THOUGHTS at
100 THOUSAND Miles

Three and three-quarters years ago (March 2018), we picked up our Tesla Model 3,

a bright silver metallic Long Range, Rear Wheel Drive model, the first configuration available to early reservation-holders such as us. On my cross-country trip a few weeks ago (December 2021), I crossed the 100,000-mile threshold.

I was a first-hour reservation holder on March 31, 2016 (see related post HERE), and while they let folks who already had a Tesla get the Model 3 as early as summer 2017 (a kind of “soft roll-out" among friends), I was excited to get the email inviting my Model 3 order in February of 2018, and with the luck of the draw (batched manufacturing of the right color and wheel combination), I was in the driver's seat about three weeks later!

In the two years and more that those of us with early reservations were waiting to order, we early adopters had to content ourselves with the bits and pieces of Model 3 news that came out on Facebook, pictures of test-car sightings, etc. I think I was a member of the Facebook's “Tesla Model 3” group when it was under 1,000 members... now it has almost 85,000 members. Those of us lucky enough to be on the crazy route of the “Tesla Model 3 Road Trip” got to see, and perhaps drive, an early Model 3 that an adventurous owner, You You Xue, picked up at the Tesla factory in Fremont and set off on a cross-country Meet-and-Greet to Model 3 supporters back in December 2017. I met him on Christmas Eve 2017 at the Scottsdale (Arizona) Supercharger, two months before I got to order my own!

It was very exciting to be a member of the group of early owners. There were so many questions from interested folks in 2018, that I created a little slip of paper to give to people, taking them to the Tesla.com/Model3 website, and to my own Google site (for which this is an update). Interestingly, on my cross-country trip this month, I found more of the public again interested in the car and the charging regimen, perhaps stimulated by the current administration's emphasis on EV's and infrastructure.

In any case, let me share a few thoughts at 100,000 (s)miles (Spoiler alert: it's all good.)

• It's amazing to have a car that gets better while sitting in your driveway or garage, with Over-the-air updates. I think back to the earliest version of the software, without automatic high-beams or wipers, and a shortest-horn tap that would wake the dead. An OTA update added a walk-away lock confirmation “chirp,” and the ability to do what I dubbed a “toot-sweet” to warn pedestrians in a parking lot that you were sneaking up on them. (Now, of course, they all have the PWS [“Pedestrian Warning System,”], which makes an audible noise at speeds below 19 MPH, and the external speaker pre-2019 models don't have.)

• The most common question I get is, “How long does it take to charge that thing?” I've found the best answer to be, “Not long at all. Since you do 90% of your charging at home with a 240-volt outlet, you get about 35 miles per hour plugged in. If you drive 100 miles in the day, you plug in when you get home, and in three hours, you're ready for the next day. Out on the road, the Supercharger gets you to 80% of that 300-mile range in about a half-hour, and you're ready for the next 2- or 3-hour leg. You get into a nice rhythm.”

• There's a lot of chatter about the latest OTA update, to “Version 11” of the Model 3 Screen “UI,” to which I say, live with it for a few days, and it will probably become less of a frustration. Try some of the voice commands, make constructive comments and suggestions, and hold on for another update. The blind-spot cameras can be useful, and the waypoints are definitely an improvement!

• I've had the FSD Beta software for about two months, now, and I'm quite impressed. I'd say it can handle about 90% of what's out there in the real world. It's still learning, and in town, it demands real hands-on supervision, ready to correct mistakes, while on freeways, I'd call it pretty mature. You're probably better off using FSD Beta when you are alone in the car, unless your passengers are as into the "Beta” experience as you are.

• Lots of people are excited about the on-screen entertainment options, most used while parked or charging. While “cool,” without children along, I find my charging stops short and to the point. Usually reaching the target charge of 80% in about a half hour, that’s hardly enough time to go find a restroom, get a drink, get back to the car and get organized for the next leg. Then, as for the games, which for about a month (Nov-Dec 2021), they allowed to run while moving while sensing a passenger in the front seat, it's probably a good idea that they disabled that function.

As for maintenance issues:

• I'm seeing about 10% degradation of range on my Long Range battery, with an initial range of 310 miles showing 281 at 100% at the moment. After three years in the tough Arizona desert, I can't complain. In any case, the battery is warranted for eight years to maintain 70% of the original rated range.

• I'm on my fourth set of 18” tires... the OEM Michelin's made it to 28,000, 28,000, and 30,000 miles, and I've now switched to Michelin Primacy Tour A/S.

• I've had the 12v battery replaced twice: once upon failure at about 45,000 miles (under warranty), and once pro-actively at about 70,000 miles (under $125 out the door).

• I've had the AC cabin filter replaced two or three times.

• I've had the windshield replaced twice, in the first year and a half...now I'm a little more careful about my following distance.

• I had the brake fluid checked (it was fine, by the way), which is recommended at two year intervals. In normal driving, brake use on an EV should be fairly minimal, if you're taking advantage of the technology!

That's really about all I've had to do with the car, aside from ENJOY IT, and share the enthusiasm! I hope you can share the enthusiasm, too!

12/29/2021