Buying, Owning & Improving
Ian Cushway searches out new and used parts prices
Is now the time to buy the first affordable Tesla?
Tesla has been dangling the ‘green’ carrot for well over a decade now with its range of sleek, performance-oriented EVs, starting with the 2009 Roadster, followed by the Model S in 2012 and the Model X SUV in 2015. With their futuristic styling and astonishingly quick acceleration times, they ticked all the right boxes for the car enthusiast – the only rub being their hopelessly extravagant pricetags which put them beyond reach of the average motorist.
That all changed with the more affordable Model 3 which glided in, almost silently, in 2017. We say that, but in fact it made quite a big noise among the pundits, who loved the fact it resembled an Audi A4 in terms of practicality but with sports car performance and the allure of zero emissions. No wonder then that by 2018, it had become the world’s best-selling plug-in EV.
The good news is that the popularity of the Model 3 has trickled down to the used market which means you’ll find plenty for sale in the classifieds, with prices now kicking off at under the magic £20,000 mark.
The Model 3 was offered to UK buyers in three different guises; the single-motor 53kWh Standard and two all-wheel-drive twin-motor options, the 78kWh Long Range and Performance, the latter sacrificing battery range in order to achieve a frankly ridiculous 3.1 second 0-62mph time.
Improvements made in 2021 upped power of the Performance model to 82kWh and generally improved battery range across the line-up.
Regarding build quality, there’s a few question marks. In short, while it offers a similar amount of family space as an A4, don’t expect it to measure up to the Audi when it comes to how well it’s screwed together with panel fit and the quality of materials used inside coming under scrutiny.
As for regular maintenance, well, there isn’t any. Not in the traditional sense, at least. Parts can be had from Tesla centres around the country or via the aftermarket.
Powertrain
We’re not talking blue smoke on the overrun or the longevity of a turbo or DPF here, rather how long that battery is likely to last. And while it’s an issue that’s usually open to ambiguity and debate with EVs, the picture looks rosy with the affordable Tesla. Indeed, it’s reported that only 5% of battery capacity is lost in the first 50,000 miles. More encouraging still, the rate of capacity loss is thought to be a lot less after that.
For the sceptics out there worried about being faced with having to install a new £15,000 battery pack, the manufacturer’s warranty adds reassuran
