Can’t decide on SR+ w/ FSD, or LR w/ No FSD

[F00FIGHTERS]

Was at the Tesla dealership yesterday testing out cars. I was about to purchase today and Elon jacked up the price of FSD to $6K. At this point it feels like diminishing returns. It took so much effort to convince my wife for spending the additional $5K in the first place. I’m getting a headache trying to decide what to do.

Would I be better off avoiding FSD, and investing in the LR? $6K feels a bit much for beta party tricks. I’m also not sure if I’ll use those features once the novelty wears off. Forgive my tone, as I’m bitter. I was hesitant to use the FSD during my test drive, and also I feel like I might get bored on a road trip - if I was just sitting there watching the road but not really participating in the driving. Maybe more useful in awful traffic? I really wish the early adopters of FSD hadn’t abused it to the point where they ruined it for everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, those features are very cool, but paying $6k for future promises is a difficult pill to swallow. What do I do!?!

 

[F00FIGHTERS]

I mean should I invest in the LR AWD model to be exact.

 

[P85_DA]

Get the LR u can always add FSD later ..the battery no way to replace if u want more range

 

[Brandonn22]

Definitely go with the long range, as mentioned it’s just software for FSD. I am hoping in the future if they decide to really push it out, they’ll discount it or even give it away free. You should already have the hardware as all production should have the latest HW3.

 

[KSilver2000]

From the perspective of a fellow Tesla driver thinking logically, get the LR.

From the perspective of a TSLA investor, get the SR+FSD Even Elon says these will be appreciating assets, lol.

 

[OCR1]

We have two Model 3’s. On our first one we purchased EAP and later FSD when it went on sale. We hardly ever use it. So on the second Model 3 I learned my lesson and didn’t purchase either. The LR RWD model can still be purchased through a sales rep for $44,500 without AP. You can always add AP and/or FSD later if you really want it, and you will get a free 60 day trial of it anyway to see if you like it. Where we live in Southern California the freeway is so congested and full of crazy aggressive drivers that I find FSD to be pretty much worthless.

 

[Imlkrsfn]

We have two Model 3’s. On our first one we purchased EAP and later FSD when it went on sale. We hardly ever use it. So on the second Model 3 I learned my lesson and didn’t purchase either. The LR RWD model can still be purchased through a sales rep for $44,500 without AP. You can always add AP and/or FSD later if you really want it, and you will get a free 60 day trial of it anyway to see if you like it. Where we live in Southern California the freeway is so congested and full of crazy aggressive drivers that I find FSD to be pretty much worthless.

Why do you find it worthless in LA traffic?

 

[OCR1]

Why do you find it worthless in LA traffic?

It just doesn’t work well in heavy traffic. Lane change never happens because there is always a car in my blind spot and the car doesn’t have the wherewithal to know how to speed up or slow down to merge into a congested lane.

The car goes full speed down the freeway even when the lane on my left or right is moving significantly slower. Then inevitably are car in the slow lane wants to dart into my lane so they put their turn signal on and then abruptly merge right in front of me and cut me off. The FSD computer does not recognize turn signals from cars in front of it so it can’t anticipate a sudden lane change, so instead of slowing down to prepare for an incoming car in my lane it just goes full speed ahead and then slams the brakes on when the car merges in front of me.

When driving in normal heavy traffic sometimes there is plenty of room in front of me to go 65 mph but it detects a shadow or other phantom obstacle on the road and then suddenly slows down to 50 mph and I have to immediately take it out of FSD and speed the car up again.

It tells me I need to change lanes to prepare for an exit three miles before I need to and I end up getting stuck in a slow moving lane with a bunch of trucks in it for the next three miles instead of just driving in a faster lane and then merging when I get closer to the exit.

When I have passengers in the car they comment that the car feels really abrupt and jerky in FSD mode and that when I manually drive the car myself it feels so much more relaxing to them.

And finally, the M3 is such a fun car to drive that I just don’t feel the desire to take myself out of the experience. I spend more time stressing about what mistakes FSD is going to make rather than just enjoying the serene feeling of driving the car myself.

When I do longer drives in uncongested areas such as a drive out to Las Vegas the FSD works fine. But I just don’t do those drives often enough to justify spending $9K on AP/FSD. I decided I would rather put the money into the LR battery, which I benefit from every day I drive the car.

 

[Dads-reward]

LR if you can’t do both. Can always upgrade

 

[SMAlset]

We may be at that cusp of really useful FSD features, so yes hard to recommend what to do, but it sounds like you're leaning towards LR. While you might be objecting to $6K now, it could be more later but you never know. For right now, this month, I think you would get more use for your dollars with the LR. From 240 to 310 is a pretty big gap and means less frequent charging if you don't charge every night. 70 miles extra range on a long trip is pretty sweet. And as others have said you could always upgrade to FSD (if the price agrees with you) but you can't get more battery range than you would have with the SR+. Also the extra premium interior features that would come with the LR like the better sound system, interior lighting, traffic maps, are pretty nice "comfort" features to live with. I find my LR a very comfortable car that I really enjoy "being in" as well as to drive. Also LR will be a bit peppier.

If you haven't watched the Autonomus Day Event video, you might want to and see if what FSD will bring and the demo drive really calls out to you more than the LR advantages.

Event with details and test drive (start viewing at 1:09):

Just the test drive:

 

[SMAlset]

BTW should also ask if you noticed the FSD after purchase price was set at $8K on the SR+ and that was with the included AP.

The U.S. Govt turned down Tesla's request for exemption from the 25% tariff just recently and not sure how that will affect pricing on the cars now. A likely result could be passing the cost on. Trump’s tariffs could knock Tesla’s Autopilot off course – TechCrunch

 

[KSilver2000]

Where we live in Southern California the freeway is so congested and full of crazy aggressive drivers that I find FSD to be pretty much worthless.

It just doesn’t work well in heavy traffic. Lane change never happens because there is always a car in my blind spot and the car doesn’t have the wherewithal to know how to speed up or slow down to merge into a congested lane.

The car goes full speed down the freeway even when the lane on my left or right is moving significantly slower. Then inevitably are car in the slow lane wants to dart into my lane so they put their turn signal on and then abruptly merge right in front of me and cut me off.

When I have passengers in the car they comment that the car feels really abrupt and jerky in FSD mode and that when I manually drive the car myself it feels so much more relaxing to them.

And finally, the M3 is such a fun car to drive that I just don’t feel the desire to take myself out of the experience. I spend more time stressing about what mistakes FSD is going to make rather than just enjoying the serene feeling of driving the car myself.

When I do longer drives in uncongested areas such as a drive out to Las Vegas the FSD works fine. But I just don’t do those drives often enough to justify spending $9K on AP/FSD. I decided I would rather put the money into the LR battery, which I benefit from every day I drive the car.

This!
FSD is too nice IMO in its current state. Changing lanes with FSD in traffic is asking people to go ahead before you forever.
And, as OCR1 says, it’s just not as smooth/natural as manually driving when it tries to speed up and slow down. Doesn’t seem like the Peformance model is in your option. But with Performance (and Ludicrous, especially), I don’t know why a driver would want it in FSD.

If you haven't watched the Autonomus Day Event video, you might want to and see if what FSD will bring and the demo drive really calls out to you more than the LR advantages.

Event with details and test drive (start viewing at 1:09):

Just the test drive:

Notice how these FSD demo drives were shot when the roads were practically empty? That is not normal freeway conditions where I live.

 

[SMAlset]

280 which is near Tesla HQ isn't as packed as 101 (or 880 which might be worse than that) from my experience and in fact is my preferred route south when we're up that way. I didn't find it to be unrepresentative from the times I've been on it. Sometimes cars would be bunched up driving but then open up to more free space. It does get more congested as you approach San Jose area though.

Orlando, FL isn't exactly L.A. I'm also sure that just like Autopilot there will be incremental tweeks to settings. Didn't L.A. area folks have something like Mad Max for something? LOL.

 

[Imlkrsfn]

How about SR or SR+ without FSD. If you don't need the longer range, why spend the extra money? 220 or 240 miles is more than enough. Check plugshare for the charging and super charging situation in your area.

FSD can always be added later if you change your mind about that.