Diehard Tesla Fanatic Turning in MX

[alloverx]

Its often stated that the 3rd model year is the one to get to avoid issues after a major re-design. You also have to be aware if a car has been sold overseas for several years before being sold in your market.
Obviously you learnt about the leasing options (that is almost a default for EVs) but that assumes the mileage will work for you.
But really its luck of the draw and obviously some makes have better history than others.

 

[strangecosmos]

Right now we are thinking about replacing the X with either a used S or maybe giving an X another shot but as a lease (will never purchase again). If you don't have a Tesla and are reading this you might say that getting another one is the definition of insanity! The problem is that while it is true that there is nothing like driving a Tesla, there is a limit to the patience us early adopters have. We can't go back to ICE and there are currently no other EV options that have an extensive supercharger network so they have trapped early adopters like me

Consumer Reports rates the Model X as the least reliable vehicle they've tested. So, you are certainly not the only one having issues. However, Consumer Reports also gives the Model S an above-average reliability rating. (The Model 3 is not yet rated.)

So, if you want to stick with driving a Tesla, a Model S might be the way to go. There is apparently a huge difference between the Model X and Model S: the very worst vs. better than most. Or you could wait until the Model 3's reliability is rated. If it's also rated above-average, that could be another option.

Personally, I would not want to buy any car that doesn't have Autopilot Hardware 2. Leasing might be okay. If you a buy a car and then Tesla delivers on full self-driving by 2020 or 2021, the resale value of that car is going to plummet. If you don't care about the resale value, then never mind. But this is a risk to consider.

 

[Kacey Green]

I wonder for Model X what the distribution curve is for days in shop. No idea how many end up as 1-2 days, weeks, or months?

Seems all the buyback stories are cars that are in and out for months. Annoying that 1.) Tesla can’t actually fix it or 2.) It ends up as a lost cause regardless.

For sure it’s better to just launch a Model 3 into space as a payload test than to bother spending diagnostic time to the tune up of months when 100,000 Model 3 could have been built in that time.

Are there stories where Model X’s have spent substantial time in the shop but then end up being great and reliable afterwards?

I’ve had two of those 1 day repair issues myself.

One was o-ring leak draining out the AC coolant. Another was creaking Falcon wing doors. Really nothing and it was one of the very first AP2 Model Xs.

Pretty certain @KOL2000 will have a better second round.

SpaceX launched Elon Musk's Gen1 Roadster as a demo payload, all the Model 3 production cars went to owners, stores/galleries, and regulators.

 

[Peteski]

Consumer Reports rates the Model X as the least reliable vehicle they've tested. So, you are certainly not the only one having issues. However, Consumer Reports also gives the Model S an above-average reliability rating. (The Model 3 is not yet rated.)

So, if you want to stick with driving a Tesla, a Model S might be the way to go. There is apparently a huge difference between the Model X and Model S: the very worst vs. better than most. Or you could wait until the Model 3's reliability is rated. If it's also rated above-average, that could be another option.

I suspect the major difference between S and X reliability is down to the FWDs which no doubt caused a LOT of grief from the start of Model X production, contributing significantly to the very low consumer rating. But now most of those issues have been largely resolved, there is no reason why an X should be inherently less reliable than an S, at least in the first few years from new. Longevity of the complex FWDs still remains unproven. If I was buying for the long term I would have a little more trust in an S for this reason, but not much else. The utility of the X as a family hauler made the risk acceptable for us.

 

[MikeQ]

We have a mid 2017 Model X and have had zero problems. Car was perfect at delivery. The only time it's been back to the SC was when it started pulling to the right. Alignment was off and that was the only issue. I'm amazed by the difference in people's experience.

 

[dethman]

hope you have better luck wih an MX the second time around. new 2018 build MX's are not bulletproof either, many of us have had significant issues at delivery even in the past several months.

i've been driving an ICE SUV over the past 7 days as a road trip with my family in the canadian rockies, honestly i can't say i miss my model X at all. minimal charging options up here, no one in my family has even mentioned the tesla that's back home. rental takes 5 minutes to fill up, don't have to calculate where i'm going, if i will make it there or not, i know there will always be a gas station if i need one. drove 350 miles yesterday, still have 1/4 tank left.

i know lots of you will disagree, but driving an ICE honestly isn't that much diffferent from an EV IMO. and going back to one isn't really bad at all, i still own three gas cars and i drive them all the time.

 

[ohmman]

We have a mid 2017 Model X and have had zero problems. Car was perfect at delivery. The only time it's been back to the SC was when it started pulling to the right. Alignment was off and that was the only issue. I'm amazed by the difference in people's experience.

Unfortunately, that speaks entirely to QC issues at Tesla, which are likely borne out by a continual struggle to make quarterly numbers and reach stable profitability. I've been on this forum for over 4 years and the idea that there are more issues with end-of-quarter vehicles continues to have the same level of validity it did back then. Early on, the service centers could be relied upon to make good on the QC mishaps, but that's reaching the end of utility as the owner base becomes more mainstream and the number of cars on the road increases.

I love my Teslas, but I want everyone else to be able to love theirs as well. Going private would have potentially alleviated some of this (though they still need revenue), but Tesla would do well to improve their factory QA/QC.

 

[jboy210]

I leased for this and other reasons. Tesla currently has the EV SUV market to themselves. However, in 3 years when my lease is up this will not be the case. I will look at getting a new Tesla then, but will also check out the competition. Hopefully by then, potentially loss of customers will force Tesla to up their game, especially on production QC and reliability.

 

[Ormond]

My two year lease is coming to a draw and I'm considering purchasing it. I've had pretty good luck with reliability. I've had a couple flat tires, but that's my bad luck.

I'm considering going back to ice, but I like to sit in my car with the a/c running at times. I would never do this in an ICE vehicle. I hate fumes.

I'd say my Tesla is the most rewarding vehicle I've owned, but the reward isn't without risks.

 

[Merrill]

My wife’s 2016 X has had very few problems, and what ever they were the SC fixed them. Love the car as well as my 2013 Model S

 

[TexasRat]

I suspect the major difference between S and X reliability is down to the FWDs which no doubt caused a LOT of grief from the start of Model X production, contributing significantly to the very low consumer rating. But now most of those issues have been largely resolved, there is no reason why an X should be inherently less reliable than an S, at least in the first few years from new. Longevity of the complex FWDs still remains unproven. If I was buying for the long term I would have a little more trust in an S for this reason, but not much else. The utility of the X as a family hauler made the risk acceptable for us.

Little more? I have a LOT more trust in the S over the X. But I bought the X anyway. Here's hoping I don't regret that

 

[TexasRat]

I don't understand the appeal of leasing. The residual value calculated isn't all that much better than what you'd get if you just sold it if you wanted to get rid of the car. I just don't like being weighted down by worries of damage and mileage. I leased once and I swore I'd never do it again.

To each their own though. I am hoping this 2018 tesla will last me 5 - 10 years so I can see what the third generation of EV is like, rather than this upcoming year. I don't think anything could be released that would make me want to give up my current X to be honest. Battery range is overrated for me personally, who is an in-town commuter. I drive maybe 20 - 30 miles a day and charging works just fine for me. I drive maybe 50 miles a day on the weekend, so more range is lost on me.

What could be coming that would make a 1st gen model X obsolete? People say FSD / AP3 will devalue the car, but some of us don't fully trust the system of autopilot yet. I guess I'll just grab some popcorn and see what happens as the next few years unfold.

I will say though ... it seems like selling a tesla is a pain in the butt. You basically will lose any tax break you could get because of the fact that tesla lowballs you on tesla trade-ins and doesn't match carmax? Ah well. water under the bridge at this point in time, can't do anything about it.

 

[mkspeedr]

My 2018 P100D X is still trouble free - 3 months into beating...I mean driving it.

The appeal of leasing - my company car - turn it in - get a new car. I hate the process of selling cars.

 

[TexasRat]

My 2018 P100D X is still trouble free - 3 months into beating...I mean driving it.

The appeal of leasing - my company car - turn it in - get a new car. I hate the process of selling cars.

I can see the appeal if it's a company car for sure! I don't own a business so I'll stick w/ financing

 

[wamochi]

we owned our first model S, a pretty nicely optioned 60. i sold it back to tesla less than 2 years later when i decided to get the insane lease deal on the P90D. i lost more money owning that 60 than i did leasing the P90D in the same amount of time. i got no bites from this forum (it was a pre-AP 60) and tesla offered me more than carmax. keep in mind that in CA you pay sales tax on the entire purchase price, so in the luxury car market, you are paying 8% tax on the residual value of a car you may not use if you end up selling after 3 years. (if you lease, you only pay tax on the portion you use, so if your residual is 90k, that saves you $7200 right there.)

so i don't think i'll ever own one again. the technology changes so fast and i don't want to be stuck with another pre-(fill in the blank) missing option that makes it a car that no one wants. plus i'm self employed and it gives me a tax break

 

[TexasRat]

In Texas, you can apply the trade-in value of a financed vehicle -> financed vehicle or lease -> lease, but not lease -> finance and vice versa. I learned that the hard way and got boned by taxes that would have been fine with had I financed my car instead of leasing it. Sounds like the tax laws vary largely between states, so I can see why leasing is appealing if you live in CA (from what I've read so far in this thread).

Y'all need to move to Texas. You guys pay too much out there

I also bought my X in hopes that I'll actually keep the car a very long time. 4 years is the longest I've ever owned a car, but I'm hoping to completely shatter that record with this car! As long as the car doesn't fall apart, I think that can easily happen.

 

[P85_DA]

I also bought my X in hopes that I'll actually keep the car a very long time. 4 years is the longest I've ever owned a car, but I'm hoping to completely shatter that record with this car! As long as the car doesn't fall apart, I think that can easily happen.

Lol I know u came from Lexus RX that’s my wife’s car of choice she won’t trade for a Tesla the Lexus has been way too reliable ..not sure my Tesla will ever match but I wouldn’t drive anything else but an X ...

 

[neverdone]

We have an early X (vin 274). Been in the SC for minor repairs (i.e. replace door latches). I read about all these problems that others have had and we have had very little problems. We have about 44K miles. Multiple road trips from Colorado to California, and to Texas, Louisiana. Been to over 100 superchargers. Our major expense is tires. We plan to keep this car for another 4 years. We love this car.

 

[TexasRat]

Lol I know u came from Lexus RX that’s my wife’s car of choice she won’t trade for a Tesla the Lexus has been way too reliable ..not sure my Tesla will ever match but I wouldn’t drive anything else but an X ...

It's pretty hard to go back to the RX now that I'm in an X. The reliability is nice, but we will have to see how things pan out.

 

[strangecosmos]

I suspect the major difference between S and X reliability is down to the FWDs which no doubt caused a LOT of grief from the start of Model X production, contributing significantly to the very low consumer rating. But now most of those issues have been largely resolved, there is no reason why an X should be inherently less reliable than an S, at least in the first few years from new.

The Consumer Reports reliability rating is updated every year. The latest one was released in October 2017, so it’s pretty recent. I’m guessing we’ll get a new reliability rating around the same time this year, so we’ll see if there’s been much improvement. Maybe Tesla has turned things around.