UK Buying Advice | Model 3 or ?

[weBrandy]

Hey all,

Thanks for reading!

Currently on a fence between two vehicles, one being a 2020 (2021 MY) Model 3 LR with 83k mi on clock (US version) at £19k versus a 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (2019 MY) with 100k mi on clock.

My heart wants the Tesla despite inferior ground clearance and internal space amongst other things like inferior range for long runs which I do infrequently.

My brain acknowledges that the Toyota likely to be a more reliable option. At least I used to have Toyota hybrids and know what to expect - ultra reliable, boring and dependable. Had a bunch of crappy BMW in the past so have now overgrown the need to have a european car.

I am getting mixed views on Tesla reliability, while the latter is the most important consideration for me and I intentionally drive Toyotas so as to not have the need to repair cars - currently running a Land Cruiser so RAV4 wouldn't be a massive loss in terms of cabin size for me.

Yet, I've test-driven a Model 3 (2024 MY), as this was the only one they had at their contactless test-drive location, and I've fallen in love with the simplicity of it. I know that it's more superior than the outgoing version, especially on the suspension front, but surely it can't be that bad with the old one..

Therefore, I don't know where to start and had I been in a position to spend a bit extra (£24k+) - I would have gone for a 2021 Model 3 with under 50k on clock to, at least, deal with all potential issues while still under warranty - yet, this wouldn't save me from potential issues further down the line. Yes, I know many say that Teslas run for 200k+ miles without any issues, but I simply can't fathom a potential failure with some rather expensive components other than battery and drivetrain - AC system, multimedia, glass roof, heating system etc.

I am also conscious about depreciation which Model 3 had already gone through and expect that both RAV and M3 will depreciate at a similar rate going forward.

Addendum: I would charge the car overnight from 240V as I only do daily school runs and an occasional 200-300 mile journeys throughout the country on a weekend. I would be missing off-road capabilities, that is not to say that RAV4 is exactly an off-roader compared to my LC, but still arguably better for mild green-lane use in Scotland.

Was even considering other EVs with higher ground clearance but apart from Tesla they seem to be rather archaic, in which case Toyota is certainly the way to go for me - I'm not overly reliant on fuel savings as I know that fuel prices fluctuate.

Any thoughts at all?

Best,
A.

 

[edigest]

Curious about the reliability concerns. Have two Teslas going back to 2018 and have had no reliability issues. (Some minor production nits on the older one.)

Also, IMO range anxiety is not an issue, especially if you have 240V charging at home.

 

[weBrandy]

Curious about the reliability concerns. Have two Teslas going back to 2018 and have had no reliability issues. (Some minor production nits on the older one.)

Also, IMO range anxiety is not an issue, especially if you have 240V charging at home.

Thanks for your response!

Agreed, I've seen a bunch of positive reviews on reliability for M3. Yet, post-warranty battery longevity anxiety is there to stay with no indication that it will cost significantly less to replace the HV battery in the near future.

I think my reliability concerns stem from my familiarity with hybrid Toyota cars, which are undoubtedly one of the most reliable cars out there, apart from several exclusions. And even in an unlikely even that something fails - it will cost peanuts to fix and most of it is DIY for me. Pretty much anything other than ICE head/block components.

Buying an M3 that is still under warranty alleviates most of these concerns, however, one can't anymore benefit from 50%+ depreciated examples as they are only pertinent to their 'riskier' out-of-warranty counterparts.

Lifestyle benefits are of equal value for me - yes, an M3 is much more modern and has a bunch of features that are valuable from creature comfort standpoint, yet many things are much less accessible for an M3 - things like soft-roading and decent boot space for camping amongst other things, while even a used MY commands a much higher and is still not a do-it-all kind of vehicle with it's ground clearance and exposed HV battery.

@edigest, what's the mileage on your M3s if you don't mind sharing?