to buy used or not to buy at all, that is the question...well 1 of them.

[Oldschoola]

Hola!
I am new to the forums and tesla in general. I am interested in a used tesla and my budget is between 30-40k(preferably 35max). I dont care about a P series or Dual motor of flying somewhere to pick it up.

The only things on my wishlist are warranty, AP1, range, panaramic roof and if possible supercharging.

I have read through some of the post on here and i'm interested in finding out some answers to my very NOOB questions below. I'm hoping someone can help!

1. if i buy a used model S, can i purchase an extended warranty? (i know if i buy from a dealer other than tesla this is not option, which sucks).
1a. does it matter if i would possibly be the 3rd owner to afffect an extended warranty purchase?
1b. what year/mileage is the cutoff to add an extended warranty?
1c. how much does this warranty cost usually?

2. if i buy a used model S and the seller is offering the supercharging option, is it transferable if i am the 2nd owner? what if i am the 3rd owner?

3. what year/mileage/version can i expect with my budget and my wishlist above? i know the christmas season is coming and i'm hoping people start unloading their older units.

My main concern is the MCU, battery and drive unit(s) of the tesla i purchase, i want to make sure i have these under warranty for as long as I possibly can. I drive an average of 50miles a day round trip.

I have someone offering me a 2014 model s 85 rwd, with 81k miles for 30k not sure if it has AP. They said it comes with unlimited supercharging, but he is the 2nd owner which means i would be the 3rd. Would that transfer? Is this a good buy?

Thx all for reading this lenghty post and for your help!

 

[ElectricCruise]

Hello Oldschoola, while I do not currently own a Tesla (I am shopping for one in the same pricepoint as you) I thought I would share what I have learned.

https://www.xcelerateauto.com/x-care/
The above link is a 3rd party vendor that offers extended warranties on Teslas. From my reading on their website the Age of the vehicle does not matter, the mileage does. From what I can see they do not currently offer any warranty once the vehicle passes 100k miles. That being said if the vehicle has 99999 miles you can buy a 50,000 mile warranty still. As far as the cost goes I had 1 quote on a car I was looking at and it was around the $5000 mark.

In regards to supercharging a lot will depend on what Year the vehicle is. Given the price point you and I are in just about anything you find "should" have unlimited supercharging.

As far as your wish list is concerned... Finding 1 with any version of AP for 35k or less will be difficult, not impossible though, I have seen a few pop up and get sold very quickly. A lot will depend on battery size too if you are okay with a 60 or 70 battery then you could find one with AP much easier. The price you listed is not bad at first glance, but I would see if the current owner has the build sheet. Does it have the tech package? panoramic roof? so on... Also you will want to get the Vin and call/go to a tesla service center. Give them the VIN and ask them to check and see what if any work has been done to it.

Hope this helps. Sorry I cant offer some 1st hand experience from my own Tesla.... Hopefully that will change in the next week or so.

 

[Rockster]

Is a Model S your sole choice for a Tesla? The Model 3 has a lot to offer and the cost of entry is much lower. (I have both an Performance S and a regular 3 and I prefer driving the 3.)

 

[Oldschoola]

I know I could get a brand new 3 for my price range, the problem is I have kids and would prefer to have the interior space.

 

[kai123]

Is a Model S your sole choice for a Tesla? The Model 3 has a lot to offer and the cost of entry is much lower. (I have both an Performance S and a regular 3 and I prefer driving the 3.)

Why do you prefer your 3 to your S?

 

[Rockster]

Why do you prefer your 3 to your S?

It feels tighter, more maneuverable, and more agile. The Model S P85 has faster acceleration, for sure, but it just feels more bulky and squishy to me.

 

[XCare EV]

Hola!
I am new to the forums and tesla in general. I am interested in a used tesla and my budget is between 30-40k(preferably 35max). I dont care about a P series or Dual motor of flying somewhere to pick it up.

The only things on my wishlist are warranty, AP1, range, panaramic roof and if possible supercharging.

I have read through some of the post on here and i'm interested in finding out some answers to my very NOOB questions below. I'm hoping someone can help!

1. if i buy a used model S, can i purchase an extended warranty? (i know if i buy from a dealer other than tesla this is not option, which sucks).

If you purchase from a dealer, then you are unable to buy Tesla's extended warranty (Called ESA for Extended Service Agreement). However, there is X-Care that mirrors the same coverage as Tesla's ESA, half the deductible ($100 per visit vs $200), and does not matter where you purchased the car to have your vehicle warranted.

1a. does it matter if i would possibly be the 3rd owner to afffect an extended warranty purchase?

If you are 3rd owner, yes that affects your ability to buy Tesla's ESA, but not X-Care.

1b. what year/mileage is the cutoff to add an extended warranty?
1c. how much does this warranty cost usually?

You have to purchase Tesla's ESA within 30 days or 1,000 miles of the factory warranty expiring. For Model S, a 4yr/50 would cost you $4,750. X-Care is based on a matrix style pricing, the price is variable depending on how many miles are on the car, how old the vehicle is, and how long the warranty term is that you are purchasing.

There is an instant quote tool where you can plug in any vehicle and see warranty options available. www.xcelerateauto.com/x-care/

2. if i buy a used model S and the seller is offering the supercharging option, is it transferable if i am the 2nd owner? what if i am the 3rd owner?

If the vehicle originally came with free supercharging for life and never went back into Tesla inventory, then it should still have free supercharging.

My main concern is the MCU, battery and drive unit(s) of the tesla i purchase, i want to make sure i have these under warranty for as long as I possibly can. I drive an average of 50miles a day round trip.

Any car you purchase should still have the factory 8 year battery and drive unit warranty. This covers your battery, drive unit and drive inverter. everything else, is covered under the factory 4 year and 50k warranty or extended warranty. MCU is a major item that is covered under X-Care or Tesla ESA.

 

[cucubits]

If you purchase from a dealer, then you are unable to buy Tesla's extended warranty (Called ESA for Extended Service Agreement). However, there is X-Care that mirrors the same coverage as Tesla's ESA, half the deductible ($100 per visit vs $200), and does not matter where you purchased the car to have your vehicle warranted.



If you are 3rd owner, yes that affects your ability to buy Tesla's ESA, but not X-Care.



You have to purchase Tesla's ESA within 30 days or 1,000 miles of the factory warranty expiring. For Model S, a 4yr/50 would cost you $4,750. X-Care is based on a matrix style pricing, the price is variable depending on how many miles are on the car, how old the vehicle is, and how long the warranty term is that you are purchasing.

There is an instant quote tool where you can plug in any vehicle and see warranty options available. www.xcelerateauto.com/x-care/



If the vehicle originally came with free supercharging for life and never went back into Tesla inventory, then it should still have free supercharging.



Any car you purchase should still have the factory 8 year battery and drive unit warranty. This covers your battery, drive unit and drive inverter. everything else, is covered under the factory 4 year and 50k warranty or extended warranty. MCU is a major item that is covered under X-Care or Tesla ESA.

Good to know. I've never heard about this X-Care. Will keep in mind if I don't find a Tesla from their inventory and end up buying private.

 

[Oldschoola]

If you purchase from a dealer, then you are unable to buy Tesla's extended warranty (Called ESA for Extended Service Agreement). However, there is X-Care that mirrors the same coverage as Tesla's ESA, half the deductible ($100 per visit vs $200), and does not matter where you purchased the car to have your vehicle warranted.



If you are 3rd owner, yes that affects your ability to buy Tesla's ESA, but not X-Care.



You have to purchase Tesla's ESA within 30 days or 1,000 miles of the factory warranty expiring. For Model S, a 4yr/50 would cost you $4,750. X-Care is based on a matrix style pricing, the price is variable depending on how many miles are on the car, how old the vehicle is, and how long the warranty term is that you are purchasing.

There is an instant quote tool where you can plug in any vehicle and see warranty options available. www.xcelerateauto.com/x-care/



If the vehicle originally came with free supercharging for life and never went back into Tesla inventory, then it should still have free supercharging.



Any car you purchase should still have the factory 8 year battery and drive unit warranty. This covers your battery, drive unit and drive inverter. everything else, is covered under the factory 4 year and 50k warranty or extended warranty. MCU is a major item that is covered under X-Care or Tesla ESA.

Wow, Thank you so much for the detailed info, i will definately be looking at this x-care and seeing if its a viable option. Will it let you take it to tesla for repair?

Also what if someone bought a cpo from tesla, and is now selling it?
they said it has the supercharging option and it should transfer. since im a 3rd owner and the 2nd was a cpo purchase will it still transfer being it was in teslas cpo inventory at some point?

 

[cucubits]

It should be fine if the car was in tesla inventory before they stripped free supercharging. I think it was April this year. Not sure.

 

[Wnix05]

It should be fine if the car was in tesla inventory before they stripped free supercharging. I think it was April this year. Not sure.

It was end of July. I bought mine in May 2019 a couple months before they ended it.

 

[Wnix05]

Old Schoola, I also prefer the Model S. Here are my 2 (or 4) cents:
1.) Buy what you can afford, but remember the earlier you go, the more issues you will encounter (drive unit, fitment, MCU wear, etc.). Personally I would suggest you get at least an AP1 (already on your list) with dual motors. These typically have most of the early bugs worked out and are the most durable per price.
2.) Free Unlimited Supercharging (FUSC) is amazing. All you have to do is ask the seller to log into their account and snapshot that part where it says it's transferable unless Tesla has changed that (somebody help me out here).
3.) Mileage is a little less of a concern on Teslas than it is on ICE cars. Just make sure the battery isn't heavily degraded (ask for 90% mile rating).
4.) If warranty is your primary concern, go through ev-cpo.com and find one with Tesla. They will provide you with basically a brand new car warranty. Yes, you loose free supercharging, but that may be the price to pay... Do the numbers. Spending $4,750 can get you an extended warranty or 17,000 kWh of supercharging (at $0.28 per kWh) which equates to 51,406 miles of supercharging. For what it's worth, my CPO buying experience was great personally.

 

[passhard]

Hola!
I am new to the forums and tesla in general. I am interested in a used tesla and my budget is between 30-40k(preferably 35max). I dont care about a P series or Dual motor of flying somewhere to pick it up.

The only things on my wishlist are warranty, AP1, range, panaramic roof and if possible supercharging.

I have read through some of the post on here and i'm interested in finding out some answers to my very NOOB questions below. I'm hoping someone can help!

1. if i buy a used model S, can i purchase an extended warranty? (i know if i buy from a dealer other than tesla this is not option, which sucks).
1a. does it matter if i would possibly be the 3rd owner to afffect an extended warranty purchase?
1b. what year/mileage is the cutoff to add an extended warranty?
1c. how much does this warranty cost usually?

2. if i buy a used model S and the seller is offering the supercharging option, is it transferable if i am the 2nd owner? what if i am the 3rd owner?

3. what year/mileage/version can i expect with my budget and my wishlist above? i know the christmas season is coming and i'm hoping people start unloading their older units.

My main concern is the MCU, battery and drive unit(s) of the tesla i purchase, i want to make sure i have these under warranty for as long as I possibly can. I drive an average of 50miles a day round trip.

I have someone offering me a 2014 model s 85 rwd, with 81k miles for 30k not sure if it has AP. They said it comes with unlimited supercharging, but he is the 2nd owner which means i would be the 3rd. Would that transfer? Is this a good buy?

Thx all for reading this lenghty post and for your help!

do NOT buy used unless you have lots of warranty

 

[passhard]

Old Schoola, I also prefer the Model S. Here are my 2 (or 4) cents:
1.) Buy what you can afford, but remember the earlier you go, the more issues you will encounter (drive unit, fitment, MCU wear, etc.). Personally I would suggest you get at least an AP1 (already on your list) with dual motors. These typically have most of the early bugs worked out and are the most durable per price.
2.) Free Unlimited Supercharging (FUSC) is amazing. All you have to do is ask the seller to log into their account and snapshot that part where it says it's transferable unless Tesla has changed that (somebody help me out here).
3.) Mileage is a little less of a concern on Teslas than it is on ICE cars. Just make sure the battery isn't heavily degraded (ask for 90% mile rating).
4.) If warranty is your primary concern, go through ev-cpo.com and find one with Tesla. They will provide you with basically a brand new car warranty. Yes, you loose free supercharging, but that may be the price to pay... Do the numbers. Spending $4,750 can get you an extended warranty or 17,000 kWh of supercharging (at $0.28 per kWh) which equates to 51,406 miles of supercharging. For what it's worth, my CPO buying experience was great personally.

Tesla took away free supercharging from cars that had free lifetime?

 

[X.l.r.8]

Tesla took away free supercharging from cars that had free lifetime?

That’s not strictly true now is it. They sold cars with free supercharging, they then bought back those cars. They then sold them without free supercharging, as they clearly stated. It’s not like you were driving around and lost free supercharging.
If you had it, you still have it.

 

[Yoitskenn]

I know I could get a brand new 3 for my price range, the problem is I have kids and would prefer to have the interior space.

i wish the S was similar to the LS430’s interior space.

 

[Wnix05]

Just saw a 'Free Supercharging' post on Tesla's used inventory. There are a few out there again!
2016 Model X | Tesla

 

[mybeans]

The 3 is deceptively roomy. With a rear facing child seat my wife can sit comfortably in the passenger seat as if it's not there. It has more passenger space than her Mazda CX-5, and more than my 2003 BMW 5 series. Granted neither of those are huge cars either, but as long as you're not thinking airport duty (with luggage!) the Model 3 is a pretty decent size for a family of 4. I'm not sure how much additional real space the S is buying you. I too originally wanted a used S, but am very happy with my 3.