Tips for new Tesla owners: your first 30 days
I've owned Teslas since 2019 and helped a lot of first-timers through delivery. Here's the practical stuff I wish someone had told me — and how to make the most of the referral reward you claimed at order time.
Before delivery
- Download the Tesla app and log in — it becomes your key, charging monitor and service channel. Add a backup key card location you'll remember.
- Sort home charging early. A regular outlet works in a pinch, but a 240V/7 kW+ home charger transforms ownership. Book an electrician before delivery day if you can.
- Plan your first Supercharge if you don't have home charging yet — find the nearest stall in the app.
Delivery day: a 15-minute checklist
- Walk the exterior for paint, panel gaps and glass; check the wheels/trim match your order.
- Inside: seats, screen, cameras (run the camera preview), and all doors/windows/frunk/trunk.
- Confirm your referral reward shows on the account/order — the FSD trial (North America) or Supercharging credit (Europe).
- Photograph any issue and note it on the form before you accept.
Settings to change first
- Regenerative braking / stopping mode: try “Hold” for one-pedal driving — most owners never go back.
- Sentry Mode & PIN to Drive for security; set a cabin-camera preference you're comfortable with.
- Charge limit: ~80% for daily driving, 100% only before long trips (this protects the battery).
- Set up driver profiles and phone-as-key for each driver.
Charging without range anxiety
Charge to about 80% at home overnight and you'll rarely think about it. On road trips, let the in-car trip planner route you through Superchargers — it preconditions the battery and picks stops so you spend minimum time plugged in. If your referral reward was free Supercharging (Europe), those kilometres are applied automatically to your account.
Getting value from the referral reward
In North America your code gave you a 3-month FSD (Supervised) trial — use it deliberately in the first month while it's free, and decide before it ends whether $99/month is worth it to you. In Europe, the reward is free Supercharging, so plan a road trip early to actually spend it. Either way, it's a bonus that cost you nothing.
Ordering now? Use my code first
steven787345
It adds your market's reward before you take delivery.
Open Tesla with the code applied →The link opens Tesla's official store with the benefit pre-filled. Always confirm it shows before you order.
Common first-month questions
Should I inspect the car at delivery?
Yes — do a calm 15-minute walkaround before you accept. Check panel gaps, paint, glass, tyres, and that the trims/wheels match your order. Photograph anything off and note it on the delivery form; Tesla is generally good about fixing documented issues.
Do I need to precondition the battery to charge fast?
For the quickest Supercharging, navigate to the Supercharger in the car — it preconditions the battery on the way. Cold packs charge slowly, so preconditioning matters most in winter.
How do I use the FSD trial from my referral code?
In North America the referral trial activates on the car after delivery — enable it under Autopilot settings and read Tesla's guidance first. It's Supervised: keep your hands ready and eyes on the road. In Europe you'll have free Supercharging instead of FSD.
More: how the referral program works · reward by model · reward by country.