About the Tesla Model 3
O C purchased this Tesla Model 3 new with additional options for $61,500 (including all on-road costs). O C would buy this car again because: “Absolutely love my Tesla. Would never go back to an ICE (internal combustion engine) car. “
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
The car had been extremely reliable. Having previously owned a BMW and Mazda the Tesla has had no electrical gremlins or issues like the other cars had.
I’ve found that build quality is exceptional as I was a bit worried based on what other reviews had said of the car however it is put together extremely well and the interior quality is far above my F40 1 Series.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
Owenrship has been great. Tesla are very good to deal with and respond instantly to any concerns or queries.
I’m relatively tech savvy but had a couple of issues looking like a complete idiot the first time I used a supercharger (was trying to plug the S/X cable in, instead of the the CCS Type 2 Combo. Tesla were super quick to explain to me how it worked and how to supercharge and charge in the future.
Main thing is making sure you have all the third party apps installed like ChargeFox so you aren’t trying to work out why you can’t use a charger at certain locations.
I don’t have a home charger as I live in a unit but with close access to a supercharger and multiple Type 2 chargers I’m having no problems. I previously filled my car up once a month and based on usage so far either access to chargers at my local free Coles and Woolworths I’ll only need to use the local supercharger on rare occasions meaning my travel is effectively free (except for Victoria’s draconian electric vehicle charges). My travel is about 500km a month.
The superchargers are super convenient and I was really surprised how quick it topped up my Model 3 after going and getting a coffee at Top Paddock.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
Purchase was super simple and not having to deal with a dealer was amazing. The sales rep answered all of my questions with no pressure to purchase.
If I have one complaint about the purchase it’s that the Tesla Delivery centre in Victoria is in the middle of nowhere. It was an expensive Uber ride to get to the centre. Either use Richmond as a delivery centre or offer delivery.
I had a warranty issue with the rear tail lights not sitting flush with the tail lights on the boot section. Put a warranty request in and someone came to my house and adjusted the boot so that the lights sat flush. Far superior to having dealt with warranty issues on my BMW that took months to rectify and painful trips to the dealer.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
For what you get the price is unbeatable, I considered upgrading to a 3 Series but to get similar performance and specs costs significantly more than the Tesla and then you have options.
The one big thing missing is automatic parking, I would love Tesla to offer it as a standalone option as my old BMW could get into far smaller parallel parks than I could. However I wasn’t going to stump up $10,000 to be a beta tester for self parking.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
Performance is amazing, I can’t go back to an ICE car after living with the effortless performance.
I thought my car was making some noises and something was wrong with it, on review it was the Toyota idling next to me in the carpark. The silent performance is addictive and I need to be careful not to lose my license.
Economy is great and the range on the screen is what you get.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
Amazing, compared to my old BMW it’s like going from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 12. The system is effortless, lag free with minimal menus. One ask is that Tesla needs to offer Apple Music built in as with using Bluetooth audio its a pain to use as the playlists aren’t shown on the screen.
The mobile app is brilliant and decades ahead of what BMW offers.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
Comfort is brilliant especially on Melbournes horrifically unmaintained roads. I stuck with the 18-inch wheels over the 19s for this reason as I wanted additional comfort.
Handling is great and is well weighted and balanced. The car feels very planted and is easy to drive and park.