Is the model 3 a reliable and cost efficient vehicle? I hear lots of praise going towards Tesla but also lots of hate.
This will be my second vehicle purchase but my first vehicle never came close in purchasing price so I have no knowledge of purchasing higher end vehicles.
I still own my first vehicle, a 2011 Ford Focus. I have the money to purchase a Model 3 outright in cash so financing is no issue. I just know so little about potential problems that the model 3 experiences. Are mechanical repairs expensive? I heard cosmetic repairs are expensive is this true? Is it possible or likely I will receive a Tesla that only charges to 300km instead of 402km? Will the battery/car survive a cold Canadian winter of temperatures sometimes below -40c/f? Does the vehicle handle poor roads well (rough/poorly kept roads)? Ect.
Please comment any information that could be of use, I really have loved my experience riding and driving a Tesla previously and would love to make this my new car.
Pros:
1) Quicker acceleration than most gasoline cars so Tesla are definitely more fun to drive
2) Quiet cabin
3) Even if you get a Rear-Wheel Drive Tesla, they handle better than their gasoline counterparts with more even weight distribution (snow tires are a MUST in winter even if you get an All-Wheel Drive Tesla, I don't need to tell this to someone living in Canada but I did it anyway), and don't forget - almost no maintenance.
4) Very comfortable seating for two adults and two teenagers in Model 3 - four large adults is tight.
5) Entertainment options are aplenty - screen is awesome (with some quirks, of course)
6) Car driving features (adaptive cruise control, lane tracking, etc. and full self driving package features) and other entertainment features continue to improve with over the air updates.
Cons:
1) It's a battery car after all, so as others are saying, expect a large range loss in cold weather conditions (approximately 25% additional range loss than warmer months). If you can afford it, get a Tesla with the maximum rated mileage (Model 3 Long Range has 310 rated miles, which is about 275 miles average all year weather conditions on full charge. Note that you typically shouldn't charge the battery to 100%, so the practical range average all year is even less, say about 250 miles for daily commute.)
2) Quality control continues to improve, but it not yet where other brands like Toyota, Honda, etc. are in terms of mechanical perfection. Little things (noise/vibration/rattle, panel gaps, etc.) are expected - but for the most part, they are handled pretty well by the service centers. Some cars do have serious flaws that directly affect driving (motor failure, etc.) but that's rare. Remember, you only read about the problem cars on forums. NOTE: If you do not have a Tesla Service Center AND a Tesla Certified Body Shop within reasonable driving distance, think twice before buying a Tesla.
3) Expensive to repair, period. If you get into a significant accident, you are going to regret your purchase if it is your fault. A damaged quarter panel costs about $15,000 US dollars to fix. The time to get your car back can be significant - it's improving, though.
4) Expensive up front, so no savings as such even if you don't have to buy gas. It's not a car you buy to save money. And Tesla does not hold its value at all, given how quickly the new technologies are being implemented in battery vehicles. Battery pack replacements are not commonplace (the heart of the car)
5) While entertainment options are many, the media player is very basic (play/pause/track skip) on bluetooth. Of course, no Apple/Android integration. Tesla uses their own media player. It's decent, but nowhere close to what Apple CarPlay offers.
6) Most importantly, the software continues to improve, but it is also a con because some features offered today, if relied upon heavily, can be outright dangerous in certain situations.
That said, if you are considering a battery vehicle, Tesla is way farther in terms of every aspect of it than other cars at this moment. It's somewhat impractical in select situations (e.g. road trips take longer, but then you are less fatigued due to longer pit-stops) but definitely the future of automobiles.