Preparing my Tesla Model 3 for a long [road] trip?

[smatthew]

I haven't inventoried all of the screws/bolts on my 3 but if you say I only ever need a 10mm socket okay. But having a fairly complete kit of sockets or wrenches up to 19mm (and SAE 3/4") or so can be beneficial to others if I can help.

Trust me, unless you plan on wrenching on the suspension, a 10mm is all the friend your Tesla needs on a road trip.

 

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

If you have the time find (use your nav screen for this) a nearby Supercharger and do at least one practice charge. Just to see how it works (it's easy. A true no-brainer. But you'll feel better if you know this in advance).

Rich
(with 11,000 road miles taken in EVs)

 

[Zacster]

What everyone said. You are overthinking this. Use the navigation and it will tell you where to stop for supercharging. There is nothing to prepare except to wash the car. Maintenance is basically refilling your washer fluid, which reminds me that I need to do that myself.

You just take the cable off the stand, press the little button to pop open your charge port and plug it in. When it is done, you press the button and pull it out and put it back on the stand and then drive away. Once you do it once you'll realize it is really that simple. No credit cards, no app to use, nothing, just plug in, charge, remove and go. Your phone will tell you when it is done.

I've had no luck with other chargers, they are just too slow to be useful. I parked all day at a state park that had chargers and it put about 20 miles of range back on the car. There's a Whole Foods with chargers near me and those put on about 3mi/hr. I don't even bother with it.

 

[cmy4x4]

Use the APP to schedule your departure time and you can have it precondition the interior climate AND the battery to be ready to go when you are ready to go.

 

[rickdogg82]

As mentioned, using the car's navigation system is seamless. It will tell you when and where to stop, and when you are ready to leave so that you make it to your next charging stop or your destination. But that is only going to get you there. If you plan to drive around the area you are visiting, you will need to account for that by charging for longer at the stop prior, or making a stop near your destination.

Also, there are some rules of etiquette that are worth following. I have never take this route so it is possible that they do not apply. When you visit an older V1 station, chargers are paired in a way that they share power which means two cars connected to the pair will charge more slowly than if only one were connected to the pair. The chargers will be marked 1A-1B, 2A-2B, etc. If there is already a car at the A pair and none at the B or C pair, don't park at the A, go to an open pair. At some point in time this may not be possible and nothing you can do but something to think about when you enter a nearly empty station. Also keep in mind the pairs are not always next to each other. Newer V2 stations don't share power so not an issue.

 

[Rocky_H]

Let's clear that up. The V1 Superchargers are all gone or replaced. It's the V2 that have sharing. And you mentioned A or B or C pairing. If anyone sees C, it's not one of those V2. V3 are the really new ones, where it's four stalls that run off of one cabinet, and they are so high power, that there (effectively) isn't really sharing that anyone will be able to notice or experience.

 

[pipp]

Let's clear that up. The V1 Superchargers are all gone or replaced. It's the V2 that have sharing. And you mentioned A or B or C pairing. If anyone sees C, it's not one of those V2. V3 are the really new ones, where it's four stalls that run off of one cabinet, and they are so high power, that there (effectively) isn't really sharing that anyone will be able to notice or experience.

Thanks I was really wondering about the more-than-2 sharing I encountered at an apparently new supercharging station in San Diego…What you say explains why nobody looked very concerned about who parked at what charger.

 

[AudreyHTX1]

Make sure you have a credit card on file. Mine was outdated when I finally got my car so I got a warning after my first charge. It still let that first charge go through but said I had to fix for next time. It took me a while to find it in the Tesla app. Top right corner circle button in the app gets to your profile, then account->wallet gets to your cards, you can add one.

Also, you can just go sit in your car right now and enter your destination in the navigation and see what your car will recommend for charging alone the route. You can edit the routes add stops etc. to tailor it. Play around with the nav now to familiarize yourself with it.

 

[threeputts]

I also think a tire repair kit and portable air pump are a good idea. Unless you are carrying a spare I don't see why you would carry a jack. The puck pads are good to have though if you need a new tire it's possible the install location may not have them to jack up the car.