed. I've bought lots of cares of various makes over the years and always tried to make sure I had a good relationship with the service adviser and most kept me informed about service bulletins that could potentially apply to my vehicle before I even asked about or experienced the issue.

Here's the ad for the 2013 P85 if you decide to go that way:
2013 Tesla Model S P85 Performance

 

[CardGuy]

I think buying one in that range (date and mileage) is a good spot to get a lot of car for your money. The biggest hits in depreciation have already been been factored in on cars in that range. You're also right to check to see if ones you are considering have had the known issues taken care of.

If you decide to move in that direction, I have a 2013 P85 that I'm selling - Service Center has updated all of the known issues with the latest generation parts (latest generation door handles, rear lights, drive motor, etc). People constantly believe it's a 2016. I've bought 4 Teslas and have learned that it really pays to have a good relationship with your service adviser. A good one will keep you informed of things you might want them to address 'before' you have issues with them and 'need' them addressed. I've bought lots of cares of various makes over the years and always tried to make sure I had a good relationship with the service adviser and most kept me informed about service bulletins that could potentially apply to my vehicle before I even asked about or experienced the issue.

Here's the ad for the 2013 P85 if you decide to go that way:
2013 Tesla Model S P85 Performance

If you were closer, I would be very interested in this car.

 

[myblubu]

If you were closer, I would be very interested in this car.

I could arrange for delivery