Farewell Model X and Hello Lincoln Navigator

[TexasRat]

So my kids get sick when we drive on winding roads. I think this is because they cannot see out of a window, but some kids just get motion sickness, so who knows. It could possibly be that one or both parent tends to like to accelerate a little through turns on curvy, hilly roads. At any rate, I keep bags in the car (actual trash bags that do not leak - made that mistake before) just in case someone feels ill. No one had any issues sitting in the back on our long highway trip from Virginia to Florida, so it appears to be the rolling/winding hills of Virginia that do them in. Perhaps OP has the same scenario?

We had a Navigator extended, and I personally like my X better (or I guess I'd still be driving it). It was painful to spend $500+ in premium fuel a month (otherwise it would start knocking and losing power going up hills). My main problem with driving an ICE anymore is that I expect them to slow down when my foot eases off of the accelerator, and I can totally see blowing a stoplight/sign or just rear ending another car.

That's interesting because when I was riding in the third row, I felt there was a lot of windows to look out of. Mainly, the windshield is so large that I felt like it was fine. I do think that if I were to stare at the ceiling or look around, it would make me sick. Though I don't know why another vehicle would help with that. From the pictures I looked at of a navigator, it didn't look any roomier or have more windows. I would somehow have expected the rolling hills to make someone sick regardless. The only thing I could really think of is what you mentioned about excessive acceleration. It definitely made my wife sick on the test drive of the S.

 

[Evoforce]

Some people have the tendency to not keep an even pressure on the accelerator. This can be accentuated or magnified on a vehicle with regen. Also, maybe the view through the roof is responsible for making the kids queasy. Then too, you have relatively fast deceleration...

 

[Nerdy_Engineer]

That's interesting because when I was riding in the third row, I felt there was a lot of windows to look out of. Mainly, the windshield is so large that I felt like it was fine. I do think that if I were to stare at the ceiling or look around, it would make me sick. Though I don't know why another vehicle would help with that. From the pictures I looked at of a navigator, it didn't look any roomier or have more windows. I would somehow have expected the rolling hills to make someone sick regardless. The only thing I could really think of is what you mentioned about excessive acceleration. It definitely made my wife sick on the test drive of the S.

If they have a 7 seater Model X, then I could see how kids wouldn't really be able to see anything back there. The middle row seats might be too high for them to see over.

 

[TexasRat]

If they have a 7 seater Model X, then I could see how kids wouldn't really be able to see anything back there. The middle row seats might be too high for them to see over.

Good point! I specifically got the 6 seater with no center console for this very reason. I only need to carry 6 at most, and it's usually just 4 of us.

 

[Peteybabes]

I would have gone for the Escalade over the Navigator.

not a good idea...the lowest on the consumer reports totem pole for reliability and it's interior feels sooooo old.

check out the new Navigator L which is the first ever full size SUV that's not on a truck chassis. it's super comfortable and the interior is up to date.

 

[electracity]

How are the kids getting car sick all the time? I'm looking to get the Model X because of the cold weather. Preheat the cabin without opening the garage door would be so awesome.

She may have had a 75D, which could be inconvenient in chicago in winter.

 

[Jayrod]

not a good idea...the lowest on the consumer reports totem pole for reliability and it's interior feels sooooo old.

check out the new Navigator L which is the first ever full size SUV that's not on a truck chassis. it's super comfortable and the interior is up to date.

yeah I echoed that earlier. The Escalade pales in comparison to the New Navi.

 

[Olle]

I can accept that you ran out of space in the X although for our family of 5 the X was huge when we had it, but to each their own. What I find hilarious is this:

We needed the convenience of a gas car.

Convenience of gas??? For our family it was one of the biggest quality of life improvements ever when we changed our garage to all electric and never had to worry about gas stations again. This was massively accentuated when I rented a gasser in the dead of winter in NYC and had to wait in line at the gas station behind all the taxi and uber 20 minutes in -10 degrees, thought my fingers would freeze off when it was my turn to take the nozzle... It really dawned on me then how good we have it as EV drivers.

So I have to wonder, does the convenience of gas also mean you would consider replacing your electric smart phone for a gas powered one? I mean you don't have to worry about plugging it in anymore, just take it to the gas station.

 

[Uncle Paul]

If the kids are watching electronic devices while traveling, that could also contribute to motion sickness.

 

[McRat]

Good luck with your purchase, at least you are a 1%'er. Very few people will even try an EV and you are one of the few.

There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to vehicles.

The good news is we are just in the infancy of EVs. In the years to come, we will have much better technology, cheaper prices, and more choices.

 

[aesculus]

I echo the visibility issue and the motion sickness. I am the king of motion sickness and if I am not the one driving on winding roads, can get sick in just about any car.

I once made myself sick coming out of Stinson Beach at dusk in the Tesla. On the way over I had no problems even driving more aggressively. But at dusk my visibility forward was reduced just enough that my brain could not process the upcoming turns and I made myself car sick. I actually looked forward to supercharging for 45 minutes so I could clear my head.

I have heard of people having to sort through family members and place them in cars according to where they are impacted by motion sickness. Some of it is probably the bouncing and swaying in different places but I suspect some is visibility related.

 

[VikH]

Just FYI, the navigator does have a steering assist function. In my opinion it doesn't work well, but it is technically there.

An ICE cooler ironically - what a horrible pun . We eat while we drive. We aren't the kind of people that like to lounge around on road trips that aren't scenic/historic. We would rather just get where we're going. I don't think many people would argue that the superchargers in the rural midwest are surrounded by areas of scenic and/or historic interest. And yes, we don't want to wait 30 extra minutes to charge. And the snow/cold etc do have a significant negative impact on the battery. Myself, wife and 3 kids only need 1 stop in the middle of the particular 5 hour drive that we do several times per year.

Also, I appreciate the OP sharing their experience. It's helpful to all of us in similar situations making similar decisions.

Lincoln's site says the car does not control steering. I am assuming this is the "nudge" system where it nudges you back into the lane, but gives up after a while and it definitely doesn't do curves. I could be wrong as I am not a Lincoln expert.


That was a bad pun. I don't think its fair to describe people who like to eat at restaurants on a road trip as people who are lounging. There are conveniences to stopping. Especially with younger kids (infants/toddlers). Change of scenery, bathrooms, and a table to sit at can do wonders on a long road trip. Also, I don't love eating while driving. Even on autopilot.

I can envision roadtripping with 5 people in an MS as being tough due to space. Do you think you could do the 5 hour trip in winter with one stop in a 100D? I know the 90 pack has problems with degradation and is really a 78-80 kWh pack.

 

[gavine]

So I have to wonder, does the convenience of gas also mean you would consider replacing your electric smart phone for a gas powered one. I mean you don't have to worry about plugging it in anymore, just take it to the gas station?

Reminds me of this:

 

[PeterHG]

Surveys in the past (on this forum, as I recall) indicate that environmental benefits are not the foremost reason that people buy a Tesla.

Aside from that, i don't think you should bash this person -- They made the purchase of both an S and an X, and find they need something else. They came here to tell us their reason. I suggest being nice to people, even if they make a different choice. The OP did not complain or knock the car, just stated her reasons for choosing another.

Yes, you're right. My response was rash, and for that I apologize.

To the point though--Navigators and the like are kind of symbolic of why we're in the environmental mess we are in. None of us are perfect with respect to carbon footprint, but there are probably a dozen excellent vehicles that would meet the OP's stated need with about 2X the MPG as a Navigator.

 

[McRat]

Yes, you're right. My response was rash, and for that I apologize.

To the point though--Navigators and the like are kind of symbolic of why we're in the environmental mess we are in. None of us are perfect with respect to carbon footprint, but there are probably a dozen excellent vehicles that would meet the OP's stated need with about 2X the MPG as a Navigator.

This might be hard to believe but the technology to reduce emissions of all kinds is in a continuous state of improvement. The Navigator is a good example.

Compare Side-by-Side

On the old SAE spec the 2000 Navigator was 300HP and ran on premium getting 13 mpg combined.
On the tighter SAE spec the 2018 Navigator is 450HP and runs on regular getting 18 mpg combined.
Some companies did not bother, as is demonstrated by the Toyota, because they have hybrid credits.

The improvements made this century in driveline and emissions technology have saved more emissions and CO2 than all the EVs and hybrids combined. These improvements have been across all brands in general.

Very, very few know about this. Why? Marketing a cleaner SUV is not going to work. Toyota knows this. The other companies have to due to the 'non-existent' emissions controls we have today according to the news outlets. We have abolished emissions controls; if it's in the news, it's got to be true. And very few people select SUVs based purely on their emissions since they are massively dirty. If you want to help the planet buy the Sequoia, it's a Toyota, named after a tree, and Toyotas are green.

Will anybody reading this short essay understand? Maybe a few. If you want to remove 1,000,000 tons of emissions, it's better to do it a ton at a time than a pound at time. I blame the schools.

 

[Malbrough]

Hey, you tried. Perhaps one day a bigger EV that is a better fit will become available. Not everyone has the perfect family size, the perfect commute distance, the perfect charging situation, etc, for an EV. We do the best we can, and at least you tried it. I know a bunch of folks who could easily fit an EV or two into their household, but they won't even give one a try.

Side note: For the first time in a while, I honestly can't even tell you what the price of gas is now. I assume it's not high, as I haven't seen any news about gas prices, but I just have no idea!

 

[sub]

I also can't imagine going back to an ice from an EV, we still have 2 ICE but the X gets 90% of the miles.

However, I'm not concerned with the environmental affects of the OP's decision, someone else will park an ICE to pick up this model X used so it's a wash. It won't really matter until we can put the ICE manufacturers completely out of business and then slowly remove old ICE from the road.

I also realize that a lot of people have shiny object syndrome. The problem is there is no other shiny object EV so when these people need their next fix they have no choice but to go to ice. Most people try to justify their decisions also.

Now, is it necessary to let the Tesla community know about this decision? Not in my opinion. I don't go on to other brand forums and explain why I have a Tesla over their choice of vehicle, don't see the point.

The OP wasn't "trolly" about it though so I think the rudeness is uncalled for.

I agree on $10 gas, I wished for this long before I had an EV. I have minimal carbon footprint with 8kw solar covering EV driving and home.

 

[copyhacker]

I would have loved to take the X off OP’s hands. Great color combination according to the profile pic. If only she’d posted it to this board...

 

[buttershrimp]

OP, I know the real reason why got a Navigator. Three words.... Matthew F****ing McConaughey. Allright alright alright.

That SNL commercial is maybe the greatest possible video to be seen in response to a TMC thread.

 

[buttershrimp]

I echo the visibility issue and the motion sickness. I am the king of motion sickness and if I am not the one driving on winding roads, can get sick in just about any car.

I once made myself sick coming out of Stinson Beach at dusk in the Tesla. On the way over I had no problems even driving more aggressively. But at dusk my visibility forward was reduced just enough that my brain could not process the upcoming turns and I made myself car sick. I actually looked forward to supercharging for 45 minutes so I could clear my head.

I have heard of people having to sort through family members and place them in cars according to where they are impacted by motion sickness. Some of it is probably the bouncing and swaying in different places but I suspect some is visibility related.

The road to Stinson beach should be named Dramamine Road. Most sick buttershrimp has been driving.... probably because I changed the radio station for a split second and looked down.