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Chevy Bolt maitenance vs Tesla Model 3

10322 Views 31 Replies 18 Participants Last post by barjohn, Mar 3, 2018

frenchfry

Discussion Starter · Oct 26, 2017

I've been saying this in the forum for quite some time...

Tesla Model 3 maintenance costs:

Tesla has just changed the page to reflect all of its vehicles.

First year or first 12,500 miles = $475
Second year, or 25,000 miles $ 725
Third Year, or 37,500 miles $475
The total of these three equals $1,675, but Tesla offers a pre-paid "Three-year or 37,500 miles" plan for $1,550, which saves a Model 3 owner $125.
Year Four, or 50,000 miles is a whopper. $825. However, Tesla also offers a "Four-year or 50K miles" plan costing $2,325. The prices repeat at the same intervals. Like all Mfg. maintenance costs, these prices don't include tires

Any forum member care to post the Chevy Bolt Maintenance costs...so we can compare the "initially more expensive" Bolt. I keep reading this everywhere...especially from Tesla fanboys.

Lets cap the costs at 150,000 miles so we can truely compare apples to apples maintenance costs between the 2 cars.

Add that to the initial MSRP and see the difference.

And note that Bolts in the USA are usually purchased well below MSRP...but maybe not in Canada...or Norway.

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ProfessorBolta

· #2 · Oct 26, 2017

Dang that's expensive to just replace some air filters and coolant fluid. Actually replacing the fluid is an interesting bit, by it's design the Tesla motors should produce significantly greater heat, IIRC GM's paper on this is that in a BEV it's some 20ºC difference from a power bar wound design that the Bolt has. This is why Tesla uses a water jacket for its motor - because they produce so much heat (additionally it's due to the poor choice of a pure inductive motor, but apparently the 3 has a permanent magnet like everybody else). Long story short, the Bolt fluids are very lightly used I'd expect, and the Model 3 is more heavily used, so perhaps that explains the need to replace it.

The initially more expensive bit is baloney, Musk said the average optioned price for the 3 is $43k. Few people will buy the $35k version (it costs $1k just to get anything other than black). Otherwise I believe the Bolt maintenance is a $15 cabin filter every few years, wiper blades, wiper fluid and replace the tires. Brake fluid replacement? Don't know why Tesla has that on there as you never use the brakes.

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XJ12

· #3 · Oct 26, 2017

ProfessorBolta said:
as you never use the brakes.

my understanding is brake fluid is very hydroscopic. absorbs water over time. several negative things happen when brake fluid absorbs too much water. one is the boiling point lowers. really an issue if you're racing. not so much an issue if brakes are hardly used at all. the most reasonable issue to do a periodic brake fluid replacement is the moisture can cause the lines to rust. although, I have several cars decades old and have never replaced the brake fluid.

shotel

· #4 · Oct 26, 2017

2017 Chevrolet Bolt Maintenance Schedule

From Inside EV's

So, what’s it cost to maintain the Bolt for the first 150,000 miles?

Let’s say you’re a “do-it-you’re-selfer”, and that a cabin filter can be purchased for approximately $20. Tire rotations are free (DIY…remember). Six filters will cost you $120. Two brake fluid swaps (5 years x 12,000 miles per year = 60,000, so two fluid change outs will be required in the first 150,000 miles) over 150,000 miles will set you back no more than $30 (DIY…only paying for cost of fluid). Lastly, that coolant swap. that’s listed at 150,000 miles, so we won’t calculate it into the equation here.

So, in the first 150,000 miles, routine maintenance for the Bolt will set you back a whopping $150! Or approximately the same as filling an average gas car’s fuel tank 4 times…

Chevrolet.com says: " Chevrolet Complete Care, we’ll cover two oil changes and tire rotations during your first 24,000 miles or 24 months of ownership†" Don't know what a dealer would charge for each additional tire-rotation - Jiffylube will do a tire rotation for $25...but here is a coupon for $10 off tire rotation

I have no idea what a dealer would charge for a passenger air filter replacement, much less drain and refill vehicle coolant circuits.

Is a coolant "circuit" like "red brake light fluid"?

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ProfessorBolta

· #5 · Oct 26, 2017

Cabin air filter is easy peasy, do it yourself for $10-$15

Rotating tires takes some equipment, you need to reset and retrain the tire pressure monitors, plus the lift jack and lug wrenches.

Coolant circuits presumably means all three, but that's 150k miles (don't think I've ever gotten a car above that, but probably will with the Bolt)

Brake fluid looks like on a "need to do" basis. I've got old cars too and never had it done, but I live in a mild climate.

kitkit201

· #6 · Oct 26, 2017

Don?t forget that ever so important blinker fluid.

You know people seem to always run out of that and there signals never work when changing lanes!

;-)

Reactions: 3

XJ12

· #7 · Oct 26, 2017

kitkit201 said:
Don?t forget that ever so important blinker fluid.

You know people seem to always run out of that and there signals never work when changing lanes!

;-)

I have a feeling the Bolt will make me use my turning signal more with the lane keep assist feature. I have a habit to switch lanes quickly if a situation develops. Race cars don't signal, right?

discodanman45

· #8 · Oct 26, 2017

I am taking my car for the last free service appointment at the dealership next week. I am over 15,000 miles and I guess I need my tires rotated... After this "maintenance" I will be bringing my car to my tire shop to get my free tire rotations and at 22,500 miles I need to change the $15 cabin filter. I will be taking pictures of the fluid levels and keeping all this information in a folder. I am not bringing my car in to a dealership to have a cabin filter changed and tires rotated for $100 plus.

DaV8or

· #9 · Oct 26, 2017

frenchfry said:
...so we can compare the "initially more expensive" Bolt. I keep reading this everywhere...especially from Tesla fanboys.

Anybody that actually investigates this myth knows this isn't true. I guarantee you that if you shop only for the LT with zero options on it, you will find a dealer to sell it to you for $35,000. Likely you will also have a choice in colors unlike at Tesla. The stripped down Telsa is never going to be cheaper with their awesome factory direct, no haggle pricing, but we all know the stripped down $37,499 Bolt can be had cheaper at a traditional "haggle" dealership.

We also know the $35,000 Model 3 is a swindle. Only in black?? That means most that stick to their guns and refuse all the awesome gadgets Teslas are known for are really paying $36,000 for the car. Only a scant few will be getting these "Model T 3s". We also know that given Tesla's history with low cost entry cars, that this bargain 3 isn't going to be around very long before they drop it due to "low demand" making the new base price somewhere around $42,000, but that is speculation on my part.

Why some people are so in love with the Tesla "store" vs. traditional dealership is beyond me. Sure the store is nice because nobody is working on commission so they don'r attack you like sharks and there is no talk about price. The price is what it is. So the buying experience is pleasant, but you pay MSRP all the time, every time and that MSRP is whatever Tesla thinks is enough profit for themselves.

Then there is the service... Only one place in town to get that done at whatever price they want to charge.

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barjohn

· #10 · Oct 26, 2017

I can't say I like the Tesla maintenance pricing but I still plan to add a model 3 to my stable. I will be giving up my ICE car and for trips, the Tesla is still the only game in town with their super charger network. It will be quite a while before any other charging network catches up if they ever do. Anymore, when I travel, I prefer to drive less than 500 miles per day which works out to about 10 hours max and I prefer to drive less. With a vehicle with a 300 mile range (recharging around 250), that is one stop on the road to recharge with the M3 with longer range battery. With the Bolt is would be 3 stops (150 miles between charges) and I would have to hope I could find a DC fast charger every 150 miles. Yes, I know some of you can get longer ranges driving like turtles at 50mph, but when I am traveling I am usually doing at least 65mph and more likely closer to 75mph to 80 mph depending on the speed limit and part of the country.

jimmyspeed

· #11 · Oct 26, 2017

barjohn said:
I can't say I like the Tesla maintenance pricing but I still plan to add a model 3 to my stable. I will be giving up my ICE car and for trips, the Tesla is still the only game in town with their super charger network. It will be quite a while before any other charging network catches up if they ever do. Anymore, when I travel, I prefer to drive less than 500 miles per day which works out to about 10 hours max and I prefer to drive less. With a vehicle with a 300 mile range (recharging around 250), that is one stop on the road to recharge with the M3 with longer range battery. With the Bolt is would be 3 stops (150 miles between charges) and I would have to hope I could find a DC fast charger every 150 miles. Yes, I know some of you can get longer ranges driving like turtles at 50mph, but when I am traveling I am usually doing at least 65mph and more likely closer to 75mph to 80 mph depending on the speed limit and part of the country.

Totally not relevant to the OP here, but why would you suggest that driving to 50 miles remaining with a M3 is fine, but you need to recharge with 88 miles left on the Bolt? A fair comparison would be good, not to mislead people. A long range M3 would get you there quicker and would cost more

Reactions: 1

barjohn

· #12 · Oct 26, 2017

jimmyspeed said:
Totally not relevant to the OP here, but why would you suggest that driving to 50 miles remaining with a M3 is fine, but you need to recharge with 88 miles left on the Bolt? A fair comparison would be good, not to mislead people. A long range M3 would get you there quicker and would cost more

I was using round numbers closer to reality when driving at 70-80mph. I was allowing 200 miles for the Bolt and 300 miles for the M3. The M3 tested EPA range was 334 miles and the Bolt at 238 miles so that seemed like a fair comparison. I normally only see a little over 200 miles driving at CA freeway speeds which usually run in the 70to80mph range unless in heavy traffic. Additionally, I have allowed a little extra since charging stations are not likely to be exactly spaced for any given trip.

shotel

· #13 · Oct 26, 2017

barjohn said:
The M3 tested EPA range was 334 miles and the Bolt at 238 miles so that seemed like a fair comparison.

FYI, Tesla just lowered the range to 310 Miles for the "Long Ranger" TM3 (TM3-LR)

Conversely, it seems the charge rate for the TM3-LR can be almost twice as fast as any previous Tesla S/X!
This article states:
“The vehicle is also capable of accepting DC current up to 525A from an off‐board charger (Supercharger)...
DC charging current of “up to 525A” at 400 volts would be mean a charge rate of 210 kW, which is significantly higher than the current Model S/X’s Supercharger charge rate of 120 kW." If so, and there are Supercharger v3's on your routes, you may want to eat quick during a charging stop.

Do you have a delivery date for your TM3-LR?

Posatronic

· #14 · Oct 26, 2017

30k miles, 4 tire rotations and 45 min of time=0$. Replacing brake fluid same as ice, no one every does this. Should, but if brakes work, no one does.
You can figure out the math from the chart that was posted. It's not much.

GJETSON

· #15 · Feb 28, 2018

Model 3 has an oil filter on the gear case...and reinforced plastic upper A arms.

beeguz

· #16 · Mar 1, 2018

Its nice that they have a filter for the drive unit, but you could just change the oil in the Bolt drive unit more often, you really don't need a filter.

I'm not crazy about a plastic upper A frame but as long as its reinforced its all good.

ibboltin

· #17 · Mar 1, 2018

The oil in the traction motor of a bolt does not require changing, its good for lifetime of car. Not sure why teslas require a filter and oil changes?

Sean Nelson

· #18 · Mar 1, 2018

Posatronic said:
Replacing brake fluid same as ice, no one every does this. Should, but if brakes work, no one does.

Brake fluid absorbs atmospheric moisture over time. The manufacturers recommend you change it to prevent the absorbed water from boiling due to overheated brakes - if that happens it can rupture your brake lines (a Bad Thing).

Of course, in the Bolt the brakes are pretty unlikely to overheat because regen does most of the work.

GlenandhisBolt1!

· #19 · Mar 1, 2018

There are instructions for replacing the cabin air filter in the owners manual for the Bolt. Yes, it's intended for the owner to perform this simple maintenance.

E Drivetrain Future

· #20 · Mar 1, 2018

Bolt EV Wins Hands Down On Maintenance Costs

The Bolt EV seems like a very solid build quality. No rattles, window leaks, door handle failures, like on Tesla's. I saw a Tesla driving past the other day. It was an older 2012 mod s that was making a cacphony of noise from something. It sounded God awful.
Yeah, when the dealer offered me additional warranty and maintenance coverage contracts, I said "no" and "in Mary Barra we trust"..
Again, the Bolt EV wins. And the model 3? Look at its horrible dangerous driver distraction interface. I have no confidence in it.

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