Tesla owners...should we get one?

[dvcgirl67]

DH and I are thinking of getting the Tesla Y. I know a few people who have them, and they love their cars...although none have the Y. However, we saw the recent Consumer Reports review naming the Tesla (not sure if they named a particular model)....as unreliable. If you own a Tesla, have you had issues with the car? If so what kind of issues.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I hope you don't mind me chiming in as I don't know how many replies you will get here. I own a 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid. I bought it in 2016 and have less than 30K miles on it! Before this purchase I had a 2011 Ford Fusion which I traded with 49K miles on it so I can compare it (same model). I was getting 30 mpg in the regular model and typically get 40-60 mpg in the hybrid. It runs on gas and battery and we call it the "golf cart" as it is silent in battery mode. I step on it getting on the highway and have more power than many other cars even in eco mode!

I get the best mileage in the summer (even with a/c) on back roads. We live in NH, so easy to do and have gotten mid 60's mpg if you can believe it even on longer trips (40-50 miles). In the winter mileage (below 32 degrees) drops back to around 30 mpg because the gas engine runs most of the time - it's just the way it is. I still only use less than $20 a month on gas. It's a great car, low maintenance (oil changes and tire rotations) and low insurance costs. Both cars have been great and look sharp (white w/ sun roof).

Years ago we switched from Volvo (we had 5 of them) because the quality tanked in the early 2000's IMO. I really don't know why all cars aren't hybrid now. Anyway, good luck with your car purchase!

 

[adkkev]

Check out the Savage Geese car reviews on You Tube. He has reviewed a couple Tesla models so far.

 

[lifesavacation]

I have one. Love it and will never go back to gas. It’s truly fun to drive. I’ve not had any maintenance issues, unlike my husband’s Ford truck which has had several recalls and safety fixes. He bought at the same time I did.

The only issue I had with the car was during a demo of the autonomous self driving on the highway. The car went on a suicide mission and I’m not exaggerating when I say it could have killed us if I didn’t have both hands on the wheel. My husband made me promise I’d never use it again.

ETA: I skipped over the part that you are specifically asking about the Y. I have the model 3.

 

[bcla]

The Consumer Reports ratings are that they only recommend the Model 3 as reliable. It's certainly not the drivetrain though, which has been plenty reliable and needs almost no maintenance.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/tesla-model-s-no-longer-recommended-by-consumer-reports.html

 

[nw6675]

A girl that used to work for me had one. She obsessively loved it and the guys in the office loved that she let them take it for a spin. She was quite popular.

When I rode with her, it always seemed more trouble than it was worth

Sorry, I know this was probably the equivalent of an "...but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night" response!

ETA: she never had issues with it

 

[dvcgirl67]

I have one. Love it and will never go back to gas. It’s truly fun to drive. I’ve not had any maintenance issues, unlike my husband’s Ford truck which has had several recalls and safety fixes. He bought at the same time I did.

The only issue I had with the car was during a demo of the autonomous self driving on the highway. The car went on a suicide mission and I’m not exaggerating when I say it could have killed us if I didn’t have both hands on the wheel. My husband made me promise I’d never use it again.

ETA: I skipped over the part that you are specifically asking about the Y. I have the model 3.

Thanks so much for your response! From what we've read, the Y seems to be built like the 3...just a bit bigger. I love the look of the 3, which is why we like the Y...looks very similar. The clearance on the 3 is too low to get into my driveway....we'd bottom out. We have a crossover now that clears...same clearance as the Y. And we have dogs...so need a bit more room.

The autonomous driving thing/summon your Tesla option...is crazy. I've seen some demos on-line for that and honestly we've discussed skipping that for now. It's an additional 10K and I don't really see us using that. The reliability part is what we're most concerned about. So far I haven't seen many reports of that....seems to be some other cosmetic type issues.

 

[dvcgirl67]

A girl that used to work for me had one. She obsessively loved it and the guys in the office loved that she let them take it for a spin. She was quite popular.

When I rode with her, it always seemed more trouble than it was worth

Sorry, I know this was probably the equivalent of an "...but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night" response!

ETA: she never had issues with it

Ha...that's funny. I'm seeing more and more of them where I live. They used to be a novelty, but seems like they're becoming more popular. DH is a tech-type guy...so he's always been interested in them. I love the idea of very little maintenance and never having to get gas again. We'll see...but seems like we're leaning towards getting one. We currently have two cars, but really only have needed on for years. We're early 50-s..no kids....DH has always worked from home. I think the pandemic has made him realize that we truly only need one car. So reliability is a big deal.

 

[RamblingMad]

This tells me they're not quite ready for prime time yet.

 

[kdonnel]

I have a Chevy Bolt and will also never go back to gas.

When buying it a year ago I looked at the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ionic EV and Kia Soul EV.

The Chevy Bolt was such a better deal for my needs. $10,000 less then the cheapest Tesla model 3 and actually available in my area unlike the Hyundai and Kia. Plus at the time it still qualified for $1875 in federal tax rebates taking the out the door price down to approximately $24,000.

In the first year my maintenance costs are $0. The place I take my gas cars to rotates the tires for free. Rotate the tires every 7500 miles, replace the cabin air filter every third rotation. At 100,000 replace the battery coolant. I rarely use the brakes, mostly just in reverse. Otherwise I drive in single pedal mode and recapture all that braking energy back into the battery.

Since taking delivery in March we have driven 9,708 miles and charged 87 times for a total of 2,150 kWh. That works out to 4.51 miles per kWh. Which for electric cars is very efficient. I pay an average of 9.9 cents a kWh so 2150 kWh x 9.9 cents = $212.85 over 9708 miles or just over 2 cents a mile. Gas in my area has averaged about $2.00 a gallon over the last year. That means to be cheaper then pure electric I would need a gas car that gets over 100 miles a gallon.

The 2022 model year will see the Bolt EUV. It will be a slightly larger Bolt built as a more traditional SUV rather then the current hatch back. The seating position in the Bolt is already very much SUV like.

 

[dvcgirl67]

I have a Chevy Bolt and will also never go back to gas.

When buying it a year ago I looked at the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ionic EV and Kia Soul EV.

The Chevy Bolt was such a better deal for my needs. $10,000 less then the cheapest Tesla model 3 and actually available in my area unlike the Hyundai and Kia. Plus at the time it still qualified for $1875 in federal tax rebates taking the out the door price down to approximately $24,000.

In the first year my maintenance costs are $0. The place I take my gas cars to rotates the tires for free. Rotate the tires every 7500 miles, replace the cabin air filter every third rotation. At 100,000 replace the battery coolant. I rarely use the brakes, mostly just in reverse. Otherwise I drive in single pedal mode and recapture all that braking energy back into the battery.

Since taking delivery in March we have driven 9,708 miles and charged 87 times for a total of 2,150 kWh. That works out to 4.51 miles per kWh. Which for electric cars is very efficient. I pay an average of 9.9 cents a kWh so 2150 kWh x 9.9 cents = $212.85 over 9708 miles or just over 2 cents a mile. Gas in my area has averaged about $2.00 a gallon over the last year. That means to be cheaper then pure electric I would need a gas car that gets over 100 miles a gallon.

The 2022 model year will see the Bolt EUV. It will be a slightly larger Bolt built as a more traditional SUV rather then the current hatch back. The seating position in the Bolt is already very much SUV like.

Wow...that's all very interesting! Thanks for breaking down the price per kWh. I knew it would be way cheaper owning electric, not to mention better for the environment...but that's amazing. DH was showing me lots of video today (he's trying to really close the deal here )....and one was about not using the brakes...recapturing energy. Neither of us have ever driven an EV yet...so it'll be an interesting learning curve. I'm 99% sure I have him sold on "we only need one car"....and think he's got me pretty close to..."well, if we have one car....let's try a Tesla". He has a very nice car now...a lease....39 months for the Porsche Macan....that goes back in January, and has a grand total of 6K miles on it (not kidding). I drive a lot more than he does, and so that's why reliability is a big deal. I have a 2012 Mercedes M350...but I put about 12-14K miles a year on it. Ironically....he's trying to sell me on a car that will essential be driven by me.

Thanks for mentioning other brands of EVs....lots to think about!

 

[kdonnel]

Make sure to think about how you are going to charge it.

Many can get away with using a 110 outlet if your daily usage is 40 miles or less. More then that and you will want to have a 220 outlet and a wall charger.

If you don't have charging at home and will have to rely on public charging just be aware that it costs significantly more to use public chargers versus home charging. Tesla super chargers cost 28 cents per kWh. That is over three times my home charging cost.

 

[kdonnel]

He has a very nice car now...a lease....39 months for the Porsche Macan.

Then he needs to be looking at the Porsche Taycan! Another great EV.

https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/taycan/taycan-models/taycan-4s/

 

[dvcgirl67]

Make sure to think about how you are going to charge it.

Many can get away with using a 110 outlet if your daily usage is 40 miles or less. More then that and you will want to have a 220 outlet and a wall charger.

If you don't have charging at home and will have to rely on public charging just be aware that it costs significantly more to use public chargers versus home charging. Tesla super chargers cost 28 cents per kWh. That is over three times my home charging cost.

Yes...he's on that too, trust me. Told me where the wall charger thing would go...said we need an electrician to do that...etc. One thing that is pretty cool....NJ has a $5,000 rebate...whether you buy or lease it, and I believe he said we'd be able to write off the cost of the charger and installation. I think the $5,000 would apply if we got the Tesla Y....because it is based on the price of the car. Also....in NJ....no sales tax on an EV. And in NJ....they charge us tax for pretty much everything. My husband knows how to win me over....tell me about rebates and write-offs

 

[dvcgirl67]

Then he needs to be looking at the Porsche Taycan! Another great EV.

https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/taycan/taycan-models/taycan-4s/

Ha...yes, he mentioned that...but knowing that wasn't in our budget. I think the base price on that one is 103K. If we go with the Y....it's still about half of that. And because this would be our first EV....we'd likely lease it to see how it goes. With the rebate/write off....and selling my other car....no gas/less maintenance/less insurance...our auto spending would actually drop quite a bit.

 

[bcla]

Make sure to think about how you are going to charge it.

Many can get away with using a 110 outlet if your daily usage is 40 miles or less. More then that and you will want to have a 220 outlet and a wall charger.

If you don't have charging at home and will have to rely on public charging just be aware that it costs significantly more to use public chargers versus home charging. Tesla super chargers cost 28 cents per kWh. That is over three times my home charging cost.

Some of the early adopters are taking advantage of free charging. Plus they have that free charging for customers taking a vehicle outside their normal area. But I guess the real advantage is that most will want to use them for the speed of charging compared to most charging on the market.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Years ago we switched from Volvo (we had 5 of them) because the quality tanked in the early 2000's IMO. I really don't know why all cars aren't hybrid now. Anyway, good luck with your car purchase!

Thanks so much....really appreciate your response. I have been happy with the car I drive...a 2012 Mercedes ML350....we bought it used in 2015 and I've gotten a good 5 years out of it. But it is expensive as far as repairs go and only gets about 16-17 mpg. DH has had a Macan for the last few years...we leased it, and while it's super fun to drive, it gets very little use as he rarely drives. So we started kicking around going to one car...and then he was like..."hey, if we go to one car, why not try a Tesla". I loved the look of the 3, and then the Y...which we can actually get in our driveway without bottoming out. So...we'll see where we end up. But I agree...I think we're heading pretty rapidly towards a hybrid/EV world. It's been happening, but it seems to be picking up steam in the last few years.

 

[kdonnel]

But I guess the real advantage is that most will want to use them for the speed of charging compared to most charging on the market.

Super or DC Fast charging is the solution to a problem consumers THINK needs to be solved when in reality it is unnecessary in daily EV usage.

I have owned an EV since March and have never needed to DC Fast charge. I come close when visiting family that is 180 miles away. Despite an EPA estimated 258 miles for my car I actually get right at 200 pure highway miles at 75-85 miles an hour. Regular daily driving I actually get between 250 and 275 miles.

The average person does not drive more then the average EV range on a daily basis and will never use a Super or DC Fast charger as long as they have over night charging available.

The problem that needs to be solved is how are all the apartment and condo dwellers going to charge, cheaply? How will all the people who only have street parking available at their private residence going to charge, cheaply?

You don't want to be this guy.

Those are the EV owners that might today have to rely on Super or DC Fast chargers greatly reducing if not eliminating the cost savings associated with gas vs electric. Charging exclusively at a Super Charger in Georgia means that a gas car getting 33 miles per gallon or better would actually be cheaper to operate.

Companies are developing charging technology that will allow 30, 40, or more chargers to draw from a 200 amp circuit. Smartly distributing the power first to cars it has learned will need to unplug and go to work sooner then others that it has learned typically remain plugged in longer. Normally for 30 - 40 chargers you would need 1200 or more amps available which to install is cost prohibitive. Letting everyone just plug in and forget it when they arrive home the smart chargers will take care of making sure the electric circuit is not overloaded and everyone gets the energy they need.

 

[robinb]

I have a Honda Clarity electric hybrid and I won’t go back to a 100% gas car again. We run on electric 90% of the time but having the gasoline hybrid engine allows us to drive when we can’t charge up. I don’t think I would by an all electric car until quite yet.

 

[redboxcar]

DH and I are thinking of getting the Tesla Y. I know a few people who have them, and they love their cars...although none have the Y. However, we saw the recent Consumer Reports review naming the Tesla (not sure if they named a particular model)....as unreliable. If you own a Tesla, have you had issues with the car? If so what kind of issues.

I don't have one, but I'm looking to buy a Model Y this year, also.

Super or DC Fast charging is the solution to a problem consumers THINK needs to be solved when in reality it is unnecessary in daily EV usage.

I have owned an EV since March and have never needed to DC Fast charge. I come close when visiting family that is 180 miles away. Despite an EPA estimated 258 miles for my car I actually get right at 200 pure highway miles at 75-85 miles an hour. Regular daily driving I actually get between 250 and 275 miles.

The average person does not drive more then the average EV range on a daily basis and will never use a Super or DC Fast charger as long as they have over night charging available.

Thanks for sharing your real-life testimony about range (and everything else). 250-275 miles for regular daily driving sounds fantastic. I'm going to do more research because even though I don't have an EV yet, I feel like range anxiety is going to be my biggest concern.