Used Tesla Model 3 long-term test: report 6

The car 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range All-wheel drive | Run by Claire Evans, consumer editor

Why it's here To see if you can enjoy all the pleasures of Model 3 ownership without having to stump up the cost of a new model

Needs to Eat up motorway miles with ease, have enough range for longer excursions and be a comfortable and economical mobile office when needed  

Mileage on arrival 19,298 Mileage now 26,427 List price when new (2021) £50,890 Value on arrival £31,000 Test range 304 miles Official range 360 miles

1 October - The price is right 

While helping out with judging for the What Car? Used Car of the Year awards recently, it was pointed out that you can now get a used Tesla Model 3 for just £15,000. That makes my car look very expensive, having cost twice that amount.

There is a but, though, because that bargain basement figure is for a single motor model; the price for a comparable dual motor version of the same year, with similarly low mileage from an independent dealer, is closer to £27,000. Even so, that's still less than the £31,000 price tag on my Model 3, for the simple reason that it was a Certified Pre-Owned Tesla. 

The US car-maker’s approved-used scheme was only set up in June 2023 with cars only sold online, but it’s proving so popular that used cars are now sold from nine locations around the UK. Confidence in the condition and robustness of the vehicles has increased, so Tesla has upped the qualifiable mileage for approved used vehicles from 80,000 miles to 90,000.  

Like other car-maker-approved used cars, my car had a thorough pre-sale inspection, any issues and worn parts were fixed, and it came with additional warranty cover. Unusually, though, the extra one-year, 10,000-mile cover is added to the end of its new car warranty, instead of running concurrently, so that means I have five years and 70,000-miles worth of cover, which is reassuring. 

Another benefit for anyone new to electric vehicles, or even just new cars, is that the showroom staff understand all the car’s software systems and can help new owners get them set up, which may not be the case with an independent dealer or car supermarket. Setting up my mobile phone as the car’s key is just one of the things they helped me with when I collected the car. 

It’s also important that owners understand how to perform over-the-air software updates on their cars, so that these can be done overnight at home rather than at a showroom.

This is one aspect of Model 3 ownership that I really appreciate, because it means I get the same tech and safety features as the latest models for free. Two notable recent updates included an improvement to the performance of the autonomous emergency braking system and enhanced performance of the headlights. 

In other aspects, my car still feels pretty fresh, even though it’s now done nearly 25,000 miles. The only wear-and-tear issue I’ve had recently is a problem with the offside rear tyre, which developed a slow puncture. The tyre didn’t deflate completely so I was able to put some air in it and drive the car home.  

I had to wait a couple of days for my local garage to source the necessary Michelin Sport Pilot 4 to match the other tyres, and at £210 fitted, the tyre was pricey. But I guess that’s par for the course for a car that’ll do 0-62mph in 4.2sec. It is the first expense I’ve had with the car — apart from charging — though. 

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