Anyone regretted getting a Performance M3?

[Temper Tantrum]

Been trying to make my mind up on whether to go with a LR with the Boost, or just jump right into a peformance model.

Main reason for the performance is obvisously the acceleration, but I also think the car just looks much more 'special' with the new 20 inch turbines, red calipers and lowered stance with rear spoiler.

The LR with boost makes more financial sense, but I would not like to go with that then regret not getting the performance afterwards. 10K is a fair chunk of change though. Just wondering if anyone else had this dilema when deciding between the 2 of them? I don't do enough miles for the range difference between them to be an issue.

 

[btc1k]

I had both a P and an LR on order for months, before deciding on the LR and adding AB.

I liked the more comfortable ride of the LR, as personally found the P a bit hard.

Also at the time, there was concerns about cold weather performance of the P compared to the LR.

RSEV did a comparison review of the LR and P and found the ride height was the same, bizarrely.

I have a friend with a P - and the P vs LR AB, acceleration wise are neck and neck.

For me, in the end, it was £10k or £100/month or so extra on lease for some nicer looking wheels (they do look good), and a spoiler.

Very happy with the LR AB

Tesla did let me drive them back to back, 1hr in each, which was great, but didn't actually help me as I struggled for ages to decide!

 

[Durzel]

You could buy the Uberturbines, and paint the calipers

I have a M3P, but I'd struggle to say it was worth an extra £10k over the LR, or particularly the LR+acceleration boost. If it had sports seats or something else to differentiate it then yeah, but it doesn't. You really don't get an awful lot for that £10k except bragging rights.

From what I have seen I don't think trade in values are reflective of that £10k gap, that is to say people seem to be getting like for like LR trade in prices that aren't massively lower than a M3P, but I might be mistaken.

That said - if you absolutely must have the fastest Model 3 available, then that's the P. That's where I was with it.. I didn't want to put the hammer down and wonder how much faster the P would've been, it would annoy me every time I thought about it.

 

[GlynG]

Absolutely no regrets, I'm retired and my mileage is very low - an example, the last 11 months just 800 miles (yes eight hundred). For me the performance just means i have everything - and the 20" wheels are superb looking, and easy to clean, sound system superb.
Whilst it can accelerate quicker than most other cars the fact it can is more important than how often i actually do it, I figure if a situation arrived where i needed to overtake then the quicker i do it the safer the overtake, however I also have the White interior which makes the car look special and its so easy to keep sparkling white with a baby wipe.
I have FSD too, so its fully spec'd up, my thought is that whenever the time comes to change it the higher the spec the easier it will be to sell even if the extras don't add a great deal more to the price i can sell it for. I've always lost money in depreciation but that's less painful to me than buying a car knowing it isn't top of the line and wondering "what if"
I love the way the car drives and I've not had a single issue, perhaps I don't expect perfection and the car does have foibles but none of them detract from the utter brilliance the car is. I've had more expensive cars in the past and none of them were perfect or without some weird characteristics.

The very worst feature is the M3 is a sh1t magnet, a short drive and all the muck is splattered up the sides - I'm a bit OCD with detailing so dirty needs to be cleaned immediately - so quick detail spray is used frequently

 

[PITA]

Buy the Performance 100%

I've no regrets, and the extra ££ is worth it.

 

[Forty_Two]

I looked at one in the car park when I went to a test drive and the wheels put me right off. I don't know whether it is the design of the wheels or the tyres used but there is NO WAY anyone could get through six months of driving those without scuffing them.

 

[Sparkeur]

Not quite your question but I don't regret not buying a P. LR and Boost seem to me the happy marriage of distance and supercar performance on the occasions you want it - about 9k cheaper when I purchased.

 

[UkNorthampton]

I had a stealth performance on order but changed to LR (stealth was kind of like LR + boost). I had some shocking experiences in my previous cars with potholes and just thought pneumatic tyres with some pneu might save me from getting stranded somewhere. Family do get jolted sometimes even in LR, so in my mind, I'd never go Performance for a family car unless suspension changed (perhaps air suspension). I didn't get the boost. My main worry is that boost might restrict insurance choices in future and frankly, even the LR is mad, bad and lovely to own. Power when you need it, no delay, so overtaking is much safer than ICE. My next car will be a 4680 Model Y, so that might be a boosted, big-tyre / small wheel one - we'll see in a few years. I'm not fussed about wheel looks, I like wolf in sheep's clothing anyway. I don't like damaged wheels leaving me stranded! Oh and better range when tyre has some give.

 

[Dilly]

I too pondered but eventually settled with an LR, thus far without boost. Does 0.7 of a second to 60 matter that much?
I haven’t found a situation where the power has been left wanting.
Yes the wheels are nicer but the 18’s are a better ride!
…and yes, the back end collects dirt better than a Dyson

 

[DrJFoster]

Like @Sparkeur I don't regret getting a LR over a P. There's nothing special about a P over and above the LR for me, looks the same to most people except maybe the wheels, the interior is identical, and the shove after 20mph is the same. Would I have regretted buying the P? Maybe, maybe not, but that's partly down to the low depreciation, and if things had been different and you'd told me after 2 years it had cost me £5k more owning a P I'd be thinking I'd wasted some money.

 

[phil4]

No regrets as such.

But I bought at a time when the P was much cheaper and much closer to the LR cost. Then I thought I may as well get the P as that's the one all the reviews talked about, and as someone said, so I wasn't wondering what faster would be like (On the review front, I've often thought it silly to think a review of a different model is applicable).

However, if I had to do it now, with the higher cost, and the bigger gap. I'd be much less inclined to get a P again. I might still do, but it'd definitely not be as clear cut. Not at all.

 

[Louis0w]

No regrets with my 2019 P … but if I I was buying again now, after almost 3 years of owning a P, I’d be getting a LR.

 

[UkNorthampton]

No regrets with my 2019 P … but if I I was buying again now, after almost 3 years of owning a P, I’d be getting a LR.

Cost, ride, other reasons?

 

[NXN-P3D]

If you’re not tracking the car, LR with Boost might be better. Use some of that 10K difference to get coilovers, better (stronger and lighter) wheels, spoiler of your choice.

 

[Rooster6655]

The performance is great, however the places on the road when you actually get the opportunity to use it is so very limited unless you are at the front of traffic lights of course, for daily driving especially in under 60 zones I would be driving the car in the same way as a LR. Its a lot of fun but it won't be anywhere near as economical as the LR

When originally the P was £3k extra it was a no brainer even at £5k, but at £10k I would be questioning whether I wanted to spend the money for little benefit. Seeing as its the equivalent of a £5k difference in most countries between the LR and the P I expect one day the prices may come down to a similar range.

 

[nxsynjs]

I've been reading rumours that due to the new batteries the acceleration boost option isn't available anymore for new MY22 long-range cars?

 

[s88ats]

If you’re not tracking the car, LR with Boost might be better. Use some of that 10K difference to get coilovers, better (stronger and lighter) wheels, spoiler of your choice.

Coilovers - check
Better (stronger and lighter) wheels - check
Spoiler of your choice - check

Still have not felt the need to get the boost yet though. I had always said I'd do this when I get 'bored' of the car.

LR 2020

 

[candida]

Cost, ride, other reasons?

Range. The range is terrible.


(Sorry for jumping into answer a question you asked someone else).

 

[Mrklaw]

I've been reading rumours that due to the new batteries the acceleration boost option isn't available anymore for new MY22 long-range cars?

someone that picked up a M3LR this morning confirmed they have the option to buy AB in the app.

 

[Ferret]

I have a performance and I'm happy with it. I love that it's always ready to go, no launch control nonsense etc.

That said, now that I'm used to electric car ownership I think I would generally recommend people get the standard range. The fact you can charge to 100% often means you have similar range day to day. The effect of your max range on a long trip is only useful to lengthen the gap to your first charging stop.