Feedback from BMW or other premium brand converts?

[GregD60]

I'm also concerned about the resale value down the road, when all BIG Auto manufacturers inject their half priced EVs in to the market..

I don't see this happening. So far, all of the EVs that have been announced to date, that are reasonably comparable to the Teslas, cost more than the Teslas, have less range, and have no comparable charging network to the Supercharger network. I really do think that Tesla has a several year technology lead over all the major manufacturers when it comes to EVs today. This may change in the future, but I think it is more like a decade or so before the other manufacturers catch up, and that's only if they really try. Most manufacturers today are still afraid of cannibalizing their ICE car sales, so how much they're really trying is debatable.

 

[Alset2go]

My 5 series BMW has been an amazing car,never let me down,fully loaded and I could never complain about either the car or the service I have received.

My Model S 100D arrived last Thursday and I have not smiled in a car like this for years...The German machine really was an ultimate driving machine,but with the i3 and i8 they are years behind the Tesla IMHO.

While not the same finish ,the Tesla is a car you want to drive and be in.

Best wishes,

 

[tkc9789]

Come on, your arguments are usually better than this! This was not the "Teslas can't handle this obscure corner case" argument.

If you look that location up on Google Maps, you'll see that the spot I mentioned is a dead-simple freeway split, with the left lane turning south into 161. It's something that is as basic as it gets, yet Teslas consistently aim for the gore point between lanes, for seemingly no discernible reason. In this example, the environment is such that there are plenty of ways to identify which way the road goes, particularly considering the big fat concrete wall that separates the splitting lanes, since the left lane is an underpass.

Teslas demonstrate that they're only taking a very small set of data into account. They consistently show that they're only capable of making decisions based on what they see over too short a distance ahead and they do not recognize what should be super-basic inputs, such as the big concrete wall ahead (or firetrucks for that matter). On top of that, the software makes ridiculous decisions such as " oh, this must now be a 7-yard-wide lane, let me position myself in the middle of it".

Perhaps because of what I do for a living, I can't help but look at things from the "why does it work the way it does" and "how should/could this work" angles. What I see in Teslas is a system in its infancy, sold however with the insinuation that it's vastly more capable than it really is. Aside from putting overly-trusting drivers in danger, I think a system of this capability generally makes things worse by further lowering the awareness level.

I'm surely not the only one looking forward to the day when some of them texting housewives in 3-ton SUVs are driven to school and back by a competent piece of software rather than be allowed to do their own steering while glancing away from Facebook. I think Autopilot is a dangerous and very sloppy milestone on the way to that.

I concur. EAP is so buggy that I won't use it when the wife is in the car.

 

[Ol'Blue]

An update to my previous comment. Had a change to test update 8.4 a bit more. It’s more in line with the older updates. Still a bit over sensitive, but getting better.

 

[Ol'Blue]

I concur. EAP is so buggy that I won't use it when the wife is in the car.

I was at about this point as well with the previous update. Didn’t want to startle the wife and kid.

Have you had the 8.3 or 9.4 update yet?

 

[destructure00]

Brought it home this afternoon! Conversion from BMW to Tesla complete

 

[PHX2IAD]

Brought it home this afternoon! Conversion from BMW to Tesla complete

View attachment 392332

Looks great in the Arizona sun light. This is the exact spec I am aiming for. I fell in love with MCR when I was out in Scottsdale this past February (ASU alum here).

Question for current/prior Mercedes-Benz owners... How does EAP/FSD compare with MB DISTRONIC? I have a 2016 C with Driver Assistance Package and I love it. It has its limitations but from what I read it is less buggy than EAP. Anyone care to chime in?

 

[GregD60]

Looks great in the Arizona sun light. This is the exact spec I am aiming for. I fell in love with MCR when I was out in Scottsdale this past February (ASU alum here).

Question for current/prior Mercedes-Benz owners... How does EAP/FSD compare with MB DISTRONIC? I have a 2016 C with Driver Assistance Package and I love it. It has its limitations but from what I read it is less buggy than EAP. Anyone care to chime in?

Here's a Car and Driver report from 2016 comparing the MB Distronic to BMW's, Infiniti's, and Telsa's respective systems - Semi-Autonomous Cars Compared! Tesla vs. BMW, Mercedes, and Infiniti – Feature – Car and Driver

The Tesla Autopilot was the solid winner, and it's come a long ways in the last three years. That said, I'm sure the other companies' systems have improved as well. Also, Tesla has often updated the autopilot on all Tesla's with the improvements. Did MB ever update or make improvements to the Distronic on your car?

 

[Ol'Blue]

Brought it home this afternoon! Conversion from BMW to Tesla complete

View attachment 392332

Great choice!

Get it on your Wi-Fi ASAP and get all the updates done.

Welcome to the family!

 

[Ol'Blue]

I was at about this point as well with the previous update. Didn’t want to startle the wife and kid.

Have you had the 8.3 or 9.4 update yet?

That’s supposed to say 8.3 or 8.4

 

[tkc9789]

I was at about this point as well with the previous update. Didn’t want to startle the wife and kid.

Have you had the 8.3 or 9.4 update yet?

No. Still on 5.15

 

[Ol'Blue]

No. Still on 5.15

It gets better, but still a few issues.

 

[destructure00]

Great choice!

Get it on your Wi-Fi ASAP and get all the updates done.

Welcome to the family!

Thanks! Got it connected this afternoon. Delivery center did an update before delivery, I'm on 8.4 currently.

 

[destructure00]

Wish I got some better pics before it got dark, but got my car back from tint and PPF this afternoon. 20% on sides and rear window. PPF on full hood, front fenders, bumper, and mirrors.

 

[jdmd]

I hope the difference between the P3D and your previous BMW 3-series is much less than the big difference between my SR+ and my 2007 BMW 328i with no options except the sport package. The SR+ Model 3 all-season 235/40R-19 tires just cannot cope with the 3,627 pounds effectively, compared to my 3,340 pound BMW, which had stock 255 rear, 225 front Bridgestone Potenza RE050A summer tires. The SR+ leans a lot in corners, compared to the BMW. And loses lateral grip much sooner. However, the Model 3 stability control is excellent. Also, I have driven really poor loaner 3-series from the dealer. The sport package and the tires matter a lot. My point is that the version of Model 3 and the version of BMW 3-series that you are comparing matters a lot. Overall, I love the Model 3 so far, but I probably will upgrade the tires to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, and unlike with an ICE car, I will definitely notice the extra road noise and reduced range.

 

[destructure00]

I hope the difference between the P3D and your previous BMW 3-series is much less than the big difference between my SR+ and my 2007 BMW 328i with no options except the sport package. The SR+ Model 3 all-season 235/40R-19 tires just cannot cope with the 3,627 pounds effectively, compared to my 3,340 pound BMW, which had stock 255 rear, 225 front Bridgestone Potenza RE050A summer tires. The SR+ leans a lot in corners, compared to the BMW. And loses lateral grip much sooner. However, the Model 3 stability control is excellent. Also, I have driven really poor loaner 3-series from the dealer. The sport package and the tires matter a lot. My point is that the version of Model 3 and the version of BMW 3-series that you are comparing matters a lot. Overall, I love the Model 3 so far, but I probably will upgrade the tires to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, and unlike with an ICE car, I will definitely notice the extra road noise and reduced range.

I have zero regrets letting go of my 340i. Pretty much every aspect of my P3D is just as good, if not better.

 

[moltenfire]

I have zero regrets letting go of my 340i. Pretty much every aspect of my P3D is just as good, if not better.

Although to be fair, the BMW comparable to the P3D is the BMW M3

 

[VinElectric]

Sorry to revive an old thread, how’s the build quality of BMW vs. Tesla? One thing I like about my BMW is how solid and composed it feels when going over bumps. I also kinda wish the Model comes with adaptive suspension and heated steering wheels.

 

[Nocturnal]

Sorry to revive an old thread, how’s the build quality of BMW vs. Tesla? One thing I like about my BMW is how solid and composed it feels when going over bumps. I also kinda wish the Model comes with adaptive suspension and heated steering wheels.

My last BMW was 2007 so my perceptions may be very different. My gut says that they are comparable but BMW get's the edge, at least in my 2018 P3. A couple years of improvements have probably made a big difference.

 

[interbear]

Had my Model 3 LR for 2 months now. Came from an Audi A4 Avant Black Edition Quattro. Several Audi’s and BMWs before that as well as a short period with a rattling Land Rover.

My thoughts.

I concur with the prevailing view on here that moving to EV with Tesla is a very positive driving experience. Handling, acceleration, regenerative braking for one pedal driving and ease of home charging overnight are all a great experience.

Things I miss from the Audi:

• Range of 675 miles. I knew this going in though and prefer to be zero emissions rather than pumping CO2 and diesel fumes into the atmosphere. So while I miss it, I’m happy to deal with it and for my journey profile it’s not really an issue given the supercharger network.
• Cruise control. I preferred the fact that the Audi set my cruise control at my current speed rather than the speed limit. Small issue but annoying.
• No Apple CarPlay. I don’t miss the messaging interrupts but I liked having my usual user interface for accessing music and my Apple Music playlists.
• Exterior Build quality - over time I’ve noticed a few things that I didn’t notice on collection. A couple of panel gap differences for example the gap between the rear light cluster and the boot/trunk is different on each side and the frunk hood appears to sit lower on one side than the other.
  
• Interior - overall I like the Model 3 interior, it’s decent and the screen interface is generally good once I got used to it. Seats are far more comfortable than my Audi. But I’ve noticed a noise coming from the top of the drivers door when driving, going over bumps etc, which I’m sure wasn’t there previously. Bit concerned that this may develop into a regular rattle / noise issue similar to a Land Rover I had. That would annoy me. Overall the interior fit and finish of the Audi was superior.

Overall I’m very happy I moved from Audi to Tesla Model 3. The actual driving experience is a joy in comparison, for the first time in years driving is fun. And I am prepared to compromise on range and fit/finish to benefit from zero emission driving as a relatively early adopter. No doubt Audi and others will get there eventually across their range so will be interesting to see if Tesla up their game then, I think they may have to although the supercharger network is a huge differentiator for them.