The Tesla 1x1

Your Tesla Tips & Tricks

Information before the purchase can be found behind the Tips & Tricks.

Complete safely:

You can lock your Tesla in two different ways, your cell phone or the key card. However, if your mobile phone is activated as a key, you must not leave it in the car or Bluetooth must be deactivated beforehand. Otherwise your car will not lock and stay unlocked. Even locking with a key card does not lead to locking.

Power indicator:

Above the speed, the bar reflects the performance display. A gray bar moving to the right indicates current drain. A green bar moving to the left shows the strength of the recuperation. Dots always indicate a limitation, this can occur, for example, with an empty or cold battery.

Windshield wipers:

Purchase advice

Are you about to decide to buy a Tesla, but you are not sure about all the details yet? Then our Tesla 1x1 will give you important information. You will also find important tips and tricks for your Tesla here.

Before the purchase

First you should give some thought to the right Tesla model, you should decide for yourself how much storage space you really need and which range makes the most sense for you. You can find more information at teslawissen.ch . If you are not 100% sure and would like to drive both Teslas again before placing an order, I can recommend Alex from greencars.rent . With him you can extensively test various Model 3 and Y and find out for yourself what suits you best. Here's his approach: "When renting an electric car, it's important that you get more than just the car. It's important that you are competently introduced to the vehicle and to electromobility. That's why I give every newcomer in electromobility, can only strongly recommend renting from greencars.rent . I am a DEKRA-certified consultant for electromobility and will advise you independently on electric cars and charging stations. I also offer implementation advice (planning, implementation and operation of several charging stations for Private and business customers)."

With the action code: TuneDeinenTesla you get a 10% discount on the rental costs. You can find more information at: www.greencars.rent

Basically, all Tesla vehicles are very spacious, due to the lack of a combustion engine under the frunk hood and the lack of an exhaust system, you will find a larger storage compartment at the front and under the actual trunk. Model 3 and Y differ mainly in the trunk opening and the upper limit of the Model 3. If there is often room for bulky objects or a stroller in the Model 3, this can be a challenge. If that's the case for you, the Model Y will be the better choice in the long run. If you are not yet sure whether it should be the standard, long-range or performance model, the next information will help you. In everyday use, the ranges will be similar, this statement will surprise you now, but let me explain briefly. The standard model is equipped with an LFP battery, Long Range and Performance have a lithium-ion battery installed. The main difference is that the LFP can and should always be charged up to 100%. The battery of the LR and Performance should be charged up to 80%, maximum 90%, in daily use. Of course you can charge the battery to 100% before the long-distance trip, but this is necessary from time to time to calibrate the battery anyway. For these reasons, the range in everyday life is comparable. Suffice it to say that the LFP batteries offer a maximum charging power of 170KW. The other two models can be charged with a maximum of 250KW. However, this can also be neglected in everyday life. The decision should therefore be made primarily on the basis of the different performance of the individual models.

Once you have decided on a model, it is time to arrange a test drive. Also called “order drive” in Tesla circles. ;) You can book test drives at any location via the Tesla website. The test drives usually last half an hour to a maximum of 2 hours, and they are often accompanied by a Tesla salesperson. Occasionally it is also possible to take a car with you over the weekend in order to test it more extensively.

The ordering process

If the “order drive” has convinced you, hopefully your dream Tesla will be ordered. At Tesla you order the car directly on the website, of course you can also do this together with a seller on site. Ultimately, however, it does exactly the same thing and also only opens the website. The configurator at Tesla is a lot simpler than you might be used to from other manufacturers. This is mainly due to the fact that Tesla vehicles are almost all fully equipped. For example, seat heating at the front and rear, a heated steering wheel and electric seats with memory function are installed as standard. When you open the configurator, you will first be asked to choose between Standard, Long Range and Performance. As I said, the equipment is almost identical, above all the acceleration and top speed are different. In addition, with the performance model you get a lowered chassis and stronger brakes, larger turbine rims, a carbon spoiler and performance pedals for the interior (the performance pedals you can also find the other models in our shop ). Once you have decided on a model, you now have to select the colour. The only thing to note here is that the black paint is a uni paint, which is very sensitive and sealing the paint is therefore appropriate. If you don't order a performance model, you can still choose between two different rim designs. The 18-inch standard rims are hidden under an aerodynamic hubcap, with chic, gray rims hidden underneath. If you want to permanently remove the hubcaps, I recommend you keep an eye on ours wheel caps to throw. In the next step, the decision for an interior color must be made, my personal favorite is the white interior. Contrary to what you might think, this is very easy to care for and super easy to clean. For cleaning I use the set from our shop. If you have selected the Model Y, you can now decide directly for the trailer hitch or buy it later in the Tesla accessories shop. For the Model 3, the trailer hitch can only be added later by telephone. Ultimately, you have to decide on one of the autopilot packages. The basic autopilot, which is always with you, offers you adaptive cruise control and an active lane keeping system in conjunction with adaptive cruise control. The sign recognition is still being worked on, but it is not yet fully functional everywhere. The extended autopilot also offers you a lane change assistant. The FSD package does not make sense at the moment, at least in Germany, but the videos from the USA give hope. Once you have made all your decisions, you can complete the ordering process. Now a happy hedgehog greets you. ;)

The best thing to do is to install the Tesla mobile app and log in with your data. In the app you can see a preview of your chosen model and get important information about how to proceed.

If you really want a German-made Tesla, you have to order a Model Y Performance right now. All other models come from the Chinese factory in Shanghai.

First steps after pickup

Have you received the good news that your Tesla is ready for collection? Then you should start thinking about a name for your new car. This is where your journey of customization begins, true to the motto: Your Tesla. your customization. Our first Tesla was called Hans, followed by Shadow and Milky Way. Berry is on his way now. So it's quite normal to give your Tesla a name.

When you are there, you should take your time to look at the car and complain about any defects. You can also do this up to 24 hours after delivery directly via the app under "Service". However, I can reassure you on the subject, the vehicles from China are all of very good quality and rarely have any defects. If you are sitting in the vehicle for the first time, you should first set up your mobile phone as a key. The best way to do this is to follow the instructions directly in the app or in the vehicle under "Locks". In order for the function to work properly, it is necessary for you to activate background updating and location access on your mobile phone. This is the only way to have a perfect experience. Now you should create your driver profile, it is worth setting up Easy-Entry at the same time to ensure a pleasant entry and exit. Once you have set your seating position, steering wheel and mirrors (adjustment via the scroll wheel on the steering wheel), you can still link your driver profile to your cell phone key. Now the seat will be adjusted for you when you get in, this feature is especially useful if you have multiple trips. Now you've done the basics. In the next step you can personalize the interface on the screen (by opening the icon overview and pressing and holding an icon). The personalization of the functions is also possible in the app, also press and hold an icon in the top bar. Now you can make further settings on the autopilot or, for example, the steering behavior or acceleration. The best thing to do is to click through the menu in a quiet moment. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact us.

charging at home

There are two ways to charge the car at home. You either use the supplied charger for the normal Tesla household socket or you install a wall box from various providers. You will soon find the right wall box for your home with us. If you own a PV system, it would be worth buying a wall box that can charge surplus energy. With a wall box, you can charge your battery at home in just a few hours. With the included charger from Tesla, your car will take a little longer to fully charge. The maximum charging capacity here is only 3.7 kW. However, this charging power should be used with caution, since standard household sockets or older wiring are not designed for such a high continuous current. If you charge for longer than an hour, it is advisable to reduce the amperage directly in the car or via the app. Otherwise it can happen that it comes to charring. It is best to check the heat development regularly at the beginning. If you pay attention to the points mentioned, charging via a normal socket is completely sufficient for the normal driver and enough range can be recharged at night.

As mentioned above, it is advisable to only charge the long-range and performance models up to 80 or 90% in order to conserve the battery. The standard model with LFP battery can always be charged 100%. The limit can be changed directly in the car under "Charging" or via the app.

Charge on the go 

If you are traveling with the Tesla, you can distinguish between two options. The rather slow AC charging comparable to a home wall box. Here you can fully charge the car in a few hours. AC charging stations are commonly found in cities in places like parking garages and shopping areas. These charging stations are usually activated by charging card or app and are priced differently depending on the provider. My personal favorite card is the one from EnBW in connection with the ADAC tariff (no advertising), here you can still load at reasonable prices and have access to a very large network. However, it is often advisable to check whether the surrounding towns are sufficiently represented here. Some cities have their own association. This can then only be activated with the specially developed app or the associated charging card.

On the long haul you will not want to have fun with AC chargers, here you use fast chargers. Depending on the battery status and battery temperature, your Tesla can be sufficiently charged here in just a few minutes. If you navigate to a destination that is outside the currently available range, the navigation device automatically inserts a charging stop at the Supercharger. If you only charge on the Supercharger, all you need to do is enter your payment details in Tesla's online portal. If you now drive to a supercharger, the cable simply has to be plugged in and charging begins. Little trick: Use the little button on the handle to open the loading hatch. If you want to charge outside of the Supercharger network, you need an external app or charging card (see my previous tip). Tesla's navigation system only uses superchargers on long-haul routes. In some cases, however, it can make sense to use an external charger. If you want to plan the optimal route before you start your journey, and also with external chargers, you can do so at www.abetterrouteplanner.com make. If you want to be as fast as possible on the long-distance journey, the following tips and tricks should be observed:

1. Arrive with a preheated battery pack to allow for maximum charging performance. This means that you should always activate the navigation when you start a fast charger. The car then ensures that the battery is brought up to temperature beforehand. Alternatively, you can also drive a longer distance more quickly. If a fast charger is not listed, it helps to select a nearby charger to activate preheating. If you arrive with a cold battery, the charging speed will usually be very low and the stop will be a lot longer.
2. Arrive at the fast charger with a low battery level. I recommend around 10% remaining capacity or slightly below. This mainly has to do with the charging curve. The car charges fastest at the beginning and slows down as the battery level increases. So tip three:
3. Do not overcharge your battery! The charging speed decreases rapidly as the battery level increases. Regular loading to 80% or 90% will make your trip that much longer. We usually charge to 60% and then drive on, even if the navigation system sometimes says otherwise. Up to 60%, the charging capacity is still pleasantly fast and you can drive for a while again.
4. Drive off faster than the navigation system suggests. The navigation system usually calculates very conservatively. If you are just at the store and you press “Continue” you usually get a higher percentage when you arrive than a second before. In general, you will quickly notice that with a normal driving style you often arrive with more battery life than the car had previously predicted.

Regardless of where you charge, please note certain charging etiquette, ie do not charge the car longer than necessary and do not leave it in the charging area. You should certainly never stand on a charging station without charging the car. We are becoming more and more and then it can get tight in the cities, depending on the infrastructure, so please take it consideration on each other.

dealing with problems 

The car consists mostly of software and even this has bugs from time to time. So if you run into a problem with the software, there are a few things you can try. First you can press and hold both scroll wheels on the steering wheel so that the screen reboots. You should not do this while driving. If the problem persists, the next attempt is to change the tire size under the "Service" item in the car. This also initiates a complete restart of all systems. If that doesn't help either, it is advisable to let the car "sleep" overnight. To do this, the guard mode must be switched off once and you must not look at the app, otherwise the Tesla will switch back to active mode. If all three attempts are unsuccessful, you should now make an appointment via the app under “Service”. Depending on the problem, the solution is then provided over-the-air or a service employee comes by. In the case of larger problems, a visit to the service center may be necessary.