I've never dreamed of owning a car priced like the Model S. (However getting one feels like a moral imperative!) Our neighborhood is filled with a range of reasonable family cars & SUVs to BMWs and Lexus'. But, still, the Model S is comparatively well up there & above nearly all; and well above my current drive. I'd almost feel self conscious driving it around, not for it being an EV, but for the price. Is that crazy? Is this the sort of car one could leave parked at the mall or the supermarket? I feel embarrassed even asking this. I know my wife has similar misgivings however. Maybe this is just something you get over on day one of ownership?
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Off the bat, I think you'll take less of a hit from the "conspicuous consumption" haters based on the fact that Tesla isn't as well known, so not immediately classed like a BMW or Mercedes might be. It's elegant, but not too flashy, and unless you know what it is, you might not immediately jump to a price bracket classification.
Beyond that, just enjoy it. You paid for it, it's yours. Beyond that, I think you'll find more people curious and intrigued than angrily jealous.
As for parking, im a big fan of using things how they were meant to be used. Drive it.load it with groceries and crap. Use it! Once I get the first scratch or ding on a new car, I breathe a sigh of relief then proceed to do whatever I want. Within reason of course. If a bunch of kids throw the doors open on a car and tumble out and run into the store, chances are I'm not parking next to them regardless of how close to the store the spot is.
Beyond that, just enjoy it. You paid for it, it's yours. Beyond that, I think you'll find more people curious and intrigued than angrily jealous.
As for parking, im a big fan of using things how they were meant to be used. Drive it.load it with groceries and crap. Use it! Once I get the first scratch or ding on a new car, I breathe a sigh of relief then proceed to do whatever I want. Within reason of course. If a bunch of kids throw the doors open on a car and tumble out and run into the store, chances are I'm not parking next to them regardless of how close to the store the spot is.
rogbmw
Member
Somewhere here on the board was a comparison of various cars and cost of ownership spread out over a period of years. It estimated the overall expense of owning a Model S as compared to various other ICE cars - from a Honda Pilot (which I own) up to expensive BMW and Mercedes models. I was pleasantly surprised that when spread out over ownership (I think it was estimated at 8 years if I remember correctly), that the Model S and Honda Pilot were essentially the same, with other models being more expensive to own. Sorry I do not have a link to the comparison - maybe someone else can find it. So - it is more expensive up front, but in the long run is justifiable.
I feel this way in the Roadster for sure. I've gotten past feeling scared to death of driving an expensive car, or having scratches or hearing a pebble hit the car (it's just paint; happens to ALL cars). But I do hate going to "cheap" places like McDonald's or Walmart or whatever ... and I pay some attention to what I park next to, although it's a little different with the Roadster because it's so small. Different story with the Model S!
As much as the head-turning of the Roadster is fun, I'm not the person to take advantage of it; I'm more about convenience and blending in so I don't have to worry about where I park or drive or whatever.
As much as the head-turning of the Roadster is fun, I'm not the person to take advantage of it; I'm more about convenience and blending in so I don't have to worry about where I park or drive or whatever.
+1
The expensive S will be similar. Just remember that you get a "break" cause it's "green". In other words, Yes you spent a lot of money for and expensive car but unlike a BMW or Mercedes, you did it with a cause of saving the planet (even if you don't care about that). It's a pass for being the family who is willing to be an early adopter for the rest.
Good part is that the haters, whoa are always gonna hate, never say anything. That said you need to know every fact possible about electric driving, Tesla, and the future for when you get queried and challenged.
Last May was my 1 year anniversary of not being inside a Walmart! It's not that I'm a snob at all (well, I guess I am, but I'll still visit Goodwill or a Dollar store, occasionally), but the whole experience is just skanky, at least at all the Walmarts near me. Luckily, many Walmart visitors seem perfectly happy to wait forever for someone to back out of a space that's only 10 paces from the store, so finding a 'safe' parking spot is easy, as long as you can tolerate walking for about 30 seconds to reach the store.
On the subject of McDonalds, I was there this morning (I often am for an egg McMuffin, obviously proving I'm not a snob
), and saw a complete POS car parked there, which for wheels had 1 donut (well used), and 3 other wheels, all of which were completely different. One tire looked like it was running at about 5psi. Needless to say, there wasn't a clean body panel, and the windows were wide open, presumably with the hope some mug would steal it. I've no idea how these junk piles pass inspection, with 4 mis-matched wheels, the thing was a deathtrap./rantover.
strider
Active Member
But keep in mind that the price RANGE of Model S is the same as a BMW 5-series. You state that there are BMW's in your neighborhood so the question is whether it would feel different if you drove a $50k 528i vs a $100k M5. They look similar and so you'd really have to pay attention to notice the $50k price difference. It's the same w/ Model S. The styling is very understated (even more so than 528 vs M5) so someone would really have to know what they're looking at to tell a $50k Model S from a $100k Model S.
That being said, I did go through an adjustment w/ the Roadster in that my previous (and most expensive) car was a $45k Corvette. But as someone alluded to upthread, most people don't know what it is and assume it's a $45k Lotus if they have any guess at all. So I've just stopped worrying about it. It's just a car after all.
That being said, I did go through an adjustment w/ the Roadster in that my previous (and most expensive) car was a $45k Corvette. But as someone alluded to upthread, most people don't know what it is and assume it's a $45k Lotus if they have any guess at all. So I've just stopped worrying about it. It's just a car after all.
This. If you enjoy the car, and don't act like having something expensive makes you Better Than The Rest, you'll have no problems - most people won't know what you're driving and the few that do will be merely curious about the vehicle. The attitude you have (or lack thereof) will go a lot further in determining your experiences with the car than the price of the car.
I know what you mean. There is ONE Walmart around here (it's brand new) that doesn't feel like you're walking into a cesspool. There's the typical "people of walmart", but overall, it doesn't make your skin crawl walking inside. I even park up front!
On the subject of McDonalds, I was there this morning (I often am for an egg McMuffin, obviously proving I'm not a snob
I more shake my head at that car when it has 45" spinning rims on it. Forget a stable car, my rims must spin! The car you describe however, could be the car of someone just scraping by and doing what they can with what they have.
:biggrin::biggrin:
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
I've actually thought a lot about this question. Driving around, I've noticed other nice/expensive cars in ho-hum places (grocery store, Costco etc.) running errands etc., so I plan on using it the same way and won't try to feel weird driving a Model S through a Wendy's drive thru or whatever.
The only thing I've thought about doing differently is valet parking at restaurants/hotels. The valet will generally charge a premium to keep the car parked in front of the establishment instead of taken to the off-site garage/lot, but they only offer this to cars they deem worthy of being in front of their establishment (horrible, I know. I think this only happens in Miami and Los Angeles!). To protect the car from crazy valet parkers and not knowing how or where they'll park the car, I'd happily pay a little extra to keep the car in eyesight and avoid having the car driven by someone else somewhere I don't know where it's going.
Otherwise, I agree with AO that you should just use it like you would a car a third of the price and eventually it won't feel weird at all (if it ever does in the first place).
The only thing I've thought about doing differently is valet parking at restaurants/hotels. The valet will generally charge a premium to keep the car parked in front of the establishment instead of taken to the off-site garage/lot, but they only offer this to cars they deem worthy of being in front of their establishment (horrible, I know. I think this only happens in Miami and Los Angeles!). To protect the car from crazy valet parkers and not knowing how or where they'll park the car, I'd happily pay a little extra to keep the car in eyesight and avoid having the car driven by someone else somewhere I don't know where it's going.
Otherwise, I agree with AO that you should just use it like you would a car a third of the price and eventually it won't feel weird at all (if it ever does in the first place).
Never heard of paying extra for out front. To be honest I shun Valet but they usually want a Roadtser out front.
As the the subject of "nice car" "cheap place" there are some people who work on the premise that living frugally in some areas allows other things to be nicer.
As the the subject of "nice car" "cheap place" there are some people who work on the premise that living frugally in some areas allows other things to be nicer.
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
Wow -- maybe it's just here! I've been out with friends and if the normal valet is $12, they might charge $20 to keep the car outside. If they don't have any nice cars around, they may just charge the $12, so it may just be a supply/demand issue, but usually at any nice restaurant on a Saturday night there are more than enough people who want their car parked outside that the valets can charge a premium to keep the car there. Our car culture is definitely unique!
I'll keep my fingers crossed that the Model S will be so unique (at least for awhile) that they'll park it out front and not charge me a premium, but I'm willing to pay it anyway to keep the car out of the valet's hands.
There's a Truluck's (not exactly posh, but w/e) here where they try to keep the 'nice' cars out front. We dine at the restaurant opposite, so it makes for fun viewing. Early in the night, they're happy with a Caddy or 2, but by 8pm, the Caddy's and Lexus's (Lexi?) are out, and it's Porsche and Bentley time.
Thanks everyone. Glad to know I'm not alone with these thoughts!
Also thanks for the Teslanomics: The Economics of owning a Tesla Motors Automobile link! I may be needing that to help persuade the wife!
Also thanks for the Teslanomics: The Economics of owning a Tesla Motors Automobile link! I may be needing that to help persuade the wife!
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