What will DIY maintenance look like 5 years from now?

[CybrTrkr]

Long time lurker, but haven't yet pulled the trigger on a Tesla. Currently have a Cyber Truck reserved, but have always been tempted to get a Model 3.

I currently drive a Toyota. Very reliable, cheap parts, easy DIY for any fixes, and an awesome car to customer and tinker with. I have no doubt that 10 years from now, parts will still be easy to find, and I can do most repairs on my own.

One of the things holding me back from a Tesla is the repair/maintenance. It sounds like any time something goes wrong, I may have to take it to a Service Center. This may be because everyone is still under warranty, but what about after the warranty ends? What if a window motor, door handle, lights, suspension, fan, etc. breaks? Can I expect that I need Tesla to fix in the future at a cost of $1,000+, or do you think a lot of people can DIY for these repairs? Will we be able to get the parts outside of Tesla?

I have modeled out total cost of ownership between my current vehicle and a Model 3, and this is the piece I'm stuck on. It sounds like one out-of-warranty repair on a Tesla could easily get in to the $1,000's, which would throw everything off.

Any input you have would be appreciated!

 

[640k]

Long time lurker, but haven't yet pulled the trigger on a Tesla. Currently have a Cyber Truck reserved, but have always been tempted to get a Model 3.

I currently drive a Toyota. Very reliable, cheap parts, easy DIY for any fixes, and an awesome car to customer and tinker with. I have no doubt that 10 years from now, parts will still be easy to find, and I can do most repairs on my own.

One of the things holding me back from a Tesla is the repair/maintenance. It sounds like any time something goes wrong, I may have to take it to a Service Center. This may be because everyone is still under warranty, but what about after the warranty ends? What if a window motor, door handle, lights, suspension, fan, etc. breaks? Can I expect that I need Tesla to fix in the future at a cost of $1,000+, or do you think a lot of people can DIY for these repairs? Will we be able to get the parts outside of Tesla?

I have modeled out total cost of ownership between my current vehicle and a Model 3, and this is the piece I'm stuck on. It sounds like one out-of-warranty repair on a Tesla could easily get in to the $1,000's, which would throw everything off.

Any input you have would be appreciated!

the long of the short of it is - any vehicle that you purchase is likely to have problems down the road. think about all of the mechanics of the Tesla you're considering and then work from there. Most of the actuators are likely accessible and replaceable by a human. Obtaining the parts will be through OEM channels or salvaged vehicles (not too far off from ICE vehicles).

There are sensitive components, cameras, etc., that many of us don't have a clue as to what's next for them, that could pose eventual issues. These are growing pains with the automotive industry anyway.

Suspension components, normal wear and tear items - these things are not unique to Tesla.

However, if you puncture a battery, rip a motor casing, or face any other "major" fault, you're in for a LOT of money.

 

[Knightshade]

There's at least one company selling extended warranties for Teslas (like 10 years 120k miles, for $3600 or so) if you're really that worried about it.

In general there's a lot fewer moving parts to actually fail on a Tesla than any Toyota you've had.... (and if you think Toyota parts are cheap you've never owned a Chevy )

Apart from things related to the high voltage system, or anything requiring access to software, anything else should be fairly easy to do yourself if you're handy. Things like door handles are not really any different on a model 3 (they are on an S certainly but that's a whole other story).

Parts would either come from Tesla (they sell most, but not all, parts to the public) or from junkyards/part-outs.... possibly there'll be 3rd parties who eventually start offering common repair parts, but that's not really true yet as there's not enough Teslas on the road to make that worth it.

One thing I do think you'll see some of (kinda do now) is as 3D printers are getting common some community members will make/offer printable replacement/repair parts too.

 

[Sherlo]

Understand your concern. If you have't done so, you should check out Rich's channel: Rich Rebuilds

I'm sure if you reach out to him, he can shed some light on the challenges of DYI repairs.

 

[cab]

As a guy who has historically done his own repairs, I had the same concern 3 1/2 years ago when I bought a used Model S. As a result, I specifically bought a CPO car from Tesla (4yr warranty on mine). In that time, I have seen a few more DIY items pop up, but progress has been somewhat slow. Examples include stuff like door handle repairs (gears, micro switches) and brakes. I even saw a DIY for a half-shaft repair on here recently. Brakes, suspension, window regulators, exterior and interior trim, and switches are like most cars. I have been pleasantly surprised at the lack of issues I’ve seen reported with stuff like power steering, brakes and air conditioning. In addition, as others have noted, your exposure on the “misc” engine stuff is greatly reduced. You don’t deal with Oxygen, mass airflow, throttle position, etc. sensors or brittle vacuum lines or coils, plugs, leaky power steering, etc. The list goes on and on of stuff that simply doesn’t exist on an electric car. Stuff I spent tons of time on in the past (and, truth be told, I miss just a little as a “car guy”).

Parts are still generally expensive, but I was sort of used to that as I was working on our used BMWs...heck, my BMW M5 engine had two of everything!

The bad news is that there are very few folks doing any kind of DIY on the big stuff like drive units and I haven’t seen anyone tackle a battery issue (and very few of us want the hassle of having to buy a spare junked Tesla to try to swap over a battery, etc.).

The Model 3 is being produced in much greater volumes, and we are already seeing more aftermarket support for stuff beyond cosmetics. Will we see someone repairing a center screen or figuring out how to replace a single battery module in the future or offer a bearing refurb service for a drive unit? Probably, but I’m guessing that is still years away.

My advice for long term owners: buy the extended warranty.

 

[640k]

@cab brings up a good point. some of the other systems that should/are greatly reduced trouble spots have been moved to an electric (vs hydraulic) platform with built-in redundancies. additionally many of the safety efforts within the vehicle allow for lower complexity and better engineering than traditional platforms.

here are a couple interesting resources:
Tesla engineers share Model 3 steering, drivetrain, and suspension secrets

Tesla Model 3 Teardown and Benchmarking Report - MarkLines Automotive Industry Portal

additionally, i have owned two toyotas and have regularly driven five different models. i can tell you that they do come with their own issues, oddball service programs and inflated service charges. i think my personal, biggest concern with Tesla is their ultimate longevity as a company.

 

[KenC]

Hard to predict 5 years out. Hopefully the 3rd-party and DIY repair situation will be alot better. Of course, if you look at the S and X, it doesn't look all that promising, but then again, those are low-volume vehicles compared to the 3. Should be more market impetus to develop repair solutions for the 3 given its sales volume. The parts supply which was being sucked up by manufacturing should be eased a bit so that 3rd-party shops and owners can buy directly. And of course, if you buy now, you'll have how many hundreds of thousands of other 3 owners who own vehicles that will come off warranty long before you, clamoring for a sustainable solution.

 

[jboy210]

Given the pace at which 3rd parties are developing add-ons and such for the Model 3 I think model 3 owners will be fine doing their own maintenance as long as it does not involve the powertrain (motors, battery, drive unit). Brakes, tires, wheels and elsewhere are fair game.
Fortunately the drivetrain seems solid with few repairs needed. If you think about it, commercial electric motors run 24X7 for decades with minimal maintenance. And you see Teslas out there with well over 400,000 miles on their motors with no maintanance

The Cybertruck is an interesting beast. I suspect there will be a ton of mods for it and some pretty radical. The rail system in the back is perfect for 80/20 builds because of the T-slots. So expect plenty of people to use this system create some crazy contraptions from this adult erector set. But the drivetrain is again Teslas. And EV simple.

 

[solarev]

There's at least one company selling extended warranties for Teslas (like 10 years 120k miles, for $3600 or so) if you're really that worried about it.

In general there's a lot fewer moving parts to actually fail on a Tesla than any Toyota you've had.... (and if you think Toyota parts are cheap you've never owned a Chevy )

Apart from things related to the high voltage system, or anything requiring access to software, anything else should be fairly easy to do yourself if you're handy. Things like door handles are not really any different on a model 3 (they are on an S certainly but that's a whole other story).

Parts would either come from Tesla (they sell most, but not all, parts to the public) or from junkyards/part-outs.... possibly there'll be 3rd parties who eventually start offering common repair parts, but that's not really true yet as there's not enough Teslas on the road to make that worth it.

One thing I do think you'll see some of (kinda do now) is as 3D printers are getting common some community members will make/offer printable replacement/repair parts too.

Would love to know the name of that company offering extended warranty to 120000 miles. I drive 25000/yr and want to keep it forever!

 

[Sherlo]

Would love to know the name of that company offering extended warranty to 120000 miles. I drive 25000/yr and want to keep it forever!

X-Care - Xcelerate Auto

Vendor - Extended Warranty for Model 3

 

[Knightshade]

X-Care - Xcelerate Auto

Yup.

Also if you use code MJC4JI9375 when signing up you'll get $100 off the warranty.

 

[Nocturnal]

Basic crap like sensors etc. will be the same, but we don't really have all that much maintenance. Battery and drive unit swaps eventually.

 

[coleAK]

Long time lurker, but haven't yet pulled the trigger on a Tesla. Currently have a Cyber Truck reserved, but have always been tempted to get a Model 3.

I currently drive a Toyota. Very reliable, cheap parts, easy DIY for any fixes, and an awesome car to customer and tinker with. I have no doubt that 10 years from now, parts will still be easy to find, and I can do most repairs on my own.

One of the things holding me back from a Tesla is the repair/maintenance. It sounds like any time something goes wrong, I may have to take it to a Service Center. This may be because everyone is still under warranty, but what about after the warranty ends? What if a window motor, door handle, lights, suspension, fan, etc. breaks? Can I expect that I need Tesla to fix in the future at a cost of $1,000+, or do you think a lot of people can DIY for these repairs? Will we be able to get the parts outside of Tesla?

I have modeled out total cost of ownership between my current vehicle and a Model 3, and this is the piece I'm stuck on. It sounds like one out-of-warranty repair on a Tesla could easily get in to the $1,000's, which would throw everything off.

Any input you have would be appreciated!

I’m also a Toyota guy (60 series LC, 80 series LC, currently have a LX570) and do almost all the work and PM myself. As others have said many parts of the 3 are not Tesla specific, for sure the break system is also used by GM and Chrysler. I also imagine power window motors, climate fans and things like that are not Tesla specific as well. The drivetrain is extremely simple and robust, no complex cooling system, no transmission, Electric motors are simple and go forever. My biggest concern and what I think will “kill” many Tesla’s is wiring failures especially from rodent damage and CPUs getting old. I would hope the CPUs are easily accessible and designed to be easily replaced. The other big question I’ve been thinking about is the open differentials and when it needs Fluid changes? Really what it comes down to is there is almost no PM and overall the maintenance should be minimal for a long time.

 

[Big Dog]

in 5 years, you just send the Tesla to the SC by itself. It will return and park itself in your garage when it is repaired.