"Must have" list of upgrades

[bigroo42]

Hello everyone,
I am at the final stages of making my decision to buy a model 3. Just fyi i'm leaning towards SR RWD with FSD (blue with white interior 18" standard rims). That being said, having watched tons of you tube videos and reading several posts here i realize there are a few "must have" upgrades once i get the vehicle. Is there a compiled list of these out there somewhere? I searched the forum and didn't see anything that fit the bill. Obviously, everything is a matter of preference, but some things i am referring to would be:

tint
ceramic coating / PFF
floor mats
aero wheel cap kit
lifetime allignment at a trusted shop
maybe some treatment of the seats, being they are white

Also, i'm assuming there is a 'checklist' of things to do at different stages of the vehicle buying process? i.e. before you order, whilst awaiting delivery (order charger, etc), after you take delivery, etc.

Thanks so much for any guidance or direction. I am trying to avoid as many "man, i wish i would have done that right off the bat" moments as possible.

 

[Dana1]

Congrats on car!

tint. - super helpful in Texas. Installation is key. Get recommendations, visit shops
ceramic coating / PFF - not anywhere close to being same. I’m a fan of nano ceramic. I’ve waned on PPF
floor mats - yep, thicker ones will help deaden road noise. Diamond Car Mats Black and Blue Stitching Luxury Car Mats Set - Premium Car Floor Mats
aero wheel cap kit
lifetime allignment at a trusted shop- no idea. Not on my must have list
maybe some treatment of the seats, being they are white- yeah, good luck

Sunglasses tray
If you like bottled sodas you’ll want a taller cup holder insert

 

[WilliamG]

PPF and ceramic is not a necessity. Depends how obsessive you are. Ceramic won't protect you against rock chips, and neither will PPF depending on the rock chip. Either way it's a nuisance. You tear the PPF and then you need new PPF and paint and... just a hassle.

1.) Floor mats. Get good ones. Maxpider are excellent.
2.) Tint. Get a good ceramic tint. Consider tinting the smaller sunroof. Yes, it has a factory tint but it's still quite hot (heck, just touch it - it radiates heat like crazy).
3.) Wireless charging pad up front. Either Taptes, Jeda, Nomad, Tesla - whatever you fancy. I have the Nomad and it's great. The convenience factor is phenomenal if you have a newer phone.
4.) Vinyl wrap for the center console. That thing is a scratch/smudge magnet, even if you're completely obsessive as I am. AbstractOcean is your best bet, as they have a great way to do the cupholder part. I got the Matrix one, and it's great.

That's about it for absolutely necessary.

 

[Hypeman123]

I would also add that you should get a rear dash cam. Since TeslaCam and Sentry mode do NOT record using the parking camera, a rear dash cam is super useful (esp when I got rear ended). It may also give you piece of mind when parking in public places. I would put this on the top of your list.

The camera I got is the Apeman C420 from Amazon. It is small and squareish which helps limit the amount of rear visibility that is blocked by the dash cam.

 

[jkoya]

I bought the Tesla front sunroof sunshade and I'm happy with it, and mine has Xpel Prime XR Plus tint on it. I realize this is location dependent.

 

[Carol525]

Duo you have a private garage? If so, I think the first thing to get while you're waiting is a power source for charging, like a Nema outlet. A Tesla-certified electrician supplied parts & installed mine for $500. Of course this depends on how far the power box is from your charging location. The Tesla-supplied charging cable plugs right into it. No need to get the additional wall charger. If you can't make this addition to where you're living, then disregard.

 

[bigroo42]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I do have a private garage and charging is something that i'm still a bit unclear about. So, if i get the nema outlet installed then i do not need to buy the additional wall charger from tesla? So, the car comes with a charging cable that either plugs into a "normal" outlet, which charges slowly. But if i'm understanding the previous post correctly, that same cord can plug into the nema outlet and deliver a faster charge, yes?

lastly, how much should the center console wrap cost approximately? Same question with tint? I definitely think tint is #1 on my list to do being in texas.

Any other tips for a tesla rookie would be much appreciated.

 

[earlyaccesstw]

Just make sure it's ceramic tint and you will be good. Some people obsess about it being a single piece of tint film along the back glass, but I didn't bother and it still looks amazing.

 

[Dana1]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I do have a private garage and charging is something that i'm still a bit unclear about. So, if i get the nema outlet installed then i do not need to buy the additional wall charger from tesla? So, the car comes with a charging cable that either plugs into a "normal" outlet, which charges slowly. But if i'm understanding the previous post correctly, that same cord can plug into the nema outlet and deliver a faster charge, yes?

lastly, how much should the center console wrap cost approximately? Same question with tint? I definitely think tint is #1 on my list to do being in texas.

Any other tips for a tesla rookie would be much appreciated.

You’ll have to ask your local club for prices in your geography. In Houston ceramic around $600. Can’t remember tint cost. Console maybe free if your tint guy also does PPF. It’s cheap, anyway.

The charging has a scale from bare minimum (120V 4 miles/hour) to best (hard wired HPWC) and options in between. Depends on how many miles you drive daily. I keep my mobile charger in the sub trunk for emergencies. I own my house so it made sense to have best solution possible. If you go the NEMA route you’ll require an adapter. If you have an unused electric dryer plug that’s a good option. Tesla sells a wall charger that utilizes the NEMA 14-50. Lots of threads on this topic.

 

[Deadpool_25]

I ordered a Nikola Pro matrix black wrap for my console and steering wheel. Got it from amazon for $35. WELL worth it and not overly tough to install.

As for must haves that’s absolutely individual dependent. For me:
- Tint
- Floor mats
- Chrome delete
- Center console wrap
- NEMA 14-50 outlet

 

[Carol525]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I do have a private garage and charging is something that i'm still a bit unclear about. So, if i get the nema outlet installed then i do not need to buy the additional wall charger from tesla? So, the car comes with a charging cable that either plugs into a "normal" outlet, which charges slowly. But if i'm understanding the previous post correctly, that same cord can plug into the nema outlet and deliver a faster charge, yes?

lastly, how much should the center console wrap cost approximately? Same question with tint? I definitely think tint is #1 on my list to do being in texas.

Any other tips for a tesla rookie would be much appreciated.

No, the included cord does not fit into the Nema outlets. In my original answer, I forgot to include the $35 adapter you'll need to order from Tesla. With your Tesla, you'll get a charging cable, the standard 110V adapter for the cable, and an adapter that fits SOME Destination (parking lot) chargers. (The cables at the Tesla Supercharging Stations fit all Teslas.) With the supplied 110V version, you'll charge at about 3-4 miles per hour. To increase the speed, you'll need the electrician to install one of the Nema outlets. Some people say to use your Nema dryer outlet, but ours uses a standard outlet, so it all depends on what your house has. On that note, the electrician informed us our house couldn't accommodate the Nema 14-50 that everybody talked about, so we had to use the Nema 10-30. Wait until you know which one you'll need before ordering the adapter from Tesla. The 14-50 charges at about 40 mph and the 10-30 at about 22-24 mph. I have the Long Range and don't let my car go below 50%. I charge overnight so I don't miss the faster speed. With a SR it will be even quicker for you. I wrap the cords around the outlet, so they stay organized and off the floor, not needing the $25 aftermarket piece. Yes, the Tesla $500 Wall Connector is fancy looking and is capable of charging at 50 mph, but the included cable also has the moving neon light, so I have my cool tech too, LOL! And the Tesla Wall Connector still needs the installed Nema outlet, so you're doubling your cost. Plus, if your house is like mine and can't accommodate the faster outlet, you've wasted your money. You'll find the adapters on the Tesla website under SHOP/CHARGING/MODEL 3 CHARGING ADAPTERS/GEN 2 NEMA ADAPTERS. Hope this helps!

 

[bigroo42]

Thank you Carol525! Great info. I think i'll just go with the nema outlet and the adapter from tesla. Seems like the fancy wall charger is unnecessary. Thanks!

 

[MABMAB]

Thank you Carol525! Great info. I think i'll just go with the nema outlet and the adapter from tesla. Seems like the fancy wall charger is unnecessary. Thanks!

The nema equipment from TSLA is the same cost has HPWC. I got the connector.

 

[Carol525]

The nema equipment from TSLA is the same cost has HPWC. I got the connector.

It's good to know Tesla isn't trying to make a profit! Just for comparison on regional expenses, where are you & what is your electrician charging for the outlet installation?

 

[jkdman123]

Another vote for ceramic tint.

If you’re in CA, go for the License Plate Wrap instead of installing a license plate frame with metal plate on the front. It’s totally legal and is IDEAL for the Model 3. Obviously, no plate is best, but you’re risking getting pulled over without one (it’s happened to me).

The stock door puddle lights and the trunk lights are very dim. I got a set from Amazon and they’re MUCH brighter (pic attached). Very easy to change out.

Also got a rear trunk sill guard. It’s easy to scratch the sill putting stuff in or taking stuff out of the trunk (pic also attached). Looks better, too.

Got a holder for the charger. Looks better and very inexpensive (see pic).

Also got some warning stickers from The Dashcam Store advising that you’re being recorded. Got them specifically for the rear triangle window for the M3, which rumor has it, you can break and it won’t set off the alarm. Abstract Ocean has some warning stickers that use the Sentry Mode graphic, but they’re too big, IMO.

 

[jkdman123]

.

 

[Carol525]

This week I received my TesTap Gen 2 wireless charger & it works great...now! The Gen 2 allows for charging while your phone is in landscape mode. It comes with 2 single cord connections for the USB ports & 2 splitter cords. Be sure & set it up with the splitter cords. At first I only used the 2 single cords and the left side charger wouldn't work. The left side is used for landscape mode too. TapTes told me to unplug, reboot the computer and then plug in using the splitter cords. I did & haven't had any more problems.
Wireless Charging Pad for Tesla Model 3

 

[Fernand]

FWIW, I procrastinated while taking advantage of the 6 months
of free supercharging, and my son had purchased a masterpiece
of an extension cord: 70 ft of something like #18 wire, delivering
around 105 volts to the car. Talk about slow charging and a waste
of electricity. But when I got a decent cable, I was getting 120 volts
and was surprised to charge at 5 MPH, meaning that just plugging
in every night, I can cover many days' daily driving needs. So, if you
can fit into 50-60 miles/day, don't freak out rushing w/ the 240v. Even
if you have days w/ more miles, you catch up when you can let the
car sit and charge longer, or take it to a Supercharger to top off. You
can add the 14-50 wall jack as winter comes around, construction
drops off and electricians are more amenable to negotiating price
That's my theory anyway.

 

[XLR82XS]

PPF and ceramic is not a necessity. Depends how obsessive you are. Ceramic won't protect you against rock chips, and neither will PPF depending on the rock chip. Either way it's a nuisance. You tear the PPF and then you need new PPF and paint and... just a hassle.

True on ceramic coating - PPF will stop chips and is necessary if you want to keep the paint in perfect condition. Even a few hundred miles paint gets peppered. Especially important on the rockers and rear "hips" where debris flies up. Ive purchased new cars and been very upset with paint condition after a few months. Worth the investment to protect your investment.

 

[japhule]

Other things to consider getting not yet listed....

- Hazard Tire Warranty from Discount Tire
- USB drive (128GB or more) for the TeslaCam dashcam feature
- Tempered Glass Screen Protector for the screen
- Keychain Card holder for valet/backup key use
- USB hub so you can connect multiple usb to the front (usb for dashcam/media, phone charging, etc)
- Tire accessories like air compressor and/or plug kit

Car washing accessories
- ONR (Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine)