California Man Who Drives Long Distances Asks If He Should Get A Tesla Model 3 Performance Or Long Range
"Which one would you get if you were in that situation?"
A man torn between purchasing a used Tesla Model 3 Performance or Long Range variant weighed his options on TikTok.
“If I find a Tesla Model 3 Performance with like 40,000 miles on it, is that bad for a Tesla? Or not?” Khalil (@khalil.knows) asks viewers. “Like, would it be better to just get the Long Range Performance with like 20,000 miles? Now, I’d get a home charger, but I do tend to drive to Malibu a lot, and to other places. But I would also like the speed of a Performance. I think that’s pretty cool. But I also know that the all-wheel-drive Long Range version is still super fast. Which one would you get if you were in that situation? The 40,000-mile or 20,000-mile Long Range? Let me know in the comments.”
Tesla Reliability
Some EV enthusiasts might caution against purchasing a Tesla altogether, especially a used one. In 2023, Autoweek named Tesla the most-recalled car brand when compared to all other major automakers, and Motor1 wrote that Tesla recalled the most cars in 2024.
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InsideEVs previously reported that the EV maker contacted Model 3 owners about pre-emptively replacing their control arms as a means of minimizing failure whilst driving. There are also several anecdotes from frustrated Tesla owners online venting about control arm problems. This Redditor tells the story of their control arm failing after their vehicle hit 51,000 miles—just 1,000 miles over its warranty—forcing them to shell out $1,721 for the fix.
Model 3 Long Range Versus Model 3 Performance
Khalil says in the video that he’s concerned about the range of the two Tesla models he’s considering purchasing. When purchasing a used EV, one should consider battery degradation as well if miles per charge is of paramount concern. That is, if an EV isn’t holding 100% of its off-the-assembly-line charge, it’ll ultimately reduce the vehicle’s max range.
It certainly doesn’t help a used Tesla’s case that Motor Trend reported significant disparities between the EPA quoted range and real-world range of some Tesla models.
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The 2024 Model 3 Dual Motor Long Range (Highland) is marketed as being able to travel 337 miles on a single charge, but Motor Trend could only go 250 miles, a 26% difference. The outlet also tested a 2022 Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor Long Range and found that it went 258 miles on a fully charged power pack despite being EPA-estimated at 333 miles, a 23% decline.
However, Edmunds tested the 2024 Model 3 Performance and found it went 307 miles—longer than its estimated range of 303 miles. According to Edmunds, this was surprising since “Teslas have traditionally had a difficult time meeting their EPA-estimated ranges.”
All In How You Drive
There are several factors that Khalil and other interested used Tesla buyers should consider before purchasing a vehicle. The Model 3 Long Range and Performance variants both have eight-year, 120,000-mile battery warranties. If units have less than 70% of its maximum capacity in that time, Tesla will cover the repair/replacement.
As for the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty, which covers components like the aforementioned control arm, that’s valid for 4 years or 50,000 miles, which means that if Khalil is thinking about going for the 40,000-mile used Tesla, he doesn’t have that much driving until that basic warranty expires.
Moreover, when it comes to going the distance in one’s EV, there are some driving habits worth considering. Electric cars can indeed have their batteries depleted more quickly by blasting their air conditioning/heating systems. High-speed driving, including rapid acceleration, can also eat away at a battery’s charge, too.
InsideEVs has reached out to Khalil via TikTok DM for further information.
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