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A couple of comments on the earlier comments...

The UMC in the picture (the one found) is for the Roadster. Interestingly, it's got a lot of warning text on the back, but nothing regarding indoor/outdoor use. Seems pretty well built, however, I've only used mine indoors, with the 10-30 pigtail (240v / 24a dryer plug). Works flawlessly, but I am very careful to not bang it around (I don't have a wall charger). This UMC doesn't lock, but that's a Roadster thing. The MS and MX, I believe, do lock the cord to the car, regardless of what's on the other end of the cable.

The deal with maintaining healthy batteries, from what I've gathered, is that besides being happiest between 20% and 80%, they withstand high loads best when more fully charged. So if you're playing with Ludicrous mode, or generally hot-rodding around, do it at the 80% end of the charge spectrum, not the 20%. I try to keep my Roadster above 50%, as it's hard not to punch it from time to time. I'm very lucky to have L2 charging at the office, so I charge there most of the time (commute is 60 miles of range, round trip), and using the home charging Friday evening for weekend excursions.

A cool (not ice cold) battery is also a happy battery, so I also give the car a 30-45 minute "Range mode" charge when I get home in the summer. For the Roadster, this helps it actively cool the battery, though I expect the M3 will not need this sort of manual treatment. The point is, that leaving the car plugged in whenever possible will give the car's internal maintenance capabilities the maximum flexibility to keep everything running at its best.
 
The Tesla website says the wall charging unit is rated for outdoor use. I am considering purchasing one, but it would be mounted outdoors in a dusty environment. I assume it would be good practice to clean the part that plugs into the vehicle often?

Is the UMC also rated for outdoor use? It does not say on the website. I don't want to have my car plugged in outside and a rainstorm ruins the unit.

I'm basically looking for real life scenarios on how people charge their car. I've seen some nifty setups with suspended charging cables in the garage, but I don't currently have a garage.
 
The Tesla website says the wall charging unit is rated for outdoor use. I am considering purchasing one, but it would be mounted outdoors in a dusty environment. I assume it would be good practice to clean the part that plugs into the vehicle often?

Is the UMC also rated for outdoor use? It does not say on the website. I don't want to have my car plugged in outside and a rainstorm ruins the unit.

I'm basically looking for real life scenarios on how people charge their car. I've seen some nifty setups with suspended charging cables in the garage, but I don't currently have a garage.

For protection of the HPWC, you could always place the plug in a plastic baggie secured by a rubber band or a bakery-bag type tie. I have used my UMC outdoors several times when I have charged at campgrounds or similar locations. However, I have never kept the UMC outdoors. I have always replaced it inside the trunk when done charging.
 
The Tesla website says the wall charging unit is rated for outdoor use. I am considering purchasing one, but it would be mounted outdoors in a dusty environment. I assume it would be good practice to clean the part that plugs into the vehicle often?

Is the UMC also rated for outdoor use? It does not say on the website. I don't want to have my car plugged in outside and a rainstorm ruins the unit.

I'm basically looking for real life scenarios on how people charge their car. I've seen some nifty setups with suspended charging cables in the garage, but I don't currently have a garage.

If you use the hpwc it plugs right into the tesla. No umc needed.

Umc for other power outlet options (14-50 etc...).
 
One thing I am thinking of doing with my Model 3 when I get it is running a long, heavy duty, possibly custom made extension cord from my apartment, 30-40 feet to the car, and have the cord go into the trunk which stays LOCKED. Only problem is that I need a gap somewhere large enough to run the extension cord IN and the charging cable OUT to plug into the side of the car.

And it needs to be easily accessible enough to be convenient and no more than a 30 second disruption to unplug everything when I am coming out of the apartment on my way to work. Open trunk, 2 unplugs, close trunk, hang the extension cord up on a hanger on the side of my apartment, go.
 
And who can tell me something about the battery heating system, to keep it warmed up overnight in sub-freezing winter weather? I presume the battery has an internal heating system that draws power from itself and circulated heat through the whole battery pack?

And this amount of heat can be regulated through the smartphone app or touch screen in the car?
 
And who can tell me something about the battery heating system, to keep it warmed up overnight in sub-freezing winter weather? I presume the battery has an internal heating system that draws power from itself and circulated heat through the whole battery pack?

And this amount of heat can be regulated through the smartphone app or touch screen in the car?

By design the TMS battery pack controls its temperature without user intervention. You can enable "smart preconditioning", but you may find it counterproductive. You can warm the cabin from the app, and the manual says that this affects the battery (p47 in my copy). Most of the advice in the manual amounts to "keep it plugged in whenever possible".
 
And who can tell me something about the battery heating system, to keep it warmed up overnight in sub-freezing winter weather? I presume the battery has an internal heating system that draws power from itself and circulated heat through the whole battery pack?

And this amount of heat can be regulated through the smartphone app or touch screen in the car?
Set the timer so that the charge finished about the time you start to drive. About thirty minutes before driving start the preconditioning from the app. The cabin temperature can be set from the App. Preconditioning draws power from the wall when the car is plugged in.
 
One thing I am thinking of doing with my Model 3 when I get it is running a long, heavy duty, possibly custom made extension cord from my apartment, 30-40 feet to the car, and have the cord go into the trunk which stays LOCKED. Only problem is that I need a gap somewhere large enough to run the extension cord IN and the charging cable OUT to plug into the side of the car.

And it needs to be easily accessible enough to be convenient and no more than a 30 second disruption to unplug everything when I am coming out of the apartment on my way to work. Open trunk, 2 unplugs, close trunk, hang the extension cord up on a hanger on the side of my apartment, go.
This is exactly along the lines of what I was thinking, but I doubt we're gonna find any gaps. This would not be good for rain and you'd more than likely have to modify the trunk yourself. Not looking forward to beating up my new car so soon!

I suppose maybe a lockbox that houses the UMC + the UMC/Ext cord connection would suffice. Then shove that under your car out of the way. It's not perfect, and if somebody really wants to steal your *sugar*, they will, but maybe if you're worried about that, you should move somewhere else.
 
Here in Washington State the abundance of hydroelectric gives us rates averaging $0.08/KWh. I pay just a tiny fraction of a cent more than that. A friend of my SO pays $0.07/KWh. It may be a contributing factor to Washington being one of the highest EV adopting states (per capita).
Over here on the other side of the state, my rates are 'massively' cheaper than yours at $0.06/KWh ;) It is one of the advantages of our area. That and the lack of sales tax on EVs up to $35k
 
Question...so we've put $1000 to reserve our spot for the 3. And then when it comes time to order we have to put another $2,500 to place the order, correct?

So does that mean that when we go to lease or finance the car, that $3,500 we've already paid will be taken from the final price?
 
Over here on the other side of the state, my rates are 'massively' cheaper than yours at $0.06/KWh ;) It is one of the advantages of our area. That and the lack of sales tax on EVs up to $35k
The first $32k is sales tax exempt - not $35k. Until the law was modified earlier this year, an EV up to $35k was tax free ($35k+ full tax rate). When they updated it, cars (base MSRP) $35,000-$42,500 now qualify for no tax on the first $32,000.
 
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The first $32k is sales tax exempt - not $35k. Until the law was modified earlier this year, an EV up to $35k was tax free ($35k+ full tax rate). When they updated it, cars (base MSRP) $35,000-$42,500 now qualify for no tax on the first $32,000.

It might help Model 3 buyers, but it does nothing for Model S and X buyers.

Washington does have no sales tax on batteries for EVs and equipment that will improve EV infrastructure.
Incentive Programs: Deferrals, Exemptions, and Credits

I wish Tesla would sell me the battery for my Model S separately. That would save me around $1000 in sales tax.