2 weeks into driving my Tesla...

[Alex987854]

Had to use my other car to move some bulky stuff.

Wondered why the Landrover wouldn't start. Key fob still in pocket. (Twice)
The ground is so far away. And the body roll...
Where's the speedo? (also twice)
Why is it not slowing down?
Walked away. Wondered why it didn't lock.

Tesla driving gets to be natural so quickly.

 

[MOBB]

I've had my Model 3 performance a month, my other car is a Mercedes CLS63 AMG..............nice car eh? 5.5 V8 biturbo

Well I thought it was nice, but its now going next week and being replaced by a BMW i3s that my wife wants, and I'm having the Tesla.

The CLS is a lovely car, but in all honesty I now hate driving it!! It all seems so badly dated, other than the heavenly noise it makes, I just prefer the Tesla.

The CLS feels like a 1920's car lol - keyfobs, levers, buttons, crap throttle response, gears. Exaggerations obviously but I didn't think for one minute I would prefer driving the Tesla when I got it.

 

[Yev000]

I'm still giving people at work rides...

Everyone wants to sit in the "Tesla"

And the fart on indicator is a popular option.

 

[bjbrown]

Totally agree, my Tesla is just way more fun and enjoyable to drive. ICE cars seem like steam engines. I have to do regular Tesla rides for folk at work as well, people can't believe how it performs. I should be on commission.

 

[RichieC]

i've had my Model 3 Performance for 3 weeks now...

My previous car is a Jaguar XJ Portfolio which I've always considered to be very smooth and quiet etc.. very much a luxury car and i was a little concerned that the Model 3 wouldn't be able to compete with it in lots of areas. I drove the XJ for the first time yesterday after driving the Tesla for 3 weeks and I couldn't get over how noisy it was and couldn't wait to get back in the Tesla model 3! Even though there is less wind/road noise in the Jaguar, i found the engine noise really annoying!! (and i never thought id say that).

it's like a friend of mine said to me, driving a "normal" car after driving a Tesla is a bit like riding a horse! or maybe a donkey!

 

[tess19]

My other car is a 911 convertible. Shall I sell or keep as weekend car?

 

[RichieC]

My other car is a 911 convertible. Shall I sell or keep as weekend car?

I'm willing to bet that after you've been driving the Tesla for a while, you wont want to keep it!
As good as a 911 is, it's just not a Tesla! ;-)

 

[tess19]

Havent driven the 911 for 2 weeks since getting the m3

 

[Artiste]

I love driving my M3P, but it's far from perfect. I drove my A6 the other day and in some areas it knocks the M3 into a cocked hat:
Adaptive cruise control on the A6 works perfectly. It's much smoother in braking and accelerating and phantom braking is virtually non existent. TACC, on the other hand, is barely fit for purpose. It has but me into downright dangerous situations by slamming the brakes on when I leave motorway lane 2 for lane 3, almost causing the driver behind to run into me at speed. And Elon says FSD will be feature complete by the end of the year. Yeah right!
Headlights - My A6 has matrix headlights which are absolutely brilliant and one of my favourite features. The M3 just has automatic high beam which is far too slow to respond. I've often been flashed by oncoming drivers who are blinded by the slow responding headlights. Even the new Corsa EV will have matrix headlights, while the supposedly technically advanced M3 can't manage it.
Automatic windscreen wipers on the M3 are also not up to scratch. They are not nearly sensitive enough, and it's the first car I've ever owned where the sensitivity can't be adjusted. C'mon Tesla - this is basic stuff!
Comfort and refinement at speeds of over 60mph is in a different league in the A6. Wind noise and tyre noise are very muted, and the cabin is an oasis of calm. In the M3, however, wind noise and tyre noise (especially on the 20" rims) is very intrusive at motorway speeds.
Head Up Display - people promised me that I wouldn't miss this, but they were completely wrong. There's nothing so convenient as having key driving information written, so to speak, on the road in front of you.

I still love my M3, especially for the performance. However, I recognise that I've also sacrificed a lot. I won't argue that the M3 is the best EV on the road at the moment, but in terms of automotive technology rather than just EV technology there are many areas where it doesn't even begin to trouble the competition.

 

[pdk42]

I love driving my M3P, but it's far from perfect. I drove my A6 the other day and in some areas it knocks the M3 into a cocked hat:
Adaptive cruise control on the A6 works perfectly. It's much smoother in braking and accelerating and phantom braking is virtually non existent. TACC, on the other hand, is barely fit for purpose. It has but me into downright dangerous situations by slamming the brakes on when I leave motorway lane 2 for lane 3, almost causing the driver behind to run into me at speed. And Elon says FSD will be feature complete by the end of the year. Yeah right!
Headlights - My A6 has matrix headlights which are absolutely brilliant and one of my favourite features. The M3 just has automatic high beam which is far too slow to respond. I've often been flashed by oncoming drivers who are blinded by the slow responding headlights. Even the new Corsa EV will have matrix headlights, while the supposedly technically advanced M3 can't manage it.
Automatic windscreen wipers on the M3 are also not up to scratch. They are not nearly sensitive enough, and it's the first car I've ever owned where the sensitivity can't be adjusted. C'mon Tesla - this is basic stuff!
Comfort and refinement at speeds of over 60mph is in a different league in the A6. Wind noise and tyre noise are very muted, and the cabin is an oasis of calm. In the M3, however, wind noise and tyre noise (especially on the 20" rims) is very intrusive at motorway speeds.
Head Up Display - people promised me that I wouldn't miss this, but they were completely wrong. There's nothing so convenient as having key driving information written, so to speak, on the road in front of you.

I still love my M3, especially for the performance. However, I recognise that I've also sacrificed a lot. I won't argue that the M3 is the best EV on the road at the moment, but in terms of automotive technology rather than just EV technology there are many areas where it doesn't even begin to trouble the competition.

I think they're all good points and I recognise most of them in comparison to my last BMW. However, as a complete package, I'd still put the Tesla ahead, despite the annoyances.

Auto lights were better on the BMW, but neither are better than doing it myself - which I prefer.

Similarly the cruise control. If I'm in pottering mode then the Tesla's system, despite its limitations, is good enough; and again, I prefer driving the car myself, so its comparative weaknesses are not a deal breaker.

The one thing that really is a massive fail is the wipers. Auto in the day is just about ok, but at night it's a complete and utter waste of time. Then because there's no way to change settings except via the screen, it's a compete PITA to use in manual mode. However, is it such a big deal overall? - when the rest of the car is such a hoot? I'm still in the "loving it" stage!

 

[Imidogen]

I love driving my M3P, but it's far from perfect. I drove my A6 the other day and in some areas it knocks the M3 into a cocked hat:
Adaptive cruise control on the A6 works perfectly. It's much smoother in braking and accelerating and phantom braking is virtually non existent. TACC, on the other hand, is barely fit for purpose. It has but me into downright dangerous situations by slamming the brakes on when I leave motorway lane 2 for lane 3, almost causing the driver behind to run into me at speed. And Elon says FSD will be feature complete by the end of the year. Yeah right!
Headlights - My A6 has matrix headlights which are absolutely brilliant and one of my favourite features. The M3 just has automatic high beam which is far too slow to respond. I've often been flashed by oncoming drivers who are blinded by the slow responding headlights. Even the new Corsa EV will have matrix headlights, while the supposedly technically advanced M3 can't manage it.
Automatic windscreen wipers on the M3 are also not up to scratch. They are not nearly sensitive enough, and it's the first car I've ever owned where the sensitivity can't be adjusted. C'mon Tesla - this is basic stuff!
Comfort and refinement at speeds of over 60mph is in a different league in the A6. Wind noise and tyre noise are very muted, and the cabin is an oasis of calm. In the M3, however, wind noise and tyre noise (especially on the 20" rims) is very intrusive at motorway speeds.
Head Up Display - people promised me that I wouldn't miss this, but they were completely wrong. There's nothing so convenient as having key driving information written, so to speak, on the road in front of you.

I still love my M3, especially for the performance. However, I recognise that I've also sacrificed a lot. I won't argue that the M3 is the best EV on the road at the moment, but in terms of automotive technology rather than just EV technology there are many areas where it doesn't even begin to trouble the competition.

HUD is something i thought Teslas should have had...especially when its technologically so advanced than other cars..HUD is still more practical and intutive for some key information than a screen in the midddle.

 

[tess19]

When the road surface is good, the m3p with 20" wheels is sublime. Really smooth and quiet without gearchange and engine vibration/noise.

 

[Beady3647]

I'm into my fourth year of Tesla driving (all MS). Last weekend I had a problem which meant I was lent a BMW 5 series auto Diesel!!!. When I came to drive it for the first time, I sat waiting for the engine to start - forgot it had to be done manually in ICE. Parked the car twice at Tesco and both times left my phone and didn't give a second thought to locking the car - all of this is a given in a Tesla. No regenerative braking was very noticeable as I would continuously approach a queue of traffic expecting the car to automatically do the lions share of the work with me gently applying the brake to come to a final halt.

I've said in many of my past posts that I regard the Tesla as the best driving experience I have ever had - inc BM, MB, Porsche, Jag, Daimler, Lexus and Lotus.

Sure there are niggles, but IMHO if the car were not so damn good, these niggles wouldn't be apparent.

 

[m3gt2]

I love driving my M3P, but it's far from perfect. I drove my A6 the other day and in some areas it knocks the M3 into a cocked hat:
Adaptive cruise control on the A6 works perfectly. It's much smoother in braking and accelerating and phantom braking is virtually non existent. TACC, on the other hand, is barely fit for purpose. It has but me into downright dangerous situations by slamming the brakes on when I leave motorway lane 2 for lane 3, almost causing the driver behind to run into me at speed. And Elon says FSD will be feature complete by the end of the year. Yeah right!
Headlights - My A6 has matrix headlights which are absolutely brilliant and one of my favourite features. The M3 just has automatic high beam which is far too slow to respond. I've often been flashed by oncoming drivers who are blinded by the slow responding headlights. Even the new Corsa EV will have matrix headlights, while the supposedly technically advanced M3 can't manage it.
Automatic windscreen wipers on the M3 are also not up to scratch. They are not nearly sensitive enough, and it's the first car I've ever owned where the sensitivity can't be adjusted. C'mon Tesla - this is basic stuff!
Comfort and refinement at speeds of over 60mph is in a different league in the A6. Wind noise and tyre noise are very muted, and the cabin is an oasis of calm. In the M3, however, wind noise and tyre noise (especially on the 20" rims) is very intrusive at motorway speeds.
Head Up Display - people promised me that I wouldn't miss this, but they were completely wrong. There's nothing so convenient as having key driving information written, so to speak, on the road in front of you.

I still love my M3, especially for the performance. However, I recognise that I've also sacrificed a lot. I won't argue that the M3 is the best EV on the road at the moment, but in terms of automotive technology rather than just EV technology there are many areas where it doesn't even begin to trouble the competition.

I can't comment on other TACC as it's the first I've tried and it is far from perfect but with the latest update it seems to be much better although still does the phantom braking! Also I was worried that the lights weren't adaptive with the Mercedes having the upgraded dynamic led headlights but I can honestly say that they are really good, you can see at least as far up the road as the Mercedes and while I sometimes think they lights are slow dipping I have only been flashed a couple of times, the Mercedes gets flashed all the time and has even been recalibrated by Mercedes but that didn't improve things.

 

[Artiste]

When the road surface is good, the m3p with 20" wheels is sublime. Really smooth and quiet without gearchange and engine vibration/noise.

That’s very true at lower speeds, but good road surfaces in the UK are certainly not the norm. I find tyre noise to be intrusive at motorway speeds on any surface, and of course the road surface doesn’t make any difference to wind noise, which is also intrusive at 70mph.

 

[pdk42]

That’s very true at lower speeds, but good road surfaces in the UK are certainly not the norm. I find tyre noise to be intrusive at motorway speeds on any surface, and of course the road surface doesn’t make any difference to wind noise, which is also intrusive at 70mph.

Try fitting the additional door seals. IMHO it reduces tyre noise to a noticeable degree.

 

[NorfolkMustard]

M3 on 20" here, I don't find the road/wind noise intrusive at all. I often drive in silence / with no audio playing on the motorway.

 

[Akikiki]

My other car is a 911 convertible. Shall I sell or keep as weekend car?

Yeah, save it for a weekend car - if you have a neighbor that doesn't own a Tesla.

 

[TM3PTN]

M3 on 20" here, I don't find the road/wind noise intrusive at all. I often drive in silence / with no audio playing on the motorway.

Same - I feel like I have either got really lucky, or other people have better hearing than I do, because the noise levels in the car are no different to my previous cars (which have all been relatively high end with exceptional build quality).

Bumps, etc. are the same as my other cars too and don't take anything away from my overall driving experience.

Maybe we're the lucky ones NorfolkMustard

 

[RichieC]

I would agree too - also have a M3P with 20" wheels and i don't find the noise levels in too bad at all - my previous car (jag XJ) definitely has lower levels of road/wind noise, but the overall noise level is not much different - in fact I when i drive the XJ i find the engine noise really annoying now! Much prefer driving the M3 ;-)