Auto express M3 long range review. [thread]

[Scarletfever]

the i4 was actually a better car for me in practical terms, i.e useable boot, interior is nicer, steering is better, but and its a big but, by the time you factor in options is a 60k easy.

Its a really heavy car too which you notice as soon as you come to a roundabout at any sort of speed, its fast and brakes very well dont get me wrong, and personally i would have had either a tesla or an i4, but the tesla won for costs vs reward.

If money no object i would have personally had the i4 purely for the fact there no where near as common and you can spec it very individually.

In US you still get 7500 off that, so it makes it an easier decision

 

[The_Cable_Guy]

There may be other cars that are comfier with much better interiors. But there are very few cars that are faster than a M3P or having more toys that can be updated every 2 weeks and then get on to a forum and say how good/bad that it made the car and create your own debate - Not many!

I think the forum is full of people with different reasons why they bought a Tesla compared to X or Y. May be you are the first one to get it because it was ‘free’. Again that changes your views - I got an Android tablet free (that’s the max free I can get) and I never use it - or use it for basic jobs. Unfortunately it is pretty poor android tablet. But if I had got a Samsung ones or the iPad pros my usage stats may be different. My guess is you have got an iPad Pro in your hands and you are using it to do some word documents just because you got the word app for free. iPad Pro isn’t going to do a stellar job with word documents just like Tesla isn’t going to be more comfy or better interior wise or shall I say good with auto wipers and headlights (for our perennial complainers ) than say a Porsche panamera or an Audi A5!

well free is a slight exageration, i will still have to pay the 2% BIK tax on it, but its basically free im my eyes compared to a thristy sports GT coupe with a very high RRP.

im actually excited to get the tesla, i think so more than any car i've owned i guess because its a massive shift away from my other cars of choce,

Also i hope it doesnt end up like your andriod tablet, and not used, although i think the tesla works much better as a car than an andriod does as a tablet, i think apple have that market completely dominated. i had a nexus years ago, gave it to the gaves and even they didnt want it.... haha

 

[The_Cable_Guy]

i do hate how the US market markets in comparision to the UK, your cars are generally massively cheaper and better equipped, especially in the audi world.

In US you still get 7500 off that, so it makes it an easier decision

 

[spdpsba]

If they make it so non-Tesla cars subside free SuC for Tesla drivers then I might be up for it (if only)

I like that - tweet, tweet, tweet Elon - way to go from now on!

 

[browellm]

He is the richest man on this planet because of Tesla not because of previous businesses

Elon Musk was worth about $2bn in 2012. A heart warming rags-to-riches story.

 

[Jason71]

exactly, i think once and if its opened to everyone image the queues.
i dont think the experience of waiting an extra 20-30 mins for non supercharging is going to effect my view on tesla preference or not.

it definitely will not effect it.
It may affect it it though.

 

[The_Cable_Guy]

ok ok ok

 

[Jason71]

It’s really not a difficult problem to solve, they just need to space out the tombstones more and put them between two spaces.

That way with each tombstone serving a space on either side, it can be accessed from all 4 corners of a car without blocking any other charger.

Not every space needs a charger and it’s very rare to see an MSA with the car park more than 75% full.

Not sure moving all of the tombstones and doubling the amount of space each supercharger site takes up counts as the simplest solution tbh or the cheapest one.
Maybe just fit longer cables? modifying the tombstone if necessary to avoid them trailing on the floor.
I suspect that is a far more likely solution

 

[qwickshot]

I agree that it’s a more disruptive solution but it’s a better long term one. They could in first instance build new sites in this way rather than rebuilding existing ones.

The issue with adding longer cables is that you will still get people parking on the ‘wrong side’ where the tombstone is between the spaces and as such block adjacent chargers. In reality this would also need a complete re-design and replacement of the tombstone so they are more like Tritium or ABB chargers that have longer cables and strain relief built in, particularly those at the back of the space.