TIL about Joe Mode ( I had to google it)Wanted to post an update since I picked up my car earlier this week.
As a refresher, I'm one of the apostates who jumped the line with an inventory car. Here's a picture of the car:
IMG_0964.jpeg
After I placed the inventory order, I got a text the next day asking me to schedule pickup. Pickup was scheduled for 9/2 (today).
Then on Monday I got a text saying the car was ready to be picked up early. I immediately responded "YES" and got a call within 10 minutes from the Glenn Allen, VA SC. They said I could pick it up as early as 3PM.
The delivery process was as easy as others have indicated, even with a trade-in. I inspected the car (didn't use a checklist). I didn't see any panel gap issues or any issues with the interior. Everything looked perfect.
With that backstory, here are my initial impressions about the car itself:
That's about it.
- One petal driving is definitely an adjustment but by the 3rd day I was totally acclimated.
- Autopilot is surprisingly intuitive and much more like driving with cruise control than I expected. I used it 70% of the time on my 2 hour drive back home.
- Autopilot definitely has some foibles - brakes too aggressively for cars on the shoulder. Phantom breaks randomly. Hugs the right side of the lane when the lane widens. Hugs the left side of the lane a bit more closely than I would prefer during regular driving.
- The phantom breaking hasn't been unsettling to me and it doesn't happen often - really I think it's mostly because I have been using it on roads that aren't actually highways or in mountains where there are tight turns and hills that crest where you don't have vision. I think if you know it happens and expect it, it's fine. It's not slamming on the breaks, just dropping from 70 to 50 uncomfortably fast.
- The ride quality is fantastic, even with he 20" induction wheels. I would never describe it as rigid or bumpy. It's appropriately sporty. Much smoother than the BMW 328i I traded in.
- Seats are incredibly comfortable.
- It will take me months to remember where all of the discrete settings are. I found Joe Mode the other day and haven't found it again. (Also haven't googled it )
- The ultrasonic sensors make parallel parking way less stressful. Especially with black rims.
- The torque is insane and available at all speeds and it's amazing. I highly doubt I'll be springing for the acceleration boost anytime soon.
I'll reiterate that it's totally worth it because oh my god are these cars are amazing. Even if I had had to wait until October or November there's no scenario where I would have regretted it.
I explained it to a friend this way: Tesla is the company making the best cars you can drive with the worst ordering process.
I think the bad ordering process creeps into your psyche. I found myself doubting whether the car was going to be worth the effort, or whether a company that couldn't accurately estimate a delivery window could really make a solid product.
But yes they can and yes you will forgive them when you take delivery just like everyone else in this forum
With a daughter who rarely falls asleep in the car, when she does it is invaluable and if anything wakes her up it gets smashed. This alone is a reason to get the car.