My Tesla Model 3 Has Over 120,000 Miles!

[@rogershark9223]

Frugal Tesla Guy - Doesn't sell perfectly working car. Color me surprised lol

[@stephenmiller6690]

Boy do i agree with you about range. I regularly drive 175 miles from western to eastern Oregon. And then 175 miles back. I can easily make the entire trip one way but i often stop to charge. Use the bathroom, get or eat a snack, walk a bit. Add in FSD and what used to be a 3.5 hour slog has become a relaxed pleasure. For sure an hour to an hour and a half and i am ready to get out of the car.

[@woodmanrog]

I just traded my 2020 M3 LR with FSD for the Highland. Here is why. 1. Out of warrantee, labor costs for repairs are ridiculous. It cost over 400 dollars to replace a 59 dollar pedestrian warning speaker. 2. I was able to transfer my FSD to the new car. (8K value I paid 6500 for) The Highland is by far a much finer car than the original Model 3. Better ride, much quieter and all the internal refinements and a new warrantee. With my trade in, I paid 22K out of pocket for a brand-new model 3. My last reason for the trade up is that I am 81 years old, and I WANTED IT!!!!! I know, even with all of your add-ons, you won't be happy with trade in value but, if you have any out-of-pocket repair expense------------? I really appreciate your honest videos. Thanks

[@RayNLA]

Good for you sir! Enjoy your new ride

[@billybobbob3003]

my 2014 honda crv lx alabaster silver the interior still looks brand new with 154,000 miles on it cloth seats no wear at all. some small dings on it but thats it never had any issues with the car. still has its rated range 336 city and 474 miles highway range.

[@bohicajohnson7203]

I am so pleased to see you back.

[@teslasnek]

My wife's car also just hit 120,000 miles on it. Hasn't had a single issue yet! 😎

[@rogershark9223]

I'm at 152,000 and recently test drove the new model 3. There wasn't a big enough difference for me to go back to having a car payment. Granted it was way better / smoother / better looking but I would rather invest that money then put it into a depreciating asset. I've owned mine outright a year after I bought it.

[@ironqqq]

You should get FSD, this way it would be an appreciating asset 😮

[@RayNLA]

@@ironqqq Elon is that you?

[@rogershark9223]

@@ironqqq lol I already have it and I don't think it will ever be an appreciating asset

[@brandonaron8212]

Good for you! Keep that car as long as possible! It will be great to see how many miles you can rack up. Congrats on no car payment!

[@Letcher72]

It’s great to see you back. The car looks great and I don’t think that’s excessive degradation at all. I think it has many more miles left in it. 200,000 here you come.

[@stephencampbell9095]

Last year we added a model Y to transfer FSD from the 2018 model 3. We still have the 3 with 105K miles. Probably 80% done supercharging as we always enjoyed our road trips. I honestly can’t tell you what the battery capacity is now as it really doesn’t make a difference either for road tripping or around town. Superchargers are everywhere now so there is hardly a second thought about taking a drive and keeping up with traffic (usually 85mph). Early road trippers know what I’m talking about!

[@longmuskox4194]

Hand the car down to your son. You want him to be safe? Set the parental settings in the app until you know he can be trusted.

[@danielrivero8593]

My wife loves her 2022 Model 3 LR dual motor, it’s her daily and she enjoys it. I recently asked her if we should upgrade to the new model 3 and she absolutely not. We will drive this car until the battery pack falls out and then put another battery pack. She also stated that she will never go back to gasoline powered vehicles. We charge at home with the occasional supercharger. I am also think of getting rid of my 2006 Honda Ridgeline with 220k miles but not sure what to get.

[@RayNLA]

I think a Rivian T is in your future! 😉

[@MrVaderino]

still beats 90% of other cars on the road for most of objective/comparable parameters - keep it going! 👍 We are so happy with our 2019 M3 DM that we thought on buying another one! Then we realize that the new model is made in China...

[@ironqqq]

Dang... I'm glad i watched your vid. I realized i paid off my M3 Long Range same as yours but the bank never sent me the title!

[@PackFan-tv5pj]

Excellent video as always! I was a bit concerned as it had been 3+ weeks since last one. Your experience at 120,000+ miles gives me confidence that my Model 3 (2022 LR) will continue to perform for a long time (currently 30k miles). Curious how well your Evbase spoiler has held up over time. Any gaps or wear showing? I have one arriving in a couple of days and look forward to the install and sportier look.

[@RayNLA]

Ceramic coat it before installing it

[@UncBru1]

As always, great content and I really like your style of communicating. Thank you! Bruce in Aiken, South Carolina

[@teslatim78]

I have a 2019 I put on Turo. I got the car with 79xxx miles for $16k. It’s worth keeping Mike.

[@joshane2058]

I have the same car 2018 performance and extended distamcepaid off as well and mnot any money spent (Not much) I do not habe your milage but I'm keeping it!

[@MJB9559]

Nice video….keep the car 🙂👍

[@darrenorange2982]

You should cycle the battery to 100% a few times over 2 weeks. You'll likely get a lot more back sounds like your pack is out of balance to be 265 miles.

[@rogershark9223]

I spent a lot of time in the driver seat (even when not driving and my driver seat is super worn down) Its very shiny and I can see the heating coil outline on the seats. Instead of buying a new car I'm probably going to just replace all the worn parts on the inside. It'll cost about the same as 2 car payments.

[@JustinAZ]

To me the chrome delete depends on the paint color. For white like yours, black trim looks better, but I actually prefer the chrome on the gray and black.

[@0ooTheMAXXoo0]

Chromium is terrible for the environment which is a major reason why pretty much all car makers have been moving away from chrome parts.

[@Brad-sb1dk]

Great video! However, I wish you would have talked about your maintenance experience. Your ownership experience is very similar to my 2018 M3LRD. Most expensive car every owned but worth every cent. Been cross country round trip in mid-winter five times without an issue. Sixth cross country trip planned for this December, WA State to Ft. Myers, FL. for the third time. With 113K miles, my indicated range is about 270 miles, and Service Menu - Battery Health Test indicated 82%. It has been a great car and like you I will continue to drive it until it has a major accident/failure, or if I can enlist it into a Robotaxi fleet, at which time I'd buy a new one.

[@mandoxgames]

Thanks Mike for the video...glad to see the Model 3 is holding up.

[@epcalderhead]

Good PDR person can take that door dent out pretty easily.

[@rogershark9223]

My steering wheel is the same but after cleaning it properly it seemed to go back to normal and feels totally different in the hands

[@rogershark9223]

My 2018 model 3 RWD with 152k miles is still at 290 miles at 100%. I've gone on a ton of road trips too. I feel pretty lucky.

[@0ooTheMAXXoo0]

Tested to be same range or same KWh? The guess-o-meter is based on rated EPA range and should not change no matter how much degradation. Do you actually get that range? If you use Tesla's built in navigation, then it should give you a good estimate based on current information about car and the route.

[@rogershark9223]

@@0ooTheMAXXoo0 It's guess-o-meter, real world is much less

[@epcalderhead]

@@0ooTheMAXXoo0 "The guess-o-meter is based on rated EPA range and should not change no matter how much degradation." This is incorrect unless I misundertand you and my 4.37 value is the "EPA" number that does not change. The rated range shown on a 100% charge will drop as the battery degrades. New the LR RWD car was calculating the rated range as 4.37 miles per kWh available: 74.3 X 4.37 = 324.7 miles. If FTG is showing around 260 miles of range today his pack is probably reporting around 60 kWh of available energy. 60 x 4.37 = 262.2. There is also a buffer below zero that degrades. It starts at 3.5 kWh. The total energy of these packs was 77.8 kWh when new.

[@goldensun168]

Welcome back. Miss your video. I would say keep the car.

[@EV-Darryl]

Great video, keep up the good work.

[@scottbaker1991]

Maybe you talked about this and I missed it. Have you needed any maintenance / repairs? I know you had to rotate/change the tires, change the air filters, and maybe have some fluids changed out. Was that it?

[@chut78]

You will stay at Tesla 4 sure 😎

[@Muzeishen]

Great review! How did i you get the auto frunk?

[@rogershark9223]

No dents or other damage in mine yet *knocks on wood* I wrapped the entire car in PPF which I think it's worth it if you plan to keep the car for over 6 years

[@chezchezchezchez]

No it's not worth it.

[@kennethmoerscher6680]

I would do exactly what youre doing...keep the car. Its fantastic.

[@epcalderhead]

I have among the last of the Model 3 LR RWD drive cars made in 2019 when it returned briefly. Will probably never sell it either. Once my wife wears out her Bolt (she's at 85K) she can drive the 3 and we'll upgrade to another long-distance trip car. I bop around town in a Nissan Leaf. We only have 35K on our car but we've taken it on multiple 2-3,000 mile road trips. According to ScanMyTesla we're at 49% L3 charging due to road trips. My car also showed 325 miles when new. I don't like to drive more than 90 mins before stopping to charge for my health. I seldom charge more than 70% when road tripping and go down to ~30% which is also battery friendly. The rated range is fluctuating a bit depending on the SOC (I could use some BMS balancing charges) but around 303 miles.

[@hansraub8663]

The Nicest thing about Any Car is NO Payments ! Nice Video ! I'm looking forward to Refreshed model Y, hopefully by next Year I Will have enough money Saved to Buy one in CASH !

[@andrewvercillo7584]

The dent wizard can get that dent out for $100. Bumper ya gotta live with unless you find some chrome piece.

[@woodmanrog]

The bumper can be fixed with a little fiberglas knowledge and paint. Not difficult.

[@seantiz]

Agreed. It’s an affordable solution and many will come to your home for the work.

[@zmarko]

17:57 I tow a small utility trailer with my 2019 Model 3. It tows more confidently than my Acura MDX. Its absurd that the Model 3 isnt "cleared" to tow things here in the US. My mom used to tow a 1200 lb pop-up camper with an 80hp 1977 Ford Fiesta with brakes the size of a 50 cent piece and did it great for 7 years and over 144k miles. The Model 3 tows great, just gets about 50% range, so plan for that.

[@retiredat60.5]

Nice video! My 2018 LR RWD has a little over half the mileage yours has...and yes, I have the shiny steering wheel. I really noticed it yesterday when I test drove a new Performance Model 3. I really, really like it and may pull the trigger soon. But as you mentioned, I kind of like the idea of having a truck. The new Chevy Silverado is very cool, but not cheap. I have been wrestling with the idea of upgrading to the AWD or Performance model for quite some time now, so I envy you having come to a decision to keep your car.

[@kirklyncox]

2020 Model 3 DM LR… I’m at 4.75 years, 94k. Down 13%. I, too, do not notice the loss of range. Still road trip without worry with Tesla’s charging network. A perfect daily driver. No major issues. Happy with my decision.

[@chipspaulding1371]

# Wow I can’t believe the similarities I’m not sure what year you said your car was, but mine is a 2018 bright red with chrome (which I love) long range all wheel drive. I live in the state of Maine so I know all about cold weather driving. I have approximately 108,000 miles on this car And it has performed flawlessly. I too have gone back-and-forth as to whether to get rid of the car, but I recently came to the decision that I will never sell this car as I can’t believe how sharp it looks and how much I love it. My daily driver is a 2023 model Y, which, after going through the same analysis as you’re going through with pick up truck, Decided to get a nice utility trailer and that would be my truck bed and if I ever do pull a camper, which I have, it comes in easily under the 3500 mile weight limit for the model Y. Having said all that, in the end, we decided to camp in our model Y and have turned that into a very enjoyable road trip camper end of itself(including two small dogs). I did take a vantage of transferring FSD from my red card to my model Y, 2023, because I too did not want to give up the advantage that I had only paid $3000 to get that originally. All in all, you are absolutely smart, and your analysis is spot on and mirrors my own experience of road trips, mileage, durability, and love for Tesla. I have come to the conclusion having driven the Rivian and the F150 and other vehicles that nothing comes close to the overall technological lead. The Tesla has I have driven nothing but Teslas since 2018 and will never go back :-)

[@dyhppyx]

I have 212,000 miles. Your car has a long life ahead. My battery also does 265 miles. Interesting. I just drove from California to Utah and back and completely agree with your roadtripping assessment. It works just fine. I think the car would have to go 400 miles for it be make a noticeable difference.

[@dhui777]

My 2018 Model 3 has about 270 miles of range after 120k miles. It’s similar level of degradation. I don’t believe the “average” is 15% degradation after 200k. I supercharged less than 10 times in 6 years.

[@golfish8589]

If the answer is "Yes" To should i sell it. Then i probably shouldn't buy it. :(

[@francoisdurocher4951]

I have followed you through the years. You were a key player in my buying a Model 3 two years ago…and like you, I am still love my car. Thank you🙏

[@ihackertoo]

It's wonderful to hear about your enthusiasm for the Model 3. Sharing firsthand experiences is invaluable for prospective owners. Long-term insights provide a practical perspective beyond initial impressions. May your journey with the Model 3 be filled with continued satisfaction and enjoyment. My goal is to keep my 2024 M3P with FSD on a long-term basis if I can avoid any temptation to upgrade on the future model s refresh.

[@cjdlv8909]

Great video (as all of yours are). Can you estimate of the 120, 000 miles how much (percent) was supercharged? Thank you.

[@wolverinemarky]

First Tesla KZbinr I found. Thank you for the journey. Made it my dream car hopefully one day soon

[@timz7548]

Similar thoughts on my 2019 Model 3 with 100k miles. It will go to family when I'm done with it, but I will have to evaluate over the next few years when that happens. Also looking at trucks but more strongly considering a Y. We got a 2024 for my wife and it is an improvement in many ways. The first real time I noticed the degradation on the 3 was a vacation this year when we took both cars for an 8 hour trip - the 3 needed to charge much longer and deeper than the Y. I doubt I would have noticed otherwise. I'd really like to see Tesla embrace V2L on the rest of their lineup beyond the Cybertruck before I'd consider a Y over any of the EV trucks though.

[@edwcory]

Keep it. I drive my 2020 Y on a 1/4 mile gravel road daily and it's been fine (aside from the cosmetic rock chips). I'm at 90k miles, should I do a video of the white interior at 100k and show how it holds up to 3 kids?

[@Tschacki_Quacki]

The earlier Model 3 have the steering wheel made out of real leather. I don't know if it's possible to get back the original look.

[@waicool]

Did you keep using the ohmmu low voltage lithium battery? If so, how has it been? My old model 3 had lots of software issues with it

[@khaoniew8612]

I just refuse to take a road trip without taking our Tesla reason why is that it does most of the driving even using auto pilot. We also switched from a model 3 to a model Y ,we won’t go back. After having the Teslas I can’t see us driving another brand.

[@-jackinspokane6648]

Keep the car. When you decide to buy your truck, now your wife has a car that she loves.

[@cJeremy]

a frugal person would NOT sell or trade in the car. having payments is terrible. keep the car til it dies man

[@JulianG75]

Please, keep the car and reporting on its health over the years.

[@andrewhadjioannou1587]

I love my model 3 but in 2 years i got a kid with another on the way and I can’t trade it in now because they would give me less than I owe. So that’s my excuse to squeeze these kids in as long as i can lol.

[@Darrenraitt]

Keep the car but get the damage fixed.. 👍

[@rogershark9223]

My only regret is I wish I invested the money instead of buying my model 3. If I put that money into Tesla stock I'd be a millionaire by now

[@tafl-9198]

Hindsight is easy, but back then it was less obvious. Also Tesla only succeed because people buy their cars.

[@EpicDrew15]

I invested money into Tesla and sold it too early; even if you did make the investment, no guarantee you would have had still or made the decisions to make it worthwhile, Hindsight sucks, look forward.

[@chezchezchezchez]

what's your new biz?

[@tonyn3227]

It's a fantastic car, in my opinion.

[@pyoodiepie]

my 2019 model s has 151,000

[@chengwang20166]

Keep it. Great review.

[@DCGreenZone]

Hyundai, Kia, my choice for a car that doesn't film you 24/7. Don't live in a flood zone, don't get in saltwater, don't charge in your garage.

[@EpicDrew15]

Has a Tesla caught fire in a garage just by charging? And was it the battery or faulty wiring?

[@enoughofthis]

Keep it.

[@Karl-Benny]

Keep it

[@ClarkMercer]

Calls himself frugal but makes car payments for 72 months 🤔

[@garydmercer]

I took a zero percent interest 4 year car loan. So that makes me not frugal too? Why are you critical of his personal financial choices?

[@EpicDrew15]

Without further context, it's difficult to make any direct judgement.

[@BobbieGWhiz]

The notion of fooling yourself by setting the percentage instead of the miles is ridiculous, in my opinion. That’s something only Elon Musk would think of and convince people to follow. My 2023 model 3 RWD range has fallen from 273-261 miles in 14,000 miles and 15 months. I’m not thrilled about that. For now it’s more than enough to cover my longest drives, but in the future, it may not be.

[@garydmercer]

2021 tesla model 3 here. No car payment. Loving it.

[@chezchezchezchez]

WTF would you get a 6 year loan? 3 years TOPS. Mine is paid off in 3 more months. (36 month loan) (of you can't afford a 3 year loan, do NOT buy an expensive car .Save $ first)

[@symetriic]

Our 2018 Model 3 now has 112,000 miles. It's been great following along with your parallel Model 3 story. Thanks for sharing your adventures and you've inspired us to try out a few things with our car. We have no plans to sell or trade-in either. We also have FSD for the now bargain price of $5k, though it has still yet to reach the promise of FSD. While we love our Model 3, we can't stand Elon Musk and what he now stands for. So we'll be looking at Rivian for our next EV in a couple of years when their new smaller models come out.

[@garydmercer]

I feel the same way about Elon Musk. He is hurting the Tesla brand. His radical right wing comments remind me of someone from and authoritarian regime. He has too much power and money. I want the government to go after these oligarchs and their monopolies. Don’t understand why he has ti be such an arse.

[@tomdrewenskus8167]

Since when did car purchases become political? It boggles my mind how Americans “think”. And truly shameful how many haters there are of the man & company doing the most worldwide to address climate change and accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.

[@DudeAutonomy]

You wouldn’t be frugal if you sold it…

[@SantosValario]

From $37K to $65K that's the minimum range of profit return every month I think it's not a bad one for me, now I have enough to pay bills and take care of my family.

[@WillParfitt-t2i]

Wow that's huge, how do you make that much monthly? I'm 37 and have been looking for ways to be successful, please how??

[@SantosValario]

As a beginner, it's essential for you to have a mentor to keep you accountable. I'm guided by a widely known crypto consultant

[@SantosValario]

She is Expert Lucille Friedman

[@AmandaAlvesBarbosa-d2c]

YES!!! That's exactly her name (Lucille Friedman) so many people have recommended highly about her and am just starting with her 😊from Brisbane Australia 🇦🇺

[@RebeccaM-y6i]

Venturing into crypto as a newbie was very difficult due to lack of experience which resulted in loosing funds......... But Lucille Friedman, restored hope shes a good woman

[@rupertpearce9158]

Keep the car Mike. You don’t need new car payments for another 6 years. I recently paid off my 2018 Model 3 and don’t plan to get a new one. At 100% my range currently is 278 miles and that seems fine to me. Your range also seems fine to me. Can’t get obsessed with that.

[@kidamere2408]

But but but the batteries explode at 100k says everyone and need replace it for 50k

[@Recondo1967]

Why did you finance a depreciating asset?

[@babyyoda8195]

seriously? 72 months?

[@seantiz]

Most cars are financed.

[@EpicDrew15]

If the asset consistently depreciates, it it really an asset?

[@babyyoda8195]

@@EpicDrew15 definitely not, people use this term but it's not correct. If it depreciates, it's not an asset IMO

[@EpicDrew15]

@@babyyoda8195 I’d agree in that regard. A depreciating asset is like a floating sinking boat.