Potential long term owner....need advice

[gpension]

hi everyone....I am trying to decide on my next car, and am seriously considering a Model X. I need a SUV, and am also looking at a Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7. I had the Model X for a 24 hour test drive, and there’s a lot I love. But I also ran into a few issues (the screen went blank and reset while I was driving at night, the sound didn’t work this morning so I had to do a manual reset). Even with the issues, I really like the car, but I’ve read so many concerning posts about the service, quality, firmwear bugs, etc... that I’m not really sure what to do.

I know the other brands I’m looking at have issues too, and that these types of forums tend to highlight the issues, not the people who are thrilled. I have a 5 series BMW that has been flawless for me, so as a test, I checked out the BMW forum and it was one problem after another, none of which I’ve experienced.

I’m going to buy my next car and hold it for at least 8 years, so would love to hear from owners who are happy, have had great service experiences, and would buy one of their top cars again.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tam]

...owners who are happy, have had great service experiences, and would buy one of their top cars again...

Tesla is a computer on wheel so I do have to reset it from time to time but not that often. But sure, that fact alone would freak some people out and they would ding that as an "unreliable" car.

It's not a very good representation if you visit a hospital and think that wow the whole world is full of sick people.

What you need is a large pool of statistics and that's what Consumer Reports is for.

I've bought 3 Teslas 1) 2012 Model S until 2018, 2) 2017 Model X, 3) 2018 Model 3 throughout the past 7 years and it's not that bad.

Tesla service was quite good in the beginning. Human did actually answered the phone timely. It got worse now and you might have to wait on the phone for a long time.

Loaners were easily available then, but now, you might just get a Uber credit.

My current Model X and 3 are fine with no problems.

My former 2012 Model S had only 3 problems at 3 different occasions outside of 4 year new car warranty and the service was very excellent.

If you plan to keep your car a long time, I would recommend buying the ESA (extended warranty) because my Model S was fine during the new car warranty period. The outside of warranty repairs for my 3 problems could have cost me about $9,000 which was much more than the current premium of $4,800 for the ESA.

My next car is CyberTruck!

 

[DCGOO]

hi everyone....I am trying to decide on my next car, and am seriously considering a Model X. I need a SUV, and am also looking at a Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7. I had the Model X for a 24 hour test drive, and there’s a lot I love. But I also ran into a few issues (the screen went blank and reset while I was driving at night, the sound didn’t work this morning so I had to do a manual reset). Even with the issues, I really like the car, but I’ve read so many concerning posts about the service, quality, firmwear bugs, etc... that I’m not really sure what to do.

I know the other brands I’m looking at have issues too, and that these types of forums tend to highlight the issues, not the people who are thrilled. I have a 5 series BMW that has been flawless for me, so as a test, I checked out the BMW forum and it was one problem after another, none of which I’ve experienced.

I’m going to buy my next car and hold it for at least 8 years, so would love to hear from owners who are happy, have had great service experiences, and would buy one of their top cars again.

Thanks in advance!

Well, the thing about Tesla is, the demo you had is just the starting point. Firmware bugs are temporary, and the car actually improves over time. New features are added all the time. Firmware updates are frequent, automatic, and free (included). Oh and there is that No Scheduled Maintenance thing. Service quality is a local thing, in my case the service center is great, loaners have always been available, and since there is no required maintenance, I very rarely get to see their happy faces. So for me It is a no brainer.

 

[rjdoc74]

hi everyone....I am trying to decide on my next car, and am seriously considering a Model X. I need a SUV, and am also looking at a Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7. I had the Model X for a 24 hour test drive, and there’s a lot I love. But I also ran into a few issues (the screen went blank and reset while I was driving at night, the sound didn’t work this morning so I had to do a manual reset). Even with the issues, I really like the car, but I’ve read so many concerning posts about the service, quality, firmwear bugs, etc... that I’m not really sure what to do.

I know the other brands I’m looking at have issues too, and that these types of forums tend to highlight the issues, not the people who are thrilled. I have a 5 series BMW that has been flawless for me, so as a test, I checked out the BMW forum and it was one problem after another, none of which I’ve experienced.

I’m going to buy my next car and hold it for at least 8 years, so would love to hear from owners who are happy, have had great service experiences, and would buy one of their top cars again.

Thanks in advance!

Much good advice is given above. My recommendation is to strongly STRONGLY consider leasing the car. Tesla cars change over months, not years. In 3-4 years (or sooner) you will want a new one,

 

[jboy210]

hi everyone....I am trying to decide on my next car, and am seriously considering a Model X. I need a SUV, and am also looking at a Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7. I had the Model X for a 24 hour test drive, and there’s a lot I love. But I also ran into a few issues (the screen went blank and reset while I was driving at night, the sound didn’t work this morning so I had to do a manual reset). Even with the issues, I really like the car, but I’ve read so many concerning posts about the service, quality, firmwear bugs, etc... that I’m not really sure what to do.

I know the other brands I’m looking at have issues too, and that these types of forums tend to highlight the issues, not the people who are thrilled. I have a 5 series BMW that has been flawless for me, so as a test, I checked out the BMW forum and it was one problem after another, none of which I’ve experienced.

I’m going to buy my next car and hold it for at least 8 years, so would love to hear from owners who are happy, have had great service experiences, and would buy one of their top cars again.

Thanks in advance!

As someone who has owned 10 BMWs (series 3,x3, 5,6,7) I think you experience is unusual for a BMW owner. Each of our BMWs has had issues. Some were minor (squeaking doors and windows), others were major (failed turbo and waste-gate X 2, $6-7000 to repair).

So far, the Model X has had more minor issues than the major fails except one. On week 2 of ownership the car stranded me at a store. It simply refused to power up the drive systems. They towed it to the SC and fixed it in a couple days by disconnecting and reconnecting the 1st responder wire. This reset all systems to the same condition. The tech showed me how to do this in case it happened again. Fortunately it has not reoccurred in 20 months of ownership.

Typical things we see I would equate to software glitches. For example, since that last update the car plays a the bong chime 5 time when I park. Makes no sense and is annoying, but has zero impact on the car's operation.

 

[MarkDFW]

I’ve owned my MX for 3 years and am looking to buy a new one mainly for larger battery. First piece of advice is to definitely make sure you go long-range. Every mile of range is important in MX.

I’ve had my current car in for service I want to say 5 times total. Very good in my opinion.

As with any car there are lemons out there. We hear on these forums the horror stories but for each of those there are thousands of happy owners not posting anything since they are jut loving their cars.

I will also say that once you buy an electric car you will never ever want to go back to gas ever again. It is such a far superior driving experience you will not regret it.

my advice is if you liked the demo you should do it. Your couple of issues are not representative of daily life with a Model X.

 

[Sandiegodoug]

Had our x since 6/17. Plan to keep at least 8 more years. Car has been basically perfect for 32000 miles. K fob batteries and fobs only issue. That’s why I like my 3, no stupid fobs to deal with. Wife will only drive her x or my 3 now, so when we need our truck, I’m forced to drive. She feels ice vehicles are just archaic.

 

[theonetheonly]

I’ve owned my MX for 3 years and am looking to buy a new one mainly for larger battery. First piece of advice is to definitely make sure you go long-range. Every mile of range is important in MX.
.

Cannot agree with this more - I have a 16 MX and the range is killing me, esp in Winter.
Tesla's projected ranges on their website is based on driving at 50 mph on the highway like a granny on valium.
Almost, ALMOST making me want to sell mine and get into a lease with Long Range

 

[cwerdna]

What you need is a large pool of statistics and that's what Consumer Reports is for.

And, since you mention it, Model X for every single year where they've had reliability data has been in the bottom 10 of reliability.

10 Least Reliable Cars
10 Least Reliable Cars
10 Least Reliable Cars
10 Least Reliable Cars
10 Least Reliable Cars

FWIW, BMW and Mercedes have never been known for particularly good reliability. Audi was in the boat for the longest time then for a few years did better but it's fallen again.

 

[Tam]

...Model X for every single year where they've had reliability data has been in the bottom 10 of reliability...

True but it is also true that owner satisfaction went up from good in 2016 to better 5 out of 5 for 2017 & 2018:

Normally, I wouldn't characterize $9,000 repair bills for 3 issues as "reliable" but I am still very happy because I already pre-paid the ESA for the repairs.

 

[SaniDel]

Much good advice is given above. My recommendation is to strongly STRONGLY consider leasing the car. Tesla cars change over months, not years. In 3-4 years (or sooner) you will want a new one,

Amen to that! My wife and I have owned many vehicles, never leased, but Tesla is the vehicle to lease. No one can guarantee that Tesla will be right for you or even that Tesla will survive. Imagine buying a great Tesla vehicle, but having the Tesla company go bankrupt like DMC, Bricklin, Fisher, etc.

Economics 101 says buy appreciating assets like stocks and real estate, but lease depreciating assets ... nothing depreciates faster than a vehicle from a defunct manufacturer, but let’s hope that never happens.

 

[cwerdna]

True but it is also true that owner satisfaction went up from good in 2016 to better 5 out of 5 for 2017 & 2018:
...
Normally, I wouldn't characterize $9,000 repair bills for 3 issues as "reliable" but I am still very happy because I already pre-paid the ESA for the repairs.

That's fine but reliability is not the same as owner satisfaction.

 

[rocketdallas]

I've owned and driven our Tesla cars (S and X) now for the past six years and do quite a bit of miles annually. Our model S now has more than 135,000 miles and is going strong and our model X has 35,000 miles and is perfect. Because of my high mileage driving, I used to buy a new car every year or two and have owned a number of luxury brand cars over the years; all had their issues with reliability or maintenance expenses and it was just part of the "ownership" experience. I also typically had a third ICE vehicle in our garage with our Teslas for back up in case we might need it.

Our first Tesla had a few minor concerns and one major concern: all were taken care of under warranty and with great service. Our second Tesla has been perfect. Maintenance expenses for both vehicles has been far lower for us than what I've spent with other luxury brand cars we've owned and any service needs have been much more convenient (ranger service and service center experiences). After a few years, we eventually sold our extra ICE car as we just never used it and wasn't as much fun to drive (it was a MB GLE). From my experiences, Tesla and MB have been the most reliable and enjoyable brands to own. To answer your question: would we buy another one of their cars again? We just ordered the Tesla truck and I will likely replace our model S for my wife with another Tesla soon. Hope this helps!

 

[BulldogsRus]

hi everyone....I am trying to decide on my next car, and am seriously considering a Model X. I need a SUV, and am also looking at a Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7. I had the Model X for a 24 hour test drive, and there’s a lot I love. But I also ran into a few issues (the screen went blank and reset while I was driving at night, the sound didn’t work this morning so I had to do a manual reset). Even with the issues, I really like the car, but I’ve read so many concerning posts about the service, quality, firmwear bugs, etc... that I’m not really sure what to do.

I know the other brands I’m looking at have issues too, and that these types of forums tend to highlight the issues, not the people who are thrilled. I have a 5 series BMW that has been flawless for me, so as a test, I checked out the BMW forum and it was one problem after another, none of which I’ve experienced.

I’m going to buy my next car and hold it for at least 8 years, so would love to hear from owners who are happy, have had great service experiences, and would buy one of their top cars again.

Thanks in advance!

We could be twins, hahaha! Same thing here, longtime lurker and current BMWs owner (3er cabrio and X5) w/no issues, who also keeps their cars long-term with the same Tesla concerns. I WILL buy one, not even a question at this point and yet haven't even drove one! I think it's important to know how good your local service center is, and how convenient it will be to get to...this may help to quell any real concerns you have.

 

[skip8jj]

We started with a Model S and traded it for an X. We also sold our mini van when we ordered the X. Bare in mind, owning a Tesla is an adventure. Charging on the road usually requires a bit of planning and the time for charging offers a chance to sample places you may not have otherwise sought out or spent time at. It leads to a calmer life. Another form of adventures are the OTA updates that come along every month or so. New car features appear along with improvements to those already present. In short, the car is not frozen in time.

The safety features along with AP were the initial impetus to our purchase of the S and kept us in the Tesla camp when we wanted something with more carrying capacity. The forward visibility and taller hight/seating of the X are unmatched. We have some young grandchildren and the FWDs make it easier to handle little ones.

As for Tesla's long term survival, were it not for government bailouts, GM and Chrysler would be gone now. My point is that size is not a guarantee and the government has been known to let some big corporations go belly up. Tesla is an adventure and their cars are adventuresome. They are still learning, growing and developing. Its a fun ride.

 

[Krazaak]

That's fine but reliability is not the same as owner satisfaction.

Reliability can be a bit subjective. My Model X has been in service several times, but always for annoyances, it has never left me stranded. I've had the front drive shaft vibration, some FWD sensor issues, a bad front door drive motor, screen yellowing and a few other minor issues. All annoyances that required a day or two at the SC, but always something I could schedule when it was convenient for me and nothing that ever required a tow. All in all, it's been a similar experience to owning my M series BMWs. You might get lucky and get a completely problem free Model X, but you stand a decent chance of having at least a few minor issues. If that's going to irritate you, then it might not be the right car.

People's experience with service seems to vary widely. The SC in Charlotte, NC has been great, but I've not been in for service since Apr so I don't know if it suffers from of the recent problems that others have experienced. I guess I'll find out soon enough, since I need to bring the X in for the latest front axle fix and another yellow screen.

 

[ek993]

Agree with comments from others on this thread, lease not buy. This is the first car I have owned that makes me feel that way.

I took delivery in August 2018 and somehow already feel several generations behind. I guess that says a lot about how fast Tesla is advancing with technology.

 

[gangzoom]

First thing to say is we normally buy Japanese cars, so 'repairs' is not something we are use to....

Just gone through the list of things in total our 2 year old 2017 X at 30k has had post delivery.

1: Drivers side A pillar rebuilt
2: New sun visors
3: New steering wheel
4: New door latches FWD
5: New door motor passenger side
6: New rear hatch latch
7: New FWD sensors
8: New drivers seat
9: New front suspension links
10: New front drive shafts
11: New key fobs
12: New MCU screen
13: UV treatment for new MCU screen.

Now havd knocking noise on full lock likely need new lower suspension arms soon, and here in England a large numbers of cars have had heating failures so that is due.

Our other car is a Lexus and at 5 years old has needed 0(zero) faults.

HOWEVER if we had to choose to keep one car it would be the Lexus that goes. Our X may have reliability issues but its the best car I have ever owned, and it makes me smile more than anything else I have driven!!

The X is a fantastic car but built by monekys with cheap cars, but it has that special something our Lexus just doesn't.

The best comparison I can make I suppose its like how you choose your life partner, do you want to spend time with the one whose perfect on paper but their idea fun is arranging the sock draw, or the one who your not quite sure about but gives you wink as they walk by for reasons you are not sure about??

As for keeping longterm, ours will be kept for 8 years till the battery warranty runs out, a bit like finding a partner some people like to keep on fishing and upgrading to a younger model others like to stick what they know. Oh as we all know having a newer younger model isn't without issues, mainly cost, financially its never a good move......Yes I love our X so much am comparing it to that most complex relationship of marriage

Buy/lease what ever spec, all Xs are fab, there really is no other cars on the road like them, and even Tesla is unlikely to build something so complex every again!

Sometimes I still have to pinch my self we have a car with all round powered doors, rear gull wing doors, a crazy windscreen, ability to cover ground as crazy speeds, transport us from the middle of the England to a beach in France and all powered by the same thing as whats in my phone......As the Gurafflo would say, Amazing!!

 

[gpension]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I thought long and hard about it, and while I loved the Tesla, I don’t think I can take a chance on it right now. On top of the quality issues, I’ve been reading about the changes from loaners to Uber credits at service, and if there are issues, I won’t have any flexibility with that kind of nonsense on such an expensive car.

One other comment...i loved the no-haggle approach to buying the car. But once i put down the deposit, I never really felt like they were interested in making sure I was good, especially after my poor experience during the drive. I told the sales manager about the issue when I returnred the car, and the only thing he said was he wanted to make sure that they checked to see what error codes were in the system. Then, when I canceled the order, I was limited to 250 characters to explain why. I wasn’t trying to right a novel, but if someone just canceled an $85K order, I would think they would want more details. No problem for me, but I get the sense that they aren’t really listening to the customers that are unhappy (at least if you read the forums).

Good luck to everyone, and maybe I’ll be back in 8 years