It’s a fact, Teslas hold their resale value far better that any other EV class. However one of the misconceptions about owning a Tesla is that Teslas are expensive to maintain or will develop lots of problems later in the future. Some actual owners of the Tesla vehicles have actually expressed some level of dissatisfaction for their Teslas, which let me to ask if there is more Tesla owners could be doing to make their Tesla ownership more satisfactory and allow the vehicle to maintain it’s resale value much longer.
Before we proceed, let’s take a look at how Tesla stacks up to the competitions in terms of resale value.S
Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Tesla In Tip Top Shape.
Since Tesla is entirely an electric vehicle, it has fewer parts moving relative to the internal combustion engine vehicles, but that doesn’t preclude it from needing maintenance…it certainly needs maintenance. Most of the frequent maintenance needs on your Tesla could be as a result of abuse ore misuse. In other words, if these cars are used with care and treated gently, then the maintenance needs will be minimized as with most things in life. Here are some of those things you can do to maintain your Tesla:
1. Tesla Batteries Should Not Be Allowed To Discharge entirely.
The lithium-ion batteries on the Tesla, like your phone batteries, gradually depreciate in the power value they produce over time. However this depreciation is supposed to take a very long time.
Since these batteries certainly depreciate in its capacity to hold power for a longer time, it is advisable you charge them properly before use and not allow your Tesla to stop your journey by running out of power before you charge it. If the batteries are properly charged, then it will take a longer time, before it starts to need more frequent charging. It is advisable that you set a goal or mark of 20% which your vehicle battery should go below.
Conversely, you are advised to not fully charge your battery every time and to limit full charging to long trips every now and then. This is because fully charging and depleting the battery at repeated cycles can also have a detrimental effect on the longevity and performance of your battery. In plain english, it will kill your battery faster.
2. Frequent Checks.
The Tesla does not need much maintenance since it barely has any moving parts and is built to impeccably high standards. However checking your car regularly for minor faults could save you some money, you know? You can check the air pressure in the tires, top off windshield wi[er fluids and more, hand wash wash your car frequently and make sure you are making regular software updates.
3. Relatively Long Months Of Not Charging Your Car Can Be Harmful To The Batteries.
During the Winter (while you use your winter car) your Tesla needs to be charged. Sometimes you could even be away on a trip for a long time, probably on travel for work, holidays and more, and your car may not be charged for long periods of time. This is also not good for your battery. In essence, your Tesla is better off with its batteries charged at regular intervals rather than not charging for months.
4. Avoid Unnecessary Loads.
You may have doubts, but yes, very heavy loads or items can have an impact on your Tesla. Tesla even advices that you should not carry items above eighty(80) kilograms of weight on the trunk of your car or items above one hundred and thirty kilograms(130kg) in the trunk below. This can have an effect on your car. Yes the Tesla packs a lot of torque and is a very powerful vehicle. However with great power comes great responsibility. So use it wisely.
5. Your Tesla is Sensitive To Extreme Temperatures.
If you leave your Tesla in the snow for a long time, you will see that it is sensitive to extreme cold weather. That is because batteries are susceptible to cold temperatures and don’t perform well under those conditions. So one you begin your drive, you will discover immediately that your Tesla is not driving as fast as it should. Simply put, your Tesla is better off in a warm garage that out in the snow for long periods of time without driving it.
6. Pay Attention To Maintenance Alerts.
Sometimes you may be notified by the Tesla software of little faults, issues or problem with your Tesla. These issues could be either software or hardware related. Or you might just notice something unusual. In a case like this, you are expected to take your Tesla to the nearest Tesla Service Center for a checkup. This will prevent such little problems from becoming a big problem or causing an expensive damage to your Tesla.
7. Windshield Wipers and Fluids.
I already touched on this above but it’s worth reiterating because you wont imaging how many Tesla owners go for weeks without replacing their windshield wiper fluid. The windshield wiper and fluids are one of the few places where Tesla owners can self maintain their Teslas. It’s easy to assume that everything is taken care of because Tesla’s are so well built to minimize or avoid the need for owner maintenance. However this is one thing that you can do at home to contribute tot eh overall health of your Tesla.
8. Driving Habits.
Your habits behind the wheel on your Tesla is is an integral part to your Tesla’s health and its maintenance. If you drive your Tesla is on a decent (moderate/average) speed – pretty much obeying the speed limits, that alone is a form of maintenance and can contribute to the overall health of your Tesla. Your driving habits, how fast and ofter you accelerate and decelerate, how sharp you take turns and go over bumps, will certainly have an impact on your Tesla. So don’t drive it like you stole it, drive it like you own it.
9. Adhering To Your Tesla’s Maintenance Schedule.
Considering the fact that the Tesla is a highly complex and expensive vehicle which requires attention to every little problem or detail, it is highly recommended that every single need for maintenance on this car be handled by Tesla’s highly trained techs. Tesla has made it as easy as possible to schedule a maintenance through the Tesla app.
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