ah, so maybe waiting until January will be a better choice? It's hard to be patient because I have a preapproaval for an auto loan but maybe there will be more selection then?
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Looking for an older Model S - Do I understand the differences? What amenities can I skip?
- Thread starter OldCreek
- Start date
It has been incredibly difficult to confirm anything with Tesla. I've found two cars that seem to have what I'm looking for, but when I've called Tesla with the Vin, they refused to confirm what autopilot software the car had and if it came with unlimited super charging.
Thank you for this, it has really shed a light on the current market. I keep seeing two owner cars that are listed "sold at auction" on the carfax- which I initially took to mean it was repossessed. I see know it could have been a trade in with Tesla.
Forgive my ignorance, but is SC01 a code that I can somehow verify with the car's system? I haven't been able to get any info by calling Tesla and asking with the VIN.SC01 is the transferable free supercharging.
Tesla Supercharging FAQ
Ultimate Tesla supercharging FAQ. We tell you what you need to knowtesla-info.com
But if you will mainly charge at home with local driving, then free supercharging will mean less.
Yes, thank you for this. That is where my confusion came in. I learned about FUSC by reading this forum and I guess I'm just at a loss of how to truly confirm before purchase.
I recently bough a 2015 model S with FUSC and EAP from another forum member. Before I gave him the check he reset the car to factory settings and then released the car from his ownership through the app. I was then able to use the vin to assign the car to myself through the app. I then went to a super charger and charged it up to 100%. I drove it from Virginia to Florida using super chargers along the whole trip and it worked the whole way. Ive had the car almost 2 weeks now and used FUSC just yesterday with no issues.
houstonian
ಠ_ಠ
If you could go for any option, I’d go for an early build 2017 S75D or 2017 S100D. The 75 will be cheaper, I assume, than the 100 and be fine for ATL daily driving.
There’s also a seat change in there too; I think Jan 2017 and on have the current - or at least the immediate predecessor to the current - seat vs the second generation seat made by Recaro.
This should be stickied to the top of every subforum on here.
I got a 2015 with FUSC and some warranty left since it was a CPO at one point. Private party sale, it appeared in my Tesla account on my drive to go pick up the car once the seller figured out how to do it.
I had a few nitpicky things replaced for free - some of which frustratingly took Tesla SC several tries to make right - rearview mirror, door handle, window switches..... My panoramic sunroof has been great so far but I need to lubricate it as it complains when I open it fully. I also added a EVOffer power frunk that makes it so much easier to use, no worries of denting the hood when closing it incorrectly or getting fingerprints on the paint there. Occasionally I'll get a jealous looking "WOW" at a supercharger which is alone worth the cost and effort.
I also recommend Turo-ing a 2016 one if possible.
I also saw the $$$$ savings with "free unlimited lifetime supercharging" when I was shopping, and the local "experts" in an owners club were like NO NO NO you CAN'T only supercharge it every day! You will kill the battery!!!
- You're not going to supercharge it to 100%, after 80% it won't be worth the time as it gets real slow and the AC works very hard to keep the almost filled battery cool while supercharging
- Wasn't supercharging every day either. 2-3x a week.
- Charging it to 80% is not much stress on the battery
- I look at it this way, yes it will suck to replace the battery but I did order a 057 warranty to at least delay that huge expense by a couple years if it even is going to happen. And if I do have to spend 15-20k on a new battery one day "for a car that's only worth that much" then for the cost of a used Camry I will have a Tesla Model S with basically a new most-of-the-drivetrain.
- I saw the 120kW charging speeds of the 85kWh battery and only learned after I bought the car that Tesla throttled supercharging speeds way down. If I arrive with a low state of charge - don't be in the habit of doing that - and the car reconditioned for faster charging, then it will kiss 120kW before ramping down. I think the 1000kWh batteries charge faster, and aren't throttled. 85 was the most common size it seems, and Tesla got tired of replacing 85kWh batteries under warranty. Oh well it is free instead of lying in bed watching youtube I sit in my car and do that - on my phone since I have MCU1 still but can upgrade later - or do my private pilot groundschool course or otherwise make my time semi-productive.
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My first Tesla was a 2017 RWD with a 75 battery. It had decent power and range was doable. We uses to top off at a local supercharger while eating a breakfast sandwich we brought with us and go do some day tripping. It was about spot on with the estimated range doing back road driving. I really miss that car.
When it comes to FSD, there may be a hidden expense. I just purchased a 2018 M3 with Enhanced autopilot. If I were to upgrade to FSD or subscribe, it mentions a $1,000 fee to upgrade the A/P hardware, so keep that in mind.
At your price point, have you considered something other than a model S? I've owned the Model S and just traded in our Model Y 2020 for a Model 3 2018. I currently have a MX. As I mention before, I miss the S but the Model 3 is really scratching that itch. Sure it's smaller in every way but that also makes it more nimble and very fun to drive for it is also a RWD, long range. The S and 3 are the type of vehicle that you get down in and that's ok. Think of how you would getting in and out of a corvette. Our Model Y was everything a 3 is but you can say easier to get in and out. You basically slide in rather than getting down in. My wife drives the X and she thinks the M3 is well, I'll say it, a clown car. She rides with me in the M3 but not her favorite. She feels like she is sitting on the road.
I hope that offers you some prospective. Best of luck in your research. I will say this. Any tesla is fun to drive and fun to own. The phone app is 25% ownership that is never factored in but it makes owning and driving a Tesla such a joy. Even back in 2017 with our MS, it was down right awesome to move the car forward and back from the app. Then with our MX, Smart summon was wicked amazing with the phone app.
When it comes to FSD, there may be a hidden expense. I just purchased a 2018 M3 with Enhanced autopilot. If I were to upgrade to FSD or subscribe, it mentions a $1,000 fee to upgrade the A/P hardware, so keep that in mind.
At your price point, have you considered something other than a model S? I've owned the Model S and just traded in our Model Y 2020 for a Model 3 2018. I currently have a MX. As I mention before, I miss the S but the Model 3 is really scratching that itch. Sure it's smaller in every way but that also makes it more nimble and very fun to drive for it is also a RWD, long range. The S and 3 are the type of vehicle that you get down in and that's ok. Think of how you would getting in and out of a corvette. Our Model Y was everything a 3 is but you can say easier to get in and out. You basically slide in rather than getting down in. My wife drives the X and she thinks the M3 is well, I'll say it, a clown car. She rides with me in the M3 but not her favorite. She feels like she is sitting on the road.
I hope that offers you some prospective. Best of luck in your research. I will say this. Any tesla is fun to drive and fun to own. The phone app is 25% ownership that is never factored in but it makes owning and driving a Tesla such a joy. Even back in 2017 with our MS, it was down right awesome to move the car forward and back from the app. Then with our MX, Smart summon was wicked amazing with the phone app.
houstonian
ಠ_ಠ
Agree. SCing to 100% does not make sense unless you’ve got an immediate need. Expect 1h40m to go from 5% → 100% in a S75.
Discovered this to NOT be the case. Being above 55%, particularly in hot climates, stresses the battery. See this for more info: Do lower-power Supercharger locations reduce strain on the battery pack?
Edited to add this link too: Range Loss Over Time, What Can Be Expected, Efficiency, How to Maintain Battery Health
The 75’s could briefly get to ~136kWh. Did not note any throttling over 215k on my S. Battery has ~11% loss, in the expected range. 25% of charging came from SCing, 75% non supercharging BUT do note: I kept the battery around 60-80%; have come to understand this was not optimal (see the prior link for the details).
Nice. This is on my long-term bucket list.
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This quarter meaning July, august, sept. I suspect there will be more cars for sale now but I haven’t tracked it.
I doubt you’d get free unlimited supercharging if buying from Tesla. Only from private party. (Sometimes even buying from a dealer can end up you losing free supercharging since it changed hands again.). But if Tesla offers some sort of purchase warranty on the used vehicle, that may be more beneficial. I don’t know if they do.
Don't delay. You need to pass a medical exam and health does not generally improve with age for most people. I put it off way too long.
As long as you're now looking at 2016+ then I'll leave out a mention about hearing that the pre 2015 models are more likely to be trouble-prone.
Other thoughts I had reading through and am about 3 months in to my 2015 85D ownership:
-You and your Mom should definitely try one out for a test drive and confirm you think you'll like it. It's definitely a different way of thinking about things in a lot of ways. I like mine mostly. Which is pretty much what I expected, going in with mixed feelings.
-"Unnecessary expensive repairs" are hard to predict. Especially if you're going to be going to the service center for repairs. It might be fine, but you can easily end up with thousands of dollars of repairs depending on your luck.
-I've heard of sunroof/moonroofs leaking on every sort of car since they've existed. Maybe it's just my luck but so far I've never had a problem with any that I've had. Well, to be fair, the one on my S right now does sometimes want a little help to close if opened 100%. But it's never leaked yet.
-The software that comes with the car is updated over the air. That basically means that you may get better or worse items in your car depending on what updates come next. Just like with a smart phone. As far as the items you can add on later... That depends on what you have/what you want, etc. It's definitely not open-ended like that you can get a 2013 and just order up the current full self-driving...
-You can get replacement batteries, either third party used, or used or new from Tesla. But you're probably looking at around $7K at the bottom end and over $20K at the upper. As for WHEN it happens, that's hard to tell. I've seen reports of 29K miles, over 300K miles and everywhere in between...
-Free supercharging depends entirely on your situation. If you can cheaply charge at home then sure. Most of what I've seen is that if you pay for supercharging the rates are in the ballpark of what I'd pay for gas in my Prius to go a similar distance.
-Battery size and range are VERY subjective... I'd generally recommend along the lines of having double the range of whatever you think you want... It generally only goes down faster. Rare that you'll get more than listed... I.e. Mine's an 85KWh pack. Which came with 81KWH usable. And is now down almost 20% to about 66KWH. Then if you want even the lowest miles listed for range on the screen you better not be using heat, going uphill or going over 65mph...
-The performance models: My 85D is the fastest car I've had, so I've no need for more. And more importantly to me, the performance and RWD models use larger motors that are water cooled which generally always leak at some point and require rebuilding...
Other thoughts I had reading through and am about 3 months in to my 2015 85D ownership:
-You and your Mom should definitely try one out for a test drive and confirm you think you'll like it. It's definitely a different way of thinking about things in a lot of ways. I like mine mostly. Which is pretty much what I expected, going in with mixed feelings.
-"Unnecessary expensive repairs" are hard to predict. Especially if you're going to be going to the service center for repairs. It might be fine, but you can easily end up with thousands of dollars of repairs depending on your luck.
-I've heard of sunroof/moonroofs leaking on every sort of car since they've existed. Maybe it's just my luck but so far I've never had a problem with any that I've had. Well, to be fair, the one on my S right now does sometimes want a little help to close if opened 100%. But it's never leaked yet.
-The software that comes with the car is updated over the air. That basically means that you may get better or worse items in your car depending on what updates come next. Just like with a smart phone. As far as the items you can add on later... That depends on what you have/what you want, etc. It's definitely not open-ended like that you can get a 2013 and just order up the current full self-driving...
-You can get replacement batteries, either third party used, or used or new from Tesla. But you're probably looking at around $7K at the bottom end and over $20K at the upper. As for WHEN it happens, that's hard to tell. I've seen reports of 29K miles, over 300K miles and everywhere in between...
-Free supercharging depends entirely on your situation. If you can cheaply charge at home then sure. Most of what I've seen is that if you pay for supercharging the rates are in the ballpark of what I'd pay for gas in my Prius to go a similar distance.
-Battery size and range are VERY subjective... I'd generally recommend along the lines of having double the range of whatever you think you want... It generally only goes down faster. Rare that you'll get more than listed... I.e. Mine's an 85KWh pack. Which came with 81KWH usable. And is now down almost 20% to about 66KWH. Then if you want even the lowest miles listed for range on the screen you better not be using heat, going uphill or going over 65mph...
-The performance models: My 85D is the fastest car I've had, so I've no need for more. And more importantly to me, the performance and RWD models use larger motors that are water cooled which generally always leak at some point and require rebuilding...
"At your price point, have you considered something other than a model S? I've owned the Model S and just traded in our Model Y 2020 for a Model 3 2018. I currently have a MX. As I mention before, I miss the S but the Model 3 is really scratching that itch. Sure it's smaller in every way but that also makes it more nimble and very fun to drive for it is also a RWD, long range. The S and 3 are the type of vehicle that you get down in and that's ok. Think of how you would getting in and out of a corvette. Our Model Y was everything a 3 is but you can say easier to get in and out. You basically slide in rather than getting down in. My wife drives the X and she thinks the M3 is well, I'll say it, a clown car. She rides with me in the M3 but not her favorite. She feels like she is sitting on the road.At your price point, have you considered something other than a model S? I've owned the Model S and just traded in our Model Y 2020 for a Model 3 2018. I currently have a MX. As I mention before, I miss the S but the Model 3 is really scratching that itch. Sure it's smaller in every way but that also makes it more nimble and very fun to drive for it is also a RWD, long range. The S and 3 are the type of vehicle that you get down in and that's ok. Think of how you would getting in and out of a corvette. Our Model Y was everything a 3 is but you can say easier to get in and out. You basically slide in rather than getting down in. My wife drives the X and she thinks the M3 is well, I'll say it, a clown car. She rides with me in the M3 but not her favorite. She feels like she is sitting on the road."
Thank you for taking the time to say this. Your statements prompted me to schedule 3 test drives today and it was very helpful in narrowing down what I do and don't want. and... it raised some concerns I'm hoping y'all can allay here.
First, I absolutely adore the 2023 Model S. I know from my previous experiences that the interface and options wont be exactly the same in an older model that is within my budget- but I love the profile ( is that the word for how it sits and the way the metal beams inclose the car?) and I also really didn't like the glass roof. The sales associate said there are aftermarket "shades" that can be applied, but it seems silly to have a car with a feature that I'd rather not have.
Second, I can see where you are coming from in encouraging me to consider a Model 3. I could get a new one with a warranty for the same budget that I have for a used Model S. I just didn't like the size or profile.
and finally, I had a great time in the show room. I was able to ask tons of questions and I was treated really well. But.. and this is where my concern comes in - When I went home to discuss the matter with my husband and mother, I called back and was hung up on 5 times. I called back and was sent to a full mailbox. I finally had to call a different dealership in Miami to get an answer about the financing process. Is this typical? I know Tesla is very much a "do it all online" company- but... this seemed really alarming as an indicator of possible issues to come.
Thank you for taking the time to say this. Your statements prompted me to schedule 3 test drives today and it was very helpful in narrowing down what I do and don't want. and... it raised some concerns I'm hoping y'all can allay here.
First, I absolutely adore the 2023 Model S. I know from my previous experiences that the interface and options wont be exactly the same in an older model that is within my budget- but I love the profile ( is that the word for how it sits and the way the metal beams inclose the car?) and I also really didn't like the glass roof. The sales associate said there are aftermarket "shades" that can be applied, but it seems silly to have a car with a feature that I'd rather not have.
Second, I can see where you are coming from in encouraging me to consider a Model 3. I could get a new one with a warranty for the same budget that I have for a used Model S. I just didn't like the size or profile.
and finally, I had a great time in the show room. I was able to ask tons of questions and I was treated really well. But.. and this is where my concern comes in - When I went home to discuss the matter with my husband and mother, I called back and was hung up on 5 times. I called back and was sent to a full mailbox. I finally had to call a different dealership in Miami to get an answer about the financing process. Is this typical? I know Tesla is very much a "do it all online" company- but... this seemed really alarming as an indicator of possible issues to come.
"This quarter meaning July, august, sept. I suspect there will be more cars for sale now but I haven’t tracked it.
I doubt you’d get free unlimited supercharging if buying from Tesla. Only from private party. (Sometimes even buying from a dealer can end up you losing free supercharging since it changed hands again.). But if Tesla offers some sort of purchase warranty on the used vehicle, that may be more beneficial. I don’t know if they do."
Speaking of unlimited super charging, I found a car I was interested in the Northeast and it was advertised with transferable unlimited super charging, I called the local dealership and someone over the phone confirmed that it was transferable. Then, I called back with another model and they told me that it "never transfers" and they "never verify anything to anyone that is not the owner." So, how is one to actually know?
I doubt you’d get free unlimited supercharging if buying from Tesla. Only from private party. (Sometimes even buying from a dealer can end up you losing free supercharging since it changed hands again.). But if Tesla offers some sort of purchase warranty on the used vehicle, that may be more beneficial. I don’t know if they do."
Speaking of unlimited super charging, I found a car I was interested in the Northeast and it was advertised with transferable unlimited super charging, I called the local dealership and someone over the phone confirmed that it was transferable. Then, I called back with another model and they told me that it "never transfers" and they "never verify anything to anyone that is not the owner." So, how is one to actually know?
"
Other thoughts I had reading through and am about 3 months in to my 2015 85D ownership:
-You and your Mom should definitely try one out for a test drive and confirm you think you'll like it. It's definitely a different way of thinking about things in a lot of ways. I like mine mostly. Which is pretty much what I expected, going in with mixed feelings."
My mom really liked the interface of the Model X ( with the speedometer in view and not in the middle display) but she didn't like the falcon doors. The sales associate said that the Model Y interior is more like the Model 3, so we very quickly narrowed out search down to the Model S.
Other thoughts I had reading through and am about 3 months in to my 2015 85D ownership:
-You and your Mom should definitely try one out for a test drive and confirm you think you'll like it. It's definitely a different way of thinking about things in a lot of ways. I like mine mostly. Which is pretty much what I expected, going in with mixed feelings."
My mom really liked the interface of the Model X ( with the speedometer in view and not in the middle display) but she didn't like the falcon doors. The sales associate said that the Model Y interior is more like the Model 3, so we very quickly narrowed out search down to the Model S.
Sorry, but unless you have access to the vehicle via the Tesla on-line owners account, I do not know of any reliable way to see the option codes and verify via the in-car display.
I think the moral of the story is do not expect free supercharging to transfer unless you are buying directly from a private party that will log into their on-line account while you are present, do the copy and paste of the car graphics, and extract the option codes from the html code behind the image. Safest if it being the original purchaser, but it can be a subsequent owner provide the car never went back through Tesla's hands.
"
Sorry, but unless you have access to the vehicle via the Tesla on-line owners account, I do not know of any reliable way to see the option codes and verify via the in-car display.
I think the moral of the story is do not expect free supercharging to transfer unless you are buying directly from a private party that will log into their on-line account while you are present, do the copy and paste of the car graphics, and extract the option codes from the html code behind the image. Safest if it being the original purchaser, but it can be a subsequent owner provide the car never went back through Tesla's hands."
Very good point. It's not a make or break for me, but I have seen several advertised with it- and I think you're right- I just have to assume it is not included. Would a small dealership have access to the car on the owners app? How does that transfer take place of the owner details take place? I read on an older forum it can take up to 3 business days for Tesla to update you as the owner and that it was imperative to have a physical key for this reason.
Also, is there a way to confirm if it was trade in that was auctioned by Tesla? Are they ultra choosy with what they keep?
Sorry, but unless you have access to the vehicle via the Tesla on-line owners account, I do not know of any reliable way to see the option codes and verify via the in-car display.
I think the moral of the story is do not expect free supercharging to transfer unless you are buying directly from a private party that will log into their on-line account while you are present, do the copy and paste of the car graphics, and extract the option codes from the html code behind the image. Safest if it being the original purchaser, but it can be a subsequent owner provide the car never went back through Tesla's hands."
Very good point. It's not a make or break for me, but I have seen several advertised with it- and I think you're right- I just have to assume it is not included. Would a small dealership have access to the car on the owners app? How does that transfer take place of the owner details take place? I read on an older forum it can take up to 3 business days for Tesla to update you as the owner and that it was imperative to have a physical key for this reason.
Also, is there a way to confirm if it was trade in that was auctioned by Tesla? Are they ultra choosy with what they keep?
Interesting to see this comment. I have a mid 2017 75D that I am thinking of selling or trading in. I'm the original owner. 70K miles. Always garaged and charged at home. Unlimited supercharging. FSD. Clean, etc. Dealers I have talked to tell me it's trash. Tesla through their trade-in offer tell me it's even bigger trash.
To answer some of the OP questions.. YMMV on what you value. I have found the 75D to have plenty of range for the vast majority of driving. People overestimate the amount of range they need. And the 75D as well as "lesser" models are plenty fast. OMG they are fast. Unless you're stoplight racing I don't know why you would need more. It becomes a contest to see which car will make you nauseous faster. I have also found unlimited supercharging and FSD to be of marginal benefit. But I charge at home. I also don't really need the car to park for me or drive me on city streets where it gets scary close to parked cars. I have never even tried the summon feature because I'm too worried that the car will crash into something. Autopilot on the freeway however is very handy and I use it all the time. In summary, if I were to buy a used Tesla, I wouldn't care too much about extra features. I would focus on getting one in the best possible condition and probably the latest year and fewest miles I could afford. I don't know how much to worry about the battery/motors dying after the 8 year warranty runs out. On one hand, I worry about that on mine but on the other hand, the car just works. No issues. No headaches. Practically no maintenance needed. It's hard to believe that it will just fall over after 8 years.
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