Model 3 vs S ?

[J4CKO]

If you had a budget of say 25 grand, which would you buy ?

What are the pros and cons of each model other than size ?

[gangzoom]

I'm currently sitting at around £5k repair bills on our X, which essentially is the same as the S but bigger body. Air suspension, AC compressor both needed sorting both are 'known' problems. I still have steering rack, rear suspension struts to do, the charger port can also go on both, and the big ticket item the battery.......£20k replacement from Tesla if that goes, you can try third party fixes but most of them seem temporary at best. New battery on the 3 I think is around £8k and they do fail.

How lucky do you feel?? I'm getting rid of mine as soon as the replacement car arrives, if you want a reliable used car don't get any of these things.

[andrew-6xade]

...and if you want a balanced view, ignore the bloke above.

He's weird.

[gangzoom]

andrew-6xade said:

...and if you want a balanced view, ignore the bloke above.

He's weird.

All I state is fact and real life ownership experience from having EVs for the last decade as our main family car.

[raspy]

Get a 3 if you like going round corners quickly. Get a S if you like wafting around and do a lot of cruising on A roads/motorways etc

If I were in your shoes, I would get this Model S P100D with Ludicrous mode+ for £25k - Apparently they can do 0-60 in 2.4 seconds. Perfect for the school run, right?

You have the benefit of a new battery, with warranty.

"2019 Tesla Model S P100D
MOT- 4th September 2026
Mileage- 64,239 (Will go up as in daily use)

This car seems to have every optional extra, including heated and cooled front seats. Ludicrous + mode.

New High Voltage battery fitted by Tesla under warranty in March 2026. Battery and drive unit warranty with Tesla until 29th March 2027, unlimited mileage warranty."

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605312...

[Gone fishing]

andrew-6xade said:

...and if you want a balanced view, ignore the bloke above.

He's weird.

I’d also hazard a guess he’s owned a Tesla a lot longer than you.

Getting a balanced view on Tesla is nearly impossible. GZ for many years loved his MX even though, if I remember correctly, it was the most unreliable car he’s ever owned. Now it’s hurting his wallet and is a ticking time bomb. Somebody suggested a P100D, a car with only about a years battery and motor warranty, the replacement battery it had last year was probably a refurb but it goes to show they do fail. Are you feeling lucky…

If you can’t afford a nasty surprise with an EV, buy one with the most warranty you can find in your price bracket. You’ll have plenty talk about how free from trouble they are and when pressed they list a string of warranty claims they’ve needed to make.

And just to add - model S was the first mass market car they designed and built - a bunch of engineers learning how to do it with a million changes implemented on the fly over the years, everything from door handles to suspension arms. The Model 3 was the first car they built to a budget, early ones built in a tent. Components like suspension fail because they’re cheap. You need to be looking 2022 onwards as that’s the sort of time they’d sorted out most of the gremlins, ideally rven later with the facelift M3 and MY.