About the Tesla Model Y
Luke C bought this Tesla Model Y new with extra options for $72,000 (including all on-road costs). Luke C. would buy this car again because: “The Model Y is absolutely the sweet spot for me. It has fantastic utility and is an SUV and has tons of storage, it’s priced well compared to the competition, and its basic The drawcard is obviously electric.
This means you can be confident of lower running costs, none of the significant repair bills that inevitably occur when owning an ICE car for more than a few years. be old The car is also easy to drive, technologically advanced with some interesting quirks (and faults) and over-the-air updates are able to bring a lot of great features to the car, which enhance the ownership experience. “
How reliable has your car been? Let us know about any issues.
After owning the car for only a few months, my Model Y has had no problems, not surprisingly.
However, from the experiences of other owners of Model 3s, and being a former Tesla employee (3 days before the model, when I was in uni) most of the issues people experience are more than cosmetic. are like door handles, rubber seals, etc
It’s rare though not unheard of for Tesla vehicles to experience major problems with batteries, or drive motors (at least not with decent mileage), which can’t be said for many ICE cars (on mine (Believe me, I know, my previous car was a Jaguar).
What about the ownership experience with your car?
Owning a Tesla is always a unique experience, from meeting other owners at charging stops to downloading over-the-air updates that allow you to turn your vehicle into a sleigh on the onboard display.
Since owning the car, I have received two updates, with minor fixes, improvements and new features such as the green traffic light chime. Compared to an ICE car, the fuel economy and lack of maintenance is significant, and a key point of difference in persuading Australian buyers to go electric.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
The shopping experience with Tesla was the most straightforward I have ever experienced. No dealers, haggling, being sold with insurance products etc.
I was able to receive my order within 20 minutes of orders opening in Australia, and the whole process from choosing my colour, wheels and variant to paying the deposit took less than two minutes.
From there, I could then track my delivery date via the Tesla app, which would initially update from a three-month window to a one-month window, then gradually decrease until That the date of delivery is not confirmed. Pick up was also very quick and straightforward, being driven to your car, keycards provided and dropped off for you.
While some older or less tech-savvy buyers may find this difficult, I enjoyed the simple process, and it saved me significant time that would otherwise have been spent visiting multiple dealerships, fussing, and talking to the salesperson’s “manager.” “To talk” would be wasted waiting.
As it currently stands, a growing number of automakers (mainly those new to the market) are adopting a strategy that overestimates the future prospects of car sales compared to traditional dealerships.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
The Model Y isn’t cheap, and I’d prefer it to be several thousand less (early price leaks indicated it could start at $65k).
However when compared to equivalent luxury EV SUVs, most were above $100k.
The fact that Tesla increased the price a week after opening orders meant I was very happy with the price I paid for the car, especially since it’s fully electric. And many hybrids or PHEVs cost around the same amount.
In terms of features, the Tesla is well-equipped but lacks some key features that I wish they had adopted, as almost every other car in the marketplace is equipped with them.
My main gripes are the lack of a 360 camera, blind spot detection in the mirrors and a head-up display. All three are incredibly useful features, and their lack is somewhat at odds with Tesla’s positioning as a tech company that makes cars.
The lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also odd, although the native system is good enough for the most part that you don’t really miss it too much.
What do you think about your car’s performance and economy?
Performance of the Model Y RWD is unimpressive with around 6.0-7.0 seconds to 100km/h. However, the immediate torque on acceleration meant I was able to beat almost any car at the lights with ease.
So I’m struggling to understand why someone would pay $30k more to lower that figure to 3.0 seconds by buying a Performance, at least for the nausea-inducing acceleration that’s out of the box. It’s completely unnecessary and you may lose your license.
RWD is sufficient for my needs and most people’s. It’s an EV, economy is measured in a completely different way. My car has a range of about 430km on a full charge, which is more than enough for me, and whenever it drops below 70% I top it up in the garage.
I’ve also managed to take the car on a few trips outside of Sydney, and found the charging network to be adequate and easy to use. However, I do have some concerns about the charging network given the huge influx of new Teslas each month, and the relative lack of new charging infrastructure that will need to be addressed.
What about the technology in your car?
One of the most impressive aspects of the Model Y is the tech. The large screen that controls all the car’s features is easy to use, intuitive with great graphics.
The Autopilot feature is great on long journeys, as it reduces driver fatigue as I don’t have to constantly guide the car down the road, but rather have my hands on the wheel with the car doing most of the work.
Live visualizations on the driver side of the screen are great to look at, but mostly unnecessary. I also didn’t opt for the Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self-Driving packages, as I think Tesla’s price is too high, and the features are mostly nice-to-haves (like Summon, and Auto Lane). change).
I really enjoy the Sentry Mode feature, as one of my biggest fears is returning to my car only to find that someone has returned to it without leaving a note. This feature also doubles as a dash cam, and provides some peace of mind from hit-and-runs, without the added cost or hassle of installing a third-party dash cam.
Other features like Camp Mode and Dog Mode have also been extremely useful, for example when at drive-in cinemas, and I believe all EV manufacturers should add these features to their cars.
Finally, the lack of the Tesla app and car key is one of my favorite features, as my previous Jag had a huge key that I was always afraid of losing, or dropping somewhere, like with the Model Y. No problem. As the phone acts as a key.
The app also provides useful features like pre-cooling the car, unlocking front and rear boots and location tracking. Although many automakers now have similar apps, I haven’t seen one that’s as comprehensive or issue-free as the Tesla app.
How about your ride comfort and handling of your car?
Ride comfort is quite firm, and going on dirt roads (many of which are in Sydney) really shakes up the car. However on smooth roads it is quiet and composed.
This isn’t too much of an issue for us, but for those who may have toddlers or children in the back seat, it may be worth checking before committing to a purchase. The car’s handling is decent, and while nowhere near the level of sports cars or sporty SUVs, it seems to handle well enough for the majority of owners.
The steering feel is adjustable and it’s relatively easy to guide the car around tight spaces, while it starts to feel stiff when cornering or at high speeds.
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
Overall I am very happy with the Tesla Model Y. Although I knew what I was getting into, owning one reinforced my belief that these are fantastic cars with great technology and very low running costs.
With the increase in Tesla cars on the road, I sometimes wish they offered more options (like body kits, wheels, and interior colors and trims) to set your car apart from the vast majority, but hey, at least mine does. Not white. When compared to my previous car, the 2014 Jaguar XF, the XF is a great looking car, and luxurious inside.
As a car enthusiast, I had concerns about moving into a relatively bland looking vehicle (I was considering a Jaguar F-Pace) however the fuel costs and maintenance on the Jag alone convinced me to look elsewhere. Had enough for, though I sometimes wish it were. That I was running something a little unique.