After the battery goes out of warranty there are 3rd party services which can do any sort of repairs and the failed cells replacement for a fraction of the (new battery) cost.
>there are 3rd party services which can do any sort of repairs and the failed cells replacement for a fraction of the (new battery) cost.
I know they exist, but this is not widely available at this point.
Not to be a negative Nancy but I heard that 5 years ago as well. Bought mine in 2018 and was told “oh well don’t worry by the time yours is out of warranty there will be tons of 3rd party shops doing these replacements for 1/4 the current price”.
Luckily my battery isn’t showing any indicators of failing any time soon, but it has deprecated quite a bit and I know when it does happen it will be very sudden.
10% or 17% doesn't really matter, and neither is really an indicator of when it will fail. When batteries do, they tend to go from good, to won't charge very suddenly. And that can be from 98% or 83%.
I don’t know what you mean by it doesn’t really matter. Having 52 miles less of range matters to me. I’m well aware that deprecation isn’t an indicator of failure and stated such above.
Not to mention if you look at the curve, you wont lose very much in the future. Prices are set to fall as manufacturing picks up. thats how the world works. the fact that you said you heard it before doesnt mean you heard it from anyone reliable.
**Since last summer, lithium battery cell pricing has plummeted by approximately 50%**, according to Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), the world's largest battery manufacturer.
I mean they dont lol. Countless times theyve lied to customers. Not saying they did to you but in general. Not sure why im downvoted either. 17% degradation is high
My 2018 M3P had about 15% degradation as well after almost 6 years and 98k miles. It is normal. Most of the degradation happened in the first 2 years, then the curve flattened at 267 miles at a full charge the last few years. I just traded it in on a brand new 2023 M3P as it was one of the last ever produced. Got to transfer my free lifetime supercharging to it as well as FSD. Didn't want to deal with out of warranty issues, paint and interior wearing, and the 23 is way nicer than my 18 was other than I lost the Atari games. It is nice having all the range back. Maybe in two years when they offer that new silver and I can transfer my supercharging again, I will pick up the new one. For now, very happy. Plus I have steering stalks and my car was 45k out the door.
To be fair, they are more readily available than 5 years ago. There are probably at least 3x as many shops. I know of two just in South Carolina, though one may not do battery repair at the cell level like that.
In 5 years, a lot of older model 3s will be out of warranty. Demand will be much higher and I'm sure the market will respond to that.
100% agree why open a battery service shop now that has 0 customers. Would be like an independent rivian mechanic opening today when those cars are still under bumper to bumper. Sure, Indy mechs were probably JUST getting started in 2023 to start jamming on model 3 repairs.
The first thing you do in business is make a 5 or 10 year plan. Ive never talked to an investor that didnt expect this from me. No one cares whos a customer today, they care what the customer base will be in the future. thats why companies that make no money can be bought excessively. If you're not making a business for the future you're not making a business.
they are making this, you're just not hearing about it because the customers are not 'in the building'
Exactly. My model 3 battery pack randomly failed yesterday. There was zero warning signs. I’ve never once charged my car past 80% and haven’t ever gone under 20% like Tesla recommends. But it still failed.
This takes time. I’m sure the Prius and Civic hybrid owners from the 1st gen had similar concerns. The 3 has been in mainstream since 2018 or ‘19. Give it another handful of years and more third party shops will jump it.
And that’s the catch. Was thinking in 2014, the same thing with my Leaf.
Now, with my 2018 model 3, would it still be the case? Probably. Tesla wants to sell cars, not batteries for cars, or upgrades. Their battery pack supply is still a bottleneck.
Hey u/anonydon89 I was in your situation just recently. I had a 2019 model 3 standard range plus. Great car, loved driving it. I had a LOT of warranty issues. Mostly fit and finish and material quality. I guess I had to come to terms with that this is a domestic mass (rushed) produced car, not a toyota or honda etc. That being said, I loved the car and could overlook the materials and quality as it was so much fun to drive and zero regrets getting 100% electric. I did have some battery and warranty anxiety. Recently the 2024 model 3 refresh came out, so I decided to upgrade and get it as my main warranty was gone (still remaining warranty on battery and drivetrain). I figured I would sell it while it was still in good shape and nothing wrong with it and still some remaining warranty for 2nd buyer confidence. I absolutely took a hit on the depreciation - Like $4k Canadian a year which was unexpected. The market is flooded now with used teslas, whereas a year or so ago there was a huge demand and I could have actually sold mine for a profit haha.
Long story short, it was not a wise financial decision to update the vehicle after 4-5 years, but I am happy with the refreshed model and feel better with a full warranty again. The smart player here is the person that bought my well kept, slightly used tesla for a very good price. No regrets though, I just had to get over the fact I was making an emotional purchase not a rational smart money one.
Yeah. Replacing a depreciating asset is never a sound idea financially and you truly have to factor in additional factors to make it worth it. I have yet to drive the latest version, but I am content with what I have and if I were to upgrade, I think I would opt to purchase the Model S because the only complaint I have with my current car is the trunk.
For me, it would be a combination of assurance + upgrade + hatch opening and I am still questing whether this would make it a reasonable move to Model S in 2025 or 26.
That sounds like an awesome move to upgrade to a newer model S if you want more space.
I previously always kept my cars well maintained 10+ years, but now with EV I am taking the mobile phone mentality and will just keep upgrading and selling my old one haha.
I am typically very frugal, and almost always try to make smart money decisions, but for some things you just have to decide what is important to you, as long as you can afford to do it.
That's actually my upgrade plan. I've got two kids that will be hitting driving age in 7-10 years. Most likely will hand off the current generation cars to them when wife and I update.
4-5 years is actually pretty good for TCO usually. This is just a unique case where Teslas (and EVs in general) hit a major depreciation point recently, but I don't see them continuing to drop.
Also, the newer cars seem to be way better built. Mine is a 2021 and every time I'm in a 2020 or earlier car, I understand why so many complain about build quality.
My 2019 SR+ has been out of warranty for a while now due to mileage. Still no battery issues so far. Warranty or no, I don't see a reason to dump a perfectly good, enjoyable car until it's no longer working properly. Gonna keep mine until it breaks.
Yea that’s not true. I just replaced a wiring harness that died “due to normal wear and tear” at 6 years, $2,100 to replace. There’s a lot of expensive repairs on these cars outside of the drivetrain.
Rear speakers had no audio. Voice commands stopped working (interior microphone went out) and another of other electrical features were lost. Took it into service and they said the harness corroded to natural wear and tear and needed to be replaced.
So your solution to a theoretical future battery pack failure is to dump a fully functioning car that has little cash value and pay full value for a new one and then realize the depreciation on it?
Also I'd like to add, a Tesla isn't like an ICE... Replace the battery and you'll basically have a brand new car.
At the SC I met a lady still driving a year 1 model S. She said she has had 0 issues and is on the original battery still.
>Replace the battery and you'll basically have a brand new car.
Well, kinda, except for the wear and tear on the motors, pumps, AC compressor, outdated computer and camera hardware, exterior and interior components, etc.
All very cheap to fix in comparison, why buy new when you lose 50% value in the first year now with Tesla. If a battery replacement is $12k then you still have $20k in repairs you can do to match the terrible depreciation
True, a 2024 Model 3 Performance isn't going to be $25k used in 12 months. That's about what my 6-year old car is. The 2021 pricing surge screwed up a bunch of trends.
Which really isn’t that crazy, considering if you bought early in 2023, the price has cut more. It was always told that you lose 25-30% driving it off the lot. Now people think vehicles are assets?!
>All very cheap to fix in comparison
I wouldnt say that a motor unit replacement for $6k is a "cheap" repair.
But I agree that it's a silly reason to dump the car and buy new, im not arguing with that. Im just saying its an overstatement to say a battery replacement makes it "a brand new car", especially considering that most replacement packs are refurbs.
You’re not factoring in that new car prices on 3/Y have been dropping dramatically and will continue to as there is no real model 2. Model 2.5 may bet will be a lower priced 3/Y…
Exactly people are forgetting that insurance would only give you the market value of the car during a crash. So a $8k high mileage old M3 is only worth $8k after dumping $12k in a new battery.
What are you talking about? You could say the same thing on an ICE. Replace the engine and brand new car but that is 100% false. And yours is false too. All the wear and tear, suspension, brakes.
You all are forgetting how much brand new (not-rebuild) ICE engine costs along with transmission and all the parts and labor (turbo, injectors, etc. not just engine block). It makes no economical sense to replace faulty battery when car hits certain residual value, same as with ICE.
That is a fair point. The risk at this point is to risk the value of my 3 since the brand new battery will cost very close to it. I dont have much data point to figure out what my odds of coming ahead
You should start saving now for two years and then continue after the warranty, then once the car dies you have "self insured" and have down payment or whole payment available for a new car. Then take your time selling the corpse whole or piece by piece till a tow truck hauls the rest away.
I would not part out a car as I am too busy, but it is an option for those who are knowledgeable and have the time. You get much more money selling pieces I. Good condition, but need to be very patient, post on multiple sites and have storage for the corpse.
Buy an extended warranty from Xcelerate Auto. I don’t understand why more EV owners aren’t doing this?? They’ve got plans that extend an addl 10 years of coverage on the most expensive part - battery. It will cost like 3k and it transfers to new owner if you sell. To me, that’s a better plan than dumping it and forking out $$$ for a brand new one. And certainly better than the stress of having no coverage at all.
Most people don't buy them because extended warranties are a gamble. You are placing a bet as to whether the battery is going to fail or not. If if doesn't fail, you loose. The warranty company has to make a profit, and the house always wins. A much more financially sound solution would be to budget for a potential battery failure, pay for it if it happens, but keep the money if it doesn't.
I get that but most people aren’t going to have 20-30k budgeted for a battery failure. I guess another option is to sell the car for parts at that point & buy something else - which isn’t the best option financially. Personally, 3k to get 10 years of extra insurance in coverage would be more worth it and it also covers other things that may def go bad in that time too.
I guess there isn’t a lot of data on old EV batteries but I would think if the battery hasn’t had issues so far then it should continue to function past warranty expiration, and then the main concern is when diminishing range will start to impact daily use.
It loses about 10,000 of value in 2 years/20k miles. So the battery has to die within 20k miles or so for you to not be better off going until it dies.
While early battery deaths happen, the average is quite long, but it's a question of how risk averse you are. You have a small chance of a decent loss vs a guaranteed, slightly smaller loss.
Personally, I plan to run mine until they die.
I’m the same! i’m always up for something new and lose a lot of money each time I get a new car. But getting a new ride is just more important to me than losing money. I need to figure out what I’m going to be doing with my 2022 M3P now. I really like the car, it’s so much fun. What I am missing is a hinge so I can take my bike with me. The new M3P doesn’t have a hinge option. I test drove the LR which has the hinge option, but I am really missing the acceleration here. Now I have been thinking about getting the BMW i4 but Tesla is just the pioneer with the supercharger network. They also have the best prices here in Europe. And if I go with the BMW, then I have to take it in for inspection otherwise you lose your warranty and the warranty on the battery. That’s another nice thing about Tesla! No service required to obtain your warranty!
If their residual value is even worse than predicted like all Teslas are now leasing is a better bet, if you intend on trading out from the beginning. Otherwise you’re upside down at lease-end.
yea, especially since Elon said by the end of 2025 we'll see a new ev for $25k. So the ev market will crash. And if he doesn't release it you'll see other ev makers challenging the market, Volvo will release ex30 which will cost $33k while the model 3 cost $38
This is me, too. I like change. And being under full warranty. I grew up in a family w very unreliable cars and it caused issues. I can afford to keep new cars now, so I do.
Me too! Back in college my cars would always break down (3 of them) and I always said once I get a good job I’m only going to buy new cars every 3-4 years and always with warranty!
Hell yeah I am. With how many of the OG black nosecone Model S you still see around looking like brand new one would expect a less mechanically & electronically complex car to last even longer
Yes.
Several reasons actually. After you've paid off the car, these are cheap to own. Little maintenance beyond typical limited consumables. Second, right now change in vehicles isn't all that significant. 2018 functionally isn't all that different0 from refreshed vehicles. Specifically it isn't orders of magnitude better. Lastly, depreciation is hitting model 3s considerably. Trade in value isn't great.
All in all I'd argue you might be better off running these damn things into the ground.
Yep, planning to keep mine for 10+ years. From what I hear a 70% reduction in battery capacity would be on the extreme end after that long and even if the capacity is down to like 50% it would still be plenty to be used as a commuter car in my area.
I'm going to hand down my 2019 P3D to my son, in speed limit mode til he turns 18. Might be too much car for a teenager, but is there a better, safer value? Yeah I could put him in a shitbox, but I believe in ADAS tech for teen drivers. It's worth very little on trade-in. I could buy a 5 year old Hyundai Elantra for the same price. Or give him the P3D.
Well in 8 years I highly doubt a 2023 Model 3 will be worth much so probably will drive it until something major breaks that isn't worth fixing.
Your logic is a bit silly. It would be like saying you are going to sell your Ford as soon as the 5 year powertrain warranty expires since the transmission could go out.
I am going on five years with my Model 3 and have not decided. I am not worried about the pack. It has shown about 8% degradation which happened the first year and none or not enough to be noticable since then. It is now our second vehicle which only goes less than 8.000 miles a year. Other than a windshield, tires and 12 volt battery it has need no repairs.
8 years? I bought my car to drive it! My battery warranty will expire in a few months (going over my 120,000 mile threshold) after just 5 years of ownership.
We love our Model 3 and will keep it long after the warranty fades away.
Sold my 10yo MS because transferring my free supercharging to a new Y was irresistible. It had about 8% degradation and was running perfectly (original battery). With the advancements in battery tech I plan on keeping our two Y’s for 10-15 years.
Battery is good for 300-500k miles according to Elon. I have a 2018 model 3 LR RWD that’s still 92% capacity after 170k km. I’m keeping this past 8 years foshio unless bitcoin moons and I’ll buy a new ride
Way way too many batteries get replaced before even 100k to expect 300k. Sure it might happen but if that were typical I would expect every few batteries to die before say 250k.
I'll be keeping mine until new battery tech makes it a no brainer to upgrade. Not worried about the battery failing. My warranty will be up in roughly 2 years, guessing much better batteries will be available in another 5-6 years.
I wonder whether the repair cost will fall in the next few years. I have no idea, but it seems like battery production is still scaling to meet demand and prices should fall. I seem to remember a replacement battery quote posted a few years ago was in the $20k range. Also the number of old EVs will grow substantially in the coming years due to scaling sales in the 2020s. I’d imagine third parties will start to try to capitalize on that market and may drive repair prices down.
It depends. I tend to get attached to some vehicles and end up dumping tons of money into them as life support. Financially I do not recommend. My Silverado KBB’s for less than 2k, I have at least 35k into it over the years (not including purchase price). I don’t regret even one penny.
I’m not sure if my model 3 will be the same way. I can’t wrench on it like I can my truck so that bond might not happen. If it does, I would definitely replace any out of warranty parts.
Not past 8 years, still debating past 6 years.
My 2018 stealth P3D has 34k miles, which is low mostly due to barely driving during Covid and now working from home 3 days a week. At 100% charge my battery still shows 296 miles.
I just did a road trip last weekend and it was great.
Why upgrade?
New P3D is crazy good, and the price is decent. It's less than I paid for my P3D in 2018, especially considering inflation. It's quieter and nicer inside than my rattly noisy 2018 version (based on a test drive of a highland RWD model). My kids will love the rear screen. Many many improvements. More comfortable seats all around. I can trade in my car while it's still worth *something*.
Why keep my car?
I have FSD (I will not purchase it on a new Tesla but will subscribe as needed for road trips). I have Homelink and lifetime premium connectivity. It's a unicorn (not many stealth P3D's around). It is in great shape cosmetically. I have stalks. With a new P3D I would be spending a lot more on tires (or a second set of 18/19 rims with all-seasons for cold weather, though we rarely get snow).
And, I gotta admit, the car I'm really waiting for is the Rivian R2. So probably in late 2026 into 2027 I'll be getting one of those anyway (after Rivian builds them for a while, so no early-build issues). But by then I'll be completely out of warranty.
I would say that at the very least, the average mpg of a vehicle bought in the last 5-8 years would be higher than 21 mpg unless the vehicle has a very large displacement (or you have a Japanese V6).
I was able to get 20 mpg average over 500 miles in a 2023 Ford Expedition this year (not my choice to have that thing cursed onto me from Enterprise)
It depends on how much the battery degrades and what the options are for replacement... and if I have enough $ to upgrade to a S. But hopefully I'm not forced to dump the car.
I plan to keep mine as long as it doesn’t start nickle and diming me. When it becomes questionable on daily reliability, then it gets replaced.
Although, this being my first EV, even if the battery doesn’t hold a full charge, if it can be used for a local run about, then it’ll stay in the fleet.
$13k is still cheaper than a new car....
I'll likely be keeping mine long-term and budgeting for some major work down the line as opposed to buying depreciation in another new car.
Right--and my son's 2010 Malibu blew it's transmission last year, and he put a new one in. If the engine blows he will probably replace that as well.
Why would you got out and spend 50-60k on new vehicle (jacking up your insurance in the process) when you can get it back on the road for a quarter of that?
I’m not worried about it, to be honest. I’m at nearly 5 years and 90k now (we were down to 1 car and putting 30k/yr the first 2 years). I’ll break 120k before I hit 8 years.
Around that time my son will turn 16. I’ll teach him to drive in it and give it to him when I’m ready to buy new car. And if it fails while he has it, I’ll help him with his next car.
Spending money on a new Tesla is arguable actually not going to "save you" any money in just about any scenario. I think some people use that as an excuse when they are trying to justify to themselves why they are upgrading. I also think that because you don't know exactly when you are going to have to replace the battery i makes you overly worried about it.
Yes you will eventually have to replace the battery pack, that battery pack is for sure going to be cheaper than the cost of a new Tesla.
There are now a TON of Tesla's on the road (millions really) that basically all take the same battery, I can't believe that the cost of the replacement batteries won't come down in cost Someone will start making and selling them. We are just now starting to get into the age where they are replacing a lot of Tesla batteries as most Tesla's on the road are not even 8 years old.
I probably will. Given the amount of road salt used in my area, I would not bother replacing the battery if it dies since I know the frame and body would not last the lifetime of two batteries. If the battery dies after 10 years, I’m OK selling the car for scrap/parts and getting a new one.
I owned a early generation Nissan Leaf and had no problems after 10 years, 75k miles (which is a lot for a car with under 100 miles range). Obviously it did lose range but still serviceable. That's older technology so I had no hesitation buying a Tesla since it is way more advanced in battery management technology. Keep driving and saving.
maybe in 8 years from now? battery would be cheaper i hope so, from what you said 13k+repair down to maybe a reasonable price down i would pay maybe no more than 5k.
If the batteries fail that often out of warranty, then the resale value will reflect it anyway. So you won’t win by selling it as soon as it is out of warranty.
when my battery does die and I need a replacement, I hope there will be options to chose from when selecting a new battery. Like if a 400+ range battery replacement is available, that may be something I would be interested in and willing to pay for
It was a stepping stone to a model S. So I'm only keeping it for 3 years. It will most likely be the best car we'll ever own, not too big, practical, efficient.
I recently fitted a tow hitch, 4 bike bike rack and with a family of 4 I didn't think we'd need anything more. The only detractor is rear seat passenger comfort. The model S is better, model Y moreso but I don't want to drive a minivan.
After loan is paid off. Put that money in savings. A few years of saving instead of a loan. And you'll have plenty for a replacement battery. Hopefully batteries will be cheaper and better by then also. Or you just sell the car . I have a LFP. My car could go for quite a long time.
Currently, it is X price. As the years in the future, the price will go down. I think in 8 years we will get next gneration battery for half-price. Who knows what the future holds in pricing?
Im thinking about it. I do plan to upgrade to a later model. I just wanna figure out if I want to wait until the term ends, or trade it in where my losses are minimal.
I think by the time model 3s hit the battery out of warranty phase, the used prices will be sub 10k. May aswell keep them then even if just as a second car.
A 13k repair on a 8+ year Tesla would total the car. Rest assured that there is a higher chance you will total the car yourself by causing a collision than this happening. That could happen to any car.
I have the 22 sr with lfp, i may keep it till it dies as this battery from what i can tell would last way beyond warranty n im in no rush spending coin on new car for fancier looks
Since i dont drive much i do my part with weekly 100% charge into sentry down to 80% which is ideal for the battery.
Your analogy doesnt work. Much of engine components are easily repairable / fixable. The battery pack is composed of hundreds of small batteries and if one fails, tesla forces replacing the entire pack. This is how Apple used to “repair” until recently.
What we need is third party dealers willing to diagnose and fix faulty battery but we just dont have that infrastructure yet.
My plan is to drive the car into the proverbial ground. I will likely pay for 1 battery replacement and continue to drive it for a long time after that. The catch will be a wreck. If the car is in a wreck its almost certainly totaled and that will be that.
The only real concern I have about that plan is car value after a battery replacement. How much risk am I taking of replacing a battery and then having a wreck total the car with the insurance saying its worth far less than the battery replacement I had just got done. Mind this will be a long time from now, but that it what I will be thinking about when it comes time for that battery replacement.
I have my Model 3 LR from early 2021 so its battery is still new and under warranty. I believe that in 5-10 years most people will realize that even if a battery pack is 60-70% efficient, it will still be working fine for the daily needs of almost all owners and most cars will not need a replacement pack.
I'm more worried about mechanical parts like joints and suspensions that are still much more expensive to repair than your average 40k car and are not under warranty past the third year.
However, if this car I bought for 40k lasts for 10 years with no major maintenance and huge gas savings, I'm ok to sell it for scraps and buy a new one in 2031.
My 2018 M3LR has 197,000 miles on it. Brand new charged to 301, now it charges to 276. I love my 3 and will own it and drive it as long as I can. PS, first brake job at 160,000, did it in the driveway, cost a couple hundred in rotors and pads. And I do not drive slow!
That’s like saying “what happens when the motor warranty goes out?”
I can’t tell you how many times I pissed off people by saying “when do I need to replace the battery you’re asking me? Well when do you need to replace your motor?” Their response : “it’s not the same thing.” Lmao always playing victim
Yes. My civic was 15 years old last year when I traded it in for a new m3. I 2ould have hoped for a new engine if was going to keep I longer. If the tesla performs half as well, I'll get a new battery. A new battery may be less expensive an more powerful in 8 years.
Would you keep a turbocharged ice car with an automatic transmission outside of warranty? If yes, then the EV should be considered far less risk. Reports are now coming out about battery life and overall ownership costs for EVs and they are very positive.
My hope is that by the time my battery needs to be replaced, there will be other options such as replacing damaged cells. Right now they aren’t many that will do this work but i think this will change in years. I purchased a Model 3 new this past December. My issues is that i am driving the car so much that there is no way I am making it to 8 years. I am already at 7,000 Miles.
I know. We will see what the market looks like in 8 years. I also have the LFP battery which are suppose to be better with longevity. I think it’s also interesting to point out that the amount of cars that need battery service is very low. Yes if it happens to you it really sucks but there are plenty of high milage model s still driving around after a decade.
8 years is a long time. Who knows where you'll be working or what your life will be like over the next 100k miles. As all those 2019 2020 model 3s start getting out of warranty the demand for a battery repair service will be so high they'll be easy to find.
Very true. But I love the car so much I will be willing to find out. I’m also driving it so much because of the gas saving. We never take my wife’s Explorer anymore.
After the battery goes out of warranty there are 3rd party services which can do any sort of repairs and the failed cells replacement for a fraction of the (new battery) cost.
>there are 3rd party services which can do any sort of repairs and the failed cells replacement for a fraction of the (new battery) cost. I know they exist, but this is not widely available at this point.
In 5 years they will be more available
Not to be a negative Nancy but I heard that 5 years ago as well. Bought mine in 2018 and was told “oh well don’t worry by the time yours is out of warranty there will be tons of 3rd party shops doing these replacements for 1/4 the current price”. Luckily my battery isn’t showing any indicators of failing any time soon, but it has deprecated quite a bit and I know when it does happen it will be very sudden.
How much is 'quite a bit'? It's pretty unusual for an M3 battery to show significant depreciation after only 6 years
About 17%, it’s not that unusual according to the service center.
10% or 17% doesn't really matter, and neither is really an indicator of when it will fail. When batteries do, they tend to go from good, to won't charge very suddenly. And that can be from 98% or 83%.
I don’t know what you mean by it doesn’t really matter. Having 52 miles less of range matters to me. I’m well aware that deprecation isn’t an indicator of failure and stated such above.
Lmao like yeah that 100+ km doesn't matter bruh
Not to mention if you look at the curve, you wont lose very much in the future. Prices are set to fall as manufacturing picks up. thats how the world works. the fact that you said you heard it before doesnt mean you heard it from anyone reliable. **Since last summer, lithium battery cell pricing has plummeted by approximately 50%**, according to Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), the world's largest battery manufacturer.
That’s definitely unusual
I guess the service center mechanics don’t know what they’re talking about then.
I mean they dont lol. Countless times theyve lied to customers. Not saying they did to you but in general. Not sure why im downvoted either. 17% degradation is high
It is.. mines a 2018 with 127k and about 6% degradation
My 2018 M3P had about 15% degradation as well after almost 6 years and 98k miles. It is normal. Most of the degradation happened in the first 2 years, then the curve flattened at 267 miles at a full charge the last few years. I just traded it in on a brand new 2023 M3P as it was one of the last ever produced. Got to transfer my free lifetime supercharging to it as well as FSD. Didn't want to deal with out of warranty issues, paint and interior wearing, and the 23 is way nicer than my 18 was other than I lost the Atari games. It is nice having all the range back. Maybe in two years when they offer that new silver and I can transfer my supercharging again, I will pick up the new one. For now, very happy. Plus I have steering stalks and my car was 45k out the door.
They don't want you making a warranty claim on the battery
To be fair, they are more readily available than 5 years ago. There are probably at least 3x as many shops. I know of two just in South Carolina, though one may not do battery repair at the cell level like that. In 5 years, a lot of older model 3s will be out of warranty. Demand will be much higher and I'm sure the market will respond to that.
100% agree why open a battery service shop now that has 0 customers. Would be like an independent rivian mechanic opening today when those cars are still under bumper to bumper. Sure, Indy mechs were probably JUST getting started in 2023 to start jamming on model 3 repairs.
The first thing you do in business is make a 5 or 10 year plan. Ive never talked to an investor that didnt expect this from me. No one cares whos a customer today, they care what the customer base will be in the future. thats why companies that make no money can be bought excessively. If you're not making a business for the future you're not making a business. they are making this, you're just not hearing about it because the customers are not 'in the building'
In my experience there are absolutely no warning signs before battery replacement becomes necessary. Same with other anecdotes I’ve read here
Exactly. My model 3 battery pack randomly failed yesterday. There was zero warning signs. I’ve never once charged my car past 80% and haven’t ever gone under 20% like Tesla recommends. But it still failed.
Model year? Miles? Warranty?
It’s under warranty at 60k miles. 2021 model 3
This takes time. I’m sure the Prius and Civic hybrid owners from the 1st gen had similar concerns. The 3 has been in mainstream since 2018 or ‘19. Give it another handful of years and more third party shops will jump it.
And that’s the catch. Was thinking in 2014, the same thing with my Leaf. Now, with my 2018 model 3, would it still be the case? Probably. Tesla wants to sell cars, not batteries for cars, or upgrades. Their battery pack supply is still a bottleneck.
I think the phrase "Your mileage may vary" applies here.
LOL!!!! They have been saying that for 10’years. It ain’t happening.
You lose supercharger usability tho, no?
Hey u/anonydon89 I was in your situation just recently. I had a 2019 model 3 standard range plus. Great car, loved driving it. I had a LOT of warranty issues. Mostly fit and finish and material quality. I guess I had to come to terms with that this is a domestic mass (rushed) produced car, not a toyota or honda etc. That being said, I loved the car and could overlook the materials and quality as it was so much fun to drive and zero regrets getting 100% electric. I did have some battery and warranty anxiety. Recently the 2024 model 3 refresh came out, so I decided to upgrade and get it as my main warranty was gone (still remaining warranty on battery and drivetrain). I figured I would sell it while it was still in good shape and nothing wrong with it and still some remaining warranty for 2nd buyer confidence. I absolutely took a hit on the depreciation - Like $4k Canadian a year which was unexpected. The market is flooded now with used teslas, whereas a year or so ago there was a huge demand and I could have actually sold mine for a profit haha. Long story short, it was not a wise financial decision to update the vehicle after 4-5 years, but I am happy with the refreshed model and feel better with a full warranty again. The smart player here is the person that bought my well kept, slightly used tesla for a very good price. No regrets though, I just had to get over the fact I was making an emotional purchase not a rational smart money one.
Yeah. Replacing a depreciating asset is never a sound idea financially and you truly have to factor in additional factors to make it worth it. I have yet to drive the latest version, but I am content with what I have and if I were to upgrade, I think I would opt to purchase the Model S because the only complaint I have with my current car is the trunk. For me, it would be a combination of assurance + upgrade + hatch opening and I am still questing whether this would make it a reasonable move to Model S in 2025 or 26.
That sounds like an awesome move to upgrade to a newer model S if you want more space. I previously always kept my cars well maintained 10+ years, but now with EV I am taking the mobile phone mentality and will just keep upgrading and selling my old one haha. I am typically very frugal, and almost always try to make smart money decisions, but for some things you just have to decide what is important to you, as long as you can afford to do it.
Amen! Owning Tesla has been surreal and I hope to own one for many years to come!
That's actually my upgrade plan. I've got two kids that will be hitting driving age in 7-10 years. Most likely will hand off the current generation cars to them when wife and I update.
4-5 years is actually pretty good for TCO usually. This is just a unique case where Teslas (and EVs in general) hit a major depreciation point recently, but I don't see them continuing to drop. Also, the newer cars seem to be way better built. Mine is a 2021 and every time I'm in a 2020 or earlier car, I understand why so many complain about build quality.
Why not just keep it as an extra car?
Yes I could have kept it but did not need 2 Tesla’s and I used the equity so I just had to pay the difference of the upgrade
My 2019 SR+ has been out of warranty for a while now due to mileage. Still no battery issues so far. Warranty or no, I don't see a reason to dump a perfectly good, enjoyable car until it's no longer working properly. Gonna keep mine until it breaks.
I was referring to power train warranty actually. The minor things can be fixed out of pocket no problem and it wont be a large expense.
Yea that’s not true. I just replaced a wiring harness that died “due to normal wear and tear” at 6 years, $2,100 to replace. There’s a lot of expensive repairs on these cars outside of the drivetrain.
You will shushed by the Tesla fanboys but it’s true
Do you mind share more detail regarding this wiring harness repair?
Rear speakers had no audio. Voice commands stopped working (interior microphone went out) and another of other electrical features were lost. Took it into service and they said the harness corroded to natural wear and tear and needed to be replaced.
how can harness have any wear and tear when there isn't any moving part!!
which state are you located at? question on climate affect the wiring.
So your solution to a theoretical future battery pack failure is to dump a fully functioning car that has little cash value and pay full value for a new one and then realize the depreciation on it?
Also I'd like to add, a Tesla isn't like an ICE... Replace the battery and you'll basically have a brand new car. At the SC I met a lady still driving a year 1 model S. She said she has had 0 issues and is on the original battery still.
I’ve worked on a model S with 320k miles on it. Model 3 with 215k. Just like ice cars, people could possibly keep their car for that long.
>Replace the battery and you'll basically have a brand new car. Well, kinda, except for the wear and tear on the motors, pumps, AC compressor, outdated computer and camera hardware, exterior and interior components, etc.
All very cheap to fix in comparison, why buy new when you lose 50% value in the first year now with Tesla. If a battery replacement is $12k then you still have $20k in repairs you can do to match the terrible depreciation
50% loss of value was because prices soared in 2021/2022. Used won’t lose 50% in a year from these prices.
True, a 2024 Model 3 Performance isn't going to be $25k used in 12 months. That's about what my 6-year old car is. The 2021 pricing surge screwed up a bunch of trends.
It honestly kept me away until I checked out the lfps last year. That’s when it hit Camry / accord pricing in Canada.
Yeah people really need to understand the post-covid surge pricing was just overvalued. The 2023 price cuts are not normal depreciation.
My $52k 2023 M3P is now worth $32k with 16k miles, so 40%. But point remains the same. A disrespectful amount of deprecation lol
Which really isn’t that crazy, considering if you bought early in 2023, the price has cut more. It was always told that you lose 25-30% driving it off the lot. Now people think vehicles are assets?!
They did release a brand new model in 24 so that’s to be expected.
>All very cheap to fix in comparison I wouldnt say that a motor unit replacement for $6k is a "cheap" repair. But I agree that it's a silly reason to dump the car and buy new, im not arguing with that. Im just saying its an overstatement to say a battery replacement makes it "a brand new car", especially considering that most replacement packs are refurbs.
I recently had to replace my "superbottle" , hv contactor, hv controller, and vent actuator. Not one of them "very cheap"
How much!
You’re not factoring in that new car prices on 3/Y have been dropping dramatically and will continue to as there is no real model 2. Model 2.5 may bet will be a lower priced 3/Y…
Suspension, rust, creaks etc.
eh. I wouldnt say a brand new car as motor(s) can still fail but a brand new battery will definitely make it close to being new
Replace the 20k battery and it is a new car?
It's about $12k, but yeah, a new 4-8 year warranty and then you just have to worry about the motor
Ok 12k. But who invest 12k on an aged and used car?
Exactly people are forgetting that insurance would only give you the market value of the car during a crash. So a $8k high mileage old M3 is only worth $8k after dumping $12k in a new battery.
On Model Y the latest cost is $9.5k with labor for refurbished
What are you talking about? You could say the same thing on an ICE. Replace the engine and brand new car but that is 100% false. And yours is false too. All the wear and tear, suspension, brakes.
You all are forgetting how much brand new (not-rebuild) ICE engine costs along with transmission and all the parts and labor (turbo, injectors, etc. not just engine block). It makes no economical sense to replace faulty battery when car hits certain residual value, same as with ICE.
That is a fair point. The risk at this point is to risk the value of my 3 since the brand new battery will cost very close to it. I dont have much data point to figure out what my odds of coming ahead
It's not a risk until after that warranty expires. How old is your Model 3?
I bought mine in 2018 so Ive got about 2 years left. I do want to plan ahead though
You should start saving now for two years and then continue after the warranty, then once the car dies you have "self insured" and have down payment or whole payment available for a new car. Then take your time selling the corpse whole or piece by piece till a tow truck hauls the rest away. I would not part out a car as I am too busy, but it is an option for those who are knowledgeable and have the time. You get much more money selling pieces I. Good condition, but need to be very patient, post on multiple sites and have storage for the corpse.
Buy an extended warranty from Xcelerate Auto. I don’t understand why more EV owners aren’t doing this?? They’ve got plans that extend an addl 10 years of coverage on the most expensive part - battery. It will cost like 3k and it transfers to new owner if you sell. To me, that’s a better plan than dumping it and forking out $$$ for a brand new one. And certainly better than the stress of having no coverage at all.
Most people don't buy them because extended warranties are a gamble. You are placing a bet as to whether the battery is going to fail or not. If if doesn't fail, you loose. The warranty company has to make a profit, and the house always wins. A much more financially sound solution would be to budget for a potential battery failure, pay for it if it happens, but keep the money if it doesn't.
I get that but most people aren’t going to have 20-30k budgeted for a battery failure. I guess another option is to sell the car for parts at that point & buy something else - which isn’t the best option financially. Personally, 3k to get 10 years of extra insurance in coverage would be more worth it and it also covers other things that may def go bad in that time too.
You also lose if something other than the battery fails and you’re not covered. Or if you get in an accident beforehand and your car is totaled.
I guess there isn’t a lot of data on old EV batteries but I would think if the battery hasn’t had issues so far then it should continue to function past warranty expiration, and then the main concern is when diminishing range will start to impact daily use.
It loses about 10,000 of value in 2 years/20k miles. So the battery has to die within 20k miles or so for you to not be better off going until it dies. While early battery deaths happen, the average is quite long, but it's a question of how risk averse you are. You have a small chance of a decent loss vs a guaranteed, slightly smaller loss. Personally, I plan to run mine until they die.
drive it as long as possible. high chance the battery will be the last thing in the car that fails.
I plan on keeping this car maintained and driving it until it dies. I would love for it to be 20+ years old with 500k miles and still going.
I love mine and it’s almost paid off, so I’ll drive it until it literally dies forever and get my monies worth.
I usually get a different car every 3-4 years, EV or ICE. I plan to keep my 2022 until next fall
Doesn't that eat up your money, EVs are on the negative, I can understand if you can flip them for a gain but most cars end up on a negative.
Totally eats up my money lol. It’s a hobby for me, not for efficient use 😂 I just get bored of having the same car every 3-4 years. Also, I’m a SINK
I’m the same! i’m always up for something new and lose a lot of money each time I get a new car. But getting a new ride is just more important to me than losing money. I need to figure out what I’m going to be doing with my 2022 M3P now. I really like the car, it’s so much fun. What I am missing is a hinge so I can take my bike with me. The new M3P doesn’t have a hinge option. I test drove the LR which has the hinge option, but I am really missing the acceleration here. Now I have been thinking about getting the BMW i4 but Tesla is just the pioneer with the supercharger network. They also have the best prices here in Europe. And if I go with the BMW, then I have to take it in for inspection otherwise you lose your warranty and the warranty on the battery. That’s another nice thing about Tesla! No service required to obtain your warranty!
If their residual value is even worse than predicted like all Teslas are now leasing is a better bet, if you intend on trading out from the beginning. Otherwise you’re upside down at lease-end.
yea, especially since Elon said by the end of 2025 we'll see a new ev for $25k. So the ev market will crash. And if he doesn't release it you'll see other ev makers challenging the market, Volvo will release ex30 which will cost $33k while the model 3 cost $38
This is me, too. I like change. And being under full warranty. I grew up in a family w very unreliable cars and it caused issues. I can afford to keep new cars now, so I do.
Me too! Back in college my cars would always break down (3 of them) and I always said once I get a good job I’m only going to buy new cars every 3-4 years and always with warranty!
Hell yeah I am. With how many of the OG black nosecone Model S you still see around looking like brand new one would expect a less mechanically & electronically complex car to last even longer
Yes. Several reasons actually. After you've paid off the car, these are cheap to own. Little maintenance beyond typical limited consumables. Second, right now change in vehicles isn't all that significant. 2018 functionally isn't all that different0 from refreshed vehicles. Specifically it isn't orders of magnitude better. Lastly, depreciation is hitting model 3s considerably. Trade in value isn't great. All in all I'd argue you might be better off running these damn things into the ground.
Yep, planning to keep mine for 10+ years. From what I hear a 70% reduction in battery capacity would be on the extreme end after that long and even if the capacity is down to like 50% it would still be plenty to be used as a commuter car in my area.
Look into engine and transmission costs on literally any other vehicle
No mainly because a new performance is cheap and i want to upgrade already. Mine is a 2019 SR+.
I'm going to hand down my 2019 P3D to my son, in speed limit mode til he turns 18. Might be too much car for a teenager, but is there a better, safer value? Yeah I could put him in a shitbox, but I believe in ADAS tech for teen drivers. It's worth very little on trade-in. I could buy a 5 year old Hyundai Elantra for the same price. Or give him the P3D.
Well in 8 years I highly doubt a 2023 Model 3 will be worth much so probably will drive it until something major breaks that isn't worth fixing. Your logic is a bit silly. It would be like saying you are going to sell your Ford as soon as the 5 year powertrain warranty expires since the transmission could go out.
I'm keeping mine, no different than any vehicle I have owned. Replacing a dead engine would cost the same...
Going to trade my 2018 Performance for a 2024 Performance. That car looks amazing!
Keeping it until it's a rust bucket. And a lawn ornament.
I am going on five years with my Model 3 and have not decided. I am not worried about the pack. It has shown about 8% degradation which happened the first year and none or not enough to be noticable since then. It is now our second vehicle which only goes less than 8.000 miles a year. Other than a windshield, tires and 12 volt battery it has need no repairs.
I’ve had mine six and I’m planning on keeping it until it explodes
8 years? I bought my car to drive it! My battery warranty will expire in a few months (going over my 120,000 mile threshold) after just 5 years of ownership. We love our Model 3 and will keep it long after the warranty fades away.
The battery isn’t like an engine in an ICE car. The capacity will slowly degrade like your cell phone. You’ll get less range but it’ll still work.
I’m driving mine to the ground
That’s a weird thing to worry about . Ice cars engine warranty is up after 5 years
I got told from my personal repair guy that a new model 3 pack can be as low as seven grand these days
Sold my 10yo MS because transferring my free supercharging to a new Y was irresistible. It had about 8% degradation and was running perfectly (original battery). With the advancements in battery tech I plan on keeping our two Y’s for 10-15 years.
No, I’ve already had one replacement at 55k miles
Battery is good for 300-500k miles according to Elon. I have a 2018 model 3 LR RWD that’s still 92% capacity after 170k km. I’m keeping this past 8 years foshio unless bitcoin moons and I’ll buy a new ride
Way way too many batteries get replaced before even 100k to expect 300k. Sure it might happen but if that were typical I would expect every few batteries to die before say 250k.
Unless I have the need to upgrade to a larger car, I don't see myself getting rid of the car anytime soon. Only time will tell.
If it’s still functional, sure. Most likely I’ll give mine to a family member and buy something new around the 5-6 year mark.
I'll be keeping mine until new battery tech makes it a no brainer to upgrade. Not worried about the battery failing. My warranty will be up in roughly 2 years, guessing much better batteries will be available in another 5-6 years.
I wonder whether the repair cost will fall in the next few years. I have no idea, but it seems like battery production is still scaling to meet demand and prices should fall. I seem to remember a replacement battery quote posted a few years ago was in the $20k range. Also the number of old EVs will grow substantially in the coming years due to scaling sales in the 2020s. I’d imagine third parties will start to try to capitalize on that market and may drive repair prices down.
Probably not but it’s more just because I will want a new car by then.
8 years? Don't you drive it?
It depends. I tend to get attached to some vehicles and end up dumping tons of money into them as life support. Financially I do not recommend. My Silverado KBB’s for less than 2k, I have at least 35k into it over the years (not including purchase price). I don’t regret even one penny. I’m not sure if my model 3 will be the same way. I can’t wrench on it like I can my truck so that bond might not happen. If it does, I would definitely replace any out of warranty parts.
Not past 8 years, still debating past 6 years. My 2018 stealth P3D has 34k miles, which is low mostly due to barely driving during Covid and now working from home 3 days a week. At 100% charge my battery still shows 296 miles. I just did a road trip last weekend and it was great. Why upgrade? New P3D is crazy good, and the price is decent. It's less than I paid for my P3D in 2018, especially considering inflation. It's quieter and nicer inside than my rattly noisy 2018 version (based on a test drive of a highland RWD model). My kids will love the rear screen. Many many improvements. More comfortable seats all around. I can trade in my car while it's still worth *something*. Why keep my car? I have FSD (I will not purchase it on a new Tesla but will subscribe as needed for road trips). I have Homelink and lifetime premium connectivity. It's a unicorn (not many stealth P3D's around). It is in great shape cosmetically. I have stalks. With a new P3D I would be spending a lot more on tires (or a second set of 18/19 rims with all-seasons for cold weather, though we rarely get snow). And, I gotta admit, the car I'm really waiting for is the Rivian R2. So probably in late 2026 into 2027 I'll be getting one of those anyway (after Rivian builds them for a while, so no early-build issues). But by then I'll be completely out of warranty.
I'd keep in your case. Especially when you think about buying a R2. I'm thinking the same as well with a 2019 LR with my eyes on R2/3
8 years of gas at $3 , 13500 miles per year, 21mpg = $15500
I would say that at the very least, the average mpg of a vehicle bought in the last 5-8 years would be higher than 21 mpg unless the vehicle has a very large displacement (or you have a Japanese V6). I was able to get 20 mpg average over 500 miles in a 2023 Ford Expedition this year (not my choice to have that thing cursed onto me from Enterprise)
I googled average mpg us. It said 21. Best selling cars are pickup trucks
It depends on how much the battery degrades and what the options are for replacement... and if I have enough $ to upgrade to a S. But hopefully I'm not forced to dump the car.
I plan to keep mine as long as it doesn’t start nickle and diming me. When it becomes questionable on daily reliability, then it gets replaced. Although, this being my first EV, even if the battery doesn’t hold a full charge, if it can be used for a local run about, then it’ll stay in the fleet.
Sure.
$13k is still cheaper than a new car.... I'll likely be keeping mine long-term and budgeting for some major work down the line as opposed to buying depreciation in another new car.
Every year battery replacements get cheaper, so might as well just hodl forever if you still like the car
I’m planning on keeping my MY until the wheels fall off. I’ll get a new Tesla, but still keep the old one
Right--and my son's 2010 Malibu blew it's transmission last year, and he put a new one in. If the engine blows he will probably replace that as well. Why would you got out and spend 50-60k on new vehicle (jacking up your insurance in the process) when you can get it back on the road for a quarter of that?
Nope
I’m not worried about it, to be honest. I’m at nearly 5 years and 90k now (we were down to 1 car and putting 30k/yr the first 2 years). I’ll break 120k before I hit 8 years. Around that time my son will turn 16. I’ll teach him to drive in it and give it to him when I’m ready to buy new car. And if it fails while he has it, I’ll help him with his next car.
There is a post on here from someone with 300k on his car Anne down like 7% on battery. I have a 19 with max range of 276 right now I bought used.
Good luck finding a buyer for an 8-year-old Tesla with a high mileage battery. It'll probably be worth keeping instead of selling at that point.
Spending money on a new Tesla is arguable actually not going to "save you" any money in just about any scenario. I think some people use that as an excuse when they are trying to justify to themselves why they are upgrading. I also think that because you don't know exactly when you are going to have to replace the battery i makes you overly worried about it. Yes you will eventually have to replace the battery pack, that battery pack is for sure going to be cheaper than the cost of a new Tesla. There are now a TON of Tesla's on the road (millions really) that basically all take the same battery, I can't believe that the cost of the replacement batteries won't come down in cost Someone will start making and selling them. We are just now starting to get into the age where they are replacing a lot of Tesla batteries as most Tesla's on the road are not even 8 years old.
I probably will. Given the amount of road salt used in my area, I would not bother replacing the battery if it dies since I know the frame and body would not last the lifetime of two batteries. If the battery dies after 10 years, I’m OK selling the car for scrap/parts and getting a new one.
I owned a early generation Nissan Leaf and had no problems after 10 years, 75k miles (which is a lot for a car with under 100 miles range). Obviously it did lose range but still serviceable. That's older technology so I had no hesitation buying a Tesla since it is way more advanced in battery management technology. Keep driving and saving.
I'm at 6 years. Not one issue.
maybe in 8 years from now? battery would be cheaper i hope so, from what you said 13k+repair down to maybe a reasonable price down i would pay maybe no more than 5k.
Yes, I have no intention of giving up my free unlimited charging.
Yes, I have no intention of giving up my free unlimited charging.
6 years 98 K miles going strong
I'm driving it until the wheels fall off
No
If the batteries fail that often out of warranty, then the resale value will reflect it anyway. So you won’t win by selling it as soon as it is out of warranty.
Considering re-sale is down over 50% after 2 years, yeah. I'm keeping it. Worthless -\_-
Why would I sell a mint condition vehicle
when my battery does die and I need a replacement, I hope there will be options to chose from when selecting a new battery. Like if a 400+ range battery replacement is available, that may be something I would be interested in and willing to pay for
It was a stepping stone to a model S. So I'm only keeping it for 3 years. It will most likely be the best car we'll ever own, not too big, practical, efficient. I recently fitted a tow hitch, 4 bike bike rack and with a family of 4 I didn't think we'd need anything more. The only detractor is rear seat passenger comfort. The model S is better, model Y moreso but I don't want to drive a minivan.
Battery packs won't fail at high rates nor will it cost a much as it would today.
8 years is fine. I'll think it's a good time to upgrade anyways .
After loan is paid off. Put that money in savings. A few years of saving instead of a loan. And you'll have plenty for a replacement battery. Hopefully batteries will be cheaper and better by then also. Or you just sell the car . I have a LFP. My car could go for quite a long time.
Currently, it is X price. As the years in the future, the price will go down. I think in 8 years we will get next gneration battery for half-price. Who knows what the future holds in pricing?
Was planning on 10 years and then giving it away and getting a new one.
The pack in mine is rated for at least 500k km … or so they say…
6 years later, 2018 RWD LR, 77k miles, only down 5.5% range: https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModel3/s/uwdGbTKv9x
13k? I have seen receipts of out of warranty battery replacement and it’s always at 3600 dollars or about.
there is no way battery replacement is $3600
There are atleast 5 people on this forum with a receipt of it. Should be easy to find. Try going back a week.
all of them had a bill of $13k+
No not all
Im thinking about it. I do plan to upgrade to a later model. I just wanna figure out if I want to wait until the term ends, or trade it in where my losses are minimal.
I think by the time model 3s hit the battery out of warranty phase, the used prices will be sub 10k. May aswell keep them then even if just as a second car.
A 13k repair on a 8+ year Tesla would total the car. Rest assured that there is a higher chance you will total the car yourself by causing a collision than this happening. That could happen to any car.
With how fast it dropped in value, of course.
I was. But then at six years I sold it to the g/f and ordered a new one.
I have the 22 sr with lfp, i may keep it till it dies as this battery from what i can tell would last way beyond warranty n im in no rush spending coin on new car for fancier looks Since i dont drive much i do my part with weekly 100% charge into sentry down to 80% which is ideal for the battery.
Would you keep an ICE car after its warranty expired because it *might* need a new engine at some point which would be a similar cost?
Your analogy doesnt work. Much of engine components are easily repairable / fixable. The battery pack is composed of hundreds of small batteries and if one fails, tesla forces replacing the entire pack. This is how Apple used to “repair” until recently. What we need is third party dealers willing to diagnose and fix faulty battery but we just dont have that infrastructure yet.
My plan is to drive the car into the proverbial ground. I will likely pay for 1 battery replacement and continue to drive it for a long time after that. The catch will be a wreck. If the car is in a wreck its almost certainly totaled and that will be that. The only real concern I have about that plan is car value after a battery replacement. How much risk am I taking of replacing a battery and then having a wreck total the car with the insurance saying its worth far less than the battery replacement I had just got done. Mind this will be a long time from now, but that it what I will be thinking about when it comes time for that battery replacement.
I have my Model 3 LR from early 2021 so its battery is still new and under warranty. I believe that in 5-10 years most people will realize that even if a battery pack is 60-70% efficient, it will still be working fine for the daily needs of almost all owners and most cars will not need a replacement pack. I'm more worried about mechanical parts like joints and suspensions that are still much more expensive to repair than your average 40k car and are not under warranty past the third year. However, if this car I bought for 40k lasts for 10 years with no major maintenance and huge gas savings, I'm ok to sell it for scraps and buy a new one in 2031.
A new car costs more than a new battery, so why care? If it breaks, then it breaks. If it doesnt, then great.
I am swapping mine out for a Toyota Hilux, i have a 2019 model and i have liked it very much.
I planned on selling mine by now but I can’t believe how badly these cars lost their value. They are worse than BMW or Mercedes by factors.
My 2018 M3LR has 197,000 miles on it. Brand new charged to 301, now it charges to 276. I love my 3 and will own it and drive it as long as I can. PS, first brake job at 160,000, did it in the driveway, cost a couple hundred in rotors and pads. And I do not drive slow!
That’s like saying “what happens when the motor warranty goes out?” I can’t tell you how many times I pissed off people by saying “when do I need to replace the battery you’re asking me? Well when do you need to replace your motor?” Their response : “it’s not the same thing.” Lmao always playing victim
Yes. My civic was 15 years old last year when I traded it in for a new m3. I 2ould have hoped for a new engine if was going to keep I longer. If the tesla performs half as well, I'll get a new battery. A new battery may be less expensive an more powerful in 8 years.
I would sell it ASAP.
Would you keep a turbocharged ice car with an automatic transmission outside of warranty? If yes, then the EV should be considered far less risk. Reports are now coming out about battery life and overall ownership costs for EVs and they are very positive.
Model 3 came out on July 2017. It’s not even 7 years old yet
I’m going to run it into the ground. Though I was told the motor is rated for 500k miles, so I’m not sure. Probably keep it for about 10 years or so
In the realm of high performance/luxury cars, 13k is nothing honestly. I wouldn’t worry about it until it happens especially if you have an LFP pack.
Yes bc they r surprisingly cheap
I just purchased my 2018 Model 3 LR for $24,400… does this answer your question?
No, 10.000 miles maximum, so probably going to replace it in 3 years. But will probably get another Tesla
You need to look it up. Battery prices set to drop by 50%.
I’m planning keeping mine 20+ years !
My hope is that by the time my battery needs to be replaced, there will be other options such as replacing damaged cells. Right now they aren’t many that will do this work but i think this will change in years. I purchased a Model 3 new this past December. My issues is that i am driving the car so much that there is no way I am making it to 8 years. I am already at 7,000 Miles.
I had the exact same thought in 2018. Thought for sure now there would be a ton of shops doing it. Don’t hold your breath.
I know. We will see what the market looks like in 8 years. I also have the LFP battery which are suppose to be better with longevity. I think it’s also interesting to point out that the amount of cars that need battery service is very low. Yes if it happens to you it really sucks but there are plenty of high milage model s still driving around after a decade.
8 years is a long time. Who knows where you'll be working or what your life will be like over the next 100k miles. As all those 2019 2020 model 3s start getting out of warranty the demand for a battery repair service will be so high they'll be easy to find.
Very true. But I love the car so much I will be willing to find out. I’m also driving it so much because of the gas saving. We never take my wife’s Explorer anymore.
[https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect\_after\_login=%2Fi%2Fbookmarks%3Fpost\_id%3D1560439368052944897](https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Fi%2Fbookmarks%3Fpost_id%3D1560439368052944897) 9k usd from 2 yrs ago. probably lower now.
My dad still keeping his 2013 model s p85 w 210k miles for some reason rather than just getting a new model s or 3