Who Won the Model 3? (Plus What It Really Cost Us)

The Car: A High-Mileage Gem with a Lot of Potential

On March 12th, we purchased a 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus. At the time of purchase, it was the highest-mileage Tesla Model 3 for sale in all of North America with 609,000 km on the odometer.

We picked it up for $14,727.77 CAD (taxes in), and from there, the real work began.

Everything We Fixed, Replaced, and Upgraded

Front Bumper — $1,756.91

The front bumper was beyond saving. There was a deep scrape that went right through it, you could literally see through the damage. We sourced a new bumper, had it primed, and prepped it for the vinyl wrap.

Tesla Vehicle Inspection & Code Clearing — $313.93

Before we could run our own battery health test, the car threw some codes that needed to be cleared. We brought it to Tesla Winnipeg for a full vehicle inspection and to have the codes removed. While we were there, we also had them confirm that the battery in the car was the original and it was.

Super Bottle Replacement — $1,594.23

During the inspection, Tesla identified a faulty super bottle in the battery system. This was actually the culprit behind the codes and was preventing us from running our internal battery health test. Once replaced, we were finally able to get a proper read on the battery.

Horn Assembly — $438.81

When we brought the car to Autoworks here in Winkler for a look-over, they found the horn wasn't working. Kind of a big deal, it's literally a safety requirement. This should have been flagged before the car passed its safety inspection in Manitoba, but we got it sorted.

Battery Replacement — $8,500

The battery health test revealed the original battery was sitting at 70% capacity. We knew we wanted to replace it. Through a connection on X, we got linked up with Alset Road Ready Solutions out of Hamilton, Ontario, a shop that specializes in EV and Tesla repairs. They sourced a replacement battery from a 2023 Tesla Model 3 with only 15,000 km on it. The battery is LFP chemistry and cost $8,500.

Suspension & Struts — $500

Because the 2023 LFP battery is slightly heavier than the original, the shop recommended replacing the struts and suspension to compensate. The car now has a suspension system from a 2024+ Model 3 Highland. It rides noticeably better.

Four-Wheel Alignment — $150

After the new suspension, a fresh alignment was a must.

Key Cards — $78.40

The original key cards looked like they'd been through the wash cycle about 50 times, warped, bent, and generally sad. We ordered new ones directly from Tesla.

All-Weather Floor Mats & Trunk Liners — (Tesla OEM)

We outfitted the interior with Tesla's own all-weather floor mats and trunk liners. In our experience, Tesla's OEM mats fit better than anything aftermarket.

Martian MW5 Wheels — $3,478.60

The factory wheels were swapped out for Martian MW5s, 20-inch rims in satin bronze. They look incredible against the wrap color.

Continental ExtremeContact All-Season Tires — $1,799.95

Vinyl Wrap: Gloss Sierra Green Metallic — Covered by Arlon

Tony, our vinyl wrap expert and Arlon-certified trainer, wrapped the entire car in Gloss Sierra Green Metallic from Arlon. Because of Tony's relationship with Arlon, the wrap itself was covered completely. A massive thank you to Arlon for making this possible.

Defense Plus Gloss Paint Protection Film — (Our Product)

On top of the wrap, we applied our own Defense Plus gloss PPF to the entire car. Since it's our product, there's no cost to count here but it's full coverage protection that will keep that wrap looking sharp for years.

Paint Repairs & Miscellaneous — $125.91

To prep the car properly for wrapping, we had to do some paint touch-up work in various areas.

Door Jamb Wrap (Satin Black) — $537.18

The door jambs were wrapped in satin black, which creates a beautiful contrast against the Sierra Green exterior and the gold accents on the kick plate.

Liftgate Stoppers — $30.00

During the build, the original liftgate stoppers got stripped when we tried to remove them. Replacements came straight from Tesla.

Window Tint — $252.00

A local shop here in Winkler applied a Solar Guard ceramic tint, 50% in the front, 20% in the rear. The windshield and rear window were left untinted.

The Total Bill

Note: The Arlon vinyl wrap and Drive Protected Defense Plus PPF were covered/provided at no cost.

Yes, that's a significant investment in a car with 620,000 km on it. But with a nearly new LFP battery, upgraded suspension, fresh tires, and full PPF protection this car is genuinely ready for another long run.

And the Winner Is... Rajesh!

We received 62,733 entries (over 900 customers entered) into the giveaway. After running the draw, the winner was Rajesh from California.

He had no idea he was even entered. Rajesh had purchased a DIY PPF wrap kit from us on May 16th for his 2026 Model Y. That purchase automatically entered him into the giveaway, something he didn't notice at the time.

When we called to tell him he'd won a fully restored Tesla Model 3, his reaction was perfectly calm and understated. Turns out, he already owns a Model X, a Cybertruck, and a Model Y Performance. So yes, he did, in fact, have room on his driveway for one more Tesla.

What's Next

This won't be the last giveaway we do at Drive Protected. In just a few weeks, we're launching our next project and no, it won't be another Model 3. That's all we're saying for now.

If you want to follow along, subscribe to the channel and stay tuned. We'll see you in the next one.