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Just looking at some data on Tesla's: According to RepairPal, the average Tesla maintenance cost is $832 per year. That compares to an average of $652 per year

Just looking at some data on Tesla's: According to RepairPal, the average Tesla maintenance cost is $832 per year. That compares to an average of $652 per year for all car models sold in the United States. Depending on which services your Tesla needs, you may end up spending much more than the average car owner on yearly maintenance needs. Also, Tesla's aren't known for their reliability: Though not much information exists yet about the overall reliability of Tesla models, early results aren’t encouraging. In the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability StudySM, Tesla ranked 30th of 33 car brands for overall reliability. That’s better than only Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, and Land Rover among all automakers across the country. J.D. Power reported an average of 176 mechanical issues per 100 Tesla vehicles, compared to an industry average of 121 issues. The organization notes, though, that it doesn’t rank the electric car brand with other major automakers because it doesn’t meet the study’s criteria. What can be known is that Tesla models break down relatively regularly and that Tesla maintenance costs are pretty steep. https://jalopnik.com/advisor/tesla-maintenance-cost/ https://jalopnik.com/advisor/tesla-maintenance-cost/ Unreliable cars and a pretty steep per year cost to maintain them, along with steep repair costs (a broken door handle will run you about 1K plus labor)? This doesn't sound like the pipedream you're selling me here.

gibolt 5y ago
Their reliability score does not take into account severity. Most things reported are super minor, and all are within the first year. Luxury cars are the 'worst' in these surveys, because owners are pickier. True reliability metrics are average years on the road and miles driven.
- unregistereddev 5y ago
  Tesla ranks behind Lexus, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Lincoln, and many other luxury cars in the same reliability studies. Even if most things are minor, they still have significantly more problems than the established automakers. I wonder whether the average amount spent on non-warranty repairs would be a good metric to add to "average years on the road and miles driven". That would hopefully remove initial defects from the first few years and also remove defects that are so minor that most people won't pay to have them fixed.
- wolverine876 5y ago
  > Their reliability score does not take into account severity. Therefore Tesla's reliability might be even worse.
robocat 5y ago
> Tesla maintenance cost is $832 per year. That compares to an average of $652 per year I would be very careful before relying on those maintenance cost figures - they are very dependant upon the age of the vehicles and neither figure sounds realistic, if you look at the following information. https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/the-most-and-least-expensive-cars-to-maintain-by-maddy-martin https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/the-most-and-least-expe... The link shows the cheapest average cost to maintain a vehicle over 10 years was $550/annum for a Toyota in 2016, and the most expensive was $1780/annum for BMW. More importantly, further down, the article shows the cost increase over time for maintenance is about +$150/annum. At age 10 years the average maintenance is $1500, and it plateaus at about $2000/annum (because people retire vehicles when they get too expensive to maintain). A Tesla doesn’t have oil changes or combustion engine problems, so some maintenance costs are reduced. However the battery eventually needs replacing, which is a large expense, so you must know whether the battery replacement is included in average yearly maintenance costs or not, before the figure is useable over the long term.
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  >The link shows the cheapest average cost to maintain a vehicle over 10 years was $550/annum for a Toyota in 2016, and the most expensive was $1780/annum for BMW. Gotta love how these numbers are both a decent sized integer multiple away from what you would think they are if you got your advice from the internet.
  - sgerenser 5y ago
    Keep in mind that BMW number is probably including a yearly maintenance/tune up at the dealer that includes an oil change, new wipers, cabin air filter, and nitrogen in the tires all for one low price of $599.
- HWR_14 5y ago
  The numbers align with my anecdata. I'd say $832/year is probably around what people I know with a newish (0-3 years) Tesla pay. And people I know with an ICE car probably average $600 or less. Your source seems to argue in favor of the numbers as well. If we just look at your Toyota and BMW numbers, the average holds true if there are 11 Toyotas to every BWM. That sounds plausible.

gibolt 5y ago

Their reliability score does not take into account severity. Most things reported are super minor, and all are within the first year. Luxury cars are the 'worst' in these surveys, because owners are pickier. True reliability metrics are average years on the road and miles driven.

unregistereddev 5y ago
Tesla ranks behind Lexus, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Lincoln, and many other luxury cars in the same reliability studies. Even if most things are minor, they still have significantly more problems than the established automakers. I wonder whether the average amount spent on non-warranty repairs would be a good metric to add to "average years on the road and miles driven". That would hopefully remove initial defects from the first few years and also remove defects that are so minor that most people won't pay to have them fixed.
wolverine876 5y ago
> Their reliability score does not take into account severity. Therefore Tesla's reliability might be even worse.

robocat 5y ago

> Tesla maintenance cost is $832 per year. That compares to an average of $652 per year I would be very careful before relying on those maintenance cost figures - they are very dependant upon the age of the vehicles and neither figure sounds realistic, if you look at the following information. https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/the-most-and-least-expensive-cars-to-maintain-by-maddy-martin https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/the-most-and-least-expe... The link shows the cheapest average cost to maintain a vehicle over 10 years was $550/annum for a Toyota in 2016, and the most expensive was $1780/annum for BMW. More importantly, further down, the article shows the cost increase over time for maintenance is about +$150/annum. At age 10 years the average maintenance is $1500, and it plateaus at about $2000/annum (because people retire vehicles when they get too expensive to maintain). A Tesla doesn’t have oil changes or combustion engine problems, so some maintenance costs are reduced. However the battery eventually needs replacing, which is a large expense, so you must know whether the battery replacement is included in average yearly maintenance costs or not, before the figure is useable over the long term.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago
>The link shows the cheapest average cost to maintain a vehicle over 10 years was $550/annum for a Toyota in 2016, and the most expensive was $1780/annum for BMW. Gotta love how these numbers are both a decent sized integer multiple away from what you would think they are if you got your advice from the internet.
- sgerenser 5y ago
  Keep in mind that BMW number is probably including a yearly maintenance/tune up at the dealer that includes an oil change, new wipers, cabin air filter, and nitrogen in the tires all for one low price of $599.
HWR_14 5y ago
The numbers align with my anecdata. I'd say $832/year is probably around what people I know with a newish (0-3 years) Tesla pay. And people I know with an ICE car probably average $600 or less. Your source seems to argue in favor of the numbers as well. If we just look at your Toyota and BMW numbers, the average holds true if there are 11 Toyotas to every BWM. That sounds plausible.