Tesla’s Model 3 is an electric car. “Standard range” means it has a smaller battery than the longer-range versions, so it typically goes fewer miles on a charge. Here, it’s the first Tesla Leo bought in 2019.
A warranty is a guarantee that if something goes wrong, the company will help pay for repairs. Leo is saying his Tesla’s warranty covered up to 80,000 kilometres, and that made him think about upgrading around then.
A “dual motor” electric car uses two electric motors instead of one. That can help the car feel quicker and can improve grip, especially when you’re accelerating or driving on slippery roads.
The second-hand market just means buying a used car instead of a new one. With EVs, people worry more about how things will work later, so used pricing and support can be a big deal.
Financing means you don’t pay the whole price upfront—you borrow the money and pay it back over time. The host is saying many buyers still need to do this for their EV purchase.
“75D” is Tesla’s way of labeling a specific version of the Model S. It points to which battery and setup the car has, which can change things like how far it can drive on a charge.
A hatchback is a car where the back opens like a door and the trunk space is part of the main cabin. That usually makes it easier to load stuff like bags, sports gear, or shopping.
A lease is like renting a car for a few years with monthly payments. At the end you usually give it back, so the hosts are comparing that to owning the car outright instead.
Term
market adjusted itself
They mean the used-car market changed. So the price you thought you’d get for the car didn’t happen because other buyers and sellers set new prices.
The Zeekr 7X is an all-electric SUV. It’s the kind of car people consider when they want an EV with room for passengers and everyday usability. In the podcast, it’s mentioned because someone was comparing it against a Tesla option.
Long wheelbase means the distance between the front and rear axles is extended, which usually improves rear-seat space and overall cabin room. In family EVs, that often translates to more comfort for passengers and easier use of the back seats.
A home charger is a device you install at your house so you can charge your EV at home. It makes charging easier and usually faster than using public charging stations.
Tesla’s Powerwall is a home battery. It stores electricity (like from solar panels) so you can use it later—potentially to charge your EV with your own power.
The Dodge Charger is a car model known for a sporty, performance-focused design. In this conversation, it’s being used to compare what you need for day-to-day use—like whether charging gear is included for an EV. It’s not an electric car in the way the Tesla models are, so the “charging” topic is really about how ownership differs.
A spare tire is the backup tire you can swap on if you get a flat. Some EVs don’t carry a traditional spare, so you may need a different fix kit instead.
Charging infrastructure just means how many public charging stations are around. If there aren’t many, it can make full electric ownership feel harder, especially for trips outside the city.
Recharging stations are the public (or semi-public) chargers you stop at to “refill” your EV. They’re the key thing that determines whether road trips are easy.
Eden is a town mentioned as where someone the host knows lives. It’s part of the discussion about how EV charging availability changes outside big cities.
AGL is an electricity provider. An “AGL plan” is the pricing deal you’re on for your home power, and this one helped them pay less for charging at night.
Overnight charging means you plug in your EV at night when electricity costs less. The idea is to charge when the power is cheaper, so your charging bill is lower.
“Rated range” is the official number for how far the EV should go on a full charge. Your real range can be higher or lower depending on how you drive and the conditions.
“7 kilowatt” is how fast the charger can put energy into the car. A higher number usually means you can charge more quickly, as long as the car supports it.
Term
solar state batteries
This sounds like they meant “solid-state batteries,” a newer type of EV battery. The goal is usually more energy stored in the same space and better safety than older battery designs.
BYD is a car brand that makes electric cars, and it’s growing fast. The hosts are saying that as more people buy BYDs, you start to see the early issues that weren’t obvious at first.
“Teething issues” means early problems that happen when something is new or still being worked out. The speaker is saying they’ve seen some early BYD-related problems as more cars are on the road.
A “service network” is basically who can fix your car—dealers and repair shops. If there aren’t many of them, or they can’t get parts quickly, repairs can take a long time.
“Factory fitted” means the feature was installed at the factory when the car was built. The speaker says that in their case it wasn’t handled that way, and it led to arguments over who paid for the installation.
A tow bar is the hitch that lets you attach a trailer to your car. The speaker is saying their tow bar option didn’t go smoothly because it wasn’t installed the way they expected.
A wireless charging pad is the spot in the car where you can set your phone to charge without a cable. The speaker says theirs never worked.
Term
G2
“G2” sounds like a specific kind of magnetic phone mount/adapter. The idea is that if all phones used the same one, you wouldn’t have to place the phone in just the right spot for charging to work.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 is an electric Mercedes sedan. The host is saying that even with a brand-new one, a problem can mean the car sits waiting for a replacement part for weeks.
Parts delays are when the shop can’t fix your car right away because the replacement part hasn’t arrived. The hosts are talking about how that can turn a small issue into a long wait.
Term
year service
A “year service” is a regular check-up you do about once a year. The host’s point is that even if you book the appointment, the service can be delayed if parts aren’t available.
“Stocking parts” means having replacement parts available in advance. The speaker thinks it’s difficult when a company sells lots of different models and updates them often.
“Design” here just means how the car looks and how it’s put together. They’re saying they like the way newer Model Y looks compared with older impressions.
The Mercedes-Benz EQB is an all-electric SUV. It can be configured to seat up to seven people, so it’s aimed at families or anyone who needs more space. The podcast mentions it mainly to point out that larger EVs with more seats often cost a lot more.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is an electric van-style vehicle. They mention it mainly to illustrate that some EVs cost around $90,000, which pushed them away from alternatives.
Towing means pulling a trailer. They’re saying some electric cars won’t tow well (or at all) unless you buy a higher-spec version, so it limits which EVs fit their lifestyle.
This means Tesla’s network of charging stations. The hosts are saying it’s one of Tesla’s biggest strengths because it makes it easier to find reliable fast charging.
The third row is the back-most seat area in a larger car. They’re saying getting to those seats is much easier, which matters when kids are older and need to get in and out more often.
“32 amp” is how much electrical current the charger can send to the car. More amps usually means quicker charging, as long as your car and home wiring can handle it.
Vehicle-to-grid means the car could potentially send electricity back to the grid. Instead of only taking power to charge, it can also give power back—if the car and system support it.
“Vehicle loads” here refers to using the EV as a power source for household appliances—essentially powering devices through the car’s built-in inverter and outlets. This is different from vehicle-to-grid because it’s about powering your own loads, not exporting power to the utility grid.
The Tesla Cybertruck is an electric pickup truck from Tesla with a very unusual, tough-looking design. The hosts are talking about whether it can legally be sold in Australia and why it might not be offered there.
Right-hand drive means the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Australia drives on the left, so many cars need to be built this way; the hosts are saying the Cybertruck won’t be offered in that configuration.
Insurance is what you pay to protect your car financially if something bad happens. They’re saying the car’s color can change the price, because lighter cars may be easier for drivers to notice.
Resale just means what you can sell the car for in the future. They’re discussing whether the paint color changes that price, and they’re saying it probably doesn’t matter much here.
The Kia Carnival is a family van. The hosts are using it as an example of a normal family car that gets scratches, and they’re saying that kind of wear often doesn’t make a huge difference to what you can sell it for later.
Chips and scratches are the small paint damages you get from things like rocks and everyday bumps. The hosts are basically saying that after several years, most cars will have some of it, so it’s not always worth stressing about.
PPF is a clear protective film you put on your car’s paint. It’s meant to help prevent small rock chips and scratches, but the hosts are saying it may not matter much if the car is going to get wear anyway.
A graphene coating is a protective product you apply to paint to help it stay cleaner and resist minor damage. The host is saying they used it on their personal car because they care about the color, but they didn’t treat the family car the same way.
LIVE
This is Two Blokes talking electric cars with Steven Fenwick and Trevor Long thanks to NRMA Insurance and Uniden.
We appreciate their support NRMA Insurance helping Australians protect what matters most for 100 years and they'll be doing it for a long time to come, no doubt.
And all we ask is that when your car is up for renewal, give them a call, get a quote and see if it matches or comes close to what you're currently paying or it might even be a lot less.
And Uniden Smart dash cams, if you've got a car then you need a dash cam. Front and rear is our recommendation but they make beautiful dash cams at every price point.
Award winning dash cams.
Award winning, really easy to use, great app so you can see the footage in almost real time once you park the car.
You can download that footage and use it for whatever you might like.
We'd love to hear from you. 0477657657 is our number. You can send us a little text message and we will get you on the show and have a chat about your EV journey.
Speaking of which, on the line is Leo. G'day Leo.
Hello, hello.
Mate, where are you at in your world of electric cars? You're an owner or a buyer?
Yes, I'm owner again, so I've had three electric cars, all Tesla's.
Fanboy.
Yeah.
Started with a Model 3 standard range in 2019.
There was I think one of the first batch of the car delivered in Australia.
Then done three years and about 80,000 kilometres.
Back then the warranty was 80,000 so I thought it's probably time to upgrade and sell.
So I sold it, back then the price was pretty good on the second hand market because the limited supply.
So upgraded to a long range Model 3 in 2022.
Nice.
Yeah, dual motor, nice car, headed for a year, then sold it and went to petrol.
Wait, whoa, whoa, hang on a minute.
So you've had two electric cars, you had two Teslas, and then you went back to petrol.
Leo, explain what happened.
Okay, so one of the reasons, obviously the, well obvious reason that the electric cars,
especially Tesla's back then, the prices went all over the places up and down, but they were still pretty expensive.
And so yeah, financially it's monthly payment.
It's nice, it's beautiful cars, but yeah, I thought, well, I'm done with the payments.
Okay.
I thought I'll just go back to petrol.
So I got the old Lexus.
Oh, nice, yep.
Yeah, I always liked Lexus and I had few Lexus.
Yeah, it's nice.
2012 Lexus, you've done 70,000 sonnets since.
Then recently, well recently when the prices went for the petrol went up, I started looking again and my life slightly changed.
I have a little bit more every other week when I have a kids, I drive quite a lot for, you know, school pickup, you know, cheerleading, training and other things.
It's quite a lot of sometimes 100, 150 kilometers per day.
Yep, the parent Uber is a big deal.
Yes.
Yes, it is.
And I thought, well, yeah, maybe I should consider to go back to electric.
Yeah.
And the prices went down for the second hand.
So I wasn't considering it.
Well, I tried Gilly test drive and it was something else I tried to remember at some point.
At some point I was considering a new car.
Okay.
So you did think about buying a new car, but you ended up buying a second hand one, mate?
Yeah.
Yeah.
The market for second hand, you've mentioned it a couple of times now.
I'm assuming the market for second hand was quite attractive at that point.
Yeah.
So the issue with the new electric cars, yeah, of course you can get fairly inexpensive, but there will be unknown brands.
We don't know what's going to happen in three years.
You've discussed it many, few times.
Yep.
And yeah, so the interior, for example, Gilly is amazing.
It looks good, but what's going to happen in three years in five years?
I don't know.
Yeah, they're still under the warranty.
And most of them still, you probably need to get financed.
There's whatever the least thing called now.
And I couldn't get it from my work anyway.
So it would be just normal, normal finance.
You're killing me, mate.
What did you buy?
What did you get?
Well, the best car I've ever made.
So Cross and Tesla Model S.
Oh, hey.
And it's exactly the same as Steven had.
I actually watched his video, his review.
75D.
Yes.
My car.
My cars.
They've got white seats and it's silver.
No.
Well, you know, it's not white.
It's like beige.
It's beautiful.
Oh, you know what?
Back then you had options.
Yeah.
See, I've got to say, mate, the Tesla Model S.
And I've been driving Mercedes-Benz for most of my life.
That's probably my favorite car that I've ever had.
Model S.
You still speak about it with great adoration.
And I would have got the next model if it wasn't available.
But you've opened up a wound, Leo.
You've opened up a wound.
But you're driving.
Love that car.
I couldn't believe it.
You're driving an almost 10-year-old car.
This is fascinating to me because you earlier mentioned things
like having that very early Model 3
and getting rid of it at the kind of warranty age.
And, you know, so it's an interesting perspective that you've come so far
and you now have faith and trust in a car that is, you know,
nearly 10 years old.
But it sounds like it's a great car because you've also got a family
and you need that room.
So it's probably way better than a Model 3 in that sense.
Yes.
That's one of the considerations, was one of the considerations
because more or less it's like hatchback.
It's really big.
And yeah, I do.
It's got a lot of room in that car.
It's your thing.
So I have a lot of equipment.
So what year model is it, mate?
What year model is it?
2017.
So it's the same.
Yeah.
That was my car was 17.
Late 17.
My was.
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah, I think the interior, yeah, it was white.
Yeah, it's a beautiful car.
And of course, yeah, I understand the risk.
You know, it's like, oh, yeah, it's all car.
What's going to happen with battery?
Yeah.
Well, did you get the checked out?
Was there a report to say the battery health, Leo,
when you bought it?
Was there something you could check?
No, I asked, yeah, I asked previous owner if there was,
we were trying to find, I think that back then for,
for this model, I don't think there is service model or something.
It wasn't.
So I just asked them charge in full.
It was 353.
350.
360 in full, which is.
What was it?
News down.
News about 430.
I think it was.
430.
That's over 10 years.
Over 400 brand new.
Yeah.
Loose 70 cars over 10 years.
Not bad.
Yeah.
Well, mate, I think, yeah, that's still workable.
Mate, you buy a brand new car today with 350 to 400 Ks range.
So what you're doing is just, you just say to yourself,
I'm buying a car with 350 Ks range.
That's, you know, you don't talk about when you're lost.
Yeah.
That gets you.
Yes.
And the performance is amazing.
So it's like every traffic light is drug race, obviously.
Yeah.
I love that car.
They don't see many of them more or less.
It's a good point.
They quite rare.
It's, you know what?
I'll make this call because people know my views on owning a Tesla.
And it's purely because I like having something unique.
Not many KV-9s on the road, not many Cooper-Borns,
lot of Model 3s.
But I would own a Model S.
Yeah.
Because not many other around.
I think I see once a week.
Leo said, I can't believe I sold the cars.
They were like, Leo, you can't believe it.
You can't believe it.
Well, you know, I was locked into a lease and I thought,
you know what, time to move on.
Yeah.
You know what?
I had, it was harder than I thought to sell it.
Yes.
You thought you were going to get a lot more for it.
I thought I was going to get a lot more for it.
But there's sort of the market adjusted itself.
I would call you financially irresponsible.
Because you kept that car.
Think of all the money you've spent monthly on that new lease.
You could have owned that car outright by now.
And Leo is still driving the bloody thing.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's like buying new cars, especially when Model S was new.
It was 130, 140,000.
That's ridiculous.
No.
That's a lovely, lovely story.
Really fascinating that you went so deep into EV a couple of times,
went back to petrol.
Back out and then back in.
But still, this period of time, as we've heard from many other people,
has forced them to think about the cost of running a car.
And yet you've rather than, you test drove some new cars,
you've gone, I'm going to go with one of the better cars of all time.
One of the best electric cars of all time.
I think we'd pretty much all agree right.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
That's a great story.
So you intend to hold on to it for a while, I'm assuming,
to get your money back?
Yeah, yeah.
So the way I see it, the way and how many kilometres I drive,
three years, it should pay for itself, roughly.
Nice.
So yeah.
And I still have a Lexus, so if I need it, so it takes something.
What colour is the Model S, mate?
What colour is it?
Blue.
It's a blue.
That's a nice colour.
That's a nice colour on the Tesla.
Well done, Leo.
Happy motoring, my friends.
I'm jealous, mate.
I'm jealous.
You've got a Model S, mate.
I'm jealous.
You are making Stephen rethink his life choices right now, aren't you?
Yeah, I am.
Mate, lovely to hear from you, Leo.
Really good stuff, mate.
Thank you guys.
Thanks, mate.
Cheers, mate.
Excellent stuff.
There you go.
Stephen has been made to regret his life decisions.
Well, he said he watched my videos.
He's got the exact car I had, the 75D, 2017.
Mine was the late 2017 model.
Wow.
You know, there was...
I could have hung onto the car, no doubt.
Obviously.
I could have hung onto it, but I think the lease was finished,
and I think sort of the benefit of the lease was finished.
I had to move on.
Thank you.
And I wrote a story about how I left Tesla, went back to my ex,
and that got a lot of feedback, that one.
All for content, Stephen, here.
All for content.
That's what it's about.
To both story and electric cars, we'd love to hear about your electric car journey,
send us a text or a WhatsApp message,
and we'll see Joe 477-657-657.
I love it.
The joys of watching the YouTube version.
You know, you're missing out.
You're missing out on the moves.
Stephen's got the moves, folks.
Stephen has the moves.
That's what Joe says.
04-777-657-657.
Let's keep going with your calls.
Permence on the line.
Can I get a permit?
Yeah.
How are you, mate?
You're in the market for an EV.
Oh, well, when I contacted you guys, I was in the market.
I did my reset.
Guess what?
What?
I opted for the Model YL.
Oh, you know what?
Hey, excuse me.
That was my pick, mate.
I said, I bet your Tesla's probably the best fit I suggest.
And you boomed.
You proved me right, mate.
How did you narrow it down?
Like, how did you arise at the Tesla?
Oh, man.
I did a lot of research, asked friends questions.
I went on chat GPT.
I did a lot of things.
I was stuck between Zika 7X and Tesla.
That was in the market.
Oh, man.
I was like, OK.
At the end of the day, I wanted something with a very good resale value, something that's
been there for some time, good range, and also have a family.
I was like, you know what?
Yes.
I think I'm going to go with Tesla.
You had a few boxes to tick.
OK, permit.
It's a fascinating one, because if you look at, I think Model Y versus Zika 7X is a strong,
that's a big competition out there, right?
Strong comparison, yeah.
But you're very right to think, and look, I have no reason not to have faith in Zika for
the long term at all.
But if you were to look at them side by side, you go, well, Tesla's been in Australia for
years.
You've got resale data over those years plus recently, whereas Zika very new.
You don't know yet really how that's going to hold up.
So it's probably the wiser choice.
There's more, slightly more risk in the Zika.
But a lot of people do prefer the Zika for other reasons, but you've gone the long wheelbase
version.
Yeah, the long wheelbase, yeah.
Good space.
And permit too.
You specify too, you drive a fair bit every day.
So the range is very important as well, yeah.
It was an important thing for me.
I drive about 36 Ks per year.
That's a long one.
So I wanted something that would last that long.
And yeah, good for family as well.
Though the Zika was a bit, oh my God, I'm missing out in the premium stuff and the fast
charging and all that.
But then I have to consider long-term resale value.
Yeah, fair, fair.
So you ordered it a couple of weeks ago.
When do you pick it up if you haven't already?
Well, I haven't.
It's a long wait time, man.
I think I have to wait till August.
Oh, that's a couple of months.
You'll be right, mate.
Yeah.
Oh, hang on.
Stop you for a minute there, folks.
Let's just rewind to when Steven was waiting for the Mercedes and I was waiting for my
Cooper.
And we were both monitoring the ship for arrivals.
Two months felt like a year.
I went to Wollongong to see the ship come to port.
That's how much of a nerd Trevor is.
That's right, yeah.
So what are you going to do in those couple of months?
What are you going to do to prepare to be an EV owner?
Well, I am trying to, I do have a solar now.
I am trying to get the home charger installed.
And also, I'm trying to get a Tesla battery power wall installed as well.
Geez, you're all in on Tesla, Piment, are you?
Oh, yeah.
I just started loving Tesla after doing some review, man.
Yeah, right.
Did Tesla not chuck in a wall charger, mate?
Or do you have to buy that separate?
Oh, no, they didn't.
I have to buy it separate.
The days of Tesla chucking in things were back when Steven bought the car.
That was a long time ago when you got free supercar eight years ago.
They don't need to do that no more.
So wall charger, battery, you're going the whole hog.
You'll be super green in August.
Yeah, you know what?
I didn't actually know that no EV comes with a spare tire.
That's like disappointing.
No EV comes with a spare tire.
So have you heard of an EV with a spare tire?
I don't look enough, but I've never seen one.
I think with it, mate, and from a former Tesla driver myself, Piment,
I've had a couple of flat tires and they come to you with a new tire.
Take yours to the repair center and then you go and pick it up when it's been repaired.
So they come to you, they change your tire, not a problem.
Okay, that's good then.
Also, you're not missing out.
So the thing is, it's not like you've made a decision for a car versus everyone else.
The key that I'm in right now is no spare tire.
But what to be clear, you know, they have a tire inflation kit.
So if you just got a flat tire, it can be inflated.
Does Tesla include that?
Is there one in the Tesla?
Not in the Tesla all cars.
Do they really?
I know that my Mercedes has one.
So yeah, I don't think you'll be too stressed there.
So how's the family?
They excited about the car?
Yeah, all excited.
Can't wait to go to Grims very soon.
Very good, mate.
Well, that's a great permit.
Love your passion for it, mate.
It sounds like you're going to be a very excited Tesla owner in just a couple of
months from now, mate.
Thank you so much for listening and for reaching out.
No worries.
Thanks, man.
Appreciate that.
Thanks for being with us.
No worries at all.
There you go.
Love the excitement.
Yeah, he's all in on Tesla.
And you know what he did?
I loved how he had all these boxes.
He had to tick the range, fit the family in, all this resale value.
And is it interesting though you have that moment of, okay, but I know I'm missing out
on something with the Zika 7X, so that's a real acknowledgement of the Zika's appeal,
cabin appeal, because it is a premium vehicle.
But he's just going, well, I'm just going to wait and see.
Maybe his next car will be a Zika.
Is it the elephant in the room though, that the resale value of all these new brands,
we just don't, it's just unknown.
Of course.
If I buy a Zika for 60K, is it going to be worth 20 in two years?
Like what's the, that's the, not just Zika, all those brands.
I genuinely, and maybe this is the, you know, glasses half full kind of approach,
but I really think that in two years, we're going to have a strong demand for EVs.
Yeah.
And the secondhand market will be a really important part of the area.
Yeah, I agree.
Yeah, I suppose it's all about demand, supply and demand.
And I think if people who don't want to maybe spend big money or bigger money on an EV,
then there's hopefully a healthy EV secondhand market.
Well, if you've got a passion for the car that you've just bought or you're in the market for,
we'd love to hear from you.
Oh, four double seven.
Thanks to Vodafone.
You can send us an SMS.
Oh, four double 7657657
Send a WhatsApp if you like.
It doesn't matter.
Save us on your phone as two blokes and Steven will reply, never because I do all that.
Does it serve as number?
She's personal number.
We'd love to hear from you.
It's on me for too long there.
Sorry, I'll stop that one.
I was trying to be fancy.
Two blokes for all your electric cars.
Thanks to you and our main insurance and you then smart dashcans.
We'd love to hear from you.
Collins on the line.
Can I call him?
Okay, mate.
Mate, you own a BYDC Lion six.
Is that correct?
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah, I had it for about six months now.
Not nearly a year actually.
Wow.
How's it going for you?
Yeah, pretty good.
Actually better than expected.
Yeah, I bought a hybrid basically because I didn't want to go full electric.
Yep.
It's because of the lack of charging infrastructure.
But it's worked out really well.
So where are you in an area where there isn't much or you just,
is that your general perception that there isn't much or what's the situation?
It was more that I do a bit of country driving and I'm happy with the coverage in metro areas,
but just the coverage outside of Sydney wasn't great at this stage.
It's actually a lot better now.
I went on a road trip a couple of weeks ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the number
of recharging stations going down the South Coast, for example.
Oh, down the South Coast?
I was going to say, where'd you go?
So what sort of areas that were covered that you didn't think would be?
One of my customers is down in Eden actually.
And yeah, getting down that far, they're a bit few and far between.
Well, there certainly were when I was looking anyway.
And you mentioned in your text to us that you switched to the AGL plan.
Is that a noticeable change for you getting the cheaper overnight charging?
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, that was one of the kickers that actually made me change.
Basically, between midnight and 6 a.m. every day, you get 8 cents per kilowatt hour
versus normal 30 cents per kilowatt hour during the day.
So it was a no-brainer.
You said you drive mostly entirely as an EV.
What range does the C-Line 6 have from memory as an EV?
Yeah, it's rated at 92 kilometers, the one I bought.
They've since brought out a new model, which does about 130.
I get regularly about 82 tops, 90, depending on how I drive it obviously.
But yeah, again, it's enough for most days.
I charge it every night, just plug it in.
I've got a home charger, a 7 kilowatt charger.
So you said you mentioned a customer down in Eden.
So you obviously do a lot of driving for your work.
Yeah.
And so this is still OK.
Would your next car be potentially an EV or would you still stick to hybrid?
Yeah, I'm looking at an EV next.
I mean, the speed at which these things are being developed is unbelievable.
And battery technology, talking about solar state batteries with a thousand kilometer range.
When that becomes the norm, certainly I'd look at full electric.
Yeah, right for sure.
And what's been your biggest concern with the BYD?
We've had obviously different reports about BYD.
A lot of people absolutely love it.
And I think it's about scale too.
There's so many people with BYDs now.
You're starting to uncover some of the teething issues with the brand.
What's been your experience?
The car's been brilliant, actually.
A couple of teething issues.
But the main issue I have is really the supply of parts and the actual service network that's around.
I actually bought the car with a factory fitted, supposedly, tow bar option.
And it took nine months to arrive.
And then there was a confusion about who paid for the fitment because it should have been factory fitted.
But then it was fitted by the local dealer.
So there was a bit of an argument about who paid for the installation.
And similarly, the only issue I've had with the car is that the charging pad has never worked.
So the wireless charging pad for your phone?
Yeah, that's right.
Never.
So have you tried multiple phones?
Because I'll be honest with you, we both review tech and cars.
So I noticed that a lot of phones struggle because you've got to place them in the right spot.
And if they all use G2, which is a magnetic attachment, it'd be amazing.
But they don't.
So you've obviously tried different positions in phones and things.
Yeah.
I mean, I've got a phone case.
I took it out of the phone case.
I tried my Weistone.
And nothing worked.
What do they say about that?
What's your result?
I want it replaced.
I'll be honest with you.
I'm there every week saying, no, no.
When's it ready?
When are you changing it?
Yeah.
I mean, they actually said it was faulty and they would order a new one and let me know
when it came in.
But it hasn't come in yet.
That was at the three-month service, the 3,000-kilometer service.
Oh, right.
So you noticed that when you bought the car, then the three-month service still wasn't ready to be repaired?
That's right, yeah.
That's a long time to wait, you know.
So how long's it been since the three months?
Since they ordered it at the three-month service, how long's it been?
Over six months, yeah.
That is nearing eight months.
That is crazy talk.
Because, yeah, look, every brand has some issue.
I'll tell you my little story.
My brand new Mercedes EQE 350 had an issue two days after I picked it up and they said,
we've got to get a part, you can't drive it for a month.
I went, are you joking?
And my suggestion was, take a part off another car and give it to me.
And that's what they did.
So even Mercedes-Benz can have those sorts of delays.
For me, it was going to be a month.
And so, yeah, any delay is frustrating.
You know, I think also the wireless charging pad, so I'll play devil's advocate for a minute.
Let me play BYD spokespersons.
You know, you got me on the phone, right?
Oh, look, sorry, so that's a very unique part.
It's not a part we commonly need to replace.
So that kind of makes sense, right?
You go, it's not like it's a wheel or a bumper or a glass, you know?
It's a strange part.
But still, you ring the factory and it's on the next ship.
Honestly, at worst, it's got to be two months, right?
Six months is out.
What do they say when you ring them and say, do you remember six months ago you ordered a part?
Where is it?
What is it? Where's it gone?
Actually, I did write to them.
I've got the full year service happening on June the 10th.
And I've written to them and asked them to make sure the parts in.
And I got no reply.
And if you think I'm taking no reply for an answer.
So BYD then it'll be a year or nine months.
What would it be? A year?
Nine months.
Nine months.
Well, yeah, nine months.
I can have a baby in that time.
Nine months.
You could have had another kid by then, mate.
Yeah, yeah.
Look, I can appreciate the issues that they have because they've got so many models and they change the models, you know, they update them every year.
It's almost like a phone, you know, an iPhone that gets a new version every year.
And, you know, stocking parts, it must be a nightmare for them.
Yeah.
Well, I think, I think it's, I'm not going to say it's a unique problem because I don't have any experience, but I would love to hear from people with parts questions.
Because, and especially from new brands, which I guess is core to your question, Colin, is, you know, is this a new brand problem?
Because if you look at, you know, our mates at Sutton's, you know, they would have, they have a warehouse full of parts for the cars they sell.
Because when they service a car, they want to provide the parts.
It's how it works, you know.
That's exactly right.
Are these new brands stocking parts at the same level?
Is it the right number? Are they turning the efficiency around?
The problem is they're new.
So what's the experience of buyers?
So we'd love to hear from other people who are listening and watching.
If you've had an experience with a new brand and a part, let us know.
Has it been quick or long?
We're happy to hear both sides of the story, obviously.
Because I think Colin, you raise a really interesting point about the car.
But I'm glad that overall it's been a good experience for you and that I think long term, you'll probably reflect on BYDs being a successful one for you.
Yeah, absolutely.
Look, no complaints about the car.
It drives well, you know, all the benefits of electric driving, you know, instant talk and so on.
So very happy with it.
You just can't charge your phone wirelessly, mate.
Thanks for getting in touch, mate.
Yeah, no worries.
Cheers, mate.
Appreciate it.
That's very kind of you, mate.
Yeah, I mean, it is a valid question, though, that you mentioned your question about the new brands.
Like, what's the setup?
Remember, we've said everything's all rosy when you buy the car, but you're never thinking about, well, what if I need a part?
What if I need to get serviced or repaired?
What's that?
That's the question you've got to ask.
And I think a brand's, the quality of a brand, I think that that's what reflects the quality of a brand, that after sales service.
If they still want to know you after you've paid the money, then that's a sign of a good brand.
And I would argue that's why you keep going back to Mercedes, because when you walk in the door, they greet you like a recurring customer, which is what they want.
Well, after sales support and service.
What are you seeing with your car, your brand?
Let us know. 0447 657 657.
Send us a text or a WhatsApp.
We'd love to hear from you.
I mean, if we had more money, we'd just get like stings made.
Instead of looking at us, maybe looking at graphics and things.
Yeah.
That's all right, mate.
There's a large investment involved in still watch us on YouTube.
Yeah, you'll have a laugh.
Just to look Steven, just to watch Steven look like an idiot.
Yep.
It's my favorite part of the day.
Phil's on the line.
G'day, Phil.
Hello, how are you guys doing?
Really, really good.
You own an EV or you've got your money down on mine, I think.
We have put in an order.
Yes, we have.
Yeah, mate.
Well, tell us, mate, don't come on.
What's the go to reveal it?
Look, we put an order down for a Tesla Model YL being the six-seater version.
Nice.
Second call of this show.
This earlier on the same show, a gentleman named Piment has also put his money down on
a Tesla Model YL.
He's waiting until August.
August, he said.
Yeah, so when's your window for delivery, mate?
Yeah, July, August is the same.
Right.
But I'm detecting Phil using my superpowers.
I'm detecting that.
I don't know that you're certain about this.
You're like, I put my money down.
There's words and language there that makes me think that you could be swayed.
Have you considered other cars?
Look, we want more six or more seats in the car.
So we did sort of go, can we push ourselves back down to five seats?
And we took a few cars for Test Drive and sort of looked at Jailer and went, well,
Alinevi is definitely the next car for us, but to replace our Ford Everest.
Not going to happen.
Yeah, so we looked at the Model YL and thought, oh, that might be an option.
I heard, I think, Trevor bag it out a little bit.
He's never been a fan of the Model Y, mate.
He's never been a fan of the Model Y.
That's just a musk slash L.
I'm not a massive fan of Elon.
He's not a fan of Elon either.
And I suspect you are an Elon fan or no, Phil.
I am and look, I am very impressed with his intelligence.
All of the way he runs his businesses, all of that sort of stuff.
Very, very, very impressed and would love to say that I work in a similar manner,
but just some of the things he says, I'd be happy not to go down that track.
I always, not sure about Teslas, admire the design, but always thought they sort of looked funny.
But the newer Model Y looks very nice.
I'm a fan.
Trevor's not as much.
It doesn't make any difference to me.
I'm a fan.
It's a frog, not a toad at best, but that's what you get.
No, not the new one.
The new one's the nice, the little, yeah, very nice.
Phil's just convincing himself of that.
You need a lot of seats, mate.
So is it, you've got a few kids?
We've got three kids and occasionally foster caring.
Oh, wow.
Okay, so having room in your car was a very important criteria.
And is it right to say then, if you're saying that, you know, you're petrol going electric,
that really you don't have much option in the electric space unless it's the Tesla Model Y, really,
because anything more is going to cost a lot more.
You know, even the Mercedes-Benz EQB, which would do seven seats, is like $87,000.
A Volkswagen ID buzzer taking to $90,000.
Obviously the Kia EV9 is getting close to $100,000.
So I'm assuming that's really pricing you out.
And those models don't tow unless you get the medium sort of range and above model.
So then it's even more than sort of the numbers you guys have suggested.
So that was really pricing us out.
Look, I got in the Model Y as a test drive after we looked at the YL and was very impressed with the test drive.
Maybe the turning circle is the only painful thing.
But look, we were driving on the way after test driving an EV, Kia EV5, on the way to Tesla and Nuna Wading.
And I was sort of talking to my wife, oh, the better the sales guys aren't that great.
And they're really arrogant and everything walked in and it was mostly a really good experience.
Sat in the driver's seat and looked at her and went, this minimalist design actually is not so bad.
And Sunday we took it for an actual test drive, the YL, with the three kids.
And they loved it.
We are sold.
We are, yes, definitely.
Let me be very clear.
Tesla has a certain allure.
And it's that minimalist, just like Phil mentioned, that minimalist look and feel, really high tech feel to it.
A lot of other brands can't match that.
No, they can't.
And look, I want to be very clear.
I think Elon is an absolute fruit loop.
I think the bloke is off the charts crazy.
But he's also, as you said, a genius, pure genius.
I think SpaceX and the Tesla charging network are his greatest achievements.
I think the cars are excellent.
They are some of the best driving cars.
They have such great performance.
They have a beautiful design interior.
They have minimal interior.
So there's a lot of reasons to love it.
I just personally couldn't have one.
And I've said a lot of the times, Phil, a lot of my feeling is because I've always been someone who wants not the same thing as everyone else.
I said this last week, it's like, I just, that's just how I operate, you know?
The YLs pretty won't be that common.
It looks the same as the Y.
It's very hard to tell the difference.
So Phil, let me be clear.
I think you're going to love the car.
I think it's a great car.
There's nothing to regret about buying a Tesla Model Y at all.
Especially given you're going to have great comfort for the kids.
And that walkthrough to the third row for the kids is a game changer when they get older.
How old are the kids?
14, 12 and 9.
So the 9 year old out of a booster.
So they're all out of boosters, which means it is comfortable.
They can sit anywhere.
You know, mate, you're going to love this car.
What's, Phil, what's what's your charging arrangement going to be?
Have you looking at a wall charger?
What's the go?
Figure it might go with the Tesla universal one because you can get a 32 amp plug.
And so then we've got solar use, use my own assistant set up to just to basically charge off the excess.
And then if we really need to, we'll just, we'll just force it to charge.
So it can get up to seven kilowatts anyway.
That's where single phase.
So we're never getting more than that.
And then when if the vehicle to grids becomes a thing, might look at that down the track.
Because the YL is going to be vehicle to grid compatible.
So it's kind of the first time Tesla's gone.
We've got to load.
We've got to load.
So that's, that's different to vehicle to grid.
Vehicle loads means you can plug power stuff into it.
Like you just plug it.
Have an Aussie power point.
Mate, that's really.
You're going to love it.
They do do it in the US.
They do do it in the US with the cyber truck.
So maybe it'll come here.
Well, the cyber truck is on these.
Interesting.
You mentioned that the cyber truck is on the Australian website.
So there's the model three, the model Y.
So the model.
So they can show.
Now it says inquire and order.
And the model, the cyber truck just says inquire.
You know, just to have a look at it.
So does that mean that again, it's going to come out or not?
It won't pass Australian design regulations.
It just won't work here.
They're also not going to make it in right hand drive.
There's a million reasons why it won't make it here.
It's just his, you know, passion project that he wants to have shown to people.
And it's a highlight.
You know, people think of Tesla because of the top.
Some people because of the side trucks.
They want to show it on the website.
But good news is, mate, you don't want to be near one of those field.
You'll just be enjoying.
You know, that's joy.
What color do you get, Phil?
A little bit.
The back and forth on the color.
Maybe a great question.
Maybe a great question for you.
Do you think color has an impact on resale?
No.
And we're talking eight plus years, I'm hoping.
No, color doesn't.
But, you know, a color, though, I'm surprised to know, has an effect on insurance.
If your car is lighter, it's cheaper to ensure than a darker,
a lighter color car is easier to see.
A darker car is harder to see.
Yes.
So that's what I was told by an insurance company.
I won't mention which one.
Okay.
An insurance company told me that.
When I was ensuring my car is...
When I was ensuring my Model S.
Okay.
Well, that was in...
I'm going to say...
That was in the Dark Ages, so I don't know about that.
So does that mean you're getting a white one there, mate?
No.
You know what I would say to you?
We are getting a white.
White.
Look, we don't really like...
We thought we liked the cosmic silver, which...
It's a bit of a goldy silver when we first saw it.
Yeah.
That's the color we test drove.
And seeing it outside in the showroom.
Yeah.
Oh, it's...
Yeah, it looks...
It just reminds me of a champagne color car we had when I was 12.
So more than happy not to go with that color.
You know, my family has always had silvery champagne-y color cars.
So we got to keep breaking the mold.
We got a beautiful deep blue.
Step out on your own, mate.
Create your own path.
Yeah, look, I love the blue, but they don't have the blue in the wire.
Oh, really?
They have a...
Like a sky blue...
It's a glacier blue.
Yes.
Yeah.
And that would have been an extra 1,500 or 2,000 or...
Yeah, it's 2,600 to get the ultra red.
2,600.
2,600 dollars to get the ultra red.
Because if I was you, I'd be getting the red or the black.
Because I do think, personally, that the white is...
The white and the silver are bloody everywhere.
Yeah, well, that's what he's getting white, he said.
No, that's what I'm saying.
If you're looking at resale, standing out in a listing,
I might be better, but...
Oh, you know.
Man, stick with the white.
You're going to keep for eight years.
In eight years, if you're trying to sell it in a year and a half, two years, fine.
Play around with color.
Yeah.
But eight years, mate, it's going to be how you look after that battery.
Hopefully more.
How you look after that car.
Hopefully more.
Yeah, okay.
Well, there's great.
You know, Tesla's have great longevity, mate.
Well, we spoke to Leo at the start of the show.
He's just bought a secondhand Model S.
Yeah, it was 2017.
2017 Model S, and he loves it.
So, mate, you're fine.
You're on the right path.
And I don't know, the other problem I've got for you, mate,
it sounds like you're debating with your missus what color to get.
I don't think you have any say in this.
Yeah, mate.
What part of that do you not understand?
She picks the color, mate.
Not you.
She picks the color.
Yeah, basically, we don't need to spend any more money.
We're happy with the color.
Okay.
Minister for War and Finance wins.
She picked the color.
There you go.
The only question I do have is, it's all these people, you go on these forums and things,
and everyone's worried about dints and scratches and everything.
And so everyone's getting PPF, and I thought that's thousands of dollars.
But really, what, again, I don't know that it's actually going to help improve resale
value.
So really, I'm just thinking...
Here's how I look at it.
I look at our Kia Carnival that we traded for the EV9 and had scratches on it.
It was not the car I would love to have kept because it was a family car.
And, mate, if it made a difference to the resale, I didn't notice.
Genuinely, if you're absolutely scratching the damn thing, fine.
But in eight to 10 years, your car is going to have chips and scratches on it.
Any eight to 10-year-old car is.
So is a PPF really a requirement?
You know, I've got a graphene coating on my coupe because I love the color and I want
it to look after itself.
Did I put anything on the Kia?
Because it's a family car that's going to get, you know, all sorts of stuff happened to
it.
So honestly, don't stress.
I think, yeah, just do your best to look after it.
That's the best you can.
Care for it.
Yeah.
You can teach the kids how to wash the car and make it a family activity every two weeks
and look after the car.
That's the best thing you can do.
That's the best way to keep the resale value.
Is not have all that residue from road filth and just general filth on it and wash the
car well.
You know, that's the best thing you can do.
Awesome.
Good luck, mate.
Enjoy the car.
Look forward to hearing from you once you've had a few months of motoring, buddy.
We will.
We will.
Cheers.
Thanks for getting in touch.
Lovely to hear from Phil there and what a lovely family.
Looking after other kids as well as their own.
Yeah, great.
I mean, it's all well and good to have three kids of your own.
We've then taken on foster kids.
Credit to you, Phil and Mrs. Phil.
Exactly right.
Lovely stuff.
Good job, Phil.
We'd love to hear from you if you've got a story about the car you're buying or you're
interested in just narrowing down the car choices you might have.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us a text.
Thanks to Vodafone.
04777657 or a WhatsApp.
Doesn't matter.
We'll get them both and we'll try and get you on a show real soon.
Stephen, I think we could just churn it out and do it all over again next week.
I will clear my diary.
Okay, man.
About this episode
The hosts and Leo unpack the appeal of buying an older Tesla—especially when you’re balancing warranty timing, battery confidence, and family practicality. Leo walks through his Model 3 upgrades and why he later went back to petrol, then the discussion circles back to used EV economics as prices and fuel costs shift. They compare Model S and Model Y options, talk about checking battery range at full charge, and get practical about charging, home setup, and even flat-tire realities.
This week we take your calls, so get in touch if you've got a question about EVs or want to talk about something you're curious about in the world of Electric Cars.
One man owned two Tesla Model 3's then went back to petrol - but you won't beleive what he owns now, let alone how old it is!
Choosing a car can be hard, how important is the possible resale value of a car and does that sway your choice?
Owning a BYD with a faulty wireless phone charger, how long would you expect that part to take to be fitted? This caller's experience will worry you.
And needing a six or seven seater, really narrows the choice of cars - and this dad deserves the best!
