Opinions about Tesla purchase

[Luis Oliveira]

Hello everybody,

My name is Luis, I live in Europe, specifically in Portugal

I do not own a Tesla yet, but in about a month or so I will be looking for one,

I've done some reading here in this forum, and I've driven a Tesla Model S and a Model 3, and I would like some opinions of other Tesla owners about my future purchase,

So first things first, the Model 3 for me is a no go, I have nothing against the car, outside it looks nice, I like the exterior design, but the minimalistic interior for me is a deal breaker, I very much prefer the Model S interior to the model 3 everyday. It's not that I wouldn't get used to the one screen only, and the tiny steering wheel, but since I like the Model S interior way more, it's more spacious and I also love big cars, so the Model S is for me.

However, now starts a little complicated decision about model S's,

So I've read extensively that Model S's from the year 2013 and 2014 should be avoided, due to drivetrain issues and battery issues, door handles, etc, etc, not mention, no more warranty from Tesla. But, free supercharging, but not a huge selling point for my case, because I intend to charge at home 99% of the time.

So right now I have my eye on three Model S's, all of them have strong and week points, including my week point which is a budget of 28k euros, not a cent more
My daily drive is about 100 km or 140 km. I don't intend to do long road trips with it, because the wife works closer to home and I also have a diesel ride, this one is just for my work and other small drives.

1. Tesla Model S 70 RWD from March of 2016, white exterior with nosecone so pre-facelift, black interior with next gen seats, with 125 000 km, for 25000€. Really like the price, color, relatively not too much mileage and has the previous headlights that the DRL doesn't burn. Cons: pre-facelift, só old look, MCU1 and the range is only around 260 and 300 km realistically, and short Tesla warranty will end March 2024, so next year.
2. Tesla Model S 75D AWD from June of 2018, Black exterior, black interior with sunroof, 143 000 km, I think I can get for 28000€. I like a lot about this car, MCU2, recent exterior looks, Tesla warranty till June 2026. The only thing is the range, but for my budget I can't really get anything better.
3. Tesla model S 90D AWD from April of 2016, Dark gray exterior with nosecone so pre-facelift, beige interior with next gen seats, with 159 000km for 28000€. Not a fan of the exterior color and also the interior color is not my cup of tea, MCU1, and again older look. However, 21" Turbine gray rims and the fact that it's the only 90kw battery in my price range. But I've read in various other posts that we should stay away from the 90Kw battery packs, and especially the warranty on this guy also ends next year.

Sorry for the very long post, but I wanted to detail as much as I could.

I would really like some solid opinions if possible,

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[ewoodrick]

I'm not really sure why you feel the minimalistic interior is a deal breaker. I have a Model 3 and a Model Y and don't feel minimalistic when inside. To the contrary, it has everything that I need, often more.

The minimalistic view is really only the view. It just looks spartan because things aren't as cluttered as other cars are. And don't assume that it is small either. I'm 6ft and heavy and have no issues sitting in the back seats for long times.

For me, the single display is not only different, it's better. I often have to strain to see all the items on a regular display behind the steering wheel.

And acceleration on the slowest model is probably leaps and bounds better that what you have today.

If you haven't gotten in one and driven one, do yourself a favor and try it out before you rule it out.

 

[Tiger]

If you are tight on the money, pick the one which is closest to your budget and has sufficient drivetrain warranty to cover the time you plan to have it.

Maintenace of Tesla is not rocket science:

If you do math then you could also figure out that maybe getting new Project highland Model 3 might get you an interior you like and if you keep it for a few years it might cost you the same as an older one in devaluation and maintenance. On the other hand, current model 3s might sell on a discount when Highland comes out.

 

[swt2c]

I would vote for the 75D, since it is the newest of the bunch but should be able to meet your daily range requirements.

 

[DayTrippin]

I have a 3 and and S. If my choice would be a very new 3 or a 4-5 year old S, I'd take the 3 for sure. While I don't like the minimalistic interior that much, I did add a small mini display in front of the steering wheel that corrected a lot of what I didn't like about the 3's cockpit. My other complaint is no ventilated seats but I found some seat covers that helped a lot for hot days.

The newer 3 is a much better car I think than the older S's. It is far more efficient and more fun to drive on tight roads. The newer ones are going to have heat pumps which means their heating and cooling is more efficient and you will see much better range in the winter or any time you would actually have the heat on.

As for the interior size, the S is bigger, but not as much bigger inside as you might think from looking at the outside. The rear seat is only a bit roomier in the S than the 3 and the Y is much bigger in the rear than either if you need to take passengers.

I would really consider the 3 also because you are going to have a lot more warranty, if not new, it also likely has less miles. I would definitely be concerned about battery degradation on an older car.

Another plus for me is the performance of the long-range or performance of the 3 is going to be better than most of the older S variants if that matters to you at all. On tight roads, and in traffic, my 3 is a lot of fun to drive. The 3 is also far more efficient than my S, even if I adjust for the different wheel sizes.

Once you get into the 2021+ refreshed S cars, I am a lot more positive about them. A lot of changes were made that I think are good but the price goes way up too.

Of your current S choices, I'd lean toward the newest you can get with the most warranty left (miles and time).