75D v X5 Hybrid

[Downtown]

Anyone else doing similar cross shopping? After the horror experiences in this forum about buying a used (non-refurbished) Model S I have scrapped that long time plan of mine, Looking at bare bones new 75D or BMW X5 40e. Basic requirements include daily commute in heavy traffic of 25 miles each way. Occasional trips out of town taking kids to sports tournaments.

I’d rather have a Model S all things being equal although price difference (Tesla probably 15k or more expensive) and ability in X5 not to think about plan for recharging on out of town trips are considerations.

 

[Saghost]

You realize that asking this on a Tesla forum is likely to lead to a rather one sided discussion, right?

Having said that, Tesla all the way. The driving experience is better, the driving aids are better, the impact on the world is better, and after driving one you'll probably never want to drive an ICE again (at least, that's how most of us feel...)

 

[JPUConn]

Is autopilot not a deal maker for you on the Tesla?

 

[skitown]

How much is your time worth? For me, not needing to spend 5-10 minutes per week going to a gas station to fill up is well worth needing to think a little bit about charging on trips. Effectively, I've cut out 95% of all my traditional "filling stops" with a Tesla, because 95% of the time I'm commuting or driving within 200 miles of my house and so my Tesla simply gets charged when I get home. Net/net, this is a huge time savings. This is really important for people to consider on top of the ~$1000 per year I save on "fuel". I won't even get going on comparing driving dynamics - because IMO, there is no comparison.

 

[Tozz]

Anyone else doing similar cross shopping? After the horror experiences in this forum about buying a used (non-refurbished) Model S I have scrapped that long time plan of mine, Looking at bare bones new 75D or BMW X5 40e. Basic requirements include daily commute in heavy traffic of 25 miles each way. Occasional trips out of town taking kids to sports tournaments.

I’d rather have a Model S all things being equal although price difference (Tesla probably 15k or more expensive) and ability in X5 not to think about plan for recharging on out of town trips are considerations.

What I think is important about the CPO issues: Do not buy a car you haven't seen in real life. I'm from Europe, Netherlands. My country is small. Maybe that has a part in it, because I know nobody here that has ever bought a car without seeing it. It seems more common in the US and that baffles me. What is "okay" for one, is a "showstopper" for the next person. I don't know why someone would purchase a $60k car without seeing it in person. So, I don't think a CPO is that bad. Just check it out before you buy it. Don't trust Tesla's word, they are the seller. Obviously they will tell you the car is in pristine condition. If you've seen the car, you are okay with the condition it is in, the price is good for you, then I don't think there is any problem.

The fact that you have asked this question in a forum full with Tesla enthusiasts (regardless of the occasionally mishaps with Tesla now and then) sounds to me like you have already made up your mind and you want the Tesla. I would say: Go for it!

I think it is clear that any person that has driven an EV will tell you that its better than an ICE. Its more quiet, better acceleration, one-pedal-driving, environment, less maintenance, etc, etc. There isn't much an ICE has going for it except maybe the lack of range issues. But the Supercharger network takes care of that. It takes some additional time, but the consensus is that it makes long trips more relaxing.

So, go for the Tesla. Personally, I think the Model S is better looking too.

 

[bmah]

Few thoughts (along with instant torque, autopilot, "refuel" at home/work, etc.):

The Tesla Model S (75D) and BMW X540e are very different cars. The Tesla is a larger, hatchback sedan, while the X540e is an SUV. That's even before you consider that one is a BEV and the other is a PHEV. Consider which one fits your mission needs better.

It looks like either car would be a fine daily driver (although note that the X5, like all of the BMW PHEVs, don't have enough electric range to cover your 25-mile daily commute, so you'll be using gas, probably for part of both ways).

It's been my observation that new Tesla owners (or potential owners) tend to worry too much about the charging angle. (Not saying you are, but I did on my first few road trips, which even went off the Supercharger network. It all worked out fine.)

Autopilot (when used properly!) can be a huge win in heavy-traffic commutes, in terms of reducing your driving workload.

My wife now drives a BMW 330e (it's her fourth or fifth BMW 3 series), and she's considering a Tesla Model 3 when the 330e's lease expires next year. I keep joking that hybrids like the 330e are a "gateway drug" to pure EVs.

Good luck with whatever you decide,

Bruce.

 

[pkodali]

Cross shipppethese two and selected the model x. Btw let me know if you want a referral code

 

[Lucky_Man]

Want to offer a comment about buying a CPO Tesla.

I took a chance buying our S 'blind'. I was willing to fly out to SF to make sure it was in good shape, then drive it back. But Carol Vanetta promised it would be totally 'reconditioned', plus she sent me a bunch of good quality photos and a CarMax report. From the pix, I was able to see the car was in excellent condition - inside and out (even one of a Lincoln penny in the tire tread!). We put the deposit on the car and anxiously waited for it to arrive in Denver. When we took delivery, the car looked like it had just been detailed. They even took the white sticker off the rear bumper cover! Took it right over to Steve and had it fully wrapped.

Did I find any problems? Well, there was one tiny chip in the paint on the driver's mirror. Oh, and about $8 in quarters down deep in the back of the console! A big thank you to the previous owner for taking good care of it, and an even bigger TY to Carol for making the purchase painless!

Would I do it again? Probably not, since the odds would be against me now.

Moral? If they send lots of quality photos, as well as service records and a current CarMax report, Go ahead. Take a chance.

 

[jelloslug]

After owning a new BMW and a new Tesla, I would go with the Model S.

 

[Tozz]

. @Tozz as an aside I don’t know why but I would have assumed that in a “small” country the trust factor would be higher not lower than U.S. (obviously wrong assumption).

Yeah I don't think anybody here trusts a car salesman on his word

 

[gsteele]

I think 25 miles of heavy commute traffic would make the Tesla with autopilot a no brainer. If you’ve never tried this find somebody to demo it for you in heavy traffic or rent one for a day. It completely changes the experience. Letting the car deal with stop and go traffic will remove so much frustration from your life you won’t believe it until you’ve tried it. My wife is thinking about trading her BWM 335i for another Tesla solely to get AP for her commute.

 

[Bigt6542]

What do you consider a bare bones model S? No PUP, NO Premium interior? If autopilot is a must then for the Tesla

 

[lux_cars]

I would go for the Model S. BMW’s have more fun steering but that’s about the only plus I can think of. Even with that, Tesla’s lighter steering would be more comfortable on monotonous commutes and long drives.

 

[kev1n]

Anyone else doing similar cross shopping? After the horror experiences in this forum about buying a used (non-refurbished) Model S I have scrapped that long time plan of mine, Looking at bare bones new 75D or BMW X5 40e. Basic requirements include daily commute in heavy traffic of 25 miles each way. Occasional trips out of town taking kids to sports tournaments.

I’d rather have a Model S all things being equal although price difference (Tesla probably 15k or more expensive) and ability in X5 not to think about plan for recharging on out of town trips are considerations.

have you consider private sellers? honestly these might be a better route to go with considering you get to look at what you buy and talk to someone in depth about the car itself/knowing the history/etc

 

[roblab]

I would go for the Model S. BMW’s have more fun steering but that’s about the only plus I can think of. Even with that, Tesla’s lighter steering would be more comfortable on monotonous commutes and long drives.

My MS has three choices for steering. I suppose Gas cars do that, but I've never seen it. Comfort (Light), Regular and stiff. And I guess AP would be even lighter, just a touch.

 

[mrbulk]

Of course I would buy the hybrid. Then I'd get Two whole sets of moving parts to maintain for the price of one...

 

[Uncle Paul]

Since you are in California, the cost of the Model X will be about the same as the X5, considering the Tax rebates and Utilities rebates.
Model X also qualifies for HOV lane travel, which in LA can be a huge bonus.
Cherry on the cake will be the much lower operating costs in fuel and maintenance of the Tesla.

 

[ivanzzz]

I have my model S & definitely love it so much
Only major problem is charging
Once you can charge your car easily tesla may probably the best choice for a car

 

[David.85D]

Having owned an E53 X5, let me add a bit. They have there issues as well. Hang out on the Xoupost forum if you really want to hear. The sport variants (with staggered wheels) look great to me. More macho than a Model X. The higher level X seems to be treated like a flagship product. They seem to keep parts available for a good 15 years. Not true for, say, MINI, where they let many parts for older cars go NLA and you’re done..,

I can’t speak for these new ones, but the E53 suffered from several recurring problems - the fancy door handles would snap off in cold weather and were specifically excluded from extended warranties. A tiny plastic gear on the transfer case actuator would strip out, leaving the engine mechanically decoupled from the wheels. The drive shaft going from the transfer case to the front differential would strip out its splines, leaving cars built without LSD without propulsion. Brake lines would rust. Bottom edges of doors and hatch would accumulate water and rust. The plastic pieces of the window regulators would fail routinely. I had three windows fail. I was lucky and they all fell into the door cavity without shattering. And then let’s talk VANOS... insanely complicated variable valve timing. Even the dealerships don’t want to work on them, so any valve problems lead them to telling you to replace both heads to the tune of $10k. And seat occupancy sensors and seat heaters? Routinely burn out... plastic coolant “overflow” tanks (its sealed, so doesn’t really overflow) that crack at the seams and dump the coolant, leading to all sorts of problems.

My old boss used to say “it’s the devil you know vs the one you don’t know”

 

[Bebop]

Have you driven an S before? If not, I would consider scheduling a test drive at a Tesla store. Or another option is to rent out a Model S on Turo for a few days to get a good feel for the car in your everyday life.