As we approach 80,000 miles in our 2018 Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3, just two months shy of the third anniversary of taking delivery, I wanted to post an update on our experience.
We're still loving it, every mile. The need to post updates was not as critical, since there are now a few hundred thousand Model 3's on the road, around the world! But I do have a few thoughts to share.
A brief comment on Battery Degradation... I charged last week to 100%, (at 79,000 miles) and it shows 287 miles (after an original 310-315 miles, suggesting degradation in the 8-10% range... not bad.
Maintenance is still minimal.
We replaced the OEM Michelin tires on the 18" rims at about 28,000 miles and 55,000 miles, both new sets at Costco.
We needed a 12-volt battery at about 48,000, about 18 months, in Arizona. That first one was under warranty. We needed another 12-volt battery at about 70,000 miles, a year later, and that cost about $100, installed, at the Tesla Service Center.
I lost one of the aero wheel covers. It turns out the plastic clips or the center hub clip were getting tired. I was pleasantly surprised to drop by the Service Center and pick up a replacement for $25. (It then would be about $75 to get it repainted with silver and clear coat to match the others. Then, in order not to lose any more, I used zip-ties to secure them all, realizing that nobody could see them at 60 MPH, and if I'm not displaying at a car show, it's a minor issue!)
An observation on Supercharging on road trips...while everybody gets excited about all you can do with in-car entertainment, I've found that (short of having little ones needing entertainment in the back seat), for the normal 30-minute charging stop, getting you up to 80% or so, I hardly have time to plug in, go make a pit stop, find a Coke, get back to the car, get organized and figure out the next stop, and then it's time to go!
Enhanced Auto Pilot (i.e., Full Self Driving) is still great, even on secondary streets. It still requires the driver's full attention, but does make the drive more relaxing, in my experience. I probably use it 80-90% of the time.
Anyway, the Model 3 is still great.