Tesla Model 3 Review: 8 Months Later
Purchase Price: $41,000
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In 3 years of reviewing technology, I don’t think I ever once said something was life-changing in any review. We’ve encountered fun tech from smart watches, smart glasses, to other products that have adapted and improved the way we communicate, yet never have I thought something was absolutely life altering. That is until I got behind the wheel of a Tesla Model 3. After driving the car everyday since March 2019, I can confidently say that I don’t think I can ever go back to how I was driving before again. This car has absolutely changed my life.
Some background
To give some context, I’ve personally been driving BMW vehicles for the past 10 years and my extended household has had various brands of cars in our garages ranging from Mercedes Benz, Lexus, Honda, Toyota and Volvo to name a few. My wife drives a Lexus IS 350 so I have a pretty good understanding of the luxury car market around the $40k range. The Tesla Model 3 was not my first “luxury” car, but it is my first EV. I did a lot of research prior to making the switch and I came to realize there were two types of people who drive cars: the first type being the drivers who love the feel of the road and the rev of the engine. The second being the group I fall in which are the commuters that view cars as tools to get you from one place to another.
I live in Southern California and it’s a mess on the freeways every single day. We joke that we don’t have rush hour because every hour is jam packed with traffic. With that in mind it’s easy to see why I was attracted to the Tesla Model 3 as its infamous autopilot technology seduced me with the idea of letting the car take me to and from a destination. Hypothetically, this would allow me to conserve energy and ultimately preserve my hair from being pulled out due to road rage.
Eight months later, I can honestly say without a doubt that this car is everything I hoped it would be. Even though there have been issues, the Tesla Model 3 has absolutely been a significantly positive addition into my life. Before I express my lengthy list of praises, I do want to mention the negative issues we’ve experienced that everyone should be aware of before you buy a Model 3 or any Tesla for that matter.
A few issues
By now you’ve probably come across news of Tesla’s questionable reputation for build quality. While the Model 3 I purchased was a 2019 build, meaning it was in year two of production, I assumed some of those quality control issues would have been ironed out. However, eight months later, I’ve had a few services that were required on this car already. While there hasn’t been dramatic issues, they are more or less areas that Tesla should improve upon. Within the first week we received the car, the USB ports blew out so we called the mobile service unit to repair it. That experience was very fast and convenient and we haven’t had any problems with the USB ports since. The mobile service technician told us it was a very common issue they encounter on Model 3’s.
When the fall season hit, we then began noticing condensation within our taillights. Water would seep inside the taillights and refused to dry. It was permanently lodged inside the light housing. We called the mobile service yet again via the Tesla app and that technician was able to fix it. Once again, we were told this was another very common problem on Model 3 vehicles. I also had another brake light issue where the brake lights would flash vividly and then black out. This was a more severe issue that required us to take our car into a Tesla shop. They would need to order a specific part and we ended up waiting a few weeks for it. In my driving career spanning about 14 years now, I’ve actually had quite the unfortunate luck of encountering issues with various new cars within the first year. Consider me unlucky, but I still stand by my statement that the build quality needs to be better right out of the factory as Tesla grows older.
Another point that I don’t feel is addressed enough about the Model 3 is it’s interior. While futuristic looking with it’s minimalistic layout, the interior itself doesn’t feel as luxurious as other competitors in this price range. Vegan leather is the future of car interiors whether we want it to be or not. That’s what we received here in the Model 3. Most people won’t even know it isn’t actual leather, yet when you sit on the seat you do feel a certain lack of credibility. From the stitching to the piano black gloss, the cabin of this Tesla does not give off the aura of a $40,000 car. This is blatantly obvious when you sit in a legacy car maker’s vehicle immediately after leaving the Model 3’s cabin. As consumers, we have to accept the fact that when we purchase a Model 3, we aren’t going to receive the same quality in material as a competing Mercedes-Benz, Audi or BMW. We are purchasing the vehicle for the technology the car houses above everything else.
The minimalist approach that Tesla took for the Model 3 is aesthetically attractive though. The layout of the car was something I was concerned about before purchasing the car. Was having just one 15 inch touch screen as the only form of cabin control something I could handle moving forward? After just a week with the car, I quickly realized I was stressing over something that was trivial at best. In fact, driving any other car with a traditional dash has become archaic and actually more stressful for me. There is a liberating feeling when you have nothing in front of you except the view of the road and your steering wheel. The calmness I feel during my commute even with all the California traffic is something I never thought I would say just a year ago.
I have heard multiple concerns from non-Tesla drivers about the touch screen being distracting. I truly do not believe that to be the case at all. Your eyes have a direct flow towards navigating the controls of the display. Everything is laid out efficiently on the page and with a little bit of muscle memory, it’s actually quicker and less distracting than feeling out a knob. Factor in that when the car is on autopilot, it’s even easier to touch a setting on the screen because you don’t need to worry about steering.
I drive the Tesla Model 3 like what I imagine a Prius driver would do. I know that sounds ridiculous seeing as the car has the capability to get really fast. Like other electric cars, the Model 3’s instant torque makes this a borderline sports car as there’s no engine. Stepping on the accelerator will instantly blow people away the first time they sit in the car. Interestingly enough though, I am someone who likes to drive my EV efficiently to preserve battery charge. When I was commuting in my BMW X3, I would rage accelerate trying to change lanes in order to move into any gap I see. While using autopilot, I’ve found myself not fighting for every last inch to progress forward. I set 75 MPH as the limit in my settings and I let the Model 3 do its thing. However long the trip requires is however long it will take. My stress level and blood pressure has significantly decreased since obtaining this car and I really do think it’s for the better.
The pros outweigh the cons
One of the best features of owning a Tesla is the Supercharging network. I’m excited to hear about more EVs coming out to the market from makers like Volkswagen, Ford and Rivian, but Supercharging is about as close as you can get to a traditional gas station. I’m not saying EV owners miss gas stations. I definitely don’t! That’s the furthest place we want to be at. But there will always be a potential scenario where you will need a little bit of juice to make it back home. The Supercharging network is your insurance card.
On top of that, Tesla has added so many entertainment features that sitting in your car and charging for 40 minutes makes the time go by in a blink. Now that Tesla has partnered with various malls and Target plazas, it’s even easier to run errands while charging. In Southern California, we’re also fortunate that many office buildings and workplaces also offer free chargers in the form of ChargePoint and Volta stations. When we were living in a condo with a shared parking garage, we simply came up with a charging routine that allowed us to swap cars to charge a few times a week. While a new Tesla or EV owner may have charging anxiety the first few weeks, I highly recommend finding a schedule that’s convenient and works with you. Know that Tesla has made it so much easy to own an EV. That doesn’t even factor in home charging which absolutely removes all fears of emptying out in the middle of nowhere. Once you’ve experienced the joys of home charging, the convenience will change your perception permanently.
On top of all of that, the Model 3 really does have one of the best driving experiences I’ve had the pleasure of steering. The over the air updates (OTA) is a technological feature we really haven’t seen much in cars up until the last couple of years. Other car manufacturers are just beginning to adapt OTA updates when you’re at home with WiFi, yet none of them can update a car like Tesla can. In just eight months, it’s incredible seeing how the car has transformed into what it is now. We’re talking about drastic OS overhauls, performance upgrades and even new features. I would compare this to getting a new version of Android or iOS. While this is a technological marvel for cars, it can also sometimes be a curse. Bugs do arise with new updates and it can admittedly be scary when you’ve gotten used to driving a certain way only for it to change after an update. Tesla does go through multiple test phases before pushing updates to the public, but it’s important to remember that you’ll always be a part of “testing” in Tesla’s ever futuristic eyes.
Lastly, I want to touch on how much money the Tesla Model 3 saves. Gas is expensive in California and one of the best parts of buying an EV are the federal and state rebates. On top of that, thanks to free charging stations at work, I have probably paid $150 total this year in electricity to charge my Model 3 compared to the $2,400 I spent a year ago on gasoline for my BMW. Different types of cars for sure, but I’m beyond ecstatic to not pay for gas regardless. Even better yet, I’m excited to continue seeing my Tesla get better and continue to improve itself over time. You can’t really make that statement about many cars out there. That is why without a doubt, the Model 3 has pushed me into the future without me knowing it and altered my life forever.
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Alex
Caught in between the conundrum of his fascination with retro and the future, Alex has a very unique taste in technology. Never one to follow trends like his millennial peers yet constantly desiring to get ahead of the curve, he sees technology like he does his other love: comic books. Always looking for the best value or a hidden gem, his collector mindset reflects on some of his favorite gadgets: the Moto X (2015), HTC U11 and the Google Pixelbook. If there’s a good tech deal out there, Alex is on the hunt!