My new Tesla Model Y 2023

Timeline

1. September 5th: I order my Tesla Model Y online
2. October 28th: Informed delivery will be on November/December
3. November 18th: Link to choose delivery between 12–16 December
4. December 12th: Delivery at the Tilburg Factory & Delivery Center

Delivery

At the delivery center, with no wait time whatsoever, and in less than a minute, I showed my driver’s license and signed the registration during check-in – the only piece of paper I had to sign whatsoever.

Then, I walked to their lounge where you can grab a snack or beverage (it’s 100km from The Hague and Amsterdam, so it can be a long trip to many), buy some merchandise, browse some accessories, and wait for some time if you need your brand new Tesla to charge before you go.

My Model Y was delivered with 9km on the odometer and spotless inside. Shortly afterward, it was shown as delivered in my iPhone, and I used one of the provided key cards to add my phone as a key.

Then, I proceeded with a thorough inspection using the helpful Tesla Prep checklist and taking as many pictures of all details as possible.

The only issue I noticed was that my iPhone 14 Pro Max had a hard time charging in the wireless charging mat in the console due to its size. Shoving the smartphone to the bottom of the phone tray helped. In the Tesla Motors Club, I have seen others also reporting this problem. The problem mostly went away after using the charger for a few days, but charging is still slightly slower than I am used – such as when there is a misalignment.

Interestingly, days later, Tesla launched a Wireless Charging Platform. Will Tesla bring this technology to their cars soon? A retrofit would be very welcome.

Had I chosen the delivery date for three or four days later, I would have received the 10,000km free Supercharging credit Tesla offered for deliveries in Europe between December 15th-31st!

I received the following email message a few days after delivery, which made me briefly think maybe they would still give the 10,000km, but Tesla was just trying to sell me a second ride :)

Verbatim translation:

Discover our cars still available this year, such as the competitively priced Model Y Rear Wheel Drive with a starting price of 49,990 euros and a range of 455 km (WLTP). The Model 3 is also available for delivery this year with a range of up to 602 km (WLTP).

All new vehicles delivered this year will receive 10,000 km of free Supercharging. Terms and Conditions*

DISCOVER OUR STOCK

Update: And just a month after my delivery, Tesla dropped the prices of their whole vehicle line-up worldwide. Today, I could’ve gotten the Long Range model for just €4000 more in the Netherlands. The Standard Range is now €3000 cheaper.

By the way, if you are planning on getting a Tesla Solar Roof feel free to use my referral link.

Mobile Connector from Tesla

The Mobile Connector for $230 USD / €200 enables you to charge at a rate of:

• 11km (6 miles) per hour on a regular 220V outlet (half of that on 110V)
• 48km (30 miles) per hour when you use an adapter to connect it to an industrial power outlet

If more is needed for your daily commute or if you have multiple vehicles, consider the Wall Connector, which allows for charging at rates up to 71km per hour. Then you can keep the mobile charger in the car for emergencies.

I missed the incredible end-of-year promotion, but…

🎄🎁 Tesla included this accessory in my delivery as a Christmas gift!

All-Weather liners from Tesla

• Model Y All-Weather Interior Liners $225 USD / €230
• Model Y All-Weather Front Trunk Liner $70 USD / €70
• Model Y All-Weather Rear Cargo Liner Set €185 USD / €120

Tesla’s liners are made by WeatherTech but have a more traditional look than their aftermarket counterparts, with only subtle Tesla branding instead of eye-catching logos.

If you don’t like the rubberized look but still want excellent protection, consider the 3D MAXpider All-Weather Floor Mats.

All-weather interior floor liners are essential for any car, as they protect the interior from the elements much better than carpet floor mats.

Additionally, I recommend getting an all-weather liner for at least the superior area of your rear trunk to safeguard against spills when transporting groceries or liquids. I also purchased the OEM liner for both the lower trunk compartment and the front trunk (also known as “frunk”), where I keep my EV charging cable in a heavy-duty, water-repellent bag.

Before buying the Tesla, I used electric car-sharing for three years (mainly BMW i3, Hyundai Kona, and Nissan Leaf), and it always annoyed me how dirty an EV charging cable might get. So far, I’ve managed to avoid the pavement entirely by making a few loops and/or routing the cable carefully around the car. It takes me 30s longer to plug/unplug, but I keep my hands clean and mitigate the risk of tripping hazards by passersby.

Mud Flaps from Tesla

Model Y Mud Flaps are available for $40 USD / €43 and are mounted behind the front wheels to protect the paint of your car from road spray and debris thrown by the tires. Tesla mud flaps are slightly larger than most aftermarket options, providing better protection, but Tesla does not offer rear mud flaps, which are, in fact, more helpful for other vehicles than your own.

If you decide to install mud flaps, know that they negatively affect aerodynamics slightly, as most other changes to the vehicle exterior (and that includes not using the Gemini wheel covers, if you have those).

If you can, have the mud flaps installed during delivery, as the installation area must be clean.

Glass Screen Protector

Spigen Glass Screen Protector (Amazon DE), available for around $40 USD / €36. I decided to try this matte screen protector even though I prefer glossy screens, and I don’t regret a thing!

Spigen’s matte screen protector is less prone to getting fingerprints all over it but is still glossy enough for my taste and has a touch feel close to the one on the original screen. I tested my Ray-Ban sunglasses with polarized Zeiss lenses and had no problems reading the screen.

The installation process is straightforward but ensure you follow the guides timely and correctly. Watch the official installation video and follow the instructions there.

Besides Spigen’s instructions, I recommend you to:

• Close all doors and windows
• Turn on the A/C Bioweapon Defense Mode minutes before to reduce the number of free-floating particles in the air
• Prepare to use each tool that comes in the screen protector package before starting anything
• Open the provided wipes only immediately before using them

Gamepad

While Tesla didn’t roll out Steam support for their two most popular cars, Model 3 and Model Y, they still come with some games in the Tesla Acarda. Some of those games either accept or require a gamepad.

I’ve successfully connected my PlayStation 5 DualSense gamepad using the single data USB port inside the glovebox, but not over Bluetooth. While I could buy an 8Bitdo adapter to connect it wirelessly, I’ve decided to skip it as I prefer to plug the USB drive for Sentry Mode and Dashcam directly instead of using a HUB.

Ceramic coating

I have scheduled to have Cartec Ceramic Guard SiCarbon+ Coating professionally applied for €1446. The ceramic coating adds a glassy layer that protects against UV damage, and tiny scratches. It also makes washing your vehicle easier. This protection should be good for five years and is much better than having your car waxed regularly.

While ceramic coating makes your vehicle look shinier, PPF – a thin plastic film – is the way to go for scratches and stone chip protection. However, it’s not cheap: I was quoted €5000 for both XPEL and 3M PPF applied in the entire car. Alternatively, €1500 just for the front.

If you decide to have PPF applied to your ride:

• You still likely want to have a ceramic coating layer applied on top of the PPF (not the other way around)
• Drive as little as possible from delivery to PPF installation

This level of protection sounded great, but it was over my budget, and the waiting for availability in detailing shops was more than I was willing to take.

Another alternative I briefly considered was vinyl wrapping. Vinyl wrap is a cheaper and excellent choice if you are interested in swapping the color of your vehicle without a paint job. It also adds just a small amount of protection, though.

Some PPF options in the market change the look of your vehicle as Vinyl does and are even more expensive!

Matrix headlights

One of the first things I tried after getting home was checking out the light show to confirm I had, indeed, the new matrix headlights, as I suspected on my way home!

This isn’t just a gimmick but an excellent safety feature! A matrix headlight can avoid blinding drivers coming from the opposite direction and highlight things such as dangers in the road, speed limit, and stop signs.

Watch the light show with Matrix headlights on my Instagram post or with multiple Tesla cars. Or visit TeslaLightShare to watch and download custom shows. Finally, visit the official GitHub repository github.com/teslamotors/light-show if you want to learn how to create your own light show.

Enhanced Autopilot package

I’ve got the Basic Autopilot. Auto Steering is part of it, but not Auto Lane Change. This makes the Basic Autopilot feel slightly incomplete when there is traffic or multiple lane changes, and I might pocket out €3800 to pay for Enhanced Autopilot for this and for the “Navigate on Autopilot” features soon. I think a subscription model would be a better choice and an even more profitable option for Tesla in the long run instead.

Autopark and Smart Summon are also exciting parts of the Enhanced Autopilot package. Still, I’m really interested in the “Auto Lane Change” and “Navigate on Autopilot”: if the Basic Autopilot had either of them, I’d certainly not even consider it.

One thing to have in mind is that Tesla software upgrades are tied to the vehicle, so there might be important points to ponder, such as this: if your car is totaled after an accident, will your insurance pay for the software upgrade? How much? How does it value depreciation?

Model Y Carbon Fiber Spoiler

A spoiler is an aerodynamic device that may reduce drag, improve stability and increase performance. Tesla just started offering the Model Y Carbon Fiber Spoiler for $800 USD (including installation) in the United States.

There are other spoilers alternatives out there for a wide price range: On Amazon, you will find some self-install kits for a fraction of the price. On high-profile detailing providers such as Unplugged Performance, you can find some for around the same price or for many thousands of Dollars.

Winter tires

Tesla offers the Model Y 19" Gemini Wheel and Pirelli Winter Tire Package for $2750 USD / €3150.

Why would someone consider it? All-weather or summer tires performance degrades on temperatures below around 8°C (46°F). Tesla 19" and 20" winter tire packages might be perfect for convenience, but they come with a hefty price tag!

Buying just the tires is about ⅓ of the cost, but changing tires has the negative effect of increasing wear and tear, so it might be worth getting an extra set of wheels. I still need to decide whether to buy the whole set of wheels or just the winter tires. Maybe I should wait and get the winter tire package in the next winter season.

On safety

Tesla produces the safest cars in the world – as proven by multiple independent new car assessment programs continuously for years. If operated adequately by an attentive driver, a Tesla is exceptionally safe for occupants, non-occupants, and pedestrians alike compared to other vehicles on the road. In case of a collision, you are safer inside a Tesla Model Y than inside pretty much any other vehicle in the market today.

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute: 2022 Tesla Model Y
• Tesla Model Y | Safety Rating & Report | ANCAP
• Euro NCAP: Tesla Model Y 2022 safety rating
• Safety | Tesla

Tesla often receives backslash for its Autopilot claims and Full-Self Driving (especially for its use of Beta terminology for something so critical). Their Full-Self Driving is not fully autonomous yet, and there are recent issues related to the transition to Tesla Vision with the removal of radar and ultrasonic parking sensors. The statistics support that driving a Tesla is safer than another vehicle, and even much more safer with Autopilot enabled. I understand that for some, this might not seem enough and that things like the lack of LiDAR (laser imaging, detection, and ranging) and Elon Musk’s point-of-view about using vision might not satisfy everyone, but Tesla has been showing a positive outcome of their technology which already translates in fewer accidents and deaths in the road.

Some particular accidents also draws a lot of attention with drivers blaming FSD for, say, 8-car crash pileups. I don’t know if FSD even had a role in this mess, but phantom braking is a real problem Tesla has to fix. That said, in this particular case, the driver would have had enough time to react if they had been paying attention. However, they might have been distracted (and yes, this includes drivers coming from behind at an unsafe distance).

For a review of the Full-Self Driving (Beta) with Tesla Vision and flaws of the system, read a Twitter thread by Tim Heckman:

On December 15th I left to drive from Los Angeles to near Philadelphia. Got back yesterday, after a total of 6,392 miles in the Model S Plaid with #FSDBeta.

Drove more than 99% autonomously, and I've some not great @Tesla Autopilot + FSD thoughts and experiences to share... 🧵

— Tim Heckman (@theckman) January 1, 2023

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