Driver breaks down how Tesla Model 3 performs after 5 years of hard use and 142,000 miles on the clock
- These YouTubers took a closer look at a 2019 Tesla Model 3
- It’d racked up 142,000 miles over the years
- How was it holding up after all these miles?
Published on Jan 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jan 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This man can’t get enough of his boss’ Tesla Model 3, even though it has 142,000 miles on the clock.
With that much mileage and five years of use under it’s hood, how is the car holding up?
Max and Jordan from the Out of Spec Guide YouTube channel decided to take a closer look for themselves.
And with the car recently completing a 4,000 mile road trip, it’s fair to say that it’s still got some life in it yet.
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How has this 142,000 mile Tesla held up over the years?
Jordan was the guy who got the most usage of the Model 3 in recent weeks, so he started off with his thoughts.
When he first met the car’s owner, Kyle, it only had 60,000 on the odometer.
To go from that to 142,000 is quite a big leap.
Admittedly, there are cars with far higher numbers to their clocks – even a fellow Model 3 outranked it at more than 400,000.
Jordan explained: “I just got back from a 4,000 mile road trip around the Mid West so I really got to know the car in its current condition, and it’s range.”
This car is a Model 3 Performance and came out in 2019, which was in the midst of Tesla’s ‘ramp-up hell’.
During this period, they were struggling to make enough Model 3’s to meet demand.
It cost $65,000 upon initial purchase, although newer versions of the car would go for around $51,000 nowadays.
Jordan remarked: “It’s not common for car prices to go down after the years.
“The newer one is better than this in every way and it’s cheaper, which is crazy.”
In the years since their initial release, many Model 3 owners have shared their thoughts on whether the car is a worthwhile purchase, including one woman who bought the car back in 2019.
So where is this 2019 car lacking in the current day?
Well, for a start, the battery isn’t what it used to be.
As you might expect, 142,000 miles has taken its toll and the battery has signs of 10 to 15 percent battery degradation.
Jordan said: “We’ve piled so many miles on this car in the past year, it’s been to Florida and back, it’s been to California and back.”
Max added: “And we should add, it’s been supercharged a lot so these are hard miles.”
According to Jordan, the car has been supercharged for at least 70 percent of its miles.
Charging at home tends to be better for a Tesla’s battery.
Over the years, the Model 3 has also seen some changes – a suspension upgrade and some aftermarket wheels to be specific.
What was it like to drive this Model 3?
Given that this car has seen a lot of the continental US, you’d expect it to be a sturdy enough car on the road.
Despite some road noise, it remains comfortable for long haul trips.
It’s spacious and comfortable on the inside, and allows for a lot of storage space in the ‘frunk’ (Front trunk) and ‘sub-trunk’.
The car has its issues – a coolant valve has occasionally limited its charging speeds, for example.
But on the whole, Max and Jordan conclude this Tesla can still perform.
Max said: “This has been one of the most well documented Model 3’s in the world.
“If you want the most bang for your buck, these can be great cars to look for.”
Other Model 3 owners have given their verdicts on the car’s durability for long journeys, with one Australian owner doing a direct comparison between his EV and a gas car after a 1,100 miler.
To see their assessment in full, head over to Out of Spec Guide‘s YouTube channel.