10 Reasons Why You Don't Want the Model 3 | Tesla Model 3 Review

I love my Tesla Model 3 but even the best things in life is perfect. I will share with you 10 issues you will encounter with the Tesla Model 3 and reasons why you might not want the Tesla in your life.

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Timestamps
0:00 Introduction to Why You might not want a Tesla Model 3
1:11 Charge Anxiety
2:36 No Power Adapter Access in your parking spot
4:15 Long time to repair your car
5:50 Inconsistent Charging Percentage to to keep your battery healthy
8:30 No Spare Tire
10:16 You Can't Modify or Tune up Your Tesla as part of the Racing Car Culture
12:29 No Apple Car Play or Android Auto
13:42 Limited Streaming Service
14:55 Having to Pay $10 per month for Tesla Internet
16:41 Expensive

[davidwang]

Also I’ve watched tons of videos about Tesla to come to what I hope is an objective purchasing decision. I want to hear about the good and the bad but most Tesla owners are fanatics who only sing praises. yours is the first to mention the monthly internet fee and how it doesn’t come with a spare tire. I never knew those things. I think i agree with you that it’s still well worth it but it’s good to get the whole picture.

[marionascimento]

I really appreciated this video, thank you! Trying to find out if I should get a Tesla and this helped.
On another note, batteries are quite well understood in physics. Of course, if you use less battery overall (if you're not plugging phones you're using less battery, etc) the health will not decrease as fast, giving the illusion it is improving. Any kind of usage will contribute to reduce the life-span of a Lithium Ion battery.
These batteries, at their core, operate by semi-reversible redox reactions. During charging we are promoting the oxidation reaction Li2X > LiX + Li+ + e- and then using the ion and electron, the reduction reaction: Li+ + e- > Li. This replenishes the Li present in the battery. When discharging, the promoted reaction is the oxidation: Li > Li+ + e- and then the reduction: LiX + Li+ + e- > Li2X.

So, no new material is being put into the battery when charging/discharging, the battery already contains a finite amount of particles that will last seemingly forever. You might ask, what makes it go one way during charge and another during discharge. Well, when you supply an electric circuit, the electrochemical potential changes, and this is what mediates which redox reaction happens. When it stops charging and no electrical load is being supplied, the other redox happens. These seem completely reversible reactions, and they are. The problem is that loss of the electrolytes is not avoidable by forming an SEI, high temperatures, high/low voltages, particle impact deterioration, the cathode and anode deteriorating over time and being able to hold less, etc. This happens even when the battery isn't being used but at a much lower rate. The more you use the battery (higher/lower voltages, temperatures) the more stress you're placing and these reactions which promote deterioration of the battery happen at a higher rate. The problem is maintaining a decent level of battery usage and prolonging its lifespan. Batteries are often accompanied by battery managing systems that try to keep it in a range between 20%-80% or whatever is most optimal for that battery and maybe warn you or display voltage. Btw: Temperature is by far the most impacting thing, keep it within a safe temperature!

So, to conclude, it makes perfect sense that if you put less strain on it, by keeping it not too low but now too high percentage levels and using less items at a time, and using less battery overall, then it will last longer. The answer provided by Tesla is likely due to the fact that there is virtually no difference between keeping your battery at 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%. The system should be optimized for these ranges. Lower percentages are just generally not recommended because it's generally better for QoL to have higher percentages of battery. So, anywhere between these ranges is fine to keep your Tesla, and to be fair even lower ones as long as you don't get too low. It's safer to keep it in the range they claim because we don't know :D

Edited: Formatting and addition of temperature tip. Added first line. Added last line.

I really couldn't stop laughing after you said "maybe some of you sleep in a Tesla car". I was thinking for the price of a model S, you could buy an okay apartment, why not just buy the Tesla and live there? :D

[gmb]

The argument behind why people don't want Teslas are built behind this premise that no one's time can be wasted. Over time, I've just learned that people have shitty time management. I LOVE my Tesla and even use the time I spend at a supercharger as down time, a pause in my daily schedule to catch up with friends and family. Ironically, it has made my life better lol!

[davidwang]

Great video. I know what you mean by growing up frugal and thinking about even $10 a month. We are taught that small amounts add up over time. Plus it’s the feeling that Teslas are already expensive to begin with and the $10/mo is a perpetual payment that never ends until you get rid of the car!

[hazelgiles]

Great points! I just ordered a Tesla 4 days ago, no regrets! I’m sick and tired spending $90 to fill my BMW a week even though I cut my commute more than half.

[liminyao]

I own both model Y and Prius, and here are my real world numbers. In my recent trip from San Francisco to Davis California, I added 113 miles with SuperCharge that costed me around $19.00. With Prius, it would consume (113miles / 57mpg) 1.98 Gal of gas. The current gas price in California is about $4.5/gal. So the cost of Prius for 113 miles would be ($4.5/ gal x 1.98gal) $8.90. Tesla advertised “potential saving” is actually twice expensive than a gas car on a road trip.

[sophiathemighty]

Great video! I own a Model 3, and Tesla Service treated me like a vagrant after my warranty expired. Took my car in to my Portland, OR service center for a recall repair, and they gave me an old Model S loaner with dog hair and mud all over the interior. It was disgusting. They wouldn't clean it and claimed they didn't have any other cars. Uber Credits weren't going to cut it for my weekend driving needs.

The app informed me to pick up my car on a Saturday after their Service Center had closed. I had to knock on windows to get a tech to open up and address the broken plastic clips that I found in my car and the rattling noises. The techs were loudly banging on my car to dislodge loose plastic! No way that didn't cause other issues. After an hour, they didn't fix it and just returned the car to me, no apologies.

My suspension also started to make horrible squeaking sounds during turns and going over bumps.

I complained when they were open a few days later. Told by the rep that their techs didn't owe me an apology, the banging was following their procedure, and the suspension noise is normal. $200 extra if I want my car looked at! $497 to replace upper control arms that probably are causing the noise!

My car only has 35K miles! I hate to say it, but Tesla Service is worse than my previous gas cars' stealerships.

[texasmade]

That’s about what it takes to fill up my 2020 Kia Forte. Between 35 and 40 bucks. My range is 426 miles! I average 40 mpg. It’s gonna be hard to pull away from those numbers. I still think charging should be free as long as your at a Tesla charge station with your Tesla.

[drdave]

1. There is no charge anxiety with Tesla as you’ve pointed out. Tesla has done an exemplary job. Unlike all other companies. I’ve never waited for an available charger. Ever. In 3 1/2 years. Always a great experience. Across the Midwest and traveling to NY, never had to wait.
2. Even for people at apartments, superchargers are plentiful near or at work. My brother in law has free charging at his work. Becoming more common all the time.
3. Repairs? What repairs? EV motors are heavy duty and can last millions of miles. Tesla owners doing ride sharing are hitting a million miles on original batteries. 90%+ of any ‘recalls’ or repairs are handled with over the air updates. Aka zero time and inconvenience to even need to see a dealer. Life is good.
5. I charge to 80 to 90% regularly. No anxiety. All good. Don’t worry be happy. At 45K Miles and 3 1/2 years battery still charges to 94%.
6. Yep. We face a penalty for wind, for high speed, for cold weather. But as a human I need to stop every couple hundred miles anyhow.
6. Lots of cars come with no spare tires now, or space savers which aren’t even worth putting on. Who cares. We mostly run on run flat tires. If you are risk adverse throw a spare in your trunk as you point out.
7. No need to modify a car which is always continually getting better with each over the air update. Tesla modifies it for you. Mine is better faster and smarter than when new. Tesla model 3 performance was 0 to 60 MPH in 3.21 seconds when brand new. Now it’s closer to 3.03 seconds. It’s amazing. Don’t try to modify it unless you just wish to waste money my friend. Let Tesla do it for you.
8. Teslas music and entertainment systems are fantastic. It’s inexpensive. I am an apple fan too. Fireplace is awesome. And I agree with you it’s as close to perfect a car as one can reasonably expect.

Glad we are both fans. All the best to you. Tesla model 3 is truly a remarkable car.

[kenneths.perlman]

I’ve had mine for four years. Love it.

[omarruiz]

I’ll gladly pay the 35 bucks to fully charge. Compared to the 70 bucks right now that I’m putting for a full tank.

[huynguyentoantin]

Glad you are an honest owner unlike many extreme proEV on youtube. There are still many problems to be addressed for EVs

[golfrick]

Another point that applies to all-electric cars. In my area, we can get big swings in the temperature so this could affect battery life.

[joentl]

If you live in an apartment, you could use supercharging, 20 minutes gives you 60 to 80 percent battery, more than enough to get you through a couple of days or more. Charge your battery once a week to 100%. Buy a spear tire if that is a concern. The car is very low maintenance to no maintenance at all and if you are handy, you could fix it yourself, it is very easy. Any body shop could repair Teslas if it is not structural damage, but things are improving. Teslas are cheaper now and you could get a basic model 3 for 39k and the gov. incentive will put the car in the lower 30k. If you want a cheaper model buy a used car with a guarantee or even without it, these cars are very reliable and save you a lot of money. The internet connection is optional, you could use your phone hotspot instead.

[waynebrown]

Very honest video. After waiting for 10 months I took delivery of my Model Y on Father’s Day and I love driving it . Very expensive car but Tesla seems to be nickel and dimming as of late.

[jaymoore]

Wow, I wouldn’t describe Carrie’s accident as “fender bender.” Tell that girl not to be parking on a crash test track. Those places are hella dangerous!

[hommyrodriguez]

I had an 800 dollar a month truck and I was paying an additional 500 dollar a month for gas at this point. Gladly traded my truck in when gas got out of control and yes my payment is higher but I'm saving hundreds of dollars between me and my wife on gas savings a month.

[MidWesti]

you deserve more subscribers bro. You think and speak the way i do. This was a great video. Im in the Denver metro and am debating a M3 long range or performance. luckily my apt complex has parking garage with chargers included for free.

[Cruor]

1) On changing, I agree IF you drive long range a lot, but I drive 13 miles to work, 13 back. I can go on sport mode all the time no issue. 2) My apartment has charging stations. Since 2016ish I have never seen an apartment complex without one. Arkansas even had one when I lived there. 3) LOL on repair. My F150s engine broke, it was in the shop for like a month. Repair times suck all round. 4) Yes the battery thing is annoying.... but eh, I don't travel far, again if you do, yeah maybe stay gas. 5) No spare tire? Oh well. I've never had a catastrophic flat tire. I have ran over a nail twice, both in my F150. It alerts me I was losing pressure, I pulled into a service station and they patched it and gave it air. To need a spare because you can't make it a few miles to a station you need to annihilate that tire. I have never needed a spare in my life and I'm low 40s. 6) You don't want to modify your car, unless you are a mechanic, lol. I got a dealer installed supercharger on my F150 and the engine blew up TWICE in 6 years. I will never modify again, Ill just buy a fast car factory spec. It was super fun dusting sports cars with a truck though. 7) No apple or I don't care. Im focused on driving, I am a speeder and hyper aggressive driver, all my focus is on the road, not music, phone calls or anything else. 8) My Tesla Model 3 Performance cost 51k before taxes. Tesla prices go up and down like a roller coaster. 51k is a steal for a 3.2 second to 60 car.

I 100% agree with the end. I WANTED a high end BMW M class, AMG Merc, or a Tesla Model S Plaid but I can't afford it, so 3 Performance it is. Maybe some day I'll make more money, but as it stands Im doing better than most Americans and better than 97% of humanity so what can you do.

[PhazonBlaxor]

Good points! However as for the charging precentage, there is one expection: the LFP Model 3 can and should be charged to 100% and it lasts ~5 times more cycles than standard li-ion batteries. It's a game changer for the longetivity of EV's, I wish more cars start to use those types of batteries.