Washington state-based car dealership Legend Auto Sales (@legendautosales2) has sparked a conversation on TikTok over whether a used Tesla Model S is a good purchase. In the clip, a sales rep highlights the car’s features, along with an eye-catching $20k price tag.
“This is a 2017 Tesla Model S. This Tesla will cost you around $20,000 due to the fact that it qualifies for the $4,000 dollar EV rebate, which ends this month,” he says, referencing the U.S. government’s decision to pull federal tax rebates for new and used electric vehicles.
He says the vehicle carries a range of 259 miles, suggesting that it’s a Model S 75D variant. To sweeten the pot, he also points out that like many EVs, the Model S packs blistering acceleration speeds, before waxing about its creature comforts inside the cabin: “Inside, you get a digital touchscreen, premium comfort interior, a panoramic sunroof and an amazing sound system.”
Used Model S: What Could Go Wrong?
There are some benefits to purchasing a used Tesla Model X or S. One possible perk is to discover whether the vehicle comes with free supercharging. Find My Electric recommends finding out from a seller if this is the case; if it is, you’ll get to juice up at the world’s largest fast-charging network for free.
Commenters on the video voiced some common concerns surrounding the purchase of electric vehicles. Several remarked that buyers might be left forking over hefty battery replacement costs. According to Tesla’s website, the Model S comes with an eight-year, 150,000-mile battery replacement warranty in case it fails. Seeing as the Model S in the video is a 2017 model, the warranty on the featured car is most likely either expired or about to be.
One commenter video highlighted another recurring criticism of Tesla vehicles: The brand’s range estimates are often accused of being overstated or flat-out unrealistic. Some drivers, like this Model Y owner on the Tesla Motors Club forum, reported that they’re only getting around 60% of their car’s quoted range. In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice is officially investigating Tesla about the matter.
If you’re considering purchasing a used 2017 Model S, be aware that Consumer Reports has deemed that the car “will be less reliable than the average new car.” The firm went on to list that the Model S has nine National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalls, including for its electrical system, seat belts, steering and issues with its forward collision avoidance that can cause random stops.
There have also been reports from Tesla drivers with aging vehicles regarding its infotainment system hardware, like Redditors in this post. Tesla owners in another online discussion group highlighted how the brand is offering infotainment upgrades. The manufacturer says that Model S and X models “built March 2018 or earlier are eligible to purchase” the upgraded units, which cost $2,000 “plus installation.” So drivers interested in a car similar to the one in the video may want to budget for that in case they experience infotainment woes.
Tesla Battery Replacement Cost
Both Find My Electric and Cars Bibles cite battery replacement costs for Teslas as tantamount to the purchase of a brand-new entry-level vehicle: The former says drivers may have to pay anywhere from $15,000 to $22,000 for a new lithium-ion unit, though the latter reports that in some instances, drivers could get away with only paying $12,000 for a new battery pack.
In an April 2019 post on X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Tesla’s “current battery modules should last 300k to 500k miles,” but some drivers have claimed their modules have failed well before that. For example, this Phoenix-based Tesla Model 3 owner said their car’s battery and onboard computer died after 130,000 miles.
While Tesla is relatively new in the automotive scene when compared to legacy automakers, there are third-party repair shops that have been able to fix battery units at a fraction of the cost. This independent shop quotes the average Tesla power-pack repair at $5,000-$6,000.
So if you are looking to get a used Tesla, it’s best to know what high-ticket repairs you may run into and see if there are any privately owned shops with a good reputation for being able to work on the model you want to buy.
InsideEVs has reached out to the dealership via TikTok comment for further information.
