Lifestyle
Two Years of Blissful Tesla Model S Ownership
It happened in the blink of an eye. December 4th, 2016 came and went unceremoniously. Perhaps it’s the holiday shuffle or the dreary, cold days that took away some of my attention. More likely, it’s that greatness in this case breeds a sort of serene feeling of being content. Two years ago on that date, I took delivery of a shiny, Multicoat Red, Tesla Model S 85.
A lot has changed since then, but all for the better thanks to this amazing car.
Road Trips
I’ve taken a few, and racked up 19 states (plus 1 Canadian Province) and over 40 Supercharger locations. Each trip has somehow been better than the last, and always points toward the one truth: I need to drive to California. Never before would I have even joked about considering such a thing, but the ease and joy of driving a Tesla has made me want it badly.
Mileage
I certainly don’t shy away from driving this car to destinations near and far. The odometer read over 36,000 on our 2nd anniversary and I’m oddly proud of that fact. Doubly true since the car’s daily work commute is fewer than 20 miles per day.
Destination Chargers
Just over a year ago, I approached a restaurant about becoming a destination charger in Wilkes-Barre, PA, which at the time was the one place I had a heck of a time getting to and from due to a lack of Superchargers on the way. Despite no longer being in desperate need of juice while there, since a Supercharger has since been built along the way, I’m elated and somehow feel proud. Little old Wilkes-Barre, PA has not one but two non-hotel destination chargers.
Superchargers
Everywhere I need or want to go to is covered by Tesla charging locations these days. As it turns out, there is one under construction at the very ski area my husband had to take a gasoline car to get to just last winter! Round trip from our home to the mountain isn’t possible. Aside from intentionally visiting that area just to ski, it is also just 24 miles from my in-laws’ home and provides yet another decent charging option for when we visit. Their garage/driveway-less home is not one that would accommodate us installing an outlet, so we used to have to get creative with an extension cord across a sidewalk or borrowing a car to drop ours off at a Level 2 charger overnight.
Service
Tesla has always provided us with remarkable service. We have not yet experienced any major issues, but all minor issues have been taken care of swiftly, politely, and with the use of a loaner car. I recognize that this service may not be feasible in the long run, but I’m very happy to take advantage of it while I still can.
Social
If you told me when we picked up our car in 2014 that I would have chatted with dozens of fellow owners and enthusiasts in real life and online, met up with owners around the country, and spoken to hundreds of people at a local car show, I probably would have rolled my eyes. If you told me I’d be sharing my story on Teslarati and would have attended the unveiling event for the Model 3, I certainly would have told you that you were a few rivets short. The car isn’t just fun to drive; it’s massively fun to talk about.
Cost of ownership
Until last week, not one red cent had been spent on maintaining our car. The cost of electricity has been mostly off set by making a few efficiency adjustments at home, but if I had to estimate a true cost, I’d say we spend $50 per month on powering the car for non-road trip use. Last week, we took the car in for 2 year service. Admittedly, we skipped the first year service, since the car had been checked over twice when we brought it in for minor issues. This service came with a total bill of $742 including sales tax. For that fee, we got piece of mind and a “clean bill of health” so to speak. We know our investment is in good shape, will continue to keep us safe, and should operate for a very long time. For those wondering, it also included plenty of tangible items. They included cleaning and lubricating closures such as moving glass and doors, topping off washer fluid, measurement and rotation of tires, additional air, measurement of brake pad thickness, 4 wheel alignment, new wiper blades, new carbon filter, new key fob batteries, new desiccant bag – subcool condenser, and a quart of brake fluid.
We mentioned having started hearing a bit of a buzz while driving at low speeds, which prompted additional work at no additional cost. Tesla did what appears to be an extremely proactive move in replacing the powertrain and o-rings for the high voltage inverter enclosure.
A little bit of luck also came our way, in that the driver’s door handle apparently gave the service center issue while the car was there. A new assembly was installed and we were none the wiser until seeing our receipt. Our beautiful red car was back in our hands 48 hours later.
I can talk until I’m blue in the face about how great this car is but to me, there is only one true measure of how satisfied someone is with their car and that is whether or not you’d buy another car from the same manufacturer. I undoubtedly will – just the moment I am invited to configure my Model 3.
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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