My model 3 is arriving this week. What do I need to know and do to get ready?

[Sarsh]

M3P due in a few days, so I am wondering what are the top tips to get ready.

I have ordered a wall charger and am looking at some accessories like the console draws, but I was planning to wait until I have driven it for a bit, before purchasing accessories.

what else should I be thinking about or doing to make the most of my first ev?

thanks

 

[Gasaraki]

Umm... make sure you know how the Superchargers work, like gen 2 spacing, travel with lower portion of battery not waste time charging up high, etc.

 

[EVRider-FL]

Browse through the owner’s manual: https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_3_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf

It’s not completely up to date, but it should help. The link is for the North American edition of the manual — I don’t know if Australian version is online, but you can look.

 

[jrweiss98020]

Don't just browse the manual - read it. TWICE!

 

[sightman]

Don't just browse the manual - read it. TWICE!

The first thing I do when I get a car. And in the case of the Tesla I read it in the car while playing with the settings as I read along. Hah

 

[Stranger Dings]

Get yourself up to speed with charging options around the areas where you are likely to travel most.

In the UK we have ZapMap and A Better Route Planner as my go to apps for looking at charging options. They are really useful.

 

[snikt]

I still haven't figured out how to hang up a call. I've only been on one call so far since I picked up on Saturday but with both my wife and I working at the screen there was no obvious way at all to actually hang up a phone call. Nothing under the Phone app under Radio, nothing obvious on the screen, none of the steering wheel buttons worked for that

 

[hcdavis3]

I still haven't figured out how to hang up a call. I've only been on one call so far since I picked up on Saturday but with both my wife and I working at the screen there was no obvious way at all to actually hang up a phone call. Nothing under the Phone app under Radio, nothing obvious on the screen, none of the steering wheel buttons worked for that

You have to hit the red hang up button on the screen.

 

[snikt]

You have to hit the red hang up button on the screen.

I'll have to look again but there was certainly nothing obvious that even looked like that

 

[hcdavis3]

I'll have to look again but there was certainly nothing obvious that even looked like that

You can’t hang up from the scroll wheel.

 

[hcdavis3]

I’m getting ED from the constantly changing EDD.

 

[BillyDale]

M3P due in a few days, so I am wondering what are the top tips to get ready.

I have ordered a wall charger and am looking at some accessories like the console draws, but I was planning to wait until I have driven it for a bit, before purchasing accessories.

what else should I be thinking about or doing to make the most of my first ev?

thanks

Make sure you have all the serious pictures of yourself that you will ever need, cause you're about to have a permanent smile/grin from here on out.

 

[alexgr]

M3P due in a few days, so I am wondering what are the top tips to get ready.

I have ordered a wall charger and am looking at some accessories like the console draws, but I was planning to wait until I have driven it for a bit, before purchasing accessories.

what else should I be thinking about or doing to make the most of my first ev?

thanks

Not exactly accessories, but please consider PPF and tint, find good installers and arrange appointments. M3, as any sedan, gets a good load of rocks hitting its front, and their paint isn't very strong. I wish I invested in PPF on my other non-Tesla cars. Good tint will keep cabin cooler and the car will look nicer.

 

[MDL3_NV]

Don't read the manual that is built into the car...it will crash the computer (ask me how I know). Read the older PDF on your computer instead. I also bought the Tesla Wallcharger v3 (and sent it back since it was $540 after tax and I would only gain about 5-10 miles per hour range) and converted a 240v 20 amp breaker in my garage to a 240v 50 amp running a 14-50 NEMA socket which is universally common for all EV's and RV's (and bought the mobile connector adapter for a 14-50 NEMA from Tesla). Gen 2 NEMA Adapters I was using the standard 110v adapter (which comes with the car) for the M3 LR for several days without any issues (I could re-charge the car to 75-90% for the energy I consumed driving to work). I was getting 5-6 miles per hour with the 110v connector. I get 32 miles per hour with the 14-50 NEMA connector that was setup today. Cost of Tesla adapter $45, upgrading existing 240v-20 amp breaker to 50amp and 6 gauge wire with socket $150 (if you don't have an existing 240v plug in the garage and your breaker panel can handle it estimate about $250-350 to install depending on the wire run length - that 6 gauge wire is VERY expensive these days). A 240v 50amp breaker (non GFI since the Tesla has it built in) will run around $15-$20. The 6 gauge 3 strand wire runs about $10/ft and the box/socket will run about $10-$90 depending on the brand/quality. I personally wouldn't have PPF installed (I personally detailed my own M3 and fully washed, used a clay bar and applied my own Ceramic coating for far less then some installation place would charge) since you could just repaint the rock damage for far cheaper. I do agree the side windows need a 3M Ceramic tinting because when the sun is at low angles it blasts you. The top glass is fine, it was over 102° today and my head didn't feel hot at noon.

 

[m a x i m u s]

Check the car over thoroughly when you get it, including the alignment. Be sure to let Tesla know if something needs to get fixed as early as possible. Some items such as paint need to be done within the first 100 miles, so be diligent and don’t wait.

 

[RedModel3]

Before you leave the service center, try the supercharger there to make sure you know how to use it and that it works. Some people have had trouble initially.

 

[joebruin77]

Check the car over thoroughly when you get it, including the alignment. Be sure to let Tesla know if something needs to get fixed as early as possible. Some items such as paint need to be done within the first 100 miles, so be diligent and don’t wait.

Totally agree with this. A few months ago on TMC, someone else posted an Excel spreadsheet / Checklist of items to inspect when you pick up the car. I recommend printing out this checklist and going over each item before you take delivery.

 

[Needsdecaf]

Understand charging and range.

You're not going to get the full rated range on the car, unless you do a lot of slow, stop and go driving.
You don't charge the car to 100%, or discharge to 0%, unless on a road trip.
Don't ever charge to 100% and let the car sit there. Time it so it spends as little time as possible at 100% before you leave.
Things that increase your consumption: rain. Cold. Heater usage. Headwinds. Number of occupants. You should be around 275 Wh/mile consumption normally. But you'll see more than that when weather comes into play.
When supercharging, rate fluctuates based on state of charge you arrived at, then state of charge (charge rate decreases as SOC increases). Usually it's a good idea to leave between 80-85%, depending on next destination.
Use the nav always, Learn to use the energy page for range estimates, and to monitor overall consumption
Use A Better Route Planner to plan long journeys.
Range anxiety will diminish with your knowledge, and quickly.
Set your battery display (displays - energy) to percent, not distance. You'll get a better understanding of how you're using the battery as you drive. You can always easily see range left in the energy graph.
Watts = volts * amps. Kilowatts = 1,000 watts. Your battery stores approximatley 70kW/h. Meaning it can discharge 70 kW for one hour, or 1kW for 70 hours, and so on.
Your charge rate is in kW. So if you want to charge 50% of your battery, you'll need to charge 35 kW/h. If you're charging at 35kW, that'll take you an hour. If you're charging at 70 kW, that'll take 30 minutes. If you're charging at 140 kW, that'll take 15. And so on.
Your mobile charger is limited to 32 A at 240 V or roughly 8 kW.
Your wall charger can do 48A at 240 V or roughly 11.5 kW.
Level 2 Superchargers (the most common) top out at 150 kW. Level 3 top out at 250 kW. But there isn't much of a difference in a long charge between the two, so don't go out of your way to find Level 3.

I post all of the above assuming you no nothing of it. Forgive me if you know some of it, as I didn't when I first got my car. A now good friend explained it all to me and it helped me to understand how to live with the car and really alleviate range anxiety.

You'll enjoy the car as long as it doesn't need service. Don't overthink it!

 

[Gulfcoaster]

Understand charging and range.

You're not going to get the full rated range on the car, unless you do a lot of slow, stop and go driving.
You don't charge the car to 100%, or discharge to 0%, unless on a road trip.
Don't ever charge to 100% and let the car sit there. Time it so it spends as little time as possible at 100% before you leave.
Things that increase your consumption: rain. Cold. Heater usage. Headwinds. Number of occupants. You should be around 275 Wh/mile consumption normally. But you'll see more than that when weather comes into play.
When supercharging, rate fluctuates based on state of charge you arrived at, then state of charge (charge rate decreases as SOC increases). Usually it's a good idea to leave between 80-85%, depending on next destination.
Use the nav always, Learn to use the energy page for range estimates, and to monitor overall consumption
Use A Better Route Planner to plan long journeys.
Range anxiety will diminish with your knowledge, and quickly.
Set your battery display (displays - energy) to percent, not distance. You'll get a better understanding of how you're using the battery as you drive. You can always easily see range left in the energy graph.
Watts = volts * amps. Kilowatts = 1,000 watts. Your battery stores approximatley 70kW/h. Meaning it can discharge 70 kW for one hour, or 1kW for 70 hours, and so on.
Your charge rate is in kW. So if you want to charge 50% of your battery, you'll need to charge 35 kW/h. If you're charging at 35kW, that'll take you an hour. If you're charging at 70 kW, that'll take 30 minutes. If you're charging at 140 kW, that'll take 15. And so on.
Your mobile charger is limited to 32 A at 240 V or roughly 8 kW.
Your wall charger can do 48A at 240 V or roughly 11.5 kW.
Level 2 Superchargers (the most common) top out at 150 kW. Level 3 top out at 250 kW. But there isn't much of a difference in a long charge between the two, so don't go out of your way to find Level 3.

I post all of the above assuming you no nothing of it. Forgive me if you know some of it, as I didn't when I first got my car. A now good friend explained it all to me and it helped me to understand how to live with the car and really alleviate range anxiety.

You'll enjoy the car as long as it doesn't need service. Don't overthink it!

Great information, thanks so much. Question, why is it strongly advised to not charge to 100% ? I ask because I truly don't know nor understand.

Thank you

 

[joebruin77]

Great information, thanks so much. Question, why is it strongly advised to not charge to 100% ? I ask because I truly don't know nor understand.

Thank you

I think this answers your question:

Elon Musk explains why you shouldn't charge your Tesla battery to 100%

If you really need the range, go up to 90-95%.

mashable.com

Charging to 100% reduces overall battery longevity and accelerates degradation. Also, you cannot benefit from regenerative braking.