Man who bought a used Tesla Model 3 with 35,000 miles shares if it was worth it after one year of real-world ownership

This 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, with 35,000 miles on the clock, has endured a lot in its short time with the owner.

The second-hand EV was bought by the creator’s partner, but in the first 12 months, it had to have a stint at a garage and was involved in a collision.

However, it wasn’t all bad, as the overall driving experience and performance of the car seemed to impress, especially on road trips.

But, after driving it around, there was one ultimate question – was the second-hand Tesla Model 3 Long Range really worth it?

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The Tesla Model 3: Here’s what you really need to know

Tesla’s Sport Sedan, the Tesla Model 3, was first launched in 2017 and well and truly took the EV world by storm.

Fast forward to 2026, and there are three versions available: The Model 3 Standard, Model 3 Premium, and Model 3 Performance.

The refresh delighted drivers as they could really choose the right sedan for themselves.

This content creator, though, snapped up a Model 3 Long Range, meaning it boasted all the perks of the normal Model 3 on offer, just with more range.

Some reports claim this to be around 348 miles, along with dual motor and all-wheel drive technology.

From Autopilot to preconditioning the battery, the Long Range came with all the perks that Tesla offered.

Upon purchase, the car had 35,000 miles on the clock, and after one year, YouTuber Carwire claims to have only added 11,000 miles, taking it up to almost 50,000 miles.

He bought the used car from dealer Arnold Clark, and described the process as ‘mostly stress-free’, as there were some parts that didn’t quite go to plan.

For example, the Autopilot mode stopped working, and the vision-based parking features were ‘unreliable’ or ‘completely unavailable’.

A later inspection by Tesla also found that the windscreen was replaced prior to being sold on, and as a result, the cameras had not been reconnected properly, which caused the heating element to stop working.

This had a knock-on effect and meant that the camera fogged up.

It wasn’t all bad, though, as he received a cheque from Arnold Clark, but things don’t end there.

Later during ownership, the Tesla Model 3 was also involved in a collision, with the damage taking a few months to sort out, and the process with the garage wasn’t straightforward.

The car came back with dents and marks that were not there before, which, let’s face it, is not ideal in any scenario.

This is what owning a Model 3 after a year really feels like

Now, apart from the teething issues and crash damage, the car was a shining star.

He described the car’s range as being good, and the preconditioning of the battery also impressed him.

“After a year, the day-to-day experience is where the car really shines, the efficiency is outstanding,” the YouTuber, as he described the efficiency as outstanding.

Inside the car, things only improved further, with lots of space, and the white interior was actually surprisingly easy to keep clean.

Overall, even though there were some negatives, buying a used Tesla Model 3 was well and truly worth it, especially for the YouTuber and his family.

It just shows that with EVs, sometimes the positives truly outweigh the negatives, especially when the running and charging costs are low.

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