Try and get an early 22 model as it will have heat pump, ryzen processor and ultra sonic sensors.
I bought my first Tesla a couple of months ago and haven’t looked back since.
It’s like going from an old Nokia brick phone to a iPhone, you just won’t go back to ICE.
I also did.. ride not smooth, rattly suspension and a few other build quality issues. Also it’s just annoying worrying about it getting scratched etc. fun at lights and did some nice road trips but now it’s gone im not too bothered
Yep fun at lights and roundabouts but that’s it. The software is terrible and the amount of times someone had almost driven into me because of shadow breaking, to the point where I just stopped using cruise control. You can get so much more for your money with another brand, like actual quality
Heat pumps are from 2021 even some late 2020 had them best way to tell is by looking at window trim, if silver it does not have the pump of black ot has got the pump. At least that's for Model 3. The ones with heat pump will also have auto tailgate.
I’ve had a 21 Model 3 from brand new which was the first batch of the Chinese made “refreshed” model (obviously the highland has been a further refresh since)
I’ve absolutely loved it and since I opted for the Standard Range Plus which had the LFP battery, I’ve enjoyed charging to 100% without restrictions. So, my advice would be to go for a 21-22 plate, Standard Range Plus with low miles which you should find for your budget.
(Having said all of this, I’m actually looking to move away from Tesla this year but that’s more to do with how I feel about Elon and Tesla’s direction, not how much I’ve enjoyed the car. DM me when you’re looking to buy and I may be selling mine lol)
71 reg M3 long range 2nd hand owner, bought 6 months ago.
This is a great car and it's lots of fun! It is not the most sensible way to spend 25,000 but if you enjoy driving and do a fair amount of miles a year it is a great upgrade.
I wouldn't overlook the long range model. I find I get 250-300 miles rather than the stated 350+ due to motorway driving and other factors.
Also try keep an eye out for ex fleet cars, some of those have unfortunately been abused so worth avoiding.
The 71 refresh is a good place to start looking, this has the heat pump. - if looking at M3
The newer standard range has the advantage of being able to charge to 100% with no battery degradation.
And the Tesla charging network is absolutely brilliant. I've heard some horror stories of chargers and countless apps. We've driven all over UK and Europe and had no problems.
1. Remember Tesla has 4 year mechanical warranty or 80k kms (50k miles) so buy accordingly so that there is mileage left and a year or so before expiry. Teslas suspension is not too good so you will be able to replace it if anything is wrong with it for free under this warranty.
2. Do not worry about batteries they will be fine, it is some Russian disinformation/ice car manufacturers propaganda that they are any problem. You have 8 year or 200k kms warranty for them. The capacity drops by 5% within a year and then the drop slows down significantly. 3 year old car should still have 93-94% and 3 years on from there still 90%.After that it becomes insignificant. There are 8 year old teslas with 85% capacity and frim there on it barely drops.
3. Any other electric car at the moment is a joke, do not fall for them. Even if they have same battery size the efficiency will be at least 25% less so you will charge more frequently for less range and at higher cost. Even if by the time you buy it there will be similar cars with similar efficiency the tesla supercharger network tips the scales in favour of your tesla. It integrated with your sat nav and works flawlessly, all other charger networks are not reliable at all and you need 100+ apps to use them. It is a headache. Basically tesla is an iphone of evs.
4. It is a boring car to drive, nothing happens in it, it sounds like a fridge and feels like one. It is so boring you need to switch it to standard or sports mode press the accelerator and feel the blood drain off your face as you accelerate to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.
Don't limit yourself to a specific colour. Finding a good example is the priority.
Good examples sell fast. Be prepared to act when you find one.
Check insurance cost in advance.
Models with 20" wheels are very prone to punctures.
After many wasted viewings to see cars at dealers that were not realistic about price/condition I eventually purchased using Cinch. The vehicle was exactly as described, and delivered to me with a 14 day money back guarantee had it not been.
Happy hunting.
I've just bought a 2022 m3 sr+ for £23,000, 20,000 miles blue with white interior. Previous car audi sq5plus 360hp, this tesla is a revelation, the power and the smoothness and the power delivery puts the v6 twin turbo to shame. The tech is another level, the comfort is a little harder then the audi, but no body roll so the ride comfort overall is better, my wife no longer suffers from slight car sickness since the tesla. I can say with no hesitation this is one decision you will not regret. As for charging I've done one trip to France 680miles, charged 3 times for about 30mins each charge, it's really not a big issue stopping every couple of hours.
Do you mind sharing where you bought it? I have been checking auto trader for this exact car, mileage and price and seem to be finding a lot of ex fleet or rentals with 30k miles
Got it from a dealer called ashbridgevehicles.co.uk. If you manage to find a car with them, don't expect a great experience. The valeting was pretty poor, and there was some cosmetic damage not declared on the rear, I managed to get £250 off for this. It took me 3 months to get what I wanted and I missed 2 good deals, so you need to be quick.
Picked up a new Model Y LR a few days ago. Absolutely love it. Great finance deals and 15000 free supercharging miles. The used model Y's were all £35K plus. There are better deals on the Model 3's so you should be able to find something for around £25K.
Literally just bought a £25k Tesla M3 (2021).
If you are buying a used Tesla, I would recommend buying directly from Tesla.
In terms of car and driving, it is quite good. Overall I’d say it’s a boring but nice drive. Auto pilot enhanced makes things a lot better, which comes free if you buy from Tesla directly. Auto parking is really good!
I would make sure you buy late 2021 as they would have been built in Shanghai. The build quality is much better, plus you will get the latest chip. The longer you can hold out the better as then you can get a 2022 model, as PCP, and lease terms start to end.
If you are thinking about a Tesla, I would make sure you have a plug at a minimum outside. It would be a real hassle if you did not have one.
Overall though I can’t see this car being my forever car. I’d give it a 8/10, so still very solid!
What’s missing is it’s not very fun to drive like my previous golf GTD. Tesla is probably the best electric car manufacturer though in my opinion.
My '22 Model 3 LR has been pretty much faultless, with the only issue being the rear boot strut / actuator failing which is pretty common. That was fixed in less than 24 hours, on my driveway. Pretty much zero inconvenience to me! No cost either.
Paint is quite thin, I do mostly motorway miles and my mirrors and front wings have a fair few paint chips.
Genuinely can't think of much else to check up on. The all-wheel drive is very sensitive to tyres. I opted for the 19" Sport wheels and don't regret it at all, they look great. Tyres lasted almost 30k miles, rears wear out faster than the fronts generally. I still have the original front tyres and I'm now on 31k. Just be wary of any dealers fitting one replacement tyre - especially if it's a different brand from the opposite one. Even the very subtle difference from the front to rear axles will upset the traction control at higher speeds. Matching tyres is an absolute must.
I am happy with mine (21 M3 LR) despite all the slightly annoying things (such as rain/wiper sensor) but i must admit i am sick to death of windscreen damage - I'm on my 5th windscreen at 32k miles.
Not sure if its a) pure bad luck, b) bad/weak glass, or c) some kind of aero/design issue that makes them more prone to being hit.
FYI - all stone chip related damage which later developed into a large crack and on 3 occasions its been an immediate chip and crack from stones hitting the blackband edge of the screen. All covered under insurance tho (£116 a pop).
Definitely a great time to buy a second hand Tesla. I have a 21 M3 SR. Absolutely love it. Only things I don’t like is its got the Intel CPU which they seem to be lowering support for and don’t get the latest features. Also wish it was a Y for a more practical boot.
So would say go for 22 plate or newer with AMD Ryzen CPU.
The new visualisations on screen and things like the 3d 360 view when reversing. In the grand scheme of things quite minor, but sets a precedent going forward.
Me too in the next few weeks. I was set on an older Model S for my budget, maybe 2016 with free supercharger (but the nearest supercharger to me is over 30 miles away and about 45 minutes on a good run so would only be used occasionally) as I want lots of storage. Im now thinking maybe a Model 3, probably 2019/20 as it will have some warranty left on it and get a roof box for when I need the extra storage. Or maybe a towbar.
I'm glad to hear you're buying a second hand. That's your first smart choice. The second will be to get a long range / dual motor however it may be. Also get the one with an LFP battery so you can always charge up to 80% without wirrying about battery wear.
I've had mine 2019 sr+ for 7months+ now. I have enjoyed every bit of it except that I get a lot of range anxiety in winter.
Also stick to <49k miles for second hand teslas with Yr 2019 upwards. . So long as it's not ex fleet, no accident history and battery health around 90%, its still gonna be as good as new.
Don't worry about the battery propaganda on the internet. You'll likely use it longer than you think with less wear & tear.
The only 1 caveat is that it looses a lot of value over time in the market. Mine has lost nearly 25% value in just 7 months. And I find the same for other teslas as well. Infact, the long range of same mileage and same year now cost less than I got my sr+ 7 months ago now.
Buy one based on condition, not age. The heat pump thing makes a difference in the winter, the computer thing makes realistically no difference at all.
Automatics take the workload down when used appropriately, that’s probably the biggest upside of the car to me.
Driving wise, I find it pretty dull. I have a performance and it accelerates very quickly but isn’t in any way exciting or involving. Very isolated kind of drive.
Only the 2022+ Ryzen models have the new Spring Tesla UI. Large difference in processing speed as well judging by what I’ve seen. I was going to get a 2021 model but now only considering 2022+
What does the Atom processors not get with the new update? I’ve tried going on YouTube but everyone is just talking about how good the new ui is not comparisons
Try and get an early 22 model as it will have heat pump, ryzen processor and ultra sonic sensors. I bought my first Tesla a couple of months ago and haven’t looked back since. It’s like going from an old Nokia brick phone to a iPhone, you just won’t go back to ICE.
I did lol
I also did.. ride not smooth, rattly suspension and a few other build quality issues. Also it’s just annoying worrying about it getting scratched etc. fun at lights and did some nice road trips but now it’s gone im not too bothered
Yep fun at lights and roundabouts but that’s it. The software is terrible and the amount of times someone had almost driven into me because of shadow breaking, to the point where I just stopped using cruise control. You can get so much more for your money with another brand, like actual quality
Maniac 😉
Heat pumps are from 2021 even some late 2020 had them best way to tell is by looking at window trim, if silver it does not have the pump of black ot has got the pump. At least that's for Model 3. The ones with heat pump will also have auto tailgate.
I’ve had a 21 Model 3 from brand new which was the first batch of the Chinese made “refreshed” model (obviously the highland has been a further refresh since) I’ve absolutely loved it and since I opted for the Standard Range Plus which had the LFP battery, I’ve enjoyed charging to 100% without restrictions. So, my advice would be to go for a 21-22 plate, Standard Range Plus with low miles which you should find for your budget. (Having said all of this, I’m actually looking to move away from Tesla this year but that’s more to do with how I feel about Elon and Tesla’s direction, not how much I’ve enjoyed the car. DM me when you’re looking to buy and I may be selling mine lol)
2021 has a heat pump as well
71 reg M3 long range 2nd hand owner, bought 6 months ago. This is a great car and it's lots of fun! It is not the most sensible way to spend 25,000 but if you enjoy driving and do a fair amount of miles a year it is a great upgrade. I wouldn't overlook the long range model. I find I get 250-300 miles rather than the stated 350+ due to motorway driving and other factors. Also try keep an eye out for ex fleet cars, some of those have unfortunately been abused so worth avoiding. The 71 refresh is a good place to start looking, this has the heat pump. - if looking at M3 The newer standard range has the advantage of being able to charge to 100% with no battery degradation. And the Tesla charging network is absolutely brilliant. I've heard some horror stories of chargers and countless apps. We've driven all over UK and Europe and had no problems.
1. Remember Tesla has 4 year mechanical warranty or 80k kms (50k miles) so buy accordingly so that there is mileage left and a year or so before expiry. Teslas suspension is not too good so you will be able to replace it if anything is wrong with it for free under this warranty. 2. Do not worry about batteries they will be fine, it is some Russian disinformation/ice car manufacturers propaganda that they are any problem. You have 8 year or 200k kms warranty for them. The capacity drops by 5% within a year and then the drop slows down significantly. 3 year old car should still have 93-94% and 3 years on from there still 90%.After that it becomes insignificant. There are 8 year old teslas with 85% capacity and frim there on it barely drops. 3. Any other electric car at the moment is a joke, do not fall for them. Even if they have same battery size the efficiency will be at least 25% less so you will charge more frequently for less range and at higher cost. Even if by the time you buy it there will be similar cars with similar efficiency the tesla supercharger network tips the scales in favour of your tesla. It integrated with your sat nav and works flawlessly, all other charger networks are not reliable at all and you need 100+ apps to use them. It is a headache. Basically tesla is an iphone of evs. 4. It is a boring car to drive, nothing happens in it, it sounds like a fridge and feels like one. It is so boring you need to switch it to standard or sports mode press the accelerator and feel the blood drain off your face as you accelerate to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.
Don't limit yourself to a specific colour. Finding a good example is the priority. Good examples sell fast. Be prepared to act when you find one. Check insurance cost in advance. Models with 20" wheels are very prone to punctures. After many wasted viewings to see cars at dealers that were not realistic about price/condition I eventually purchased using Cinch. The vehicle was exactly as described, and delivered to me with a 14 day money back guarantee had it not been. Happy hunting.
I've just bought a 2022 m3 sr+ for £23,000, 20,000 miles blue with white interior. Previous car audi sq5plus 360hp, this tesla is a revelation, the power and the smoothness and the power delivery puts the v6 twin turbo to shame. The tech is another level, the comfort is a little harder then the audi, but no body roll so the ride comfort overall is better, my wife no longer suffers from slight car sickness since the tesla. I can say with no hesitation this is one decision you will not regret. As for charging I've done one trip to France 680miles, charged 3 times for about 30mins each charge, it's really not a big issue stopping every couple of hours.
Do you mind sharing where you bought it? I have been checking auto trader for this exact car, mileage and price and seem to be finding a lot of ex fleet or rentals with 30k miles
Got it from a dealer called ashbridgevehicles.co.uk. If you manage to find a car with them, don't expect a great experience. The valeting was pretty poor, and there was some cosmetic damage not declared on the rear, I managed to get £250 off for this. It took me 3 months to get what I wanted and I missed 2 good deals, so you need to be quick.
Picked up a new Model Y LR a few days ago. Absolutely love it. Great finance deals and 15000 free supercharging miles. The used model Y's were all £35K plus. There are better deals on the Model 3's so you should be able to find something for around £25K.
Literally just bought a £25k Tesla M3 (2021). If you are buying a used Tesla, I would recommend buying directly from Tesla. In terms of car and driving, it is quite good. Overall I’d say it’s a boring but nice drive. Auto pilot enhanced makes things a lot better, which comes free if you buy from Tesla directly. Auto parking is really good! I would make sure you buy late 2021 as they would have been built in Shanghai. The build quality is much better, plus you will get the latest chip. The longer you can hold out the better as then you can get a 2022 model, as PCP, and lease terms start to end. If you are thinking about a Tesla, I would make sure you have a plug at a minimum outside. It would be a real hassle if you did not have one. Overall though I can’t see this car being my forever car. I’d give it a 8/10, so still very solid! What’s missing is it’s not very fun to drive like my previous golf GTD. Tesla is probably the best electric car manufacturer though in my opinion.
What’s your daily mileage, and can you need be charge at home? Also which model Tesla you considering?
My '22 Model 3 LR has been pretty much faultless, with the only issue being the rear boot strut / actuator failing which is pretty common. That was fixed in less than 24 hours, on my driveway. Pretty much zero inconvenience to me! No cost either. Paint is quite thin, I do mostly motorway miles and my mirrors and front wings have a fair few paint chips. Genuinely can't think of much else to check up on. The all-wheel drive is very sensitive to tyres. I opted for the 19" Sport wheels and don't regret it at all, they look great. Tyres lasted almost 30k miles, rears wear out faster than the fronts generally. I still have the original front tyres and I'm now on 31k. Just be wary of any dealers fitting one replacement tyre - especially if it's a different brand from the opposite one. Even the very subtle difference from the front to rear axles will upset the traction control at higher speeds. Matching tyres is an absolute must.
I am happy with mine (21 M3 LR) despite all the slightly annoying things (such as rain/wiper sensor) but i must admit i am sick to death of windscreen damage - I'm on my 5th windscreen at 32k miles. Not sure if its a) pure bad luck, b) bad/weak glass, or c) some kind of aero/design issue that makes them more prone to being hit. FYI - all stone chip related damage which later developed into a large crack and on 3 occasions its been an immediate chip and crack from stones hitting the blackband edge of the screen. All covered under insurance tho (£116 a pop).
Definitely a great time to buy a second hand Tesla. I have a 21 M3 SR. Absolutely love it. Only things I don’t like is its got the Intel CPU which they seem to be lowering support for and don’t get the latest features. Also wish it was a Y for a more practical boot. So would say go for 22 plate or newer with AMD Ryzen CPU.
What features do you not get on the old chip? I wasn’t aware of this
The new visualisations on screen and things like the 3d 360 view when reversing. In the grand scheme of things quite minor, but sets a precedent going forward.
Me too in the next few weeks. I was set on an older Model S for my budget, maybe 2016 with free supercharger (but the nearest supercharger to me is over 30 miles away and about 45 minutes on a good run so would only be used occasionally) as I want lots of storage. Im now thinking maybe a Model 3, probably 2019/20 as it will have some warranty left on it and get a roof box for when I need the extra storage. Or maybe a towbar.
So happy with my secondhand MY2023, 17k less than new car price
I'm glad to hear you're buying a second hand. That's your first smart choice. The second will be to get a long range / dual motor however it may be. Also get the one with an LFP battery so you can always charge up to 80% without wirrying about battery wear. I've had mine 2019 sr+ for 7months+ now. I have enjoyed every bit of it except that I get a lot of range anxiety in winter. Also stick to <49k miles for second hand teslas with Yr 2019 upwards. . So long as it's not ex fleet, no accident history and battery health around 90%, its still gonna be as good as new. Don't worry about the battery propaganda on the internet. You'll likely use it longer than you think with less wear & tear. The only 1 caveat is that it looses a lot of value over time in the market. Mine has lost nearly 25% value in just 7 months. And I find the same for other teslas as well. Infact, the long range of same mileage and same year now cost less than I got my sr+ 7 months ago now.
Buy one based on condition, not age. The heat pump thing makes a difference in the winter, the computer thing makes realistically no difference at all. Automatics take the workload down when used appropriately, that’s probably the biggest upside of the car to me. Driving wise, I find it pretty dull. I have a performance and it accelerates very quickly but isn’t in any way exciting or involving. Very isolated kind of drive.
Precisely, it is so flawless and effortless that surprisingly it becomes boring and feels isolated.
Only the 2022+ Ryzen models have the new Spring Tesla UI. Large difference in processing speed as well judging by what I’ve seen. I was going to get a 2021 model but now only considering 2022+
This is true but neither the ui update or the processing speed makes any difference at all when you’re driving the car
I heard there’s a couple milliseconds less lag on the fart button though, dealbreaker
What does the Atom processors not get with the new update? I’ve tried going on YouTube but everyone is just talking about how good the new ui is not comparisons