Can you drive a Tesla Model 3 on one charge to Flagstaff? (Prescott: credit, buying)

[Potential_Landlord]

Hi- considering buying a Model 3 next year. Can you drive directly to Flagstaff on one charge? I know it's only 130 miles but it's up a lot and that's a factor. What's your experience? - Thanks.

[KurtAZ]

Why Tesla, if you don't mind me asking. There are much better EV choices now due to Tesla's horrendous build quality and on board system glitches. If I were in the market for an EV I would give the Ionic 5 a serious look. I know it only has a 303 mile estimated but at least I wouldn't have to deal with Tesla's nanny systems and panel gaps.

Or is it just the supercharger network that is the driver? Sorry, just curious.

[HX_Guy]

I'm on my second Model S (owned the first one for 5 years and bought the new one in 2021) and have not experienced the horrendous build quality or on board system glitches.

To answer the question, the Long Range model (are they all LR now or is there a standard one still?) should def make it on a single charge without having to stop at a Supercharger. I make it to Prescott AND back on a single charge in my Model S, though it does have a "rated" range of 400 miles (though it shows 343 miles at a 100% charge after 2 years of ownership and I put the 21" wheels on it). Prescott is about 40 miles closer but again that there AND back, so I would think one way you should be fine.

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Why Tesla, if you don't mind me asking. There are much better EV choices now due to Tesla's horrendous build quality and on board system glitches. If I were in the market for an EV I would give the Ionic 5 a serious look. I know it only has a 303 mile estimated but at least I wouldn't have to deal with Tesla's nanny systems and panel gaps.

Or is it just the supercharger network that is the driver? Sorry, just curious.

A lot of people like to support American made products, especially in the automotive industry.

[KurtAZ]

Well...at the risk of angering the Tesla Horde...many reviews have detailed the poor panel gaps and cheap material used on the interior. One off instances of batteries going bad, spontaneous explosions, getting locked inside your car, Self Drive going haywire, customer service issues...maybe not wide spread but enough to turn me off from looking at them. Besides I think they are ugly.

There are options out there besides Tesla that are just as good if not better, the only upside I see with Tesla is their charging network but even that starts getting a bad rap when station owners turn them off for non-payment or whatever. Even the Ford Mach-E has a 400+ mile range. As the battery technology improves, I hope we can see this increase or at least lighten up the vehicle. I heard that the Tesla Cybertruck is so heavy it falls into the same "Heavy Vehicle" category as a Merc G-Wagon and can be used for the same business tax benefits as those SUVs.

[Potential_Landlord]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

I'm on my second Model S (owned the first one for 5 years and bought the new one in 2021) and have not experienced the horrendous build quality or on board system glitches.

To answer the question, the Long Range model (are they all LR now or is there a standard one still?) should def make it on a single charge without having to stop at a Supercharger. I make it to Prescott AND back on a single charge in my Model S, though it does have a "rated" range of 400 miles (though it shows 343 miles at a 100% charge after 2 years of ownership and I put the 21" wheels on it). Prescott is about 40 miles closer but again that there AND back, so I would think one way you should be fine.

Thanks you for sharing the experience. I would look to buy used, hoping to get a recent Model 3 for 25k at some point next year (for the used EV tax credit). Prices need to come down more for that though.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Well...at the risk of angering the Tesla Horde...many reviews have detailed the poor panel gaps and cheap material used on the interior. One off instances of batteries going bad, spontaneous explosions, getting locked inside your car, Self Drive going haywire, customer service issues...maybe not wide spread but enough to turn me off from looking at them. Besides I think they are ugly.

There are options out there besides Tesla that are just as good if not better, the only upside I see with Tesla is their charging network but even that starts getting a bad rap when station owners turn them off for non-payment or whatever. Even the Ford Mach-E has a 400+ mile range. As the battery technology improves, I hope we can see this increase or at least lighten up the vehicle. I heard that the Tesla Cybertruck is so heavy it falls into the same "Heavy Vehicle" category as a Merc G-Wagon and can be used for the same business tax benefits as those SUVs.

We have a 2019 Model S Performance and I haven't had any issues in about 40,000 miles (other than tires going quickly do to the way I drive it occasionally). My only issue is the interior feels like a Honda, very junky and not really plush. I do like other EV's though, such as the Audi. It's my wife's car not mine so she has ultimate say. I have heard from a Ford guy that the Mach E has a ton of problems and Ford as a whole is doing a bad job on their EV line.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

A lot of people like to support American made products, especially in the automotive industry.

Well...here is the problem then. If you are supporting American made products...presumably to support the UAW, Tesla has no unions working in their factories. Been the biggest complaint during the UAW contract fights with the Big 3, EV Manufacturing doesn't fall under the current contract's clauses of Automobile production. Ford, Chevy and Stellanis all have EVs on the market as well and are not contributing to Musk's enlarged view of himself. The VW id4 is built in Tennessee. All of these "foreign" companies have US divisions that are building cars here vs. overseas.

This isn't the 80s, many cars that are sold on American soil can come from all over the world as well as their parts and especially electronics. Back in the day, a car was definitively "American". This hasn't been the case for decades.

Tesla Model Y: Austin, Texas and Fremont, California
Tesla Model 3: Fremont, California
Tesla Model X: Fremont, California
Tesla Model S: Fremont, California
Honda Passport: Lincoln, Alabama
Volkswagen ID.4: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Honda Odyssey: Lincoln, Alabama
Acura MDX: East Liberty and Marysville, Ohio
Honda Ridgeline: Lincoln, Alabama
Acura RDX: East Liberty, Ohio

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by asufan

We have a 2019 Model S Performance and I haven't had any issues in about 40,000 miles (other than tires going quickly do to the way I drive it occasionally). My only issue is the interior feels like a Honda, very junky and not really plush. I do like other EV's though, such as the Audi. It's my wife's car not mine so she has ultimate say. I have heard from a Ford guy that the Mach E has a ton of problems and Ford as a whole is doing a bad job on their EV line.

Fair and I am not trying to say they ALL have issues, well except the materials and body panels. I appreciate them for what they are but if I am going to drop $60k+ on a car it had better not feel like I am driving a Civic. Tesla has just popped up, probably because they have the most EVs on the road so problems are more pronounced, statistically, for my tastes. I do like the Audis and Acura...OP is looking at the Model 3 so not QUITE as expensive as those. I would imagine Ford has some wrinkles to iron out, they have spent the past century building ICE cars and have the production lines specialized to that.

I still feel like we are in the infancy of EVs though and hope there are more options in the future, better batteries and streamlined technology.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Fair and I am not trying to say they ALL have issues, well except the materials and body panels. I appreciate them for what they are but if I am going to drop $60k+ on a car it had better not feel like I am driving a Civic. Tesla has just popped up, probably because they have the most EVs on the road so problems are more pronounced, statistically, for my tastes. I do like the Audis and Acura...OP is looking at the Model 3 so not QUITE as expensive as those. I would imagine Ford has some wrinkles to iron out, they have spent the past century building ICE cars and have the production lines specialized to that.

I still feel like we are in the infancy of EVs though and hope there are more options in the future, better batteries and streamlined technology.

Yeah I told my wife a year or two ago we should wait till at least 2025 to replace the Tesla, let things shake out with other EV makers and see what's doing best. I think the BMW i7 is beautiful for instance but who knows if it'll be a problem vehicle or not at this point. She's definitely staying EV though.