Cost of yearly service?

[mmcmonster]

Friend of mine got his Model 3 about a year ago.

The local Tesla service center wants to charge him $500 for yearly service. This is for rotating the tires, lubricating the brakes, and checking the windshield wipers. (And, presumably, things like that.)

Is this the going rate for routine yearly service on the Model 3?

Is it the same as for a Model S?

 

[George75]

As with any vehicle I always recommend reading the manual to see what is actually needed vs what is recommended. See page 152 of the Owners Manual.

Service Intervals
Your vehicle should generally be serviced on
an as-needed basis. However, Tesla
recommends the following maintenance items
and intervals, as applicable to your vehicle, to
ensure continued reliability and efficiency of
your Model 3.
• Brake fluid health check every 2 years
(replace if necessary)
• A/C desiccant bag replacement every 6
years
• Cabin air filter replacement every 2 years
• Clean and lubricate brake calipers every
year or 12,500 miles (if in an area where
roads are salted during the Winter)
• Rotate tires every 10,000-12,000 miles
(16,000-20,000 km) or if tread depth
difference is 2/32 in (1.5 mm) or greater

 

[ewoodrick]

If he bought it less than a year ago, I'll offer maintenance service for $250, no joking.

(Great deal since there was no service before 2 years)

 

[Sophias_dad]

The S used to be particularly onerous, but I understand they've relaxed that a bit.

The 3 has always been quite low-maintenance... Tell your friend to tell the dealer where they can stuff the windshield wiper service plan.

 

[destructure00]

Discount will rotate tires for free. Wipers can be had for $40-ish at a generic parts store. I question lubricating the calipers... They don't have any grease or anything on them from the factory.

 

[PowerBankT]

I would like to hear from someone who has changed their brake fluid on a vehicle less than 2 years old, lol. Not to mention an EV with regen braking..... break pads are lasting well beyond this these days even.

 

[destructure00]

I would like to hear from someone who has changed their brake fluid on a vehicle less than 2 years old, lol. Not to mention an EV with regen braking..... break pads are lasting well beyond this these days even.

I have, lol. But only to put better stuff in for the track.

Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. As the moisture content increases, the boiling point decreases. Not that this means that 2 year changes are necessary, but that's probably where the recommendation comes from.... Average time until boiling point drops below some allowable threshold.

 

[PowerBankT]

I have, lol. But only to put better stuff in for the track.

Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. As the moisture content increases, the boiling point decreases. Not that this means that 2 year changes are necessary, but that's probably where the recommendation comes from.... Average time until boiling point drops below some allowable threshold.

What you're saying is valid. But it, in almost 99% of cases, never will be an issue within those sorts of time frames. I would go so far as to suggest that most vehicle owners might (at the recommendation of their dealerships maintenance plan) change their brake fluid once in the life span of the vehicle, lol.

 

[mmcmonster]

If he bought it less than a year ago, I'll offer maintenance service for $250, no joking.

(Great deal since there was no service before 2 years)

So how often are you supposed to service a Model 3?

While I'm not a fan of going to a dealer, at least with my wife's Lexus, there's a book that says to get the car serviced every X months or Y miles. I kinda miss that.

For my Model S, I've settled to getting it serviced every ~12 months/22k miles.

 

[OCR1]

The only service item that requires a service center after the first year would be the brake calipers, and that is only if they were exposed to salt during the winter months.

For those of us who live in year round warm weather climates the first service would be at two years. And the only things required would be the brake fluid inspection and cabin filter replacement.

There really is not much maintenance required on the Model 3.

 

[Sophias_dad]

So how often are you supposed to service a Model 3?

While I'm not a fan of going to a dealer, at least with my wife's Lexus, there's a book that says to get the car serviced every X months or Y miles. I kinda miss that.

For my Model S, I've settled to getting it serviced every ~12 months/22k miles.

Read post 2.... There's very little reason to get serviced more than once every two years, and even that seems extravagant.

Note: I believe that until sometime this year, maybe as recently as October, the recommendation was 2years/25k miles for brake fluid CHANGE, and 4 year/50k miles for coolant CHANGE. Now its just a 'check' of the brake fluid every 2 years, I presume both for quantity and quality, and coolant is 'life of the car'

 

[Knightshade]

What you're saying is valid. But it, in almost 99% of cases, never will be an issue within those sorts of time frames. I would go so far as to suggest that most vehicle owners might (at the recommendation of their dealerships maintenance plan) change their brake fluid once in the life span of the vehicle, lol.

In 2 years the boiling point of DOT3 brake fluid drops by about 25% just by absorbing water from the air.

I'm sure lots of folks wait way too long to change it. Lots of folks do that with tires too. Doesn't mean it's not dangerous.

 

[rickdogg82]

Most people won't ever get their brake fluid hot enough for it to boil, even when the boiling point is reduced by 25%.

 

[PowerBankT]

Most people won't ever get their brake fluid hot enough for it to boil, even when the boiling point is reduced by 25%.

Particularly in an EV with regen breaking, furthermore. But by all means Knight, if you feel that changing out your break fluid every couple of years is peace of mind, go for it.

 

[Az_Rael]

I would like to hear from someone who has changed their brake fluid on a vehicle less than 2 years old, lol. Not to mention an EV with regen braking..... break pads are lasting well beyond this these days even.

I had to within the recommended interval on my 2013 S. Brake pedal feel got mushy, was fixed when they did the brake fluid change. Guessing it got moisture in the lines over time.