Tesla Model 3 - V3.0

A new M3 rwd looks much better value considering you could pay around €50k for a 3 year old M3 LR. A new MY rwd is even better value since they cut prices. If you really need the range and can’t be bothered with public charging you have no choice but go for a used LR. If going used, hold off for a few months if you can as EV prices will surely drop off as the market levels off.

Question for anyone who crosses the border and who uses the speed limit alert chime: does the Model 3 detect that you're north of the border and automatically switch to miles, or does it read the speed limit signs as if they were km/h, and drive you bananas in the process?

I was just looking at the used cars available from Tesla directly. They've an additional years warranty.

Yes, they do, plus enhanced autopilot and rear seat heating unlocked (if it was so before). Am keeping an eye on whether they will discount further.

Check the listed VIN and search online for explanation. If the last letter is F it is Fremont, C for Shanghai factory.

We’ve added a Shanghai built model 3 basic model to the fleet just over 3 months ago and 12,000 km done now.

I’d just like to add a general experienced irish market opinion, on the current Chinese built model 3 as I think some posters get overly caught up in insignificant details, so here is my opinion.

I genuinely think it’s the best built Tesla ever , and I was waiting to put a few miles on bumpy roads to see if the build quality would hold up.

A few stand out points re the base model.

great price point in Ireland , net of grant.

Much More than adequate acceleration.

more than adequate grip, in standard Rwd , especially relevant after icy spell.

Fantastic ride and handling for Ireland

Top class safety assists, very helpful when tired in bad weather, dark night and heavy but speedy traffic .

brilliant headlights

best car ever for M50 stop start traffic on auto pilot ( helps if you scroll top speed below 30 kmh to stop over eager acceleration/jerkiness)

top class one pedal operation

super efficient on motorway compared to any other BEV I’ve driven

high quality switches, excellent motor operation (seats/windows/sealing)

excellent door action, closing/opening action excellent feel, build and fit and finish , great choice and use of materials.

great seats, great steering wheel (size ,feel ,action) nice pano roof.

brilliant wiper action (mechanically and noise speaking) very important in Ireland, I’d had experience of an original Lexus LS 400 back in the day and believe it or not the spindly wipers put me off long term ownership of an otherwise great car.

super wash wipe and washer water application

However the Tesla Ai for the auto wipers needs slight tweaking, particularly on, initial ON,in very light rain/road spray.

Great dash cams ( caught a great video of a hawk flying away with live pigeon pray in its clawson a back road and struggling to gain altitude right in front of us for about 100 m , we were able to record retrospectively by just beeping the horn after the nice incident)

super high quality granny cable

good sound system

supremely quite and relaxing motorway cruiser , with the rate we’re putting miles on the car I have already priced the replacement cost of the original equipment Pilot sports (€1200) currently, I’d say you could easily ruin the car with the wrong tyres .

Tesla super charging can add 100s Km’s very fast. (Scared the crap outa me, in the freezing weather when it suddenly blew off steam from the front wheel arches during one freezing foggy weather , all normal apparently but I thought it had caught fire and jumped out )

excellent winter range , even in brutal weather, helped in no small part by the heat pump

very helpful phone app and keyless operation, backed up by password to drive security, great phone integration and induction charging x2 phones at a time .

ideally sized car in todays bloated SUV land , feels lithe and pointy, not in any way lardy, a sporty family car.

still a good conversation starter in the business world, seems to hit the sweet spot between professional, but not too flash, ‘tis a great mobile office too.

nice to stick it to the oil industry too after years of gas guzzling ,

In short , one of the best built cars I’ve experienced, regardless of brand , which previously and currently includes the some of , the best of the best luxury brands and high performance cars over the decades.

Thanks for that, agree with most of it, except perhaps for the lights. Main beam I find fine, but neither myself or Tesla seem to be able to get dipped adjustment correct. When you aren't blinding others, the dipped beam is too low to make driving safe when on unlit country roads meeting other traffic. Would like sometime to compare to another car (Mine is a March 2022 RWD)

I think the software and updates are brilliant, they simply work. Contrary to others, I had no problem with my ID.3 either, except for them being too slow to roll out.

Cheers

yeah , the whole point of my review/ post is that Basic is brilliant, and Tesla did a lot of work and irish discounting to squeeze in below the grant threshold.

sure isn’t the same model in the uk £48500 sterling ?which in my mind underpins the value of the irish supplied one at circa €52000 net and will discourage future UK imports.

in retrospect, I wouldn’t go LR , 4wd or performance, and I’ve had a lot of performance ice cars in my time , I find everything about the base model ideal, even after 3 months and 12000 km.