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Questions about purchasing a new model Y
- Thread starter EVChemist
- Start date
I think this is just Tesla encouraging new owners to establish a habit of charging regularly, for the best possible user experience.
With a gasoline car, you normally don't bother filling up until most of the fuel is gone. It's enough of an inconvenience to go to the gas station that most people don't go too much more often than necessary.
With an EV, if you have home and/or workplace charging, it's generally super easy to plug in, and it's convenient to start each drive with plenty of charge.
This is a change in routine, for the better. Of course, if you always have to rely on Superchargers and/or public charging, that's a different story, and it makes for an EV experience that's less ideal though still do-able.
pepperoni
Member
After placing my $250 deposit last September, my Sales Advisor offered to let me take one home for the night. This was a big help in seeing if the car was right for me. The one I was given had FSD unlocked and wasn’t locked in “chill mode” which gave me the chance to see what it really could do. I think some centers lock their test drive cars in chill mode, so look out for that.
It seems not all sales centers offer overnight cars, but it is worth an ask. I think it also helps to develop a good relationship with your SA, even placing your order in the store which will allow you to get immediately connected to your SA.
My best advice is to put your deposit down as soon as you think you might want one, because you lock in today’s price, and if they drop, you’ll get yours lowered too. With inflation settling in and huge demand for EVs with limited supplies, prices will almost certainly continue to rise. Worst case if you put down a deposit and change your mind is that you’ll be out $250.
pepperoni
Member
The manual says to plug in when you’re not using it to preserve battery life. My guess is that this allows the car to use your home power rather than the battery for whatever it needs to do at night, reducing the number of total cycles over life. From the owner’s manual:
“The most important way to preserve the high voltage Battery is to LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE PLUGGED IN when you are not using it.”
A couple days ago I changed from winter habit of leaving it plugged in to instead charging and unplugging.
Why? Well I noticed a line of ants marching down the charging cord into my car. After the previous day's battle with carpenter bees (catch and kill - used a large fish net and normal sized killer feet), I did not want to have to deal with yet another insect issue.
pepperoni
Member
They are just regular little black ants. I walked outside a couple minutes ago and killed a half dozen who were wandering around.
I also recall grilling my sales advisor when I got the car about possible mouse damage. He claimed this is not an issue in the car though I did find a few reports. I made the mistake of charging an older car I had with the hood up and had a squirrel bite through the wiring next to the distributor. This same car over the many years I had it was an occasional mouse home in the ventilation system.
p.s. yesterday was the first time I saw ants on the power cord (Sept 2020 MY).
I also recall grilling my sales advisor when I got the car about possible mouse damage. He claimed this is not an issue in the car though I did find a few reports. I made the mistake of charging an older car I had with the hood up and had a squirrel bite through the wiring next to the distributor. This same car over the many years I had it was an occasional mouse home in the ventilation system.
p.s. yesterday was the first time I saw ants on the power cord (Sept 2020 MY).
Ants just being ants. They are looking for a place that is warm and dry to build a nest. Just spray around the Wall Connector or EVSE and this should discourage the ants. I have my pest control company's pest control representative spray around the base of my generator or else the ants will move in there too.
andaconda
Active Member
I've been driving the "Y" for 13 months now. I refuse to plug it in every time I pull it into the driveway. I charge on the average of once a week to a tune of about 65 kWh added to the 'tank.' Total monthly charge of about 285 kWh and $34 cost of electrons.
I think the life of wiper blades depend on whether the car is garaged. I have one car that is parked outside and the sun hardens the rubber such that every year I need to replace the rubber if I want a smooth operations of wipers in the rain. The car that has been parked in the garage (currently the MY) always had wiper rubber that lasted a few years at least.
Johnny Vector
Member
Ooh, good point. Mine is garaged, so that may be why they lasted so well.
That's 11 cents per kWh! Here in Southern Cal, the cheapest, and lowest tier, I'm paying is 24 cents per kWh.
Leaving the car plugged in isn't going to reduce the overall battery cycle count enough to matter. It will, however, give the driver more available range for many drives.
The term "battery life" is kind of ambiguous. Not sure if it means battery capacity or simply the amount of charge remaining.
That said, some Tesla owners have reported their cars actively cooling the battery pack while plugged in and not charging. Personally, I've never observed this, but if your car's pack is especially hot, it would help its long term health to actively cool it! Normal, day to day driving in a moderate climate would likely not heat the battery pack enough to trigger cooling while plugged in and not charging.
NeverGoingBack
De-ICEd
We have a white one. Color works for us. Total maintenance over past year has been two tire rotations I’ve done myself. Well …… I also washed and waxed it a few times.
andaconda
Active Member
Ya, our rates are relatively low. But I still refuse to keep it plugged in. One of the other things I do is to wait and plug it in until after I’ve ran it for a while and I know the batteries are rather warm. I do know that when I come in off the highway the batteries will charge at a full 48 A, however if I plug it in after I’ve been running around town and still relatively cool outside, it will start out at about 8 A and gradually Ramp up to the 48 A Within 20 or 30 minutes.
All my cars are garaged... The ones I do park outside, I don't have any issues with the PIAAs. I've managed to get 5 years of life out of the PIAA Super Silicones on the car I parked outside before. With OEM rubber, even on my garaged cars, I have never had a set last an entire season.. They usually start streaking and/or skipping after a month or two. And yes, I'm meticulous about cleaning the windshield and the blades... I've tried just about everything, from Michelin, to Bosch Icons, to Rain-X, etc. Only the PIAAs have endured multiple seasons.
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