Used Model X, Year to Buy?

[joeyjackson]

I currently have my 2020 M3 Performance listed for sale and for a while, I have been set on the idea of upgrading to a 2021 Model Y LR. Recently I have considered if a used Model X would be the better decision.

In my opinion, the X is much, much cooler than the Y, even without considering the refresh. The automatic doors, 6 seat interior, and just overall styling of the X is much more appealing to me. If I had the money for a brand new Model X I would purchase one in a heartbeat. I have found used MXs online for around a similar price to a brand new MY, if not a little bit more. I might be willing to spend a little bit extra for a used MX but there are some things I am worried about; general used car anxiety as well as the ever-changing improvements Tesla makes to their vehicles.

Since the trend appears to be a later year MX results in a lower price, what would be the latest year to consider while still taking into account software and hardware changes? I have heard some things about MCU recalls however technical talk like that is practically a different language to me. I don't think I would go below a 2017 year MX. Because any car purchase is a big investment, I want to be sure that I am spending the money on something that is worth it and something that is going to last.

Any extra advice about buying used, whether through a third party or through Tesla would also be greatly appreciated!

 

[NoSoup4U!]

Hi Joe, I see you're in CA like me. I have just very recently toyed with the idea of selling my X from Dec 2018. Have not advertised it anywhere yet and don't know the pricing either. Once you've gotten some opinions on here about which year and so on, let me know if you'd like to tal;k sopme more. Good Luck whichever route you'll go! The X truly is an amazing machine!

 

[mswlogo]

If getting used. I’d go no older than a Raven.
Wait until refresh is shipping if you can. Might find a deal on a demo or something. I switched from Model 3 to a new Raven. No regrets. I would think a Raven with say 36K miles or so should be close to a LR Y Dual Motor.

 

[joeyjackson]

Hi Joe, I see you're in CA like me. I have just very recently toyed with the idea of selling my X from Dec 2018. Have not advertised it anywhere yet and don't know the pricing either. Once you've gotten some opinions on here about which year and so on, let me know if you'd like to tal;k sopme more. Good Luck whichever route you'll go! The X truly is an amazing machine!

I will definitely keep that in mind, thanks! Have you had any problems or annoyances with your 2018 that have been "solved" in more current models, or have you been relatively happy since you've purchased?

 

[joeyjackson]

If getting used. I’d go no older than a Raven.
Wait until refresh is shipping if you can. Might find a deal on a demo or something. I switched from Model 3 to a new Raven. No regrets. I would think a Raven with say 36K miles or so should be close to a LR Y Dual Motor.

What specs are considered a Raven? 2019+?

 

[mswlogo]

What specs are considered a Raven? 2019+?

They started shipping in March or April of 2019. Google it.

I forget when HW3 was shipping before or after Raven started.

You’ll see a jump in range when you hit the Raven’s. I think they were under 300 miles before Raven 315 or higher after. Mine is 326 and it was fall of 2019 build. I’m not sure but Raven’s might use the LR designation and they don’t list battery size. Then later LR+.

 

[NoSoup4U!]

I will definitely keep that in mind, thanks! Have you had any problems or annoyances with your 2018 that have been "solved" in more current models, or have you been relatively happy since you've purchased?

I got lucky mostly with a pretty pristine car at delivery. The car had some shuddering around 75mph which turned out to be the tires I had put on. Some creaking from front axle when slow maneuvering which was repaired and has now come back. Just a little annoyance. A rattling noise from the trunk was found and repaired. Other than that a flawless driving experience with EAP.

 

[TespaceX]

Good decision on the X over a Y, even if it’s a used X.

Everytime we drive a non Model X, there’s always this habitual expectation that stepping on the brakes would close the doors by itself.

Kind of OT, but having said that, the Rivian R1S has been intriguing to us because the cargo space behind third row is so much bigger in the Rivian even though the total length of the car is only ~3.5 inches or so longer. Similar acceleration and range. Would seriously miss the automatic doors if we did move.

 

[Bigriver]

@joeyjackson, as you mentioned, Tesla is ever changing details of the design, so it becomes quite a job to try to compare different used options. Prior to the current refresh, I think there are 2 major technical design changes to be aware of:

• MCU2 came out March/April 2018. MCU1 prior to that can be quite buggy and will eventually die. This is what the recall is about that you mentioned, which will make a change to keep it from dying, but not necessarily keep it from being buggy. There is also an MCU2 upgrade that can be done for $1500. Especially as you are coming from a model 3, I don’t think you would be happy with the performance of MCU1, so just plan to spend for the upgrade (if it hasn’t already been done) if looking at used Model X before this date.
• The Raven update in spring 2019, previously mentioned. This changed air suspension and motors.

Then there are tons of smaller changes. Here is a list I recently put together of some of the pre-Raven changes.

Shiny to matte seat backs changed March 2017.

7-seat monoposts changed to bench fold-down in July 2017.

Also in July 2017, leather seat options disappeared. The options became black, white or cream vegan or textile black.

They redefined what is in the premium upgrades package at least twice in 2017.

In June 2018, they changed the wood that comes with the cream interior from a darker walnut(?) to a light oak.

July 2018 the Premium upgrades package became part of the base model.

October 2018 is when they eliminated a number of options for both interior and exterior. I know textile seats, console for 6 seater, silver and obsidian black exteriors were eliminated. I don’t recall any new ones being offered at that time, as they were simplifying for manufacturing ease.

The Raven came out spring 2019.

Constant little things changing, but these are mostly cosmetic choices until the Raven. Perhaps the biggest change I listed here is when the PUP started being a part of the base model. Prior to that, the car might not have all options. Still, Aug 2017 to Spring 2019 model X can be essentially the same if MCU2 upgrade is done for any build before March 2018. And arguably those before Aug 2017, with AP2.0, are also close to the same with the MCU2 upgrade.

That list is by no means complete. I have not kept up as much with changes post-Raven, but one notable one is seats changed in late 2019. Before that time the front seats had adjustable headrests. There are those who complain that the older seats are painfully uncomfortable. I don’t feel that way at all.

 

[joeyjackson]

Very helpful, thanks for the information! Now I am thinking I should probably cut 2017 off of the list and just look at 2018+, the MCU upgrade is important to me. I realize I would be buying used but it still seems like it would suck to buy a "new" car just to have it already be outdated, hardware/software wise.

 

[henderrj]

Very helpful, thanks for the information! Now I am thinking I should probably cut 2017 off of the list and just look at 2018+, the MCU upgrade is important to me. I realize I would be buying used but it still seems like it would suck to buy a "new" car just to have it already be outdated, hardware/software wise.

Don't miss that you can have the MCU2 installed in a vehicle with MCU1, it just costs $1,500

 

[jboy210]

Very helpful, thanks for the information! Now I am thinking I should probably cut 2017 off of the list and just look at 2018+, the MCU upgrade is important to me. I realize I would be buying used but it still seems like it would suck to buy a "new" car just to have it already be outdated, hardware/software wise.

If you are concerned about the car looking dated then the 2021 model is the only way to go. The new car will have a horizontal center display with the latest processors and screen. The previous cars have the center vertical display that does not look as nice and is subject to yellowing around the edges.

I am not a huge fan of the single display in our Model 3, but if it also had the driver's display like our X it would be great. The combination of these two has me excited about the displays in the March/April 2021 vehicles. The only thing better would be to add a HUD.

 

[dmurphy]

If you are concerned about the car looking dated then the 2021 model is the only way to go. The new car will have a horizontal center display with the latest processors and screen. The previous cars have the center vertical display that does not look as nice and is subject to yellowing around the edges.

I think that's very much a subjective thing. I actually prefer the vertical display in the X. The layout is great and super functional.

That's not a knock on the 3 -- I (of course) enjoy driving that too... but there's something to be said for the vertical layout. It just feels more natural for some reason.

 

[jboy210]

I think that's very much a subjective thing. I actually prefer the vertical display in the X. The layout is great and super functional.

That's not a knock on the 3 -- I (of course) enjoy driving that too... but there's something to be said for the vertical layout. It just feels more natural for some reason.

I get what you mean about the vertical feeling natural for some tasks. Showing navigation track up is that way. But for many other tasks like watching Youtube while charging, music selection, etc. the horizontal orientation feels much better. And I assume on the X and S the display will be able to show full-screen maps more like google maps on a 17" laptop. The speed, gear, and other things now displayed on the left edge of the 3/Y will be in the driver's display.

 

[dmurphy]

I get what you mean about the vertical feeling natural for some tasks. Showing navigation track up is that way. But for many other tasks like watching Youtube while charging, music selection, etc. the horizontal orientation feels much better. And I assume on the X and S the display will be able to show full-screen maps more like google maps on a 17" laptop. The speed, gear, and other things now displayed on the left edge of the 3/Y will be in the driver's display.

Agreed on watching videos - the horizontal layout like you said is great for that.

I can't wait to see a "next gen" in the flesh. You're right - moving the vehicle view to the instrument panel may be game-changing. That's my biggest problem with it on the 3/Y. Especially with the new firmware ...

Judgement reserved!

 

[Richbot]

If getting used. I’d go no older than a Raven.
Wait until refresh is shipping if you can. Might find a deal on a demo or something. I switched from Model 3 to a new Raven. No regrets. I would think a Raven with say 36K miles or so should be close to a LR Y Dual Motor.

This was where I landed and when we did the math it made no sense to buy used at the time because used '19's were asking $90k+ with 10000 miles on them last fall. Not sure if it's still true, but used prices on any X I could find in-warranty were just bananas

That said, I liked the 100D I drove, it was a 2017 and it was just fine, even with ~50k miles on it. Same with the loaner 75D I had, it was fine. If you can deal with the reduced range, not a *bad* option. Just not quite as *good* as a Raven model. It's not like our brand new '21 built in November is *perfect*, it still had a few issues at delivery, and still has all the same X issues you would expect from being a rube goldberg device

But used prices were just...ack. If I were buying used though, I'd probably go through Tesla. The CPO/extended warranty seems worth it to me, even though it's short duration you at least get to hand it to them and say "fix your junk" if you have it for a month and it's doing something it shouldn't. Private party will be a crapshoot there.

Also, just, lol at the Pre-LCI X interior looking dated. Maybe in 2035 heh. Aesthetically it's got a lot to recommend it against the horizontal setup as well. I thikn the most dated part of it is that it's not an OLED screen - we are going to be pretty accustomed to the black parts being truly black on our car screens soon and that will be an annoying part of the pre-LCI experience IMO - but I've not seen confirmation on whether the LCI cars will have OLED panels yet? NIghttime glare from the screens is a real actual problem that needs addressing on any car with a lot of screens, it's why most who go to the massive screen designs have only made the leap with an OLED, or made switching off the screen possible for extremely dark night driving. BMW's etc. all have an off switch for the idrive screen for that reason, but with OLED's, a black screen can put out next to no light and not wreck your night vision. My X's screens, not so much, even cranked all the way down they're still relatively bright compared to full-dark in our BMW or Benz.

 

[jboy210]

Agreed on watching videos - the horizontal layout like you said is great for that.

I can't wait to see a "next gen" in the flesh. You're right - moving the vehicle view to the instrument panel may be game-changing. That's my biggest problem with it on the 3/Y. Especially with the new firmware ...

Judgement reserved!

Agree on using the center only display. I sometimes have a panic moment when I switch to driving the 3 and can't see the speed or autopilot display right in front of me.

 

[Uncle Paul]

With the recent X/Y price bump of $10,000, lots of people are finding value by purchasing used.

Most important things for me were the 100 kWh battery, next is getting the Raven package which gives greater range, faster charging, the amazing adaptive suspension, V3 computer, premium interior standard etc.

The quiet and smooth ride, 5,000 lbs towing, large carrying capacity, huge front windshield, Falcon WIng Doors, and impressive road presence make the Model X a good choice for many.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

They started shipping in March or April of 2019. Google it.

I forget when HW3 was shipping before or after Raven started.

You’ll see a jump in range when you hit the Raven’s. I think they were under 300 miles before Raven 315 or higher after. Mine is 326 and it was fall of 2019 build. I’m not sure but Raven’s might use the LR designation and they don’t list battery size. Then later LR+.

HW3 came out a few weeks before Raven changes were released. In April 2019, we got one of the very first Model X delivered with AP3 and then a week or two later, the Raven changes were announced.

Very helpful, thanks for the information! Now I am thinking I should probably cut 2017 off of the list and just look at 2018+, the MCU upgrade is important to me. I realize I would be buying used but it still seems like it would suck to buy a "new" car just to have it already be outdated, hardware/software wise.

As others have mentioned, you can easily have MCU1 upgraded to MCU2 for $1500. AP2 (October 2016 to August 2017) and AP2.5 (August 2017 to March 2019) can both be upgraded to AP3 hardware.

 

[X007X]

I currently have my 2020 M3 Performance listed for sale and for a while, I have been set on the idea of upgrading to a 2021 Model Y LR. Recently I have considered if a used Model X would be the better decision.

In my opinion, the X is much, much cooler than the Y, even without considering the refresh. The automatic doors, 6 seat interior, and just overall styling of the X is much more appealing to me. If I had the money for a brand new Model X I would purchase one in a heartbeat. I have found used MXs online for around a similar price to a brand new MY, if not a little bit more. I might be willing to spend a little bit extra for a used MX but there are some things I am worried about; general used car anxiety as well as the ever-changing improvements Tesla makes to their vehicles.

Since the trend appears to be a later year MX results in a lower price, what would be the latest year to consider while still taking into account software and hardware changes? I have heard some things about MCU recalls however technical talk like that is practically a different language to me. I don't think I would go below a 2017 year MX. Because any car purchase is a big investment, I want to be sure that I am spending the money on something that is worth it and something that is going to last.

Any extra advice about buying used, whether through a third party or through Tesla would also be greatly appreciated!

We switched from a 2018 Model 3 Long Range RWD to a 2020 Model X in September. The only things I miss about my model 3 is the interior door handles with buttons, and the fit and finish was overall better than my Model X. I rarely watch videos or play games in the car so the lack of horizontal screen doesn’t bother me. I actually like the vertical screen for the maps better than the horizontal. Love having the 2nd screen in front of the steer wheel also.

I would spend the extra money and get a used Raven if you can swing it. The faster charging, better regenerate braking, higher range, and new air suspension is well worth it.