My wife and I are considering purchasing a new Model Y. We can't find too much information on maintenance issues with them, but do they truly have limited issues that is advertised? Are there any issues with things breaking or needing repaired? Also, we were thinking of getting it with the black exterior, but scratches seem to be issues. Any advise on paint color? What other factors should we be considering to make the decision? We're new to the EV world and live in Florida, so cold weather and battery range is less of a concern, but is the range really as advertised? TIA.
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Questions about purchasing a new model Y
- Thread starter EVChemist
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ZenRockGarden
Active Member
No oil changes. Incredibly long lived brakes because you rarely use them to slow down. No valves to adjust. No transmission to service. No timing belts... The basic design of the car is inherently simpler and lower maintenance.
Stuff still will need to be done, and things do break.
Your biggest expense will likely be tires. High weight and instant torque mean tires don't last terribly long. You will also need washer fluid, carwashes, and touch ups to cure wheel curb rash since there's just zero tire protecting those rims.
Warranty covers most other stuff. A bit of trim might be out of alignment. A rear hatch might not close well. But if you lost a motor or an inverter? Teslas gonna fix that. Battery will likely lose a couple percent capacity per year. We mostly just accept that - look at it as if your gas tank accumulates a bit of sediment and at 100k miles it'll hold one less gallon. No big deal.
Good luck with the adventure
Stuff still will need to be done, and things do break.
Your biggest expense will likely be tires. High weight and instant torque mean tires don't last terribly long. You will also need washer fluid, carwashes, and touch ups to cure wheel curb rash since there's just zero tire protecting those rims.
Warranty covers most other stuff. A bit of trim might be out of alignment. A rear hatch might not close well. But if you lost a motor or an inverter? Teslas gonna fix that. Battery will likely lose a couple percent capacity per year. We mostly just accept that - look at it as if your gas tank accumulates a bit of sediment and at 100k miles it'll hold one less gallon. No big deal.
Good luck with the adventure
I had a co-worker who grew up in Florida, could not wait to buy a vehicle with black paint because in Florida you don't do that.
You probably can't achieve the range numbers quoted by Tesla (EPA combined City/Highway numbers.) Take 12% to 15% off the EPA estimate and that is a good estimate, unless you like to drive faster than 70 MPH on the highway or it is raining or you are driving into a headwind. Range is less in cold weather, should not be an issue in Florida. A good quality ceramic tint job for the windshield, side and rear glass will help to keep the cabin cooler year round and won't require the AC to work as hard, also if you choose the optional white seats. (The glass roof comes with factory treatment for UV and IR protection so there may not realize much improvement by adding a ceramic tint to the glass roof.) An inside sunshade for the glass roof can definitely help.
There is very little regular maintenance, get out your pen:
Add washer fluid
Wash and wax the vehicle (there is so much glass that there is very little painted finish that needs waxing, protecting.)
Keep tires inflated to the recommended 42 PSI (measured cold)
Rotate the tires as needed (the Tesla Model Y will notify you if the tire wear indicates it is time to rotate, else every 6500 miles.)
Check, clean and replace the wiper blades as needed
Did I mention that you will occasionally need to add washer fluid?
Other maintenance:
Tesla North America Supercharger Locations
You probably can't achieve the range numbers quoted by Tesla (EPA combined City/Highway numbers.) Take 12% to 15% off the EPA estimate and that is a good estimate, unless you like to drive faster than 70 MPH on the highway or it is raining or you are driving into a headwind. Range is less in cold weather, should not be an issue in Florida. A good quality ceramic tint job for the windshield, side and rear glass will help to keep the cabin cooler year round and won't require the AC to work as hard, also if you choose the optional white seats. (The glass roof comes with factory treatment for UV and IR protection so there may not realize much improvement by adding a ceramic tint to the glass roof.) An inside sunshade for the glass roof can definitely help.
There is very little regular maintenance, get out your pen:
Add washer fluid
Wash and wax the vehicle (there is so much glass that there is very little painted finish that needs waxing, protecting.)
Keep tires inflated to the recommended 42 PSI (measured cold)
Rotate the tires as needed (the Tesla Model Y will notify you if the tire wear indicates it is time to rotate, else every 6500 miles.)
Check, clean and replace the wiper blades as needed
Did I mention that you will occasionally need to add washer fluid?
Other maintenance:
- Brake fluid health check every 2 years (replace if necessary) or, if the vehicle is used for towing, replace the brake fluid every 2 years.
- A/C desiccant bag replacement every 4 years.
- Cabin air filter replacement every 2 years (or 3 years for HEPA filter, if equipped).
- Clean and lubricate brake calipers every year or 12,500 miles (20,000 km) if in an area where roads are salted during winter
- Rotate tires every 6,250 miles (10,000 km) or if tread depth difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater, whichever comes first
Tesla North America Supercharger Locations
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Johnny Vector
Member
People do have issues, and if you look around on the forum, you'll find plenty. But keep in mind that most people only post when they have a problem. As ZenRockGarden noted, an EV is inherently simpler and thus more reliable, so the baseline you're starting from is much higher. Real problems seem to be few and far between.
Personally, after 2 years and 25,000, miles, mine has been in for service exactly once, for a warranty replacement of a couple heat pump sensors. I had them rotate the tires while they had it, which cost 50 bucks. But you can have that done at a tire place for cheaper. Apparently they give you an Uber credit (or Lyft, I forget) for while they have the car (at least for a quick fix like this, which was about 4 hours). I didn't use it because it worked out better to take another car and drop it off, so I don't know how much travel it covers.
The car is not perfect (missing some features like 360° overhead view, occasional phantom braking), but it is by far the best car I've ever owned. Long distance travel is much more relaxing, and barely takes any longer than in an ICE car, and daily use saves so much time and annoyance filling up with gas, getting oil changes, etc. One-pedal driving is the bees' knees, the acceleration is amazing (even though I almost always leave it in "chill" driving mode), and the autopilot makes driving less tiring (I didn't spring for "Full Self Driving", because I have doubts it ever will really be).
You'll not be getting 330 miles of actual range on the highway, especially in Florida where people seem to drive like they're being chased by a Borg cube. But the range is plenty unless you're towing a trailer up into the Rocky Mountains. Even I, a nervous Nellie by nature, don't pay much attention to state of charge any more. Just let the car tell you where to charge, and it all works fine. Use the "energy" graph if you need to know accurately how much charge you'll have when you get where you're going. Also, you should occasionally leave it overnight with less than the standard amount you charge to (which should be 70-90%), so it can recalibrate the charge available. If you don't, it will likely tell you your range is decreasing even though it isn't really.
And yeah, the non-existence of regular maintenance is really sweet, especially if you're lazy like me.
Enjoy!
Personally, after 2 years and 25,000, miles, mine has been in for service exactly once, for a warranty replacement of a couple heat pump sensors. I had them rotate the tires while they had it, which cost 50 bucks. But you can have that done at a tire place for cheaper. Apparently they give you an Uber credit (or Lyft, I forget) for while they have the car (at least for a quick fix like this, which was about 4 hours). I didn't use it because it worked out better to take another car and drop it off, so I don't know how much travel it covers.
The car is not perfect (missing some features like 360° overhead view, occasional phantom braking), but it is by far the best car I've ever owned. Long distance travel is much more relaxing, and barely takes any longer than in an ICE car, and daily use saves so much time and annoyance filling up with gas, getting oil changes, etc. One-pedal driving is the bees' knees, the acceleration is amazing (even though I almost always leave it in "chill" driving mode), and the autopilot makes driving less tiring (I didn't spring for "Full Self Driving", because I have doubts it ever will really be).
You'll not be getting 330 miles of actual range on the highway, especially in Florida where people seem to drive like they're being chased by a Borg cube. But the range is plenty unless you're towing a trailer up into the Rocky Mountains. Even I, a nervous Nellie by nature, don't pay much attention to state of charge any more. Just let the car tell you where to charge, and it all works fine. Use the "energy" graph if you need to know accurately how much charge you'll have when you get where you're going. Also, you should occasionally leave it overnight with less than the standard amount you charge to (which should be 70-90%), so it can recalibrate the charge available. If you don't, it will likely tell you your range is decreasing even though it isn't really.
And yeah, the non-existence of regular maintenance is really sweet, especially if you're lazy like me.
Enjoy!
Johnny Vector
Member
I'll add that even the wipers are better than the cars I've had before. I just replaced the driver side wiper after two years, with a fancy expensive PIAA one, but I probably could have kept on with the ones I had. I dunno, maybe other expensive cars have OEM wiper blades that last longer than 6 months, but it's a new experience for me!
You'll notice some fit and finish issues for sure. If those bother you a lot then it might be a problem. There were also a bunch of small issues upon delivery, but those have been fixed by a service appointment for free. It's unclear how often problems will crop up.
You can get the advertised range if you drive 50 mph. For every 10 mph over, take off about 30 miles. You'll lose some range when the temperature is outside of 50-80 degrees F.
The Midnight Silver seems to be a popular color now that it's free. The Blue looks pretty distinct, as is the Red. I'd avoid Black in hot climates like FL.
You can get the advertised range if you drive 50 mph. For every 10 mph over, take off about 30 miles. You'll lose some range when the temperature is outside of 50-80 degrees F.
The Midnight Silver seems to be a popular color now that it's free. The Blue looks pretty distinct, as is the Red. I'd avoid Black in hot climates like FL.
Ciaopec
Active Member
I live have a white Y and a black S. The S was purchased up north but since I have had the windows tinted it is really not a bad FL car. I have 150,000 mostly trouble free miles on the S. The A/C compressor failed though I think it was a repair fault that led to that. Otherwise, I agree with
@ZenRockGarden that it is pretty trouble free. My own experience with tires is quite different as I get about 50,000+ miles on my Michelins.
Good luck and enjoy the car.
@ZenRockGarden that it is pretty trouble free. My own experience with tires is quite different as I get about 50,000+ miles on my Michelins.
Good luck and enjoy the car.
I'd suggest seeing if you can rent one on Turo for a couple of days, and really see how you like it.
Keep in mind, once you purchase one, you'll be charging from home, so no trips to a gas station/charging station, unless you take a long drive.
We've had our Model Y since the end of Dec., and absolutely love it! We have had ev's before, however (Volt, BMW i3, Fiat e500) and my daughter has an all electric Kia eNiro, so we're not unfamiliar to electric vehicles, but I'd bet you'll love it!
Typically, you should see much less servicing, and no trips to a gas station! Wake up and your car is fully charged, ready to go!
Good luck!
Keep in mind, once you purchase one, you'll be charging from home, so no trips to a gas station/charging station, unless you take a long drive.
We've had our Model Y since the end of Dec., and absolutely love it! We have had ev's before, however (Volt, BMW i3, Fiat e500) and my daughter has an all electric Kia eNiro, so we're not unfamiliar to electric vehicles, but I'd bet you'll love it!
Typically, you should see much less servicing, and no trips to a gas station! Wake up and your car is fully charged, ready to go!
Good luck!
Reggae_Jesus
Member
ZenRockGarden
Active Member
Around town in mild weather I can match the EPA range of 330 miles, but I don't run it down to 0% so about 300 miles is the most I've done on a single "tank".
It make the 210 mile highway run from Santa Barbara to San Diego at 80 MPH almost perfectly, which is about as long as I like to drive without pausing for a rest anyway.
That's two real-world realistic examplels.
Is there any other reason for having to plug in to charge daily if I drive less than 50 miles per week?
Because Tesla says you should leave the Tesla vehicle plugged in (without any qualification as to whether this means every minute you are not actually driving the vehicle or once per day (or evening/overnight.) Many Tesla owners don't have access to charging at home, rely on charging at work or public charging locations as they can. You can do your own thing, just don't let the Tesla vehicle's battery become fully discharged. I typically drive 10 to 12 miles per day, typically charge 4 times per week for about 90 minutes per charging session (2 hour free garage parking with free Level 2 charging.) I typically add 7kWh to 9 kWh to the battery per charging session. I do charge more frequently in winter due to additional battery use for preconditioning including battery warming and using the climate control for cabin heat.
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Lol, I had the opposite experience... The OEM blades on my Y couldn't even last a single rainy season in the PacNW. I literally replaced them with PIAA blades after the first 2 weeks of PacNW rain. I've never really had good luck with any OEM blades tho... So currently every single one of my cars is running PIAA blades. If you regularly clean them, they last a long time.
thinktwice
Member
I have a M3 with black exterior and I'll say its no different than any other vehicle with black exterior, scratches/swirls show much more than lighter colors like white. On another note, Tesla paint chipping is real. I've never owned a vehicle that had paint chip so easily. If you do a lot of highway driving, paint chips are inevitable. With black exterior, paint chips will show white underneath, so impossible to miss if you don't touch up with paint.
My wife and I are considering purchasing a new Model Y, but have general questions. Any comments would be greatly appreciated! I can't seem to find much about potential maintenance issues with the MY. Does it really stay up and running with no problems as much as advertised? Also, paint scratching seems to be an issue. Should we avoid black exterior color? What other points should we factor into our decision?
Keep in mind the advertised range will not be what you’ll see in real life. Plus you need to recharge before you get to 0% charge. On my long range Y, I normally get at most 200 miles before I recharge, and start at 85% and recharge between 10% and 15%.
As far as the paint hardness, I don’t see much problem. I have almost 20,000 miles on my Y and the paint looks fine. I see very few marks on the front, which is where you’d pick up stones and pebbles driving on the highway.
On maintenance, I don’t think that will be an issue on most EVs. Besides windshield wipers and cabin air filters, there’s not much which needs to be maintained.
As far as the paint hardness, I don’t see much problem. I have almost 20,000 miles on my Y and the paint looks fine. I see very few marks on the front, which is where you’d pick up stones and pebbles driving on the highway.
On maintenance, I don’t think that will be an issue on most EVs. Besides windshield wipers and cabin air filters, there’s not much which needs to be maintained.
In general, maintenance is much lighter on EVs - there are so many fewer moving parts. Your maintenance list becomes things like tires, windshield wipers, and air filters. Your brakes will last longer, because you use them so less often (since you use one-pedal driving with regenerative braking).
Be sure to allow for a t least a 25% drop in range in the winter and, like with every car, the advertised mileage (and therefor advertised range) they calculate in perfect conditions is never what you get under real life conditions.
Be sure to allow for a t least a 25% drop in range in the winter and, like with every car, the advertised mileage (and therefor advertised range) they calculate in perfect conditions is never what you get under real life conditions.
Billmister
Member
Hey! I'm a new EV owner myself. I have never purchased a black car but from everyone I know who has one, they all say it's tough to maintain it looking good. I think black car is something everyone should own at least once in their life. It looks so good when it's clean, but when it's not clean, it looks like it needs to be washed. In the sunshine, all the swirl marks become visible. I chose white for my wife and myself. My wife loves white and I went with white interior for her. For me, this is my first white exterior color as I always get silver. I maintain my cars but after 4 silver cars, I wanted something different. Black was great but high maintenance red was not my color, blue it nice but does not suite me, I had a blue car back right after high school, and I was left with white. I'm really happy I went with white. when washed it really pulls attention. When I drive around (now over 70 degrees F.) I see people look from their car and walking.
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