I am thinking of buying a Roadster - What should I look for?

I think you will find a lot of encouragement here about buying a Raodster to complement the Model S. That is exactly what I did [emoji3] Going 100 Percent Electric | Tesla Motors
There are multiple existing threads covering your questions so I strongly recommend using site search or just browsing through the main Roadster forum and you will find many opinions. In my opinion the difference between the 1.5 / 2.0 / 2.5 cars are relatively minor. I am very happy with my 1.5 and it cost less than the later versions.
You need the latest firmware to use Henry's CAN SR adaptor to charge from your HPWC. See link shown below. The adaptor works very well and I recommend it, though Henry is careful to state that he cannot guarantee it to work on every single HPWC. Works great for me and many others!
Yes the 3.0 upgrade release is expected very soon (for all Roadsters as far as we know), I hope this month, see Roadster 3.0 | Tesla Motors and Roadster 3.0
Model S to Roadster adapter Model S to Roadster adapter
Many people are happy with the standard factory soft top but some like the hardtop which is several thousand dollars so cars for sale with a hardtop tend to cost a bit more. This is an aftermarket Transparent Roadster Top Transparent Roadster Top And some people rarely have any top on at all!
Discussion of changes to the Roadster over the years of production Roadster History North America
Here is a discussion of why people ordered certain options or not Necessary options
Good luck with your search for a Roadster! They are out there, but my perception is they are not getting any cheaper. I think the 3.0 upgrade announcement may have firmed up prices.

ecarfan has written an excellent beginners primer. I cautiously add the following recognizing I am not half the man ecarfan and TEG are (and not nearly the woman Bonnie is, although I am in touch with my feminine side - and I'm a real B__ch).

Accident history. Tesla might decline to work or service any salvage titles.

Battery logs. Batteries get old as do car engines. Mileage on a gasoline engine is analogous to how much charge an old Tesla battery will hold. You need to have a dealership pull the battery logs and compare to new battery specifications. People such as hcsharp on this BB can help explain. A Tesla Roadster battery can cost $38,000 to replace, so it is worth making sure the battery is in good condition as it is arguably the most valuable piece of the car.

Existing warranty. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a warranty when I bought my car. It makes a huge difference to see if Tesla will let you buy a warranty.

Service records. See repairs made and if the car is a lemon.

VIN. The vehicle identification number will be deciphered by people like TEG on this BB so you will know what options your car has. TEG is AWESOME for information, (how he gets that information without being a registered stalker is beyond me...LOL)

Drive the car. See if you like it and see if you feel rattles and shimmies and shakes.

Pay to have the car taken to a TESLA dealership for a full inspection prior to purchase. It will be an awesome investment.

I'm sure there is more, but I think ecarfan has given you awesome information, and my stuff is more like basic common sense.

I hope to see you and pics of your car on this BB soon.

Best,

T

Hi @wayner. You can download the logs yourself by inserting a USB stick with a directory named "VehicleLogs" in root.

The 1.5s can't be imported to Canada, so you're limited to the 2.0 or 2.5. The differences are mostly comfort/cosmetic. The double DIN Alpine head unit in the 2.5 is a big improvement over the crappy JVC in the 2.0.

I'd recommend the adjustable suspension, HID headlights and Visium hard top as options. All can be added after purchase.

wayner said:

Thanks - how forthcoming is Tesla about giving a potential purchaser the logs/service records of existing cars? There are two Service Centres here in Toronto so I am assuming that one of them will know the car quite well, but if I call up and say, "Hi, I own a Model S and want to buy a Roadster with VIN XXX, what do you know about it?" Will they give me the info or say "Sorry sir, we don't give out that type of information."

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I imagine it depends on the service center but when I bought my used Model S about a year after my Roadster, I called my local SC, gave then the VIN, and asked if they could share any history. They gave me as much information as they could while protecting the owner's privacy. They basically gave me the service history on record and then put me in touch with the last person who had inspected the car. The car I bought was in Seattle and I live in Phoenix so my local SC put me in touch with someone up in Seattle.

However, I doubt they'll provide specific logs. I remember at my last service I asked about battery degradation and was told, "We can't give you the specific number but your battery looks great and the CAC on your app (i.e., OVMS) is pretty close."

djp said:

Hi @wayner. You can download the logs yourself by inserting a USB stick with a directory named "VehicleLogs" in root.

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Yes this is an important thing to do before purchase so you can determine the CAC (Calculated Actual Charge) of the battery. This page gives specific instructions VMS Log Parser for Tesla Roadster
I think your local Service Center that knows you may be helpful with service history info, definitely worth a try since you are already a Tesla owner.
@TOBASH you are too kind, but I am sure you are no doubt twice the man I am: I work with orthopedic surgeons in the OR but am merely a lowly neurophysiologist [emoji6]

When I was looking at the Roadster I bought, the local Florida Service center was awesomely helpful and forthcoming with all information without any issues. They also were instrumental in helping me obtain a FULL warranty package. The New York Syosset center was also as helpful as they could be.

Very positive experience.