Tesla Model 3 - V3.0

Unfortunately that's the logic of opening the SuC to other makes.

Buying my Tesla Model 3 Standard Range has been exciting experience. I ordered it back in August, and even though the wait felt like forever, Tesla let me know ahead of time that delivery would be in November. As someone new to EVs, I wanted to make sure I was fully prepared, and here’s everything I learned the good, the tricky, and the awesome parts of going electric.

Financing Made Simple
I bought my Tesla with a hire purchase (HP) agreement at a fantastic 0.99% APR over five years. The process was really straightforward. All I needed was a bank statement, proof of address, and ID. If you’re thinking about it, HP is an easy and affordable way to make owning a Tesla a reality.

Delivery Day Excitement
My delivery date was on a Monday, but the car was registered the previous Friday, and I was given the plate number then. Unfortunately, I couldn’t arrange car insurance in time for the collection and had to delay the pickup until Wednesday.
Delivery day was finally here, and I was so pumped! To get ready, I watched a couple of super helpful YouTube videos:

• Delivery Day Must-Watch Video 1
• Delivery Day Must-Watch Video 2

These videos gave me a heads-up on what to expect and what to check when picking up the car. I also brought along a handy checklist to make sure I didn’t miss anything. There was a tiny mark on the driver’s seat, but the Tesla team sorted it out in just 15 minutes. It felt great knowing they had my back right from the start.

Low Battery :(
When I got the car, the battery was only at 19%. Why? :( Since this was my first EV, I was a bit nervous about that. Plus, I didn’t have a wall charger yet. Luckily, a friend let me borrow their mobile adaptor, which was a lifesaver. If you need one, you can grab it from Tesla for about €200—totally worth it.

Getting a Wall Charger
Finding a wall charger turned out to be a bit of a mission because so many companies had long delivery times. I ended up going with EV Power Ireland, and they were amazing. Huge shoutout to Niall from their team for getting everything set up quickly. I chose the Zappi tethered 7kW charger, which cost €1,475. If you’re in Ireland, don’t forget to apply for the €300 EV grant to save a bit of cash! You can find more details about the grant here: €300 EV Grant.

Charging on the Go
For charging when I’m out and about, I use the ChargeMap and eCar Connect apps. They’ve been super handy for finding charging stations. Pro tip: make sure your battery is warmed up before fast charging—it’ll save you time on longer trips. Sometimes, you might have to wait if others are already using the charger. I usually charge for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Registering the Car
To register for motor tax in Ireland, you’ll need your plate number and the last eight digits of your car’s VIN. The VIN is conveniently provided in the Tesla app, making the process pretty straightforward.

Referral: 500 Euro Discount
Here’s a money-saving tip: always use a referral link when ordering your Tesla. I got a €500 discount this way. If you’re planning to order, feel free to use my referral link:
Tesla Referral Link. Just pick your country, and you’re good to go.

Cool Features of the New Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 is packed with amazing features that make driving it a joy. Some of the standout ones include:

• New design with updated headlights and bumpers.
• Ventilated seats and a quieter cabin for more comfort.
• Improved range
• Upgraded suspension for a smoother ride.
• Rear passenger touchscreen is great for kids :D
  For a deeper dive into these features, check out this video: Tesla Model 3 Features.

Getting Used to EV Life
It’s December, and with the weather around 5°C, the car shows about 430 km of range when fully charged. Driving an EV like this takes a little getting used to, especially the one-pedal driving experience. At first, it feels a bit different, but it’s actually amazing because it helps regenerate energy for the car. You’ll get used to it pretty quickly and might even start loving it.

Switching to an electric car is definitely a bit of a learning curve, but it’s been so worth it. The instant torque, the smooth ride feel amazing. Plus, the Tesla community is super friendly and full of tips for newbies like me. Sure, there were a few challenges, like figuring out charging at first, but the overall experience has been incredible. If you’re thinking about getting a Tesla, just go for it.

Hope this is helpful. All the best from Dublin.

"That €975 is just to buy the charger…."

Whats the score with Tesla's own wall charger ?

Does it even satisfy ESBN requirements ?

sounds like it was written by musk powered AI

nothing to do with solar.

anyone know if the reg will most likely be 251 if the estimated delivery is showing Jan 2025 ? and even if say one completes the pre delivery tasks in dec should the reg be 251? just trying to figure out how it works. thanks

I’ve had a Tesla (gen 2) wall charger almost 5 years now and it’s never put a foot wrong in that time. It won’t ‘seamlessly’ work with solar PV, but given that you can manually start/stop the car charging in the app, as well as adjust the charge rate to anything from 5-32 amps, with minimal enough input, it can be made work with Solar PV… (I usually get from April/May to August/September surviving on PV only charging).

Also by far and away the Tesla chargers greatest feature is the little button that opens the charge flap… you only realise how handy that is when it’s miserable out and you run out to plug in the car… (Superchargers have the same button) (same button will unlock the charge port) (There are 3rd party options for a button that attaches to a non Tesla charger for the same functionality).

Also feed camouflaged to colour of brickwork :)

those pics were when just installed not so it’s been weathered now to the point where the cable is almost invisible…

And I got in before everyone started installing the fugly isolators next to the chargers…

Yes, fully aware.
I don’t use the app.

The Tesla charger itself has a button on it that opens the flap. The flap is already open waiting for me as I arrive at the charge port as I’ve pressed the button on the plug while walking towards the car.

(If you have a Tesla UMC it also has this button)