My AP1 Model X is in for service to upgrade the MCU for $2500.
Couple questions.
Has anyone out there upgraded their AP MCU?
Why or why not?
Have you notice big difference?
What do you use the most?
Do they give you back the MC1?
Thanks
Have 2016 Feb car, AP1 MCU1 pre-refresh but actually has refresh harnesses and related items.
Just upgraded to MCU2
$2800 including tax. Had some scharge port issues as well.
My car had:
Instrument display that was de-laminating
MCU display screen that had bubbles and was leaking stocky goo
So I got a $500 new display screen and a ? $500-1000 ? instrument cluster display replaced in the upgrade at no extra charge.
The MCU2 requires a new IC display - but if you ask Tesla will tell you the old MCU will cost ~$1100 for you to keep, so their "policy" of a new display when they could easily swap the old MCU1 display on to the MCU2 is a bonus with real value to me.
Noticed improvements
subjectively better sound
music changes in milliseconds not seconds
map screen during travel updates in less than 1/2 second now not several seconds or more.
LTE now has much better signal
Browser loads quickly, 1 second or less typically, not minutes and minutes and minutes
Much less lane wiggle on autopilot, almost as good as AP3 - a subjective comment - but may be true
Instant lane changes using the turn signal - not seconds later
Sensors appear to be longer range. I would need to test that. Might just be the display render.
AP1 now will instantly come on almost at the begining in a radius turn exit ramp and will follow the curve, before it would not reliably work till I left the ramp entirely
Tesla fixed a strange issue with my car, it is a Model S 85, large induction motor as typical, high perfornance battery, but was limited according to scan my tesla at 300kw instead of 310kw. That got fixed.
The regen display never went past 50kw. The green now extends past the 50kw marker. I would point out that tmy memory is the scan my tesla app reported a normal regen number >50kw It was 70kw? not sure.
All in all I would say a $2800 repair is a huge "ouchie".
Especially since the MCU1 was a slow problematic cluster-muck. Add in the IC display delamination and the MCU screen bubbles and leaky sticky stuff So while I could have lived with the IC display and just spent $500 (plus labor, but I am able to swap a screen myself) to get the big issues fixed, Tesla policy to include the screen was quite welcome
A subjective comment. I was beginning to not like my car and think the possible recall on the MCU1 was not soon enough. While I am not happy at all at having to spend $2800 (there were small charges regarding a charge port issue and some other stuff) the new MCU2 makes my enhanced AP1 car a keeper and honestly, I do not like the model Y, I would prefer the model X, but a $2000 a month car payment is a steep hill to climb for me.
If you have a choice between an older car with MCU1 and any version of autopilot, and a car with MCU2, don't hesitate to pay $2500 or so more for it. I honestly would ut my car next to the same car with MCU1 and feel confident after a few demonstrations that the difference is clearly well worth it.
IMHO Tesla nearly shot themselves in the foot with this MCU1 flash issue (which I did have) and display delamination, yellow border,(the only issue I didn't have) and sticky stuff leaking and leaving screen bubbles.
$1500 would have been much easier to swallow, but that's life. Tesla did in the end step up most of the way and I can't fault ending up with a 2019 feel car that is actually a 2016.
I would note, my Feb 2016 model S was an exception to the AP1 cars because while I have the old nosecone, my 12v battery and fusebox is at the back next to the windshield as in the refresh cars, and the AP2 harness cables appear to be present in the car except for the green connector cable, that may be the enhanced audio... not sure. I had standard audio.
