The TRUE Cost of Owning a Tesla Model 3 or Y

The TRUE Cost of Owning a Tesla Model 3 or Y might surprise you! Check out our calculators and models for what buying a Tesla will truly cost you long term. Enter for your chance to win a Tesla Model 3 Performance & Help an amazing Cause!

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[TwoBitDaVinci]

Enter for your chance to win a Tesla Model 3 Performance & Help an amazing Cause!

[scottz]

Ricky on brakes you are in a warm climate. I live in Central NJ and have had my 3 since 2018. When it is cold and you did't preheat your EV the regen is very low so you do use your brakes more in the colder climates. That being said I still think you can leave the brakes at 0 for EVs. I owned a Prius for 107, 000 miles and never changed the brakes pads.

[anydaynow]

Picking up a second hand Bolt or gen 2 Volt is probably the best way to go if you're shopping on a budget, the batteries have proven to last well past 200k km without loosing range and they can be picked up for way less (like almost a 50% savings from new with low miles) because they don't have a fancy car maker badge.

[mhfs]

I live in the Netherlands where it rains a lot. I use my brakes of my TM3P now and then to get the rust off of the brake disks.

[florenciovela]

I've ordered the tri motor fsd cybertruck & may add the S dual motor as well ..been in tsla stock for over 5 years..

[erickessler]

Ricky,
Another extraordinary review, thank you.
My 2nd reason for commenting is to plead with you to PLEASE occasionally STOP FAST enough to make certain you are actually using the brakes, even if it's only once each week. Please for you and your family's sake keep them "exercised" ... this will ensure the metallic rotors and semi-metalic brake pads are mating effectively. Additionally there are sliding and mating surfaces that need to slide across each other to remain in safest working order. San Diego has lots of Marine Layer moisture and salt in the air and that adds to the urgency of taking at least once a week some stronger braking excursions (perhaps when you're driving alone sporting through the hills)!
God bless you and your family. Cheers
Eric

[bradwww]

please do a brief video summarizing total cost of ownership for 5 years - closed end - buy and then sell total cost of ownership of the Model 3 and the Honda Accord or similar please - i'm trying to promote the concept that tesla is the cheapest car you can own (not buy - own) - thanks!

[brianjohnson]

Will the new Tesla cars made with the 4680 battery cells have the option to install a new battery pack? I've heard the "battery pack" in those cars will be integrated permanently into the car body. Is what I've heard correct?

[wuikhoon]

thanks for this - very useful! however, one thought - not everyone buys a brand new car esp for non EV - buy demo/1 year old. the depreciation on these cars as you mentioned is very steep. all of a sudden a slightly new car depreciation is much less of a concern vs the Tesla. but true, it is not new for new comparison but it is how a lot of car buyers think

[gilbertf]

I liked the video, but the maintenance cost calculations for the ICE cars was badly done. The automakers make schedules for regular maintenance (usually by numbered packages like 1-2-3 or I - II for BMW) and those packages have known MSRP's and intervals. Brakes and tires are to be added over that, but those 4000$ "misc charges" are pretty much cheating, which is not needed for the EVs to win. I do no wrenching myself and the only time I accumulated that much in bills over a single year was when I had rust repairs or body damage.

[Narcissist]

Not needing to change the brakes doesn't mean it doesn't need to be serviced annually. Because you don't use the brakes it can be rusted and fused, especially if you are in a road salt area. That's why Tesla recommends brake servicing every year anyways. You're not replacing the brake pads, but you're still buffing and lubricating the brakes.

$5000 only for a battery swap is very generous.

The tire change mileage could be less as well, as EVs are heavier so is harder on your tires than an ICE car. Also if you drive a Tesla, you have a good chance of enjoying that awesome acceleration frequently - also harder on tires and demanding more frequent tire changes.

[jetrow]

Good video and very factual and not too biased. Having said that. I owed a honda civic with 300, 000kms (In fact my son is still driving it) I never replaced any items listed above Also Civics have a chain not a belt. There is no comparison between my civic and a model 3. However I only need basic transportation so the 3 is over kill. Financing costs are not included so in my case a new civic would be $20, 000 less in price. Meaning if I had the cash it would be better to invest the difference or if I financed the civic would still cost much less. The model 3 is MUCH better than a luxury ice car. But too expensive for most people for the operating costs to make a difference. Right now used tesla's are at a premium because there are very few available. Soon the newer tesla versions will be coming out cheaper with faster charging and longer range making the older models less attractive than buying new. EV's are the future.. just not quite there yet. (NOTE: I have a deposit on a cybertruck)

[clevo]

A couple considerations: insurance (tesla's are safer but this is not offset by the repair costs. ie aftermarket an OEM part cost significantly more) and $2.50 may not be enough for the vehicles requiring premium fuel.

[alexgayer]

2018 Performance 3’s got hit hard in depreciation, in my opinion.

[Eric-xpkl]

Good video. The only thing to note...as Tesla is moving away from "battery packs" to structural batteries you will not be able to replace them.

[dyau]

super helpful. thx for putting this together. it would also help to see a summary of total $incurred without the sale price, since not everyone is thinking of selling their cars.

[stevesupalla]

How about a comparison with rav 4 prime, rav 4 hybrid, prius prime? Great video but, they always are! Almost for got about the VW I D 4!***

[biovmr]

This type of comparison is why it's Game Over (long term) for ICE cars. Good video. Having said that, there is a HUGE market Tesla will not tap until they get the (all in) price under $30K. For example, I've always driven small cars costing under about $20K, and I am most definitely NOT alone. Many simply can't afford much more than, say, $20K - $25K for a vehicle, and others (I'm one) are able to buy more expensive cars, but don't, seeing it as a waste of money, even accounting for cheaper operating costs, because such buyers look for the most economical way to reliably meet their transportation needs, which is typically not in the $40K+ realm.

[darriontunstall]

Great video man! I love electric cars, I can’t wait to get my lucid, electric cars are better for your health

[loladiaz]

Most important factor for me is the safety devices in the vehicles. Do you have any comparison video on cars and their safety?