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Tesla Owner: I Haven't Really Done Any Maintenance For the Last Few Years

A Tesla owner shares that they haven't really done any maintenance for the last few years. Is it true that a Tesla needs zero maintenance?
Tesla Owner: I Haven't Really Done Any Maintenance For the Last Few Years

Tesla Owner Has Done Zero Maintenance

A Tesla owner, Joseph, also known as @ShrimpTeslaLong on X.com, shares that they haven't really done any maintenance for the last few years, outside of washer fluid and tire changes. Are Teslas really zero maintenance for the duration of ownership? It can't be this easy, right?

Tesla is known for their innovation, and one area of innovation that isn't talked about enough is how simple Tesla vehicles are to operate and maintain. Tesla recently slammed other automakers by sending a free guide on 48-volt architecture to all the other automotive CEOs.

Another owner, SerenaandSophia'sDad, responded and said they have a Model 3 and Model Y and used to own a Model X and Model S. They feel the same way and that anyone who says an EV requires a lot of maintenance is just spreading lies.

The conversation continued on with another owner saying that brake and power steering fluid need to be checked occasionally, as in every 3 to 4 years. There's usually nothing required unless there is an issue.

There is also mention of an air filter change among the discussion, and Joseph said that he will look into this. Also, there doesn't appear to be any reminders from Tesla to check the air filter, though, so your best bet is to call Tesla mobile service and have them take a look, unless you want to do it yourself.

Thinking about this, Tesla should have all the service stuff built into the timeline of ownership of the vehicle. If it's been a year since the air filter has been checked, that should be a notification on a tab for "Service Maintenance" or something like that. Tesla does not have this feature yet, but should.

The stated cost of changing the air filter from another user was $60 ($35 for the filter and $25 to install it) all done by Tesla mobile service.

Tesla vehicles are so simple and easy to operate and are technological wonders. Giving a Tesla as a gift this holiday season might be a great way to show someone you care.

More Responses From Tesla Owners

There were more responses from Tesla owners. One said there has been zero cost since 2015. Unless that owner hasn't driven much, the tires are going to have to be rotated and replaced eventually... Perhaps they were talking about other service.

Another user, Liz Rego, stated that she and her husband have a Tesla Model 3 from 2022 and 2019 and have had zero maintenance on both besides windshield wiper fluid. Prior to those 2 cars, they each had full electric 2019 Hyundai Ionics (first generation, 140 miles range) that they used for 3 years without ever having to replace the tires or do any maintenance.

Many other users owned their cars for 8 years or more and the only maintenance was washer fluid, tire rotation, and tire replacement. Most Tesla vehicles will never need the brakes replaced if you utilize the regenerative braking and keep the battery warm.

The battery in a Tesla as of 2022 is designed to outlast the vehicle at 300,000 to 500,000 miles or more, according to Elon Musk. Some owners after a while had to replace the 12 volt battery and mobile service was able to do that for them.

Tesla has a warranty on the high voltage, primary battery for 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, on most vehicles. Charging for EVs continues to improve, with new stations now being built by Mercedes-Benz.

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My Own Experience After 16 Months Owning a Model 3 RWD

My Model 3 RWD hasn't had to have too much maintenance done on it. I had the driver seat repaired and the 8-year service warranty covered that. It was a simple mobile service call, showing them that the seat was separating from the base and Tesla took care of it free of charge.

I had a large rock on the freeway hit and crack my windshield, and this is not covered by Tesla's warranty. The total cost to replace my windshield was $1,400 and 2 hours waiting at a Tesla service center. The service was outstanding, but the cost was definitely steep.

I have changed the washer fluid a couple of times on my Tesla, and I buy Rain-X washer fluid from Amazon. It's about $20 and so far, one bottle lasts me about a year with changing it about every 6 months.

I doubt I will ever have to replace anything related to my brakes because I use regenerative braking all the time for my Tesla.

I rotated my tires once and will be rotating them again this coming week and I rotate every 6,250 miles as recommended by Tesla, but anywhere between 5,000 to 7,000 miles seems reasonable to me.

For tire rotation, I rotate my tires at Discount Tire because it's free, and I don't want to pay for Tesla mobile service to do it. Also, I will buy my next set of tires from Discount Tire, the Michelin Cross Climate 2 series, which are slated to last about 60,000 miles.

All in all, compared to a gas car, I have to agree with the conversation I went through on X.com. Maintenance for a Tesla is pretty minimal, even throughout the lifetime of the car.

In fact, the frame of Tesla vehicles are incredibly strong and this Tesla Model S owner drove his Tesla 1.2 million miles - and is still driving it!

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What do you think?

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Hi! I'm Jeremy Noel Johnson, and I am a Tesla investor and supporter and own a 2022 Model 3 RWD EV and I don't have range anxiety :). I enjoy bringing you breaking Tesla news as well as anything about Tesla or other EV companies I can find, like Aptera. Other interests of mine are AI, Tesla Energy and the Tesla Bot! You can follow me on X.COM or LinkedIn to stay in touch and follow my Tesla and EV news coverage.

Image Credit, Joseph, Screenshot

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