Is the Model S a "real" car yet?

[tomas]

It's an unreal car. 2 years, 22,000 miles. Have brought in for 2 annual service, didn't really need anything but many items improved at no cost, plus new features from firmware. Actually is now better than when I bought. Say that about any other car!

 

[FlasherZ]

The one thing I've noticed is that there is no fear of sending it to service.

On our 2010 Chevy Traverse, we let stuff stack up... CD stuck in the radio, VCIM (OnStar module) intermittently locked up, 3 small recall campaigns, headlamp switch pushed into the dash, a rattle we can't find somewhere near the A pillar post, etc. We let it stack up because we dread having to take it to the dealer... we know they're going to "find" something else that we need to do at our expense. We also have to coordinate backup vehicles while it's there for the day and such.

I'm not afraid to call Tesla service, because I know it will be hassle-free.

46,000 miles and counting after 27 months, it's our #1 daily driver in our 6-person family.

 

[ElectricMonkey]

thank you all for the replies

Thank you all for the replies. I've read them all (so far), and it's all very helpful. There's no substitute for first hand experience.

When my LEAF lease is up, a Tesla Model S will be top on my shopping list, and since I'm a fan of buying slightly used, it's good to know that those of you who have made recent purchases are having the best luck with regard to service, because somewhere in the 2013->2015 model year range is what I'm likely to end up in.

 

[EdA]

Please report back with your status if/when you finally get the car.
I'd love to hear your impressions.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Thank you all for the replies. I've read them all (so far), and it's all very helpful. There's no substitute for first hand experience.

When my LEAF lease is up, a Tesla Model S will be top on my shopping list, and since I'm a fan of buying slightly used, it's good to know that those of you who have made recent purchases are having the best luck with regard to service, because somewhere in the 2013->2015 model year range is what I'm likely to end up in.

I had some initial issues after taking delivery in August of 2013, mostly minor things. However, my car has needed three drive unit replacements. The most recent DU swap was done at the end of January. All replacements were for droning noise above 70 MPH, and most recently, for a buzzing noise at lower speeds. Tesla has been absolutely SUPERB in dealing with these issues, going so far as to order a brand new DU from the factory for my third replacement when my previous replacements were with remanufactured units.

Even though I have a mid-2013 car, my P85 is tighter than a recent P85 loaner w/ autopilot that I had for a day, and which was built in late September 2015. This newer loaner car had some rattles while my car has none. I hope I didn't just jinx myself! LOL...

 

[AB4EJ]

I'm in same boat as you - have a LEAF, and want to upgrade to a Tesla after lease runs out. I have not had perfect results with the LEAF - coming up on 23K miles, and it needs its third A/C compressor. That's one of the things with cars in general - the reliability of the parts (or lack thereof) can reflect on the car's overall reliability, at least by way of reputation. If a company builds a car with a very nice design, but scrimps on parts - it will get a reputation for poor reliability. I'm convinced that the Tesla is "real," having worked out early bugs - but only time will tell how well the parts (which come from many parts suppliers) fare in long term service. The Tesla has a lot of content - i.e., there are a lot of things to go wrong, and often the distance to a service center is quite far. I think people who really believe in Tesla's mission, as I do - to do something completely new and environmentally sound - will happily accept these realities. To many owners, a Tesla can be a way of life: an expression of your values, and such owners are willing to do things like going way out of the way to charge on long road trips. If you view a car as simply an appliance, you need solid reliability data, and also to consider the trade-offs; it might not be a slam-dunk at this time. Long-term Tesla owners need to chime in here and discuss reliability, as I am also interested in that.

 

[ElectricMonkey]

Please report back with your status if/when you finally get the car.
I'd love to hear your impressions.

I will, but it will be a while. The reason I posted in advance is that you guys are current owners of some of the model years that I'll be shopping for in a couple of year on the used market. That is, unless prices come down. I'm used to paying 60K for a nice SUV, but since I'll be too old for wakeboarding soon, I no longer need something to tow a boat. So, I guess I'll get getting rid of the Yukon, the LEAF, and the wakeboarding boat, and moving on to a Tesla. I'm sure it'll fit nicely under the wing of my plane :biggrin:

 

[EarlyAdopter]

Thank you all for the replies. I've read them all (so far), and it's all very helpful. There's no substitute for first hand experience.

When my LEAF lease is up, a Tesla Model S will be top on my shopping list, and since I'm a fan of buying slightly used, it's good to know that those of you who have made recent purchases are having the best luck with regard to service, because somewhere in the 2013->2015 model year range is what I'm likely to end up in.

Glad to hear it!

One nice thing when shopping for a used Model S - while some of the big new features can't be retrofitted (like Autopilot), the core parts of car are not only upgradable, but Tesla actually does that for free as part of routine service. So even buying a used 2013 Model S, you'll get many revised parts.

For example, whoever bought my Jan 2013 Model S got:
- Revised 2nd gen door handles, all 4 replaced by Tesla
- Revised LED interior lights, all 4 replaced by Tesla
- A/C sound proofing added
- New 12v battery
- Suspension carrier bolt upgrades

And no doubt a few more bits and pieces that I've forgotten. It really was remarkable - every time I brought the car in for service I got back a better car than I took in.

 

[ElectricMonkey]

I'm in same boat as you - have a LEAF, and want to upgrade to a Tesla after lease runs out. I have not had perfect results with the LEAF - coming up on 23K miles, and it needs its third A/C compressor. That's one of the things with cars in general - the reliability of the parts (or lack thereof) can reflect on the car's overall reliability, at least by way of reputation. If a company builds a car with a very nice design, but scrimps on parts - it will get a reputation for poor reliability. I'm convinced that the Tesla is "real," having worked out early bugs - but only time will tell how well the parts (which come from many parts suppliers) fare in long term service. The Tesla has a lot of content - i.e., there are a lot of things to go wrong, and often the distance to a service center is quite far. I think people who really believe in Tesla's mission, as I do - to do something completely new and environmentally sound - will happily accept these realities. To many owners, a Tesla can be a way of life: an expression of your values, and such owners are willing to do things like going way out of the way to charge on long road trips. If you view a car as simply an appliance, you need solid reliability data, and also to consider the trade-offs; it might not be a slam-dunk at this time. Long-term Tesla owners need to chime in here and discuss reliability, as I am also interested in that.

Personally, I'm only interested in the Tesla because it's a really nice looking, luxurious, well performing car. Aside from the LEAF as a commuter... as a play vehicle, I've been driving full sized, GM-manufactured SUVs for the last 15 years, sometimes towing a heavy boat from the beach to the desert/river and back, 6 hours each direction, A/C on full blast, car full of people and dogs, only servicing them once a year... pushing the odometers to 100K to 200K... They never break, and the stay nice. Moving down from the tow vehicle to a luxury sedan, I just want something that's going to put up with my abuse and not abuse me :tongue:.

 

[smsprague]

Personally, I'm only interested in the Tesla because it's a really nice looking, luxurious, well performing car. Aside from the LEAF as a commuter... as a play vehicle, I've been driving full sized, GM-manufactured SUVs for the last 15 years, sometimes towing a heavy boat from the beach to the desert/river and back, 6 hours each direction, A/C on full blast, car full of people and dogs, only servicing them once a year... pushing the odometers to 100K to 200K... They never break, and the stay nice. Moving down from the tow vehicle to a luxury sedan, I just want something that's going to put up with my abuse and not abuse me :tongue:.

My last Chevy Suburban had 2 Fuel pumps and a power Steering Pump fail in the first 50,000 miles. I am hoping for better in my Tesla!

 

[Brit4864]

I've just sold my previous mid-2013 Model S. Here's what I had to have done by the excellent Tesla Service Center early on:

Recurring random "car needs service" message. Was taken in to the local SC 3 times (only 20 mins from me). No record of problems when they pulled the logs. The first time, they thought it might be something to do with the battery cooling system. Replaced the cooling pump as a precaution. Second time they tried replacing the AC/DC converter as there had been some issues with those causing random error messages. Finally they found the cause. A loose sensor connection. Never saw the message again after that.

The Drive Unit had to be replaced for the (in)famous "milling noise" which occurred around 60mph at around the 8500 mile mark. Second unit was ok.

Each time I had a Model S loaner. Basically that's it over a period of 21k miles and 19 months of ownership. I did get the tires rotated 3 times. The first time is free and they were supposed to charge me $60 each time after that. They never did!

I sold it last week and now have an ex-inventory P85D. To answer your question..yes it is a real car and the newer Model S's are a much improved car in almost every way I'd say. Buy with confidence.

 

[dauger]

Yes, the Model S is very real. I just passed 2 years and 31125 miles, and it's running great. Last year I sold my previous car because using the Model S is so enjoyable, and I rely on my Model S as my sole car for driving my family around and work driving:

Tesla Model S - Gas Free

98% of my charging is at home, typically from midnight to 3 am. Early on I made it a (geocaching-like) game to use the J1772 public chargers, but today I rarely use them now that most are more expensive ($/kWh) than home. Click my signature for road-trip stories, like driving around California using the Supercharger network. Soon I'll post a recent trip from OC to Santa Barbara and back where I used the Rancho Cucamonga and Oxnard Superchargers.

 

[neroden]

My Toyota manual says oil change is needed every 30K km or 2 years. I'm expecting to service my Model S a bit more often.

Toyotas have famous repair records, and last I checked have the best Consumer Reports repair record rating of any brand. Back in the 1980s, I believe my parents didn't need repairs on their Toyotas for five years after buying them. They didn't even do oil changes (probably should have). Basically the cars went into the shop for annual inspections, and when the tires needed to be swapped, and that was it.

Tesla isn't there yet. We can hope. But they're doing average on repair record so far, which is very good for a brand new model.

 

[tezco]

My Sig has only been in for regularly scheduled service visits except for a proactive 12V battery replacement done at home at my convenience.

 

[digitaltim]

My experience is probably not as relevant given I have early Sig, but I am about to cross 80k miles in less than three years of ownership and have a longer history.

Busy? I was commuting weekly to NY/NJ from MD and now daily to DC plus travel globally and manage the marriage, kids and other extracurriculars. I think I would actually die if I stopped moving. ;-)

My main battery failed at 11k miles but it could not have been more convenient given it was parked around the corner from a PA service center. They swapped out the car and I barely missed a beat.

Other than that, I have generally handled all minor (and some not so minor) issues at semi-annual service visits I have chosen to do given my high annual mileage.

The full chronicle of all of my repairs can be found here: OMG: digitaltim’s delivery story….

There is nothing better than Tesla service.