Looking for a used Tesla Model S

For this report we muster up three used copies. Two of them have quite significant mileage. Then we can see how such a car ages. It was clear from the start that Tesla should not rely on its excellent build quality. Let’s see how a Tesla holds up when there are quite a few kilometers on the counter. In addition, we are naturally curious about what remains of the range and so we ask the providers to give the car fully loaded.

Ready for export

Tesla Model S 70D Base

March 2016

276,037 km

€29,500

Tesla Model S

The Model S with the highest mileage that we can find during the making of this article is this one: a copy from March 2016 with 276,039 kilometers on the odometer. We hang green number plates on it to take it for the test drive. It’s a relatively modest 70D. Do you remember? At Tesla, the number in the type designation indicates the capacity of the battery: 70 kWh in this case. The D stands for ‘dual’, which means that it has an electric motor on both the front and rear axles, so it is four-wheel drive. We are lucky that we can still meet this car to drive and photograph it. The buyers are eager to take it with them. He is probably going away for export, the supplier tells us. That is a fate that befell many Models S. Abroad, the buyer then reaps a subsidy in the context of a better environment.

There is no sound way to measure battery degradation. At the most, you can take your car to Tesla, who will then perform a test in which the battery comes out as good or bad. No further details are provided. According to the seller, when we take the car with us, the battery is not fully charged. That is bad for technology. It’s 80 or 90 percent full. In any case, the car promises a range of 291 kilometers. In our own Carbase we find that when the 70D was new, an electric driving range of 386 kilometers was specified.

Our test car is equipped with a panoramic roof. This has two drawbacks: it is known to break down and result in a very expensive repair. It works fine in our car and we were unable to detect any leakage on this dry day. The second disadvantage is that such a roof can creak. And we have experienced that. This old Tesla is certainly no longer free from rattles and creaks. In addition to the roof, they also come out of the dashboard. That is really something that you as a driver of a used Tesla from the early years have to learn to live with.

There are also some defects on this car. The door handle of the driver’s door no longer works, but there is now a simple fix. The electrically operated boot lid is also broken. Despite all the high technology, a Tesla also simply shows the defects that belong to a car of this age and mileage. We put the Model S back after a 37 kilometer ride, but 54 kilometers of range has disappeared.

Nothing creaks, everything works

Tesla Model S 85 Base

June 2016

70,471 km

€43,995

Tesla Model S

Tesla number two of this tour can be found at the Volvo dealer in Amersfoort. We are curious to start with what this Model S has been traded in for. A Polestar or an XC40 Recharge perhaps? None of that. “I can’t remember exactly, but it was an XC60 or an XC90,” the seller tells us. What he also knows how to tell is that he has almost sold the Tesla once. “There are not many options on this version. The deal fell through because it didn’t have an electric tailgate,” he says. He also confesses that there is ‘less enthusiasm than expected’ for his Model S. Speaking of that tailgate: this car was registered two months later than the car we drove before. It is also a Base version. However, the electric tailgate is missing here. As far as versions and specifications are concerned, things can go wrong at Tesla, as it turns out.

Compared to the previous one, this Model S with a mileage of just over 70,000 is still virtually virgin. Before we take him away, he hung on the plug all night. Again, the battery on the dashboard shows that it is not fully charged. In any case, we take it with us with a range of 344 kilometers, while our Carbase promises 502 kilometers.

It is immediately clear that this Model S has had a much quieter life than the previous one. The interior is still free of squeaks and rattles and, moreover, it all looks noticeably less worn. However, signs of use are already visible. You really notice that this is a level lower than, for example, the German brands. The mediocre quality is also noticeable when we walk around the car. The seams in the bodywork are so wide and different that you would think that it is a badly repaired damage, but nothing could be further from the truth: they have it all. You could almost say that with a Tesla it is time to get suspicious if the seams are straight.

Furthermore, there is very little to argue with on our chic black Model S. This car drives and steers as if it has hardly been driven. Besides, everything still works. The new price was €96,000. After six years, about half of that remains. This makes the Tesla an expensive car compared to other used cars, but that applies to all cars of this brand. On the other hand: you may have to make a significant investment, but after that you can refuel electric and you have minimal maintenance on an EV. So you will earn back those extra euros for the purchase.

Finally, the range measurement: we drove 43 kilometers and when we put the car back in Amersfoort, 39.5 kilometers of range had disappeared. Very nice in a used Tesla is that you can see exactly where the previous owner has been in the memory of the navigation screen. One of those addresses in this car is at the Steiger in Almere. The previous owner has been there for a sale proposal.

Happy clacking sound

Tesla Model S P85+ Performance

October 2013

Mileage 209.027

€37,500

Tesla Model S

The Steiger in Almere is the street where Leasebijtellingsfriendly.nl is located. They sell used electric cars there and if you’re looking for a Model S used car, you can hardly ignore it. Not everything from the range is in the showroom, because many cars come from consignment sale. So they are still at home with their owners. The car that is ready for us from the 49 Models S from the range is a P85+ from 2013. That is the first year that Tesla was active in the Netherlands. The plus part of the type designation concerns other suspension rubbers and wishbones and somewhat wider tires for a sportier approach.

In fact, the provider only has words of praise for the Model S. He has almost never seen great misfortune with all the cars that passed through his hands. In addition, the factory warranty is only now starting to expire on the first Teslas and repairs are therefore at the expense of the owner. “And for battery degradation, we use one percent per year. In addition, Tesla does not use the last ten percent at the beginning and you will not notice any degradation until the capacity falls below 90 percent,” the seller said. That’s a nice boost. He also has nice words about the alleged poor build quality. “You can see it as a cultural difference. For Americans, it has to look nice and offer a lot of space. Aspects such as seams and stitching are not important to them at all.”

In any case, our P85+ is ready with just over two tons on the clock with a range of 428 kilometers. After the first few hundred meters we notice a standard complaint from the Model S: we are on the road with a cheerfully clacking worn suspension arm. Due to the enormous weight of the Model S, the parts of the chassis have a hard time. As a buyer of a used Model S, you have to take this into account: the costs that you have to pay for it are mainly for keeping the chassis in order. And depending on your driving style, there are of course also the tires. We know stories of people who wear out a set within 15,000 kilometers under a Tesla.

Then there is the range measurement of the cold ground. After a ride of 29 kilometers, 45 kilometers of range has disappeared. The day after the test drive, the people at Leasbijtellingsfriendly.nl report that they have taken our comment to heart and that the wishbones at the rear have been replaced. They clearly don’t care about that.