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Should I have my 2021 M3 SR+ looked at before 2500 mile road trip?

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rtrelkins

Member
Dec 8, 2020
10
7
Chicago
#1
Hello, TMC!

We are loving our 2021 M3 SR+ that we picked up in Mid December 2020. We have already had one 3000+mile road trip from Chicago to Florida and back. We are excited to put it through another one in mid September to South Dakota/Wyoming (2500+miles round trip). We have not have any issues with the car yet, but would anyone recommend having Tesla take a look at it before our upcoming trip?

If so, would this "check-up" be covered by our warranty (e.g. free)? We have about 9200 miles on the car so far.

Thanks!

Ron
 
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#3
rtrelkins said:
Hello, TMC!

We are loving our 2021 M3 SR+ that we picked up in Mid December 2020. We have already had one 3000+mile road trip from Chicago to Florida and back. We are excited to put it through another one in mid September to South Dakota/Wyoming (2500+miles round trip). We have not have any issues with the car yet, but would anyone recommend having Tesla take a look at it before our upcoming trip?

If so, would this "check-up" be covered by our warranty (e.g. free)? We have about 9200 miles on the car so far.

Thanks!

Ron
Click to expand...

If you paid for this type of service for your other vehicles for peace of mind, then I guess you could continue that. "I want you to check over my car before my roadtrip" is not a warranty thing, though. If "I want you to check my car before my roadtrip, even though there are no issues with it to report" was free, no car dealer would ever have time to do any work beside checking cars.
 
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#8
What's there to check other than tire pressures? There's no consumables other than tires, cabin air filter, wipers and brake pads and you're nowhere near wearing them out.

Keep your tires rotated as per owner's manual and just drive! This ain't some 1980s ICE car where you gotta worry about your cooling system and oil changes and diff fluids...
 
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#10
I usually avoid the dealer whenever possible. You can check the tires, wipers, make sure the lug nuts are torqued to spec, and make sure the brake pads are moving properly. Might want to go ahead with any pending updates (or turn off auto updates) and reboot the thing for good measure. Also make sure dashcam and sentry mode are enabled.

Not a bad idea to get that "modern spare" wheel/tire as a backup if you want the peace of mind. And it can't hurt to have the wife carry one of the physical key cards.
 
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#11
rtrelkins said:
Hello, TMC!

We are loving our 2021 M3 SR+ that we picked up in Mid December 2020. We have already had one 3000+mile road trip from Chicago to Florida and back. We are excited to put it through another one in mid September to South Dakota/Wyoming (2500+miles round trip). We have not have any issues with the car yet, but would anyone recommend having Tesla take a look at it before our upcoming trip?

If so, would this "check-up" be covered by our warranty (e.g. free)? We have about 9200 miles on the car so far.

Thanks!

Ron
Click to expand...

nothing to check. After a few years its probably worth checking the control arms and stuff to make sure everything is in working order.

Even with european MOTs/TUVs etc vehicles younger than 4 years are exempt.
 
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#12
Before my recent 11,000 mile trip, I watched the pressure for a few days before leaving. Tires had been rotated recently (they were due). Replaced wipers. Topped off washer fluid. No spare - figured that would be part of the adventure. Replaced tires about 2/3 of the way on the trip in Houston. (BTW... it's impossible to get ahold of a Tesla Service Center while traveling - especially to get new tires). Wound up doing it at Costco. Unannounced - entire process took less than an hour while I ate at the snack bar.
Point is... after almost 4 years, the M3 has been very easy to care for.

Plus EV may be a better source for this question, being one that travels a lot.
 
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#13
  • No need to splurge, but be prepared!
  • If you check and balance the tires, car is done. But don't forget the windshield washer liquid, and it should be scientifically matched to the temperature of your destination. Like Dollar Store's.
  • To hang your (re-usable) Dollar Store bags, these hooks are cheaper than the fancy aluminum ones and just as good.
  • They also have little gala plastic Chinese baskets and all sorts of containers and nick-nacks that are so great to have during a trip. If you have any re.. I mean intellectually challenged, companions, they will endlessly transfer items to/from said containers and let you drive in peace.
  • Oh, and by September, with climate change accelerating, do get a reflective windshield screen. This is the best deal I found, and the XL 2 piece is versatile. Maybe their small ones could be used for side windows so you can discreetly sleep in the Tesla during the 'Pocalypse.
  • These little trash containers are so clever. I ended up getting a second one. They're great for iced Frappucinos too.
  • Don't forget your meds. Looking for Lomotils in Laramie is a pain in the butt. These containers are like, wow. They even give you labels. For the bigger Supplements, these are perfect. Your garlic and fish oil won't seep out. Terrible smell if they do.
  • And to "organize" the trunk, these are great for the money, trust me, I tried and returned many others. The black is classy, but my wife loves the full sized Orange one. Real real! The Oasser look pretty similar, but who knows. For the Frunk, this cooler is tempting, though a bit pricey.
  • Have a great escape!
  • Oh, and these have protected my windows (so far, cross-fingers!) even parked in San Francisco.
 
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#16
Whats the to check? Brake fluid? doubt it would even go lower. Windshield washer fluid? Tire pressure? There's not much to check and this is me with over 20+ road trips under my belt with this car. About to go one tomorrow and the only thing I may check is tire pressure.

This isn't an ICE car where you check the transmission fluid, oil, powersteering, brake fluid (we barely use our brakes on the EV).
 
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#18
If you ask the SC they will probably scratch their heads and ask you to show them what's wrong. They're not good at doing things that require much creativity or go outside of their scripted fixes. You could have an independent tire shop inspect your tires for any nails or embedded debris, though. I also bought my own flat tire fix kit along with a jack and a fix-a-flat kit just to have some insurance. If you're super paranoid, there are a few specific gasoline sine-wave generators you can take as well to protect against running out of battery (this is an absolute last resort as charging won't be fast and would only be to get you to the closest supercharger).

That said, I just did a road trip from Chicago to the SF Bay Area over a couple weeks and my 2021 M3LR was fine, other than accumulating bug-armageddon on the front bumper. You will also need to be keen on your supercharging needs as the car's efficiency tanks depending on wind, road quality, incline, and the speed limit. Once I hit the 75-80mph roads out West, my WH/MI went up by about 60-80. It was fun in Colorado and California, though, as I would come down from some mountain roads with MORE battery than when I started thanks to the regenerative breaking. I have some photos of the Energy screen showing negative WH/MI :)

Overall, try to have fun and don't think about it too much. Powertrain issues on the M3 are rare.
 
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#20
Fernand said:
On the windshield sun block screen, I can't say a 2 piece is perfect. If you read reviews, people with Teslas are always complaining. One guy says the Large one-piece is perfect for a Model 3, and the next guy says No, get the XL. I dunno. Maybe they all suck.
Click to expand...

Instead of guessing which one will fit, buy one that is specifically made for the Model 3. I bought this one piece and it fits perfectly. So much better than a 2 piece.

Amazon.com: ROCCS Model 3 Model Y Front Windshield Sunshade, Sun Shade Auto Reflective Protector Sun Visor Folding Cover for Tesla Model 3 2017 2018 2019 2020: Automotive

Buy ROCCS Model 3 Model Y Front Windshield Sunshade, Sun Shade Auto Reflective Protector Sun Visor Folding Cover for Tesla Model 3 2017 2018 2019 2020: Windshield Sunshades - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
 
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