The author of this article, Hao Hao, is a member of the Tesla group in 42HOW and currently resides in Canada. She recently picked up her dream car, the Model 3, and shares her experience below. Enjoy.
As a young person, I first want to thank my family for their support. On Christmas Eve, I mentioned my long-awaited dream car, the Tesla Model 3. Although it came with a heavy loan, I was happy to finally have it. It’s been almost three weeks since the pickup and my Baymax (yes, I call him Baymax because he’s cute and caring) has driven over 1300 km. During this time, there were two repairs and several minor incidents. I have both positive and negative feedback on my Baymax and hope this pickup and maintenance report can provide some reference for new car owners in China who are also about to pick up their cars.
Why I chose Model 3 and some pickup incidents
I saw the Model 3 for the first time in March or April last year when the first display car arrived in Vancouver not long ago. I was amazed by my friend’s live photos of it, but I wasn’t in town at that time. As a Tesla fan, I’ve been familiar with the advantages of the Model 3’s interior design for a long time. The simple and clean interior, the handsome devil-ish front, the glass roof, and the frameless doors all made my heart sing with satisfaction…
However, the Model 3 that I first saw when I arrived in Canada was a bit of a disappointment to me. I found the rear seats very low, to the point where I, with a height of only 1.63 meters, felt like I was crouching on the floor. Considering that everyone in my family is taller than me, it would probably be uncomfortable for them to sit in the back seats. On the other hand, the price of the dual-motor, long-range version of the Model 3 with Autopilot was comparable to or even higher than that of many SUVs from other brands in Canada. Having been used to driving SUVs, I hesitated for a long time before reluctantly deciding to give up on the Model 3.
In early November, I applied to cancel my reservation and get a refund of $1,000 CAD. At the time, I had decided to give up on the Model 3, but if there was a more comfortable SUV model with a suitable price, such as the Model Y, I would still immediately turn to Tesla. In December, I received my refund and a call from Fremont, California, informing me that there were already new Model 3 cars available in Vancouver for test drives. Yes… after this test drive, I decided to keep my reservation…
On December 16th, my family and I test drove the Model 3, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were many improvements to the car since the last one I saw. The rear seats were higher and more comfortable. After driving outside, I could see the bright blue sky through the Model 3’s glass roof. The overall interior was simple and sleek, and the air conditioning was so subtle that I couldn’t feel the flow of air. Technology was integrated seamlessly into the car. With my family’s support, we made the decision to take delivery on the 17th, and within a day, we were matched with a new car that would be delivered on December 24th in Vancouver.
From the moment the car was matched on the website, I could see the welcome page on my phone, along with an instructional video and my referral code. I’ll spare you the thousands of sentences about the twisting and turning excitement of waiting.
On the day of delivery, while waiting to sign various papers, we met a couple who looked like newlyweds and had just bought their own Tesla Model 3. After signing the documents, they hugged and kissed each other, ecstatically saying, “Thank you, my love. We have our own Tesla now.” Tesla has brought great expectations and emotions to many car enthusiasts, and at that moment, it deeply touched me.
After finishing all the insurance documents with the insurance company’s employees, the delivery guy quickly stuffed a piece of pizza into his mouth, came out of the back office, installed the license plate for us, and explained the precautions for using the vehicle. It was already 4 o’clock on Christmas Eve, and they had been busy all day without eating. This shows the hard work involved in delivering cars at the end of Q4.Apart from basic usage instructions, the delivery staff reminded me of a few things to keep in mind:
- The charging port closes automatically, so try not to press it shut with your hand, especially on the outer edge, as it’s easily broken;
- Using a third-party charging interface for Tesla’s adapter is not cheap, so remember to take it back and be careful not to lose it after each use;
- When closing the front trunk, press on the emblem. Don’t press the center of the hood or put heavy objects on it, as the steel plate is prone to deformation.
I brought an 8GB USB drive to use as a dashboard camera and asked how to install it. The staff member instructed me to unplug the USB drive from the phone charging port and insert the USB drive instead, as the car only has two USB ports that can read and write data. Unfortunately, the car did not recognize the USB drive and start the dashboard camera function immediately. Later on, I learned that I need to create a folder named TeslaCam on the USB drive for it to be recognized.
Regarding the dashboard camera, there are two things new car owners should know:
- If you want to record something worth sharing or need evidence for an accident, press the small camera icon above the screen. The red dot on the top left of the camera will turn into a green checkmark, and the last 10 minutes of content will be saved. Otherwise, it will be overwritten. Currently, an 8GB USB drive can store up to around 1 hour of content.
- When you want to remove the USB drive, long press the small camera icon until the red “Recording” status and the green checkmark disappear. This is equivalent to safely ejecting the USB drive on a computer. Otherwise, like me, you may end up damaging a USB drive and losing many valuable videos.
On the day of delivery, the staff member did not know the specifics of using the Dashcam and could not answer my question about why the USB drive could not be recognized immediately. This is probably because the Model 3 is constantly receiving OTA updates and many details are not fully understood by employees.
When Baymax was handed over to me, the mileage displayed was only 4 km, and the delivery staff member said it was the lowest he had ever seen. I secretly felt happy (although I didn’t know why). When the staff member got out of the car, he kindly tore off the plastic film on the metal strip of the front passenger door threshold for me… As someone who never tears off the plastic film on things I buy, I let out a sigh, to which the staff member responded with a bright smile and said, “You’re welcome.”
I… However, the film on the car screen survived and I am quite satisfied, so I don’t feel the need to buy another one.Maybe because the delivery was too rushed, the delivery guy didn’t have time to explain to me. There is a Model 3 car model in the storage compartment of the car. It wasn’t until several days after I picked up the car that I discovered this little car model. Although the workmanship feels a bit rough, it is still very commemorative.
On the way home, Autopilot displays “calibrating”. When the calibration process is complete, the autopilot can be activated. It’s a bit like playing a game and entering a frozen period before using a powerful skill! Many car owners shared before that they had to drive nearly 100 kilometers before the autopilot was unlocked. But in fact, from the pick-up location to my home, it’s only 15 kilometers. I made a wrong turn twice, driving about 20 kilometers, and Autopilot was unlocked when I got home.
For those who drive a Model 3 for the first time, like me, who became an electric car owner for the first time, I want to remind you of a few things:
When I first drove the electric car, I enjoyed it very much, but my passengers were very distressed.
Because the energy recovery system of the Model 3 is very sensitive, when the throttle is sharply lifted, the deceleration is very fast, just like slamming on the brakes. If you want to decelerate smoothly, the action of lifting off the throttle should be as slow as possible.
The fluctuating speed made my mother, who volunteered to accompany me to drive the new car home, hesitant and said to me: “Your new car is really beautiful and cool, but, uh, I feel a little dizzy…”
My Baymax:
About the advantages of my white carTesla enthusiasts probably already know a lot about the Model 3. As for me personally, the following are the most attractive features:
- It looks beautiful!! I think the front of the car looks a lot like Fendi’s little devil, cute and cool.
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The interior is simple and elegant, which is exactly what I want in a car. Why do we need so many unnecessary buttons? It’s full of technology.
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You don’t have to worry about your car being outdated in 2019 if you bought it in 2018. Just 20 days after taking delivery, I’ve already received an update.
According to a veteran car owner, even features like automatic windshield wipers can be added through subsequent updates. The problem of Model 3’s strong lurching at the beginning has also been effectively improved through OTA updates. You can expect that my white car is growing every day, becoming a good child who is constantly improving itself.
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The cost of owning a car is low. I usually spend about 150-200 Canadian dollars on gasoline per month, which is equivalent to 800-1000 RMB. But since purchasing the Model 3, I haven’t paid for charging because my school has free charging stations and I’m still within the 6-month period of free supercharging. Even if I charge at home, the cost is far lower than gasoline.
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Autopilot is very useful on many roads. Now with Autopilot on Navigation, my white car can even choose the right exit for me, a road idiot who turns the wrong way 9 times out of 10 on expressways. My white car is teaching me well every day.
Here is a video of using autopilot in a curved road, recorded by the built-in dashcam:
During a heavy rain, I tested the AP and felt like I was half-blind due to the density of raindrops on the windshield. However, in the dashcam's footage, the camera's view is clearer than a human's vision. This may be because the driver looks through the entire windshield, and raindrops hanging on the whole windshield can obstruct their sight. The camera only takes up a small area of the windshield, and as long as there are no raindrops in that area, the AP view is clear.
Here is a video recorded by the dashcam on a heavy rainy day. At the end of the footage, the road suddenly widens, with a high-speed lane on the right and no road line. The car suddenly shifts to the right side to occupy the middle of both lanes, and I took over.
6. Summon is a fancy feature that allows you to control the car's forward and backward movements with your phone. The car will sense obstacles around it and make certain adjustments to the steering wheel. You can walk along with your car and easily walk your car like someone walks their dog. Ahem, the normal usage scenario is usually in a parking lot, where you can gracefully let it out of a narrow parking space. You can then elegantly get into the car without squeezing into the gap, struggling to open the door, or dirtying your clothes.
7. It's fun, and there are new experiences every day, such as the fart game that comes with a new update, which can be used to prank friends. Yes, you read that right, there is a fart game in the car. You can preset a fart balloon on a seat. When a friend gets in the car, and you subtly turn on the turn signal...there will be a really convincing fart sound coming from their seat...you can choose from several different simulated fart sounds...
Or you can adjust the car to a romantic camping mode, complete with a campfire and romantic music. Then...
Or, you can turn your car into a spaceship and pretend to be on Mars.
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Or you can pretend that your car is Santa Claus’s sled, filled with all kinds of gifts. In this mode, your car can ring Christmas bells when turning.
Or you can play games, with several small games to choose from, but I haven’t figured out how to play them yet. I guess my intelligence will say goodbye to these games from now on.
Last but not least, you can pay tribute to your favorite public account~(you can use it to draw or write messages).
- Sometimes, looking up at the sky through the all-glass roof is very romantic and poetic. Whether it’s watching tree branches quickly pass by, the azure sky, falling rain, falling leaves, frost that forms in the morning, or the moon in the night sky, there is a unique beauty.
I have seen car owners park their cars in the forest, put nuts on the roof, and lie in the car watching the cute squirrels eat nuts above their heads. I plan to try it someday.
However, sometimes, looking up early in the morning, you may see bird droppings.
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There are often surprises or new uses discovered. Recently, I found that when I updated my daily to-do list on my phone, big white would remind me to finish today’s work today when I got in the car, which is very warm. One day, a friend came to ride with me, and I wasn’t ready yet. I was afraid the little buddy would be anxious, so I had a bright idea and opened the car outside remotely, as well as turning on the seat heating and air conditioning, so that the little buddy could play and wait for me warmly in the car.
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Speed can be adjusted as you want. Although my big white is not a Performance model, passing a car and changing lanes on the road is also very quick and agile.
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It brings many fun topics for me and my family. For example, my family can … see where I am anytime through the Tesla App, and expose me …
Thank you for not being able to use Google Maps in China, which gave me a way out… But this function has become a funny meme for me and my family, and it’s still fun. (Full of survival)
- There are too many advantages to list here, but I love my big white the most.
Sharing about the first long-distance travelOn the fourth day of picking up my car, I took a small road trip with my Model 3, driving 135 km one way and 270 km round trip from Vancouver to Whistler Ski Resort. Autopilot was used throughout the journey.
View of the snow-capped mountains and sky behind me.
As for energy consumption, the use of energy was significantly higher going uphill, averaging 300 Wh/km due to the cold temperature. However, going downhill the energy consumption decreased to an average of 110 Wh/km due to regenerative braking. Overall, the energy consumption averaged out to around 200 Wh/km. Based on a 75 kWh Tesla battery, the estimated range for this trip was around 375 km. The temperature was 1 degree Celsius, and there were mountain roads, but I was generally satisfied with the results.
During the journey, there was one small dangerous situation possibly due to my own inexperience with Autopilot. If the driver turns the steering wheel while Autopilot is in use, control of the vehicle is returned to the driver while the speed is still in cruise mode. On a high-speed road without a median, the road curved to the right, but I didn’t realize my hand gestures were too large and it had already taken control of the Autopilot steering, and I didn’t hear any warning sound. So when the road began to curve to the right, the speed remained high, and neither I nor the Autopilot turned the steering, narrowly avoiding collision with the oncoming pickup truck honking frantically.
Therefore, it is also a reminder to new car owners to pay attention to safety when using Autopilot.
About energy consumption
After getting a new car, one of the most frequently asked questions is how far can the Model 3 long-range battery run in daily use. It’s pointless, however, to talk about Model 3’s range without taking into account road conditions and temperature fluctuations. So here’s what I’ve observed so far during the rainy winter season in Vancouver, where the temperature ranges from 1 to 5 degrees Celsius on level city roads, averaging around 180 Wh/km and a range of approximately 416 km.On the mountain road, the data is unpredictable. I go to school on a mountain every day, using electricity to go uphill and regenerating energy going downhill, resulting in a triangle function graph of the energy consumption of my Tesla Model S. I only drive 6 kilometers to school and 6 kilometers back daily. By the time my car heats up and reaches optimal efficiency, I have already arrived at school. This leads to an astonishing energy consumption rate of 273 Wh/km, which means my car has a range of only 274 kilometers.
In addition, the car loses 10 kilometers of range every day due to regular discharge while parked outdoors in temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius.
Therefore, even with a long range, I still experience range anxiety when there are no convenient charging stations nearby.
Recently, I planned to take my Tesla on a ferry to Vancouver Island for vacation. When I was looking for a house to rent on Airbnb, my first thought was whether there would be a charging station nearby. I worried that if I could not find a charging station on the other side of the island, I might not have enough range to return to the port. It is true that driving an electric car will always come with some level of range anxiety, as the availability of charging stations limits the areas you can explore.
In Canada, the Supercharger can reach a charging speed of 500 kilometers per hour at first, but slows down to 100-200 kilometers per hour as the battery gets fuller. If the battery is completely dead, it may take over an hour to fully charge.
Public charging stations at schools and supermarkets usually have a charging speed of 30-40 kilometers per hour, which is similar to the charging speed of home charging stations.
If I use a regular wall outlet, the charging speed is only 8-9 kilometers per hour.
Critiques on Autopilot
- The Autopilot’s automatic parking feature is very clumsy. It often swerves back and forth and frequently fails to park properly. The first time I tested the Autopilot’s perpendicular parking feature with my family, it scanned the lines on the ground incorrectly and tried to park next to a pillar instead of the spot it was supposed to park in. The resulting parking job was far from perfect, causing my mother to laugh uncontrollably.
Please remember, new car owners who are about to receive their cars, try to avoid using automatic parking in parking spaces with columns on one or both sides. Some experienced owners have reported that collisions are more likely to occur.
After my Tesla embarrassingly failed to complete an automatic parking maneuver, I tried it a few more times myself, but my success rate was only about 50%. On one occasion, when it finally seemed like it was going to work, I took out my phone to record the moment for bragging purposes. But then the car suddenly decided it couldn’t enter the parking space and shut itself off… Excuse me?? See the video below for details:
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After a night when temperatures dropped to below -2 degrees Celsius, the door handle of my Tesla froze and I couldn’t pry it open. After trying to knock on it and warm it up for a long time, I had no choice but to go home and boil a cup of warm water. I slowly poured it onto the handle, afraid that the heat might damage the car, and successfully broke the seal of ice and snow around the handle. At the same time, I was late for a group meeting, and I apologized to everyone explaining that I couldn’t open my car door handle. They were bewildered by the reason for my tardiness.
When it rains, there is a slight problem with water entering the trunk. In early videos from Tesla owners, the problem was quite serious. It’s said that later deliveries have been improved to some extent, but I still found a slight water droplet problem.
The car has a long wheelbase and a low undercarriage, which makes it easy to get stuck. There is an incline of about this height in the parking lot of my apartment building. If I misjudge the angle when going up the slope, it’s highly probable that the bottom of the car will get stuck, which is very frustrating.
With its long wheelbase, I have already scraped the wheels twice due to my poor driving skills…my heart shattered into pieces. I remind everyone to make wide turns.6. The rearview mirror is too small, and the top half of the rear window is coated, leaving only half of the visibility for the rearview mirror. It may be because I’m used to driving SUVs, so I often find the rearview mirror view too small.
- The automatic wiper speed is too slow, and manual adjustment is needed in the rain, which greatly affects the visibility.
About Maintenance
I was unlucky enough to see the “Service” prompt twice within less than three weeks of getting the car, and had to undergo two repairs. Other North American owners didn’t have the same experience, so I’m probably an exception. One of the repair experiences was very bad.
First time: Vehicle coolant is low.
When this warning came up, I was very worried that the slope of the garage was too steep, causing the bottom of the car to scrape. I was very worried that the electric car might overheat and damage the battery, so I immediately called Service. The staff who answered the phone immediately said, “I see that your car is reporting ‘coolant low’ after I heard my VIN number. I was suddenly very surprised. Big White reported the situation to headquarters and requested support…
The staff arranged for me to have a repair service and asked if I needed a loaner car, and said that it might take a long time.
Everything was relatively good up to this point.
However, on the day of the repair, the receptionist’s attitude was very bad, and she forgot about me in the waiting room. When I asked if I could take the loaner car that I had reserved, she told me there was no Model 3 for me and if I was in a hurry, I could either drive the unrepaired car home or reschedule for two months later as the Tesla Service Center was very busy.
When I asked why my new car, which had just been picked up less than two weeks ago, had this problem, the receptionist arrogantly replied, “We are electronic products, you have to allow them to have bugs…” Finally, without giving me any written report, he hastily returned my car keys and explained to me that the car did not leak and the coolant level was sufficient, but they didn’t know why this warning appeared.
After I went home, I complained about the staff’s bad attitude and poor communication experience, but so far, I have not received any response.
While I was waiting for a response, a new repair warning appeared…## Second time (within 3 weeks after picking up the car):
The front passenger safety restraint system fault occurred and the airbag light on the screen turned on.
Subsequently, I made an appointment for the second repair. The staff member who received me at that time happened to be the manager of the Service department, who patiently explained to me in detail that the fault was caused by the sensor and replaced a small part. After the repair, I received a detailed list that included the details of the repair information. I also complained about the previous service and received a reply and explanation.
It may be a rare event for a new car to have consecutive faults, and I hope that new domestic Tesla owners who are about to receive their cars will not encounter such events. With the increase in the delivery volume of Model 3, I hope that Tesla’s after-sales service can be guaranteed.
About the interesting things and reminders after picking up the car:
- One night, I decided to give my car a bath while I was a bit sleepy. When I was happily washing, the car suddenly locked itself…. The elevator key for the front door of my house, as well as the phone that was used as the car key, were all in the car. I was silently trapped downstairs until my family rescued me, and I didn’t freeze until morning.
Small tip: Carry the Model 3 car lock card with you. Generally, if the phone, which is used as the car key, is left in the car, it will not be locked. However, if the Bluetooth signal of the phone is unstable, the car will assume that the phone has already followed the driver, so the car will lock itself. In addition, be careful of low battery on the phone…
- One day, while I was queuing at the entrance of the automatic car wash, it was almost my turn when I suddenly saw that the entrance indicated that the car should be put in N gear, and I suddenly realized that I didn’t know how to put it in N. So I got out of the car feeling embarrassed and discussed with two owners of gasoline cars who were behind me in line. They kindly let me pass and gave me some space to study how to put the car in N gear… It was really embarrassing.
Small tip: The right gear lever, when pushed all the way up, is R; when pushed all the way down, it is D; when pushed up or down to the first shallower gear, stop for 1-2 seconds, and then it is N gear. The feeling of the boundary of this slightly shallower gear is not obvious and needs to be slowly experienced…
### 3. During the second repair, the staff responsible for it felt responsible and noticed a strange smell when they opened the front trunk of my car. They thought a mouse or other small animal accidentally got in and got lost in the complicated wiring, leading to its death… So they dismantled the front of the car to help me find the rodent’s body…
I hesitated to speak… Actually, the smell was due to the fish and shrimp I bought at the wharf earlier and put in the front trunk, causing the fishy smell to linger for a long time…
Tip: Do not put things with odors in the front trunk… There is no ventilation, and the smell will last for a long time…
My Model 3 brings me surprises every day and also often brings me a lot of trouble. I am not a car enthusiast, but as a black technology enthusiast, it is currently the most suitable model on the market that meets my requirements. Many people say that the Model 3 will become a very classic mass-produced model. For me, owning it is a novel experience.
- Author’s note: This article is authorized by Garage 42 for the first release, and later updates will be on Zhihu. Zhihu username: Hao Hao
- Review of the most expensive digital product I’ve ever bought – Tesla Model 3* Tesla owners who were liked by Elon Musk begin delivering Tesla cars themselves | 42Group
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.