I Am So Happy To Be Rid Of My Tesla Model Y! I Have Wanted This Car For So Long And Today It Became A Reality

Former Tesla ownership is becoming a thing now, as evidenced in a recent Reddit r/rav4 club forum post titled "Joined the club today! Traded my Model Y for my beautiful RAV4. 10 miles on it!"

Other Former Tesla Owners Are Doing the Same

OP CoffeeDiligent's recent post reveals that he is not alone in his decision to trade in his Tesla for a new Toyota Rav4:

Well done. I did the same with a new Prime last month ―MaxAdolphus

I got rid of my Model 3 and got a Rav4. It's great to have a car with cruise control that works without trying to get the car behind you in your trunk.

Model 3 is the most niggly car I ever owned 4 trips to the service center in 3 years. Stupidly fast though ―Pumpytums

I just got mine today, too! Also traded in my Model Y ―Asleep_Front5592

Congrats on that switch...Guys...tomorrow is going to be my turn. Ditching my 38-day-old Model Y for a Rav 4 Plugin XSE. Will try to post one ―InjuryBeautiful6399

Related article: I Almost Bought the Wrong 2024 RAV4

When asked in the thread whether the OP had problems with his Model Y, the OP stated that, yes, it had issues resulting in "…5 or 6 (I lost count) service appointments in 7 months," with the main problems including:

1. HVB went bad and had to be replaced within a week of owning the car.
2. The whole computer was replaced within the first 5 months.

As an analogy, I work/worked in medicine (I'm in school now), basically with the car having less than 40k miles the car needed a heart and brain transplant. Red flags for days.

Air filter was replaced because of vinegar smell coming from HVAC. Vinegar smell returned. Technicians kinda just shrugged when I brought it up.

The Pros and Cons of Both the Tesla Model Y and the Toyota Rav4

When pressed further in the thread about exactly why the former Tesla Model Y owner decided to give it up for a new Toyota Rav4, the OP broke it down into the following Pros and Cons he sees in both models:

Con's of the Tesla

1. I had 5 or 6 service appointments from when I purchased it from Tesla in July of last year. Those service appointments started before I drove off the lot! As you know, you can't test-drive the Tesla before you sign the paperwork. Therefore after I signed all the paperwork—the dealership was closed at this point—and then drove my car for the first time. When I put the car in drive, the TPS warning light came on, and ultimately, one of the TPS sensors ended up having to be replaced.
2. A couple days later, the HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY warning light came on! The HVB then had to be replaced.
3. Fast-forward a month or a month and a half. The air filter was bad, and I started getting a really strong vinegar smell through the vents. I replaced it.
4. More service appointments included one of the trunk lift gate pistons going bad, the ceiling starting to fall down in the back, and lastly, THE MAIN COMPUTER (the giant iPad software) going bad and having to be replaced! That was the final straw.
5. Lastly, the range was pitiful even with the replaced battery. I was getting about 200/210 miles driving like a grandma (primarily highway driving).

Pros of the Tesla:

1. It's wicked fast. Probably the fastest car I've ever driven.
2. A tremendous amount of storage space. I loved the frunk! I'm a big surfer so having space to put wet stuff separate from dry was pretty great.
3. It could kinda drive by itself.

Cons of the RAV4

1. In the almost 15 hours I've had it, it's not nearly as fast, but that's okay. If I want to zoom, I'll buy another motorcycle.
2. Not as much storage.

Related article: My Daughter's 2024 Toyota Hybrid RAV4 She Bought New At The Beginning Of December Has Serious Electrical Issues

Pros of the RAV4

1. Toyota's reliability and dependability.
2. The range! I would only get about 200 miles in my Tesla. That's 50/miles per 25% of charge. So far, I have driven almost 50 miles in the Rav4 and still have a full tank of gas.
3. My wife and I do a lot of camping and trips to the mountains and desert, so it's important to us to have a vehicle that can go pretty far without constantly having to fill up or recharge.
4. I like that it's not all electric. Hybrid is the sweet spot right now for me.
5. It has buttons and knobs! Instead of just having one screen to do everything,
6. The speedometer is in front of you, not off to the side.
7. It's more rugged (look and performance). It doesn't feel "fragile and cheap."
8. No all-glass roof, but an actual moon roof.
9. Higher ground clearance.
10. Eventually, when the warranties all run out, I can do some of the maintenance myself.
11. The color scheme.
12. Higher quality interior.
13. It looks way cooler.
14. It's a Toyota.
15. The seats are more comfortable.
16. It still has regenerative braking.
17. The rims.
18. Better quality paint.
19. It doesn't feel cheap.
20. The acoustics in the car are much better.

Related article: Common Problem on Toyota RAV4 Many Owners Fix Incorrectly

Tell Us What You Think: Would this be the car model you would be willing to give up your Tesla for if you owned one? Or do you have a better make and model already in mind?

Please let us know in the comments section below.

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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