Sad to say but my Toyota Highlander and my Volvo both had excellent blind spot warning. When a car was getting close a yellow icon would blink until it was too close and then would go solid. My M3 doesn't even show a nearby vehicle approaching until it is broadside. I had service look at it and they told me it was functioning normally. With all the bells and whistles on the M3, it really doesn't have a blindside warning. It's interesting, but I can see approaching cars on my right side but not my left. I may have to call service again.
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Back from renting an ICE - M3 wins hands down except for blind spot warning
- Thread starter alstoralset
- Start date
Sad to say but my Toyota Highlander and my Volvo both had excellent blind spot warning. When a car was getting close a yellow icon would blink until it was too close and then would go solid. My M3 doesn't even show a nearby vehicle approaching until it is broadside. I had service look at it and they told me it was functioning normally. With all the bells and whistles on the M3, it really doesn't have a blindside warning. It's interesting, but I can see approaching cars on my right side but not my left. I may have to call service again.
Comparing to a BMW M4:
Positives
- Heads up display was awesome
- Less road noise and insignificant wind noise compared to Model 3
- Better brakes
- More fun because of manual transmission
- Better leather quality
- Better handling due to adaptive M suspension
- Automatic high beams which I coded to have variable light distribution
- Cost of gas
- No self driving
- Crappy exhaust note due to turbo engine
Positives
- 650HP - There is literally no chance that even a Model 3 performance will beat the Z06 in any performance metric. Yes, I am also talking about 0-60 times. With stock cup 2 tires this car is capable of a 0-60 or 2.95 secs
- Let's not even compare the handling (magnetic ride suspension is the best in the business)
- Heads up display was awesome
- Less road noise and insignificant wind noise compared to Model 3
- Better brakes
- Removable roof
- Awesome exhaust note
- Cost of gas (10mpg when driven the way it should be driven at all times)
- No self driving
- Interior looks a little dated compared to Model 3
Edit: Lol it's funny how some Tesla owners just can't take the truth and disagree as soon as someone says something else is better. I love my Model 3 but please step out of your echo chamber.
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I've driven a lot of cars and the M3 is quick but it's not the best driver car. It's weighs too much to be a good handler. Even you have very sticky tires, on certain conditions the tail will break lose on you and the car will take away your controls unless you have track mode enabled. Because of the weight, the brakes and tires will need upgrades if you drive it very hard.
Maybe if you quit stalking & understand the technology a bit more, you wouldn't pine for the days of rowing the boat & noise pollution.
I've own several BMW M's in my day: E36, E36/8, E90.
Talk about echo chamber - glad I left those BMW circle jerking days with you BMW cupcakes behind.
Welcome to the 21st century
OP is dead on and I think most people missed his point.
Mainly that a “lesser car” has a BETTER blind spot monitor. Along with a rear cross path monitor that Tesla doesn’t have at all.
Stop assuming people don’t know how to drive. Yet still appreciate a good blind spot monitor. A blind spot monitor is probably a bad name.
As OP pointed out your eyes are not staring at the side views during a lane change. A good blind spot monitor allows you to use your EARS while your eyes watch ahead or straight back or even the other sideview mirror. Or kids distracted you or something. We all multi task in this life (but probably shouldn’t but we do) A blind spot monitor allows safer multi tasking and basically allows the driver to cover more potential problems that could come up during lane change. It’s a nice tool to have.
We all know how to steer, but many of us like AutoSteer too.
Now some cars may be to paranoid and beep when you feel it’s safe. That could be the car or the driver. The JEEP blind spot I had worked perfect, for my driving style. It only beeped when it should. I think Tesla tried to make it less annoying for those drivers. But went to far. Like mentioned make the beep optional. And maybe even adjust how close before it beeps.
2nd if you took the battery and motor out of a M3 and put a cheaper ICE, gas tank and transmission You’d be left with a $25K car. I think it’s fair to compare a VW, Audi, BMW, or Merc. We all had our favorite former ICE. And probably everyone did some things better than a M3 with an ICE in it. Blind spot is a perfect example. I prefer my Volt over the Model 3. It has better blind spot, rear cross path, car play, quieter, easier on the bumps, is a hatch back. No it does not handle as well, but good enough. It cost about half and it about as cheap to operate.
Mainly that a “lesser car” has a BETTER blind spot monitor. Along with a rear cross path monitor that Tesla doesn’t have at all.
Stop assuming people don’t know how to drive. Yet still appreciate a good blind spot monitor. A blind spot monitor is probably a bad name.
As OP pointed out your eyes are not staring at the side views during a lane change. A good blind spot monitor allows you to use your EARS while your eyes watch ahead or straight back or even the other sideview mirror. Or kids distracted you or something. We all multi task in this life (but probably shouldn’t but we do) A blind spot monitor allows safer multi tasking and basically allows the driver to cover more potential problems that could come up during lane change. It’s a nice tool to have.
We all know how to steer, but many of us like AutoSteer too.
Now some cars may be to paranoid and beep when you feel it’s safe. That could be the car or the driver. The JEEP blind spot I had worked perfect, for my driving style. It only beeped when it should. I think Tesla tried to make it less annoying for those drivers. But went to far. Like mentioned make the beep optional. And maybe even adjust how close before it beeps.
2nd if you took the battery and motor out of a M3 and put a cheaper ICE, gas tank and transmission You’d be left with a $25K car. I think it’s fair to compare a VW, Audi, BMW, or Merc. We all had our favorite former ICE. And probably everyone did some things better than a M3 with an ICE in it. Blind spot is a perfect example. I prefer my Volt over the Model 3. It has better blind spot, rear cross path, car play, quieter, easier on the bumps, is a hatch back. No it does not handle as well, but good enough. It cost about half and it about as cheap to operate.
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Zcd1
Active Member
Yes, we all know you don't care for the Model 3 - you've made that abundantly clear.
As far as preferring the Volt, well, you're entitled to your opinion of course, but it appears that it's you and about 7 other people who share that opinion. The Volt was discontinued for lack of sales.
I thought the first version was a good compromise when it was first introduced, and was actually looking forward to the revised version. I couldn't believe it when I actually saw it in person - TERRIBLE packaging made the back seat all but unusable for carrying passengers, and it wasn't just me that noticed that.
Keep in mind if my budget limited me to just one "EV-ish" car I WOULD Choose the Model 3 over the Volt.
But since I get my "Fill" of "Tesla" with my Model X, and didn't want 2 Tesla's nor be 100% EV (incase of major power grid failure I can still get around in the Volt) the Volt was a better choice.
And likewise if you put a ICE, Transmission and gas Tank in a Model X, you'd have roughly a $50K Vehicle. There are some unique perks I like on Model X, as I did on my $50K Jeep. And I am willing to pay a premium for ONE pure EV car (namely a Tesla, and partly due to AutoPilot as it stands now and what it might do in the future). But one thing that the Jeep did do better was blind spot and rear cross path, I really wish Tesla's had that. But they do have other features I love. Like I really love Dog Mode. I love the HUGE Nav (especially in the X).
I'm agreeing with the OP. He likes everything better about the Model 3 over the Maxima except Blind Spot and Rear Cross Path. But I bet the Maxima was a lot quieter. Noise is a hude deal for me. It's not so critical with others. But I somethings think some folks are blinded by some of the other cool factors of Tesla's. And there are some very nice cool factors.
It's really hard to complain about the ride on the Model 3, because it's meant to be an agile sporty sedan. But the noisy cabin is inexcusable (for me). It's acceptable for others. And I'm sure it varies on where you live because road quality makes a huge difference.
Also Tesla's could hande Cold Environments better. Frozen Door Handles and Windows are just inexcusable how bad they are on Tesla's. My X is as bad as the Model 3. I avoid taking it some days because I know we could get freezing rain and I take the Volt and leave the X in the garage. I did the same with the Model 3. Many folks don't have that choice. One other frustration is lack hatchback. Again hard to fault the Model 3. I actually never had a hatchback until Volt. And realized how convenient that makes a small sedan.
So the Model X solved two problems over the Model 3 for me. Model X is much quieter and it's more designed for a smooth ride (I can't fault the Model 3). But I do wish they had maybe a choice of software suspension. Which might transmit less road noise too. I look forward to a quiet, small, smooth riding, hatchback Tesla. I don't think the Y is it. But there is a chance it could be refined to be so in the future. Maybe. It does fix the hatch. Some folks rumor the Y might be quieter and might offer dynamic suspension.
I want to be clear I'm not saying the Model 3 is a piece of junk.
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
This whole talk about putting an ICE into a Model X makes just about zero sense. It would change the handling and grip dynamics of the car hugely. I don't just mean the obvious acceleration difference, or the weight distribution differences, either. I mean how torque is routed around the car etc. Part of that is the on/off nature of electric power - it's so much more instantly controllable.
linux-works
Active Member
I agree - and I'd like to propose that elon releases the car with freeBSD, next time.
Kilotango74
Active Member
Good thing i have never owned a car with blind spot monitoring. I just rely on my neck moving my head.
Fine, I had a GLC 300 rental not that long ago.
BMW X3 a month before that.
Couldn't WAIT to get back into my Model 3.
And before Model 3, my daily driver was a Cadillac XT5 Platinum edition (every bell and whistle Cadillac sells.) Look at Cadillac's technology package - it's at least equivalent - and in many cases better - than Merc/BMW/Lexus/et al.
Only thing I miss, really, are the in-mirror blind spot LEDs. Otherwise, nope. Model 3, all day.
ElectricIAC
Good-Natured Rascal
Truth be told what Tesla has done regarding autonomy and smart features: I’d even buy/lease an ICE car as long as it had those features...the fact it runs on electricity is just a bonus.
There are things I miss on occasion like crackles, pops, and burble of a hopped up inline 6 but for those times we still have the Mrs’ X3 M40i.
There are things I miss on occasion like crackles, pops, and burble of a hopped up inline 6 but for those times we still have the Mrs’ X3 M40i.
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