Ultimate Tesla Buyers Guide

If you want to buy a Tesla, you will soon realize that the Californians do pretty much everything differently than the "traditional car manufacturers". Because Teslas are not available in car dealerships, you can only order them online.

In this article we will show you step by step how buying a Tesla works. We also answer all the questions that are often asked before buying a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y. In the configurator there are a few things you should definitely know before you place your order. We have summarized it for you here.

1. How do you buy a Tesla?
2. Where can you test drive a Tesla?
3. How does buying from Tesla work?
4. Does Tesla offer discounts?
5. What does the Tesla Warranty cover?

How do you buy a Tesla?

As already mentioned, Tesla takes a radically different approach when it comes to selling its vehicles. Instead of using your own car dealerships or dealers for sales, you can only order Model Y, Model 3, Model S and Model X online via the website.

If you would like personal advice, Tesla does offer the option of configuring your Tesla with a sales representative by phone or email. However, they do nothing other than enter the data for you in the online configurator - in the so-called "Design Studio" - so that you don't have to do it yourself.

If you would like a personal initial consultation, you can do so in Tesla Show Rooms that are located in some large cities around Europe. The on-site employees are also happy to help with the configuration.

Where can you test drive a Tesla?

Are you still unsure whether you want to drive the Model X or the Model Y in the future? Are you hesitating between the Model 3 and Model S? Then take a free test drive before you order your car!

At Tesla itself you can easily arrange such a free test drive online. Simply click on "test drive" on the Tesla homepage and enter your data. A Tesla employee will then find a suitable appointment for you at the nearest service center.

Here you can also choose which model you would like to test drive and in which variant (long range, performance, etc.). A Tesla test drive usually takes 1 hour.

If you would like to test drive for longer than an hour to get a better feel for the vehicle, you can also rent a Tesla for a weekend or a road trip from tesla rental companies.

How does buying from Tesla work?

It's time. You have chosen a Model Y or Model 3, Model S or Model X. Now you want to buy it. We will now show you step by step how the Tesla purchase works.

On the Tesla homepage you will find a convenient web configurator that you can use to create your dream vehicle individually. Tesla itself calls this configurator “Design Studio”.

We recommend that you order using a referral code, as you will then receive a 500-1000€ discount depending on the car you choose. Feel free to use our link or that of your friends and acquaintances.

Tesla Referral Code: tesla.com/de_de/referral/alexander81701

Now, lets walk you through the buying process on the Tesla Website.

Step 1: Choose model and variant

To do this, first select the Tesla model you would like to buy on the start page. Now you can click on the "Order" button and it will take you to the configurator.

 

There you can choose from the different variants on the right-hand side. With the Model Y there is, for example, the basic variant, Model Y maximum range and the Model Y performance. For all models, the Maximum Range and Performance models have all-wheel drive and 2 electric motors. As a result, they have more range, accelerate faster and are more efficient.



In addition, the performance version is a bit lower, has higher acceleration and maximum speed and comes with the beautiful "Uberturbine" performance rims.

Step 2: Choose equipment and features

You should know in advance that the basic variants of each Tesla already have a lot of features. For example, the autopilot and the entire entertainment system are already included. With Tesla you don't have to pay extra for every feature, as is the case with traditional car manufacturers.

Paint

If you have decided on the Tesla model variant, you select the equipment of your desired vehicle in the next step. The color of the paint is the first to choose from. Only the white paint is currently available here at no extra cost in Europe, while other color options cost up to €2,600.

Tip: If you want more color choices, you can also choose the free color white and then have your Tesla wrapped. It costs between €1,800 and €2,500 and the choice of colors is almost unlimited. You can find more information about this here.

Rims and wheels

Depending on the vehicle variant, you can select your desired rims. With Tesla Model Y and Model 3 you have 2 rims to choose from, with the larger version only being available at an additional cost.

Tesla's standard rims offer the longest range. The design is made to make the vehicle even more efficient. For example, the smaller rims on the Model Y offer 25 km more range than the 20-inch version.

If you are looking for more design options, we advise you to go with the 19" free rims and then get some of those beautiful hubcaps at Tesla Outfitters.

Note: In the configurator, you will not see the standard rims for Tesla Model Y and 3, but hubcaps on the rims. If you take off these hubcaps, the rims look completely different.

In the image below you can see how the "18" Aero rims" on the Model 3 look under the hubcaps and how the "19" rims Gemini" look on the Model Y with and without the hubcaps.

With Performance Model Y and 3, the "uberturbine rims" are included. These are high-quality alloy wheels.

Tow hitch

Once you have decided on the right rims for your Tesla, you can choose whether you want a tow  hitch for your Tesla. Especially with the Model 3, you should definitely select this here if necessary. Because later you can neither retrofit nor buy the trailer hitch. With Model Y this is less of a problem.

The towing capacity of the Model S is 1,600 kg, 1,000 kg for the Model 3, 1,600 kg for the Model Y and the Model X you can even tow up to 2,250 kg. We have summarized all towing capacities in this article.

Interior design

The interior of all Tesla models is very minimalistic. But don't worry, there are plenty of Tesla accessories to outfit your Tesla with. Model Y and Model 3 only have a large screen and almost no buttons. In addition to the large screen, the Model S and X also have a smaller one behind the steering wheel, as is traditionally seen in cars. The Tesla seats are very comfortable, adjustable and made of vegan leather.

In the configurator there are only 2 colors to choose from for Model 3 and Y: black or white. In the black interior variant, the front trim strip has a wooden look. If you don't like that, you can alternatively buy dashboard covers in matt black, carbon optics or white from third-party suppliers.

For a surcharge of €1,200 you can choose the white interior. Not only are the dashboards in white, but the seats are also made of white vegan leather. This makes the interior nice and bright and doesn't heat up as much in summer as the black variant. If you have concerns about whether it is possible to keep the white seats clean in the long term, you should watch this video .

Driving assistant

Once you have selected the equipment for your Tesla, you will be given the option of booking the so-called Enhanced Autopilot or "Full Potential for Autonomous Driving". This is the driver assistance software from Tesla. You should definitely know these facts:

Note: Every Tesla comes with the so-called autopilot as standard and at no extra charge. "Autonomous driving" (autosteering system with distance cruise control), which can be used excellently on the freeway, for example, is included with every Tesla. The bookable software packages only bring very few additional functions.

The Enhanced Autopilot has a lane change assistant, can automatically park to the side and can be driven in "Summon" mode without a driver for example out of tight parking spaces using a smartphone,

The "Full Potential for Autonomous Driving" software package has the same functions as the Enhanced Autopilot. In addition, there is a traffic light and stop sign recognition, which means that the assistant can be used better in the city. However, this is still a Beta Software so in Europe the function is very limited. If you want to know more, just click on product details. The features are explained there individually.

If you are unsure whether you would like to have the software packages in addition to the autopilot, it is certainly good to know that you can book them at any time later via the app.

Charging

Last but not least, Tesla offers you the option of buying the Wall Connector during configuration. This is a wall box that you can use to charge your Tesla at home. It has a good price/performance ratio and is certainly not a bad buy. But of course it is optional and there are some alternatives on the market.

Step 3: Payment

If you are satisfied with the configuration of your Tesla, you can proceed to the next step by clicking on the "Continue to payment" button. Here you will get an overview of the selected equipment and you can also download it as a PDF.

First you have to indicate whether you want to buy the Tesla as a private person or small business or as a company (“business”). Then you choose the financing solution.

Here Tesla offers you the options “Bank Transfer”, “Private leasing/business leasing” and “Balloon loan”. You will also find our guides on the subject of leasing and financing in our blog series if you would like more detailed information on these topics.

With leasing and financing, the monthly rate naturally depends on the down payment, mileage per year and the total term. You can set this by clicking on the field at the bottom in the middle under the selected Tesla.

Now the time has finally come. All you have to do is trigger the Tesla purchase, but don't worry, even if you chose bank transfer, it doesn't mean that you have to pay for your vehicle in full immediately. You only pay a deposit of € 250 for the order, the full payment is only due when there is a fixed delivery date.

Once you have completed the order, you will be congratulated by this friendly hedgehog.

Does Tesla offer discounts?

You may know this from the traditional way of buying a car from a dealer - it's almost considered good manners to haggle with the seller about a discount on a new car. However, Tesla does everything differently here than the traditional car industry.

So no, at Tesla there are no discounts on new cars and no room for negotiation. Even with the large order of 100,000 Teslas from the car rental company Hertz, there was no discount. Demand is so high that every new vehicle finds a buyer immediately.

Where you can save money however is in 2 ways. First, use a referral code to save 500-1000€ on the purchase price and second, you can order a Tesla from inventory instead of the configurator.

What does the Tesla Warranty cover?

When buying a Tesla, of course, the warranty also plays an important role. For all new vehicles, this includes a base vehicle warranty (4 years or 80,000 km, whichever comes first), the limited restraint system warranty (5 years or 100,000 km) and the limited battery and drive unit warranty (8 years or some depending on the vehicle model). kilometers). You can find more details about the warranty provided by Tesla here .

Conclusion

Buying a Tesla is a very different experience than buying a car from a dealership. Instead of haggling with a car salesman, the customer takes care of configuring and ordering his Model S, 3, X or Y himself.

At first glance, the configurator doesn't look like much, but Tesla simply offers an incredible amount even in the basic variants of the vehicles. This is also very different from other manufacturers. Instead of long lists of bookable features, everything from autopilot to entertainment is included.

If the equipment is not enough for you, you will find a large selection of Tesla accessories at Tesla Outfitters .