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First time Tesla owner's initial impressions. Ordering, delivery, driving.

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First EV owner here. I am one of those guys who kept saying "I will be the last guy to buy an EV". I am (was) a piston head kind of guy who loves V8s, and somewhat high end cars. But I really like everything with wheels on. I just wanted to share my subjective feelings about the purchasing experience and the vehicle.

012789D4-F2F0-4494-9FD6-D49FF89FA732.jpeg


Purchase Experience:

It reminded me of buying a Mac or an iPhone. They are definitely going for the look and feel of Apple. Since we are Apple users, it felt familiar.

Pros:
- No negotiations. Also no price hike due to COVID by the dealership, since there is no dealership.
- Online signing through the app.
- Nobody is trying to sell you tire protection or other add on junk products at delivery.

Cons:
- It was not obvious to me that you do not need to apply for financing when ordering. I felt that was needed for the order to move to the next step. Actually, the credit approval is only good for 90 days. Therefore, if you order something that is a few months out, you should select cash to avoid a credit inquiry. Tesla should not even allow you to apply IMHO. Cash can be changed top lease or financing later, so you can apply once within the 90 days window. Since we ended up with multiple orders, and multiple approvals, Tesla's Finance department started question why I have applied for multiple vehicles and this last order almost got denied, even though my credit or income was not an issue.
- Your "sales advisor", or should I say "sales contact", is not much of a help. Mine was not. When we started to run into issues with the above he had no idea what to do, and provided bad information. He finally just stopped talking to me. This was a senior advisor too who is in charge of a demo location.

Delivery:

Pros:
- Everything through the app. All the paperwork, the payment, the signing. Great!

Cons:
- $100k car, $5 treatment. This is not the most expensive car I have bought. But you do expect a bit of attention especially with a very techie car like this. I didn't need any VIP treatment. All I wanted was to get me going with the app and the key cards. Maybe a 10 min orientation. She told me to watch videos. Literarily, she told me to just go and do that on my phone. Meanwhile there were maybe two other customers there. What if an elder couple picks up a car?
- They would not allow me inside the car until I unlocked it, which meant I had to accept delivery. How do you inspect the inside for defects? You don't.
- Car's tire pressure was all over the place to the point that it pulled to the left when accelerating. The windshield was not cleaned from the inside either.
- I went into the service department to buy a 14-50 adapter, and it looked like a very unorganized place. The advisors were sitting in a huge hangar like structure with open doors, without AC, right next to the cars. This in FL. Must be fun during August.

FB2A6A58-77CC-4C2E-B47B-6AE45F4446BD.jpeg


The Car:

This Model S LR replaced a 2019 BMW M5 Competition. So I am comparing it to that.

Pros:
- First and foremost, I have no build issues except a tiny 2mm misalignment on the door trim where it connects into the main console. Reading others having the same experience, maybe Tesla did up the game by 2022.
- To me, this is the best looking EV at the moment. Only the rear lights are a bit dated with the white red pattern. I feel a solid red color would provide a cleaner look.
- Excellent cornering due to the low CG, and yet it is also a smooth ride. I have no idea how that is even possible. M5 was a somewhat rough ride. Definitely worse than this yet I don't feel the Model S has worse handling. The vehicle feels light to me, when I know it is heavy. Btw, great tire choice. I love the Michelins. You do go though them quick (10k on FL roads) but they are quiet and they stick.
- The availability of instant power and torque is a game changer. In 0-60 the S LR is comparable to the M5 but there is no delay and that makes it feel faster.
- All the gadgets and tech is very nice if you like gadgets. I do. This would be a huge list so I won't get into the details but the things I really dig are: Instrument cluster shows traffic in blind sports, and other cars around me. Garage opens when arriving. I have a TV in the car and "free" AC when I sit and wait. The streaming service is great for news channels that I had no access to otherwise. Basic autopilot works very well. Much better than on my previous BMWs. (I have FSD but I have not tried it. I will never qualify for beta.) Green traffic light alert is awesome. Many more...
- The low air resistance has a nice side effect of not having wind noise either.
- More interior space than the M5. More storage space in the cabin and in the trunk. More rear seat leg room but the rear seats do have a bad angle.
- Frunk... yay. Though it is a bit finicky to close.
- Finally someone got the seat ventilation right. On the BMW you could barely feel it. On other cars it is usually too cold or too loud even on low. This is quiet and perfect on low setting.
- The glass roof is great but you can't adjust how much light it allows through. It would be nice to be able to make it brighter. MB has that option.
- The yoke is fine. I got used to it within days. Now I prefer it over the wheel for looks. It is a tiny bit too big but the size allows for a very comfortable hand and elbow position. The steering ratio should be a bit higher or maybe adjustable. Personal preference.
- My actual range available is around 280 miles. My commute is 90 miles (round trip), which is way more than what most drivers do daily. If I charge to 80%, I can do two days. If I would forget to charge one night, I would still be fine. If this works for me, it will work for 90% of the population. Not to mention fast chargers are becoming available more and more.
- Leaving with a "tank" 80% full every morning is great.

015692C3-F327-490B-8EFE-F3BF93F110D6.jpeg


Cons:
- The interior quality is good but not at the level of a 100k vehicle. Especially the fake wood inserts are kind of cheap looking. Is plastic really that much more environmental friendly than a bit of real wood? Just drop the wood look and go for something else. The vegan leather is totally fine though. It looks and feels great.
- The AC goes nuts once in a while. If I go from 73F to 74F it sometimes goes into heating mode when outside air temperature is close to the selected temperature.
- No in car Wifi.
- No top down parking view.
- Lights do not turn into the direction of the turn. Again, $100k car.
- No soft close doors. Probably weight saving. It is fine, but it is hard to go back once you had them. I am always applying too little force and thus I have to shut the door twice most the time. I will get used to it.
- No HUD, though not a big negative since with the yoke the instrument cluster almost feels like I have a HUD. But it would be great if Tesla would make a nice HUD like the new Mercedes EQS.
- Current lights are just ok. They are not bad but definitely behind industry average. I guess that is just about to change with the matrix lights.
- Buckling up your little ones in the rear is a project even with a booster seat. I could not even put in my proper child seats so far. I am waiting for an extension.
- My 4 years old said the rear screen is too small LOL. I think it is fine, but the iPad is there to stay.
- The horn on the yoke is a button. Seriously?
- The range does not really adjust to current driving dynamics. You learn to take X percentage off of it and thus it works. It is also consistent. But it should learn your driving habits. I think this is a bit of a marketing choice and to help with anxiety. No big deal really.

Granted this is still honeymoon times, but my initial impression is: I can't wait for the other S to arrive so I don't have to share the car with my wife. :)) At the moment our other car is a fully loaded 2021 GMC Sierra 2500HD with a 6.6 diesel. Talking about opposites. The GMC is a great truck. So far I never had second thoughts when paying at the pump. I guess you just get used to getting ripped off and ignore it. But yesterday, firs time in weeks I had to fill the tank. I paid $115. The first time in my life it really sunk in that I just threw $115 through the window. Needless to say, we are parking the truck as much as we can until the second S is here.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
First EV owner here. I am one of those guys who kept saying "I will be the last guy to buy an EV". I am (was) a piston head kind of guy who loves V8s, and somewhat high end cars. But I really like everything with wheels on. I just wanted to share my subjective feelings about the purchasing experience and the vehicle.

Purchase Experience:

It reminded me of buying a Mac or an iPhone. They are definitely going for the look and feel of Apple. Since we are Apple users, it felt familiar.

Pros:
- No negotiations. Also no price hike due to COVID by the dealership, since there is no dealership.
- Online signing through the app.
- Nobody is trying to sell you tire protection or other add on junk products at delivery.

Cons:
- It was not obvious to me that you do not need to apply for financing when ordering. I felt that was needed for the order to move to the next step. Actually, the credit approval is only good for 90 days. Therefore, if you order something that is a few months out, you should select cash to avoid a credit inquiry. Tesla should not even allow you to apply IMHO. Cash can be changed top lease or financing later, so you can apply once within the 90 days window. Since we ended up with multiple orders, and multiple approvals, Tesla's Finance department started question why I have applied for multiple vehicles and this last order almost got denied, even though my credit or income was not an issue.
- Your "sales advisor", or should I say "sales contact", is not much of a help. Mine was not. When we started to run into issues with the above he had no idea what to do, and provided bad information. He finally just stopped talking to me. This was a senior advisor too who is in charge of a demo location.

Delivery:

Pros:
- Everything through the app. All the paperwork, the payment, the signing. Great!

Cons:
- $100k car, $5 treatment. This is not the most expensive car I have bought. But you do expect a bit of attention especially with a very techie car like this. I didn't need any VIP treatment. All I wanted was to get me going with the app and the key cards. Maybe a 10 min orientation. She told me to watch videos. Literarily, she told me to just go and do that on my phone. Meanwhile there were maybe two other customers there. What if an elder couple picks up a car?
- They would not allow me inside the car until I unlocked it, which meant I had to accept delivery. How do you inspect the inside for defects? You don't.
- Car's tire pressure was all over the place to the point that it pulled to the left when accelerating. The windshield was not cleaned from the inside either.
- I went into the service department to buy a 14-50 adapter, and it looked like a very unorganized place. The advisors were sitting in a huge hangar like structure with open doors, without AC, right next to the cars. This in FL. Must be fun during August.

The Car:

This Model S LR replaced a 2019 BMW M5 Competition. So I am comparing it to that.

Pros:
- First and foremost, I have no build issues except a tiny 2mm misalignment on the door trim where it connects into the main console. Reading others having the same experience, maybe Tesla did up the game by 2022.
- To me, this is the best looking EV at the moment. Only the rear lights are a bit dated with the white red pattern. I feel a solid red color would provide a cleaner look.
- Excellent cornering due to the low CG, and yet it is also a smooth ride. I have no idea how that is even possible. M5 was a somewhat rough ride. Definitely worse than this yet I don't feel the Model S has worse handling. The vehicle feels light to me, when I know it is heavy. Btw, great tire choice. I love the Michelins. You do go though them quick (10k on FL roads) but they are quiet and they stick.
- The availability of instant power and torque is a game changer. In 0-60 the S LR is comparable to the M5 but there is no delay and that makes it feel faster.
- All the gadgets and tech is very nice if you like gadgets. I do. This would be a huge list so I won't get into the details but the things I really dig are: Instrument cluster shows traffic in blind sports, and other cars around me. Garage opens when arriving. I have a TV in the car and "free" AC when I sit and wait. The streaming service is great for news channels that I had no access to otherwise. Basic autopilot works very well. Much better than on my previous BMWs. (I have FSD but I have not tried it. I will never qualify for beta.) Green traffic light alert is awesome. Many more...
- The low air resistance has a nice side effect of not having wind noise either.
- More interior space than the M5. More storage space in the cabin and in the trunk. More rear seat leg room but the rear seats do have a bad angle.
- Frunk... yay. Though it is a bit finicky to close.
- Finally someone got the seat ventilation right. On the BMW you could barely feel it. On other cars it is usually too cold or too loud even on low. This is quiet and perfect on low setting.
- The glass roof is great but you can't adjust how much light it allows through. It would be nice to be able to make it brighter. MB has that option.
- The yoke is fine. I got used to it within days. Now I prefer it over the wheel for looks. It is a tiny bit too big but the size allows for a very comfortable hand and elbow position. The steering ratio should be a bit higher or maybe adjustable. Personal preference.
- My actual range available is around 280 miles. My commute is 90 miles (round trip), which is way more than what most drivers do daily. If I charge to 80%, I can do two days. If I would forget to charge one night, I would still be fine. If this works for me, it will work for 90% of the population. Not to mention fast chargers are becoming available more and more.
- Leaving with a "tank" 80% full every morning is great.

Cons:
- The interior quality is good but not at the level of a 100k vehicle. Especially the fake wood inserts are kind of cheap looking. Is plastic really that much more environmental friendly than a bit of real wood? Just drop the wood look and go for something else. The vegan leather is totally fine though. It looks and feels great.
- The AC goes nuts once in a while. If I go from 73F to 74F it sometimes goes into heating mode when outside air temperature is close to the selected temperature.
- No in car Wifi.
- No top down parking view.
- Lights do not turn into the direction of the turn. Again, $100k car.
- No soft close doors. Probably weight saving. It is fine, but it is hard to go back once you had them. I am always applying too little force and thus I have to shut the door twice most the time. I will get used to it.
- No HUD, though not a big negative since with the yoke the instrument cluster almost feels like I have a HUD. But it would be great if Tesla would make a nice HUD like the new Mercedes EQS.
- Current lights are just ok. They are not bad but definitely behind industry average. I guess that is just about to change with the matrix lights.
- Buckling up your little ones in the rear is a project even with a booster seat. I could not even put in my proper child seats so far. I am waiting for an extension.
- My 4 years old said the rear screen is too small LOL. I think it is fine, but the iPad is there to stay.
- The horn on the yoke is a button. Seriously?
- The range does not really adjust to current driving dynamics. You learn to take X percentage off of it and thus it works. It is also consistent. But it should learn your driving habits. I think this is a bit of a marketing choice and to help with anxiety. No big deal really.

Granted this is still honeymoon times, but my initial impression is: I can't wait for the other S to arrive so I don't have to share the car with my wife. :)) At the moment our other car is a fully loaded 2021 GMC Sierra 2500HD with a 6.6 diesel. Talking about opposites. The GMC is a great truck. So far I never had second thoughts when paying at the pump. I guess you just get used to getting ripped off and ignore it. But yesterday, firs time in weeks I had to fill the tank. I paid $115. The first time in my life it really sunk in that I just threw $115 through the window. Needless to say, we are parking the truck as much as we can until the second S is here.
You must be new if you don’t think there were any price hikes due to COVID.

Prices on Tesla vehicles were raised like 5 or 6 times during the pandemic.
 
Cons:
- It was not obvious to me that you do not need to apply for financing when ordering. I felt that was needed for the order to move to the next step. Actually, the credit approval is only good for 90 days. Therefore, if you order something that is a few months out, you should select cash to avoid a credit inquiry. Tesla should not even allow you to apply IMHO. Cash can be changed top lease or financing later, so you can apply once within the 90 days window. Since we ended up with multiple orders, and multiple approvals, Tesla's Finance department started question why I have applied for multiple vehicles and this last order almost got denied, even though my credit or income was not an issue.
- Your "sales advisor", or should I say "sales contact", is not much of a help. Mine was not. When we started to run into issues with the above he had no idea what to do, and provided bad information. He finally just stopped talking to me. This was a senior advisor too who is in charge of a demo location.

Delivery:

Pros:
- Everything through the app. All the paperwork, the payment, the signing. Great!

Cons:
- $100k car, $5 treatment. This is not the most expensive car I have bought. But you do expect a bit of attention especially with a very techie car like this. I didn't need any VIP treatment. All I wanted was to get me going with the app and the key cards. Maybe a 10 min orientation. She told me to watch videos. Literarily, she told me to just go and do that on my phone. Meanwhile there were maybe two other customers there. What if an elder couple picks up a car?
- They would not allow me inside the car until I unlocked it, which meant I had to accept delivery. How do you inspect the inside for defects? You don't.
- Car's tire pressure was all over the place to the point that it pulled to the left when accelerating. The windshield was not cleaned from the inside either.
- I went into the service department to buy a 14-50 adapter, and it looked like a very unorganized place. The advisors were sitting in a huge hangar like structure with open doors, without AC, right next to the cars. This in FL. Must be fun during August.
Just making sure those who do the TLDR route at least see that.
 
You must be new if you don’t think there were any price hikes due to COVID.

Prices on Tesla vehicles were raised like 5 or 6 times during the pandemic.
I am new. I was ignoring EVs until now so I've never followed Tesla. I guess you are right. I just now searched it. 2020 price was 69k. Yeah that is a pretty steep hike. Interesting. Just looking at the total package, I kind of felt this was more of a 70k base price car rather than 90k. I still got one, but at 70k I would say it was a great value. With options at just over 100k in my case... value is barely ok but definitely not great. Still I am very happy with our choice. I don't blame them with inflation, supply issues worldwide, etc. Clearly customers are lined up for the LR and all the other models, except maybe the Plaids.
 
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I went into the service department to buy a 14-50 adapter, and it looked like a very unorganized place. The advisors were sitting in a huge hangar like structure with open doors, without AC, right next to the cars. This in FL. Must be fun during August.
Strange. At my local service center, there is just a waiting room. You cannot see or talk to the advisors - they are behind a closed door.
 
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Thanks for your impressions.

One small thing: that’s real wood.

What led you to make the switch from the M5?

Congratulations and enjoy the car!
The M5 was a great car and it worked great for us when we had a 750 and the M5. We did European Delivery with them and picked up both in Munich at the factory. They were great. The 7 was the family car and the M5 was used lightly. The M was a beauty. Marina Bay blue with carbon and white leather inside. But when the lease was up on the 7, as much as we liked it, we did not get another. Mostly the new design is what put us off. The huge grill, iDrive 6, etc. I have been driving BMWs since I was 17. I think I had over 20 of them. But BMW's design took a turn that I simply hate. Not just exterior and interior, but also how the vehicle feels. It was time to look into other brands. The resale value was good on the M due to covid, and the mileage was rapidly increasing on it, so it was time to let it go.
 
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Great review. I came from a BMW 5 Series too, after having owned multiple in a row. Still own a 18 X5 diesel. Biggest weaknesses to me coming from BMW is the media interface is really weak compared to my 2021 BMW and at least in my S LR, the suspension is no where near as good as my BMW. My LR has a bouncy feeling, but it appears not everyone’s is like that. I really miss Carplay too, which would solve a lot of Tesla‘s media issues. Also - can’t believe the options on the drivers console are so basic. Media, album art and other options should be available to view on that too and would really be more like HUD.
 
Great review. I came from a BMW 5 Series too, after having owned multiple in a row. Still own a 18 X5 diesel. Biggest weaknesses to me coming from BMW is the media interface is really weak compared to my 2021 BMW and at least in my S LR, the suspension is no where near as good as my BMW. My LR has a bouncy feeling, but it appears not everyone’s is like that. I really miss Carplay too, which would solve a lot of Tesla‘s media issues. Also - can’t believe the options on the drivers console are so basic. Media, album art and other options should be available to view on that too and would really be more like HUD.
You know I did not even notice this until you wrote this. Yeah why no cover art? To me this is not a big deal but it is kind of expected.

I really dislike Apple's CarPlay. The only useful function I miss from that is initiating FaceTime calls (and easy access to audible). I make many overseas calls and we mostly use FaceTime audio for that. With the S I have to pick up the physical phone.

Actually this is definitely on my wish list:
- Add a phone button to the steering wheel. BMW had this figured out. You tap it once and you see a list of recent calls. Scroll up and down to select a number and tap again to call. When on a call tap once and it hangs up. When it rings tap once and you pick up or scroll up or down (I already forgot which) and tap to decline. Simple, one button does it all.
 
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You know I did not even notice this until you wrote this. Yeah why no cover art? To me this is not a big deal but it is kind of expected.

I really dislike Apple's CarPlay. The only useful function I miss from that is initiating FaceTime calls (and easy access to audible). I make many overseas calls and we mostly use FaceTime audio for that. With the S I have to pick up the physical phone.

Actually this is definitely on my wish list:
- Add a phone button to the steering wheel. BMW had this figured out. You tap it once and you see a list of recent calls. Scroll up and down to select a number and tap again to call. When on a call tap once and it hangs up. When it rings tap once and you pick up or scroll up or down (I already forgot which) and tap to decline. Simple, one button does it all.
Makes sense on CarPlay. People take it or leave it. I liked it because I am a Waze user and also use Apple Music and other apps that Tesla does not offer. Wish we at least had the option to add it, even if I had to pay for it.

So, you think the Tesla suspension is as good as the BMW? My BMW just felt so planted and was very smooth, where the Model S seems like it is all over the place, especially on roads that are not perfect. I may have just gotten a bad one though, although Tesla services says it is within specs.

I agree with all of your positives. Think the wireless charging is awesome too compared to what BMW offered.
 
Makes sense on CarPlay. People take it or leave it. I liked it because I am a Waze user and also use Apple Music and other apps that Tesla does not offer. Wish we at least had the option to add it, even if I had to pay for it.

So, you think the Tesla suspension is as good as the BMW? My BMW just felt so planted and was very smooth, where the Model S seems like it is all over the place, especially on roads that are not perfect. I may have just gotten a bad one though, although Tesla services says it is within specs.

I agree with all of your positives. Think the wireless charging is awesome too compared to what BMW offered.

I did write that the S has no worse handling, but I am not a pro driver. Add to that that in FL there are no great roads either to test handling. The most fun you get here is when you enter the turnpike or you take a 90 degree at an intersection when there are no cars. So really my opinion is based on limited driving. I think it is planted, I also don't find it rough. Take all that with a grain of salt. There is a video of a pro driver on Nordschleife in a Plaid. He did a good time but you can tell the car was a handful. See link. For my daily driving I am happy with the suspension. We just took a trip to Legoland and it was definitely more comfortable than the M5 with the competition package. That is not a negative toward BMW either.

 
I did write that the S has no worse handling, but I am not a pro driver. Add to that that in FL there are no great roads either to test handling. The most fun you get here is when you enter the turnpike or you take a 90 degree at an intersection when there are no cars. So really my opinion is based on limited driving. I think it is planted, I also don't find it rough. Take all that with a grain of salt. There is a video of a pro driver on Nordschleife in a Plaid. He did a good time but you can tell the car was a handful. See link. For my daily driving I am happy with the suspension. We just took a trip to Legoland and it was definitely more comfortable than the M5 with the competition package. That is not a negative toward BMW either.

I’m not sure which service center you use, but ask the receptionist to unlock your new Model S so you can inspect it prior to accepting it. They can do it from the computer.

Best of luck with your new Teslas. Drive them in good health!
 
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The M5 was a great car and it worked great for us when we had a 750 and the M5. We did European Delivery with them and picked up both in Munich at the factory. They were great. The 7 was the family car and the M5 was used lightly. The M was a beauty. Marina Bay blue with carbon and white leather inside. But when the lease was up on the 7, as much as we liked it, we did not get another. Mostly the new design is what put us off. The huge grill, iDrive 6, etc. I have been driving BMWs since I was 17. I think I had over 20 of them. But BMW's design took a turn that I simply hate. Not just exterior and interior, but also how the vehicle feels. It was time to look into other brands. The resale value was good on the M due to covid, and the mileage was rapidly increasing on it, so it was time to let it go.
I read this thinking wow, that’s pretty much how I would sum it up. We went from a bmw 750 and M6 to Tesla X and S.
 
Great review. One note: You may wish to do this before time runs out for you..

I am planing to do so but what document exactly?

I saw the arbitration clause when I signed the order (Veichle order agreement) also I saw one when I signed the documents 24 hours before the delivery? so should I send them 2 letters?

I am still under 30 days for both documents as I took deliver yesterday and ordered the car as It was showing in inventory on first week of February.
 
You must be new if you don’t think there were any price hikes due to COVID.

Prices on Tesla vehicles were raised like 5 or 6 times during the pandemic.
I would have considered a new MSLR (white/cream/19s) at the original base of $80K but it had jumped to $95K by the end of 2021, so instead I went with a Model 3 Performance (red/black/20s) for just under $60K.

The Model 3 base price went up about $1K a week or two after placing my order.

I also sent my arbitration opt-out letter to Tesla (via express mail, so I have proof it was delivered) in late December, and still have not received any notice that it was received/noted/etc.
 
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- No soft close doors. Probably weight saving. It is fine, but it is hard to go back once you had them. I am always applying too little force and thus I have to shut the door twice most the time. I will get used to it.

One thing I noticed on my Model 3 - the doors didn't close easily at first, but after a few weeks the latches "softened up" and closing was much better. I've never experienced that before in a car, but just note that this might get easier for you.
 
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First EV owner here. I am one of those guys who kept saying "I will be the last guy to buy an EV". I am (was) a piston head kind of guy who loves V8s, and somewhat high end cars. But I really like everything with wheels on. I just wanted to share my subjective feelings about the purchasing experience and the vehicle.

View attachment 776097

Purchase Experience:

It reminded me of buying a Mac or an iPhone. They are definitely going for the look and feel of Apple. Since we are Apple users, it felt familiar.

Pros:
- No negotiations. Also no price hike due to COVID by the dealership, since there is no dealership.
- Online signing through the app.
- Nobody is trying to sell you tire protection or other add on junk products at delivery.

Cons:
- It was not obvious to me that you do not need to apply for financing when ordering. I felt that was needed for the order to move to the next step. Actually, the credit approval is only good for 90 days. Therefore, if you order something that is a few months out, you should select cash to avoid a credit inquiry. Tesla should not even allow you to apply IMHO. Cash can be changed top lease or financing later, so you can apply once within the 90 days window. Since we ended up with multiple orders, and multiple approvals, Tesla's Finance department started question why I have applied for multiple vehicles and this last order almost got denied, even though my credit or income was not an issue.
- Your "sales advisor", or should I say "sales contact", is not much of a help. Mine was not. When we started to run into issues with the above he had no idea what to do, and provided bad information. He finally just stopped talking to me. This was a senior advisor too who is in charge of a demo location.

Delivery:

Pros:
- Everything through the app. All the paperwork, the payment, the signing. Great!

Cons:
- $100k car, $5 treatment. This is not the most expensive car I have bought. But you do expect a bit of attention especially with a very techie car like this. I didn't need any VIP treatment. All I wanted was to get me going with the app and the key cards. Maybe a 10 min orientation. She told me to watch videos. Literarily, she told me to just go and do that on my phone. Meanwhile there were maybe two other customers there. What if an elder couple picks up a car?
- They would not allow me inside the car until I unlocked it, which meant I had to accept delivery. How do you inspect the inside for defects? You don't.
- Car's tire pressure was all over the place to the point that it pulled to the left when accelerating. The windshield was not cleaned from the inside either.
- I went into the service department to buy a 14-50 adapter, and it looked like a very unorganized place. The advisors were sitting in a huge hangar like structure with open doors, without AC, right next to the cars. This in FL. Must be fun during August.

View attachment 776098

The Car:

This Model S LR replaced a 2019 BMW M5 Competition. So I am comparing it to that.

Pros:
- First and foremost, I have no build issues except a tiny 2mm misalignment on the door trim where it connects into the main console. Reading others having the same experience, maybe Tesla did up the game by 2022.
- To me, this is the best looking EV at the moment. Only the rear lights are a bit dated with the white red pattern. I feel a solid red color would provide a cleaner look.
- Excellent cornering due to the low CG, and yet it is also a smooth ride. I have no idea how that is even possible. M5 was a somewhat rough ride. Definitely worse than this yet I don't feel the Model S has worse handling. The vehicle feels light to me, when I know it is heavy. Btw, great tire choice. I love the Michelins. You do go though them quick (10k on FL roads) but they are quiet and they stick.
- The availability of instant power and torque is a game changer. In 0-60 the S LR is comparable to the M5 but there is no delay and that makes it feel faster.
- All the gadgets and tech is very nice if you like gadgets. I do. This would be a huge list so I won't get into the details but the things I really dig are: Instrument cluster shows traffic in blind sports, and other cars around me. Garage opens when arriving. I have a TV in the car and "free" AC when I sit and wait. The streaming service is great for news channels that I had no access to otherwise. Basic autopilot works very well. Much better than on my previous BMWs. (I have FSD but I have not tried it. I will never qualify for beta.) Green traffic light alert is awesome. Many more...
- The low air resistance has a nice side effect of not having wind noise either.
- More interior space than the M5. More storage space in the cabin and in the trunk. More rear seat leg room but the rear seats do have a bad angle.
- Frunk... yay. Though it is a bit finicky to close.
- Finally someone got the seat ventilation right. On the BMW you could barely feel it. On other cars it is usually too cold or too loud even on low. This is quiet and perfect on low setting.
- The glass roof is great but you can't adjust how much light it allows through. It would be nice to be able to make it brighter. MB has that option.
- The yoke is fine. I got used to it within days. Now I prefer it over the wheel for looks. It is a tiny bit too big but the size allows for a very comfortable hand and elbow position. The steering ratio should be a bit higher or maybe adjustable. Personal preference.
- My actual range available is around 280 miles. My commute is 90 miles (round trip), which is way more than what most drivers do daily. If I charge to 80%, I can do two days. If I would forget to charge one night, I would still be fine. If this works for me, it will work for 90% of the population. Not to mention fast chargers are becoming available more and more.
- Leaving with a "tank" 80% full every morning is great.

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Cons:
- The interior quality is good but not at the level of a 100k vehicle. Especially the fake wood inserts are kind of cheap looking. Is plastic really that much more environmental friendly than a bit of real wood? Just drop the wood look and go for something else. The vegan leather is totally fine though. It looks and feels great.
- The AC goes nuts once in a while. If I go from 73F to 74F it sometimes goes into heating mode when outside air temperature is close to the selected temperature.
- No in car Wifi.
- No top down parking view.
- Lights do not turn into the direction of the turn. Again, $100k car.
- No soft close doors. Probably weight saving. It is fine, but it is hard to go back once you had them. I am always applying too little force and thus I have to shut the door twice most the time. I will get used to it.
- No HUD, though not a big negative since with the yoke the instrument cluster almost feels like I have a HUD. But it would be great if Tesla would make a nice HUD like the new Mercedes EQS.
- Current lights are just ok. They are not bad but definitely behind industry average. I guess that is just about to change with the matrix lights.
- Buckling up your little ones in the rear is a project even with a booster seat. I could not even put in my proper child seats so far. I am waiting for an extension.
- My 4 years old said the rear screen is too small LOL. I think it is fine, but the iPad is there to stay.
- The horn on the yoke is a button. Seriously?
- The range does not really adjust to current driving dynamics. You learn to take X percentage off of it and thus it works. It is also consistent. But it should learn your driving habits. I think this is a bit of a marketing choice and to help with anxiety. No big deal really.

Granted this is still honeymoon times, but my initial impression is: I can't wait for the other S to arrive so I don't have to share the car with my wife. :)) At the moment our other car is a fully loaded 2021 GMC Sierra 2500HD with a 6.6 diesel. Talking about opposites. The GMC is a great truck. So far I never had second thoughts when paying at the pump. I guess you just get used to getting ripped off and ignore it. But yesterday, firs time in weeks I had to fill the tank. I paid $115. The first time in my life it really sunk in that I just threw $115 through the window. Needless to say, we are parking the truck as much as we can until the second S is here.
Great review. I'm reading your review and felt like I went through the same experience you went. Hopefully we didnt go to the same dealership. I love my Tesla but my sale advisor was sorry and useless, I I wasn't impress with delivery day but watching a few videos on youtube about delivery day had me prepare. With all that said, I didn't think driving a tesla can be that much fun, espcially driving in Miami. I higly recommend you get the PFF protection, it will make driving your car more fun...