Used 2018 Tesla Model 3 Consumer Reviews
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Amazing Car- Sketchy Buying Process - Some Issues
Paul, 10/01/2018
updated 04/15/2024
2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful
Finally! I drove down to the Denver Littleton Dealer that calls itself “Tesla”. In a frenzy I picked up my new white model 3 amidst the 3 or 4 people that were running this giant dealership and feverishly delivering over 100 Tesla's that day to customers. The pace was frenetic. Plainly said, it looked like a business in desperation; about to go under, or desperately trying to meet demand. Everything prior to this day was done via email, no faces, phone numbers or names to remember, only random updates on my online account without notifications. Now, all the cryptic months of this had boiled down to one superficial moment of smiles from millennials handing off the car to me. I accidentally paid an extra 6.00, a refund of which I will never see, and I was “awarded” a car that had a different serial number than the one I came there to buy. The young attendants laughed as I asked for a test drive prior to handing them the check. I said "how do I know I won't be buying a bag of groceries for my 54K?" Their there was a blank look that only comes from the chasm that exists between people of different generations. After I paid for the car I was given a short "introduction" of the car's operation by a woman who had one eye on the other people waiting in line that needed her services, I finally drove off in my Tesla 3 while my wife took pictures! So, what did I think of the car? I haven't had it in the snow yet, but other than the maladjusted turning signal and 4 stripped bolts on the rear license plate holder (and there is only one license plate on a Model 3), It is the best car I ever owned (and I've owned the very best BMWs, Mercedes. Porches etc.). It is as stunning as the embattled Elon Musk is stressed out. No wonder every person on the planet is trying to defeat him. He just made the best car in the world. He and his car will be envied for a long time. And did I mention the acceleration? It knocks you back in your seat twice, advancing steady as a rocket on rails with the panoramic visibility of looking out of a fishbowl, and not a rattle could be heard... Although the process and delivery was frantic, impersonal and distrusting, the 3 dual motor is indeed a game changer. A guy that designs a masterpiece like this can get away with a sketchy process and should be able to snarl at the SEC, quote dark poetry or smoke a joint any time he wants to. I only hope service is there when I need it…. OK, its been 1 1/2 years and 25K miles and here are my complaints: Don't leave your 3 in a cold parking garage at the airport and come back a week later. The battery will drain to near zero, just like when you leave your phone out on a cold day. The radio sometimes locks up and comes and goes, but Tesla says they are working on a fix. The streaming and Bluetooth play is seamless. The Bluetooth unlock-car feature is slow, voice commands are sketchy and the tires cost over 2K to replace and wear out quickly. The a/c in the summer is weak unless you turn up the fan all the way on hot days. The sound system is radical. The service is seamless. Appts. are made through the app and for most issues they will come to my house. The acceleration of this car is remarkable. I was only beat twice on the highway by 2 modified WRXs (just barely). Summers are hot unless you by dual sunscreens that fit into the 2 full length roof window depressions. Charging at home through my 220V connection has been more than sufficient. I plug it in every night. Charging via the 110 adapter is very slow, but is adequate overnight and keeps me from having to visit a charging station. The car sits pretty low and I've scraped up the front underside bumper by not being careful. All things considered I LOVE THIS CAR. Now that nearly 2 1/2 years passed and I’ve sold the car, I have a different opinion. Still a great car overall. Range is 30% less than advertised for highway driving unless you stay at 65mph. Who does that? Also got tired of the low sports car type clearance. What good is all wheel drive if you can’t clear the snow? What bothered me the most is that the battery is as big as the car, and though it’s still very fast, I chose to sell while the market is high, as I believe this will quickly become old tech and will be like a cell phone that becomes obsolete as the new tech comes out. Already there are 600v batteries that take 15 mins for a full charge. A/C was only adequate at full fan speed which drains the batteries. It really made me miss a gas car, which I ultimately bought again. I did the math and the Tesla got the equivalent of 100mpg at current elec. prices, but has no or little maintenance. My CRV cost 1/3 of the price, will cost 1500. more per year in gas and has almost no maintenance. I’ll pay the Xtra 1500. The bottom line is, do you want to own one of these when batteries go twice as far and weigh 50 lbs?
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Driving the Future
dave, 08/03/2018
2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4dr Sedan (electric DD)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
Sold my C series MB to purchase this car. As my first EV I didn't know exactly what to expect, but after waiting for 2 years without ever even having driven the car, it has exceeded my expectations. The interior is unlike a traditional car as are some of the driving characteristics - most particularly the regenerative braking. The acceleration is stellar and the suspension and steering above average. It's hard to compare to any other car since - in many respects - you are driving an iPad. Nearly every control routes through the center screen. I'm old (50's) but it still didn't take very long to adapt to the lack of instrument cluster, etc. Driving visibility is quite good. Despite the fact that I've only had it 5 months, nearly every feature has improved through periodic over-the-air software updates. This is revolutionary and someday will be the standard. Right now, it just really cool to receive updates that improve the interface and driving experience. Very happy to have this car and would buy it again and again.
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2018 Tesla Model 3 for sale near you
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- Long Range SedanMSRP: $14,99912 mi away
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First month from a former sports car owner
Matt W.M., 06/13/2018
2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4dr Sedan (electric DD)
36 of 43 people found this review helpful
I really like this car now. My first test drive was the day I purchased on faith about a month back. On that day I expected more out of it. My last car was a 350hp german sports car. While this has plenty of torque off the line, I thought it would be quicker. Now that I have driven this a few weeks I do really like the power, balance, and handling overall. It has grown on me. The stereo is great, but I end up using my phone or TuneIn, I hope there will be more popular options integrated into the car (Pandora or Spotify). The tech is amazing in the car, the sensors, remote access, HVAC, and interior design all are great value. The build quality is better now than a few months back, I have a few minor items that seam cheap or misaligned. I'd prefer stiffer suspension. Autopilot needs to improve, which it will, but part of that is my own comfort using in urban freeways. Does it have minor issues? Sure, but that has been true with every car I have purchased, German, Japanese, and American. I prefer this over any EV or hybrid I have driven. This is truly a fantastic and futuristic car.
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Wow!
Mark, 12/17/2018
updated 06/17/2019
2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)
15 of 17 people found this review helpful
I am one of the very lucky ones as I went into the Tesla dealer for a test drive on a Friday thinking if all went well I would place an order and have to wait for a few months (which I was OK with) only to find out the dealer I went to distributes more Teslas than any other location in the country after the main factory so they had a number available almost immediately. I was able to get the exact model with the options I wanted for delivery in just two days. While taking the test drive (or your first time driving one) it's a bit intimidating with so many features and things the car does not to mention using the touch screen for almost everything. However, I found that on the way home with the car (only other time driving one was test drive) by myself I quickly felt very comfortable with the majority of the features. Obviously there are a number that need more time to read about and learn (such as the autopilot features), but the basic car operations you pick up quickly. I had very high expectations going into my test drive based on all that I had seen and read about the AWD LR Model 3 and I was totally blown away by the experience driving it and greatly exceeded even my lofty expectations. The car is a technological marvel and performs incredibly well. The version I have is rated at 4.5 seconds for 0-60 and on the test drive the salesperson had me stop on and then slam my foot on the accelerator (can't call it the gas pedal anymore!) and forgot to tell me to put my head back so like in all of the videos you see online my head snapped back to the headrest and the car shot forward at an amazing rate. I know it's not Insane or even the Performance Mode, but honestly I don't see when you would need to accelerate any faster than the AWD LR version does. The handling especially with the regenerative braking (which takes maybe a drive or two to get used to) is outstanding and the ride is very smooth and quiet. Comfort is great both with the seats and all the features of the climate control system and the visibility for the driver is really good, especially out of the front window where the front end is a bit lower since there is no engine. I could go on and on about the amazing features and how the car works, but one can read about them elsewhere. The only real drawback I have with the car is its poor integration with your smartphone (android or iphone), it's certainly not a deal breaker as there are so many other entertainment features, but would be nice to have more integration with the phone so you can control playlists and other things from the screen vs the phone itself. Surely there will be a fix for this in an update soon, but for now you the only thing you will be underwhelmed with is the phone integration. 6 Month Update: After owning the car for six months I have to say I enjoy it even more than I did after first getting it. Such a fun and comfortable car to drive. The car has gotten faster since I bought it six months ago with a software update released in March plus we are getting new features all the time. Have not purchased gas in over six months and that is a great feeling. Have taken a number of 200-400 mile trips and the car has done well, supercharging is quick and easy and range has been very good. Love being able to leave the climate on in the Summer when I got into a store or restaurant as I come out and the car is nice and cool when getting into it. The only big issue I have with the car so far is the lack of availability of service appointments. In the DC area there are three service centers, but it's almost impossible to get an appt with them. This is the area that Tesla needs to focus on the most I believe or it is going to start to turn away owners.
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Ridiculously comfortable, outperforms Corvette
JP White, 01/25/2019
2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
This car is Sooooooo comfortable. Great seats and accessibility features (easy entry). Accelerates very fast and continuously up to high speeds. Not as quiet as some EV's, front motors could be sound proofed better. Handles corners very well like its glued to the road, almost impossible to break the wheels free.
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