We’re coming up on 10 years since the first Model S was first introduced in 2012. With a body style that hasn’t changed much over time, older cars becoming more affordable, and Tesla's approach to releasing features when they are ready instead of by model year, it can be a confusing time to buy a used Tesla. That being said, it seems a buying guide would be handy so shoppers can learn what to look out for and understand what they’re buying. For the purpose of this guide, we'll assume buyers are looking at vehicles that are out of warranty since there are fewer things to worry about if a vehicle has an existing warranty.
The top 3 things a buyer should look for when buying a used Tesla:
1) Autopilot
2) Service records
3) The 8-year, unlimited mile high voltage battery and drive unit warranty
It has been nearly 7 years since Autopilot (AP) was first introduced on the Model S. In that time, depreciation has made early AP cars affordable enough that it doesn't make sense to buy a non-AP Tesla anymore. The soon to be expiring 8-year battery/drive unit warranty and the lack of Autopilot on 2012-2014 cars now makes them very affordable in the mid-$20k range while cars with AP1 and higher miles are starting to sell in the low to mid $30k range.
Get Service Records
Buyers should know that Tesla will not share service history information with new owners of a used Tesla. That being said, before the seller removes the vehicle from their Tesla account, make sure the seller shares PDF copies of their service records through the Service section in the mobile app.
Prior service records are important since there is a 1-year warranty on parts if the seller paid for the service.
Buyers should look for a used Model S built before February 2020. This date is important because up until then Tesla offered a very generous warranty on Tesla S/X high voltage (HV) batteries and drive units that covered 8-years from the date of manufacture and UNLIMITED MILES. This warranty only covered failures, it did not cover degradation. High voltage batteries from Tesla are $14,000 for a remanufactured battery and $22,000 for a new one. Drive units, the motors that spin the wheels, can run anywhere between $5,000-8,000 depending on which drive unit you need.
Model S cars built after February 2020 have an 8-year and 150,000 mile warranty and Tesla added "with minimum 70% retention of Battery capacity over the warranty period."
SHOPPER NOTE:
At a minimum, look for a Tesla with Autopilot 1, commonly called AP1. Any car newer than 2015 will have some level of Autopilot functionality. If a seller cannot provide service records and the car is out of warranty, buyers should assume nothing has been replaced and potential repairs may be needed soon when negotiating the price. Buyers should be sensitive when asking for service records since they contain the name, address, email, and phone number of the previous owner. If the car is still under warranty, service records may not be as crucial since any repairs will still be covered for free.
Unless an owner is selling their Tesla for less than $20k, buy a Tesla that has a portion of the 8-year, unlimited mile warranty left on the drive units and battery. It's a Tesla owner's nightmare to see a message like the one below in the Tesla app. The Tesla in the picture ended up having to get it's battery replaced under warranty.
Since there are different versions of Autopilot, it's important to explain what to look for when shopping.
Autopilot 1
Tesla introduced Autopilot 1 (AP1) in Q3 of 2014 and AP1 cars can be identified on nosecone cars by the small rectangular sensor located in the middle of the bottom grill. In 2016 there was a period of time after Tesla released the new Model S bumper but still outfitted the car with AP1 so be aware that there are a handful of Model S cars with the updated bumper that also have AP1.
Autopilot 2
In December of 2016 Tesla released AP2 which included side marker cameras in the fenders and additional cameras in the B-pillar and cameras in the top of the windshield. Buyers can find out if a Tesla has AP1 or AP2+ by checking the side markers on the front fenders. If the side markers have cameras, the vehicle has AP2 or newer.
Autopilot 3
In April of 2019, the hardware for AP3 was released and with this hardware Tesla stated they would be able to offer a full-self-driving experience. At the time of this writing, full-self-driving is not actually available however it can be purchased.
SHOPPER NOTE:
In general, Teslas with ANY Autopilot functionality will hold their value longer than Teslas without Autopilot functionality and the lack of Autopilot should be reflected in the price of the car. While AP1 is older technology, it is still very useful and reliable so if the price is attractive, don't let the older AP1 technology be a deal breaker.
Newer versions of Autopilot hardware allow for more advanced functionality so buyers should expect to see those features come with a higher price. The software for AP2 cars also changed and allowed for additional functionality. For several years Tesla sold an Autopilot software packaged called Enhanced Autopilot (EAP). EAP allowed the car to change lanes on it's own during navigation, navigate on Autopilot so the car followed highway interchanges towards a mapped destination, and summon. Available as a software update for cars with AP2+ were two more features called Sentry and Dashcam. These additional security features, require MCU2 to display the videos captured by the cars cameras.
There are a few things to look out for when checking out the car in person. Open the lift gate. If it has a motorized mechanism to open up then the car has a "tech package". The tech package for the most part included auto-folding mirrors, cornering lights, lighted door handles, and GPS enabled Homelink. If you open the door and look under the arm rest of the door and see a light strip, the vehicle has the ambient lighting feature which dims along with the instrument cluster.
Some issues that may not be easily noticeable include exterior lighting. Look at the headlights and check to make sure the LED strip completely lights up. Some owners with the facelift bumper have noticed the LED strips in their headlights have dimmed or only light up partially. Also look at the tail lights and make sure they light up properly. A replacement tail light can cost over $400 from Tesla.
Unfortunately, so many Teslas have panel gaps, condensation in tail lights, misaligned chrome trim and other minor issues that they are usually considered "within spec" at the Tesla Service Center and aren't out of the ordinary enough to be negotiation points on price.
SHOPPER NOTE: If the headlights or tail lights have issues, mention it to the seller. If they can't be covered under warranty, the sales price should reflect some of that replacement cost. Most Tesla owners will have some form of clear bra and a ceramic coating and while these items can add some value to the selling price of the car, the value is usually only maybe an extra $500-$1k.
If the Model S has a sunroof, open and close the sunroof. The sunroof should open and close smoothly without any stuttering. Also, check the headliner around the A and C pillar for any evidence of them being wet. If the vehicle has the textile headliner, there may be some water stains from past leaks. A leaky roof can be an expensive repair out of warranty as the panoramic sunroof system is all part of one piece called a “cassette” and the parts alone are $5,000. The leaks aren’t always prominent and most likely won’t cause any catastrophic failure in the car but a Tesla with a leaky roof is certainly less desirable than a Tesla without a leaky roof.
SHOPPER NOTE: If evidence of a leaky roof is found, inquire about whether or not it can be addressed under the existing warranty. If the vehicle is out of warranty and the roof has been replaced in the past year, Tesla might assist in repairing it since the part may have been installed incorrectly. If the vehicle is out of warranty and there are issues with the sunroof, the selling price should reflect that. Buyers should also note that the water stains are removable with a cotton towel and folex.
For the Tesla Model S, as of 4/2020, there are three generations of the self-presenting door handles. First generation door handles will undoubtedly fail (introduced in 2012), second generation door handles are better (introduced around 2015) and the third generation handles (introduced around 2017) are best.
SHOPPER NOTE: When speaking to the seller, inquire about any door handles that may have been replaced during their ownership period and get the appropriate service records showing that work was done. Replacing a door handle can cost several hundred dollars so keep that in mind if considering an older Model S with first generation door handles.
The Model S has had 2 main types of front seats. The 1st generation seats have a seam down the center and lacked thigh support and side bolstering. They were offered in cars between 2012 and as recent as some 2016 builds.
The 2nd generation seats are more comfortable with more thigh support and a bucket seat style helped people from sliding side to side.
The Model S rear bench has had 4 different styles.
Some Model S cars have the jump seat in the trunk and while this may be a selling point, they can take up valuable trunk room when stowed away. Jump seats can be removed to gain more trunk space so don’t let the jump seats be a deal breaker if the price of the car is attractive. It is possible to add jump seats to a Model S without jump seats but it is expensive and requires an upgrade to the rear bumper structure to beef up the car’s ability to withstand a rear impact.
The Model S also was offered in various types of seat material. Some come with leather, some come with a multi-pattern textile material, and more recently a vegan material that looks like leather but isn’t.
SHOPPER NOTE: Shoppers who come across an opportunity to buy a Model S with 1st generation seats for a favorable price, should not let the seats be a deal breaker since the seats can be replaced with 2nd generation seats. The multi-pattern textile interior was the cheapest offering from Tesla so if the seller is comparing the value of their Model S with a similar Model S of equal battery size/motors, the price of the vehicle with the multi-pattern textile should be lower than a similar Model S with leather interior. Again, the 1st generation seats or multi-textile interior seats can be swapped for 2nd generation leather seats. Used front seats are approximately $2k for the pair and used rear seats are roughly $3k.
The instrument panel in the middle of the dash is called the media control unit (MCU). There have been 2 versions of the MCU, the first version (MCU1) was offered in cars between 2012 and Q2 2018.
The second generation of the MCU was introduced in Q2 of 2018 and has a faster processor and comes with an LTE antenna to enable it to play Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and videos captured on the exterior car cameras. Image maps also download faster and can be navigated more smoothly than on an MCU1.
Buyers should note that the MCU1 can be slow to respond to touch input and often connects via a 3G connection so map imagery will take longer to download and render on the screen. Internally, the memory can also max out and cause the MCU1 unit to become almost unusable.
Physically, there are a couple of ways that the instrument panels can go bad in a Tesla. These issues can happen on both MCU1 and MCU2.
SHOPPER NOTE: An MCU1 unit can be replaced with an MCU2 unit for approximately $1,500 and this upgrade includes a new instrument cluster screen. Many owners who have done this change feel it is worth it and since the Model S hasn’t changed much since 2012, updating the MCU2 can make older cars feel a lot newer. Buyers should keep this upgrade in mind when shopping for an older Tesla and negotiate a price that reflects the older technology. Also, the yellow border can be fixed for $30 at the Tesla Service Center so don’t let that be a deal breaker.
Are the rims in good condition? If not, that should be reflected in the price of the car. Teslas are notorious for going through rear tires. Usually the inner tread blocks of the rear tires get worn out fast so if the car needs to get new rear tires soon, that should be reflected in the price of the car.
SHOPPER NOTE: If the wheels have curb rash, they can be repaired for around $175 per wheel. Rear tires on Teslas can run $350-400 each so if the car needs new rear tires, try to negotiate the sales price accordingly.
During the test drive, while a high-pitch whine under hard acceleration is normal, listen for any milling noises or clicking noises that may come from the wheels or drive units. Many early Model S cars needed replacement drive units due to the motor milling while the car is accelerating so listen for anything unusual when the vehicle is under acceleration. It's important to acquire a Tesla that is within the 8-year unlimited mile warranty so any replacment drive units will be covered at no cost.
Dual motor models usually have air suspension and the front axles (half shafts) of the all wheel drive Teslas can sometimes shudder or vibrate during hard acceleration from a stop unless they are always driven with the air suspension at a “LOW” setting.
SHOPPER NOTE:
Drive the car and listen for any unusual noises. If a milling noise is present under acceleration and the car is still covered under the drive unit and battery warranty, rest assured the drive unit will be replaced for free. Another issue plaguing dual motor Tesla S/X cars is "front shudder". To test if a AWD (dual motor) Tesla has half-shaft issues, set the air suspension (if equipped) to “low” and floor it from a stop. If any vibration or shuddering is felt from the front then the half shafts might need replacing. This issue usually only occurs under hard acceleration from a stop and it is completely safe to drive a Tesla as long as the car is driven under moderate acceleration. Half-shafts are not covered under the battery / drive unit warranty and replacing them can cost around $3,000 out of warranty so if a vehicle has these issues, try to negotiate on the sales price of the car accordingly.
The Model S has been offered with various battery sizes in the past 10 years and time has shown how some batteries age better than others. They came in 40kWh, 60kWh, 70kWh, 75kWh, 85kWh, 90kWh, and 100kWh sizes. Overall, most of the batteries were great but buyers should know a little more about the following batteries.
40kWh The 40kWh hour battery was short-lived and was only offered in the first couple of years of production for the Model S. Cars outfitted with the 40kWh packs cannot supercharge and the battery offered very short range and was not sufficient for an EV as heavy as a Tesla Model S.
60kWh There are two types of 60kWh hour batteries. The original version was offered up until 2015 and many experienced battery chemistry issues and steeper rates of degradation. In fact, some 60kWh packs cannot supercharge. The second version of the 60kWh pack was actually a 75kWh pack that was software limited to 60kWh and the internal chemistry issue was resolved. Owners of these software limited battery packs can pay a fee to unlock the unused portion of the battery.
70kWh There are two types of 70kWh hour batteries. The original version in the nosecone version of the Model S was offered up until 2015. The second version of the 70kWh pack in the facelifted Model S was actually a 75kWh pack that was software limited to 70kWh. Owners of these software limited battery packs can pay a fee to unlock the unused portion of the battery.
85kWh The original 85kWh pack battery was offered in 2012 and over the course of time, many Tesla owners have seen slower charging rates at the supercharging stations. The internal chemistry is older and many Model S cars with 85kWh battery packs are approaching the expiration date for the high voltage battery and drive unit warranty.
90kWh There were two types of 90kWh hour batteries. The original version was offered up until late 2016 and came on Model S cars with the nosecone. The version that came with the nosecone model S had notoriously bad chemistry within the battery pack and owners experienced steep rates of degradation. Unless the car has a significant portion of the 8-year battery and drive unit warranty left, buyers should steer clear of these cars and opt for the 2016+ Model S with the upgraded bumper as those had the revised version of the 90kWh pack with better chemistry and flatter rates of degradation.
SHOPPER NOTE:
90%. This is the maximum percentage of charge Tesla owners should be charging their car for day to day driving. Buyers need to remember this when shopping for a Model X because the real world range will be drastically less than the advertised range. This difference could be due to driving behavior, environment factors like wind, inclines, being measured at 100% charge, etc. That being said, buyers should purchase the largest battery they can afford. The 100kWh or Long Range battery is the largest battery pack Tesla offers and is the ideal pack to purchase.
When evaluating the many different variants of the Model S in the past 10 years and considering a wide variety of budgets, here are some recommendations in a "good, better, best" format.
GOOD