How Much Does Tesla Maintenance Cost?

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To make your Tesla maintenance cost more affordable, you may consider getting an extended warranty from the manufacturer or a third-party company—which can mitigate having to pay for mechanical repairs out of pocket.

Because Teslas are high-tech, not all providers offer Tesla coverage. But we’ll introduce you to one of the best extended car warranty companies on the market that does provide Tesla coverage: CarShield. Get a free quote from CarShield above to go ahead and see how much you would pay for a Tesla extended warranty.

Teslas aren't as common as other vehicle makes, so it can be difficult to estimate the cost of ownership. Based on customer reviews collected from forums, we were able to determine that the average Tesla maintenance cost can range from about $300 to $500 per year. Pricing will depend on your car's model, age, and mileage.

Typically, our review team turns to RepairPal for reliability ratings and average vehicle maintenance costs. However, there is not much data online regarding Tesla costs. Here are a few estimates based on the first-person customer reports we found:

Tesla vehicles are not known for their reliability. In fact, the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality StudySM rated Tesla dead last in quality out of 30 car brands tested.

The study, which measures the number of problems new vehicle owners experience during the first 90 days of ownership, found 250 problems per 100 Tesla vehicles, which was the highest number of problems found among individual car brands.

Before diving into Tesla extended warranty options, let’s talk about the coverage automatically included with every new Tesla. Like many cars, new Teslas come with two protection plans.

The first is the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty, which comes standard for all Tesla models. This bumper-to-bumper warranty lasts for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. This warranty promises to repair damages caused by defective materials or faulty workmanship during the coverage term.

The second is less comprehensive, protecting just the battery and drive unit. The length of coverage differs depending on the model of Tesla you own: Model S and Model X vehicles are covered for 8 years/150,000 miles, and all Model 3 and Model Y vehicles are covered for 8 years/120,000 miles.

These warranty coverage terms are relatively standard. They’re slightly shorter than some of the best new car warranties, but because Teslas have different parts than gas cars, they also have different coverage needs.

If you plan to keep your Tesla longer than 4 years/50,000 miles, you may want to consider a Tesla extended warranty. An extended service plan from Tesla can extend the factory warranty of Model S and Model X vehicles for an additional 2 years/25,000 miles or 4 years/50,000 miles.

Tesla extended warranties must be purchased within 30 days or 1,000 miles of the factory warranty expiration date, and if you purchase coverage within your first 180 days of vehicle ownership, you can save $500 on your warranty.

Here’s how pricing breaks down for each model:

You can read more about CarShield extended car warranty cost, coverage, and customer reviews in our full CarShield review and get a free CarShield quote for your Tesla below.