First impression of driving a Model 3

[chronopc]

The Tesla navigation screen takes some time getting used to. It tended to overestimate the distance to the intersection so sometimes I thought I should turn at the next one. I can pinch to zoom further in, but after a minute or so it bounces back to the original zoom level. My eyesight isn't that good these days.

It's pretty similar as Google Maps to me only on a much better screen. I listen for the audio instruction to turn before I make a turn.

 

[angelman]

I am surprised that navigation is the thing that puts you off the car. Most cars today have such awful nav systems still unless they are using Android auto. Tesla navigation is at least on a par with google maps (though it would be great if it could show accidents). How you can compare having a little phone screen jammed in the corner of the windshield with the big screen I don't know. I have never had any problems with screen glare (though I do have a matte screen protector so maybe that helps alot). As for the zooming in, I think sometimes it does sort of get a little stuck in the zoomed out mode on occasion. Mostly I find it is too zoomed in. I rarely used navigation in the past even with my phone and google maps as I find it confusing and prefer to train my brain to learn the routes. Here in NYC though the roads are incredibly confusing and badly laid out and navigation is really essential. I still miss turns but it gets me back on track pretty quick. The route planning is at least as good as google I find.

 

[BillO]

I find it interesting so many comments about screen glare not being a problem. I have over 6000 miles on my Model 3 and I can tell you, screen glare is definitely a problem. For me at least. Try driving west when the sun is rising behind you, or east with the sun going down. The screen washes out even set to 100% brightness. In some situations, the backup camera becomes useless too because of too much glare. I love my white seats, but they too can make it so bright the screen is very hard to read. I really need to try one of those anti-glare shields.

 

[angelman]

I find it interesting so many comments about screen glare not being a problem. I have over 6000 miles on my Model 3 and I can tell you, screen glare is definitely a problem. For me at least. Try driving west when the sun is rising behind you, or east with the sun going down. The screen washes out even set to 100% brightness. In some situations, the backup camera becomes useless too because of too much glare. I love my white seats, but they too can make it so bright the screen is very hard to read. I really need to try one of those anti-glare shields.

Do you have a screen protector? If not maybe that would help. I put a screen protector almost immediately so have never really driven the car without one. I never have finger prints, and it seems to reduce glare and reflections very well it seems. Decent use of $50

 

[cab]

Have any of you guys tried tilting the screen a few degrees. Looks pretty easy to at least try per this video:

 

[SigNC]

I think you'd find the whole screen very easy to use after a few days. I found it easy to use very quickly.

 

[Matt L]

I rent a Model 3 via Turo for a day trip from San Francisco to San Jose. This is my first extended experience behind the wheel of a Model 3. All previous experience was with test drives which allowed for only 30 minutes or so of actual driving.

My impressions:

Positives:
- The car drives very tightly. Don't know how my passengers will like the ride but it has a very sporty handling.
- I was nervous to let autopilot took over at first. It brakes later than I normally do (or just that I did not feel I was in control). But after it was simply magic. The first few auto lane change was similarly scary but I got used to it by the night. Traffic cruise control makes cruising through traffic jams a peace.
- The screen shows distance to other objects in front and behind the car which assist parking tremendously.
- Plenty of superchargers in the area. A trip to San Jose and back costs $10 in electricity.

Negatives (I am admittedly nitpicking here):
- The screen was unviewable in bright sunlight. I later found out that there are matte screen cover for the Model 3 but the car I rented didn't have it.
- Navigation was very distracting. I was totally unfamiliar with the area (coming from Calgary, Alberta) and had to rely on GPS for directions. The zoom level is too far: I don't need to see 10 miles ahead, just the next intersection where I need to make a turn. Lane guidance was similarly hard to see. I had to turn my head and take my eyes off the road to look at the screen. Google Maps on my phone was easier to navigate. It would help tremendously if the screen was angled toward to the driver. A HUD would have been fantastic.

I was deadset on making the Model 3 my next car but now I'm holding back a bit. Most of the technologies in the Model 3 will show up in other cars within the next couple years, when I plan to change my car. And I frankly don't know when Autopilot will move up to Level 3 self-driving. Level 2 is pretty easy to find in modern cars. Even the base Honda Accord 2019 looks very compelling at half the price of the (still unicorn) base Model 3. Of course, all Teslas have the advantage that is OTA updates.

What do you think?

Uhhh why come post your limited impressions of a car that isn’t yours to a forum of owners?

Thanks for informing me about my car! Very useful!

And BTW, in two years when other cars have copied the model 3, the model 3 you drove will be much different than the one you drove. <head explode>

 

[John Beans]

Make sure you have peeled off the screen film that came with the car.

 

[BillO]

Make sure you have peeled off the screen film that came with the car.

Ha, that’s a good one. I didn’t even notice it was on there for like a week after I got the car!