Skip to main content

Tesla Model 3 maintenance costs: What can you expect?

One of the big promises of electric vehicles is that they require less maintenance than a gasoline-powered car, and thus cost less over time. That’s largely because EVs have a whole lot fewer moving parts. When you don’t have an engine, you don’t have to worry about oil changes, spark plugs, or exhaust systems, to name just a few examples.

The Tesla Model 3 is no different in that regard. While Tesla cars notoriously suffer from issues like panel gaps and other factory defects, Tesla covers these repairs under warranty, as long as you buy the car from Tesla itself. After that, there are few costs associated with maintenance at all. Here’s a rundown of the maintenance costs you can expect as a Tesla Model 3 owner.

Recommended Videos

Tesla Model 3 maintenance

Tesla

Here’s a look at the standard maintenance that you can expect from a Tesla Model 3.

Tire rotation

Perhaps the most common recommended maintenance for a Tesla Model 3 is a tire rotation. Tesla recommends that customers rotate their tires every 6,250 miles, or when the difference between front and rear tire tread depth reaches 2/32 inches or more.

Tire rotations, thankfully, aren’t very expensive. An average tire rotation should cost you between $35 to $45, according to RepairPal.

Windshield wiper replacement

For optimal visibility on the road, Tesla recommends replacing your windshield wipers every six months. A quality pair of windshield wipers typically costs between $20 and $50, making it perhaps the lowest-cost aspect of maintaining the Model 3.

Cabin air filter replacement

Next up is the cabin air filter, which prevents things like pollen and dust from entering the cabin of your car. Tesla says the cabin air filter should be replaced every two years on the Model 3. A cabin air filter replacement costs between $60 and $200 on the Tesla Model 3.

Tesla warranty

Tesla offers a pretty comprehensive warranty for other defects that you might run into. In fact, the Model 3 is covered by Tesla’s warranty, which lasts eight years or 100,000 miles — whichever comes first. As usual, the warranty won’t cover things that the driver is at fault for — but it will cover repair and replacement of parts installed by Tesla, and that would wear under normal use. This also includes battery replacement or repair, so if you have issues with the car’s battery, Tesla will take care of it, if it’s under warranty.

Conclusions

As you can see, it’s easily cheaper to maintain a Tesla — or any other electric car for that matter — compared to a gas-powered car. In a particularly costly year of standard maintenance, you might spend $400, and that’s only if all of the above maintenance is due in the same year. That’s far less than other cars, which require oil changes and other fluids, spark plug changes, and more.

Topics
Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
Robotaxi aside, a $25,000 EV would be pointless, Tesla CEO says
Blue Tesla Model 3 Highland on the road

Enthusiasts expecting to one day put their hands on the steering wheel of a $25,000 Tesla EV may feel like they’ve been taken for a ride.
CEO Elon Musk has just put a serious damper on those expectations, saying that outside of the driverless Robotaxi recently unveiled by Tesla, a regular $25,000 model would be “pointless” and “silly.”
During a conference call with investors, Musk was asked to clarify whether such a model was in the works.
"Basically, having a regular $25K model is pointless,” Musk said. “It would be silly. It would be completely at odds with what we believe." Tesla, Musk continued, has “been very clear that the future is autonomous.”
On October 10, Tesla unveiled its much-awaited robotaxi, called the Cybercab, an autonomous-driving EV with no steering wheel or pedals. The company also unveiled the Robovan, a much larger autonomous vehicle expected to carry people or goods.
The automaker said the Cybercab is expected to be produced in 2026 and cost $30,000. Musk, meanwhile, said that it would be a $25,000 car without specifying if that price tag included federal tax credits.
Tesla’s ambiguity about an affordable entry-level model has been going on for years. In 2020, Musk signaled that a $25,000 Tesla would arrive within three years. It was later reported that Tesla had ditched the idea, instead favoring the development of a robotaxi.
Language within Tesla’s latest financial report still hints that new affordable Tesla models are on the way. But Musk’s latest comments are putting a floor on just how affordable these would be. So far, Tesla’s Model 3 Rear-Wheel-Drive remains the company’s cheapest model, with a base price of $38,990.
Some rival EV makers, meanwhile, are entering the affordable space more aggressively in the U.S.
General Motors has already put out its Chevy Equinox EV at a price of $27,500, including federal tax credits. Volkswagen America says it plans to release an under-$35,000 EV in the U.S. by 2027.

Read more
You can now charge your General Motors EV at a Tesla Supercharger
GM opens up access to more than 17,800 Tesla Superchargers

Taking a road trip in a General Motors-built electric car just got a lot more convenient. EVs made by Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac are now compatible with Tesla's Supercharger charging stations, though drivers will need to purchase an adapter before they can start plugging in.

Opening the Supercharger network to General Motors-built EVs adds over 17,800 charging stations to the list of places where drivers can stop and charge. This should take some of the stress out of taking an EV on a long trip, as Tesla's Supercharger stations are scattered across the nation and built in strategic locations. Tesla notes that a Supercharger is capable of adding up to 200 miles of range in about 15 minutes.

Read more
The Tesla Model Y is at its lowest price yet — but should you buy one?
Tesla Model Y

Despite increased competition in the space, the Tesla Model Y is still one of the best EVs out there. It has access to the best charging network, plus it offers among the best software experiences, as well as a solid range, especially in the longer-range models. And the Model Y is now down to its lowest price yet, meaning that if you were considering getting one, now is probably the time to buy.

The base price of the Tesla Model Y is down to $42,990 at the time of this writing, which represents a pretty huge price cut. That's before any tax incentives too -- and considering the car is eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit, that means you could get it for as low as $35,490.

Read more