Thank you for the reply and recommendation!

I just ordered the tire repair kit 👍🏼

Our first drive with the car was a trip from Bay Area to Orange County a day after we took delivery. Probably not the best time to learn a new car, especially in the rain and fog, but it was still a fun and a good learning experience and we plan to take more trips to and from.

I’ll continue to charge to 80% at superchargers since it’s free for me and two are close to me. Thanks again!

Hi Arian,

1. If your recommended charging level is not 100% then your battery is not LFP. Chances are it’s not considering your trim.

2. I wouldn’t worry about it. The difference is negligent, just don’t charge over 80% or drain below 20% frequently and you’re good. This is the most important by far.

3. The convenience and most importantly the cost. Supercharging can be quite expensive, easily two or three times the cost of home charging, even more.

I’d recommend taking a few road trips during the time you get free charging. Super fun. Don’t forget to get a tire repair kit as I mentioned in the related post.

Great post! I just got a Model Y Long Range and love it. Few follow up questions to your post:

1) If my Model Y Long Range was manufactured December 2023, does that mean I have the LFP battery? Or how can I tell?

2) My friend’s referral got me six months of free supercharging, so I’ve only ever been using superchargers (since it’s free) to charge to 80%. I live in an apartment complex that offers Level 1 and Level 2 charging at a cost. Should I start to use those instead of going to superchargers to “fill” the car? I’m interested in increasing the longevity of the battery.

3) When you say, “It’s important to note, though, that if you have to rely on level-3 public charging, your situation is not ideal for driving an EV — get your home charging situation sorted out first.”… are you saying this because of the inconvenience of finding and using superchargers (as a primary source to recharge) or because they will cause faster battery degradation?

Thanks!

Thank you for the sound advice.

It is much appreciated!

Glad you enjoy the test drive, Huley. For your needs, though, I’d recommend against the performance model or larger (fancier) rim. They are just money down the drain since you’ll get a shorter range and more expensive cost (for tire) down the road with nothing but the look in return. (More about Tesla’s tires and rim in this post.)

If you go with the Model 3, go with the rear wheel drive with the standard wheel, you’ll note almost no difference in performance and a less bumpy ride, plus better range. (I just got one for my wife, as you can see in the security vid of this review.)

If you want with performance (or Plaid), that only makes sense in Model S or Model X. Still, it’s a waste of money. (I have friends who have those.)

I’m no fan of Elon Musk (as you will note), but for your long commute need, chances are the Model 3 fits the bill the best, and the Model Y will work great, too. But if you can get the charging sorted out, any EV is better than a gas car.

By the way, buying a car from Tesla is very different from any dealership. There’s no haggling, and the reps all have a kind of “take it or leave it” attitude. But I’d take that over any car salesman in a heartbeat.

Good luck!

Thanks for that reply. I went back through the post and picked up some more information which will help me.

I saw and experienced the Model 3 today! It was much better than I believed it to be and even better than you hinted. This is a great car! I want my wife to experience my joy first hand as we will be testing it again. We are also going to shop around for a few more EVs then decide on one. These are the future, as you said in your post. I did really enjoy my test drive with it. The salesperson turned me loose after watching a video showing me how to use and set up the car. It was the Performance Edition that I drove, which was the first time I drove an EV. If more people tested them, they would get a sense of just how good they are. For the purpose I plan to use it for, it should work well for me. The salesman even hinted that I could go with a Rear Wheel drive model as well. If I have any questions, I know where I can get unbiased answers to them! Thank you so much for posting about your experience! I will be reviewing the posts and extracting information from them!

I mentioned that in this post, Huley, but that generally varies from one area to another. In CA, which has very high energy costs, I typically pay about $18 each time I use the charger. On our last trip from the Bay Area to Cambia (CA), about 230 miles away, on my Model Y LR, loaded with a family of five and camping gear, I paid about $40 in charging round trip — I managed to get plugged in (120V) overnight at the cabin for free, though. We did drive around the area during our stay but only got charged at Superchargers on the way there and back. I drive quite conservatively, though.

I will be test driving the Model 3 this afternoon. I am looking forward to seeing what it can do. It potentially can save me a lot of money.

How much do you pay at one of the Tesla superchargers?

That’s about right, and your assessment is correct, Philip. I’m from the Bay Area and have often taken that same route to Disney Land. The Model X and S have a bit more range, but gasoline is still superior to battery in energy density. Still, for a long drive, generally, it’s a good idea to take a good break after three hours of driving anyway — for EVs, you can also take more frequent shorter breaks. I wrote more about that in this post about EV’s real-world range.