Tesla Model 3 standard 1 month ownership experience
First things first: My daily drive is about 110 km (Mon–Wed), mostly expressway.
For context, I previously owned a 2014 Honda Accord V6 3.5L — super fun and very spacious daily car.
BTW, I also considered and test drove the GAC AION V and Geely EX5. Never considered BYD — for me, it looks cartoonish both inside and out. PEACE!
- Geely EX5
The suspension isn’t my type — parang floating, *nakakahilo*. Also, the interface feels a bit pilit, like it’s trying too hard to be Tesla.
Pros:
- At 1.8M, it’s a good deal
- Interior space is bigger than expected
- AION V
Rides better than the EX5 and also spacious. Design is simpler inside and out, which I actually like.
- Price is solid at around 1.5M
Why I ended up with the Model 3
I went to BGC and saw the Model 3 priced at 1.8M — game over.
Here were my considerations for a daily:
Interior space – I’m 6’3”, 225 lbs. All three cars were fine for my size.
Use case – Daily lang, so I don’t need a 7-seater. If I travel with family, I have another car for that.
Tech – Important for me. Tesla is miles ahead vs Geely and GAC.
Cost of driving – My Accord averaged around 10 km/L (with some spirited driving— ang sarap ng hataw, super sleeper car). I was spending around ₱3,300/week on gas for just Mon–Wed driving. MASAKIT. Hindi pa fuel crisis nito ha!
After 1 month with the Tesla Model 3
Installed a Level 2 home charger — added around ₱2K/month to our bill (may solar din kami).
Ride is firmer vs the Accord.
Acceleration is almost the same (~6 sec 0–100), but I miss the roar of the V6 :(
Space is surprisingly close to the Accord, especially driver side. With my driving position, an adult can still sit comfortably at the back.
Tech is on another level — I love the preconditioning schedule.
I only charge 2x a week (Thursdays and Sundays).
Overall
Super happy with it as a daily. Tipid, tech is amazing, and very practical.
…but I still miss the grunt and sound of the Accord.