Tesla Noob -- What to consider before ordering a Model Y?

[fholbert]

My electric company gives me a $1,100 rebate on a home charger and install so I'll plan to set that up through them. I'm wondering if the mobile charger would be worthwhile as well, but think I'll just hit up super charge stations for trips - I take a few trips 160+ miles away every year.

My MY spends a lot of time in my hangar, the county pays the electric bill so I bought a mobile charger to use in the 120v 15a circuit. Figured it pay for itself quickly. I was wrong, it will take a couple of years to pay for itself, the charge rate is 2 MPH. Hardly worth plugging it in.

 

[everydaychris]

Chris,

Help me out with the floor mat thing. Seems many people buy 3rd party floor mats, but the car comes with floor mats. What am I missing?

carpet floor mats! Get dirty easily with mud etc. These tub style ones like 3d and tesmanian just help keep it clean. I did an entire video on both of em! In the end all personal preference.

 

[spokey]

Thanks all for the replies. Great info! Awesome channel Chris, my wife just said she found it before I posted here.

A friend of mine also recommended getting the LR. I'm up in the air because most of the driving I'll do is around town - 50 miles or less round trip. For our typical road trips (maybe 6 a year), we drive about 350 miles total (I figure that would probably be 1 stop to charge regardless of version) and average one long road trip a year 1,000+ miles total.

However, we'll keep our Subaru Outback (need two cars for my family) so can also take that on any long trips.

Any thoughts with the additional info?

I also only drive short distances. I just turned 19K after almost 3 years and that took a trip NJ->Denver->NJ to get there. But I am glad for the LR. I can get to my brother's (not in dead of winter) without recharging (~200 mi + local). Almost to my sister's. Takes 1 charge. But the real deal was those speeds and winds in Kansas & Colorado took a toll on mileage.

I found the MY more comfortable for this trip than my previous trip out there. Oddly enough, it was to give my youngest daughter my 2015 Outback that the MY replaced.

We drove the Outback and my wife's Camry Hybrid out and the Camry back. I get around 60 mpg on the Camry around town and got in the low 30s for that trip. Camry was great until again, west of the Mississippi the speed and winds killed its mileage.

Your Seattle area probably doesn't need the AWD but what about winter and out of town?

 

[spokey]

If you have rhe Outback, why do you need a second SUV? We have a MYP and our second need was solved with a M3RWD. This M3 is the perfect quick short trip run around car complement to the large MY.

The M3 is too low to ground for me and too cramped. I looked at one before the MY came out and kept the Outback awhile longer. Pulled the plug soon after the MY came out. But I tend towards hatchback arrangements. My wife likes trunks. Guess that's why we have those choices.

 

[Brian_2024]

It likely would be 2 charges to be comfortable on the standard AWD but 1 charge if you charge to 100% each time before and during the trip. Definitely LR would do it easily on one charge.

Figure real world range is about 85% of EPA rated and then you only get 70% of that (going from 80% charge down to 10%). That’s 166 miles on the standard AWD before factoring speed and weather variations. That’s also without considering if you get the 20” wheels, future new tires that might be less efficient, and future reduced range due to battery degradation.

Thanks, good to know. That would mean the standard is around 166 miles and the LR is about (330 * .85 * .7) = 196 miles. So about a 30 mile difference. With that in mind, I think I would lean towards taking my Outback on most trips

 

[Puma2020]

I have a 2020 LR Y and have driven across the country. The LR is really good for long trips. However, around town it can also be extremely useful. If you have dogs or kids, then you'll likely get really fond of dog mode while you run into a store or do some shopping. I fully agree with other comments on figuring out your home charging. Being able to "fuel up" every night is a big advantage. Remember that you are not going to fill it to 100% every day (or ever as it then prevents regen and you'll get used to that very quickly). I tend to fill up to 80% which gives you plenty for around town. Also remember that currently, Tesla is offering a referral bonus. If you have a friend (or just pick someone from this site that has helped you) and both of you get a little something. It's not much but you might as well take advantage of it.

I got a mobile charger and that is extremely useful (if you have the right plug adapters). I have used that at RV parks each night on long trips to get a "free" charge while sleeping at a discount overnight stop ($40-$50/night). Of course, you have to enjoy camping to appreciate it.

 

[Chewy13]

If you're concerned about the paint, or easier maintenance on keeping the car clean. You might consider paint protection film (PPF), on either the nose, or the whole car. Along with that a ceramic coating.
You're talking thousands of dollars though.
The front bumper of the Tesla is a bug killer, so unless you stay on top of keeping it clean - bug guts are no good for your paint. Also, because of how the body is flared, the rear doors are notorious for getting beat up by rocks etc. So much so, that Tesla has small pieces of PPF to help combat this.
You'll probably want mudflaps (either Tesla's, or aftermarket like Rallyarmor) - to help knock some of that down.
The huge glass roof is nice, and cool to look out of - but after several sunny drives, it get's to be more annoying than anything (in my opinion). Light in your eyes, and a hot head is all it took me to convince me to get a sunshade. You might think about one of those too.

I was going to buy a CCS1 to NACS adapter for the 'just in case' I need to fast charge and there are no superchargers around - but I have yet to have that need, and with a lot of manufacturers announcing to go to NACS, CCS1 is probably not going to make it. So save your money - or if you really want one, wait for the prices to drop.

In the trunk, there are a couple of deep cubbys. On AliExpress I picked up rubber inserts for those cubbies, with carpet fabric lids. It's a nice touch.

 

[DaveG_NJ]

There's no replacement for displacement range in an EV. I'd definitely go with the LR for convenience and resale value. You'd be surprised how the battery drains much faster than you think. A home charging setup would be high on my list. I only use superchargers on long road trips.

The other doodads can probably wait until you have the car and can determine if they're needed.

 

[kpanda17]

I could not live without my MY:
When we drive together, family of five
Trips with a lot of luggage
Depot/Lowe’s runs, ex March had 20 bags of mulch loaded to the back, 8 foot wood pieces, etc
Golf bag and cart can stay together
Etc

A tip, we all have the back cargo mat and second row seat back protection, but also suggest getting the pet drop in water proof tarp/cover

I use rhe cargo mat to protect the surface but use rhe pet drop in piece with raised sides for protecting against dirt, such as plants, mulch bags, etc

 

[Wisegraywolf]

I've never been in a Tesla until today when I test drove an MY and completely loved it. I'm planning to get the standard range model (I thought about the MYP but want a softer ride and concerned about eating through the more expensive tires).

Timing is tough because I'll be out of town the month of August and the sales person said you only have 3 days to pick up the Tesla when it gets to the dealership. So I guess I'll need to wait about a month to place the order? Hopefully prices don't go up then.

My electric company gives me a $1,100 rebate on a home charger and install so I'll plan to set that up through them. I'm wondering if the mobile charger would be worthwhile as well, but think I'll just hit up super charge stations for trips - I take a few trips 160+ miles away every year.

For accessories, I plan to get different wheel cap covers -- not sure where I'll get them yet. Any other accessories I should consider?

I've done a lot of research on the pros and cons of owning a Tesla and assuming I don't have any big problems think the pros will be well worth it for my family and me.

Any other recommendations?

I would make sure that you keep the car aligned within specifications and make sure to rotate your tires every 5000 miles. Also, floor mats are a great add-on, a spoiler, possibly a magbak to hold your phone, etc. I would recommend having a mobile charger as well because you never know when your home connector may have an issue, (It is highly reliable, however, I would be prepared in case of an emergency or if you are traveling and need to fill up say at a campground site.) Tires will be one your biggest expenditures for maintenance and suspension components will need to be changed at least once before 80,000 miles. Make sure that you check your coolant often because this is the most critical system for your air conditioner cooling and your battery back keeping it's proper temperature. Also, make sure you have someone check to make sure the antifreeze levels are correct once every year with a refractometer.

 

[kpanda17]

AWD is Lithium Ion maybe 5% to 95% range use
MY RWD LFP? If so that allows 5% to 100% range use
Remember, these extreme range usages (ugh) are for the once in a blue moon long trips, only when absolutely necessary
Normal use is Lith 10-80 and LFP 10-100

 

[gx9901]

Thanks, good to know. That would mean the standard is around 166 miles and the LR is about (330 * .85 * .7) = 196 miles. So about a 30 mile difference. With that in mind, I think I would lean towards taking my Outback on most trips

When it comes time to go on a long trip, you might end up really wanting to take the Model Y instead of the Subaru despite needing more time to charge. I will be driving my daughter to a band camp during the first week of August that's about a 4-hour drive away and there's no chance I'm taking her Impreza over my MYP. My guess is that you'll rather be driving the Tesla for long hours over the Subaru too.

I would also recommend going with the LR over the AWD, unless $3000 difference is really a big deal for you. I kind of struggle to find a reason to go with an AWD over an LR other than this reason.

 

[Lumpydog]

I took delivery of my Model Y LR a little over a week ago. Lot's of good tips in these forums and no lack of YouTube videos.

My Advice:

1) Watch YouTube videos - lots of them. Bookmark the ones you will want to go back to. There are dozens that cover Tesla add-ons, which is one of my favorite parts of ownership, making my Tesla mine by adding things like mud flaps, floor mats, storage, etc, etc. Youtube videos provide links to the things they review. Beware many reviewers are compensated for the things they review (item reviewed is free to them) - 3D Mats is a great example - every reviewed mentions them. You will see lots of options for wheel/rim covers. The Gemini/19 inch wheels provide a lot of fun options.

2) Surf these forums and use search. Wow is this a great resource.

3) Others have mentioned - have a charging strategy. The best charge is your home charge - most road trip charging strategies have you leaving your house with a full charge and getting back with the lowest charge. I put in a Tesla Wall Charger - I did the wiring myself. Hire an electrician if you don't know how to do those types of things - with the rebate in your area, it's the best/safest option. A friend of mine gets away with just plugging in to his household power - but he works from home...

4) With the new Tesla referral rewards program - you can get $500 off the price of your Tesla and 3 free months of Full Self Driving, be sure to use someone's referral code when you order. If you don't have a friend with a Tesla - I'm happy to share my referral code ;-)

5) Embrace the Tesla buying process. It's impersonal (I don't mean that in a bad way necessarily) and done through their app. Follow the steps in the app - it's actually really easy and a pretty cool experience. But, see Trade-in/#6

6) Be ready to be low-balled by Tesla on your trade in value. Have a backup plan for selling your current car - Tesla's offer came in well below the range they gave me on their website and was $7000 below what I was offered by Carmax. BUT - don't let Tesla's trade-in experience tarnish your buying experience - selling your car directly is not hard in this day/age. Just make sure the difference in price that you get elsewhere covers, covers difference in taxes you would have saved if you traded in with Tesla.

7) Call your insurance company and ask how much it will cost to insure your new Tesla. Always good to understand what to expect there so there are no surprises.

8) Tesla paint seems to be easier to scratch/damage and my early experience confirms this. A little preventative effort can make this a non-issue. I'd consider PPF on the front bumper, also consider hood/rear view mirrors and the area that flares out on the rear doors in front of the wheel well.

9) Tesla has a YouTube channel with plenty of Model Y tutorials. Also - the Model Y Owners Manual is available online. Both are great resources to help you get familiar with your Tesla prior to delivery.

 

[alexgr]

I've never been in a Tesla until today when I test drove an MY and completely loved it. I'm planning to get the standard range model (I thought about the MYP but want a softer ride and concerned about eating through the more expensive tires).

Timing is tough because I'll be out of town the month of August and the sales person said you only have 3 days to pick up the Tesla when it gets to the dealership. So I guess I'll need to wait about a month to place the order? Hopefully prices don't go up then.

My electric company gives me a $1,100 rebate on a home charger and install so I'll plan to set that up through them. I'm wondering if the mobile charger would be worthwhile as well, but think I'll just hit up super charge stations for trips - I take a few trips 160+ miles away every year.

For accessories, I plan to get different wheel cap covers -- not sure where I'll get them yet. Any other accessories I should consider?

I've done a lot of research on the pros and cons of owning a Tesla and assuming I don't have any big problems think the pros will be well worth it for my family and me.

Any other recommendations?

If you can, always get the longest range version of any electric car that you can afford. There is one (pretty common) exception only if you are buying the car strictly for in-city driving. If you travel over 100 miles, extra 50 miles of range will be important, especially when it is cold and/or windy.

It used to be that you could delay delivery by several days or so. You can try to order now and see if the car is delivered this month, and then you may ask Tesla to postpone the delivery until September.

I can't think about accessories that critically important other than maybe windows tint. Model Y came with rear seat windows already tinted well, and we only had to do the front door windows. Also, I strongly recommend front PPF on any new car. The front end of my 4-year old Model 3 is still like new under PPF. For these you may want to schedule service while waiting for your car, as good installers are usually booked pretty well.

 

[GlmnAlyAirCar]

carpet floor mats! Get dirty easily with mud etc. These tub style ones like 3d and tesmanian just help keep it clean. I did an entire video on both of em! In the end all personal preference.

Or….just use the factory mats until the wear out, then get something nice. No sense throwing away perfectly good (albeit less durable) mats.

 

[kpanda17]

Factory is carpeted mats, they will get knarly fast, go with Tuxmats or 3D from the jump

 

[Brian_2024]

Thanks everyone for the additional info.

Sounds like the LR is definitely the way to go.

And good to know about the referral bonus. I'm guessing my friend with a Tesla will refer me but if not, I'll reach out.

My only final concern is reading about bad experiences, but realize problems can happen with any car.

 

[spokey]

I have an august 2020 build so they were only making it for a few months. Yeah the panels don't line up as well as the Camry, but the Camry isn't perfect either. Mine is just fine. I had a delivery issue with the rear passenger handle hitting the door so it didn't retract fully until you pushed it in. I don't usually have rear seaters so it took me about 9 months to get around to making an appointment. Mobile came out and fixed it no issue. BUT the tech decided it had rubbed too much and came out a second time to redo it all again to put another handle on.

I've had tires rotated, a sensor recall (that required an SC appt), and the filters replaced without any real hassle. One visit to the 'dealer' in almost 3 years is good in my book.

My tire gauge broke the schrader valve. Mobile came out replaced that no charge. I would have done that except I didn't know if these fancy TPMS sensors used a regular old schrader or something special. Turns out just a regular old schrader.

 

[Sizzlr]

1. All Weather mats. The carpet is black and attracts and shows lint, dirt, and debris. Even the strongest vacuums have trouble making it look clean.
2. The center console storage is cavernous. Get organizing trays to optimize utility.
3. Tesla specific phone holder. The vents are unique and do not allow for standard clips. You can opt for either one that connects to the back of the display or the Model Y specific vent clips.
4. Mudflaps (No drill installation type) They will protect you from stone chips the tires have a tendency to kick up along the lower door panels and rear quarter panel.
5. Drying towel. (The finish on the Model Y is so good, you can get away with just hosing it down and drying it.)
6. If you have opted for Uberturbines or , get some rim protection. Curb rash looks horrible on these satin black rims and it is quite easy to do.
7. A tire inflator and some sealant like Fix a Flat or Slime. The car doesn't come with a spare. If you get a flat, just contact Service via the Tesla App or Road Side Service from the car itself. They come out to you. But if you have to move from the side of the road or in a sketchy area, these items will come in handy.
8. Trunk liners. There is a huge storage space under the cargo floor that is lined with the flocked material you find in the door pockets. Liners provide leak proof protection for this area.

External Accessories including the rim protectors, mudflaps, and all weather mats.

 

[Mateo83]

Manage your expectation on range and quality. You will get far less mileage than advertised. They will have panel gap issues and/or paint imperfections.

Otherwise, invest in PPF, Rocks fly off the front tires.