On the fence about refreshed 2021 Model S LR - Input appreciated!

[aceofspadez138]

A refreshed 2021 Model S long range popped up near me for $53K (with 35K miles). Carfax shows no accidents and two previous owners. The first owner drove it 9K miles over a year and the second owner drove it 25K miles over the next year. There are two years left on the limited warranty and five years left on the battery warranty.

My main concern is that I'm unsure of the battery health as I have no insight into the previous owners' charging habits. Furthermore, photos in the listing showed the car was at 20% a week ago and the dealer had to take it to a supercharger today to charge it (meaning it dipped below 20%). I understand this isn't great for battery health.

I'm also uneasy about the prospect of buying a Model S with just two years of warranty left. I've read that the S tends to have more problems than the 3 and they are of course pricier to maintain.

Am I overthinking this? It seems like a really good deal assuming the car won't have long-term issues. I would appreciate any input/advice!

 

[aceofspadez138]

Forgot to mention the other option I'm considering is waiting for the Highland 3

 

[EVRider-FL]

I’ve owned three S’s, a 3, and now a Y, and in my experience the S wasn’t more troublesome than the other cars. However, since you’re not wedded to the form factor of the S, I agree that you should consider a new 3 or Y instead. Note that the only 3 that is currently eligible for the $7500 credit this year is the Performance model (don’t know if the Highland will change that), and all Y’s are eligible.

 

[Ostrichsak]

I've read that the S tends to have more problems....

Uh... wut?

 

[aerodyne]

Uh... wut?

Door handles and air suspension and vibration, is what the OP is probably referring to.

 

[aerodyne]

Forgot to mention the other option I'm considering is waiting for the Highland 3

The Highland is being built in Fremont NOW!

 

[Ostrichsak]

Door handles and air suspension and vibration, is what the OP is probably referring to.

The 2021 cars have addressed most all of this with major changes based on what they learned from previous versions.

This includes a completely redesigned half-shaft portion to all but eliminate this common issue that existed previously. Of note, I had BOTH front half shafts and carrier bearings replaced in a 2017 P100D (the only failure out of ALL of our performance Model S's with higher miles I might add) @ Tesla for $350total. Also of note on this topic is that this issue typically show symptoms for many many many months before any actual failure occurs giving you plenty of warning for something you can easily schedule to be done whenever works best for you. The tales of how costly this is has been dramatically overstated in my personal experience.

Doors handles have also undergone numerous updates over the years. With each one, they have become less and less of an issue. The newest design has become laughably simple compared to early versions that were problematic. This has also lowered their cost bigly. This is another area that Tesla has taken past experience and improved on reliability, simplicity and cost.

Even the air suspension system has been improved on the 2021+ cars. This will likely prove to also be far more reliable over time. Ultimately, springs are going to be a more reliable solution long-term if that's you're only concern is reliability. There's really no way to make air suspension as reliable given the part count difference. Much in the same way non-heated or vented seats will offer more reliability but that's the trade-off for more features. For me, the ride quality & experience I get from the air suspension every time I drive it is well worth the added long-term costs (which aren't surprisingly low when you base said costs on the total miles at which you start to see some cars incurring them) associated with it as a solution versus spring suspension.

Blanket statements like "I've read that S's are more problematic" isn't really accurate unless you also consider all of the features and options you get with said "problems" because in the end you do get a lot more in an S than a 3, for instance.

 

[aceofspadez138]

I appreciate the insight! I know I was vague with that blanket statement, but it's because it's hard to nail down what issues people have had. Anywhere I read, it's something along the lines of "be careful, I've had to take my S in every month for the past few months for something or the other". It could be minor issues that the owners are nitpicking, but it paints a picture of unreliability for someone like me who has never owned a Tesla.

If I'm buying an S, I know I can't be worried about the expected costs that come with it (tires, brakes, etc.), but I just don't want to deal with something catastrophic once the warranty ends and be on the hook for a four or five figure fix.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

I have 99k+ miles on my 2021 Refreshed S. No major issues. A few warranty issues but nothing since being out of warranty. Replaced one door handle after warranty but that was on me. I charge whenever and wherever I need. Down to 340-350miles range. Will probably replace with another S in the next 6 months.

It is a tool and I drive it as such, You drive it - do not let it drive you. Do not overthink it.

 

[Ostrichsak]

I appreciate the insight! I know I was vague with that blanket statement, but it's because it's hard to nail down what issues people have had. Anywhere I read, it's something along the lines of "be careful, I've had to take my S in every month for the past few months for something or the other". It could be minor issues that the owners are nitpicking, but it paints a picture of unreliability for someone like me who has never owned a Tesla.

If I'm buying an S, I know I can't be worried about the expected costs that come with it (tires, brakes, etc.), but I just don't want to deal with something catastrophic once the warranty ends and be on the hook for a four or five figure fix.

You'll find those same posts in the Model 3 section, the Model Y section, the BMW forum, the Ford forum... anywhere really... if that's what you're looking for. Confirmation bias is a real thing.

The reality is that the focus on SoC (State of Charge) levels and frequency of Supercharging use has been blown out of proportion. It's mostly based off of early theories from a decade ago in lueue of real world data. Enough time has passed that real world data has arrived and has refuted that.

At this point we now know that very little the end-user can do will impact the battery pack life overall, Elon's own words as of the last few years in the face of overwhelming data from real world use that supports his stance.

The car is under warranty bumper to bumper. It has a high-volt battery pack & drive motor warranty beyond that for a full 8-years. What is the risk at this point? You're overthinking this.

 

[Evee]

No refreshes