2020 Model S Long Range Plus

[r1200gs4ok]

Up top above the mirror. Just pull with bear hands. I pulled it to get a line for a radar detector and I realized how stupid it is not to have insulation and also how by is good at low speeds with no rain.

great....thanks....was going to ak where to put foam but re-read your text...on top between mic and roof.....thanks again

 

[TonyDC]

I can comment on a few of your concerns:
I find the interior fit and finish acceptable, but not anywhere near the level of your Cayenne.
The road noise is substantially higher, significantly higher than my GMC Sierra Denali, Bluetooth phone calls at freeway speeds are almost not worth it, the noise level your recipient experiences is unacceptable.
I find Slacker radio to be way better than XM
I have had no service needs, except for an alignment, but feel it is grossly unacceptable that Tesla will not answer a phone. The app works fine, but for 100k vehicle, answer the damn phone.
If you want a 4 door sedan, I think the S is the nicest car you can buy, Tesla just needs to step up.

Hi Dirkbike1,

Thank you for your comments. I'm in my car a lot so the phone calls and XM will be a big deal and will test it this morning. Thanks again,

Tony

 

[TonyDC]

Coming from a E55 AMG
Road noise in the Model S may seem higher because there is zero exhaust/engine noise. But if one were to check decibel levels, i suspect the Model S is rather quiet, especially on the long range with the all season tires. When i went from the 19" wheels with all seasons to 21" Arachnids with High Performance tires, the road noise increased by roughly 15% in my opinion.

Model S is an AWESOME daily driver and highway cruiser. Small things like the ability to keep the AC going while you run into the store on a blazing hot day, but yet, no engine is running. The quiet smooth acceleration that you can use (0-40, 20-60, 60-80, etc) in day to day driving is phenomenal. No worry of gearshifting, downshifting unexpectedly, etc. Its just smooth, quiet (no transmission jerks) insane acceleration. Even in non performance models.

Im coming from a long line of //M BMWs, AMG benzes...and I can honestly say, Im never going back to EV. Would be a huge step back. Yes, Audi RS7 and Panamera Turbo are GORGEOUS cars. (two of my favorites) interiors in those far above Tesla. But tech wise? YEARS behind. And falling behind every day. Tesla is the only maker that has ability to update every system, over the air. Literally send out improvements to the cars on a regular basis.

And when considering that EV's today are in their infancy, and gas cars have had over a hundred years to develop, and when consider that almost all major car manufacturers have announced that they are shifting primarily towards producing EV's over the coming years and away from combustion engines......the choice to me was obvious...

Hi 2101 Guy,

Great response, thank you! I'm looking at the basic 19" wheels for now and may get the 21s and throw snow tires on the 19s for winter so good to know about the road noise. Thanks!

 

[TonyDC]

I have a 2016 75D and its very quiet - bluetooth streamed calls to the car are perfectly fine and zero issues. The interior fit/finish/quality will not be up to Porsche standards, however they are very good and I have zero complaints.

As far as driving in snow, its the best car I've ever had in snow. The AWD is so precise in its power delivery, its just fantastic. The Tesla AWD electric drivetrain has to be one of the best drivetrains in existence today and that is comparing it to ICE vehicles as well. Its as if your brain is connected to the wheels. You think and the car moves forward. There are hardly any moving parts between your foot and the forward motion of the car - electrons move from the battery to the motor and the motor turns the wheels. That's it.

A gas car doesn't even come close in terms of smoothness, immediacy of power/torque and always max torque at any speed. Unlike a gas car that has to be in the sweet spot of the power band for it to have that instantaneous thrust.

I'm a die-hard gear head and would never go back to an ICE car ever.

Hi SilverGS,

I'm a die-hard gear head as well and have loved big engines. This will definitely be a big change! Great feedback for the snow. I live up on a hill in Portland where it gets snow before the rest of the city and unless theres a complete disaster of a storm, need to be in my clinic. Thank you for the feedback!

Tony

 

[TonyDC]

Moved into Model S LR about 6 mo ago form a long line of BMW and Audi. I am sure you can look up a comparison of cabin noise, but it will likely depend on wheel/tire set up. Model S with 19" all season seems quieter than my 3 Series (which used run flat performance tires). BTW, I have always veered towards 20-21" wheels, but did not do so because of range on the Model S. In grey I think the 19" wheels are just fine, for me.

Satellite radio is not as reliable as the German vehicles, but good enough. I guess it is an antenna issue? I've also had to reboot a few times to reset. On the other hand, it is very nice have Spotify as a native app.

Interior finish comparison gets a lot of attention. I have come to really like the interior. Unless you had a new Cayenne, I would say I now like the Tesla better than Porsche's previous interior which seems horribly cluttered by comparison. Although Porsche is still Porsche, and the materials still feel m ore refined on a Porsche, Audi or Mercedes. I don't see that as concern anymore.

There are issues in wintery conditions. The defrost and heating are not quite as robust. The handles can get stuck. The battery performance is effected significantly.

Never liked SUVs, but always wanted a little more utility. Plenty of space in Model S for what I need.

Paying attention to temperature becomes important. If possible, you will always want it plugged-in. You will want to "pre-condition" the battery as much as possible before driving (scheduled or with app), even in moderate temperatures; this has a big impact on performance.

I live in New England and drive....spiritedly. I use about 360Wh/mi; 2/3 of advertised range, even with the mild winter we had.

I would not go back to ICE vehicle. Until Germans can match the charging network it will be tough for me to seriously consider an alternate EV, even if the Taycan is incredible.

Hi PickledRamps,

Than you for the reply. Do you know if theres a fix for the defrost and heating? Is there a way to "warm up" the battery before you take off for the day etc? I won't have a plug in at work, do you think that will make much of a difference if it's in the low 30's? Thanks,

Tony

 

[TonyDC]

I have a 2020 Model S Perf w/FSD and my wife drives a 2016 Porsche Cayenne S so I can directly compare the two on many aspects.

1. When I bought the MS, I realized I was buying a technology platform. This comes with all the cutting-edge technology, features, and bugs of any other tech platform (like the latest/greatest smartphone). One example is that 1 day after I got it, I had to have my car into the service center twice to realign the front camera that was keeping cruise/autopilot/FSD from working. Annoying, but I went into this eyes wide open.
2. The fit and finish of the Porsche wins, hands down. Quality of materials, workmanship, and things just feel more 'solid'.
3. The Porsche feels more planted. More glued to the road. Porsche has had almost 90 years to perfect chassis/suspension and it shows. That being said, the MS has such a low center of gravity, it feels wonderful going through fast corners.
4. Getting in and out of the Cayenne is much easier than the MS - this should be obvious going from SUV -> Sports Coupe
5. I moved my SXM subscription from my truck over to the MS. It's has a great UI on the huge touchscreen but I seem to get drop-outs more often than in my truck (weaker antenna) and a couple of times, my SXM just disappeared from my MCU like it never existed. It comes back the next day (or later in the day) but really, really weird.
6. The acceleration on the MSP is insane. I've never had the breath squeezed out of my lungs the way it does in that car. I'm sure you'll feel similar in a LR but one of the great things is that you can be 'stealthy fast'. In other sportcars, there's no mistaking your intent to blow the doors off of someone else, the subtlety of the electric motors is really fun.
7. Have no real comment for snow-driving - I'm in Southern CA where it's 75 and sunny year round

Good luck on your purchase and post pics when you pick it up! Tried to give honest feedback on mine, but I do have to say I don't regret my purchase one bit and I really love this car.

-craigger.

HI craiggier,

Thank you for the response. Did you consider the LR instead of the Performance? I'm on the fence between the two but not sure if it's worth the extra 20k? I've read multiple challenges regarding the SXM cutting in and out. Have you found or heard of anyone who has been able to fix or make it better? Thanks,

Tony

 

[craigger]

HI craiggier,

Thank you for the response. Did you consider the LR instead of the Performance? I'm on the fence between the two but not sure if it's worth the extra 20k? I've read multiple challenges regarding the SXM cutting in and out. Have you found or heard of anyone who has been able to fix or make it better? Thanks,

Tony

Never once considered the LR. One of the other cars I was considering was the Panamera Turbo, which is a much nicer car in many respects. The one thing that turned me towards the MSP is the insane acceleration that you just won't see outside a Porsche 918 Spyder. At 1/10th the cost, the MSP is a supercar bargain.

 

[SilverGS]

Hi SilverGS,

I'm a die-hard gear head as well and have loved big engines. This will definitely be a big change! Great feedback for the snow. I live up on a hill in Portland where it gets snow before the rest of the city and unless theres a complete disaster of a storm, need to be in my clinic. Thank you for the feedback!

Tony

You're welcome! One more thing about the traction in snow or any other surface is that the car is very heavy - it weighs almost as much as a Cayenne or close to it. Almost 5000 lbs - the battery is about 1000 lbs and it sits low in the car - under the cabin floor. That is another reason for it's amazing traction plus the AWD system.

 

[Footer]

HI craiggier,

Thank you for the response. Did you consider the LR instead of the Performance? I'm on the fence between the two but not sure if it's worth the extra 20k? I've read multiple challenges regarding the SXM cutting in and out. Have you found or heard of anyone who has been able to fix or make it better? Thanks,

Tony

It's absolutely worth the extra $20K. It seems like an order of magnitude acceleration increase going to performance. It's unbelievable. I wouldn't get it because at my age I don't want to hurt my friends, but mostly because the extra 43 miles would make a big difference for trips - charging faster and skipping some of the annoying superchargers. Charging rate really drops off as the battery fills up.

Good choice with the 19" wheels. Ride is better.

 

[rafa2020]

Agree on the less stress driving the Model S especially on longer commutes. It also has among the highest safety rating out there. We find the cabin noise on par with other luxury models. We've not had any issues with our vehicle as low maintenance as a car could ever be.

 

[Slam_EVS]

Picked up a model S long range just two weeks ago. Two weeks later today, still in love with it. Sure quality of interior is basic compared to other cars in its in range, but overall just an amazing driving experience.