What Tesla Owners Regret Spending Extra Money on
Tesla’s all about sleek style and cutting-edge tech, but not every upgrade is worth the extra bucks. Some add-ons sound amazing in theory, then fall flat once the novelty wears off (or the bill kicks in). From flashy features to barely-used gadgets, here are upgrades Tesla owners often wish they’d skipped.
Full Self-Driving (FSD) Package
It promises robo-chauffeur magic, but what you actually get is a very expensive beta. You’re still required to babysit the wheel and those updates? Slow to roll out. Unless you love paying to be a software tester, it’s a futuristic dream still stuck in traffic.
Premium Connectivity Subscription
Paying monthly just to stream Spotify and see traffic overlays? Yikes. That's like extra charges to use your cup holder. Many people realize the novelty wears off fairly quickly since they can do all the same stuff with their phone without the extra subscription.
Ultra White Interior
So crisp. So clean. So impossible to maintain. Coffee spills, denim stains, and grubby fingers turn that snow-white glam into a stress-inducing mess. Unless you actually never eat, drink, or sit in your car, this upgrade feels more like babysitting a sofa than enjoying a luxury ride.
Acceleration Boost
Who wouldn’t want to shave a half-second off their 0–60 time? Turns out, plenty of folks. After a few novelty launches that nearly fling your sunglasses off, most drivers realize it’s an expensive party trick that they never use in real-life driving.
Enhanced Autopilot
It’s the awkward middle child between basic Autopilot and Full Self-Driving—more expensive than one, less capable than the other. With features that feel half-baked or rarely used, many owners wonder why they didn’t just stick with the standard lane-keeping and call it a day.
Yoke Steering Wheel
It looks like it should be on a spaceship, and it drives like a spaceship with a badly broken joystick. Turning becomes a workout, especially in parking lots. This upgrade is cool for Instagram pics but a disaster for an actual U-turn. There’s a reason round wheels are still a thing.
Rear Screen Entertainment
Perfect if your backseat passengers are 12 and love Netflix. Useless if they’re adults with smartphones or if you're usually riding solo. It’s like buying a home theater for your trunk—flashy, but mostly just there to impress the valet.
Upgraded Wheels
Upgraded wheels look fantastic until you encounter reality. The ride is bumpier, the range is diminished, and they are pothole magnets. One bad curb and boom! Your wallet is crying. Sure, you get a little attention at Starbucks, but you’ll be back to the standard set faster than you can ask, “Why is my tire pressure low again?”
Interior Wood Trim Options
Swapping one type of faux wood for another might seem luxurious, but who are you kidding? Once you’re driving, who’s really admiring that birch dash? It’s an upgrade that’s meant to make you feel swanky but does absolutely nothing for you. Meanwhile, your wallet is crying a little.
Third-Row Seats in the Model Y
Yes, Tesla now claims that the Model Y can seat seven. In reality? Your knees are grazing your ears, and there is zero trunk space available. It’s great for small kids and terrible for adults with longer limbs. It's the automotive equivalent of a middle seat on Spirit Airlines.
Bioweapon Defense Mode
Sounds like a Marvel-level feature, but unless you’re commuting through toxic fog or a dust storm, you won’t get much use out of this HEPA filtration party trick. Most buyers realize pretty quickly that it’s overkill for everyday Target runs and school pickups.
Ludicrous Mode
Ludicrous Mode blasts your Tesla from 0 to 60 like a rocket because who doesn’t want neck-snapping speed on the way to Costco? Fun for a few dramatic launches, but after that? It’s just draining your battery and attracting cops. A pricey thrill ride that quickly becomes an expensive party trick.
$2,000 Paint Color Upgrades
Midnight Silver or Deep Blue might look pretty nice in a showroom, but that price tag hurts when a rock chip ruins your investment. And let’s be real, half the time, you're just wishing you selected white and used the money for ceramic coating.
FSD Transfer Eligibility (Brief Offers)
Tesla occasionally lets you transfer Full Self-Driving to a new vehicle. Sounds great—until they move the goalposts again. Many people who pay extra for this feature end up wishing and waiting, hoping the next "limited time" offer includes them. It feels like chasing after loyalty points you can never redeem.
Upgraded Audio System
Yes, it thumps. But unless you're the biggest audiophile or throwing mobile DJ parties every night, the base system is usually just fine. Many people don't realize they spent hundreds more on a sound difference only a dog (or teenager) can truly appreciate.
Carbon Fiber Spoilers
They look fast but add zero value to daily drivers unless your commute includes a racetrack. Mostly, they just gather dust and make your insurance slightly sadder. Do they look cool? Yes. Are they worth hundreds? Probably not, unless you’re wearing racing gloves to match.
Heated Wiper Park
This seems pretty useful until you realize that you never really notice it. Intended to help stop the freezing of wipers, it is only helpful in certain climates, during certain snowfalls, and with certain timing. For most people, it is just an expensive “maybe” hiding deep in the settings menu.
Interior Light Color Customization
Changing your cabin lights from blue to purple feels futuristic for five minutes. Then reality sets in, and you pick white and forget the feature exists. It’s the car version of a lava lamp: fun at first but quickly ignored. This upgrade is a flashy gimmick that rarely lives up to its rainbow-tinted potential.
Tesla-Branded Wall Charger
A fancy logo and sleek design, but it’s often overkill. Many regret spending the extra cash on this when a basic Level 2 charger would’ve done the job for less. Unless you want that aesthetic in your garage, it’s just an expensive flex with limited added value.
Track Mode Upgrade (Model 3 Performance)
Track mode sounds super cool until you realize your daily “track” is a school pickup line. It sharpens handling, boosts cooling, and tweaks traction, but unless you’re carving corners at a racetrack, it sits unused. It’s like buying racing cleats for a jog around the block. Is it cool? Yes. Is it practical? Not so much.
