36 hours of M3 SR+ ownership...my initial thoughts

[manku]

I had ordered my SR+ last July, but just got it delivered Wednesday...postponed it a few times as I thought the $7500 tax credit might pass...instead, it backfired as the CA credit went from $1500 to $750 and the APR on the loan went from 2.49 to 3.24. Sometimes you gamble and lose!

I had leased a Bolt EUV (first EV) back in August, so I'm fairly familiar with EVs at this point.

So here is my two cents after less than a 100 miles of driving

Pros:

Getting a text, looking outside and seeing a brand new car parked in front of my house.
Using phone as key.
Acceleration/handling.
Visibility/glass roof.
Cool futuristic interior.
Only two buttons on steering wheel...with some of my other cars, I feel like a F1 driver.
Very comfy front seats.
Spotify integration.
Lots of tech/automated features. Like not having to turn off car.

Cons:

Sound system. It is truly awful. Had I known it was so terrible, I may have sprung for the LR...but salespeople at Century City said they were almost the same! (My fault for not doing more homework). Been reading a bit...would hooking up inactive speakers with harness do the trick, or do I need more speakers/sub/amp? I listen to a lot of Dead. I've been leasing my cars for the past 25 years, so putting money into a car feels weird.
No CarPlay/Android Auto.
No SiriusXM.
No ventilated seats.
No regular USB ports (only C...I have a lot of older cords)
Seems to charge much slower than my Bolt...use the adapter, I have a Jukebox 40 amp. But it may just be my imagination.
Had to buy floor mats (cheap move by Tesla, IMHO)...got some Wennebird from Amazon which seem decent?
Despite getting a 500 mile Tesla Supercharger credit referral, it was denied as I took delivery after they cancelled. It should apply to order date, not delivery date, IMO.
Moderately confusing initial setup...spent about 2 hours so far on phone with Tesla going over questions. A bit like going from iOS to Android, or vice versa. Still trying to figure out profiles and settings.

I haven't gone on a road trip yet, which is where I think Tesla really has a big advantage over the other EVs.

Very happy so far...got rid of my ICE car and am 100% electric family now

 

[Carolina Karl]

Good initial report. Thanks.

Your cons, to me, are all stuff we just have to accept; but the "no ventilated seats" is a real comfort-downside for me. With that air vent right under the seats, it would seem to have been a very easy added feature. Hot, muggy southern days (and nights) could really benefit from ventilated seats.

 

[manku]

Forgot one more thing:

Tesla's version of "Blind Side Assist" is either a total fail, or takes some time to get used to. Why not just put the indicators in the side view mirrors like everyone else!

 

[UncertainTimes]

Forgot one more thing:

Tesla's version of "Blind Side Assist" is either a total fail, or takes some time to get used to. Why not just put the indicators in the side view mirrors like everyone else!

You will learn Tesla does things the Tesla way and you just have to get on board.

 

[solodogg]

Why not just ... like everyone else!

None of us would be here if Tesla were like every other manufacturer, because they wouldn't exist.

 

[Johnl702]

I also have a Bolt and a Model 3. The camera system on the Bolt is superior to the Tesla. You can't beat the 360 camera view for parking in tight spaces! The Tesla charges much faster for me. I'm using a Grizzl-e 40a charger. Maybe your settings need adjustment?

 

[KenC]

I had ordered my SR+ last July, but just got it delivered Wednesday...postponed it a few times as I thought the $7500 tax credit might pass...instead, it backfired as the CA credit went from $1500 to $750 and the APR on the loan went from 2.49 to 3.24. Sometimes you gamble and lose!

I had leased a Bolt EUV (first EV) back in August, so I'm fairly familiar with EVs at this point.

So here is my two cents after less than a 100 miles of driving

Pros:

Getting a text, looking outside and seeing a brand new car parked in front of my house.
Using phone as key.
Acceleration/handling.
Visibility/glass roof.
Cool futuristic interior.
Only two buttons on steering wheel...with some of my other cars, I feel like a F1 driver.
Very comfy front seats.
Spotify integration.
Lots of tech/automated features. Like not having to turn off car.

Cons:

Sound system. It is truly awful. Had I known it was so terrible, I may have sprung for the LR...but salespeople at Century City said they were almost the same! (My fault for not doing more homework). Been reading a bit...would hooking up inactive speakers with harness do the trick, or do I need more speakers/sub/amp? I listen to a lot of Dead. I've been leasing my cars for the past 25 years, so putting money into a car feels weird.
No CarPlay/Android Auto.
No SiriusXM.
No ventilated seats.
No regular USB ports (only C...I have a lot of older cords)
Seems to charge much slower than my Bolt...use the adapter, I have a Jukebox 40 amp. But it may just be my imagination.
Had to buy floor mats (cheap move by Tesla, IMHO)...got some Wennebird from Amazon which seem decent?
Despite getting a 500 mile Tesla Supercharger credit referral, it was denied as I took delivery after they cancelled. It should apply to order date, not delivery date, IMO.
Moderately confusing initial setup...spent about 2 hours so far on phone with Tesla going over questions. A bit like going from iOS to Android, or vice versa. Still trying to figure out profiles and settings.

I haven't gone on a road trip yet, which is where I think Tesla really has a big advantage over the other EVs.

Very happy so far...got rid of my ICE car and am 100% electric family now

Some Chinese company sells a DIY ventilated seat option. You remove the seat cover, and punch the holes out of the cushioning, plug in a fan, and put on a vented seat cover.

Too bad about the speakers. You missed out on the Dead Wall of Sound speaker auction at Sothebys last Fall. You could have got one and put it in the back!
Grateful Dead auction

 

[Soul Surfer]

I had ordered my SR+ last July, but just got it delivered Wednesday...postponed it a few times as I thought the $7500 tax credit might pass...instead, it backfired as the CA credit went from $1500 to $750 and the APR on the loan went from 2.49 to 3.24. Sometimes you gamble and lose!

I had leased a Bolt EUV (first EV) back in August, so I'm fairly familiar with EVs at this point.

So here is my two cents after less than a 100 miles of driving

Pros:

Getting a text, looking outside and seeing a brand new car parked in front of my house.
Using phone as key.
Acceleration/handling.
Visibility/glass roof.
Cool futuristic interior.
Only two buttons on steering wheel...with some of my other cars, I feel like a F1 driver.
Very comfy front seats.
Spotify integration.
Lots of tech/automated features. Like not having to turn off car.

Cons:

Sound system. It is truly awful. Had I known it was so terrible, I may have sprung for the LR...but salespeople at Century City said they were almost the same! (My fault for not doing more homework). Been reading a bit...would hooking up inactive speakers with harness do the trick, or do I need more speakers/sub/amp? I listen to a lot of Dead. I've been leasing my cars for the past 25 years, so putting money into a car feels weird.
No CarPlay/Android Auto.
No SiriusXM.
No ventilated seats.
No regular USB ports (only C...I have a lot of older cords)
Seems to charge much slower than my Bolt...use the adapter, I have a Jukebox 40 amp. But it may just be my imagination.
Had to buy floor mats (cheap move by Tesla, IMHO)...got some Wennebird from Amazon which seem decent?
Despite getting a 500 mile Tesla Supercharger credit referral, it was denied as I took delivery after they cancelled. It should apply to order date, not delivery date, IMO.
Moderately confusing initial setup...spent about 2 hours so far on phone with Tesla going over questions. A bit like going from iOS to Android, or vice versa. Still trying to figure out profiles and settings.

I haven't gone on a road trip yet, which is where I think Tesla really has a big advantage over the other EVs.

Very happy so far...got rid of my ICE car and am 100% electric family now

I think part of the reason, the sound system is not the greatest, is that this model does not have a sub woofer and additional speakers. Ours is a home theatre caliber as a Long Range Dual Motor.

 

[manku]

I think part of the reason, the sound system is not the greatest, is that this model does not have a sub woofer and additional speakers. Ours is a home theatre caliber as a Long Range Dual Motor.

That indeed is true.

Unfortunately, Tesla doesn't offer a premium sound upgrade without paying 10K more for the extra motor/battery.

 

[drtimhill]

Seems to charge much slower than my Bolt...use the adapter, I have a Jukebox 40 amp. But it may just be my imagination.

Do you mean time taken to (say) add 10 miles of range .. or time taken to charge to (say) 80% ? if the latter than that's not surprising since the car has a longer range and larger battery, so at the same charging rate it is bound to take longer than the Bolt. But you should still get a similar # of miles added per charge time (though it will be different since the car energy profiles are different).

 

[drtimhill]

Moderately confusing initial setup...spent about 2 hours so far on phone with Tesla going over questions. A bit like going from iOS

We're all here to help!

 

[manku]

Do you mean time taken to (say) add 10 miles of range .. or time taken to charge to (say) 80% ? if the latter than that's not surprising since the car has a longer range and larger battery, so at the same charging rate it is bound to take longer than the Bolt. But you should still get a similar # of miles added per charge time (though it will be different since the car energy profiles are different).

Car was @197 miles. Seemed like it took a long time to go to 100%. But I’ve only charged it once.

It says it’s only charging at 32 amps, despite my juice box being a 40amp charger.

Not a big deal, since I charge overnight.

Two other questions:

1. Should I keep sentry mode on all the time? Seems like a big battery drain.

2. Same question regarding cooling if interior?

 

[3sr+buyer]

It says it’s only charging at 32 amps, despite my juice box being a 40amp charger.

Two other questions:

1. Should I keep sentry mode on all the time? Seems like a big battery drain.

2. Same question regarding cooling if interior?

32A is what the RWD / SR+ can charge on 240V AC.

Sentry mode is supposedly energy hungry. Whether it is worth the energy depends on the risk level of the parking location (hit and run drivers, thieves, etc.). For example, it is unlikely to be worth it in an enclosed locked garage in a low crime area.

Cabin overheat protection does not seem to get as many comments. It may not be easy to do a controlled test by oneself. Probably needs three Model 3 cars, same year, same configuration including exterior and interior colors, and park them in the same location at the same time not in the shade on a hot day for a while, with different cabin overheat protection settings (off, no AC, on) to see if there is any noticeable difference in energy use.

 

[dhrivnak]

Car was @197 miles. Seemed like it took a long time to go to 100%. But I’ve only charged it once.

It says it’s only charging at 32 amps, despite my juice box being a 40amp charger.

Not a big deal, since I charge overnight.

Two other questions:

1. Should I keep sentry mode on all the time? Seems like a big battery drain.

2. Same question regarding cooling if interior?

To me sentry mode wastes a lot of power so I only turn it on when necessary.

 

[drtimhill]

Car was @197 miles. Seemed like it took a long time to go to 100%. But I’ve only charged it once.

It says it’s only charging at 32 amps, despite my juice box being a 40amp charger.

Not a big deal, since I charge overnight.

Two other questions:

1. Should I keep sentry mode on all the time? Seems like a big battery drain.

2. Same question regarding cooling if interior?

Charging slows down the loser you get to 100%, so it could have been that last little bit than caused it to take longer. Also, the general recommendation is to only charge to 100% when you need the extra range for a long trip. Stick to 80% the rest of the time to keep the battery healthy long-term. Don't freak out about using 100% when you need, but not every day. Also, you might have noticed you wont get an regenerate braking when the battery is 100% (cause the car has no place to put the energy from the motor).

Any setting in the car that keeps the computer awake will use more power (vampire drain). This includes Sentry Mode and Smart Summon Standby, but can also include overheat protection (though that is limited in its run time). There are quite a few threads you can find here discussing this, but again its not something to freak over .. even with the computer awake the car can still go many days, and in fact it will shut all those modes off anyway if the battery gets down to 20%.

 

[zhu-]

Two other questions:

1. Should I keep sentry mode on all the time? Seems like a big battery drain.

2. Same question regarding cooling if interior?

For sentry mode I only keep it on in an area where it's needed and tends to cost 5-8% a day in battery on a LR if left on 24/7. If you're parked at home probably not worth it since you can install an actual camera somewhere. Especially since Tesla's camera footage is pretty terrible and sometimes glitchy.

I leave interior cooling on but with no AC. The fan uses minimal energy and will cool things down a bit.

 

[3sr+buyer]

Also, the general recommendation is to only charge to 100% when you need the extra range for a long trip. Stick to 80% the rest of the time to keep the battery healthy long-term. Don't freak out about using 100% when you need, but not every day. Also, you might have noticed you wont get an regenerate braking when the battery is 100% (cause the car has no place to put the energy from the motor).

With LFP batteries (as in the 2022 Model 3 RWD (SR+) and some late 2021 Model 3 SR+), Tesla recommends charging to 100% once per week so that the BMS does not lose track of the true state of charge over several charge cycles of charging to significantly lower than 100%, since the LFP batteries have a very flat voltage curve through most of their state of charge range. The BMS losing track of the true state of charge could be a problem if you run the battery down to low state of charge; if it gets off by (for example) 10%, you might think you have 10% more than you actually have left.

LFP batteries are still subject to increased degradation at high state of charge, but degradation is probably at a much slower rate generally with LFP batteries than NCA batteries. Tesla cars with LFP batteries do not have a separate "daily" and "trip" setting for the charge target.

If you want to keep the BMS in sync by charging to 100% but want to minimize time at 100%, set it up to finish charging just before you drive off.

Yes, at 100%, regenerative braking will be less. If you live on top of a hill that lets you regenerate (for example) 5% as you go down, you may want to charge to no more than 95% so that the 5% has somewhere to go.