Can't get in

[banned-66611]

No one is getting upset apart from you. I am asking a simple question - why post your negative views about a car you have already ruled out in another forum over a week ago?

You sound pretty upset. Maybe take a deep breath, calm down before posting.

I like the car, as I've already told you three times. At this point the only thing stopping me getting one is this issue, so I am trying to resolve it.

If you don't have anything constructive to say there are plenty of other people with problems you can go harass.

 

[ecarfan]

Moderator note: multiple posts have been moved to Snippiness. I considered simply locking this thread but decided to give the participants the opportunity to try and conduct a civil discussion. If that is not possible, the thread will be locked.

“Civil” means no personal attacks, no name calling, and making constructive posts not overtly sarcastic ones.

@banned-66611 : you can do your part by not posting irrelevant videos of a 7’2” person getting into a Model 3. Obviously anyone that tall would have a problem getting into any car unless it was a convertible with the top down.

Now let’s try to have a rational discussion:

I am 6’2” inches, taller than you, with a 32” inseam, meaning my legs are not overly long in relation to my height. I am also “not young”, shall we say. I have absolutely no problem entering or exiting my Model 3 and I do not use the Easy Entry feature, and do not have the seat all the way down or the steering wheel all the way up.

Multiple other people 6 ft tall and over have stated they have no difficultly either. I do not recall other posts on TMC by people your height saying anything similar to “I can't get in to the Model 3. It's really low,...Seems like the door sill is a bit high, I find it hard to get my feet over.“ Of course I don’t read every post of the hundreds of posts made every day in the Model 3 forums.

Given the difficulty you say you are having and the useful advice you have received so far in this thread, and the fact that obviously Tesla is not going to redesign the door sill or anything else in the car to make entry/exit easier, at this point you have to decide if the issue you are describe is enough to cause you to decide not to buy a Model 3.

Good luck.

 

[daniel]

I'm 5'6" and about 145 lbs, and I use Easy Entry because it's easier to get in and out that way. I came to the Model 3 from a Roadster. Now that was a car that was difficult to get in and out of. It required a special technique, and if I happened to get out without remembering to slide the seat all the way back first, it was really hard to get back in.

Tall folks have so many advantages in life. Here's one place where we short folks have an advantage. I got to drive the Roadster for seven years before I decided to switch to the Model 3 (mainly because of EAP and the safety rating).

Different people are built differently. Not just height and weight, but proportions and joint flexibility and limberness. My sister would never consider a Model 3. She demands the roominess and comfort of her Mercedes. The Model 3 is the roomiest, largest, and most comfortable car I've ever owned, but it doesn't come close to what my sister wants.

To the OP: You don't want or need a bigger car (S or X) but you find it difficult to get into a Model 3. You need to either compromise on size vs. ease of entry or else settle for a lesser car than a Tesla in order to get one that meets both your size and entry requirements. I wish you the best of luck. A Tesla is not for everyone.

 

[wwu123]

Different people are built differently. Not just height and weight, but proportions and joint flexibility and limberness.

Mostly everyone is focusing solely on height - I think Daniel's almost the only one bringing up that girth and flexibility are also interrelated factors for people. The OP didn't help by posting the 7'2" person video, but as he pointed out in the beginning, 6' is not tall (I'm 5'11" and consider myself closer to average than tall). OP has not mentioned his weight, but has pointed out he's arthiritic and rather inflexible - I think those are factors with the low seat and high sill, more than one's height, esp trying to go in butt-first.

My suggestion is to try other ways of getting in, that require less bending down at the knees to get the butt in first. My technique for both S and 3 is one leg in first, completely straight and easy to get over the sill. Then pivot (but not really bend) on the leg outside to get the butt on the seat, then the head. The outside leg is last to go in, and by the time you're bending the iknee there, you can already be "falling" into the seat and further using a hand on the wheel to support the weight. Getting out is exactly the opposite for me.

It's a bit of necessity in my tight garage that I can only open the door to the first stop, so I have to slide in sideways like this. But I also find it more comfortable on the joints than stooping to get the butt on the seat first.

 

[banned-66611]

you can do your part by not posting irrelevant videos of a 7’2” person getting into a Model 3. Obviously anyone that tall would have a problem getting into any car unless it was a convertible with the top down.

The point of that was that he DOESN'T have a problem. If he can get in then why can't I?

But on closer inspection it seems he does have to do some slight gymnastics.

I am 6’2” inches, taller than you, with a 32” inseam, meaning my legs are not overly long in relation to my height. I am also “not young”, shall we say. I have absolutely no problem entering or exiting my Model 3 and I do not use the Easy Entry feature, and do not have the seat all the way down or the steering wheel all the way up.

Great for you, but could you offer some *constructive* advice rather than just "it works for me"?

Given the difficulty you say you are having and the useful advice you have received so far in this thread

So far the only advice is to use easy entry mode, which as I said I have tried. What I am asking is if there is some technique people use. Like the tall guy in the video, he slides his rear into the seat and then leans over. I was kind of doing that but leaning out of the car, which makes it harder to then swing my leg over the door sill.

Like these guys:

Obviously I must have long legs or something because my overall height isn't as much as their's. Note how they both brush knees against the wheel. That was actually something someone complaint to Musk about on Twitter, they were seeing excessive wear on that part of the wheel. A while after they introduced easy entry mode.[/quote][/quote]

 

[SMAlset]

Must have been a Premium Package I tried then, as I could move the wheel up/down and in/out. Actually having it far forward was worse because it makes it lower. Kind of mid-way and as high as it would go was the best.

Maybe it's just because the Model 3 is very low, but I found that the door sill was quite high so I have to bring my knees up to get my feet over it, and then couldn't get my knees past the wheel without banging into it.....

If you think the Model 3 is very low (wonder if you were in the performance version during a test drive which would be lowest set), you definitely wouldn't be a candidate for the Model S (although one with SAS on very high setting may rise it above the Model 3 level). I don't have a problem getting into my Model 3 or feel like I have to kind of crawl in to it. Now my husband's Model S definitely feels like I'm getting into a sports car and I need to kind of duck to sit down. Plenty of head room when I'm in it though. I have forgotten what kind of steering wheel controls it has that can be customized for your driving profile.

And btw important to the discussion of height and getting comfortable in the car is your leg to torso ratio. Being 6 feet for one person sitting in the car can be quite different for another 6 footer with longer legs or torso.

 

[banned-66611]

My suggestion is to try other ways of getting in, that require less bending down at the knees to get the butt in first. My technique for both S and 3 is one leg in first, completely straight and easy to get over the sill. Then pivot (but not really bend) on the leg outside to get the butt on the seat, then the head. The outside leg is last to go in, and by the time you're bending the iknee there, you can already be "falling" into the seat and further using a hand on the wheel to support the weight. Getting out is exactly the opposite for me.

That sounds like a good plan. I was a bit hesitant to get too carried away in the showroom and as I've never driven a car with the gear selector on the steering column I didn't want to accidentally press the brake and knock it. Now you mention it the straight leg technique does seem familiar from long ago, but I could swear that car had a handle I could grab to swing down with.

 

[banned-66611]

If you think the Model 3 is very low (wonder if you were in the performance version during a test drive which would be lowest set), you definitely wouldn't be a candidate for the Model S (although one with SAS on very high setting may rise it above the Model 3 level). I don't have a problem getting into my Model 3 or feel like I have to kind of crawl in to it. Now my husband's Model S definitely feels like I'm getting into a sports car and I need to kind of duck to sit down. Plenty of head room when I'm in it though. I have forgotten what kind of steering wheel controls it has that can be customized for your driving profile.

And btw important to the discussion of height and getting comfortable in the car is your leg to torso ratio. Being 6 feet for one person sitting in the car can be quite different for another 6 footer with longer legs or torso.

Yeah, I think it would have to be an X. But the price is >2x as much and I feel like I don't do enough driving or need the space to justify it.

I don't know how to measure my legs properly. From heel to knee is 45cm, from knee to top of my thigh is 33cm.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Obviously I must have long legs or something because my overall height isn't as much as their's. Note how they both brush knees against the wheel. That was actually something someone complaint to Musk about on Twitter, they were seeing excessive wear on that part of the wheel. A while after they introduced easy entry mode.

What is your height?
What is your inseam? You still haven't posted it.
Do you wear shoes with thick soles?

I hate it when people just post their height. Length of your legs is generally more relevant to entry.

My wife has longer legs than me, but is several inches shorter, so she's more likely to have a problem with leg room, while I'm more likely to have problem with height.

My wife drives our Volt with the seat pumped up all the way (so the center armrest/console is at a more comfortable height) and with the seat back fully upright. When I drive it, I put the back of the seat at a slight angle, so that my hair doesn't brush the roof, and I don't have to lower the seat.

 

[voip-ninja]

wait for model y

He should wait for Model Z or Model Truck or something.

A good friend is 6'1" and has had zero issues getting into my Tesla.

 

[Joshan]

little confused or your picture getting into the car. Don't most people put a leg in the car first? Not sure I ever saw anyone sit down first with both legs outside of the car unless handicapped.

 

[banned-66611]

What is your height?
What is your inseam? You still haven't posted it.
Do you wear shoes with thick soles?

Height 180
Inseam 75
Normal trainers (er... sneakers in American)

 

[banned-66611]

little confused or your picture getting into the car. Don't most people put a leg in the car first? Not sure I ever saw anyone sit down first with both legs outside of the car unless handicapped.

Yeah, that's normally how I would get in, leg first. The problem is getting my knee past the wheel. It just doesn't work with a straight leg, I need to angle it.

 

[Runt8]

That sounds like a good plan. I was a bit hesitant to get too carried away in the showroom and as I've never driven a car with the gear selector on the steering column I didn't want to accidentally press the brake and knock it. Now you mention it the straight leg technique does seem familiar from long ago, but I could swear that car had a handle I could grab to swing down with.

If you set up a pin number (which I would recommend for other reasons) then you don't have to worry about accidentally pressing the brake and knocking the gear selector.

As for the theme of the thread, I'm 6'1, 225 lbs, average inseam. I have Easy Entry set to push the seat back and down, and the steering wheel forward and up. I reach in with my right hand and grab the top of the wheel for support, then put my right foot in near the door and twist my leg knee out (knee towards the center console) so that it slides under the steering wheel. Then I sit and slide into the seat, and pull my right foot in. My knee clears the wheel by roughly two inches.

It's identical to how I got in to my Acura, other than it didn't allow me to position the seat and wheel to make the entry more comfortable.

 

[ecarfan]

Great for you, but could you offer some *constructive* advice rather than just "it works for me"?

I thought I did. Here is what I wrote in the post you responded to.

Given the difficulty you say you are having and the useful advice you have received so far in this thread, and the fact that obviously Tesla is not going to redesign the door sill or anything else in the car to make entry/exit easier, at this point you have to decide if the issue you are describe is enough to cause you to decide not to buy a Model 3.

I was a bit hesitant to get too carried away in the showroom and as I've never driven a car with the gear selector on the steering column I didn't want to accidentally press the brake and knock it.

I don’t understand what you are describing. If the car is in Park (as it would be in the showroom) and you press the brake with your foot as you are attempting to get into the car, nothing bad will happen. The car will not move.

Height 180
Inseam 75

Your height is almost 71” inseam is just under 30”. For your height I would say your legs are not unusually long. My inseam is 32” and my height is 74”.

I cannot explain why you are having so much difficulty getting into a Model 3. I can only speculate that it could be due to a lack of flexibility.

Again, at this point you have to decide if the issue you are describe is enough to cause you to decide not to buy a Model 3. There is no special technique to getting in and out of the car. In terms of the ingress/egress, in my opinion the Model 3 is not very different from other sedans of comparable size. If you are having a lot of difficulty, than apparently it is not the right car for you.

 

[ohmman]

If I had difficulty getting in and out of a car I was considering, I'd stop considering it. I cannot imagine anything that anyone here can tell you which will change your physical attributes. There's no trick to getting in and out of cars. If they're uncomfortable for you, it's best to find another car. Comfort is extremely important when it comes to a vehicle, and this one doesn't fit the bill for you.

 

[mongo]

It's been a while since I had a sedan, but (for a left hand drive), I lead with my right knee, get that past the wheel. Rotate right leg into position, then sit and pull in left leg.

Much prefer my truck or our SUV. X was easier than S when we tested them.

 

[SageBrush]

If I had difficulty getting in and out of a car I was considering, I'd stop considering it. I cannot imagine anything that anyone here can tell you which will change your physical attributes. There's no trick to getting in and out of cars. If they're uncomfortable for you, it's best to find another car. Comfort is extremely important when it comes to a vehicle, and this one doesn't fit the bill for you.

I had enough trouble in the beginning that I had to think about how I was entering and exiting the car but somehow I adapted. I say somehow because I don't remember anymore, because it is not an issue anymore. If my experience is something to go by, it can get better.

 

[brobinson]

Great for you, but could you offer some *constructive* advice rather than just "it works for me"?

Step 1) lift your right leg into the car
step 2) put your butt in the seat
step 3) lift your left leg into the car
step 4) close the door
step 5) launch the web browser, navigate to TMC, and post about how it still doesn't 'feel right'
step 6) travel to a parallel universe where cars are designed for you to easily get into, and the rest of humanity struggles with the task

 

[daniel]

little confused or your picture getting into the car. Don't most people put a leg in the car first? Not sure I ever saw anyone sit down first with both legs outside of the car unless handicapped.

Don't try that with the Roadster! You'll hurt yourself. The way you get into the Roadster (original, not 2020) is to open the door, stand next to the car facing away from it, sit down, bring your arms in, then rotate your body to swing your legs in, knees bent to fit through the door. Then slide the seat forward if necessary.

To get out, if you try to put one leg out and stand up you will hurt yourself. Instead, you slide the seat all the way back, rotate your body to swing your legs out, place both feet on the ground, use your arms to lift your butt onto the sill. Lean forward and then stand up.

After seven years this has become habit and is the way I get in and out of the Model 3. Except that Easy Entry moves the seat for me. It slides it back when I unbuckle the seat belt and open the door, and it slides it forward for me when I step on the brake while in the seat.

The only time I use the one-leg-first method is if there's another car parked so close that I can't open the door enough.