I've owned 2 Model 3s, 2021 and 2022, both LR AWD. The first one got sold during the COVID used car craze (sold it with 25k miles for more than we bought it for) because the black paint was _terrible_ (looked like a 10 yr old car despite being only hand washed) and the car was absolutely riddled with quality control issues (stupid panel gaps, tons of squeaks and rattles, etc, Tesla wouldn't fix any of it despite multiple service trips). We tried another one because we'd had a better experience with newer Model 3s, and it resolved the build quality issues we had with the old one (both were purchased brand new, so it wasn't a crashed/rebuilt hack job, just a Tesla Fremont hack job). We really liked it, but it got taken out by a drunk driver and replaced with a slightly older Model S which is MUCH better. That said, the only major gripes we had with the car were the crashy suspension, absurd interior noise and the numerous software glitches that never get fixed. The newer Model 3s definitely do WAY better in terms of noise and ride quality, but anything 2022 or older rides like a covered wagon. I've owned tuner cars on aggressive coilovers that ride better than the Model 3 _and_ handle lightyears better, so its not like you're trading ride quality for handling. Regarding software glitches, it covers basically all the major functions of the car. You mentioned the auto wipers, which are so bad that they are useless. The auto high beams are the same, constantly blinding other drivers. It would be slightly better if you could turn them off completely, but using auto steer _requires_ the auto high beams to be on. Not to mention the phantom braking issues that have plagued Tesla basically since the inception of auto pilot (and still does today). There's also a ton of stuff deeper in the software that would take too long to go over in a TH-cam comment. We've also owned an Ioniq5 at the same time as the Model 3 and, aside from the software (ignoring the Tesla glitches) and the supercharger network, the Ioniq5 is a far better car. Tesla software integration is better, the Model 3 is more sporty, and the supercharger network is better than anything else in NA. Aside from that, Ioniq5 is better. More practical, FAR better to drive long distance, charges faster, looks better, and if it matters to you, it isn't associated with Elon Musk. Despite having the supercharger network, when we had to take long trips, we would always take the Ioniq5 because it was so much better to be in for hours than the Model 3.
i own the exact same car, and the solution to the headrest is to remove it, turn it around, andg get a neck pillow. that headrest is awfully positioned and always made my neck hurt.
Interesting how you own the exact same car yet your headrests are removable and this car's headrests are integrated into the seat (aka not removable). Curious how you removed and flipped them around on this exact car?
@@TheMatt365 they are removable. the cars back rest uses the headrests pins to hold it in place. they simply pop right out. you tilt the seat backwards, pull head rest up, turn around, reinsiert. takes 14 seconds and no tools needed. now, mine was built on 04/23/23. this guy bought his at 45K dollars, so my guess is his is an earlier 2023 production, which maybe they changed something....but doubtful.
for those that may buy one of these cars, L1 at 12A charging chrges at 4.75-5.25 miles of range per hour L2 at 32A charges at about 28-31 miles of range added per hour.
Do you drive your model 3 on hills in the snow? Or do you have a different car to drive on snow through hills? Also, are the stock wheels good in the snow?
This Model 3 hasn't seen snow, no. I have an old truck that gets driven very infrequently so when an opportunity arrives that calls for truck use I take advantage of it. I wouldn't be scared to drive this in the snow but if it's more than a light dusting I don't think these are the right tires for it. -Travis
Before buying my MYP I thought I’d miss CarPlay as well. But what ended up making all the difference for me was the fact that Tesla keeps the price of Premium Connectivity low enough, especially on the annual subscription plan, that it’s actually a really good bargain for what you get. Especially when combined with the ability to not only natively stream your music, podcasts, but also videos on the main display. I find I like having my phone unoccupied and easily available for quick google searches etc. while my music or what have you is running on the native infotainment system. Things may have changed in the interim since last time I looked but, at least initially, the Ford and GM connectivity plans were much more expensive and felt like they were looking to them more as a profit center than a customer benefit.
When a Kia k5 base comes with apple carplay and you can stream any music or sound on your device to the system. Included… just seems odd a car like this omits AC/AA and makes you pay for “premium connection “. Can you explain more about premium connection? What does it entail what makes it worth it?
@@LafemmebearMusic Sorry, should have been clearer about that. Definitely not while driving. Just at charging stops and other times I’m parked somewhere and killing time.
@@LafemmebearMusic It adds a couple of bells and whistles to the navigation (like weather data, live traffic, satellite views), the ability to check the camera views from the app (so if you get a vehicle security alert you can check the camera to see what tripped it), but the most useful thing is having all your streaming apps be seamlessly integrated with the rest of the car functions. With my Mach E it was really obvious when you engaged Carplay that you were leaving the cars’ OS and entering a completely separate ecosystem. With a regular gas car that’s no big shakes but with an EV that you need to use the native navigation on for battery preconditioning bouncing in and out of Carplay is not the smoothest experience. With Tesla having Apple Music, Spotify, etc. built into their OS you do it all from the same interface making the whole thing way easier and smoother to use. For me that alone is worth the minimal cost per month for the Premium Connectivity subscription. But your mileage may vary.
We got the same car October of 2023 and have had similar experience. Was worried about cold weather performance of the LFP battery but haven't had any noticeable problems in Colorado as we garage it every night . 22k miles and have only had to use a super charger twice in the past year, 99% of charging has been at home. No maintenance other than rotating the tires and wiper fluid!
In the UK, charging at home is costing the equivalent of 0.31cents per kWh. Average slow/fast public charging across the country is USD 0.72 per kWh whereas average rapid charging is USD 1.01 per kWh. If you were to do the same comparison in the UK, you would find that gas/diesel cars are more economical compared to EVs if you have to rely on public charging.
Is there not an audible app for Teslas native system? Like I drove this car for a week and I didn’t feel safe doing the tapping back in auto mode on my phone, it felt too far away.
For those not needing too many road trips, a Leaf Plus can be had in the upper 20s before any tax incentives. With the right wheels it has similar efficiency to the M3..
At 23:56 you talk about not being able to compare. In your past history, you had an A3 eTron. I still have mine. I also own a Ford Fusion Energi. I would be happy to be the crash test dummy you can compare to. I am also a lightfoot, so it sounds like (for comparison purposes) it could be a good match. Tell me what exact numbers you want. I have ventilated seats, and a better ride in my Fusion. Edit: my electric is .16¢ kWh so I lose there. Gasoline ran $4.44 for the last year. Since my fiscal year runs April/April, my annual mileage is about 8000. My fuel cost is .09¢ per mile. I am averaging 3.7 miles per kWh. So, does a PHEV beat a BEV? No. But it does beat nearly all the ICE vehicles, and I can go twice as far as a BEV without stopping. The reason why Tesla hasn’t won me over yet? 1. No driver binnicle 2. No opening moonroof 3. Price is still too high for what you get. Travis started at $39,900, I am $10,000 less than that starting out. My insurance is $1400 a year, and my interest rate on the loan is 2.49%. See if that gives you an idea. I can get more granular if you want.
I could compare some basic numbers but I was more referring to people's driving habits, daily commutes, and the frequency in which they plug their PHEV in. It creates a lot of variables that would be very difficult to account for. -Travis
I got the bz4x because I was getting frustraterd trying to get someone who would take the dents out of the Beetle Convertible I bought used and in rough shape a few years ago, so I traded it in for the EV. I kiiiiinda wish I had stuck with the Beetle because it was so goofy and fun, but my friends appreciate that I'm not trying to stuff them into that back seat. I'm still getting under 20 kwh / 100km (around 19) which isn't bad for winter with big knobbly winter tires, but I probably should have waited until I had my own place where I could charge at home.
What about a Mode Y? Didn’t catch what year this car was, but it seems like it isn’t more than one year old…so a base Model Y would have gotten the hatchback.
It's a 2023 and the Model Y is more vehicle than I wanted. Yes it has a hatchback but it's a crossover, I'm thinking more VW Golf, Mazda3 type hatchback. -Travis
So far so good. The new ones are even better, though it appears that for now Tesla has discontinued the Standard Range and the new entry is a Long Range RWD. -Travis
11:36 - cycle life of iron phosphate is much better than high nickel chemistries, double. You can easily get 4000 cycles out of that pack. 4000 cycles times 250 miles per cycle is 1,000,000 miles. That battery pack should significantly outlast the vehicle.
Buying a new car is generally a bad financial decision, in my book. Which explains why I have never bought a single new car in my life, except this model 3 RWD almost identical to yours. When I bought it the sales price was 37k so factor in the fed rebate it is less horrible than most new car so I’m okay with the numbers. But what really impressed me is how good the user experience is. I know the resale value is pretty low right now, but man I just love how usable this little traveling appliance is.
Not like my car didn't take a huge hit in value with the price drop, but it's only gonna hurt when I go to trade it in. Until then, I'm still happy with what I paid and what I got. -Travis
This is the first EV I've owned, yes. I've had roommates with EV's that I drove a lot of and have had PHEVs before this. The transition was easy, there's just a little more thought required for longer drives but it's more than made up for in day to day convenience. -Travis
I did, but the efficiency was noticeably lower and it lacked a heat pump which would hurt that efficiency even further in my relatively cool climate. Nothing specifically against the Mach E. -Travis
The screen only gauge cluster wouldn't be an issue for me if the vehicle had a hud. But the fact that theres absolutely 0 information infront of me near my line of view, hard pass. Same reason i wouldn't buy a prius or a mini (unless it has a hud). I think the driver centric screens that a lot of vehicles are doing is the better way to do it, where the screen extends to the drivers side
I understand your point but for some reason I'm not the biggest fan of a HUD. It would solve a lot of people's concerns with this vehicle though AND remain pretty minimalistic. -Travis
I have a 2022 LFP with 128k miles. Charged up to 258 miles at 100% the other day. Mine has the sport 19” wheels, so it was only rated for 267 EPA when new, so I’m at about 5 percent degradation
That's crazy good, you drove it 4x less than mines and we're about the same..I'm getting 262 miles on 100% charge. It's a 2023 model 3 with 37k miles. It's from Hertz so I really don't care about it's charge since I got it for $23k.
@@YoYo-be4ow mines a Hertz too! The only reason I bought a Tesla, AND felt comfortable enough to buy a high mileage EV was the LFP battery. I am shocked how well its battery has held up. It seems that LFP battery is more age related degradation than miles 🤷♂️. After driving hybrids for about 12 years, I’m glad I made the leap to an LFP Tesla
@@Thissandthat how much did you pay for it?... Lol hertz is great but I was too scared to buy any Tesla with more than 40k miles.. My coworker bought a 2015 model S with 75k miles for $27k, 8 months later the battery went bad on him. It cost him $16k to replace it. Than 2 weeks later the power train went bad so another $9k. All together he spent $50k. Butttttt He still thinks it's worth it since his Tesla came with free super charging for life.
Is there a reason you didn't do a closer comparison with the Leaf or Bolt? Not criticizing your decision, but if you're looking for an affordable hatchback that doesn't need to be fast, those seem like the obvious choices (especially if you're willing to buy used).
The LEAF, with its aged ChaDeMo connector, does not deserved to be on any comparison list for a 2024 video (and approaching 2025 as well). It's a dead-end product unless the would-be owner is aware with ALL of its limitation. The GM Bolt needs some scrutiny when buying used due to its battery recall shenanigan, insurances might be jacked/denied or even the on-going promised battery replacement is on a wait-list using the original owner's name without the ability to transfer, etc. The Bolt also only has 55kW of max DCFC speed, with how much the average North American drive that's just 110% not feasible. Thus, unless the would-be used-Bolt owner really knows there shit, it shouldn't be used as comparison too.
@@gforce95vn ChaDeMo adapters aren't cheap, but they're out there, and 50kW charging is slow, but still doable for short road trips (and in some areas, 50kW is all that's available, so far, anyway). Some people don't drive long distances and would rather fly. If I can offer an anecdote - my brother was very concerned about fast charging speeds, so he settled on an EV6. A year later, he admitted to me that he was having to specifically plan a trip to a fast charging station, because he'd never needed to use one before, and didn't want to remain inexperienced. He's just the type where he'd rather fly if he's going more than 300 miles, and more often than not, is going overseas and can't drive, anyway. Less than $40k for a Tesla is a good deal, but you can get a perfectly good used Bolt or Leaf for less than half that. Hell, I spent 3 years on a first-gen Leaf (only $7k!) as a sole vehicle, and if I wanted to road trip, I'd just rent a Mustang or a Caddie or something fun that I normally couldn't afford. That's why I think they're still viable for plenty of people, especially ones who just don't have $40k lying around for a new car.
Wow only 7.7c/kWh was that just energy cost or all in including transmission and other fixed costs on your bill. I'm paying about 21c/kWh Canadian $ total bill cost divided by kWh. So about double what you're saying in USD$.
I have very inexpensive electricity in my area. I believe I have a minimal connection fee but I wouldn't factor that in to this equation since I need electricity regardless of vehicle fueling. -Travis
@EVBuyersGuide understood, I tend to just do the whole cost divided by kWh as all the additional fees for transmission tend to be a big cost in my province over the actual energy generation cost. Obviously different regions will have different ways of showing the breakdown.
@@__-vu8io I'm on 9.3c/kWh and have never gone over the 1000kWh limit for a higher rate here in ON. Problem is by the time you add on all the transmission costs that then doubles. A few more fixed fees on top and you quickly get to my 21c/kWh I referenced earlier. It's not a deal breaker for an EV it just always makes me ask what's included in your hydro when someone quotes a low number. Is transmission, etc, included in that.
For what it’s worth TFL did a video or two with their front wheel drive Chevy Bolt and with the 50/50 weight distribution of most EVs the performance of the rear wheel drive should be similar.
My car hasn't seen snow or ice but not because I'd be overly worried about. It gets cold and wet where I live but not much snow and ice. I also have a truck that I have to find occasions to drive and those conditions tend to be some of the best occasions. -Travis
im at 264 miles with 27k miles on mine since 4/25/23 when i got mine, you got yours earlier than mine as i paid 39,900 at that time, and i charge it to 100% all the time, but with only about 2% supercharger use....and i charge on L1. the worst part of these cars, is the stupid glass roof, makes the car like an oven in the summer
Interesting, I'm at 262 at full charge with 37k miles. Yours being 25k miles and mines being almost 40k you can't tell the difference. Mines was used as a rental from Hertz. So I guess the battery has stabilized at 25k miles. And if u reach 40miles there's isn't much difference. I was expecting it to be at 240 miles..... And Yea the glass roof is annoying but I turn on dog mode a.c for 10min before I jump in So I won't get blasted by the heat when I open the door. It also cools the leather chair.
@@EVBuyersGuide youre missing the point, the sun is always hitting the top of the car and glass absorbs the sun/uv from the outside, thus always keeping the glass directly in the suns path and radiating the heat into the cabin. i have it tinted, insulated, and covered and i can still feel my head hot, although better than without that stuff. i would precondition the car without the glass roof so its not 150F in the car in a vegas summer day....but because of the glass roof i have to run the AC harder, which means my range diminishes in the summer months dtastically, which is completely against the common sense of an EV and efficiency. before this summer comes, im going to have the glass roof wrapped in white.
when you say 7.7 cents per kwh of electricity, do you mean just the generation, or the total? Here its about 7.7 cents, but only for generation. delivery is about 11 cents
@@EVBuyersGuide See here a prius would be cheaper to operate by about 15% than an ev due to the 19c/kwh and 2.89 a gallon for regular. I actually got solar panels put on my house to attempt to offset my ioniq, but quite frankly the sheer volume of panels needed just wasn't feasible. The car got totalled and I replaced it with a lexus es 300h and honestly my bills didn't change much at all.
It’s not that it happens more to Tesla drivers. I looked at a four lane 35mph road in my town. I counted 300+ curb runs in one mile. The problem is that the rims sit proud to the tire. So, if you touch a curb, you see it forever. That doesn’t happen on most other cars since it just rubs the sidewall.
LFP is actually not ok with being charged to 100%. You just have to do it because the voltage curve is difficult for the bms to establish an accurate state of charge.
@@EVBuyersGuide We were choosing between the Ioniq 5, Kona EV and Model Y and went with the Y since the Ioniq gets disgusting without a rear wiper (has it on new models) in the winter and it has more room for car seats and costco runs with the hatchback. It was also the same price as the 3 but at 1.99% APR. :O
Elon Musk aside, I would not drive a Tesla since Tesla are some poor quality car gliders equipped with a decent computer on the wheels: Tesla still have vampire drains, the door handles are still unreliable, the frameless doors are going to start whistling in cold winter when the rubber is going to age a bit, the glass roof is going to crack if a third party luggage rack is installed just millimeters incorrect, the low profile tires are still prone to curb rash, the same low profile tires wears fast and are prone to get flat in the first pothole, the ride is harshest unless equipped with air suspension, there are no ventilated seats, the seats comfort is still mediocre, all Tesla vehicles are coupefied with compromise for rear occupants head room and luggage in the rear. Model Y and 3 do not have a display in front of the driver nor a projector on windshield which Kia Niro EV has a wonderful one. For the God's sake Tesla has no turning signal stalks, just pathetic buttons on steering wheel. You have to buy a special Bluetooth corrected kit for stalks. You have to buy a different one kit for Android auto and Apple car play. No Tesla has a dimming feature for glass roof the way let's say new VW ID Buzz has to protect occupants from scorching sun in the summer even in Washington state. The front wheels suspension arms need replacement every year due to poor design. The rear doors locking mechanism needs replacement in 1.5 years. The door handles need replacement in 1-2 years. The painting of the car looks like is done in the parking lot. For the Love of God our Chevrolet Bolt EUV has a nice cooled wireless phone charger which DOES charge the phone not a phone heater like Tesla has. A nice moonroof which opens in modern car is expected like in the same Bolt EUV not in a Tesla. Same Bolt has a button allowing full one pedal driving to be switched to coasting like in an ICE car for drivers new to EVs. There's no one pedal driving switch off in Teslas. I find one pedal driving tiresome on highways. The brake disks are made of Elon Musk dried up cooties so in a salted snowy winter to entirely desintegrate to need replacement. Feel free to add negative features of Teslas right here.
As someone who avoided buying a Tesla for several years because I wasn’t keen to put a couple of Dinarii in Elon’s pockets I sympathize with the OP, but, after cycling through a couple of non-Tesla EVs in a rural state with nearly non-existent charging infrastructure, especially in the northern tier, I just reached a point, probably around the fifth or sixth time I found myself cooling my heels waiting to hook up to the one, usually derated, working EA charger out of the four theoretically available where I found myself asking “why am I doing this to myself?” and more importantly “what point am I actually even making?” That Ford should be rewarded for making one perfectly middling EV, overcharging for it, and then doing nothing to improve it since? That EA should be rewarded for selling overpriced electricity and being terrible at their core business? Also it’s not like there’s anything particularly virtuous about supporting any of the alternatives. It’s not like Ford, GM, or Stellantis are less problematic companies in their behavior; just less public about it. Sometimes there is no good guy to support and the best thing you can do is make the purchase that works best for your life.
11:36 - cycle life of iron phosphate is much better than high nickel chemistries, double. You can easily get 4000 cycles out of that pack. 4000 cycles times 250 miles per cycle is 1,000,000 miles. That battery pack should significantly outlast the vehicle.
I've owned 2 Model 3s, 2021 and 2022, both LR AWD. The first one got sold during the COVID used car craze (sold it with 25k miles for more than we bought it for) because the black paint was _terrible_ (looked like a 10 yr old car despite being only hand washed) and the car was absolutely riddled with quality control issues (stupid panel gaps, tons of squeaks and rattles, etc, Tesla wouldn't fix any of it despite multiple service trips). We tried another one because we'd had a better experience with newer Model 3s, and it resolved the build quality issues we had with the old one (both were purchased brand new, so it wasn't a crashed/rebuilt hack job, just a Tesla Fremont hack job). We really liked it, but it got taken out by a drunk driver and replaced with a slightly older Model S which is MUCH better. That said, the only major gripes we had with the car were the crashy suspension, absurd interior noise and the numerous software glitches that never get fixed. The newer Model 3s definitely do WAY better in terms of noise and ride quality, but anything 2022 or older rides like a covered wagon. I've owned tuner cars on aggressive coilovers that ride better than the Model 3 _and_ handle lightyears better, so its not like you're trading ride quality for handling. Regarding software glitches, it covers basically all the major functions of the car. You mentioned the auto wipers, which are so bad that they are useless. The auto high beams are the same, constantly blinding other drivers. It would be slightly better if you could turn them off completely, but using auto steer _requires_ the auto high beams to be on. Not to mention the phantom braking issues that have plagued Tesla basically since the inception of auto pilot (and still does today). There's also a ton of stuff deeper in the software that would take too long to go over in a TH-cam comment.
We've also owned an Ioniq5 at the same time as the Model 3 and, aside from the software (ignoring the Tesla glitches) and the supercharger network, the Ioniq5 is a far better car. Tesla software integration is better, the Model 3 is more sporty, and the supercharger network is better than anything else in NA. Aside from that, Ioniq5 is better. More practical, FAR better to drive long distance, charges faster, looks better, and if it matters to you, it isn't associated with Elon Musk. Despite having the supercharger network, when we had to take long trips, we would always take the Ioniq5 because it was so much better to be in for hours than the Model 3.
i own the exact same car, and the solution to the headrest is to remove it, turn it around, andg get a neck pillow. that headrest is awfully positioned and always made my neck hurt.
Interesting how you own the exact same car yet your headrests are removable and this car's headrests are integrated into the seat (aka not removable). Curious how you removed and flipped them around on this exact car?
@@TheMatt365i also own one of these, there's a headrest height adjustment tucked between the headrest and seat and it isn't integrated
@@TheMatt365 they are removable. the cars back rest uses the headrests pins to hold it in place. they simply pop right out. you tilt the seat backwards, pull head rest up, turn around, reinsiert. takes 14 seconds and no tools needed.
now, mine was built on 04/23/23. this guy bought his at 45K dollars, so my guess is his is an earlier 2023 production, which maybe they changed something....but doubtful.
for those that may buy one of these cars,
L1 at 12A charging chrges at 4.75-5.25 miles of range per hour
L2 at 32A charges at about 28-31 miles of range added per hour.
Add in the maintenance to the operating costs.
I didn't pay anything in maintenance cost over these 12 months. -Travis
@@EVBuyersGuide I bet the other cars did!
I see what you're saying. -Travis
Do you drive your model 3 on hills in the snow? Or do you have a different car to drive on snow through hills? Also, are the stock wheels good in the snow?
This Model 3 hasn't seen snow, no. I have an old truck that gets driven very infrequently so when an opportunity arrives that calls for truck use I take advantage of it. I wouldn't be scared to drive this in the snow but if it's more than a light dusting I don't think these are the right tires for it. -Travis
Before buying my MYP I thought I’d miss CarPlay as well. But what ended up making all the difference for me was the fact that Tesla keeps the price of Premium Connectivity low enough, especially on the annual subscription plan, that it’s actually a really good bargain for what you get. Especially when combined with the ability to not only natively stream your music, podcasts, but also videos on the main display. I find I like having my phone unoccupied and easily available for quick google searches etc. while my music or what have you is running on the native infotainment system. Things may have changed in the interim since last time I looked but, at least initially, the Ford and GM connectivity plans were much more expensive and felt like they were looking to them more as a profit center than a customer benefit.
You’re googling while driving? 😅yikes. If I’ve misunderstood please correct me.
When a Kia k5 base comes with apple carplay and you can stream any music or sound on your device to the system. Included… just seems odd a car like this omits AC/AA and makes you pay for “premium connection “. Can you explain more about premium connection? What does it entail what makes it worth it?
@@LafemmebearMusic Sorry, should have been clearer about that. Definitely not while driving. Just at charging stops and other times I’m parked somewhere and killing time.
@@LafemmebearMusic It adds a couple of bells and whistles to the navigation (like weather data, live traffic, satellite views), the ability to check the camera views from the app (so if you get a vehicle security alert you can check the camera to see what tripped it), but the most useful thing is having all your streaming apps be seamlessly integrated with the rest of the car functions. With my Mach E it was really obvious when you engaged Carplay that you were leaving the cars’ OS and entering a completely separate ecosystem. With a regular gas car that’s no big shakes but with an EV that you need to use the native navigation on for battery preconditioning bouncing in and out of Carplay is not the smoothest experience. With Tesla having Apple Music, Spotify, etc. built into their OS you do it all from the same interface making the whole thing way easier and smoother to use. For me that alone is worth the minimal cost per month for the Premium Connectivity subscription. But your mileage may vary.
We got the same car October of 2023 and have had similar experience. Was worried about cold weather performance of the LFP battery but haven't had any noticeable problems in Colorado as we garage it every night . 22k miles and have only had to use a super charger twice in the past year, 99% of charging has been at home. No maintenance other than rotating the tires and wiper fluid!
That darn wiper fluid, I seem to run through it like crazy. I'll probably include that in a video coming up.... -Travis
Elite review. Good before but definitely improved!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! -Travis
In the UK, charging at home is costing the equivalent of 0.31cents per kWh. Average slow/fast public charging across the country is USD 0.72 per kWh whereas average rapid charging is USD 1.01 per kWh. If you were to do the same comparison in the UK, you would find that gas/diesel cars are more economical compared to EVs if you have to rely on public charging.
I wouldn't recommend an EV to anyone who has to rely on public charging. -Travis
Boston, Massachusetts I pay average $.30 per kWh that’s why I got the Camry hybrid
In Thailand the costs are about $ 0,25 for public and $ 0,13 for private charging. But gasoline is also low, about $ 1 for a liter.
Nice electricity cost. My local utility has an off-peak rate of $0.033. Super cheap. $2.49 for a full charge- less than one gallon of gas.
And I thought I had it good! -Travis
10:52 on sidebar. Isn't NACS a connector spec than energy delivery? I believe 7.7kW AC L2 also uses NACS.
Yes, you're right. Normally in that section we're highlighting the DC connector type, either NACS or CCS. -Travis
Is there not an audible app for Teslas native system? Like I drove this car for a week and I didn’t feel safe doing the tapping back in auto mode on my phone, it felt too far away.
Even if there was a native app I don't pay for connectivity so I wouldn't utilize it. -Travis
For those not needing too many road trips, a Leaf Plus can be had in the upper 20s before any tax incentives. With the right wheels it has similar efficiency to the M3..
The Leaf is a great "around town" EV purchase, it's really the charging that holds it back. -Travis
Also why is this car so noisy? Everytime I’m in it, it’s quite noisy? Has the Highlander fixed this issue?
The Highlands update is noticeably quieter. -Travis
At 23:56 you talk about not being able to compare. In your past history, you had an A3 eTron. I still have mine. I also own a Ford Fusion Energi. I would be happy to be the crash test dummy you can compare to. I am also a lightfoot, so it sounds like (for comparison purposes) it could be a good match. Tell me what exact numbers you want. I have ventilated seats, and a better ride in my Fusion.
Edit: my electric is .16¢ kWh so I lose there. Gasoline ran $4.44 for the last year. Since my fiscal year runs April/April, my annual mileage is about 8000. My fuel cost is .09¢ per mile. I am averaging 3.7 miles per kWh. So, does a PHEV beat a BEV? No. But it does beat nearly all the ICE vehicles, and I can go twice as far as a BEV without stopping. The reason why Tesla hasn’t won me over yet?
1. No driver binnicle
2. No opening moonroof
3. Price is still too high for what you get. Travis started at $39,900, I am $10,000 less than that starting out. My insurance is $1400 a year, and my interest rate on the loan is 2.49%. See if that gives you an idea. I can get more granular if you want.
I could compare some basic numbers but I was more referring to people's driving habits, daily commutes, and the frequency in which they plug their PHEV in. It creates a lot of variables that would be very difficult to account for. -Travis
Travis, have you ever changed the cabin air filter on your Model 3? How much of a pain was it? Also, how are the tires holding up?
I got the bz4x because I was getting frustraterd trying to get someone who would take the dents out of the Beetle Convertible I bought used and in rough shape a few years ago, so I traded it in for the EV. I kiiiiinda wish I had stuck with the Beetle because it was so goofy and fun, but my friends appreciate that I'm not trying to stuff them into that back seat. I'm still getting under 20 kwh / 100km (around 19) which isn't bad for winter with big knobbly winter tires, but I probably should have waited until I had my own place where I could charge at home.
What about a Mode Y? Didn’t catch what year this car was, but it seems like it isn’t more than one year old…so a base Model Y would have gotten the hatchback.
It's a 2023 and the Model Y is more vehicle than I wanted. Yes it has a hatchback but it's a crossover, I'm thinking more VW Golf, Mazda3 type hatchback. -Travis
Hatchbacks rule! That's why I ended up in a Bolt, but obviously it's a smaller much less capable vehicle in other ways.
Nothing against the Bolt, it just falls in a different category. -Travis
Sounds like a pretty solid experience overall! Looking to get in to one of these pretty soon :)
So far so good. The new ones are even better, though it appears that for now Tesla has discontinued the Standard Range and the new entry is a Long Range RWD. -Travis
@ Not in Sweden where I am!
But looking at used ones like this one or older, new is out of my budget :)
11:36 - cycle life of iron phosphate is much better than high nickel chemistries, double. You can easily get 4000 cycles out of that pack. 4000 cycles times 250 miles per cycle is 1,000,000 miles. That battery pack should significantly outlast the vehicle.
it was an excellent and fair review - good job!
Great review...same as my experience when we owned our 2023 base LFP Model 3.
Buying a new car is generally a bad financial decision, in my book. Which explains why I have never bought a single new car in my life, except this model 3 RWD almost identical to yours. When I bought it the sales price was 37k so factor in the fed rebate it is less horrible than most new car so I’m okay with the numbers. But what really impressed me is how good the user experience is. I know the resale value is pretty low right now, but man I just love how usable this little traveling appliance is.
Not like my car didn't take a huge hit in value with the price drop, but it's only gonna hurt when I go to trade it in. Until then, I'm still happy with what I paid and what I got. -Travis
Was this the first ev you have been able to own? If not, how has the transistion to ev experience been better or worse than a gas car?
This is the first EV I've owned, yes. I've had roommates with EV's that I drove a lot of and have had PHEVs before this. The transition was easy, there's just a little more thought required for longer drives but it's more than made up for in day to day convenience. -Travis
@EVBuyersGuide looking forward to owning one! Thanks Travis
Why didn’t you look at Mach-E?
I did, but the efficiency was noticeably lower and it lacked a heat pump which would hurt that efficiency even further in my relatively cool climate. Nothing specifically against the Mach E. -Travis
Thank you
The screen only gauge cluster wouldn't be an issue for me if the vehicle had a hud. But the fact that theres absolutely 0 information infront of me near my line of view, hard pass. Same reason i wouldn't buy a prius or a mini (unless it has a hud). I think the driver centric screens that a lot of vehicles are doing is the better way to do it, where the screen extends to the drivers side
I understand your point but for some reason I'm not the biggest fan of a HUD. It would solve a lot of people's concerns with this vehicle though AND remain pretty minimalistic. -Travis
The one thing Vinfast did better than Tesla with their car is have a HUD.
@@EVBuyersGuide exactly my thoughts, and say someone like you, who doesn't like huds, could just turn it off
I have a 2022 LFP with 128k miles. Charged up to 258 miles at 100% the other day. Mine has the sport 19” wheels, so it was only rated for 267 EPA when new, so I’m at about 5 percent degradation
That's favorable battery health, hope it continues that way! -Travis
@ same! It’s looking good for the long haul thankfully
That's crazy good, you drove it 4x less than mines and we're about the same..I'm getting 262 miles on 100% charge. It's a 2023 model 3 with 37k miles. It's from Hertz so I really don't care about it's charge since I got it for $23k.
@@YoYo-be4ow mines a Hertz too! The only reason I bought a Tesla, AND felt comfortable enough to buy a high mileage EV was the LFP battery. I am shocked how well its battery has held up.
It seems that LFP battery is more age related degradation than miles 🤷♂️. After driving hybrids for about 12 years, I’m glad I made the leap to an LFP Tesla
@@Thissandthat
how much did you pay for it?...
Lol hertz is great but I was too scared to buy any Tesla with more than 40k miles.. My coworker bought a 2015 model S with 75k miles for $27k, 8 months later the battery went bad on him. It cost him $16k to replace it. Than 2 weeks later the power train went bad so another $9k. All together he spent $50k. Butttttt He still thinks it's worth it since his Tesla came with free super charging for life.
Is there a reason you didn't do a closer comparison with the Leaf or Bolt? Not criticizing your decision, but if you're looking for an affordable hatchback that doesn't need to be fast, those seem like the obvious choices (especially if you're willing to buy used).
The LEAF, with its aged ChaDeMo connector, does not deserved to be on any comparison list for a 2024 video (and approaching 2025 as well). It's a dead-end product unless the would-be owner is aware with ALL of its limitation. The GM Bolt needs some scrutiny when buying used due to its battery recall shenanigan, insurances might be jacked/denied or even the on-going promised battery replacement is on a wait-list using the original owner's name without the ability to transfer, etc. The Bolt also only has 55kW of max DCFC speed, with how much the average North American drive that's just 110% not feasible. Thus, unless the would-be used-Bolt owner really knows there shit, it shouldn't be used as comparison too.
"Fun to drive" was a factor and, not that I have anything against the Leaf or Bolt, but they don't meet that criteria. -Travis
@@gforce95vn ChaDeMo adapters aren't cheap, but they're out there, and 50kW charging is slow, but still doable for short road trips (and in some areas, 50kW is all that's available, so far, anyway). Some people don't drive long distances and would rather fly.
If I can offer an anecdote - my brother was very concerned about fast charging speeds, so he settled on an EV6. A year later, he admitted to me that he was having to specifically plan a trip to a fast charging station, because he'd never needed to use one before, and didn't want to remain inexperienced. He's just the type where he'd rather fly if he's going more than 300 miles, and more often than not, is going overseas and can't drive, anyway.
Less than $40k for a Tesla is a good deal, but you can get a perfectly good used Bolt or Leaf for less than half that. Hell, I spent 3 years on a first-gen Leaf (only $7k!) as a sole vehicle, and if I wanted to road trip, I'd just rent a Mustang or a Caddie or something fun that I normally couldn't afford. That's why I think they're still viable for plenty of people, especially ones who just don't have $40k lying around for a new car.
Wow only 7.7c/kWh was that just energy cost or all in including transmission and other fixed costs on your bill. I'm paying about 21c/kWh Canadian $ total bill cost divided by kWh. So about double what you're saying in USD$.
I have very inexpensive electricity in my area. I believe I have a minimal connection fee but I wouldn't factor that in to this equation since I need electricity regardless of vehicle fueling. -Travis
@EVBuyersGuide understood, I tend to just do the whole cost divided by kWh as all the additional fees for transmission tend to be a big cost in my province over the actual energy generation cost. Obviously different regions will have different ways of showing the breakdown.
Electricity is basically the only thing in Quebec we get cheap it's 6.7c for the first 40KW in a day and then 10.34c after that.
@@__-vu8io I'm on 9.3c/kWh and have never gone over the 1000kWh limit for a higher rate here in ON. Problem is by the time you add on all the transmission costs that then doubles. A few more fixed fees on top and you quickly get to my 21c/kWh I referenced earlier. It's not a deal breaker for an EV it just always makes me ask what's included in your hydro when someone quotes a low number. Is transmission, etc, included in that.
Boston, Massachusetts average price with all the fees is around $.30 per kWh
Would’ve been good to discuss how the RWD does in snow/ice.
For what it’s worth TFL did a video or two with their front wheel drive Chevy Bolt and with the 50/50 weight distribution of most EVs the performance of the rear wheel drive should be similar.
My car hasn't seen snow or ice but not because I'd be overly worried about. It gets cold and wet where I live but not much snow and ice. I also have a truck that I have to find occasions to drive and those conditions tend to be some of the best occasions. -Travis
im at 264 miles with 27k miles on mine since 4/25/23 when i got mine, you got yours earlier than mine as i paid 39,900 at that time, and i charge it to 100% all the time, but with only about 2% supercharger use....and i charge on L1.
the worst part of these cars, is the stupid glass roof, makes the car like an oven in the summer
I tend to vent the windows or pre-condition in the warmer months. Even if it's a bit annoying it's nice to be able to do. -Travis
The glass roof sun shade makes a huge difference, best m3 accessory I have
Interesting, I'm at 262 at full charge with 37k miles. Yours being 25k miles and mines being almost 40k you can't tell the difference. Mines was used as a rental from Hertz. So I guess the battery has stabilized at 25k miles. And if u reach 40miles there's isn't much difference. I was expecting it to be at 240 miles.....
And Yea the glass roof is annoying but I turn on dog mode a.c for 10min before I jump in So I won't get blasted by the heat when I open the door. It also cools the leather chair.
@@EVBuyersGuide youre missing the point, the sun is always hitting the top of the car and glass absorbs the sun/uv from the outside, thus always keeping the glass directly in the suns path and radiating the heat into the cabin.
i have it tinted, insulated, and covered and i can still feel my head hot, although better than without that stuff.
i would precondition the car without the glass roof so its not 150F in the car in a vegas summer day....but because of the glass roof i have to run the AC harder, which means my range diminishes in the summer months dtastically, which is completely against the common sense of an EV and efficiency. before this summer comes, im going to have the glass roof wrapped in white.
@@piercechan i have it tinted, insulated, and a shade and its still stupid hot. the glass roof should have been an option. its incredibly useless.
when you say 7.7 cents per kwh of electricity, do you mean just the generation, or the total? Here its about 7.7 cents, but only for generation. delivery is about 11 cents
In the USA these figures are all for delivery.
That's total and there's a monthly connection charge. -Travis
@@EVBuyersGuide See here a prius would be cheaper to operate by about 15% than an ev due to the 19c/kwh and 2.89 a gallon for regular. I actually got solar panels put on my house to attempt to offset my ioniq, but quite frankly the sheer volume of panels needed just wasn't feasible. The car got totalled and I replaced it with a lexus es 300h and honestly my bills didn't change much at all.
Basic transportation, car manufacturers say there's no profit in basic. I'm not so sure about that.
I'd only get a Tesla if there were a very generous buyback clause. They just do too many weird things I'm not sure I could get used to it.
Grandma, opposite of lead foot is grandma
I can accept that 😆 -Travis
I have the same car, please tell Elon the car needs a hatchback.... (please). Greetings from Bavaria...
Thank goodness you got to curb the wheels like EVERY other noob Tesla driver. Kudos!
It was an unfortunate drive thru incident, it happens. -Travis
@ To every Tesla driver. Weird….
@@Boston_Pilot Happens to lots of people besides Tesla drivers
@@CaptainRotmeat Oh my goodness, does it?!?
It’s not that it happens more to Tesla drivers. I looked at a four lane 35mph road in my town. I counted 300+ curb runs in one mile. The problem is that the rims sit proud to the tire. So, if you touch a curb, you see it forever. That doesn’t happen on most other cars since it just rubs the sidewall.
LFP is actually not ok with being charged to 100%. You just have to do it because the voltage curve is difficult for the bms to establish an accurate state of charge.
It mind it less than other chemistry makeups is probably a better way to put it. -Travis
Can we all pretend MPGe doesn't exist? You should convert the EPA estimate to different units for these reviews.
Great review otherwise!
Miles per kwh seems to be the best way to measure, that's why I used it here. MPGe is a silly measurement but it's not entirely useless. -Travis
Wait...why not get a model Y?
While it's a little more practical it's also more vehicle and I prefer a smaller car when I can and a less upright seating position. -Travis
@@EVBuyersGuide We were choosing between the Ioniq 5, Kona EV and Model Y and went with the Y since the Ioniq gets disgusting without a rear wiper (has it on new models) in the winter and it has more room for car seats and costco runs with the hatchback. It was also the same price as the 3 but at 1.99% APR. :O
FSD is a game changer.
What is the model name, i mean the guy. 🤔😘
I will not purchase any product that further enriches Elon Musk.
Do you have any problem being associated with Musk? I ask seriously, because he keeps me away from a Tesla.
Things were a bit different when I bought mine than they are today. -Travis
@@EVBuyersGuide not different, but less known.
Elon Musk aside, I would not drive a Tesla since Tesla are some poor quality car gliders equipped with a decent computer on the wheels: Tesla still have vampire drains, the door handles are still unreliable, the frameless doors are going to start whistling in cold winter when the rubber is going to age a bit, the glass roof is going to crack if a third party luggage rack is installed just millimeters incorrect, the low profile tires are still prone to curb rash, the same low profile tires wears fast and are prone to get flat in the first pothole, the ride is harshest unless equipped with air suspension, there are no ventilated seats, the seats comfort is still mediocre, all Tesla vehicles are coupefied with compromise for rear occupants head room and luggage in the rear. Model Y and 3 do not have a display in front of the driver nor a projector on windshield which Kia Niro EV has a wonderful one. For the God's sake Tesla has no turning signal stalks, just pathetic buttons on steering wheel. You have to buy a special Bluetooth corrected kit for stalks. You have to buy a different one kit for Android auto and Apple car play.
No Tesla has a dimming feature for glass roof the way let's say new VW ID Buzz has to protect occupants from scorching sun in the summer even in Washington state. The front wheels suspension arms need replacement every year due to poor design. The rear doors locking mechanism needs replacement in 1.5 years. The door handles need replacement in 1-2 years. The painting of the car looks like is done in the parking lot.
For the Love of God our Chevrolet Bolt EUV has a nice cooled wireless phone charger which DOES charge the phone not a phone heater like Tesla has.
A nice moonroof which opens in modern car is expected like in the same Bolt EUV not in a Tesla.
Same Bolt has a button allowing full one pedal driving to be switched to coasting like in an ICE car for drivers new to EVs. There's no one pedal driving switch off in Teslas. I find one pedal driving tiresome on highways.
The brake disks are made of Elon Musk dried up cooties so in a salted snowy winter to entirely desintegrate to need replacement.
Feel free to add negative features of Teslas right here.
Yes, I disliked Elon Musk politics towards Ukraine and his love for RuZZian dictator long before his involvement in the USA politics.
As someone who avoided buying a Tesla for several years because I wasn’t keen to put a couple of Dinarii in Elon’s pockets I sympathize with the OP, but, after cycling through a couple of non-Tesla EVs in a rural state with nearly non-existent charging infrastructure, especially in the northern tier, I just reached a point, probably around the fifth or sixth time I found myself cooling my heels waiting to hook up to the one, usually derated, working EA charger out of the four theoretically available where I found myself asking “why am I doing this to myself?” and more importantly “what point am I actually even making?” That Ford should be rewarded for making one perfectly middling EV, overcharging for it, and then doing nothing to improve it since? That EA should be rewarded for selling overpriced electricity and being terrible at their core business? Also it’s not like there’s anything particularly virtuous about supporting any of the alternatives. It’s not like Ford, GM, or Stellantis are less problematic companies in their behavior; just less public about it. Sometimes there is no good guy to support and the best thing you can do is make the purchase that works best for your life.
The accident fatality rate is why I won't even consider a Tesla
How bad is the accident fatality rate?
@bpsmith0587 it's the highest among all the US car brands
Yay fascism
Look! A virtue signal!
M3 is a great car. The VW bug of this generation.
Hmmm, interesting comparison. Can't say I've heard it before or thought of it. -Travis
11:36 - cycle life of iron phosphate is much better than high nickel chemistries, double. You can easily get 4000 cycles out of that pack. 4000 cycles times 250 miles per cycle is 1,000,000 miles. That battery pack should significantly outlast the vehicle.