2023 Model 3SR 1000 mile review

[Jon4uu]

Well, after 1,000 miles and a few months I thought I'd share my opinions of my Model 3.
First off, the good:
No issues with build quality, other than some debris specks in the clearcoat.
Driving dynamics are excellent- the car is fun to drive, quick (even the standard range) and handles well.
Supercharging is seamless and quick. I don't really need it, but nice to know it's there.
Comfortable seats and great driving position. Really like the white interior.
Very efficient, great kwh per mile.
Great center display with easy to use navigation.
Now the bad:
Automation is shockingly bad. For a company that has built it's reputation on technology, the fact that some of the driver's aids on this car work as poorly as they do, is astounding.
The parking sensors (camera based) are useless. I actually have gone back to hanging a tennis ball from my garage ceiling. I have very little room for error in my garage and the cameras are grossly inaccurate.
I had to turn off Lane Keep assist because of the car unexpectedly swerving into or out of the lane.
The cruise control will suddenly reduce speed (with no other cars around or ahead) and then speed up again.
There is no Blind Spot Detection, other than the display cameras which force you to look inside of the car instead of where you should be looking. They've added this feature on the new 3.
The windshield wipers are a joke. I would pay good money just to have that rotary switch back on the left stalk.
The "auto dimming" mirrors- don't. Both the side and rear mirrors have about 1/4" of undimmed edge around them that creates flickering glare at night.
The charge port does not unlock when your phone is present, forcing you to either open a door or open the app to unlock it so you can plug in to charge.
The car is fairly noisy at speed and the ride is jiggly.
Very expensive to insure. Check before you buy, could completely eliminate any cost of fuel savings if that's what you're after.
USB music drive will not automatically restart playing music once the car has gone to sleep, you have to manually select USB- each time. Funny how Tesla manages to bring up the "re-subscribe to our premium service" button each time the car is started.
In summary I'd say the Model 3 is an excellent driving car marred only by half-baked automation and over simplification of the controls. The car was a great deal for what I paid-36700, but I'll probably be looking elsewhere for my next EV, which is a shame because I own stock in the company and I want them to succeed.

 

[st_o_p]

The first few items on your list are due to "Tesla Vision" which is unmitigated disaster. The older cars (like mine) have ultrasonic parking sensors that work great; I wouldn't buy one now without those. Also the autopilot on highway was dramatically better in 2019-2020 before they disabled the radar.

Elon is a genius in most ways but Tesla Vision is the proof that even the best people make stup1d decisions.

 

[Jon4uu]

I have great admiration for what Elon and his teams of engineers have achieved at Tesla and SpaceX, but I am very disappointed in some of the high-tech features on my car. I knew before buying that the reason for the minimalist design and automation was primarily for cost savings, but I never really read or heard from other drivers how bad some of the essential features were. I mean, last night I was driving in a light mist and the windshield wipers where going crazy- fast, slow, off, on, it was comical and infuriating at the same time. In nearly 40 years of driving, something I have never given a thought to- windshield wipers- suddenly is an annoyance. What really blows me away is Tesla is going even further with this ridiculous automation and eliminating the control stalks for the turn signals and drive selector! Yes, there will be people who say, "no big deal" or "you'll get used to it", but newsflash- NOBODY ASKED FOR IT AND NOBODY WANTS IT. A well-designed car should allow you to operate the controls without taking your eyes off the road! My first generation Chevy Volt had touch controls for some of the features and it was a disaster. My second generation Volt went back to knobs and a logical layout that was perfect- everything could be controlled without a second thought and without looking. If I could merge the controls of the Chevy to the driving dynamics of the Tesla, it would be a perfect car.

 

[MikeRTX]

I'm with you on the parking sensors. They're all but useless, especially when you consider how vulnerable to damage the bumpers are.

And the lack of two key driver assistance features:
- Rear cross-traffic alert and
- Blind Spot Monitoring

... is really hard to get used to after having them for years on "lesser" cars. They should be mandatory on all cars.

And it's difficult to believe Tesla can't implement some kind of "bird's-eye view" camera system like MANY other cars now have. I LOVE that feature and once said I'd never have another car without it. I broke my vow with the Tesla and miss that feature every day.

I don't understand your comment on the charge port, though. Press the button on the charger cable "plug" and the door pops open.

 

[Zcd1]

Every car I've ever owned with auto-dimming outside mirrors has had that 1/4" band of un-tinted/un-dimming glass around the edges. I've never noticed any flickering or other ill effects in my Tesla or any of my other cars with that feature.

The wipers aren't the most intuitive, but simply pushing the button on the left-hand stalk and then using the left scroll-wheel to adjust the speed is a convenient way to adjust them. You can also say "increase (decrease) windshield wiper speed by ( X ).

As was mentioned, just touch/press lightly on the charge port with your finger and it will open. Or simply press the button on the charging cable handle.

It's worth trying lowering the tire pressure by a few pounds to improve the ride quality. I run mine at 37-38 PSI and prefer that, and no issues over about 40K miles driven in 2 different M3Ps...

 

[jacapuano]

Well, after 1,000 miles and a few months I thought I'd share my opinions of my Model 3.
First off, the good:
No issues with build quality, other than some debris specks in the clearcoat.
Driving dynamics are excellent- the car is fun to drive, quick (even the standard range) and handles well.
Supercharging is seamless and quick. I don't really need it, but nice to know it's there.
Comfortable seats and great driving position. Really like the white interior.
Very efficient, great kwh per mile.
Great center display with easy to use navigation.
Now the bad:
Automation is shockingly bad. For a company that has built it's reputation on technology, the fact that some of the driver's aids on this car work as poorly as they do, is astounding.
The parking sensors (camera based) are useless. I actually have gone back to hanging a tennis ball from my garage ceiling. I have very little room for error in my garage and the cameras are grossly inaccurate.
I had to turn off Lane Keep assist because of the car unexpectedly swerving into or out of the lane.
The cruise control will suddenly reduce speed (with no other cars around or ahead) and then speed up again.
There is no Blind Spot Detection, other than the display cameras which force you to look inside of the car instead of where you should be looking. They've added this feature on the new 3.
The windshield wipers are a joke. I would pay good money just to have that rotary switch back on the left stalk.
The "auto dimming" mirrors- don't. Both the side and rear mirrors have about 1/4" of undimmed edge around them that creates flickering glare at night.
The charge port does not unlock when your phone is present, forcing you to either open a door or open the app to unlock it so you can plug in to charge.
The car is fairly noisy at speed and the ride is jiggly.
Very expensive to insure. Check before you buy, could completely eliminate any cost of fuel savings if that's what you're after.
USB music drive will not automatically restart playing music once the car has gone to sleep, you have to manually select USB- each time. Funny how Tesla manages to bring up the "re-subscribe to our premium service" button each time the car is started.
In summary I'd say the Model 3 is an excellent driving car marred only by half-baked automation and over simplification of the controls. The car was a great deal for what I paid-36700, but I'll probably be looking elsewhere for my next EV, which is a shame because I own stock in the company and I want them to succeed.

Just a thought concerning concerning the cruise control speed fluctuations, is it possible that the car is responding to changes in posted speed limits ? My 2018 Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor does this, but I have Full Self Driving, and I'm honestly not sure if it would happen in a Tesla not so equipped.
Wish I had a remedy for the charge port issue, mine behaves exactly as yours.

 

[DocHolliday]

I'm surprised you're having so many issues with Autopilot. It's gotten much better over the years I've had mine. It used to be terrible at maintaining distance in stop-and-go traffic. It would come up on stopping/slowing traffic too fast then have to brake hard to slow down or stop, so much so that the car behind probably thought I was brake-checking. This has improved greatly and AP does a much better job of slowing earlier for slowing or stopped traffic like a human driver would. The only issue with lane keeping that I experience is when a limit line on the right side ends for a merging lane and the car tries to move right to stay in the 'middle' of the lane. The algorithm should use the left lane line as a guide in these situations (in the US at least).

 

[Jon4uu]

I'm with you on the parking sensors. They're all but useless, especially when you consider how vulnerable to damage the bumpers are.

And the lack of two key driver assistance features:
- Rear cross-traffic alert and
- Blind Spot Monitoring

... is really hard to get used to after having them for years on "lesser" cars. They should be mandatory on all cars.

And it's difficult to believe Tesla can't implement some kind of "bird's-eye view" camera system like MANY other cars now have. I LOVE that feature and once said I'd never have another car without it. I broke my vow with the Tesla and miss that feature every day.

I don't understand your comment on the charge port, though. Press the button on the charger cable "plug" and the door pops open.

I don't have a Tesla charger, they don't supply one with the car. I am using an Emporia charger that works very well, but no magic button for the charge port.

 

[Jon4uu]

Every car I've ever owned with auto-dimming outside mirrors has had that 1/4" band of un-tinted/un-dimming glass around the edges. I've never noticed any flickering or other ill effects in my Tesla or any of my other cars with that feature.

The wipers aren't the most intuitive, but simply pushing the button on the left-hand stalk and then using the left scroll-wheel to adjust the speed is a convenient way to adjust them. You can also say "increase (decrease) windshield wiper speed by ( X ).

As was mentioned, just touch/press lightly on the charge port with your finger and it will open. Or simply press the button on the charging cable handle.

It's worth trying lowering the tire pressure by a few pounds to improve the ride quality. I run mine at 37-38 PSI and prefer that, and no issues over about 40K miles driven in 2 different M3Ps...

I guess they're just not dimming enough to cut the glare for me. We have a 7 year old Lexus and the mirror dimming works great on that car. But then again, so do the parking sensors, cross traffic alert and cruise control. Part of my frustration with the wipers was that I couldn't control them because the cruise control was on and I've learned here on the forum that the windshield wipers cannot be manually controlled due to the front camera (Tesla "Vision") needing a clear view of the road. So I guess my choice is either manual control over the wipers or cruise control, not both. Very advanced, Tesla. The charge port does not open by touch when the car is sleeping and Tesla does not supply a charger with their new cars. I have an aftermarket charger.

 

[Jon4uu]

I'm surprised you're having so many issues with Autopilot. It's gotten much better over the years I've had mine. It used to be terrible at maintaining distance in stop-and-go traffic. It would come up on stopping/slowing traffic too fast then have to brake hard to slow down or stop, so much so that the car behind probably thought I was brake-checking. This has improved greatly and AP does a much better job of slowing earlier for slowing or stopped traffic like a human driver would. The only issue with lane keeping that I experience is when a limit line on the right side ends for a merging lane and the car tries to move right to stay in the 'middle' of the lane. The algorithm should use the left lane line as a guide in these situations (in the US at least).

I am not using Autopilot, it's the "vision based" safety system that is the problem. I turned off Lane Keeping because the car made some scary sudden movements for no reason. One time it inexplicably swerved towards the center divider. Turned it off after that. The cruise control will suddenly slow the car or speed it up again for no reason, too. No cars in front of me, no cars next to me. These events have been on the freeway with a consistent 65 mph speed limit, so that's not it either. It's hard to believe the NHTSA allowed Tesla to sell these cars with this half-baked camera system. At least I can impress my nephews with fart sounds. Falcon Heavy is my favorite.

 

[Jon4uu]

Just a thought concerning concerning the cruise control speed fluctuations, is it possible that the car is responding to changes in posted speed limits ? My 2018 Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor does this, but I have Full Self Driving, and I'm honestly not sure if it would happen in a Tesla not so equipped.
Wish I had a remedy for the charge port issue, mine behaves exactly as yours.

Every time it's happened has been on the freeway in very light traffic. Most recently late at night with nearly no one on the road. The car suddenly slowed from a set speed of 74 down to about 60 and then back up to the set speed. No other cars anywhere near me.

 

[Jstar97]

That’s sucks about the driver safety stuff. I really believe Elon made a bad call here but so far he’s doubling down on vision.

Logically what he’s doing with vision doesn’t make sense. He wants to cars to be able to see the road like humans do and react to circumstances like a hyper attentive excellent human driver.

Well, humans can’t see *sugar* without lights at night, nor can we handle fog and other conditions that **** up vision. So we augment ourselves with things like head lights, radar systems, etc.

Why doesn’t Tesla just keep building up the ai driven vision System and also augmenting it with sensors that help enhance the vehicles ability to be aware of and respond to its surroundings?

Doesn’t make sense. Lack of parking sensors. Lack of any sort of ultra sonic or radar for enhanced object, depth, distance, and speed measurements.

 

[Jon4uu]

Well said. Even if they did get the cameras to work as well as radar/USS, they can't react to what they can't see. There is a huge blind spot in front of the car due to the lack of a bumper camera. The Highlander update is an awesome improvement and I would probably sell my '23 and buy one, except for two things: They removed the stalks from the steering column and it doesn't have USS/Radar. With those two items, the update would be perfect, IMO. Oh, and a rotary switch on the turn signal stalk for the windshield wipers.

 

[Jstar97]

Well said. Even if they did get the cameras to work as well as radar/USS, they can't react to what they can't see. There is a huge blind spot in front of the car due to the lack of a bumper camera. The Highlander update is an awesome improvement, and I would probably sell my '23 and buy one, except for two things: They removed the stalks from the steering column, and it doesn't have USS/Radar. With those two items, the update would be perfect, IMO. Oh, and a rotary switch on the turn signal stalk for the windshield wipers.

Yeah, plus it first appeared there would be a front bumper camera to enhance visibility but that's not happening. We don't even need more than a couple of well-placed sensors to determine objects in front of and behind the car. I think this is a situation where Elon is trying to force the nail down with something other than a hammer because the hammer isn't cool enough for him.

From a safety and even "cool" factor, it makes a lot of sense to train the cars to drive like fantastic humans while also giving the cars augmented perception with sensors. Humans navigate the world with sounds, smell, and proprioception as much and at times more so than vision. So having to rely upon a car that emulates only one of those senses (albeit better) is faulty design and thinking.

 

[EatsShoots]

Agree with a lot of your negatives. This one "The charge port does not unlock when your phone is present, forcing you to either open a door or open the app to unlock it so you can plug in to charge" is particularly annoying. Is it possible to have the car not auto-lock at home? I don't think so...? I Never lock my cars at home.

I find the wipers to be okay honestly. Agree wholeheartedly that the cameras are complete and utter garbage for parking. This car essentially has the same parking-collision avoidance as a 1989 toyota tercel; i.e. none. I really like my model 3 but the lack of radar is just stupid and everybody knows it.

The insurance premium is high enough I was second guessing buying a second tesla. My monumental headache trying to get a small dent repaired is reinforcing this doubt.

As was mentioned, just touch/press lightly on the charge port with your finger and it will open. Or simply press the button on the charging cable handle.

I think his complaint pertains to it being locked. Like if you come back after a few minutes it won't open without the extra steps to unlock.

 

[Jstar97]

Agree with a lot of your negatives. This one "The charge port does not unlock when your phone is present, forcing you to either open a door or open the app to unlock it so you can plug in to charge" is particularly annoying. Is it possible to have the car not auto-lock at home? I don't think so...? I Never lock my cars at home.

I find the wipers to be okay honestly. Agree wholeheartedly that the cameras are complete and utter garbage for parking. This car essentially has the same parking-collision avoidance as a 1989 toyota tercel; i.e. none. I really like my model 3 but the lack of radar is just stupid and everybody knows it.

The insurance premium is high enough I was second guessing buying a second tesla. My monumental headache trying to get a small dent repaired is reinforcing this doubt.



I think his complaint pertains to it being locked. Like if you come back after a few minutes it won't open without the extra steps to unlock.

What's your next best alternative to a Tesla and the insurance for it? I know a lot of insurance companies charge more "because Tesla" and some don't. My insurance was only about $30 per month for my 2018 Model 3 over my 2012 prius for the same coverage. Local insurance providers are usually better. Honestly I'm still nervous about how insurance companies treat Tesla overall and how much of a pain it can be to get things fixed if you have to get insurance invovled.

Mobile service is great though and wonderful to have so long as warranty is good.

 

[Jon4uu]

What's your next best alternative to a Tesla and the insurance for it? I know a lot of insurance companies charge more "because Tesla" and some don't. My insurance was only about $30 per month for my 2018 Model 3 over my 2012 prius for the same coverage. Local insurance providers are usually better. Honestly I'm still nervous about how insurance companies treat Tesla overall and how much of a pain it can be to get things fixed if you have to get insurance invovled.

Mobile service is great though and wonderful to have so long as warranty is good.

AAA raised my rate 800.00 for the year over my previous 2018 Chevy Volt. No claims, no changes in coverage. Funny thing is, the Volt was a much more complex car with both an EV and a ICE drivetrain. Seems like it would cost more to repair, but we've all heard the stories of how expensive these Tesla batteries are to replace. The Volt was definitely a cheaper car to own.

 

[RayK]

@Jon4uu One tip:

• To get USB playing again, press the right scroll button on the steering wheel and say: "Switch to you ess bee". Note that this requires connectivity with the mothership.

 

[EatsShoots]

What's your next best alternative to a Tesla and the insurance for it? I know a lot of insurance companies charge more "because Tesla" and some don't. My insurance was only about $30 per month for my 2018 Model 3 over my 2012 prius for the same coverage. Local insurance providers are usually better. Honestly I'm still nervous about how insurance companies treat Tesla overall and how much of a pain it can be to get things fixed if you have to get insurance invovled.

Mobile service is great though and wonderful to have so long as warranty is good.

Last year I had a PHEV volvo. It had its issues (it had two costly repairs under warranty for one thing--don't ever own one of those out of warranty), but I'd definitely consider going back to volvo. The EX30 thing coming out next year looks really nice and if not for the fact the model y (albeit larger) has $7500 I'd definitely look at one of those. Other automakers have been dragging their asses on electric with more promises than cars, but they are slowly getting there.

 

[father_of_6]

Try different insurance providers. Rates vary significantly.

The charge port *does* unlock when the car is unlocked, but it doesn't automatically open. Press on the charge port door to open it. The button on a Tesla plug would open it too if you had one.