Day 1 with my Tesla

[montgom626]

the regen is VERY strong especially for rear wheel braking, if they have it any stronger it might lock up the wheels and you could start fish tailing, you can see the rear wheels locking up on the winter tests, it gets squirmy.

Stability control will prevent that. I still want more regen!

 

[GlennAlanBerry]

I am a little disappointed that nobody has tried to challenge my P85 yet, after three months. Being at 6000ft altitude means that normally aspirated ICE vehicles will be at even more of a disadvantage compared to a Tesla.

 

[EdA]

Congrats on the exciting first day! My first day consisted of driving the car 1/4 mile to get paint armor put on...

The cavity under the screen doesn't hold your glasses/change?

/Ed

 

[wraithnot]

The cavity under the screen doesn't hold your glasses/change?
/Ed

I don't have much luck storing sunglasses in the cubby under the screen since the car accelerates so well. The cubby in our car tends to collect both my and my wife's sunglasses- at least until I find an opening in traffic large enough to floor it

P.S. I've vacuumed out all the pet hair since this photo was taken . . .

 

[stevezzzz]

I am a little disappointed that nobody has tried to challenge my P85 yet, after three months. Being at 6000ft altitude means that normally aspirated ICE vehicles will be at even more of a disadvantage compared to a Tesla.

I've had a couple of challenges from American muscle cars, but I'm too much of a citizen to take them very far. Had a weird encounter yesterday: pulled up behind a guy in the left turn lane at a stoplight in the exurbs. He was driving a Subaru Outback or something, with two big dogs hanging out the right side windows. After we got the green arrow and made our left turn I waited until the dashed centerline and then made a legal pass. He gave me the finger out the driver's window as I pulled out to pass, and I don't for the life of me know why. Oh, well.

 

[AustinPowers]

I would trade that any day of the week for the rolling barricade drivers we have on the U.S. highways.

Oh we get that too, it's what we call "elephant race". One freight truck overtaking another at a speed advantage of 0,0001 km/h, which means the Autobahn is effectively blocked for miles. Especially popular at inclines or in zones where truck overtaking is forbidden altogether...

 

[earlyretirement]

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your first experience with us. I'm also in San Diego. I'm heading on vacation today but coming back end of the month. My P85 should be ready by the end of the month and can't wait....

 

[DSJ]

Congrats Crispix!

Much like you, I just received my new Model S yesterday! (See my signature for the breakdown).

The long and short of it is - this is simply the best vehicle I have ever driven. Ok, I'm still honeymooning, but my fascination with this car is borderline obsessive. It does everything with such ease and still rattles my brain on a moment's notice. I've driven quite a few nice performance cars in the past few years (I'm only 27 years old) and the Model S blows them all away. It's not even fair.

I've parked the car in public a few times and have looked back at it in absolute AWE as I walk away. I still can't believe that is MY gorgeous car parked there. I love plugging it in. I LOVE not having to go the gas station again. That's my biggest plus!

A big THANK YOU to the Toronto Tesla team! From those who work tremendously hard 'talking shop' at the showroom in Yorkdale, to those at the SC in Mississauga. Keep up the fantastic work, I'll be behind you every step of the way, waving my Tesla flag and bringing along anyone I can.

 

[Colasec]

Congrats Crispix!

I've parked the car in public a few times and have looked back at it in absolute AWE as I walk away. I still can't believe that is MY gorgeous car parked there.

Yep, I still can't prevent myself from sneaking a look (or simply walking backward). It's so beautiful and rrrrarrr awesome...

 

[Crispix]

Days 2-3

How long will I be looking for excuses to go driving? Does that ever wear off? More random notes:

3 days and 300 miles! Saw a white MS on Clairemont Mesa Blvd, had one of those 2.5 second conversations: "Nice car!" "Thanks, you too!" Also saw one this morning at UCSD, blue, she didn't notice me. Then saw another (black?) heading west on Mira Mesa Blvd this morning. We're everywhere! (Yes, I'm getting around.)

Took some friends for a joy ride: 4 adults in the car and it still zooms. Scooted around the on ramp from Balboa to 163. "Holy ***!" Followed by, "Ok, I want one!"

Parallel parked successfully! Ok, this is a bit more of a challenge than my previous and much smaller car. The side mirrors tilted down and the backup camera are a necessity for parallel parking.

More driving notes: Noticed I got the new Michelin tires, I guess that's good. I can see why Pano at 80% is the default setting, 100% is only noiseless at really slow speeds or wind buffeting gets annoying. Standard suspension is also quite nice, exactly meets my expectations and the handling is very solid. I accidentally misjudged the front of the car when parking and it clears those concrete stops by just enough: saved from a scrape already! I have the steering on standard, haven't even thought to play with other settings yet.

After parking I noticed the car making weird humming and buzzing noises and gurgling liquids. Sounded very odd, but a quick Google search put me at ease. I may have missed that part of delivery orientation.

Why is charging so fun? All I do is plug it in at night and somehow that "click" is more satisfying than popping a zit. I look at my state of charge on the phone app in the morning before I even check Facebook, the weather, email, etc. I can't explain it; it's just cool to see a full charge in the morning.

This made my day (yes, I'm shallow that way): I was at the gym and could see my car through the window from the treadmills. Another gym goer was walking up, noticed the Tesla, turned around, inspected it, then walked around the whole car and pretty much acted like me before I got my Model S whenever I saw one in the wild. Heck, I'll probably still do that when I see one parked.

And a photo:

 

[twinklejet]

Another gym goer was walking up, noticed the Tesla, turned around, inspected it, then walked around the whole car and pretty much acted like me before I got my Model S whenever I saw one in the wild. Heck, I'll probably still do that when I see one parked.

Did you try honking the horn etc. from your app? LOL.

 

[Crispix]

Did you try honking the horn etc. from your app? LOL.

Wow, I admire your evil genius! Has anyone done this? Sounds like this could be YouTube-worthy!

 

[DSJ]

View attachment 27854

Gorgeous colour choice. Love it.

Day 3 for me today as well! I was stuck in the infamous Toronto traffic after work... some of the worst in North America. We need a hyperloop here moreso than anywhere else. Gridlock from 2pm until 7pm on a friday is just a part of life.

Not once did I curse, honk, or let the pace get to me. This car simply diffuses my stress. It's a joy to drive and slacker simply makes me smile - not knowing what song is next is somewhat of a thrill.

I too find myself checking the app all too frequently. I had my dog in the trunk (doesn't that sound awful...) and hit the app to bring the temp down to lo, just so she would be comfortable. Amazing.

I gave 9 introductions to Tesla today... to friends of friends, an acquaintance, a few passerbys. I have a feeling it'll be like this for a while. Even if I'm in a rush, I'll take the time to spread the word.

 

[brianstorms]

Congrats Crispix! Car looks fantastic. I am pretty sure I've seen you driving around! Saw a great multi-coat Red this week out near Miramar Rd.

I ordered a blue, pano, tech, sound, standard 85 kWh. I love the fact that the San Diego Tesla Service Center has a mascot dog, a very friendly old Golden Retriever who just hangs around the shop and greets customers. Love it.

And yes, the cars are everywhere in San Diego now, I stopped taking photos months ago. Especially see 'em around La Jolla. Funny thing: the Porsche Cayennes, Panameras, and Maserati/Ferrari 4-door sedans all seem to have all been replaced by Teslas in the past few months.

Was hoping to pick my car up on Aug 20 but they bumped me to Sept 7th even though my Dashboard still says "late August". (For Tesla people who may be reading this: please fix that. The My Tesla Dashboard page should be the most reliable up-to-date info, it should be bible, the absolute final word on status. When it isn't, it just creates a world of confusion and anxiety for the customer.)

 

[Rbarry]

Yes congrats Crispix! Hope to see you around in San Diego. I ordered and am trying to patiently wait for my grey p85+.

Brianstorms: I have a 10 am appt on Sept 7th to pick my new baby up as well. Maybe I will see you there! I will be the guy with silly grin on my face

 

[brianstorms]

Oh so YOU got the coveted 10am slot. They pushed me all the way to noon. Now I know who to blame!

 

[cflorez6768]

wow..

Took delivery today! Super nice people at the service center in San Diego and the delivery walk through was lots of fun. I think they follow these forums, so thanks again to everyone.

The car was in pristine condition, detailed and shiny and charged up. The walk through was excellent; there are so many little features and customizations. The paperwork and lessons took about an hour, then it was time to break it in. Random tidbits from the day (sorry, no photos, I'll have to follow up):

The Go Pedal
Wowsers. I got the standard 85 and it hauls ass. Yes, the P85 from the test drive is noticeably faster in the initial acceleration, but the S85 is still a kick in the pants. My wife grabbed the holy**** handles more than once today, "Are you going to keep doing that?!" Well, yes! Moving around traffic is effortless: it feels like cheating and I'm going to be completely spoiled from now on.

Driving experience
It's a big car, but doesn't drive like one. It's almost as wide as our SUV, but doesn't feel that way. It's long, too, and that's a bit more noticeable -- the rear window seems a bit far away when looking at the rear view mirror. The side mirrors will take some getting used to: the visibility is good, but the mirrors themselves are recessed (I assume for aerodynamics), so as a result more than once today I thought a dark object was coming up from a blind spot when I was really just reacting to the edge of the side mirror enclosure in my peripheral vision. I expect this effect will fade pretty quickly as I get used to the car. Seats are fine and the driving position is comfortable. Picked up the kids and asked, "do you want to put your backpacks in the trunk or frunk?" Obvious answer is obvious: "Frunk!"

One Pedal Driving ...
... is the future. Amazing how little I need to use the brakes. I have creep mode turned off. The accelerator is tuned so well it's very easy to move the car as little or as much as I want at any speed.

Parking
Parks way easier than I feared. The backup camera is superb. I need to get a better sense of where the font end is, but that'll come in time. It's weird to just get in and go, and even weirder to just get up and leave the car when parked.

Pano Roof
Lots of fun. Glad I got it. Wind noise is about what I expected. Headroom in the backseat would have been tight without it, too.

Sound System
I got the studio sound. Yeah, it's a bit disappointing but it'll do. I'll have to mess with the settings a bit more, any recommendations? Right now I have Dolby off, Bass and Treble up +4.5, and I moved the center of sound just a bit toward the rear. Still nothing like the Harman Kardon system I had in my last car. At the same time it's way better than the factory Bose system in my SUV. Slacker is fun.

Nav and display
Works great. Love the display on the driver's console. Voice recognition seems more than decent, too. 17" display is sick. This car is like having an iPhone wrapped around your entire body.

Storage
There is not enough storage space in the car. I knew this going in. Yes, a center console will help, but I need another compartment to hold basics like sunglasses, parking permits, keys, and change for parking meters. I'll make do with glove box and the little area under the display. Who knows, maybe I'll skip the center console?

Phone App
Fun. Is there a way to close the windows from the phone, or just the pano? I already have a wishlist for more features. Cooling the car before I get to it is such a luxury.

Charging
No idea. I'll let you know. Car is plugged in and will start at midnight. Still had 125 miles left at the end of the day, after driving like a nutcase over 75 miles in one afternoon, plus over an hour just sitting in the car with the AC on. So I just wake up to a full tank in the morning? Yeah!

Reactions
Yeah, people look and notice. Constantly. It's fun. Already had one stranger ask me all sorts of questions. I love talking cars. Saw another MS and I waved but she didn't notice. A Roadster went by later. I got a wave from him!

Last Anecdote
Was stopped at a light, it turns green, I go. I hear a big noise on my right: a BMW (I think a 3 series, didn't quite notice the exact model) is flooring it in the lane next to me, trying to outrun the Model S. So I step on it, not flooring it, but just enough to keep pace with him exactly. Had I goosed it more, I would have easily passed him. After a few seconds we're both going a bit too fast in a 50 zone, so I lift up on the pedal, no need to do anything rash. Of course the regen kicks in (still getting used to that) so he passes right past me and onward, still accelerating. The passenger sticks his arm out the window and waves, well, let's say energetically. He thinks he smoked a Tesla (well, I guess he did, but I wasn't even trying and his car was making all sorts of noise trying to prove itself). Anyway, glad I stayed safe and just let the guy go. Does this happen often, BMWs testing you?

Just another enthusiast...

would love to be a tesla owner but currently purchasing my home. My next goal is my Red Tesla Model S... Not P85 though. I don't think i need that much power. I read these forums often, just registered, but I'm always fascinated about all you Tesla Owners and your posts.. Cant wait to be a TEsla Owner myself. Im 29.. Maybe not right time to spend 100k on a vehicle yet. Need to make better decisions with my hard earned cash.. Really loved your posts, it made me dream of myself and my first day with my Tesla. Cant believe you actually had time writing this whole post having a Tesla in your driveway. I'd probably sleep it in that night.. lol.. Really jealous of all you guys with this vehicle. I know my time will come. Congrats on yours and take care of it. Alot of people wishing they had their Model S already.. if you ever have another great experience, i would love to hear it. Thank you.....

 

[Crispix]

if you ever have another great experience, i would love to hear it. Thank you.....

Ok, twist my arm! It's all I can do to keep myself from posting every day as a running blog of how much I'm enjoying this automobile. Tomorrow will be two weeks in and I've got 1000 miles on it already.

I've since had two more cars challenge the Model S at stop lights (or at least two that I've noticed). The first time it was some sort of Land Rover that had way more power than I expected. I wasn't paying attention until I heard the noise of his engine next to me. I pulled ahead easily but he eventually insisted on passing me at a speed higher than I felt safe. At least I got a "peace" sign out the window as he drove by. The second time was a gorgeous late model silver/grey Corvette, sparkling pristine condition. This time I was prepared and knew he was going to try to outrun me. Well, it was as if he had been standing still. It wasn't even close. Once again, though, once I stopped accelerating, he felt obligated to keep going until he passed me at well over 100mph. I won't post my speed vs the Corvette -- let's just say I was surprised at his tenacity in insisting on catching up. I don't get it. You already lost, bro. Why bother with the excessive speed when I've already slowed down?

Anyway, those are just little anecdotes that don't represent the substantial reasons behind the overall satisfaction I've had these past two weeks. I finally drove my ICE again this weekend, a car I absolutely love, and it TOTALLY SUCKED. It was noisy, rumbly, and I had to use the brake pedal! A lot! These were all things I never really even considered before and now they stand out. For you nerds out there, moving to a Model S is like switching to an SSD hard drive after a lifetime of spinning platters. Once you've switched you can never go back.

 

[clmason]

I love reading these stories. Congrats on your car and thanks for posting.
I will look for your Red MS on Miramar Road! I spot them on Miramar by the dozens.

 

[Mayhemm]

I don't get it. You already lost, bro. Why bother with the excessive speed when I've already slowed down?

They probably didn't realize you slowed down of your own accord and thought they overtook you through SHEER POWER (or deluded themselves into thinking so). Perhaps they were rubbing it in that they could keep going because they thought your battery died :wink:. EV ignorance and stereotypes abound.