Going to Test Drive a Model S tomorrow...what do I need to know?

[Buddyroe]

So, what do I need to check on this car? Growing up, my daddy always said to check the oil because that would be a good indication of how the person takes care of the car. I don't think that's gonna work tomorrow.

- What should I check?
- Is there any way to see how many times the battery has been charged to 100% (or greater than 90)?
- anyway to check the health of the battery?
- if I can't charge the battery, can I extrapolate the rated miles based on the percentage of the battery remaining?
- anything else I can check in the "computer" to get useful info on the car?

Any help you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

BTW - it's a Dec 2014 85 with AP1 (I don't even know how to engage autopilot!!! )

 

[Chaserr]

Have the seller charge to 100% before you arrive and see what the rated range is, that will tell you how much degradation the pack has sustained. How many times is irrelevant, if it was only charged to 100% one time when it was 0 days old, but left to sit at 100% every day since then, the battery would be badly degraded. Meanwhile if it was 100% charged every day but driven immediately after without sitting, degradation will be negligible and potentially not noticeable from background.

This leads to another of your questions: The best way to gauge battery is to 100% charge it. Supercharge if you have a few hours on a test drive and want to kill 1 of them waiting to get to 100. The best way to calibrate battery is go to single digit % then 100% so th e pack knows its bounds and gives you real numbers. If the car shows % rather than miles of range (as it should, % is better the miles number always lies) you can change it in settings / units. Use rated, ideal lies to you even more flagrantly.

Pull back on the AP stick twice to engage autopilot. It'll tell you it's on.

 

[johnster007]

The only thing you need to know is that you are going to buy it.

 

[luwx]

The only thing you need to know is that you are going to buy it.

And enjoy it!

 

[mcbarnet007]

in my experience, extrapolate the rated miles based on the percentage of the battery remaining is decent enough estimation of what 100% will look like. But remember you have 8 years unlimited miles warranty on the motor as well as battery so there isn't much to worry about.

 

[Buddyroe]

Great information so far. Thank you all.

LOL on the "you are going to buy it" comment. I hope you're right. The only way I won't buy it is if it isn't in good shape (paint, interior, etc).

I can see from this pic that the corner of that trim piece is messed up a little. I hope that isn't indicative of the condition of the interior.

 

[JasJ]

Great information so far. Thank you all.

LOL on the "you are going to buy it" comment. I hope you're right. The only way I won't buy it is if it isn't in good shape (paint, interior, etc).

I can see from this pic that the corner of that trim piece is messed up a little. I hope that isn't indicative of the condition of the interior.

That's a common wear spot when you get in and out of the car.

 

[Chaserr]

Very common. The outer lip to seat section is pretty wide so people tend to sort of fall in. It's not as bad as the Roadster / Elise that is almost funny to watch people try to navigate for the first time, but it's pretty wide.

 

[nico180]

When buying I would check the VIN with tesla SeC.

They can not provide you with all details, but they have all details, maybe they can provide some.

Second thought: with current owner do a Testdrive an have the car check at Tesla SeC. But that would be only possible when nearby sec.

 

[doubleohwhat]

Ask to see service records. If the car hasn't been serviced in the past year, ask the seller to have the car serviced prior to purchasing. Tesla will catch most major issues during a service visit and document them. So service records will give you an idea of what the car has had repaired, etc.

Depending on the miles, the car may still be under warranty.

Do you have any more photos, a list of options it has and/or the price?

 

[jjh1234]

You may find those first gen front seats uncomfortable. It's one of the reasons I sold mine. Very little thigh support because of round front.

 

[Buddyroe]

@doubleohwhat The car is at a dealership. I have called Tesla and gotten the service information - always serviced on time, had the motor replaced in 2016, and the back glass replaced. Also, it is under the original warranty for 10,500 more miles and 14 months. I can't add the extended warranty because I am buying the car through a 3rd party. But, I feel like I am buying the car for a price low enough to justify not being able to buy the extended warranty (since the battery and motor warranty go for 5 more years).

Here's the original window sticker and a link to the listing that has pictures. The price is $48,500. I have a deposit on it, that's why it shows as SOLD.

2014 Mode S 85 w AP1

 

[Buddyroe]

When buying I would check the VIN with tesla SeC.

They can not provide you with all details, but they have all details, maybe they can provide some.

Second thought: with current owner do a Testdrive an have the car check at Tesla SeC. But that would be only possible when nearby sec.

Unfortunately, it is at a dealership, and pretty far from a SeC. Tesla has told me that the motor and back glass were replaced in 2016.

 

[doubleohwhat]

Based on everything you've posted and the info on the dealer website, it appears to be a fair deal. My thoughts:

1) I'd expect Tesla to list that car around 62K in their CPO program.

2) The interior wear you pointed out above is a common wear point as mentioned by others. You can have this repaired. Tesla could most likely replace the part at a cost. However, a good leather repair shop will make that spot disappear with no color match issues. Call Tesla Marietta and they can probably send you to a someone they recommend. Btw, Greg at Tesla Marietta is awesome. He'll often be the one answering the phone when you call the service number.

3) Obviously charge the car and check the battery capacity but also keep the warranty in mind.

If you can't charge the car all the way up, you can calculate the miles based on the "miles" (rated - do not use "ideal") and the percentage readings.

Brand new, the EPA number for that car is 265 (miles). However, you're not going to get that number except in ideal conditions with a light foot. Also, unless the car has recently been drained to single digits (percentage) and then charged fully, the miles calculation may be off a bit (lower than actual).

If I were buying this car, I'd be happy with a rated range of 255 miles or higher (knowing the calibration is likely off). However, it'll probably be a bit higher. Based on the number of miles, I'd expect only 1-2% battery degradation as long as it hasn't been left at 100% for long periods.

If the car is charged to 100% when you arrive at the dealership, ask how long it has been at that state of charge. If they charged it up that morning for your test drive then that's fine. If they've kept it on a charger and had it at 100% for a month then I would personally want the battery drained low and then charged all the way up to see what the rated range is after a calibration.

Basically, these batteries last a lot longer than you would think as long as they aren't abused.

4) Before driving off with the car, make sure the mobile charger works.

5) Keep in mind that the 12-volt battery may not be happy if the car has been sitting for a while. If an error related to that battery pops up during the test drive, it's a likely a non-issue. Those freaking things die all the time and Tesla has gotten quite good at replacing them quickly (~5 minutes). My 9/16 model s has chewed through three of them. Personally, I plan on letting Tesla replace them like candy until my warranty expires. Then I plan on switching to something like this:
element3batteries

6) Above all, keep in mind the car is under warranty. If you find an issue, check with Tesla about getting it fixed under warranty before considering it a deal-breaker.

 

[Lasttoy]

Watch all the you tube videos on how to operate all the controls. This will teach you how to drive it and what to expect. We can tell you, but seeing it works better. I watched everyone of them. It made the test much better.

 

[Buddyroe]

@doubleohwhat

Thank you SO MUCH for taking time to write up all that information. I really appreciate.

And everyone else too. The Tesla community is awesome.

 

[nico180]

Also check if the car has supercharger enabled, some where sold without supercharger option

 

[DriveMe]

BTW - it's a Dec 2014 85

That’s when the VIN was assigned. I see the actual production, according to the sticker took place in February 2015. So, essentially you are getting a 2015 car!

 

[Buddyroe]

Also check if the car has supercharger enabled, some where sold without supercharger option

The window sticker has a line “SuperCharging” and says Included. Could it be revoked?

 

[doubleohwhat]

Nah, you're good. Tesla only revokes supercharger access on salvage cars and sometimes for people who dig a bit too deep into the inner workings of a car.