EV newbie with Teslaesque questions

[TJ313]

Hi, thanks for having me here!My questions are below, but this is my situation:

I have never owned an EV before, but I have driven a few, including a Polestar 2. I really love that car, and I have one on order. The thing is, a number of people have had issues with getting locked out of the car, the key not being recognized, and/or not being able to drive the car. Not a lot, but it's an issue. The nearest service center to me is in Minneapolis, which is four hours away.

This has me worried, so I’m going to monitor that situation for the next couple months and see if they get it sorted out. Given the wait time for an EV these days, I decided to also put an order in on a Tesla model 3. I honestly love both vehicles and would feel happy with either of them.

Questions:

1) I haven’t heard anything bad about Tesla, as far as people getting stranded and not being able to drive the car, but what issues would you say are the most common with the Tesla 3?

2) What about the car do you wish you had known before purchase?

3) It says my car will be delivered between October and January. Should I expect this date to be accurate, or will it likely get pushed back further?

Thanks for reading all of this, and have a good day!

 

[srs5694]

Hi, thanks for having me here!My questions are below, but this is my situation:

I have never owned an EV before, but I have driven a few, including a Polestar 2. I really love that car, and I have one on order. The thing is, a number of people have had issues with getting locked out of the car, the key not being recognized, and/or not being able to drive the car. Not a lot, but it's an issue. The nearest service center to me is in Minneapolis, which is four hours away.

This has me worried, so I’m going to monitor that situation for the next couple months and see if they get it sorted out. Given the wait time for an EV these days, I decided to also put an order in on a Tesla model 3. I honestly love both vehicles and would feel happy with either of them.

Questions:

1) I haven’t heard anything bad about Tesla, as far as people getting stranded and not being able to drive the car, but what issues would you say are the most common with the Tesla 3?

The phone-as-key function on the Model 3 is mostly reliable, but it varies from phone to phone. It helps to have an iPhone or a recent version of Android. My own experience is illustrative: I owned a OnePlus 5t when I took delivery of my Model 3 (in March of 2019), and the phone-as-key functionality has varied from 70% to 95% reliable, depending on the Android version installed, the phase of the Moon, etc. -- it's just randomly gone from quite reliable to sort-of reliable and back again, on a whim. Most recently, that phone has been running Android 10, but it was running earlier versions in the past, and Android 10 was more reliable than earlier versions, on the whole; but even Android 10 was far from perfect. A few months ago, I upgraded to a Google Pixel 6 Plus running Android 12, and it's been much more reliable as a key -- 100%, with one caveat: The Tesla app no longer auto-launches when I restart the phone, and with the Tesla app not running, the phone-as-key function no longer works. (In fact, I started a thread to discuss this issue. The problem seems to be getting worse, and I'm not the only one experiencing the issue.)

I don't know about the Polestar, but with Teslas, the phone is not the only way to unlock the car. Every Model 3 comes with two key cards, similar to the key cards used at hotels. They can unlock the car and enable you to drive it even if your phone doesn't work (if the battery dies, the phone won't boot, etc.). It's strongly advisable to keep a key card with you whenever you drive, just in case you have a problem with your phone. I keep one in my wallet. You'll also need the key card if you park somewhere with valet parking or take the car somewhere to be serviced. (In theory, Tesla service centers don't need the key card, but it streamlines things a bit for them if you can give them the key card.) Tesla also sells an optional key fob that's similar to the fobs that many other cars use. At the time it was introduced, it didn't seem compelling to me, since its functionality was less than the phone-as-key functionality; but I think Tesla may have increased its functionality since then. I haven't researched it in depth, though, so I don't know the details.

2) What about the car do you wish you had known before purchase?

I researched it pretty thoroughly, so there weren't a lot of surprises for me. That said, don't trust Elon Musk's timelines; they're likely to be way off, especially about features that aren't yet fully developed (like FSD-on-city-streets). Tesla robotaxis are still science fiction, and likely will be for several years, although Musk had proclaimed around the time I bought my car that we'd all be able to lease out our cars as robotaxis by now.

3) It says my car will be delivered between October and January. Should I expect this date to be accurate, or will it likely get pushed back further?

Who knows? That's a pretty wide range of dates already, and the global economy and supply chain are still feeling the after-shocks of covid.

 

[Tom.Traxler]

I have owned my Model 3 LR for 10 months now and have about 17,000 miles on it. First and foremost is that I love the car and am happy I bought it. However, there is a lot more road noise than I had expected. A road surface that is not real smooth will make the drive very noisy. Also, I have had persistent rattles in the dashboard and in the driver-side pillar post that Tesla cannot seem to fix after about 5 tries (4-5 on the dashboard; 2-3 on the pillar post). The highway FSD is very good and I trust it; the City Streets FSD leaves a lot to be desired. It is very herky jerky and requires extremely vigilant lookout...but Tesla will work that out one day in the future.
I have never had a problem being stranded and do not have any range anxiety. There have been some minor glitches, such as windshield wipers starting when it is dry and the windshield clean, but rebooting the touchscreen fixes that.
Short answer: get ready for road noise and do not trust City Streets FSD (which is why it is still in beta testing). Also, as Musk himself acknowledges, the touchscreen browser is lousy, at least where I live. It is no faster than using an old dial-up modem.
That said, I would buy the car again. My delivery time last Fall was only 6 weeks.

 

[TJ313]

Wow, thanks a ton so far! I definitely appreciate the long responses that you guys put together for me
Yes, all of the videos that I have watched, which compare the Polestar to the Tesla, agree that the road noise is higher in the Tesla. That’s something I would be willing to live with. Getting stranded isn’t.

 

[chinney]

Owner for two years here. I have never had a problem with the electronic key on a device. But if you are worried about it, keep your key card in your wallet as a backup, such as if you forget to charge your phone.

 

[TJ313]

Owner for two years here. I have never had a problem with the electronic key on a device. But if you are worried about it, keep your key card in your wallet as a backup, such as if you forget to charge your phone.

Thanks for that. I’m sure I would stop worrying about it after a few weeks of things working properly.

 

[jjrandorin]

Thanks for that. I’m sure I would stop worrying about it after a few weeks of things working properly.

I havent read reports of both phone key AND keycard not working on a model 3 or Y, while the car is also out of cellphone range (which would allow someone else with the tesla app connected to that car to open it AND start it.


I cant speak to other EVs in the slightest, but you have to work really really REALLY hard, and almost pre plan it, to create a scenario where you cant open the door on a tesla model 3.

There is NO reason to leave the keycard behind. Its the same as carrying a drivers license, which we all have to carry in the US (legally). Its the same physical size, and fits in a wallet or purse the same way as a drivers license. You can carry it around with you and never use it.

There is the phone as key feature.

There is the fact that the tesla app can open the car if it has cell signal, and the fact not only a family member / friend could have the app on their phone, but in a real bind, you could temporarily install the tesla app on any smartphone long enough to log into your tesla account and open the door / start the car.

So, "being unable to unlock the door" is a much MUCH less likelyhood than just about any other car on the market. If you are talking about the car physically not working at all, its a device with moving parts, of course that can happen, but there are not widespread reports of DOA tesla model 3/Ys.

 

[puckpurnell]

All of the above advice is good. I've had my M3 AWD LR for 3½ years. No problems. Hope you get your car sooner rather than later.

 

[RayK]

Echoing the suggestion that you always carry a backup means of entry into the car. That typically means the keycard or the fob when you use your smartphone as the primary key. I have both. For a good year after I got my car (July 2018) I used the keycard. I finally decided to link my smartphone with the car when I took a trip down to Los Angeles. I've found the reliability somewhat less than 100%; my memory says 90-95%. I believe that I started out with a Samsung Galaxy J3 and know for sure that I also used a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. I've been using a Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro for the last two months. I will say that reliability has improved over the years but there can still be times you're fumbling outside your expensive car looking like a fool since you can't get into it right away. Murphy's Law says that will happen in a pouring rainstorm.

Where you carry your phone has a lot to do with how well it will work for you. If you habitually stick your phone in your rear pants pocket, expect a low QoS. I keep my phone on my right hip using a case and that has been the best for me. But still, at times, the car refuses to acknowledge my (phone's) presence. That's when I press the fob in my pocket. It was an expensive option ($150 or so several years ago) but one that was worth it in my mind. I have the first version that was released as it's a completely non-passive fob. You have to push on the button for the car to unlock. Newer fobs operate much like the smartphone in that it uses bluetooth to connect. You are supposed to be able to walk up and have the car unlock. To me, that version is no better than a smartphone.

I also carry two keycards with me; one in my wallet and the other sandwiched in my phone's case. The wallet card has not seen the light of day in a couple of years. The one in the phone case is handy for the times that I get into my car, diddle around long enough before trying to put the car in Drive and then having the car ask for a keycard to allow operation. Then I just put the phone case over the armrest sensor and I'm good to go (literally).

As far as questions 2 and 3 are concerned.... there's really not much anything that I can think of that I didn't know before buying the car. I took the opportunity to rent one for a weekend. This was Jan. 2018 when the only place I could do that was on turo.com. I found a Tesla employee that was renting his car for about $200/day. Worth the money and convinced me that I was getting the right car. If you haven't already, try and arrange a test drive of the 3.

Tesla does have some problems when it comes to dates. Mostly when things will be available; like FSD. You may be lucky and get the car earlier than expected. Or your expected delivery date (EDD) may be pushed back, one or more times.

I will say that you do need to be aware of the closest Tesla Service Center to you. If the Polestar service is four hours away, where does that put Tesla? It does help that they have mobile service that has the ability to take care of common issues.

edit: Corrected to say "non-passive" fob.

 

[JimShaw]

I have owned a 2019 Tesla SR over two years. Sold it for a profit and in Dec purchased a 2022 M3P

I have NEVER had a problem getting into either cars. I use my cell as the main "key" to open the car and if anything happens to the phone, I wear a special ring that opens the car.

The ONLY problem I have had getting the car going was about 6 weeks after purchasing in 2019. I was away from home. Opened the car to get in and the screen was frozen. It did not function. I could not turn the car on. I was stuck and didn't know what to do.

While sitting and trying to figure out what to do, I remembered something I read in this forum. When the screen freezes, push and hold both the left and right scrolls on the steering wheel until the screen goes blank and then release the scrolls and wait. It seemed like and eternity but all of a sudden the Tesla logo comes on and then the entire screen and you're back on the road. I was sure lucky I remembered what to do. I have had to use the reboot a few times but it always works.

 

[TJ313]

Echoing the suggestion that you always carry a backup means of entry into the car. That typically means the keycard or the fob when you use your smartphone as the primary key. I have both. For a good year after I got my car (July 2018) I used the keycard. I finally decided to link my smartphone with the car when I took a trip down to Los Angeles. I've found the reliability somewhat less than 100%; my memory says 90-95%. I believe that I started out with a Samsung Galaxy J3 and know for sure that I also used a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. I've been using a Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro for the last two months. I will say that reliability has improved over the years but there can still be times you're fumbling outside your expensive car looking like a fool since you can't get into it right away. Murphy's Law says that will happen in a pouring rainstorm.

Where you carry your phone has a lot to do with how well it will work for you. If you habitually stick your phone in your rear pants pocket, expect a low QoS. I keep my phone on my right hip using a case and that has been the best for me. But still, at times, the car refuses to acknowledge my (phone's) presence. That's when I press the fob in my pocket. It was an expensive option ($150 or so several years ago) but one that was worth it in my mind. I have the first version that was released as it's a completely non-passive fob. You have to push on the button for the car to unlock. Newer fobs operate much like the smartphone in that it uses bluetooth to connect. You are supposed to be able to walk up and have the car unlock. To me, that version is no better than a smartphone.

I also carry two keycards with me; one in my wallet and the other sandwiched in my phone's case. The wallet card has not seen the light of day in a couple of years. The one in the phone case is handy for the times that I get into my car, diddle around long enough before trying to put the car in Drive and then having the car ask for a keycard to allow operation. Then I just put the phone case over the armrest sensor and I'm good to go (literally).

As far as questions 2 and 3 are concerned.... there's really not much anything that I can think of that I didn't know before buying the car. I took the opportunity to rent one for a weekend. This was Jan. 2018 when the only place I could do that was on turo.com. I found a Tesla employee that was renting his car for about $200/day. Worth the money and convinced me that I was getting the right car. If you haven't already, try and arrange a test drive of the 3.

Tesla does have some problems when it comes to dates. Mostly when things will be available; like FSD. You may be lucky and get the car earlier than expected. Or your expected delivery date (EDD) may be pushed back, one or more times.

I will say that you do need to be aware of the closest Tesla Service Center to you. If the Polestar service is four hours away, where does that put Tesla? It does help that they have mobile service that has the ability to take care of common issues.

edit: Corrected to say "non-passive" fob.

Wow thanks for that post, good stuff. I think there’s a Tesla service center in Des Moines which is about 50 minutes from me, so that’s way better than four hours with PoleStar. They are pretty new, so there’s only a handful of locations at this point.

 

[TJ313]

I have owned a 2019 Tesla SR over two years. Sold it for a profit and in Dec purchased a 2022 M3P

I have NEVER had a problem getting into either cars. I use my cell as the main "key" to open the car and if anything happens to the phone, I wear a special ring that opens the car.

The ONLY problem I have had getting the car going was about 6 weeks after purchasing in 2019. I was away from home. Opened the car to get in and the screen was frozen. It did not function. I could not turn the car on. I was stuck and didn't know what to do.

While sitting and trying to figure out what to do, I remembered something I read in this forum. When the screen freezes, push and hold both the left and right scrolls on the steering wheel until the screen goes blank and then release the scrolls and wait. It seemed like and eternity but all of a sudden the Tesla logo comes on and then the entire screen and you're back on the road. I was sure lucky I remembered what to do. I have had to use the reboot a few times but it always works.

That’s really good information to keep in mind if that ever happens to me, thank you. Also, I have not heard of wearing a ring as a key. Might be kind of neat.

 

[RayK]

That’s really good information to keep in mind if that ever happens to me, thank you. Also, I have not heard of wearing a ring as a key. Might be kind of neat.

Here's one company that does it: CNICK® - Tesla Key Ring

Basically you remove the "electronics" from a standard keycard and embed it into a ceramic or wooden ring.

 

[3sr+buyer]

Regarding question 1,

what issues would you say are the most common with the Tesla 3?

Common questions on these forums:

• Why is my range so much worse than rated?
  • Driving at high highway speeds (75+ mph).
  • HVAC at extreme outside temperature.
  • Sentry mode and/or cabin overheat protection with AC when parked.
• Why do the tires wear out so quickly?
  • How hard to you press the accelerator?
• How do I minimize battery capacity loss?
  • Minimize the car's time spent at high state-of-charge (> 55% for NCA batteries, > 70% for LFP batteries) if your daily driving can be done comfortably within that amount of charge. Charging to finish just before you drive minimizes the time parked at higher state-of-charge.
  • However, occasional charging to 100% may be needed to keep the battery management system in sync with true state of charge (more of a concern with LFP batteries, which Tesla recommends charging to 100% at least weekly).
  • How much does doing this type of thing matter? Not necessarily easy to tell in actual cars (since there are many other variables, unlike lab testing). LFP batteries probably lose capacity slower than NCA batteries under similar conditions.
  • This question applies to other EVs (many use NCM batteries, which are more similar to NCA batteries in this respect).
• What home charging setup should I install? (Note: this applies to the US.)
  • All new: probably a hardwired Tesla wall connector. However:
    • A third party adapter would be needed if you also want to charge a non-Tesla EV.
    • If you want to bring a portable EVSE (e.g. Tesla mobile connector) for charging at RV campgrounds, vacation cabins, etc., that would be an additional purchase if you do not already have one.
  • If you already have a suitable 240V outlet and/or a plug-in EVSE (Tesla mobile connector or other): a plug-in solution may be less expensive.
  • Charging from a 120V outlet can be done, but will be slow, and if your garage outlet is on the same circuit as other stuff, may need to be even slower to avoid overloading the circuit.
• User interface complaints.

 

[RayK]

Common questions on these forums:

• Why is my range so much worse than rated?
• Why do the tires wear out so quickly?
• How do I minimize battery capacity loss?

First three items can be covered by a single answer you already provided:

• How hard to you press the accelerator?

edit: As with most automobile gas mileage estimates, YMMV. The quoted EPA MPGe figures are best case conditions. People don't normally drive in/at best case conditions.

 

[jjrandorin]

Regarding question 1,

Common questions on these forums:

• Why is my range so much worse than rated?
  • Driving at high highway speeds (75+ mph).
  • HVAC at extreme outside temperature.
  • Sentry mode and/or cabin overheat protection with AC when parked.
• Why do the tires wear out so quickly?
  • How hard to you press the accelerator?
• How do I minimize battery capacity loss?
  • Minimize the car's time spent at high state-of-charge (> 55% for NCA batteries, > 70% for LFP batteries) if your daily driving can be done comfortably within that amount of charge. Charging to finish just before you drive minimizes the time parked at higher state-of-charge.
  • However, occasional charging to 100% may be needed to keep the battery management system in sync with true state of charge (more of a concern with LFP batteries, which Tesla recommends charging to 100% at least weekly).
  • How much does doing this type of thing matter? Not necessarily easy to tell in actual cars (since there are many other variables, unlike lab testing). LFP batteries probably lose capacity slower than NCA batteries under similar conditions.
  • This question applies to other EVs (many use NCM batteries, which are more similar to NCA batteries in this respect).
• What home charging setup should I install? (Note: this applies to the US.)
  • All new: probably a hardwired Tesla wall connector. However:
    • A third party adapter would be needed if you also want to charge a non-Tesla EV.
    • If you want to bring a portable EVSE (e.g. Tesla mobile connector) for charging at RV campgrounds, vacation cabins, etc., that would be an additional purchase if you do not already have one.
  • If you already have a suitable 240V outlet and/or a plug-in EVSE (Tesla mobile connector or other): a plug-in solution may be less expensive.
  • Charging from a 120V outlet can be done, but will be slow, and if your garage outlet is on the same circuit as other stuff, may need to be even slower to avoid overloading the circuit.
• User interface complaints.

This is a really good (and accurate) synopsis. Nice work here

 

[Big Earl]

Hi, thanks for having me here!My questions are below, but this is my situation:

I have never owned an EV before, but I have driven a few, including a Polestar 2. I really love that car, and I have one on order. The thing is, a number of people have had issues with getting locked out of the car, the key not being recognized, and/or not being able to drive the car. Not a lot, but it's an issue. The nearest service center to me is in Minneapolis, which is four hours away.

This has me worried, so I’m going to monitor that situation for the next couple months and see if they get it sorted out. Given the wait time for an EV these days, I decided to also put an order in on a Tesla model 3. I honestly love both vehicles and would feel happy with either of them.

Questions:

1) I haven’t heard anything bad about Tesla, as far as people getting stranded and not being able to drive the car, but what issues would you say are the most common with the Tesla 3?

2) What about the car do you wish you had known before purchase?

3) It says my car will be delivered between October and January. Should I expect this date to be accurate, or will it likely get pushed back further?

Thanks for reading all of this, and have a good day!

Welcome, TJ!

I'm a pretty early Model 3 buyer - one of the first dual motor cars back in the summer of 2018. Phone Key was occasionally problematic early-on, but all of those issues have been resolved. I can't remember the last time I had a problem with it. Even then, I was never locked out of the car, and simply waking the phone up usually solved the problem.

Fast forward to today, it has 160,000 miles and is still going strong. I'm impressed with the build quality and how the interior materials have held up. No, the build quality isn't as nice as a top trim Audi, but it gets the job done and I find it comfortable, reliable, and intuitive.

Road trips are a breeze, in part because the Supercharger network is remarkably robust, and because the Tesla navigation provides you with excellent information. Between unreliable public charging networks and rudimentary infotainment, both of these points are severely lacking in many other EVs.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is range reduction in cold weather. Cabin heating takes a lot of energy, although less so on newer models due to the new heat pump system. If you travel regularly in the winter, I recommend buying the longest-range model you can afford. If you're more of a local traveler and/or you don't take long trips in the winter, a standard-range car might meet your needs just fine.

As for your delivery timeline, I see no reason why Tesla wouldn't be able to meet the estimate they provided you. Best of luck!

 

[3sr+buyer]

edit: As with most automobile gas mileage estimates, YMMV. The quoted EPA MPGe figures are best case conditions. People don't normally drive in/at best case conditions.

I wouldn't say that the EPA numbers are best case, since I beat them with most cars without extreme hypermiling.

However, if you drive at very high speeds on the highway (seems like a common theme around here), you will get worse than the EPA numbers. Similarly, heavier use of the (friction) brakes (e.g. racing up to the red light and than slamming on the brakes at the last instant) will give worse city or traffic jam economy.

 

[DocHolliday]

Welcome, TJ!

I'm a pretty early Model 3 buyer - one of the first dual motor cars back in the summer of 2018. Phone Key was occasionally problematic early-on, but all of those issues have been resolved. I can't remember the last time I had a problem with it. Even then, I was never locked out of the car, and simply waking the phone up usually solved the problem.

Fast forward to today, it has 160,000 miles and is still going strong. I'm impressed with the build quality and how the interior materials have held up. No, the build quality isn't as nice as a top trim Audi, but it gets the job done and I find it comfortable, reliable, and intuitive.

Road trips are a breeze, in part because the Supercharger network is remarkably robust, and because the Tesla navigation provides you with excellent information. Between unreliable public charging networks and rudimentary infotainment, both of these points are severely lacking in many other EVs.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is range reduction in cold weather. Cabin heating takes a lot of energy, although less so on newer models due to the new heat pump system. If you travel regularly in the winter, I recommend buying the longest-range model you can afford. If you're more of a local traveler and/or you don't take long trips in the winter, a standard-range car might meet your needs just fine.

As for your delivery timeline, I see no reason why Tesla wouldn't be able to meet the estimate they provided you. Best of luck!

Hey Big Earl - a couple questions on your 160K mile 3. Have you had any out-of-pocket repairs other than wear items? If you're on the original HV battery, how much degradation have you seen? TIA.

 

[RayK]

I wouldn't say that the EPA numbers are best case, since I beat them with most cars without extreme hypermiling.

Okay, point taken. How about "average" conditions?