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Anyone switch from a 2018/9 M3LR to a 2021/22 M3P pr M3LR
- Thread starter Dirty Dog
- Start date
Matrix headlights
Heat Pump
Heated Wipers
Heated steering wheel
New center console
New door trim design
Battery slightly larger
Ryzen Chip
USB-C replaces USB-A everywhere
Trunk seals are improved
Power open/close trunk
I may have missed something else but this is off the top of my head….
Heat Pump
Heated Wipers
Heated steering wheel
New center console
New door trim design
Battery slightly larger
Ryzen Chip
USB-C replaces USB-A everywhere
Trunk seals are improved
Power open/close trunk
I may have missed something else but this is off the top of my head….
@Dirty Dog Have you test driven a new M3P yet?
I've read many reports here that 2021+ Model 3 come with softer suspension than older ones. This seems to be independent of LR vs P, for example 2021+ M3P reportedly feel softer than 2018 M3LR. Smoother ride but less responsive handling. Whether that's good or bad or doesn't matter is really personal preference of course.
(This is not from personal experience, just a trend I've noticed. The only Model 3 I've owned is my 2021 M3P, and while I once drove a very early Model 3, it was too long ago for me to make a direct comparison...though I do remember being surprised at the time how firm and sporty the suspension felt, whereas when I test drove 2021 M3LR and M3P I felt like the suspension wasn't too firm at all, if anything too soft for my taste. So the comparison does ring true to me.)
I've read many reports here that 2021+ Model 3 come with softer suspension than older ones. This seems to be independent of LR vs P, for example 2021+ M3P reportedly feel softer than 2018 M3LR. Smoother ride but less responsive handling. Whether that's good or bad or doesn't matter is really personal preference of course.
(This is not from personal experience, just a trend I've noticed. The only Model 3 I've owned is my 2021 M3P, and while I once drove a very early Model 3, it was too long ago for me to make a direct comparison...though I do remember being surprised at the time how firm and sporty the suspension felt, whereas when I test drove 2021 M3LR and M3P I felt like the suspension wasn't too firm at all, if anything too soft for my taste. So the comparison does ring true to me.)
Destiny1701
22’ M3LR ‘DrkNite’/ 22’ MYP BliueRocket
Metal pewter steering wheel buttons
Front hood aligns perfect to front bumper
Dual pane front windows and thus quieter
RoBoRaT
PoPeYeD'SaiLoRDuDe
No more radar.
HomeLink module (garage.opener) is now $375.
Pedestrian warning speaker/Boombox
Li-ion Low Voltage battery
82 kWh High Voltage battery
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@Dirty Dog Yes and no. M3LR and M3P drive mostly (not entirely!) the same if you put the same tires on each, except M3P's Track Mode is key for very fast driving, to dial back the nannies and fine-tune the power delivery under acceleration & regen.
- P comes with higher performance tires.
- But tires are trivially upgraded.
- P brakes feel better and reportedly hold up to hard use better.
- Calipers, rotors, pads are all better in the P.
- Mostly this doesn't matter in an EV because you use regen, but the better brakes are definitely nice for driving fast through twisty roads.
- P has Track Mode. This is the biggest difference by far, but it may or may not matter at all depending on how you'll drive the car.
- If you like to drive your car really hard through turns at times, Track Mode is essential. Otherwise it's useless.
- For example, the car greatly limits power coming out of turns when not in Track Mode.
- You cannot slide / drift the car when not in Track Mode.
- Even if you don't care about dry road drifting, how about in the snow? Personally I'd be super frustrated in snow and ice driving if I couldn't turn down the nannies. Track Mode is needed for that. (Or a limited availability 3rd party modification.)
- In Track Mode you can turn up regen extra strong, which I find is great for twisty road driving so I can minimize use of the brakes while driving at a faster pace.
- Track Mode lets you adjust the front/rear power bias in turns, which is pretty cool and useful. For example I like the safe control that 50/50 brings for narrow sketchy twisty back roads. Whereas on ramps I'll go more rearward like 30/70 for easier rotation.
- Note you are NOT setting a fixed power split. But the setting does greatly influence the power split, to achieve different amounts of understeer or oversteer when applying power in a turn.
- P does NOT have a better suspension in any meaningful way. There are apparently some different part numbers in the P suspension but it really felt about the same as the LR to me when I tested October 2021 cars, after accounting for the different tires and wheels.
- The stock suspension (M3P or M3LR) is adequate for normal driving but falls apart in truly hard driving through twisty back roads. It can lose control of the car's weight leaving it to shift and bounce around out of sync with the road or driver inputs, even when there is still a good bit of grip left in the tires.
- It also doesn't really settle down when pushing the car's limits on ramps. Around a smooth ramp you can still exploit the tires' full grip, but the way it feels and responds is not great.
- If you want a high performance suspension you'll have to go aftermarket, even the M3P doesn't come with a proper sports suspension.
- The car handles amazing after some key suspension upgrades (aftermarket). Better than any 4 door ICE car I've ever driven (aside from the Model 3's somewhat limited ground clearance and suspension travel). The battery weight is present but it feels so glued to the road, the car turns and reacts better than any ICE sedan with its engine out front.
- In my experience only mid-engined sports cars (rear-mid or in some cases front-mid) ever feel this good or better in a turn (comparing to my M3P with upgraded aftermarket suspension).
- Modding is not for everyone. Don't let me talk you into it if you're not comfortable with it.
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Wow! That is a lot of information! Thank you. Have you driven a refreshed S? Have one on order but having second thoughts. Would love to hear your take on it.
@Dirty Dog I wish! Newest S I've driven is P100DL, because that's the newest loaner I've gotten over the years. I haven't driven a Palladium or even a Raven yet. Every so often I ask about test drives and the Tesla sales staff shut me down harder than the Porsche dealer when I asked if I could take their Taycan "Turbo" for a spin.
We came close to ordering an MSLR last fall since we feel we know the S pretty well in general (longtime owners of a 2013 P85), but couldn't pull the trigger without trying the yoke setup first. I'm super duper glad we went for the M3P instead though. So much more nimble + fun and a nicer size to drive and park...it's really much more my kind of car, and I have no need for the extra speed of a new S.
We still have our old S too though. The two cars complement each other well I think. The 3 could never be an only car for us the way our S was for many years, the limited cargo hauling capability just wouldn't cut it.
Yoke aside (I'm pretty sure I'll hate it) a new S would be pretty sweet to replace our old one someday, but most likely we'll go in a different direction, namely the Rivian R1T. We have more and dirtier cargo hauling needs than ever, we could really put a pickup to use these days. Would feel so wrong to nasty up the inside of a brand new S!
@Dirty Dog Btw I see you're in Delray Beach. My comments about how the car handles twisty narrow back roads...aren't going to matter to you there. 
A Model S would probably be ideal for south Florida driving to be honest, budget willing. I think even a widebody Palladium with the yoke would function well there, without twisty road switchbacks or tight urban confines to deal with.
A Model S would probably be ideal for south Florida driving to be honest, budget willing. I think even a widebody Palladium with the yoke would function well there, without twisty road switchbacks or tight urban confines to deal with.
I could tell you're a true car/driving enthusiast, what a truly great post talking about the pros and cons of the dynamics and handling of the M3P!
Having stickier tires open up a rabbit hole of mods that you kind of have to do. OEM suspension dampers often feel inadequate with today's max performance tires. On the flip side, if someone sticks with the eco tires of the LR/SR, the car seem to handle quite well up to those tires' much lower limits. It's definitely not as exciting as having stickier tires, and the braking distance is frankly a bit shockingly long, but as far as turn in response and overall balance goes, even with the eco tires the Model 3 feels rather fun.
I had an Audi S4 with torque vectoring rear diff, a BMW M3, and a Boxster S. The Model 3 turns in better than all cars I've had and feels pretty much on par with the Boxster S, which is mid engined. I'm really looking forward to the next Porsche EV sports car. They will charge an arm and a leg for it, but if a Model 3 can feel this good, a dedicated EV sports car platform will be amazing.
Have you been on a Publix parking lot here? Crazy!! lol I drove the S and loved it but like how easily my M3LR parks and am not a big fan of the yoke. So i'm confused and was thinking of aborting the S and going M3P since my wife has a Y. Was looking for the comfort of the S but might be overkill for my around town driving.@Dirty Dog Btw I see you're in Delray Beach. My comments about how the car handles twisty narrow back roads...aren't going to matter to you there.
A Model S would probably be ideal for south Florida driving to be honest, budget willing. I think even a widebody Palladium with the yoke would function well there, without twisty road switchbacks or tight urban confines to deal with.
HeatproofGenie
Member
Taycan RWD.
That said the latest model 3 is a huge step up from a '18.
We just on Monday got a new LR 3 and it is by far the best put together one I've seen. Pretty polished now.
That said the latest model 3 is a huge step up from a '18.
We just on Monday got a new LR 3 and it is by far the best put together one I've seen. Pretty polished now.
JimShaw
Member
If I remember correctly, doesn't the P have a different motor in the back vs the LR?
@JimShaw The OP's 2018 M3LR should have the same rear motor as M3P. Same front motor too if the OP's LR is AWD / dual motor.
New M3LR come with a different rear motor than M3P now, presumably one that is cheaper to build but not capable of making as much power.
(This is just info I've gleaned from these forums, I've not looked up nor looked at motor part numbers for any M3LR.)
New M3LR come with a different rear motor than M3P now, presumably one that is cheaper to build but not capable of making as much power.
(This is just info I've gleaned from these forums, I've not looked up nor looked at motor part numbers for any M3LR.)
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