2022 M3 RWD vs. M3P Worth the $ Diff?

[likkuid]

Hey all, for my first Tesla I have a M3 RWD on order. I’m debating switching to a Performance. I would swap to the LR but the recent price hikes have been targeting that model in Canada, so I’ll pass on it.

My hesitations are:

• M3P does not use LFP. With 90% charge and degradation, it seems the RWD oddly has more usable range. (This is for daily driving, not trips.)
• I’m registering the car under my wife (who will get her license right around delivery) and am unsure if M3P will be too much juice for her. Way to throttle driver profile?
• Smoothness/ride quality of 20” wheels, potholes, curb rash, etc.

I’m trying to justify it because:

• I’ve heard LFP suffer more range loss in cold weather (I’m in Ontario, Canada).
• I’m expensing ~50% of the car for my wife’s mobile business and in Ontario will get more $ back on the M3P.
• I’ll recoup some of the $ diff when I sell the M3P (I’m waiting for the Cybertruck but only ordered a couple months ago.)
• I can lock in a lower interest rate on M3P. Bank of Canada expected to mirror Fed’s .75% interest rate hike in July (and keep raising.)
• The dealer I sold my ICE car to pressured me to order a RWD and sell it to him for ~10K profit AT delivery (making the gap between M3P smaller, if that actually works out.) Delivery is indicated Oct-Dec and while all signs point to the economy having tanked then, it seems EVs are not [as] affected given gasoline costs.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Current price difference is $62K to $84K before tax and interest. Thank you.

 

[.Slug]

You can put the M3P into "chill mode" to calm the power go pedal delivery. I drove both the LR and M3P before settling on M3P. I recommend just driving both before buying. Let the experience decide for you. Its a very personal decision.

The tires on the M3P are incredible damage prone. Constantly having damage. They do come with a hazard warranty from mfr (not tesla) that I was able to use for free replacement though.

 

[GtiMart]

chill mode blocks you to only 200hp, whatever the car. That's unnecessary, you can simply press a little bit less on the accelerator, and you'll have access to your passing power if you need it. If you are totally unable to contain yourself then okay, maybe...

You might have seen videos on youtube where the LFP battery was kept a bit too cool because of heat scavenging to warm the cabin. I believe this has been solved since then. I don't remember LFP being much worse in winter but I'll let others confirm. As far as I know the main losses in winter are : cabin heating, air resistance (cold air is denser) and winter tire rolling resistance. Those are independent of your battery type. Both will have a heat pump so that's good.

Even LFP batteries degrade when kept at 100% for long periods, albeit less than other chemistries. They simply need to be charged to 100% more often so the BMS calibrates properly. Even your M3P battery can be charged to 100% for a trip without hurting it, as long as you don't leave it there for a long time.

20" wheels mean there's not a lot of rubber to handle the potholes. Expect more flats and broken wheels than on 18". You can buy 18" wheels to put on your M3P if you want to.

EDIT: So to me, the real question is: do you want to pay the premium to get AWD, significantly more power and a bit more range?

 

[likkuid]

Thanks both, very helpful. I do not want to be dealing with tire and wheel replacements or the safety issues associated with going over a pothole on the freeway with my toddler in the back seat.

I don't suppose Tesla allows swapping from RWD to LR at the price of the LR when the RWD was ordered? Has gone up $2K since then, sadly.

 

[alangold]

I test drove M3p. But did keep in chill mode - as I have a M3 on order and did not want full power to test - if your wife is a new driver yes the performance model is too much car for her business - insurance might be more - do you have anyone to impress that your car will pin them to the seats ?

 

[GtiMart]

It's not just performance, AWD in Canada with the snow can be very useful. Now, AWD is also available in the long range, you don't need to get to the performance. And the long range would have 18" wheels (wink wink).

EDIT: Ah, forgot one thing: performance has track mode, in case that is of interest to you. Might have slightly better brakes? But it doesn't mean you'll benefit from it depending on how you drive.

 

[likkuid]

Wow, I was just able to edit my build to LR before the price increase. They honoured the price at my original order. AMAZING problem solved lol!

 

[Bouba]

A Model 3P is a lot of car for a new driver....if you were looking for a gasoline car capable of the same performance, you would never give it to your wife as a first car...the car itself would look scary...the M3P is more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing...it’s an angry mean wolf..

 

[Bouba]

Wow, I was just able to edit my build to LR before the price increase. They honoured the price at my original order. AMAZING problem solved lol!

I wrote my last post before you posted your good news...i will remove it if you want

 

[UncertainTimes]

Yes

 

[Not That M3]

You're going to need winter tires with the Model 3 P.

 

[likkuid]

You're going to need winter tires with the Model 3 P.

I was able to get a LR pre price hike. I will def. be getting winter tires, thank you.

 

[.Slug]

I was able to get a LR pre price hike. I will def. be getting winter tires, thank you.

Enjoy the LR! Keep in mind too, if you want some more power later you can add it in with a software upgrade that costs a couple grand. Now comes the difficult wait for the car to arrive!

 

[DayTrippin]

I would keep it in chill mode for your wife until she gets used to it. The car is VERY quick stock when totally unleashed. Even at low charge level is is still capable of low 4 second 0-100km/h times.

I remember the first time my wife drove our M3 LR with no restrictions and it scared the heck out of her and myself who was in the passenger seat. She hit the throttle pretty hard accelerating out of a turn. After that first hit she asked me to put in the slow mode. She is happy and my blood pressure stays pretty normal now when she is driving.

Enjoy the car when you finally get it. Add acceleration boost while your wife isn't looking.

 

[likkuid]

I would keep it in chill mode for your wife until she gets used to it. The car is VERY quick stock when totally unleashed. Even at low charge level is is still capable of low 4 second 0-100km/h times.

I remember the first time my wife drove our M3 LR with no restrictions and it scared the heck out of her and myself who was in the passenger seat. She hit the throttle pretty hard accelerating out of a turn. After that first hit she asked me to put in the slow mode. She is happy and my blood pressure stays pretty normal now when she is driving.

Enjoy the car when you finally get it. Add acceleration boost while your wife isn't looking.

LOL noted.

 

[Evpowerdan]

Enjoy the car when you finally get it. Add acceleration boost while your wife isn't looking.

$2k is hard to hide when your married. Better to have a supportive and understanding wife with your toys.

 

[likkuid]

$2k is hard to hide when your married. Better to have a supportive and understanding wife with your toys.

When I asked if my wife was okay ordering an M3 (which involved selling our ICE and being without a car for months), she said: Get the Model X.

I said no.

I will decide with her at a later time re: acceleration boost. Lol.

 

[afadeev]

chill mode blocks you to only 200hp, whatever the car.

That's NOT true.
Chill mode remaps the throttle response curve to be more exponentially rising, whereby you get minimum delta acceleration with pedal press initially. Then in ramps up. However, if you go WOT, you will still get full power in either Chill or Sport mode. It will just kick in rapidly in Chill mode. I really disliked that. So did my wife.

Personally, I find acceleration easier to manage in regular/Sport mode, as throttle mapping is linear.
You just need a little practice calibrating your right foot.

When I asked if my wife was okay ordering an M3 (which involved selling our ICE and being without a car for months), she said: Get the Model X.
I said no.

Good call - X is the least reliable vehicle in the Tesla lineup.
Or just about any automaker's lineup.

I will decide with her at a later time re: acceleration boost. Lol.

You don't need it.
If you were scared of Performance, why pay more for it ?

a

 

[likkuid]

That's NOT true.
Chill mode remaps the throttle response curve to be more exponentially rising, whereby you get minimum delta acceleration with pedal press initially. Then in ramps up. However, if you go WOT, you will still get full power in either Chill or Sport mode. It will just kick in rapidly in Chill mode. I really disliked that. So did my wife.

Personally, I find acceleration easier to manage in regular/Sport mode, as throttle mapping is linear.
You just need a little practice calibrating your right foot.




Good call - X is the least reliable vehicle in the Tesla lineup.
Or just about any automaker's lineup.



You don't need it.
If you were scared of Performance, why pay more for it ?

a

What’s wrong with the X?

Oh, I want acceleration—my wife doesn’t.

Thanks for the info!

 

[afadeev]

What’s wrong with the X?

Oh, I want acceleration—my wife doesn’t.

Thanks for the info!

I am not sure why, but X has consistently been rated as the least reliable of all Tesla models. By a wide margin.
Model 3 is the highest, Model X is the lowest.
I have zero interest in finding out why for myself.

Why Did Consumer Reports Give the 2021 Tesla Model X a Poor Reliability Rating?

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