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Benefits To Owning an S60?
- Thread starter Singerjohn
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- Model S
gabeincal
Active Member
gabeincal
Active Member
Apparently solid glass roof is loud right now. Something to do with the seals not fully production ready yet. Test drive one before you order a solid glass roof (at freeway speeds).
I wouldn't look at it as a "money saving" proposition at all. I love my S60, but there are definitely + and -
Pros :
Cons:
Range anxiety does exist, don't let anyone tell you it doesn't. But I used to worry about it in my ICE car as well as I didn't really want to fill up in random stations anyway. It gets worse if you go longer distances without planning properly or if there are traffic conditions or weather conditions that prevent you from hitting the super-charger you desperately need to. But on a day to day basis, it should not and will not affect you. You will figure it out and plan accordingly.
But really, its a whole different experience and IMO its worth it, but you have to decide for yourself if its worth the risk and hassle as a lot of folks don't seem to realize this until after they have bought the car.
Pros :
- The car is great to drive, regen braking is amazing once you get used to it, the overall vehicle dynamics is really excellent
- Lots of space, big boot, interior is a nice place to be
- car looks really nice IMO
- I think the car is great in the city to outer city, highways are a bit noisy compared to luxury ICE cars
- EAP and Auto-steer when we eventually do get them is going to be awesome (fingers crossed)
- Tech is quite nice even with some missing features
- Feels good to drive a car with no fumes and no noise, silent luxury is something I love
- Runs cheap if you compare to big luxury cars that do 15-17 mpg on premium. Compared to 30-40mpg cars, its not really going to save much if anything
- I have no issues with the range, 180+ miles is plenty for me with the option to go to 200+ if needed for trips
Cons:
- S60 registration+insurance is quite a bit more than ICE cars here in CA
- Quality seems to have taken a back seat at Tesla, there are new cars with atleast one issue or inspection miss
- Lots of cheap looking parts here and there in the interior, fit of panels not precise etc
- Service centers are clogged, delays are normal
- Parts are literally non-existant at this point. Amazing that someone can tell you they don't have parts for a car being manufactured quite literally in the same facility
- Third party network has ways to go
- The company seems focussed on pushing cars out and planning for the 3, and not really about supporting its current base at this point
- Lots of delays in getting features out. Example: Folks who paid for auto-pilot and auto-steer late last year and got their car have had the car for like 6 months now without getting the features, many folks here are okay with that, but many aren't, especially if you leased your car, you are well into your lease without features you have paid for
- Lots of oversight on basic things like vanity lights, trunk lights, storage space, no adaptive volume, no waypoints in nav, etc etc. Get a good idea on what you are getting and what you will be missing out compared to your ICE car
- Cost of repairs seems ridiculously high from many examples on this forum
- So is cost of service, Tesla service plan is among the most expensive I have seen in the luxury car industry. YOU WILL NOT SAVE MONEY ON SERVICE, that is just a lie unless you plan on skipping them and doing them yourself which is true about just any car.
Range anxiety does exist, don't let anyone tell you it doesn't. But I used to worry about it in my ICE car as well as I didn't really want to fill up in random stations anyway. It gets worse if you go longer distances without planning properly or if there are traffic conditions or weather conditions that prevent you from hitting the super-charger you desperately need to. But on a day to day basis, it should not and will not affect you. You will figure it out and plan accordingly.
But really, its a whole different experience and IMO its worth it, but you have to decide for yourself if its worth the risk and hassle as a lot of folks don't seem to realize this until after they have bought the car.
What he said +
- You can leave the car on in the garage (especially if you have a sleeping baby, just check on them every so often or leave a monitor in there with them).
- You can heat the car up from your phone. Again, especially helpful with a baby.
- Time saved from not having to go to the gas station. Glad I don't have those, "Sh!t, I have to stop by the gas station!" moments anymore.
- Current cars (HW2) have crappy QC. I think a NIssan LEAF has better QC. Everytime I drive it, I swear it's much quieter. Less NVH.
- Don't sit in a MB, BMW, Audi, Volvo, or any other cars of that price range if you don't want to loathe the interior. Tesla definitely needs to step it up here.
- Tesla Time will happen. I didn't think that was going to happen considering how many I see in my area (I see 2 or more every time I go somewhere), but people still stop to talk about it.
- D - yes, it has better traction control. You can't fishtail the D as easily as a non-D.
- EAP - yes, but Tesla is giving you the shaft if you're leasing. We had regular cruise (Shadow Mode) for about week when we got our S, now we don't. Tesla should've kept it in Shadow Mode 'til they sorted it out or at least give us that option. Why would you take away cruise control?
- FSDC - no, invest that money (I've read that TSLA might be a good one
) and then spend it on FSDC when the government says ok. I'm pretty sure you'll come out positive. - Premium Package - up to you. I don't know how much those "dynamic LED turning lights" will improve your nighttime visibility.
- Smart Air Suspension - yes, especially if you're planning on trips. Didn't think I needed it, then I bottomed out my brother's driveway. Didn't look that steep. Still remember that sound.
- Subzero Weather Package - yes, if you're planning on moving where it snows sometime in the future.
- Ultra High Fidelity Sound - no, you can get better with Aftermarket.
- Rear Facing Seats - up to you.
- High Amperage Charger Upgrade - yes, those superchargers are not gonna be that accessible when the 3 arrives.
Mine is perfectly fine, no noticeable noise and I've checked the seals myself.
So long as you set realistic build / assembly expectations, you'll be happy with your purchase. Don't expect the Tesla to have the same fine attention to detail as a 65k+ ICE car might have. All the money for Tesla goes into the technology, and propulsion system of the vehicle. You will notice quirkie things like fit and finish issues, wind noise, rocking seats, creaking doors, etc etc. (could be some, all, or none of the above)
Also for what is worth, double check on the insurance costs. There appears to be a momentum in the increasing costs for insuring the Teslas
Also for what is worth, double check on the insurance costs. There appears to be a momentum in the increasing costs for insuring the Teslas
OBX John
Autonomous Driving Enthusiast
Good balanced posts in this thread. There are some major negatives to the car, repair costs and ease of service being tops for me, but there is nothing out there that beats the driving experience IMHO.
Only thing I'd like to add - once you go electric, it's really hard to imagine going back to an ICE. I used to switch out of my Mercedes CLK 500 convertible to my minivan whenever I had to haul stuff around or go fix something at one of my rentals - now I am sacrificing the interior of my Tesla with the scrapes and bumps of loading real estate signs and tools in the back, all because I can't stand not to drive it. It's completely addictive.
Only thing I'd like to add - once you go electric, it's really hard to imagine going back to an ICE. I used to switch out of my Mercedes CLK 500 convertible to my minivan whenever I had to haul stuff around or go fix something at one of my rentals - now I am sacrificing the interior of my Tesla with the scrapes and bumps of loading real estate signs and tools in the back, all because I can't stand not to drive it. It's completely addictive.
Gur814
Member
Really good answers in this thread already, but I'll add a bit to the glass roof discussion.
I have a glass roof and I absolutely love it. It makes the cabin feel super open. It also has the added benefit of increasing the overall headroom compared to the sunroof. When I test drove one with the sunroof, I kept bumping my head of the left edge where the glass ended. This pillar is narrower on the glass roof and I don't have this problem in my car. I'm 6'3" so this may not be a problem if you're shorter than that.
At highway speeds, there is some wind noise. Unfortunately, I don't have any prior experiences of luxury cars or other Teslas to compare it to. Before this, I drove a Honda Fit which was LOUD on the highway so this is definitely a step up.... and before the Fit I drove a '99 Chevrolet Cavalier which was ready to fall apart at any moment. That car was also extremely loud. The Tesla is much quieter, but it does have some wind noise. To my untrained ears, it is nice but I definitely wouldn't describe the highway driving experience as "quiet", but I wouldn't call it loud either. It is quiet around town though.
I can also echo the build quality complaints that others brought up. My car has a rattle, misaligned door, misaligned steering wheel, a mirror that sometimes fails to unfold all the way, and weird smudges/scratches on the windshield. I have a service appointment next week which will hopefully take care of all of this. Just know what you're getting yourself into. You will most likely discover something wonky a week or so into ownership. The service center has been super responsive for me so far and it's all covered under warranty.
To me, the downsides to owning this car are worth it. The driving experience is indescribable until you experience it. Even in the "slow" 60 kWh models, (like mine) it's extremely responsive and fun to drive. The car moves so effortlessly and quietly.
Last thought: I have the dual motor and that does add a bit of motor whine. It's not super loud but it is noticeable. Thankfully, I enjoy it, but you might want to test drive a dual motor one before you decide for yourself.
I have a glass roof and I absolutely love it. It makes the cabin feel super open. It also has the added benefit of increasing the overall headroom compared to the sunroof. When I test drove one with the sunroof, I kept bumping my head of the left edge where the glass ended. This pillar is narrower on the glass roof and I don't have this problem in my car. I'm 6'3" so this may not be a problem if you're shorter than that.
At highway speeds, there is some wind noise. Unfortunately, I don't have any prior experiences of luxury cars or other Teslas to compare it to. Before this, I drove a Honda Fit which was LOUD on the highway so this is definitely a step up.... and before the Fit I drove a '99 Chevrolet Cavalier which was ready to fall apart at any moment. That car was also extremely loud. The Tesla is much quieter, but it does have some wind noise. To my untrained ears, it is nice but I definitely wouldn't describe the highway driving experience as "quiet", but I wouldn't call it loud either. It is quiet around town though.
I can also echo the build quality complaints that others brought up. My car has a rattle, misaligned door, misaligned steering wheel, a mirror that sometimes fails to unfold all the way, and weird smudges/scratches on the windshield. I have a service appointment next week which will hopefully take care of all of this. Just know what you're getting yourself into. You will most likely discover something wonky a week or so into ownership. The service center has been super responsive for me so far and it's all covered under warranty.
To me, the downsides to owning this car are worth it. The driving experience is indescribable until you experience it. Even in the "slow" 60 kWh models, (like mine) it's extremely responsive and fun to drive. The car moves so effortlessly and quietly.
Last thought: I have the dual motor and that does add a bit of motor whine. It's not super loud but it is noticeable. Thankfully, I enjoy it, but you might want to test drive a dual motor one before you decide for yourself.
jelloslug
Active Member
Another post from me about the 60; I have put 17k miles on our 60D since getting it in August including many long road trips. On the expressway the 60D will go just about as far as the RWD 85. I have personally tested this several times.
freeewilly
Member
Minimal maintenance DOES NOT equal low maintenance fee, if you follow Tesla annual maintenance plan, the average cost is $600 a year.
Still love my S60 every single day and I'm doing maintenance every other year.
Still love my S60 every single day and I'm doing maintenance every other year.
I had 48,000 miles in my 60 before AP got me and I ordered my 90D. I have nothing but good things to say about the 60. I drove it to Boston, Charlotte, Miami, anywhere. I LOVED that car. If it wasn't for AP, I'd still be loving it.
You won't be sorry, the 60 is just as amazing to drive as any other config.
You won't be sorry, the 60 is just as amazing to drive as any other config.
