100k in my 2018 MS 75D

100k in my 2018 MS 75D

Author
Discussion

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Friday 19th May 2023
quotequote all
Hi all, just ticked over 100k miles (owned since new) so thought I would give a bit of a review for people thinking of buying a relatively high mileage one. It's a 75D 2018 with the 21" wheels.

- Range. I rarely charge above 90% and when I do, I set off shortly afterwards. Indicated range at 100% started off at 245miles when new, and within 6 months dropped to it's current level of 224 miles and stayed there since. I have only ever got over 230 miles once, and that was to prove to myself it was possible. I would bank on a safe 200 miles from 100% to empty, and around 180 in the cold. Other than not charging to 100% regularly, I don't really look after the battery and I often run it right down to 0, and have even worked out that I have at least 10 miles left when on 0. I have only run out once (long story but due to my next point when I left at an airport for 2 weeks after I'd just got it).

- Phantom drain. This is the worst thing about my car. I lose around 7 miles per day when the car is just sat on the drive (I don't have sentry mode on, but everything else is), meaning I need to plan around airport stays etc. My wife has a non Tesla EV and does not suffer ANY phantom drain whatsoever, and my friend has a M3 and also doesn't, so think it's just MS's that could be affected this badly.

- Lifetime watt hours per mile is running at 356. I drive a lot of motorway miles, and mainly at about 75mph.

- Items broken. Heater has broken (outside warranty). Cost around £1k and the reversing camera broke (fixed myself for £200 from an ebay part).

- Servicing. Never had it serviced, only items bought are 3 sets of tyres, and a set of windscreen wipers. Brake pads still good and sailed through the 2 MOTs I've had.

- Interior. Looking good still and other than drivers seat bolster cracking pleather, still looks pretty new.

- Exterior. Paintwork looks amazing still, I have the gunmetal grey metalic and I think that helps as it's quite a deep colour.

- Running costs. I got free supercharging for life, so I charge E7 at home and free when I'm out, Obviously kWh prices have rocketed in the 6 years of ownership, but at the beginning I was paying 5p per kWh and now it's over 11p so average around 8p. From empty to full costs 75 x 8p, so £6 for 200 miles (when I'm paying as obviously the free supercharging reduces that).

- Supercharging. From 0 it starts off at 125KW but after it gets to about 30 miles, it reduces to about 90KW and drops gradually to 25KW when approaching full. Don't believe the 'time remaining' shown on the dash, it's longer. From 0 to 100% takes around 1.5 hours. As more and more cars are now using the Superchargers, the time increases as unless you're on a new charger station, the charge rate is halved when another car is using the 'twinned' charger with yours. When the Model 3 became numerous in 2019, there was a significantly noticeable difference in charge times as the chargers became much busier and now at peak times, there is often a wait time at the chargers, which is annoying, but because the charge speeds are fast, the turnover of cars is high, and I've never had to wait more that 10 minutes. All the new Superchargers do not halve the charge rate as they're rated for 250KW.

I hope this mini review helps others to know what the cars are like when they're used for 20k per year, and I'm more than pleased with the car, and given the shocking experience my wife has experienced with non Tesla charging, I wouldn't have any other EV than a Tesla for relatively high mileage (they just cannot be relied upon). And although the car was expensive (£65k), to get the equivalent in power, comfort and size would mean something like an RS4 and they're all a similar price, and obviously they would all have the extra cost of fuel to take into account.

Register1

2,279 posts

101 months

Friday 19th May 2023
quotequote all
Thats a great insight into a model S.
Wife has recently bought a new model 3.
I have a diesel 3 liter SUV, which does 20 miles a month, only because I have a company van.
But I really would like a model S.
Not fussed about the free supercharging, but I just like them.
Wifes model 3 is exemplary.


RobbyJ

1,634 posts

229 months

Friday 19th May 2023
quotequote all
I'm on 82,000 miles in my P90D, had a similar experience to you.

I came out of an Audi RS7 into the S and I was moaning to my mate yesterday about the £400 I had to pay last week to replace a coolant valve and the horn. He then said he's just been hit with a quote of £5300 to replace all his discs and pads and 2 control arms on his RS7, made me feel a bit better.

Had 82kwh of free Tesla electricity today alone, beats 18mpg any day.

TrotCanterGallopCharge

434 posts

97 months

Thursday 25th May 2023
quotequote all
To OP - Thanks for useful review. One point - Time to review replacing brake fluid?

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Thursday 25th May 2023
quotequote all
Good idea. Yes I check the level every year but I’ve not had it replaced so will get them to do it at next MOT time.

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Sunday 4th June 2023
quotequote all
Just thought I’d add something I’d forgotten about.

My 12v battery has shown an error for 2 years and 40,000 miles.

I have tested it with multimeter and it’s showing a healthy 12.8v so I’m not concerned. And yes I need to reset the warning (by toggling the wheel sizes in settings) to get software updated every now and again, and the warning goes away for a few miles and allows me to update.

But it’s annoying as there’s clearly nothing wrong with it yet Tesla seems to want to charge me £££‘a for nothing (and there’s no aftermarket alternatives yet that I know of).

c2mike

438 posts

156 months

Saturday 17th June 2023
quotequote all
90,000 miles on my 2015 S85 RWD. Owned from new and still going strong.
Good review above. A few additional points:
- I upgraded to MCU2 - well worth it! Much faster to start up and navigate menus.
- CCS2 adaptor is also worthwhile as it enables access to new Superchargers (which are CCS only).
- As mentioned above, definitely get brake fluid changed. Also probably needs air con filters, etc. There's a battery coolant change required for older cars too.
- While Supercharging is free for most older Teslas, it is much slower due to Tesla imposed limits.
- I needed to replace all wheel nuts as they expand. Not expensive, but worth doing before you need to change a wheel.
- Front suspension bushes needed doing on mine - around £1k
- No new brake pads, discs, exhaust repairs or oil changes :-)

ChocolateFrog

28,654 posts

180 months

Saturday 17th June 2023
quotequote all
Interesting.

Efficiency is lower than I was expecting, assume that's down to a higher than average average speed.

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Saturday 17th June 2023
quotequote all
ChocolateFrog said:
Interesting.

Efficiency is lower than I was expecting, assume that's down to a higher than average average speed.
Yes that and a heavy right foot lol.

I had the CCS supercharger mod too. Forget about that one.

I’ve not noticed a slowing of supercharging because I’m getting it free. In fact I have done a few road trips with a mate who pays and it’s an extremely similar time. The slowing of supercharging for me has been because of the battery being cold or because I’m sharing an old charger or because I’m almost full (that last 20% isn’t worth hanging around for unless desperate.

c2mike

438 posts

156 months

Saturday 17th June 2023
quotequote all
Re: no noticeable slowing of supercharging, may be because your battery is newer

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Saturday 17th June 2023
quotequote all
Maybe.

There was also a mystery about my car when it was new. On all the forums at the time, they were saying that my car actually has a 85kwh battery but that it was software limited to 75kwh (something to do with the part code on my inventory listing).

Even the Tesla dealer admitted the part code was a 85kwh pack. Certain cars at the time got them (maybe they’d run out of the 75kwh packs and as they stopped the 85kwh model they were using them up.

Never did get to the bottom of it.