So, you finally made the choice to join the world of Tesla. Awesome! But there are some important things to consider before clicking to confirm your order. This article particularly focuses on buying a pre-owned Tesla with the assumption that it is your first Tesla. A used Tesla is a great alternative if you can’t afford a brand spanking new one.
Select by range not model year
First off, the difference in year models is really about changes in the trimmings and updating of features. So, don’t worry too much if you’re buying a 2019 model and the 2020 model is already out. You will want to look at the range that you're going to need. Having a sufficient range to meet your needs is the single most important thing when buying an EV. Going for the longest range is a sure bet and you will never get caught out.
If you're looking back at older models, like Model S or Model X, you'll see some with miles just over 200. So consider the trips that you drive regularly but exclude the longer road trips initially, it’s the day to day traveling that matters most. Typically, a car with around a 250 miles range is ideal.
Warranties are important
Next, with a used Tesla, is the warranty. New cars usually get a 4-year bumper warranty that covers anything that goes wrong. And then an 8-year / 100,000 mile battery warranty in case any problems arise with the battery. Depending on how old the car is that you're looking at, you're likely going to find them with some kind of warranty left. If you purchase directly from Tesla, you'll get an additional 2-year warranty. So, what would go wrong?
On average, it’s just minimal issues that one may need to deal with. And with a warranty in hand, their mobile tech support is efficient with costs covered (this all depends on the warranty you get with the pre-owned vehicle and if the damage is a factory fault or your fault!). But generally, you can expect great service from Tesla. So, a point to note is ensuring you get some type of warranty.
Buy direct from Tesla
Then it is highly recommended to buy from Tesla directly. It just gives you a peace of mind, you get the warranty, and you have a fallback if anything seriously goes wrong. This is not a guarantee when buying from a private owner, regardless of how trustworthy they may appear.
Maintenance and features
When it comes to maintenance and driving, be prepared to replace tires around 25,000 or so miles depending on which ones you get. Electric cars have a lot of torque and this puts the tires through a lot of work. And then there’s the Driver Assist Technology. If you're unfamiliar with Autopilot, basically, it will be a cool, new feature for you to get used to. It helps keep you in your lane and it will automatically speed up and slow down with traffic kind of driving itself. Tesla has released several versions of Autopilot going all the way back to the first version in 2014, which did the basic things, but it keeps improving and it’s pretty much like an advanced cruise control. Tesla's ambitions have grown in this sphere to include additional cameras and updated processors that they said would one day enable the car to drive entirely on its own. But that’s in the future!
Finally, some of the older models come with free unlimited super charging for life. That means that you'll never have to pay to charge at a supercharger, whether you're on a road trip, or whether you're just charging in town. And another good one that some of these older models have a free premium connectivity, which gives you things like built in music streaming navigation and live traffic visualizations. Whereas the newer cars, you actually have to pay $10 a month for all that access.
So with all that knowledge at your disposal, you're ready to go shopping, and whichever option you pick, you will be happy…without a doubt. Actually, it will completely blow you away.
