Everything Wrong With My Tesla Model 3 That I Bought Used

It's been almost a year since I got my 2018 Tesla Model 3 RWD, so in this video, I go through everything I could think of that is wrong with the car.

Some of these issues were there when I picked it up in Chicago, even if I didn't begin to notice them until after I got back to Tallahassee. Some of them were inflicted by me. Some things are rather minor, others aren't. If you want to buy a used Tesla Model 3, there are few issues here you should definitely be aware of.

(any referrals will go toward Supercharger use to enable road trips)

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:32 Power Conversion System (PCS) partial failure
00:03:36 Ding in bodywork driver side rear wheel well
00:04:37 Paint chips on the front
00:05:59 Chip in the rear glass
00:06:41 Nail in tire causing slow leak
00:07:45 Torn vinyl on door card
00:09:01 Main screen chip
00:10:20 Mystery clink sound from rear differential area

[esoghumedominic]

After watching this video I'm fully convinced to buy m3p. There is nothing to spend on this car. I spend over 4k on my mk6 golf r a year, running stage 2 ecu and tcu tune, changed tranfer case, water pump, oil leak etc cos I'm sensitive to my car I want everything perfect. Since I realized how much power this m3p is making . I have been watching tones of videos to see if it has major maintenance issues. Thanks for this video

[ericgregori]

There is a maintenance screen. That would probably be a good screen to check when buying used.

[franklong]

I recently bought a used 2022 Tesla Model 3, and I love it. I have the RWD like you do.

I would suggest the following:

1. A windshield repair company can probably fix the chip in your glass roof edge.
2. Make sure you get your tire fixed quickly because tires with leaks can lose all of their air in a couple of seconds and cause a wreck, tear up your tire and damage your rim.
3. Paint chips on a 2018 is understandable
4. I would also get the charging problem fixed as soon as possible.

I wish you good luck with your Model 3.

[GrndHogDay]

I hate all those little things no one else sees on the car but you know they're there.

[bangbangbowman]

I bought a 21 M3 RWD in Jan of 2023 with 11k miles on it. Just before the huge price drops and the huge drops in the user car market. I so regret not waiting longer, a lot of depreciation obviously due to that. Anyway, the reason I'm posting is to share my experience. AT roughly 18k miles my screen got a message saying "maximum charge level and range may be reduced". I took it to the Service Center and they had to replace the battery. This happened last July, the car was with them for a week. I had a great experience though. They gave me an 18 model S as a loaner. A week doesn't seem to bad for them to order it, ship it and install it. The car now has 26k miles on it.

[practicalguy]

The advice I would give with anything electronic is that you should never run anything at 100% if you want it to last long. Flashlights, fans, TVs, phones etc... brightness levels, color levels, charge rates, speeds etc... when anything is run near maximum components will have a shorter thermal life for consumer products. Everything is built with a tight tolerance and to make it profitable. An EV is all electronics so I would be applying that thought process to everything I could. When the PCS is repaired I would limit charging amps to half to give it the best chance at not needed to be replaced ever again if supercharging a lot. It's probably healthier for the battery degradation to.

[kerrym]

My 2019 M3P came with well-worn summer tires. It was still snowing in March when I bought the car. I had to be careful and the car was slipping around a bit on the icy roads. I had already budgeted for replacing the tires and went ahead with a full set of All Season tires within a week of getting the car. $1500

The biggest issue that came with the car was with the steering wheel. The material was starting to come off the wheel within a month of driving. The service center replaced the wheel with the newest M3 wheel under warranty and I haven't had problems with the new wheel.

I have some self-inflicted damage to the rear bumper. I bought my kid a bycicle that didn't fit in the trunk. I decide to ride with the bike handles hanging out the back a little and the trunk open. It was about 5 miles. Enough for the bumps in the road to cause the bike to scratch up the bumper a little bit. It's not very noticable, but I know it's there.

I had 2 different front passengers who stepped on the seat controls when they got into my car. Both times the controls broke. The first service repair for that was about $160, then second was $120 (prices had depreciated by the time of 2nd repair).

When the service center replaced my steering wheel, they messed up the materials inside, up-front under the windshield and the glovebox was not aligned properly. I took the car back a couple weeks later to get those issues corrected.

Mostly the used Tesla experience has been good for me. Though, for unrelated reasons, I do not intend to buy another Tesla when I purchase my next BEV. I have always bought my vehicles on the used market.

[drewrobinson]

To fix the rear end clink/click when you take off, you just need the rear axles lubed and torqued. It's an inexpensive and simple repair that could be done whenever you get your PCS replaced.

[alexbubis]

Thank you for this video, I am currently shopping for a used model 3 and this was helpful.

[antoniopalmero]

You don’t have a charging issue, that’s working just fine .

[deny]

Haha you remind of the main scientist in Independence Day

[SpottedSharks]

Maybe wait to fix the PCS thingy until the Tallahassee service center opens this summer. Heck more convenient than somehow getting the car to Jacksonville. Looks like the Superchargers on West Pensacola will be open in a few weeks - maybe. And they have started work on another new Supercharger location at a Circle-K on Thomasville Rd next to I-10. High times for Tesla owners in Tallahassee!

[sergiumorar]

I'm thinking of buying a used model 3 in future and was curios what too look for. Your video was helpful. Thanks!

[justanotherguy]

I set my home charger to 16 amps all the time, slower is better, 2 years ownership on my EV-6 and no battery degradation, since new 80% chargers still shows 283 miles only charged 4 times in two years at a DC charger, just for the experience not a necessity.
Put a decal over your damaged door panel and forget about it, replace the screen saver on your tablet, glass company to seal your rear glass, paint less dent remover guy for your dent, patch the tire and wrap the front end and wait until your backup noise can be duplicated every time so it can be properly diagnosed.

[ArielBatista]

First thing is that your mic is low volume. Including when you do the podcast as well. Hope you are able to get the car fixed.

[jitterygoatr]

Dom, we all know hindsight is 20-20. You didn't say if you bought the used model 3 from Tesla. Used Teslas CAN BE a good value, provided you do your homework. Tesla gives an extra year warranty once the original factory warranty expires. I would never buy any used car from a location where there is snow and road salt. Winters are just too hard on an EV, especially the battery. Good luck my friend. Hope things work out for you.

[PRDE]

The glass can be heat treated to it almost dissapear and doesn't crack.

[jone]

The clink sound might go away if you do the oil service on your Tesla.
Yes Tesla have Oil and Oil Filters.
It needs to be serviced or things will go bad and it will cost a lot of money to fix it.

[MrLogansimmons]

That level 2 charging issue sounds like a bit of a pain but may not be an issue depending on how far you regularly drive.

You ought to bill that repair to Kyle at Out of Spec though. He found the car 😂.

By the way, thanks for the Tallahassee landscape. I grew up there and went to Florida High. Haven’t been back in years though as my family moved when I went to college.

[tonycowan]

Why is it out of warranty. It is a 2018. So you should have 2 years left. Unless it has over 100k miles. That’s exactly why I bought a 2021 so it will be under warranty for me