EV Discussion thread

JKenH

Grumpy_chap said:

1961Nick said:

You could ask the dealer to fully charge it & send you a picture of the range?

Martyn1981 said:

Perhaps simplest check is to look at the range it suggests and the %age 

I just spoke to the Dealer and it apparently shows 70% charge and 204 miles range.  Does that sound about right?

HPI (free access only) says it is "Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD Colour: Red Year: 2020".  Will do a full check before buying.

Are there any other pointers I need to look at?  Making an appointment to see it on Saturday.

The Dealer said it has a "full service history" but that is not actually annual services but a record in the car of what has actually been done by way of service.  Is that correct for a TM3?

I always input the registration into WBAC before buying any used car to see how much I would drop if I had to sell it the next day. 

I would also suggest you get a quote for insurance before you sign on the dotted line. I haven’t heard anyone on MSE complain of high premiums but some Tesla Owners on Facebook have reported 4 figure premiums while others are paying £400. I got the impression London was particularly bad.

Have a good look at the tyres for matching and uneven wear. Also condition of brake discs. It’s also a good idea to check boot and cabin carpets for dampness and, if you can, get them to put it up on a ramp you can see if the battery has had any sign of impact or scraping underneath. Also listen for any suspension noises and check the service paperwork to see if there has been any remedial work. 

The road tax on the car expired 15th March so it is probably about 4 weeks since it was last driven. It has a current MOT until 6th March 2024. 

Edit: join the Tesla Owners Club UK Facebook page to get an idea of potential problems to look out for.

silvercar

Tesla model 3 LR AWD 2022 here, full range was 360 miles. One year 12k miles on and it’s down to 353 miles.

” I always input the registration into WBAC before buying any used car to see how much I would drop if I had to sell it the next day. ”

WBAC are offering rubbish money for EVs at the moment.

Grumpy_chap

silvercar said:

” I always input the registration into WBAC before buying any used car to see how much I would drop if I had to sell it the next day. ”

WBAC are offering rubbish money for EVs at the moment.

Well, I did that.
WBAC said £24k.
Car is advertised at £27k.
Does anyone here think there is much scope for price negotiation?  Seems quite narrow really between auction and retail.

Martyn1981

Grumpy_chap said:

1961Nick said:

ask them to charge it to 100% before you get there & to leave it plugged in so you can check the range. Select 'trips' on the display before the test drive & you'll be able to monitor the Wh/mile while you're driving. 

Many thanks Nick - really helpful information.
I will call to book the appointment to view. 
Will check the tyres size, but it will be what it will be I guess.

What should I be looking for on the Wh/mile at the test drive?  Is it about 4 kWh/mile?  That would be 4,000 Wh/mile.  Is that correct?  How much variance is reasonable?

Hiya GC, it's the other way around, 4m/kWh, or about 250Wh per mile.

The trip will give you figures for the current trip. Also the running average since the last charge, in case it's been used/moved since charging. Obviously, it may start of high with the heating/cooling, and any battery management, so don't worry if you see 300-400Wh/mile at the start. After a mile it should start to smooth out, and if you drive gently, in reasonable weather ~250Wh/mile should be OK. Head winds, standing water, a few playful dabs of the GO pedal will lift it to 300Wh+.

Have fun. Maybe try a full lift off of the accelerator to see how strong the regen is, nice to know you get that even before your foot can get to the brake pedal.

I suspect you'll have a big smile on your face.  

Grumpy_chap

The TM3 seems to have a lot of connectivity features.  How do these work?
Is it by magic?
Does it connect to home WiFi?
Will I need a separate SIM?

MikeJXE

Grumpy_chap said:

silvercar said:

” I always input the registration into WBAC before buying any used car to see how much I would drop if I had to sell it the next day. ”

WBAC are offering rubbish money for EVs at the moment.

Well, I did that.
WBAC said £24k.
Car is advertised at £27k.
Does anyone here think there is much scope for price negotiation?  Seems quite narrow really between auction and retail.

Regarding the two posts above  would be a red flag for me.

Why would a dealer be advertising a car at a price that close to WBAC when they are offering rubbish money for EVs 

thevilla

MikeJXE said:

Grumpy_chap said:

silvercar said:

” I always input the registration into WBAC before buying any used car to see how much I would drop if I had to sell it the next day. ”

WBAC are offering rubbish money for EVs at the moment.

Well, I did that.
WBAC said £24k.
Car is advertised at £27k.
Does anyone here think there is much scope for price negotiation?  Seems quite narrow really between auction and retail.

Regarding the two posts above  would be a red flag for me.

Why would a dealer be advertising a car at a price that close to WBAC when they are offering rubbish money for EVs 

Because wbac suck you in with a price then knock it down when you take the car.  You can do a silly dance as they take your money though.

Grumpy_chap

Hmm, did the HPI check and might have to pass on this one:

December 2020 = 1,356
March 2022 = 56,948
February 2023 = 51,314
March 2023 = 52,786

Not good, but doubt we'll get to the bottom of that either

1961Nick

Grumpy_chap said:

Hmm, did the HPI check and might have to pass on this one:

December 2020 = 1,356
March 2022 = 56,948
February 2023 = 51,314
March 2023 = 52,786

Not good, but doubt we'll get to the bottom of that either

You could ask where the March 2022 figure came from? If it was from Tesla they should be able to check it for you.

Grumpy_chap

The March figure is from BVRLA, which seems odd in itself - do lease cars usually provide mid-lease mileage date to the lease company?

Although I really like the red finish, I am thinking this might be a better bet:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210271133679

EDIT - I see the white one has been kicking around since August, that's a long time and may have harmed the battery life.
Perhaps I'll skip this weekend and wait to see what comes to market next week.