California man who's owned 2018 Tesla Model 3 for 7 years and 165,000 miles calculates total cost of ownership and compares it to gas cars
Published on Sep 17, 2026 at 1:26 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 17, 2026 at 1:26 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This guy in California bought a 2018 Tesla Model 3 around seven years ago and has already done 165,000 miles.
That’s not bad for a seven-year-old car as it means doing over 23,000 miles per year, which is way above average in the US.
And yet, the total cost of ownership has remained relatively low.
Especially when you compare it to a gas car.
This is what his Tesla has cost him so far
This guy won the lottery right after buying his Tesla Model 3 because he bought it when you still had the $7,500 federal rebate, to which you have to add the $2,500 California state rebate.
That’s $10,000, which was more than enough to cover taxes, fees, and registration, which worked out to $8,787 in total.
Over the last seven years or so, YouTuber and Tesla owner Accelerating Tech spent around $7,900 in maintenance.
Tires, unsurprisingly, were the biggest individual expense.
EVs burn through tires much faster, chiefly because they’re heavier and because of the way they accelerate, so that cost him $5,460.
Then there were other minor scheduled and unscheduled repairs for around $1,000.
But then there was also a big one: the A/C compressor, which he had to have replaced for $1,300.
Fuel-wise, he’s winning
The YouTuber said he charges the vehicle at home as often as possible, and he even spent $600 to have a Tesla Wall Connector installed.
However, through these seven years, he still did around 31 percent of the charging using Superchargers, which are nearly twice as expensive as home-charging.
In total, he spent $12,000+.
Which is still pretty impressive.
“And if I had driven that many miles in a BMW 3 series, they would probably be about $29,000. So almost three times as much,” he said.
The overall cost of ownership
Including depreciation, the total cost ownership came to $84,811.
That’s including the $2,000 Autopilot upgrade, which was later changed to a $9.99 per month since FSD is now only available as a monthly subscription.
“The BMW [3 Series] total cost of ownership was about $20,000 more,” he calculated.
We’re not sure why he chose the BMW for this comparison, but, well, the math is mathing.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
