Advice Needed: Convincing Husband to Go Tesla

[ellienovember]

OP - i'm late to the party but to enhance your Tesla-buying experience, make sure you pick up the "essentials" so you're ready to go once it arrives...

if you're going to be using the UMC (included charger) to charge the vehicle daily - which outlet will you be using? 110v is the default and "will get you by" if you drive less than 50 miles/day. i would recommend installing a 240v and probably the standard 14-50 type. if you do this, you will need to order the adapter separately. i had to wait a week to get mine.

floor and trunk mats, especially all-weather are NOT included. i'm not sure if the premium variants still come with "something" but a nice all-weather is going to be superior anyway. pick your favorite brand.

charging cables for your phones, for the center console or a wireless charger will make things easier in the long-run. again, these aren't included.

do you want homelink (garage door opener that's built in to the UI)? that's another $300.

lots of people prefer the vinyl wrap over the piano finish on the center console. it's easy enough to install and doesn't cost much and protects the finish in the long run.

everything else is just preference. screen protectors, paint protective film (PPF), tint, etc. adds lots of cost to the vehicle and aren't "needed" but a lot of people prefer these things. i will say, if you can afford the extra $1500-2000, get the PPF and get the entire front done. you'll have piece of mind.

Thanks, this is awesome advice! We're going to aim for getting a 240v outlet with the 14-50. Good to know about the adapter, that can be ordered ahead of time right? Like a week or two before scheduled delivery date?

Will definitely end up getting floor mats. lol @ favorite brand though, I have no idea other than I'd prefer all-weather over carpet. Suggestions?

No need for homelink as we don't have a garage, but I will end up getting a key fob most likely, just as personal preference. I may end up just using it as a last resort backup.

 

[dmurphy]

That's another NJ point that hasn't been mentioned yet - no inspections for EVs.

Absolutely!

- No inspections
- $5,000 vehicle rebate
- $500 charger/electrician rebate
- No sales tax
- HOV lane access on the NJ Turnpike

NJ has to be one of - if not THE - most friendly EV state. Can't wait to see them as the norm, instead of the exception.

 

[640k]

Thanks, this is awesome advice! We're going to aim for getting a 240v outlet with the 14-50. Good to know about the adapter, that can be ordered ahead of time right? Like a week or two before scheduled delivery date?

Will definitely end up getting floor mats. lol @ favorite brand though, I have no idea other than I'd prefer all-weather over carpet. Suggestions?

No need for homelink as we don't have a garage, but I will end up getting a key fob most likely, just as personal preference. I may end up just using it as a last resort backup.

personally for floormats - get a chinese knock off and get something you like. i got these, although they don't have a pronounced lip on the rear mats, they're rugged and affordable. plus there's a $20 off coupon and you get all those stupid rubber inserts.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QKR3B1Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this rear trunk tray is fine. it serves its purpose.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RFRSKKY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i bought some frunk and toolbox inserts from ebay, direct from china. they were reasonably "cheap" but they came folded and distorted. however, they work for my needs.
Front Rear Trunk Mat Liner Durable Cargo Storage Mat for Tesla Model 3 2017-2019 | eBay

as far as the adapter goes, you can order direct from Tesla. sometimes i see them here on the FS forums too. i can't remember if it asks you for a VIN, but better to get it now and not AFTER you needed it, like me.
Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

 

[facedown]

I got the Taptes all weather mats and trunk liner. They work great for me and I recommend them especially given the price.

TAPTES All-Weather Floor Mats for Tesla Model 3

You can buy the adapter for $35 from the online Tesla store and they will ship it to you. Easy-peasy.

Gen 2 NEMA Adapters

 

[dmurphy]

Thanks, this is awesome advice! We're going to aim for getting a 240v outlet with the 14-50. Good to know about the adapter, that can be ordered ahead of time right? Like a week or two before scheduled delivery date?

Will definitely end up getting floor mats. lol @ favorite brand though, I have no idea other than I'd prefer all-weather over carpet. Suggestions?

No need for homelink as we don't have a garage, but I will end up getting a key fob most likely, just as personal preference. I may end up just using it as a last resort backup.

On the 14-50 adapter -- if you can't get one from Tesla online, try stopping in at the Cherry Hill service centers - they tend to have them in stock more frequently than the online store does.

As for the key fob, try using the car with the phone first before you order one... you may like it. I do because it means I don't have to think about a thing... Just walk up to the car, get in, and drive. It's also smart enough to detect whose phone is on the drivers' side and gets in first, so it sets up their profile. Not always perfect, but probably >90%. (So in other words, if my wife gets in before me, it sets the car up with her profile.) It also means I don't carry any keys at all with me! Remember, you always have the RFID "credit cards" as a backup too.

Mats - I like the 3d MAXpider ones, but plenty on the market.

 

[ellienovember]

Absolutely!

- No inspections
- $5,000 vehicle rebate
- $500 charger/electrician rebate
- No sales tax
- HOV lane access on the NJ Turnpike

NJ has to be one of - if not THE - most friendly EV state. Can't wait to see them as the norm, instead of the exception.

I have a feeling while I may be the first in my immediate circle to get one (Tesla, at least), I definitely won't be the last in 2020. Hope this helps them become the norm!

 

[dmurphy]

I have a feeling while I may be the first in my immediate circle to get one (Tesla, at least), I definitely won't be the last in 2020. Hope this helps them become the norm!

I sat in a customer meeting 2 weeks ago.... 5 of the 6 of us were Tesla owners. The 6th was waiting for her current lease to expire. Crazy how that happens.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

I have a feeling while I may be the first in my immediate circle to get one (Tesla, at least), I definitely won't be the last in 2020. Hope this helps them become the norm!

Congrats on going for it.

I only hope your husband is really on board and won't be looking for opportunities to say "I told you so," about the Tesla, or use it against you in arguments.

There's so many great things about the Model 3, but like many cars, it's not close to perfect. Here's a few things he may latch onto if he's looking start trouble:

- Very loud on freeway - my ears are ringing after getting out the car on long rides over a couple of hours
- Still have some build quality issues when brand new that should never slip through quality control, and hit or miss as to whether or not Tesla will willingly fix their mistakes
- Talking to Tesla is hard, and the talk-to-the-app-because-the-Tesla-employee-isn't-listening approach pisses off a lot of people
- Very hit or miss with the service departments - I have had nothing but absolutely hideously piss-poor experiences so far with them
- Things do break and the car is not bullet proof - motors fails, batteries fail, plus EVERYTHING else that's on a regular car can fail
- Tesla considers themselves a software company first, not everything, but a lot of their software sucks in many ways - auto wipers suck, auto high beam sucks, Sentry sucks, Dashcam sucks, AP sucks, FSD sucks. All really bad software that requires taking out the programmers for regular caning. And it's not "improving" like they would want you to believe.
- He may not like the control Tesla has over the car you bought and own. It's a lot of control they have over your car, especially compared to the zero control the manufacturers have on your existing cars.
- If you live in cold climates, he may be really bothered by the range hit

There's probably other stuff I am forgetting, but it's clear that it's definitely best if the spouse is completely bought in and ready to accept the good and bad of Tesla before buying one. Otherwise, he's going to be screaming how you could have bought a new Toyota and Honda without a lot of those problems and had plenty of change left over for gas and maintenance.

 

[ElectricIAC]

Eh. Don’t kid yourself: A comparable Camry/Accord/insert vanilla midsize sedan here usually costs about the same or more for similar feature set anymore. (It’s not really fair to compare a base model of any of the above to an SR, let alone an SR+)

 

[ellienovember]

Congrats on going for it.

I only hope your husband is really on board and won't be looking for opportunities to say "I told you so," about the Tesla, or use it against you in arguments.

There's so many great things about the Model 3, but like many cars, it's not close to perfect. Here's a few things he may latch onto if he's looking start trouble:

- Very loud on freeway - my ears are ringing after getting out the car on long rides over a couple of hours
- Still have some build quality issues when brand new that should never slip through quality control, and hit or miss as to whether or not Tesla will willingly fix their mistakes
- Talking to Tesla is hard, and the talk-to-the-app-because-the-Tesla-employee-isn't-listening approach pisses off a lot of people
- Very hit or miss with the service departments - I have had nothing but absolutely hideously piss-poor experiences so far with them
- Things do break and the car is not bullet proof - motors fails, batteries fail, plus EVERYTHING else that's on a regular car can fail
- Tesla considers themselves a software company first, not everything, but a lot of their software sucks in many ways - auto wipers suck, auto high beam sucks, Sentry sucks, Dashcam sucks, AP sucks, FSD sucks. All really bad software that requires taking out the programmers for regular caning. And it's not "improving" like they would want you to believe.
- He may not like the control Tesla has over the car you bought and own. It's a lot of control they have over your car, especially compared to the zero control the manufacturers have on your existing cars.
- If you live in cold climates, he may be really bothered by the range hit

There's probably other stuff I am forgetting, but it's clear that it's definitely best if the spouse is completely bought in and ready to accept the good and bad of Tesla before buying one. Otherwise, he's going to be screaming how you could have bought a new Toyota and Honda without a lot of those problems and had plenty of change left over for gas and maintenance.

Appreciate your concern, but he's not really that kind of grudge-holder or nitpicker. Having such older cars anyway, and nothing really to compare this tech to, I don't see most of those being an issue. Not for a few years, at least.

 

[Darren Donovan]

I didn't read through all the pages, so am not sure if this has already been mentioned. Is there a service center near you? The drivetrain of Tesla is excellent, but if you should be unlucky to have other problems, the experience with service is usually not good. It can be very hard to get things fixed. Delays and non-communication after you take the car home is more common than we'd like. Your husband can't help you fix any of those problems. Good luck!

 

[Booma]

There are a lot of people who will express their opinions in extreme on this forum in both directions. If you go into it with the mindset that the car is different, that it can do some things no other car can do, but also that it is just a car from a company who just started making cars in the last decade, then I think you'll love it. It is a continually evolving process with the updates as well, so that brings great features at times but also irritations when features aren't perfect or what you're comfortable using gets tweaked.

As far as the communication and service issues go...you're much more likely to be disappointed if you expect more from them than evidence suggests you should. My delivery and one mobile service call were both flawless within the bounds of expectations. It certainly isn't luxury like I saw at the Mercedes dealer, but they don't try to hit you with $1,000 in fluid swap charges every time you go through the door either. They want to get you in the car and, if necessary, get your car fixed. If you go into this thinking you're buying a luxury product and deserve the boutique experience your expectations will set you up for failure.You have said you're used to older cars and I think you'll be blown away.

A lot of people on this forum have bought Teslas with the expectation that they'll get dealer treatment from a company famous for not having dealers and it is unfortunate to see that ruin what could have been an otherwise enjoyable experience for them. I love my car and I really respect what they are trying to do as a company, but they aren't superheroes or villains. They're just a big corporation trying to get bigger and I think you have to buy the car knowing that.

 

[LongRanger]

Aside from all the mechanical / maintenance and operating processes stuff. Sit him in a Long Range or Performance, tell him to go find a quiet stretch and then mash the pedal into the road.

That should do it.

 

[AdamMacDon]

Honestly how an electric car works is far simpler than even an old ICE car. Far less supporting secondary systems that resemble a Rube Goldberg machine. Things like reverse, which require a clunky transmission with an extra gear in a gas car are now accomplished by simply swapping the polarity of the power going into the motor. Compared to the modern Mercedes I worked on this teardown of a Model 3 seems simplistic and almost lacking!

Get your husband to watch the video, if he's a tradesman, I'm sure he's sharp enough to get the gist of how it works. The engineering genius of the model 3 is how simple it is!

 

[640k]

- Very loud on freeway - my ears are ringing after getting out the car on long rides over a couple of hours

...you've never driven an STi with a 4" modified exhaust...

 

[ellienovember]

I didn't read through all the pages, so am not sure if this has already been mentioned. Is there a service center near you? The drivetrain of Tesla is excellent, but if you should be unlucky to have other problems, the experience with service is usually not good. It can be very hard to get things fixed. Delays and non-communication after you take the car home is more common than we'd like. Your husband can't help you fix any of those problems. Good luck!

Yup! Right around the corner from a service center actually so when needed it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

There are a lot of people who will express their opinions in extreme on this forum in both directions. If you go into it with the mindset that the car is different, that it can do some things no other car can do, but also that it is just a car from a company who just started making cars in the last decade, then I think you'll love it. It is a continually evolving process with the updates as well, so that brings great features at times but also irritations when features aren't perfect or what you're comfortable using gets tweaked.

As far as the communication and service issues go...you're much more likely to be disappointed if you expect more from them than evidence suggests you should. My delivery and one mobile service call were both flawless within the bounds of expectations. It certainly isn't luxury like I saw at the Mercedes dealer, but they don't try to hit you with $1,000 in fluid swap charges every time you go through the door either. They want to get you in the car and, if necessary, get your car fixed. If you go into this thinking you're buying a luxury product and deserve the boutique experience your expectations will set you up for failure.You have said you're used to older cars and I think you'll be blown away.

A lot of people on this forum have bought Teslas with the expectation that they'll get dealer treatment from a company famous for not having dealers and it is unfortunate to see that ruin what could have been an otherwise enjoyable experience for them. I love my car and I really respect what they are trying to do as a company, but they aren't superheroes or villains. They're just a big corporation trying to get bigger and I think you have to buy the car knowing that.

I definitely don't expect that kind of experience. We are probably among the modest of Tesla owners, never having owned luxury vehicles before nor had the kind of dealer experience you're referencing. As long as they're willing to get us into the car and get it fixed, that's all I need.

Your last point is very true. In terms of buying a new car, I'd rather put my money towards an environmentally-cautious, forward-thinking, innovative company based in the US than most other corporations.

Honestly how an electric car works is far simpler than even an old ICE car. Far less supporting secondary systems that resemble a Rube Goldberg machine. Things like reverse, which require a clunky transmission with an extra gear in a gas car are now accomplished by simply swapping the polarity of the power going into the motor. Compared to the modern Mercedes I worked on this teardown of a Model 3 seems simplistic and almost lacking!

Get your husband to watch the video, if he's a tradesman, I'm sure he's sharp enough to get the gist of how it works. The engineering genius of the model 3 is how simple it is!

Thank you for this video! Seems like exactly what he's looking for. I'll show it to him tonight. Thanks!

 

[dmurphy]

Yup! Right around the corner from a service center actually so when needed it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

We have 4 service centers in NJ - Cherry Hill, Princeton, Paramus & Springfield.

All 4 have excellent reputations - you will be in great hands on all accounts.

Even better, our local Owners' Club has members who are also Tesla employees, so support and service are not a concern ...

 

[Jenremoved]

Tesla tends to be a brand associated with men and it’s rad to see another woman convincing her spouse to get one

 

[AdamMacDon]

Thank you for this video! Seems like exactly what he's looking for. I'll show it to him tonight. Thanks!

No problem, I'm sure you've heard it before but once you go Tesla, you'll never go back (except for the customer service, that can be pretty terrible, and varies greatly). I've had mine just under a year and tinkering around with it I've learned a ton about EV's and Tesla. The design of it is truly amazing!

 

[ellienovember]

Tesla tends to be a brand associated with men and it’s rad to see another woman convincing her spouse to get one

That definitely has been my experience so far, which is partially what prompted me to make this thread. I really didn't think I'd need to convince my husband to get on board with this, so out of shock I was desperate for some advice from what I'd assume would be a heavily male audience. He has made a lot of progress the past few days, a lot thanks to the ideas I've gotten from this thread.