Current Owners: If you had to buy again would you still get a Model S over a 3? Why? Confused buyer!

[Aieukl378]

Day1 Hour1 Model 3 reservationist.

Bought MS60(now 75) moment it became available. Travel on business up and down the East Coast and It's the ultimate long trip cruise machine. Would be happy with this car for the rest of my life. Model 3 still on order for wife's around town shopping etc.

Love, Love, Love my Model S!

 

[davidc18]

Love the MS but I would not purchase again until two things are fixed in the MS. Number 1 is updating the hardware on the MCU (apparently there is no hope of getting android auto/car play) and Number 2 is a proper suspension on the P versions. Love the cars, between them we are over 65K miles now.

 

[TomVdP]

Voted no.

The car is too wide, too long, and has such a horrible turning radius that sometimes I just feel silly when manoeuvring in city traffic or while parking.

 

[democappy]

Voted no.

The car is too wide, too long, and has such a horrible turning radius that sometimes I just feel silly when manoeuvring in city traffic or while parking.

I wonder if you feel this way because you are driving in Europe. I have never really thought of the S as being super big or had an issue driving in the city at all, but I bet it feels even bigger outside of the US.

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

I voted for S over 3 because of size, aluminium body, performance, hatchback vs. trunk, and instrument cluster vs just IVI. I bought 3 Model S's to-date, I don't own a single 4K TV nor do I desire one, but I will strongly disagree with you on the touchscreen - it sucks that it takes multiple clicks, each less responsive than my iPad2 (yes, really old tech) do do things like turn on the headlights. There is no way you are going to tell me that you can turn headlights on faster in a Model S than I can do in any Toyota - they have a switch, click and they are on, Model S, touch screen->wait->touch screen again->wait again->touch screen again. The stupid disappearing top icons drive me nuts whenever I need to access them, half the time by the time they show up they are disappearing again (sometimes probably because I got bored waiting if they will show up and decided that the screen probably didn't register my initial touch, but it did, so my second touch hides the icons)! I even considered hacking in some actual physical buttons for few functions like headlights or suspension level or rear camera enable. Once Tesla gets its Model 3 production issues figured out I would expect them to port whatever faster IVI they developed for the 3 into the S and X - simplify supply and improve the S/X in the same move. Probably still no physical buttons but if the UI was responsive that would not be such a big issue.

I'm not experiencing the UI lag you are talking about. Something might be wrong with yours. Are you using a high capacity USB drive by any chance?

 

[Brian-MS90D]

I voted for S over 3 because of size, aluminium body, performance, hatchback vs. trunk, and instrument cluster vs just IVI. I bought 3 Model S's to-date, I don't own a single 4K TV nor do I desire one, but I will strongly disagree with you on the touchscreen - it sucks that it takes multiple clicks, each less responsive than my iPad2 (yes, really old tech) do do things like turn on the headlights. There is no way you are going to tell me that you can turn headlights on faster in a Model S than I can do in any Toyota - they have a switch, click and they are on, Model S, touch screen->wait->touch screen again->wait again->touch screen again. The stupid disappearing top icons drive me nuts whenever I need to access them, half the time by the time they show up they are disappearing again (sometimes probably because I got bored waiting if they will show up and decided that the screen probably didn't register my initial touch, but it did, so my second touch hides the icons)! I even considered hacking in some actual physical buttons for few functions like headlights or suspension level or rear camera enable. Once Tesla gets its Model 3 production issues figured out I would expect them to port whatever faster IVI they developed for the 3 into the S and X - simplify supply and improve the S/X in the same move. Probably still no physical buttons but if the UI was responsive that would not be such a big issue.

I respect your view and experience. I never turn my headlights on (leave them on auto) and rarely touch the screen. I admit it's not perfect, but stick by my point that it's far superior to everything I've tried, except M3

 

[mrfeb14]

No regrets switching my 3 reservation over to an S.

Main Reasons vs 3
1. Could have it now
2. Larger
3. 2 Screens
4. Free Supercharging
5. Tax Rebate
6. AWD

I switched both model 3 reservations for all the reasons except the AWD. I got 2 75's RWD and love them. My OA was able to find inventory cars with no miles on them in the configurations we wanted and even waived transport fee on one to get it. It is a bit more money but i don't regret not waiting.

 

[Olle]

Tried to vote but I have no binary answer for this. These cars are on totally different ends of the market spectrum, the S being ultra luxury (not counted in number of leather stitches, rather the whole experience) and the 3 mass market. Many people (us included) are getting 3 in addition to S replacing 2nd cars.
It has been said many times before but this is like asking if you would buy a BMW 7 series again or go for the 3 Series? Buying an A8 again or springing for the A4?

 

[sdugan99]

Tried to vote but I have no binary answer for this. These cars are on totally different ends of the market spectrum, the S being ultra luxury (not counted in number of leather stitches, rather the whole experience) and the 3 mass market. Many people (us included) are getting 3 in addition to S replacing 2nd cars.
It has been said many times before but this is like asking if you would buy a BMW 7 series again or go for the 3 Series? Buying an A8 again or springing for the A4?

Except many people seem to be moving from the 3 to the S for various reasons. I am guessing alot of people are suddenly deciding to upgrade from a 3 series to 7 series. The 7 and 3 you can go to a dealership and compare nobody put down a deposit without know what the 3 would be. Then the 3 comes out and people realize it isn't the car they were expecting or wasn't the car for them or they didn't want to wait.

 

[Olle]

Except many people seem to be moving from the 3 to the S for various reasons. I am guessing alot of people are suddenly deciding to upgrade from a 3 series to 7 series. The 7 and 3 you can go to a dealership and compare nobody put down a deposit without know what the 3 would be. Then the 3 comes out and people realize it isn't the car they were expecting or wasn't the car for them or they didn't want to wait.

Agreed, there is a conversion from 3 to S buyers for various reasons, but the poll asked would you again buy an S over a 3?. It's easier to up sell than down sell.

 

[comanchepilot]

If you HAD to buy a Tesla you'll be buying an X or S because there are no Model 3's for sale.

 

[Darmie]

I like my AM radio. Just kidding.
What brought me to the S was many factors. I really love the nav screen in the front dash to the left. That and the the speed reading in front is nice. S all over again though the S we have now I hope will be with us for a long time coming.

 

[roblab]

There is no way you are going to tell me that you can turn headlights on faster in a Model S than I can do in any Toyota - they have a switch, click and they are on, Model S, touch screen->wait->touch screen again->wait again->touch screen again. .

Somehow (as in, I set them that way) my headlights turn on automatically. I never even think of switching them on, much less think of looking for a button, so I would rate that item "faster than thought", which none of my 50 years of Toyotas could match. My high beams are also automatic and "faster than thought".

My wife's drier skin makes touching less sensitive, but I have no problem, and since I know where the hidden icons are, I have no problem with them, although I can't at the moment remember searching for them. I basically do not use the center screen other than I leave it on full nav screen to watch traffic so I know how to bypass clogs, but I don't fiddle with changing settings.

This almost sounds like people complaining that it takes so long to charge, they can fill their Honda in 5 minutes. But they forget that the S fills in the garage, without other fossil fuel issues.

Sure, it's new tech. Some of us enjoy that, learn it, make it part of our lives, while others fight it, complain, and develop frown lines on their foreheads. I think it's just the way people are.

 

[RogerHScott]

I came somewhat late to the S world (2016) in part because earlier I was uneasy about early production issues. For similar reasons I would be hesitant to buy an early 3. Being a Tesla owner at all is bleeding-edge enough for me Not having had a chance to see a 3 in person, let along sit in one, let alone actually drive one, I can't really compare. There are a number of new things that sound nice about the 3, and I like the smaller/lighter aspect, but I'm really not sure about the center screen (the issue isn't so much 1 vs. 2 as placement).

With Tesla's general fast pace of innovation, it is hard for any buyer today to know how the S they could get delivered the same day as a 3 compares to the 3 they'd get on that date. Comparing today's (real) S to today's (theoretical) 3 isn't terribly meaningful.

 

[TomVdP]

I wonder if you feel this way because you are driving in Europe. I have never really thought of the S as being super big or had an issue driving in the city at all, but I bet it feels even bigger outside of the US.

Absolutely. In the US space isn't an issue. But here, in general, cars are smaller and streets are narrower. Cities and villages are litterally medieval... I used to be able to make a U-turn in my hometown's main street with my previous car (a Lexus). Now it is a cumbersome procedure having to go in reverse while blocking the street.

You must also have broader parking spots, because getting into a spot where cars are parked side by side is a real challenge.

 

[whitex]

I'm not experiencing the UI lag you are talking about. Something might be wrong with yours. Are you using a high capacity USB drive by any chance?

Lag is relative, I haven't measured it but it usually easily takes up to a second from the time I click "Control" to it actually showing up. Similar lag to get the top icons to show up. Sometimes lag is longer, but even the usual case means you have to take your eyes off the road for multiple seconds to perform something like turning on headlights, turning seat heaters on or off, or changing suspension level (the number of required taps varies since it depends on what screen you were accessing earlier in Controls). All 3 of our MS have been the same, as were any loaners I had, so I don't think there is anything wrong with it. Every time we got a new MS I was hoping they sped it up, but sadly no. Different versions of the software vary the lag sometimes (I never measured and kept track, but is seems to me like the fastest was back in 2013).

 

[whitex]

Somehow (as in, I set them that way) my headlights turn on automatically. I never even think of switching them on, much less think of looking for a button, so I would rate that item "faster than thought", which none of my 50 years of Toyotas could match.

I've owned 2 Toyotas and 2 Lexuses, the oldest being 2005, which had automatic headlights as well - nothing new there, so not sure which Toyota's you drove in the last 50 years. Just like the Model S however, when it got grey and cloudy outside, I would have to turn the headlights on manually - not to be able to see the road, but so that other cars can see me in a dusk hours. So, if you don't think about turning on lights until they are needed to see the road, then Model S is in fact "faster than your thought". However, I bet your Model S doesn't raise your suspension "faster than thought" so you don't scrape the battery, or turn the rear seat heaters on or of by predicting passenger's thoughts - all those require multiple clicks while driving.

My high beams are also automatic and "faster than thought".

You must have a real fast auto-high beam or real slow thoughts. I did a 6000 mile trip last October and ended up having to override the high beams so many times because they would not turn on when I thought they should - so definitely not "faster than my thought".

 

[roblab]

You must also have broader parking spots, because getting into a spot where cars are parked side by side is a real challenge.

Summon! Works great.