Tech: 2024 Tesla Model 3 long-term review

It's been over two years and 40,000 miles since I bought my Tesla Model 3.  Overall, the car has been fantastic, but I thought I would recap the long-term maintenance and running costs you should expect if you pick one up.

Issues, both expected and unexpected

I knew going in that EVs don't require oil changes, 12-volt batteries, spark plugs, and numerous other items necessary for an ICE car. They do need tires just like any vehicle, though, and my Model 3's high torque and horsepower burned rubber worse than my old BMW.  Even after replacing two flat tires (at no additional cost thanks to Tesla's tire plan - do get the tire plan), the remaining tires were pretty much bald after only two years of use.

Another issue that came up was paint. Quality control at Tesla is much improved compared to the old days, but the company still uses really thin, crappy paint for some reason. The hood of my car showed significant road rash and paint chips after two years, much more so than a typical vehicle.

Every Tesla comes equipped with onboard cameras.  Normally these are maintenance-free, but if you use Full Self-Driving, you may have to get the front camera windshield area cleaned like I did (it was covered under warranty). Another warrantied repair was fixing the charging door's pressure-activation switch.

Range Report

After two years, I have noticed a little range degradation.  Tesla rates the Model 3 at 363 miles when new, but the total max range on my car is currently about 340 miles.  It's a subtle difference, and it's inconsequential except for long road trips, but it's there.

Speaking of road trips, my last one to Naples lasted over 300 miles, so I had to use some Tesla Superchargers to fill up during the trip (charge in the very early morning for the lowest rates).  The fast charging cost about 15 bucks total - still much cheaper than a gas car.

One thing I have learned: pretty much everything has an effect on your range.  Cold weather decreases it (the car expends energy just keeping the battery warm), hot weather decreases it (the car expends energy on A/C), and fast highway travel decreases it (thanks to air resistance, it costs 20-30% more energy per mile to travel at 80 mph versus 65 mph).  I've learned to use the onboard "Energy" app to get real-time information about how much electricity the car is consuming at any given time.