BMW to Tesla Experiences

[Bimmer81]

Hi everyone! Long-time lurker and first-time poster. My wife and I added a 20kW solar to our home this year and we are seriously considering getting electric vehicles, but I would like to hear about your experiences.

We own two cars -- I primarily drive the 2020 BMW X5 and my wife primarily drives the 2017 Mercedes GLE. I tend to like a tighter, sportier ride while my wife likes a more comfortable, relaxed ride. My wife likes sitting up higher so she prefers SUVs, but I'm open to sedan or SUV. However, since I'm the one that picks up and drops off our kids (3 years old and 6 months old), I've decided that an SUV probably makes the most sense for me too.

In January 2020, getting our son into my 2015 Porsche Macan S (my first non-sports car) was proving difficult (roofline made the rear doors too tight). And, even worse, I had to have the passenger seat all the way forward to accommodate his car seat so if we had a second child (which happened since then), I wouldn't be able to drive my car. So, we test drove the 2020 Tesla Raven Model X. My wife really liked it (her major concern was that it felt cheap compared to Mercedes or BMW), but since it was going to be my car I passed because I felt that the ride was a bit too loose and floaty for my taste, and it felt dated compared with the Model 3 and soon to be released Y. I did test drive the Model S and loved it, but was concerned about space and getting kids in and out of the car.

With the refreshed S out, it got me thinking about it again and I was hoping to get your insights. What's the experience hauling kids in car seats in the S? And, how does the quality of materials feel compared to a BMW? I think my wife would be happy with an X for her, but I'd really prefer the S for myself -- although I'm seriously concerned about loading and unloading the kids. I know this is the S sub, but if you have experience with a refreshed X, I would love to hear it as well.

Appreciate any experiences you can share or advice you have!

 

[bhzmark]

Get a six seater Model X first for you, but then when your wife loves it and takes it from you then get yourself an S. Kids are fine in the S and there is loads of room in the trunk/back hatch. Or you may want to get his and hers Xs.

 

[NewbyMaybe]

Falcon doors on the X were designed for getting kids in and out without interference from ordinary doors or vehicles parked too close.

 

[Vzxyz]

You’ll be sorely disappointed with Tesla service. That’s pretty much my only advice to you.

If this is going to be your kid mover, think about the fact that Tesla does not give out loaners for service visits or in the likely event of build quality issues needing repairs.

Chances are still slim that you may run into major issues but their customer service is worse than a jeep/kia dealership.

Think about a hybrid x5, or wait till the EQS suv is available. You’ll get best of both worlds.

 

[maximizese]

There's much to be dissatisfied with in the world of EVs including Tesla. Many of us here have experienced component failures such as HV batteries, drive units, inverter coolant leakage, MCU issues, control arm links, adaptive suspension dampening, abnormal tire wear, and general build quality issues. Then there's the customer service aspect that leaves much to be desired. Yes, there are several owners who have had no major issues but it really leaves the rest of wondering why doesn't Tesla focus on improving on its shortcomings.

As for the rest of the EV world, they just don't have nearly as much miles tested and researched as Tesla and most are sourcing their batteries rather than developing their own. We've already seen a number of issues with LG Chem and Samsung SDI with the Chevy Bolt, Hyundai/Kia, LRJNA i-Pace, and now BMW iX/i4s. I'm not sure what issues will present with CATL but battery fires are one area where Tesla has seemed to have moved past after a number of non-collision fires between 2016-2018...granted one of them was a PA dude who discharged his firearm and pierced the battery pack with a bullet.

 

[wornout]

I leased a 2018 BMW 320i (Base Model). I liked it a lot but it was a bit spartan. BMW customer service was impeccable.

Bought a '21 MS LR. I love the car. I would buy another one whenever Tesla refreshes it 5-10 years down the road. CS has been rather horrid. But when I'm at the CS, they are pretty decent resolving my issues.

 

[vcor]

With over 3,000,000 Teslas in the market, you'll get a few owners with problems, and a lot of competitors who claim Tesla has problems. The vast majority of owners love the car and get great service from Tesla. Also, Tesla does have loaners or a rental for warranty issues that take more than a day. Often they can send mobile service to do the service work at your home or work - a huge advanage over legacy makes. They can even correct some issues remotely, requiring zero effort on your part. The reality is every study shows Tesla owners are very happy with their cars and Tesla exceeds every other brand in owner satisfaction. You don't get that with bad cars or service. I feel sorry for anyone that has a problem with their car or service, but that's far from normal.

 

[2101Guy]

I loved all of the BMWs (and mercedes' and range rover) that Ive had. Loved them for many different reasons.

But now can I ever go back to the complexity of combustion engines, transmissions, etc

No.

 

[Bimmer81]

Thank you everyone for the quick replies! It’s giving me a lot to think about. What interests me most about Tesla is the software updates (my BMW has software updates but nothing like Tesla, no new features), performance and being all electric. What concerns me most are some of what has been said here. I definitely need a loaner if my car needs service and reliability is very important to me. I understand that Tesla has a loyal following and no car company is perfect (my best friend has a 2018 Model 3 that hasn’t had any issues) but quality and service anxiety is real for me.

I guess I should rent a Model S on Turo and try it out. The X5 has been flawless so I’m worried about trading up to EV with Tesla means trading down on reliability and service experience.

 

[maximizese]

Thank you everyone for the quick replies! It’s giving me a lot to think about. What interests me most about Tesla is the software updates (my BMW has software updates but nothing like Tesla, no new features), performance and being all electric. What concerns me most are some of what has been said here. I definitely need a loaner if my car needs service and reliability is very important to me. I understand that Tesla has a loyal following and no car company is perfect (my best friend has a 2018 Model 3 that hasn’t had any issues) but quality and service anxiety is real for me.

I guess I should rent a Model S on Turo and try it out. The X5 has been flawless so I’m worried about trading up to EV with Tesla means trading down on reliability and service experience.

Thought I'd also add my brother's experience. He was a huge Bimmer fanatic pretty much from the 90s until recently. He's had a number of 3-series and X models but the repair bills were something I would never tolerate. $3K AC compressor, $800 condensor, and $600 for a proprietary 12V battery seems crazy to me. He dipped his toe into the EV world with buying an i3 and has had it for a few years without any repair work needed. He was surprised to not have to spend a couple of thousands on repairs each year. Unfortunately, BMW dropped support of the internet connectivity. DIYers have proven that the 3G modem can be updated but BMW refuses to offer support even though the solution is known. While he still has the i3 but wihtout real-time traffic and some other features, he decided to buy a Tesla Model S and is so far pretty happy with it.

 

[Bimmer81]

I loved all of the BMWs (and mercedes' and range rover) that Ive had. Loved them for many different reasons.

But now can I ever go back to the complexity of combustion engines, transmissions, etc

No.

Thanks, did you miss the luxury or build quality of those cars or do the positive outweigh the negatives?

 

[2putt4]

I've owned two BMW E92 335i, F10 M5 Competition Pack, and currently a Porsche 911 991.2 Carrera S and the Plaid is my favorite car. I enjoyed my BMW's, especially the M5 for its German quality and engineering, but the Tesla brings me joy. When I go into my garage, I instantly go to my Plaid and I only drive the 911 to prevent my 12v from discharging. I love German engineering, but I feel more at home in the Model S and enjoy the technology it offers. After a year or two, every car I've owned feels dated. I've gotten more attention in the MS Plaid and feel a greater sense of community amongst other Tesla owners.

 

[Jayy178]

Ive come from being a BMW loyalist owning e46, e92, f10, f30 and still have the f15 x5 now. The 2022 model S was my first experience with an EV and it has it's pros and cons. Tesla's software and technology really is pretty amazing and I love not having to pay for gas (free charging at work for me too). The sheer power is also amazing and is quite fun.

That being said, the build quality is not up to par for a $100k vehicle or even a $60k vehicle. I have experienced some minor creaking, lower quality plastics, and suspension issues. The service center is also nothing to be proud of. I now appreciate BMWs attention to customer service, and it's not even all that amazing. It's just that tesla is below average. the one saving grace is that they do have mobile techs for relatively molinoe issues.

Would I get another Tesla? At this point I'm not sure, but I do enjoy my current S and the wide stance, power, and stereo sound quality. I have veered away from BMW mostly because the design language is terrible!!! Who thought of that bucktooth grille.

 

[Bimmer81]

I've owned two BMW E92 335i, F10 M5 Competition Pack, and currently a Porsche 911 991.2 Carrera S and the Plaid is my favorite car. I enjoyed my BMW's, especially the M5 for its German quality and engineering, but the Tesla brings me joy. When I go into my garage, I instantly go to my Plaid and I only drive the 911 to prevent my 12v from discharging. I love German engineering, but I feel more at home in the Model S and enjoy the technology it offers. After a year or two, every car I've owned feels dated. I've gotten more attention in the MS Plaid and feel a greater sense of community amongst other Tesla owners.

Thanks -- this was super helpful! It's along the lines of what I was thinking.

 

[Bimmer81]

Ive come from being a BMW loyalist owning e46, e92, f10, f30 and still have the f15 x5 now. The 2022 model S was my first experience with an EV and it has it's pros and cons. Tesla's software and technology really is pretty amazing and I love not having to pay for gas (free charging at work for me too). The sheer power is also amazing and is quite fun.

That being said, the build quality is not up to par for a $100k vehicle or even a $60k vehicle. I have experienced some minor creaking, lower quality plastics, and suspension issues. The service center is also nothing to be proud of. I now appreciate BMWs attention to customer service, and it's not even all that amazing. It's just that tesla is below average. the one saving grace is that they do have mobile techs for relatively molinoe issues.

Would I get another Tesla? At this point I'm not sure, but I do enjoy my current S and the wide stance, power, and stereo sound quality. I have veered away from BMW mostly because the design language is terrible!!! Who thought of that bucktooth grille.

While your post and the one above are a bit different, I'm exactly on the fence for the reasons you described. When I test drove the 2020 Teslas, I was shocked by the quality you received for the price.

 

[2putt4]

Ive come from being a BMW loyalist owning e46, e92, f10, f30 and still have the f15 x5 now. The 2022 model S was my first experience with an EV and it has it's pros and cons. Tesla's software and technology really is pretty amazing and I love not having to pay for gas (free charging at work for me too). The sheer power is also amazing and is quite fun.

That being said, the build quality is not up to par for a $100k vehicle or even a $60k vehicle. I have experienced some minor creaking, lower quality plastics, and suspension issues. The service center is also nothing to be proud of. I now appreciate BMWs attention to customer service, and it's not even all that amazing. It's just that tesla is below average. the one saving grace is that they do have mobile techs for relatively molinoe issues.

Would I get another Tesla? At this point I'm not sure, but I do enjoy my current S and the wide stance, power, and stereo sound quality. I have veered away from BMW mostly because the design language is terrible!!! Who thought of that bucktooth grille.

I know that Tesla has been around for quite some time, but it's still in its infancy compared to other big auto. Quality will get better. My F10 M5 was solid as a rock and I sold it to a friend where I still get to see my old car every now and then. It's still solid in fit and finish without any creaks or noises. I just hated having to deal with BMW service in the Bay Area. My 911 after 3 years started to develop creaks and noises in the dash. I noticed some uneven window trim molding as well. I'm happy that my MSPlaid has little to no build quality issues.

 

[cusetownusa]

You’ll be sorely disappointed with Tesla service. That’s pretty much my only advice to you.

If this is going to be your kid mover, think about the fact that Tesla does not give out loaners for service visits or in the likely event of build quality issues needing repairs.

Chances are still slim that you may run into major issues but their customer service is worse than a jeep/kia dealership.

Think about a hybrid x5, or wait till the EQS suv is available. You’ll get best of both worlds.

I got a loaner last week when I had to leave my Model Y at the service center. So it is not a fact that they don’t give out loaners.

 

[father_of_6]

I've mainly driven entry level Chevys and now have a Model 3, so I can't offer first hand experience. However, I've read *many* posts from historic BMW owners who are happy to now drive a Tesla. Pretty sure @jjrandorin is one of them.

 

[sunman]

Noticed you are in NJ as well. I have had great experiences with the Princeton dealership. I've also heard great things about Springfield. I did have to bring my car back after delivery for them to fix some issues but I was provided a loaner. Since the issues were fixed (free of charge), I've had no issues.

I've owned several cars from all kinds of manufacturers before (Lexus, BMW, Mercedes) and although an argument can be made that the interior "quality" is better, the Tesla (MYP) is not far off at all. Having said that, my loaner was an early Model 3 and the interior in my 2022 MYP is definitely noticeably improved in quality and sound. Overall, I have no complaints with how comfortable or how "nice" the interior is on the car. Where the Tesla shines above all other cars I've ever owned is that it truly makes your life more convenient. All the little things that Tesla offers (IE: key via bluetooth phone, auto-pilot, cabin overheat protection, super underrated voice controls that integrates with a very well designed navigation system, supercharger network, OTA updates and most recently green traffic light chime) blows away any other car I've ever owned. For what it's worth, I've NEVER used the navigation in any car I've ever owned but I use it all the time in my Tesla. Hope that helps.

 

[SWSPB]

We have a 2021 BMW M340i and a 2021 refresh Model S longrange.

A Tesla MS will rattle and creak like an old truck on occasion, especially on rough roads or over wavey terrain. The BMW will not make a sound other than its drive train and tires, no matter where you drive. That's the bottom line.

If rattles are an issue stay far away from a Model S for now, until they stiffened the chassis anyway. Maybe the use of more castings and their structural pack will make that happen eventually, but for now the car flexes like a wet noodle compared to the BMW. Granted, a hatchback design will always do that to an extent as it's missing the rear bulkhead behind the seats but the quality of assembly at Tesla is just simply terrible right now. I bought an endoscope last week to chase down some of the rattles myself as it's hit and miss when Tesla tries to fix them. I've been more successful with my own rattle fixes.

Otherwise go for it! For me the benefits by far outweigh the rattles and I do enjoy tinkering with my cars anyway. I drive 40k miles a year so the extra cost is a non issue by the time I figure gas savings, little maintenance and the benefit of Tesla's driver assist features.

Oh...Tesla will not treat you like BMW btw...you are just another customer who bought one of their cars they could have sold 4 times over to anyone else who is not picky. They are understaffed with techs who seem to break more stuff than they fix but I think all brands struggle with that right now.
I had my Model S in for service at least 6 times for various issues in 9 months...the BMW once, plus oil changes.

The MS will outlast the BMW I would think...by quite a bit, once the miles start piling on.

You'll have to grow a thick skin if you buy a new Tesla but you'll never go back I think.