Tesla So Reliable: Barely Any Costs Outside of Warranty, Still Debating a New One

[Anonymous]

I have a 2019 Tesla and keep thinking about getting a new one, but I can’t seem to justify it. About a year ago, I thought the shocks had gone bad and figured it was time to buy a new one seemed like a big repair. I got a quote, and it was only around $800, but then they just said to add some grease to the boots and it was fine.

More recently, the car wouldn’t respond, and I figured this was finally it—but after replacing the 12V battery, it’s been running great again.

The car’s still going strong with barely any maintenance or repairs outside of warranty, other than the usual tire replacements. I’ve checked out the new models, and honestly, the improvements don’t seem significant enough to justify an upgrade. I’ve considered waiting for a refreshed Model Y, maybe the larger version. I want a Model X, but it seems like that one might be discontinued soon, and there haven’t been any major updates to it.

I still want a new car, but there’s really no strong reason to replace this one. Anyone else in the same situation?

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding me? Any decently built 6-year old car would have no problems with average amount of driving let alone an EV. Don’t count on it breaking in another 5 years. Why would you want a new Tesla anyway? I thought the most valuable updates are the software updates and you can get them without changing the car.

[Anonymous]

Except if you have a fender bender and the cost to repair is FAR greater than a non-tesla

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except if you have a fender bender and the cost to repair is FAR greater than a non-tesla

Try Mercedes, you might wait 6 months for a replacement part

[Anonymous]

2019? Why would you need to replace a six year old car? I have a 2019 Honda and consider it basically still brand new. Plan to keep it for at least another decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2019? Why would you need to replace a six year old car? I have a 2019 Honda and consider it basically still brand new. Plan to keep it for at least another decade.

Totally fair point, and I get where you're coming from. I just tend to like driving newer cars. That said, with my 2019 Tesla, I’ve been struggling to find a good reason to upgrade. It already outperforms most other brands, and compared to a new Tesla, it's not missing much—just things like interior LED lights and HW4, which don’t really change the day-to-day experience.

My car still looks current and doesn’t feel outdated at all. Unlike my previous Hondas and BMWs, where a new body style or major tech update every few years made an upgrade tempting, Tesla has kept the design mostly the same, and the software updates keep the car feeling fresh.

It’s almost like they made the Tesla too good and future-proof. I don’t feel any real need to replace it. Other carmakers used to make you buy a whole new vehicle just to get the latest features. With Tesla, I haven’t had to deal with that.

I’ve got the Performance model too, so it’s still quick and fun to drive. At this point, I’m just wondering what the next real breakthrough is supposed to be, because right now, there’s nothing out there that feels worth the switch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2019? Why would you need to replace a six year old car? I have a 2019 Honda and consider it basically still brand new. Plan to keep it for at least another decade.

Right. I have an 11 year old car and a 17 year old car and they both still work great. And neither car is electric or even hybrid. They’re just good, reliable cars that I have no need to replace. Someone recently even asked me if I had just bought the the 11 year old car last year, they thought it looked practically new.

I don’t get replacing a six year old car.

[Anonymous]

EVs have a lot fewer moving parts, so there's less to break. You might as well keep what you have if it's working well. Just be sure to replace tires when needed.

This is also why Tesla upended the dealer network. Car dealers make more profits from service than new car sales. But with EVs, they need service so rarely that dealers don't like them from a profit perspective. No wonder most traditional dealers don't push their EV models hard.

[Anonymous]

how much did it cost to replace the battery?

have you checked its trade in value?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:how much did it cost to replace the battery?

have you checked its trade in value?

12v battery was 250 inc labor

[Anonymous]

This reads like an ad for tesla

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This reads like an ad for tesla

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except if you have a fender bender and the cost to repair is FAR greater than a non-tesla

That is for a lot cars now thanks to Trump’s tariffs. Insurance costs are rising like crazy. Though if you want electric do not go Tesla. They are selling a 10 year old design. Much better EVs out there for less

[Anonymous]

Yes, exact same car. No reason to buy now with high tariffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except if you have a fender bender and the cost to repair is FAR greater than a non-tesla

I am feeling this pain now. Someone read tended up and it’s like 20K in damage.

I’m also weirded out that OP expected major issues with a car only 6 years in. Ours is 8 years old and I woul Md be PiSSED if there weee major issues. We usually keep a car a decade.