Three Year Lookback - Model 3 LR 2021

[jontie]

An EV newbie in 2021, it is time to reflect on my 35 months with an M3 LR 2021 (June) with 18-in aeros sold this week. Our M3 Highland chapter starts with delivery on 5th June when we go again!

• Total mileage 32,985 miles included 7 trips to southern France (also taking in Corsica and the Pyrenees), and trips to Norway, Amsterdam, Cornwall and Northumberland! The ABRP app proved invaluable for scenario planning.
  
  
• Lifetime total energy on touchscreen 7,916 kWh, lifetime efficiency 240 Wh/mile. My separate charging record indicates 9,321 kWh delivered to the car taking into account charging losses, losses when parked, rounding up on billing, etc. Total cost GBP 2,380.
  
  
• Charging included 120 supercharger sessions in 8 countries delivering 4,130 kWh in total, of which 92 sessions outside the UK with 72 in France. We experienced only 1 faulty stall (in France) and only had to queue once (in Gateshead!).
  
  
• ChargeMap app/card was used for public chargers off piste in France (most villages have 22 kW connectors delivering at 11.5kW to an M3). Electroverse card was useful in the UK and gives discounts on the Instavolt tariff.
  
  
• Battery normally kept within range 85% to 15% SoC on trips, 70% to 30% SoC at home. We were not aware of significant battery degradation though I did not try to monitor it. The touchscreen showed 314 miles range at 98% SoC when I parted with the car.
  
  
• We had a great example of the benefits of regen. In Norway we descended the 16km from the Dalsnibba viewing point at 1500m to Geiranger at sea level barely using the brakes. SoC increased from 63% to 71% (approx. 6kWh added) as predicted in the trip planner.
  
  
• Tyres were the original Michelin Pilot Sport 4s throughout with approx 4mm tread remaining. We had no punctures, though we always travelled with an air compressor and repair kit in case.
  
  
• We suffered a major issue at 18,000 miles needing warranty replacement of the steering rack and front harness. Luckily the issue occurred near the Service Centre at Aix-en-Provence who took us in hand, gave us an M3 loaner and we were able to extend our stay at low cost. Tesla France really delivered for us to fix our rhd car within 10 days in the post-Brexit era!
  
  
• Other warranty repairs were a replaced rear light cluster (condensation) and a replaced charge port door (not opening when pressed) fixed by mobile service at home.
  
  
• Regular servicing comprised a 2-year service at Reading SC and two separate tyre rotations. This was to maintain a full service record rather than being necessary, as tyre wear was pretty even. Total cost GBP 295.

This was a positive EV transition for us. We managed to navigate the wafer-thin Tesla customer service with support from YouTube videos and contributors to this forum. We also enjoyed many conversations with the international community of Tesla owners!

Jontie

 

[Roger20]

Great review. Hope you enjoy the Highland as much as we are.

 

[Steve446]

An EV newbie in 2021, it is time to reflect on my 35 months with an M3 LR 2021 (June) with 18-in aeros sold this week. Our M3 Highland chapter starts with delivery on 5th June when we go again!

• Total mileage 32,985 miles included 7 trips to southern France (also taking in Corsica and the Pyrenees), and trips to Norway, Amsterdam, Cornwall and Northumberland! The ABRP app proved invaluable for scenario planning.
  
  
• Lifetime total energy on touchscreen 7,916 kWh, lifetime efficiency 240 Wh/mile. My separate charging record indicates 9,321 kWh delivered to the car taking into account charging losses, losses when parked, rounding up on billing, etc. Total cost GBP 2,380.
  
  
• Charging included 120 supercharger sessions in 8 countries delivering 4,130 kWh in total, of which 92 sessions outside the UK with 72 in France. We experienced only 1 faulty stall (in France) and only had to queue once (in Gateshead!).
  
  
• ChargeMap app/card was used for public chargers off piste in France (most villages have 22 kW connectors delivering at 11.5kW to an M3). Electroverse card was useful in the UK and gives discounts on the Instavolt tariff.
  
  
• Battery normally kept within range 85% to 15% SoC on trips, 70% to 30% SoC at home. We were not aware of significant battery degradation though I did not try to monitor it. The touchscreen showed 314 miles range at 98% SoC when I parted with the car.
  
  
• We had a great example of the benefits of regen. In Norway we descended the 16km from the Dalsnibba viewing point at 1500m to Geiranger at sea level barely using the brakes. SoC increased from 63% to 71% (approx. 6kWh added) as predicted in the trip planner.
  
  
• Tyres were the original Michelin Pilot Sport 4s throughout with approx 4mm tread remaining. We had no punctures, though we always travelled with an air compressor and repair kit in case.
  
  
• We suffered a major issue at 18,000 miles needing warranty replacement of the steering rack and front harness. Luckily the issue occurred near the Service Centre at Aix-en-Provence who took us in hand, gave us an M3 loaner and we were able to extend our stay at low cost. Tesla France really delivered for us to fix our rhd car within 10 days in the post-Brexit era!
  
  
• Other warranty repairs were a replaced rear light cluster (condensation) and a replaced charge port door (not opening when pressed) fixed by mobile service at home.
  
  
• Regular servicing comprised a 2-year service at Reading SC and two separate tyre rotations. This was to maintain a full service record rather than being necessary, as tyre wear was pretty even. Total cost GBP 295.

This was a positive EV transition for us. We managed to navigate the wafer-thin Tesla customer service with support from YouTube videos and contributors to this forum. We also enjoyed many conversations with the international community of Tesla owners!

Jontie

Nice review thank you. Our M3 LR dates from end Sept '21. Interesting how the Wh/km (Mile) comes out similar almost everywhere (ours 157 wh/km lifetime per TeslaFi, yours 149). The LR version of the M3 is really a fantastic touring car. After several return trips France-UK we got enough understanding to go further afield and just completed a two week 2650 km trip around the Irish coast from France. I was interested to read about your Norway tour and Denmark Sweden from France is next on our list. Agreed ABRP is super for trip planning and deciding options. All the best for your Highland experience.

 

[Billbrown1982]

Are you happy with the price you sold it for? I really kind of want to get rid of mine. I love the car and its not given me any problems really. I worry slightly that once out of warranty it might start but its not given me any reason to expect it.

BUT, I'm struggling to get in and out of a little bit and regret switching from SUV's so I keep tempting myself to change it but its lost sooo much bloody value!

 

[hingus2000]

Interesting thread. My June 2020 M3LR goes back tomorrow. My efficiency looks poor compared to yours - 287 wh/m. Just the 27,210 miles covered in four years. Pleasingly I’ve consumed 7,800kWh on the nose.

Been a great car though. Will miss it.

 

[yessuz]

I am bit surprised that you can get instavolt discount via electroverse..

all I see is 0.78p/kwh

 

[NorthYorkEV]

Nice review, be interested to know how much you got for the sale?

 

[jontie]

In mid-April, Tesla's trade-in offer was £21,203. This was £2k lower than the offer indicated when I placed the Highland order in March (albeit with 1,500mls more on the clock) against a PCP settlement figure £22,710. My issue was that the trade-in offer was going to expire 2 weeks before the earliest EDD for my Highland, with the prospect of Tesla offering an even lower trade-in.

Of the auction sites, the dealer offer through Carwow left just £300 shortfall for me to make full PCP settlement, more than covered by the £monthly PCP payment I did not have to make until delivery of the Highland. CA Auto Finance gave attractive figures on my new PCP, though with a daft GMV at 48 months which looks to make a hand back likely. Our new M3 LR is great, noticeably improved ride, sound insulation and efficiency as trailed.

For Instavolt chargers, tariff shown today is £0.85p/kWh for a session using the Instavolt app or £0.81p if using the Electroverse app.

 

[thewishy]

• included 7 trips to southern France (also taking in Corsica and the Pyrenees), and trips to Norway, Amsterdam, Cornwall and Northumberland! The ABRP app proved invaluable for scenario planning.

Did you write a trip report for Corsica. We've been pondering it for ages (originally it was an autumn 2020 plan...), but post-pandemic flights have become expensive and involve changes. Hadn't thought about driving there...

 

[Dilly]

Did you write a trip report for Corsica. We've been pondering it for ages (originally it was an autumn 2020 plan...), but post-pandemic flights have become expensive and involve changes. Hadn't thought about driving there...

I hired a Corsa in Corsica in the 80’s. Some of the mountain roads were pretty damn scary. I wouldn’t take my car there

 

[jontie]

No trip

Did you write a trip report for Corsica. We've been pondering it for ages (originally it was an autumn 2020 plan...), but post-pandemic flights have become expensive and involve changes. Hadn't thought about driving there...

No trip report written for Corsica in May 2022 but its straightforward to recount our week so I will do it here. It was our third trip to Corsical but the first in an EV.

We took Corsica Ferries overnight from Toulon to Bastia, easy to book online with frequent sailings plus supercharger available near Toulon. We stayed initially at Centuri in Cap Corse (lovely area if you want to be away from crowds) where e-Motum 22kW connectors (with card reader) were available in the hotel car park. Then a night inland at Corte, where the hotel allowed us to granny connect to external 220V outlet. Finally we continued to stay at Bonifacio (a major visitor attraction), using the e-Motum 150kW connectors (with card reader) at the Geant Casino in Porto Vecchio on the way. SoC would have been OK to return from Bonifacio to Bastia but our hotel was set up with multiple 220V outlets for guests so we plugged in there anyway.

In Corsica distances are relatively short (we covered about 375 miles on the "Island of Beauty"), roads are low speed and temperatures are higher than we are used to in the UK, i.e. you can expect good energy efficiency. The Tesla charging map has shown supercharger sites under construction for years but I see that superchargers are now operational just south of Bastia and near Ajaccio. In 2022 our research was based on e-Motum who have good coverage. Since then they introduced a decent app which makes it easier to locate their charge stations.