Current Owners - What are the must have options and options you could live without?

[dpavid]

So I went in to physically see and test drive all the models and options. What I thought I wanted online has now changed after seeing it in person. I also based my decisions from the link below.

Revealing the Most Popular Tesla Model S Configurations - TESLARATI.com

So what options did or didn't you get that you regret?

Discard battery, motor, color since everyone has their own preferences.

Autopilot - I'm not 100% sold on this yet. I had distronic on my AMG. It's cool. If you got it, is it worth it or are you waiting for the new promised features?

Premium Interior - Only thing that gets me is the power lift gate but for $3k more, forget it. Nice to have or need to have?

Air suspension - Must have? It's nice but MB left a bad taste in my mouth as the bellows failed on my AMG 3 times while under warranty.

Sound System - I wasn't impressed. It sounds ok but I wasn't wowed! I haven't heard the non-upgraded version but does it suck that bad?

Cold Weather - I live in Hawaii so that's out.

Rear Seats - my kids would love it but I think they would get bored and want to sit in the back seat. Anyone with kids think its a must have? We have a Odyssey minivan so not worried to use this as our family mobile.

Pano roof - When I got in the car, it was hot! I love the look and feature of it. All my cars that had a sunroof, I've never opened it or rode with the shade open and the roof closed exposing only the glass, maybe at night a few times. Regrets not getting it? Those who have it, love it or hate it?

Wheels - I'm doing 19" since I'm added aftermarket 21"

Decor - I like carbon but it looked flat and bland. I think I'm going straight black pano.

Seats - The textile was better than I thought. What's the other leather looking material? Anyone with textile happy with it? How's it holding up?

Thanks everyone for your feedback! Pulling the trigger soon.

 

[78Lion]

Some things may be dependent on color choices (i.e. you can't get black headliner without premium interior)
I believe there is a bit more headroom with the pano - won't matter if your 5' nothing might if your 6' plus. Have you sat in a non-pano to see if it matters?
I did get autopilot but I'm a bit of a geek
audio is in the ears of the beholder - you will get all kinds of opinions here.

 

[Panu]

No option is must have. You get quite a good set as standard.

 

[Max*]

So what options did or didn't you get that you regret?

Rear child seats, I'm still on the fence about them. My kids sometimes like them, sometimes hate them. The lack of AC back there is a really big design flaw.

Autopilot - I'm not 100% sold on this yet. I had distronic on my AMG. It's cool. If you got it, is it worth it or are you waiting for the new promised features?

I love TACC for long distance trips. It's great. Is it a must? no.

Premium Interior

- Only thing that gets me is the power lift gate but for $3k more, forget it. Nice to have or need to have?

I have it, definitely nice to have, not necessary at all.

Sound System - I wasn't impressed. It sounds ok but I wasn't wowed! I haven't heard the non-upgraded version but does it suck that bad?

I wasn't impressed either.

Rear Seats - my kids would love it but I think they would get bored and want to sit in the back seat. Anyone with kids think its a must have? We have a Odyssey minivan so not worried to use this as our family mobile.

See above. I wouldn't get it in Hawaii. My kids don't sit in them if it's above 85F. Too hot. And I got heat reducing tint and tesla's sunshade. Lack of AC is really dumb. Another thing to consider, is they can barely hear the music back there with standard audio. So UHFS might be worth it in that case (I only realized this after I bought).

Pano roof - When I got in the car, it was hot! I love the look and feature of it. All my cars that had a sunroof, I've never opened it or rode with the shade open and the roof closed exposing only the glass, maybe at night a few times. Regrets not getting it? Those who have it, love it or hate it?

I never used the sunroof in my old car. I love the pano roof. I don't open it ever, but I love having it and seeing out of it. So does my wife and kids.

 

[cryptyk]

Two things for sure:

Skip the uhfs, and instead spend the $2500 on an aftermarket sound system.
Skip the wheels, and instead spend the $4500 on aftermarket wheels and tires.

I think those two are the no-brainers.

 

[TTT]

Since you're in Hawaii, I would skip Autopilot, I don't see any long stretches of interstates where you'll find it useful. Whereas I would have used it when I drove from California to Colorado, Driving from SoCal to Denver - Page 2

 

[tstafford]

I don't think there are any must have options. I chose the ones that I thought would impact my experience with the car on a daily or weekly basis and skipped the rest. But my experience is just that - mine.

 

[ArtInCT]

I am in a 4 season area with winter temps in the teens and low twenties for about 20 days so for me the Cold Weather package with the heated seats and steering wheel is a must.

I will get the Pano Roof as all of my previous cars had sunroofs since 1973 BMW 2002 Tii.

I spend 90% of my time when near cars... Inside of the Car. That said... for the most part your car experience is enjoyed on the Inside of the Vehicle. Why not
make it the best-est experience?... so... Premium Interior and even in my mid 60's I have good hearing so the Premium Sound Package... and the Obeche Matte with the Dark Alcantara headliner. Your definition of interior experience may differ.

I will get the 19" wheels for winter use and have them powder coated dark metallic grey. And get another set of aftermarket wheels for summer use. 21" rims in Connecticut is NOT the way to go as after the snow come...the dreaded tire and rim bending potholes. I have a set of JackPoint Jack Stands and hydraulic jacks so flipping tires and rims and inspecting running gear is part of my fun as a car guy.

I will get the air suspension as the S rides low and we have some weird driveways and entrances around here along with speed bumps... I am sick of kissing the pavement with the front lower facia...

I will get the Next Gen Seats in Tan Leather with Midnight Metallic Grey exterior, having sat in the standard leather and vinyl, I think the Next Gen seats are the way to go for me.

I have yet to see a fabric seated Tesla in my area.
Perhaps these fabric seats are good where it is warm as they breathe.
I had my heart set on the Executive Rear Seats (our kids are out of the nest) but that wonderful option has been removed from options ... drat.
So now I will order a rear seat console from the accessories page in either black piano or Obeche wood accents with tan upholstery.

I will NOT be ordering the Auotpilot as I drive my cars and there is nothing about autopilot that compels me to get that option. Control Freak.... yeaaah (office space) I have used adaptive cruise control about once per month in my XC60. I am sure that one feature is nice but in the winter snow you cannot use it and also the salt and slush make the Adaptive less Adaptive to Unavailable. Dreck on the sensors and cameras (usually at slushy highway speeds) makes the system fu-bar just when you want to use it... Not a biggie for me.

I will probably order 3 years of service and have to fully understand the extended warranty before ordering it.

I am very fortunate as a service center is only 4 miles away from my home..... sweet.

 

[kmtl]

My options/thoughts:
Autopilot - Get it - TACC has gotten smoother with updates, based on my experience with traffic in HI as a tourist I'd say you must spend some of your time inching along in heavy traffic. Try to avoid reading about the functionality that has not been delivered yet...can make you angry. When it is delivered it will be a resale issue to not have it.

Premium Interior - I don't have it so can only share that the liftgate is very light and the standard interior lighting is very nice. Also, sweaty forearms and sunscreen wont stain my plastic door armrests.

Air suspension - Don't have it, can't comment beyond I have no complaints

Sound System - I have the stock system and think it is good, but wish bass better...but I'm unlikely to let anyone rip my car apart to install upgrades.

Rear Seats - Only get this is your kids are really small and you actually need the extra seats. The trunk well is really useful and I'd hate to give that up

Pano roof - So glad I did not get this - I've never had a sunroof open for more than a couple of minutes except at night. I was glad it was a stand alone option for Tesla.

Wheels - I have stock 19s... I do wish for quicker turn-in and more grip occasionally but the 21s were too high a price to pay, literally as well as in terms of ride. I think 20s would be a good compromise.

Decor - Coming from a Jag, I was not impressed with any of the wood options, defaulted to black but is is too shiny

Seats - Next Gen. I have not tried the textile seats. Thought the regular leather seats were terrible (surprisingly bad given the category). My bad back is very comfortable in the Next Gen seats, though it was annoying to have to pay $2500 just to get basic comfort.

 

[Rockster]

Autopilot - I love it. If it's never more than the TACC I'll still love it. Anything else will be gravy.

Premium Interior - I think the accent lighting is very classy. I'd be sad to not have it. That said, I wouldn't call it a "must have."

Air suspension - I have air and if I were doing it again I'd seriously consider coil, for the presumed greater longevity and the tighter feeling ride.

Sound System - The premium sound system now makes my Tesla sound as good as my 10 year old SUV with a factory JBL sound system. Were I doing it again I'd save the money and use it on after market audio enhancements.

Cold Weather - Understood. Even in Dallas it's really nice. The heated steering wheel is fantastic on chilly days.

Rear Seats - We figured the novelty would wear out quickly, the kids who could ride in it now would soon outgrow it, and it's really hot back there on hot days. We skipped it.

Pano roof - Never been a fan of pano. Didn't get it. Don't miss it. Have had a number of loaners with pano and never even bothered with it. Even if I was a pano fan I would see it as introducing too many post-warranty failure points to justify getting it. I know forums feature more complaints than praise, but it still seems a problematic feature.

Wheels - Originally had the factory 21". Doing it over I would go with the factory 19" and use the money for after market 20", not 21. The 20's seem to be the best balance between look and tire robustness and tread life.

Decor - Got the carbon. Still like it. The glossy black and the glossy wood are too glossy for me and reflections from street light and the lights of other cars is too distracting.

Seats - Happy with the leather, but I too have heard that Tesla's textile is stellar. I'd consider it on a future purchse.

 

[brucet999]

Pano or no Pano:
How tall are the people who will sit in the back? I'm only 5'11" (and sit about 36") but my head touches the headliner in a MS with body color roof; with Pano I have a little over 1" clearance.

 

[MassModel3]

I've got the textile seats and really like them, but my wife if partial to leather, so the next Tesla (Model 3) will have leather seats. I'm really happy with the non-leather, though.

I have the active suspension. The ability to change ride height is only really meaningful if you travel rough roads, if your neighborhood has high speed bumps, or if you hit sharp angles like the ends of a driveway, perhaps. I also used it a lot in the snowed-in streets of Massachusetts. Otherwise coil springs are more than sufficient. Tesla says the active suspension adjusts to road conditions, but I havn't noticed a difference driving coil loaners.

Kids grow up quick -- my rear facing seats just sit in my attic now (waiting for my niece and nephew to grow big enough to use them).

But I absolutely LOVE the panoramic roof and the HUGE sunroof! For me that would be a must on any future Tesla purchases. And yes, it's a close fit for really tall guys without the extra room the pano affords.

Oh, as for the adjustable trunk height -- if you park in a garage, you definitely (!!!!!) need to know how wide a Tesla trunk opens BEFORE the first time you open in your garage and let it swing up and hit the garage door (if door is open), or the door rail (if door is closed). I wish I could adjust mine down, but no tech package. So I padded the garage door as an effective work-around -- I clear the rail by maybe an inch when the door is down. One good whack would make that power liftgate worth every penny.

 

[brucet999]

Oh, as for the adjustable trunk height -- if you park in a garage, you definitely (!!!!!) need to know how wide a Tesla trunk opens BEFORE the first time you open in your garage and let it swing up and hit the garage door (if door is open), or the door rail (if door is closed). I wish I could adjust mine down, but no tech package. So I padded the garage door as an effective work-around

I had to pad my garage door to protect the lift gate of our Lexus RX350, which has auto-closing, but no opening height limit capability.

 

[mgboyes]

These days the base spec of the car is really very good. There are no "must have" options.

I'd recommend you spend some time in cars both with/without leather, and pano, since those are the interior options that might make a big difference to how you perceive the cabin environment of the car, and they make obvious noticeable changes to the interior, especially if you want a light colored leather.

The rest - only get them if you really want them.

And autopilot you can always pay for later (for only a modest surcharge) if cool new features are announced that you really want.

 

[AC123]

While not an option, I would highly recommend sparing $1900 for 4 services.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Get everything and buy used. Wait until the X comes out and you will see the aftermarket S market get flooded. When the D came out I was able to pick up a slightly used P85+ for under $80K (including HPWC)! If I upgrade to the D that is my strategy once the X drops..

 

[nanimac]

Dpavid, my two cents....I live in mililani too and commute to downtown for work. I use TACC every day and I love it! it's great for Hawaii freeway traffic and will help keep you going around the same speed as everyone else especially in the speed trap areas on H2. Of course I didn't have autopilot on my first MS so could probably live without it but autopilot is one of the reasons I upgraded. Hope to see you around the neighborhood

 

[Panu]

One thing to consider is that the subwoofer that comes with UHFS occupies the right hand side "locker" space in the trunk. I like to keep my Type2 charging cable and some other stuff there.

 

[BoerumHill]

Not a current owner, but in a similar stage in the process.

MUST haves - IMHO none. You can rationalize any option or learn to live without.

Pano - for rear headroom & the open feel it's really nice. I feel like it's the quintessential Model S look; body color or (discontinued) black roof isn't the same distinctive exterior.

Wheels - 21" look great, but given poor road conditions of my area I prefer 19". Even still I think T Sportline makes great aftermarket wheels.

Seats - NextGen really hug you, but if your passenger likes to nap on long trips, they're not comfortable for non-standard use.

HL - I prefer the feel of a lighter interior. If you get grey or tan leather, some are bothered by the lack of continuity (black back side, third color in HL.) I like the openness you feel with white alcantara combined with the pano.

Décor - piano black will show fingerprints, not a fan of glossy finishes. CF suits this car best but I also like matte.

Autopilot - I'm somewhat mortified people use TACC in stop and go commuter traffic, but I haven't had a car commute in this millennium so maybe I just don't get it. But for resale value AP is valued.

PIL - $2500 is a lot for a power lift gate. Some people claim the leather armrest & ambient lighting really make the interior. I'm dubious but keep coming back to wanting a preset stopping point on the lift back.

Smart Air - I think coils are fine, the amount of extra clearance is nominal & the increased efficiency on low is 1-2%. Skip if you are constrained. Adds marginal value on resale.

Audio - the 2-3 extra speakers is NBD but I have to have a sub. Never been an aftermarket fan, YMMV.

Subzero - your no is understandable, leaning toward this, but the driver controlling the individual rear seat controls? - poor design choice.

RFS - little one really wants this. Pretty sure I'll get it & regret it. Lots of climate issues.

Dual chargers - not really needed by most. I'll be in the hinterlands and off the SC network enough I want it, but most can skip it.

Good luck, enjoy!

 

[ModelSFL]

Get everything and buy used. Wait until the X comes out and you will see the aftermarket S market get flooded. When the D came out I was able to pick up a slightly used P85+ for under $80K (including HPWC)! If I upgrade to the D that is my strategy once the X drops..

I noticed you had 2 Teslas within a year of each other. Do you trade in or sell in the open market? When I asked Tesla for my trade in value it seemed to be way under book value. Makes it tough to justify trade-in.