Dan203
Active Member
Those are both very niche cars though. Not really a viable choice as a daily driver.
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Forgoing BMW / Mercedes / Lexus for Tesla?
- Thread starter JetFalcon
- Start date
Those are both very niche cars though. Not really a viable choice as a daily driver.
Petrocelli
Member
This is my last post on this thread.
Here's what a tell young lawyers: Have a nice car, but not too nice because clients will resent it.
I drive a C300 with minimum options. It cost about $46,000. That's about right for a 60 year old lawyer.
Your lawyer drives a sensible Acura. Nice, but not too nice.
The same is true of a Model 3. Nice, but not too nice.
And all Teslas have status -- which will help their resale value.
That's it.
Out.
hocr
Member
Not really sure how clients of lawyers know what kind of car their attorney drives. I worked in a few law offices over my lifetime and couldn't begin to tell you what any of those lawyers drove. If you are talking about real estate agents who I've seen locally driving Mercedes around to impart the impression that they are very successful at selling real estate, where they have to drive their clients around to properties, that's one thing but lawyers? Our last real estate agent showing us properties a number of years ago drove us around in her Mercedes. I no sooner know or care to know what kind of car my doctor, banker or barrista drives.
To me Mercedes are like the Cadilacs of yesteryear. There's a whole younger generation of adults out there who don't care to impress despite some in their age group seemingly focused on selfies and bling. One of the things I noticed when I was waiting in line to get a quick sit down in the Model 3 when it was first making it's rounds in Stores was how all over the age spectrum the people interested in the car were. Definitely looked to be all from varied income levels too. No one looking to put on airs of self-importance. I don't see that among the friends that we have that have Teslas or among those fellow owners I've met and chatted with at Superchargers or events or Tesla and Coffees. Very down to earth people enjoying their car. And by the statistics of cars that were traded in for new Teslas, varied income levels seems to hold true as well. In fact on the forum here I can only think of a small handful of people who have made a point of indicating what they might earn or have in the way of assets.
To me Mercedes are like the Cadilacs of yesteryear. There's a whole younger generation of adults out there who don't care to impress despite some in their age group seemingly focused on selfies and bling. One of the things I noticed when I was waiting in line to get a quick sit down in the Model 3 when it was first making it's rounds in Stores was how all over the age spectrum the people interested in the car were. Definitely looked to be all from varied income levels too. No one looking to put on airs of self-importance. I don't see that among the friends that we have that have Teslas or among those fellow owners I've met and chatted with at Superchargers or events or Tesla and Coffees. Very down to earth people enjoying their car. And by the statistics of cars that were traded in for new Teslas, varied income levels seems to hold true as well. In fact on the forum here I can only think of a small handful of people who have made a point of indicating what they might earn or have in the way of assets.
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Drive what you enjoy and what you can afford. Buying things for "prestige" should be the least of your concerns. People should judge you based upon you, not upon your car.
My brother is a busy heart surgeon at Cedars-Sinai and he drives a Honda, even though he could drive anything he likes. He just doesn't feel the need to drive an expensive car. I may have convinced him to get a Tesla, when he came to visit me this Summer, but I'm not sure.
My brother is a busy heart surgeon at Cedars-Sinai and he drives a Honda, even though he could drive anything he likes. He just doesn't feel the need to drive an expensive car. I may have convinced him to get a Tesla, when he came to visit me this Summer, but I'm not sure.
Partnerships and sharing is copying, it's not a bad decision when it is one of the most effective designs. Tesla has reinvented nearly everything else in the car. If they had thought of a better way, the wheel stalks wouldn't still have the exact same functions as Mercedes on every current Tesla.
scubastevo80
Member
I agree it matters to some people, but you should buy what you like and what is the best option for “you”, not because of how others will perceive it. I could care less what others think of me owning two Tesla’s nor do I feel the need to actively sell others on why I think the cars are the best thing since sliced bread.
I’m still a car guy so I’d happily drive an old muscle car, a late 90s Honda, an early 2000’s BMW 3-Series, an s2000 and many more cars. And I’d certainly be happy to have a proper convo with those guys about why they prefer X brand over Tesla.
It's not just a thing from BMW or automatic cars... I actually had an AUDI for rent a couple of months ago.. It was actually the audi A3 iwth the S package... So something that had a lot of horsepower, but it also had an AWFUL lot of lag... it was flooring it, and then 3 seconds later it would take off...
Also, it wasn't an automatic car, it was a manual, but in EU they are so concerned about the cars being ECO friendly that they don't even work well...
BTW, I have a Suzuki Swift, so not really like I got used to the acceleration of an electric and then I am ramping against petrol cars...
I am actually a petrol enthousiast... but you gotta recognise that the electric cars are just quite ahead of the petrol ones
LOL - I certainly don’t fit into that mold.
I bought the Tesla because I like the car regardless of what others think about me. Go figure. In fact, in Michigan, I like it that not many people even notice my Model S. They just think it’s a normal sedan. Yes, I think it’s a sharp car but it’s not overly noticeable unless one knows what to look for.
For example, this past weekend I was parked next to a really nice red Miata convertible at a restaurant while I sat outdoors. I noticed 5 people walk by and they all commented on the Miata. Didn’t even notice my car. And I’m fine with that.
After lunch, we left at the same time and I complimented the owner of the Miata about his car. (It was in great shape and nice red color.). He then asked, is that a Tesla Model S? I said yes. He said, how do you like it? I love it, I said. I then asked if he had ever been in one. He said no. I took him for a test drive and let him drive it. He couldn't stop smiling. Not sure if he will get one, but he did enjoy it. I didn’t pimp out my referral code.
It’s not that impressive in Cali. Housing is so ridiculous, that’s the going rate for many professionals.
I was coming from a long string of Audis and BMWs. The Model 3 is just such a better car than anything coming out of Germany. The experience goes well beyond what you experience in a test drive. It really is a blackberry vs. iphone kind of transformation.
Anyways, lots of super nice cars in my neck of the woods. I get way more questions / positive comments about the Model 3 than any other previous car I've had, including a pretty nice M3.
Anyways, lots of super nice cars in my neck of the woods. I get way more questions / positive comments about the Model 3 than any other previous car I've had, including a pretty nice M3.
LoL, that is pretty brutal. But then kind of expected because there is literally a Tesla everywhere you go, and they all look the same. They probably would have still commented on that Miata even if there was a $100-150k Tesla Model X or S sitting next to it.
Dad used to have a 2006 Miata / manual. It was slow, plus shifting made it even slower. Current Model 3 Dual Motor is way faster. It did get compliments, but probably because its made to be a fun car, not a commuter car. After driving EV, I would not wanna go back to shifting on a Miata, since that car is favorite among manuel transmission fanatics.
It was a pain to drive the Miata for normal commuting. Especially going into reverse, like you have to do alot more. At least with Tesla, you never have to worry about stalling, which is a huge problem with the Miata if you like forgot and dropped the clutch while in gear at a red light. I don't even know why some people still like clutch / Manuel driving in 2019, it's so inconvinient and just seems an outdated way to drive, especially when you can drive an EV and have no gears / clutches at all.
Yes...there was a 105k Tesla Model S sitting next to it. Haha
Also in West Michigan, Tesla is still a very rare sight. I might see a couple a month.
I like manual transmissions because they're fun. I don't "worry about stalling", and it's as much "a distraction" as maintaining a balance while riding a bicycle is a distraction -- people just do it, and they enjoy it.
I had a Honda S2000 which has one of the all-time legendary gearboxes, similar to some of the Miatas. Heel and toeing and double clutching and rev matching are fun. Speed isn't everything. Some people just enjoy the process. Compared to a restaurant meal I can't prepare as fast, plate as pretty, or make things taste as good. But I and many others cook at home because , you know , the F word.
Some billions of people operate manual transmission every single day and they're not "a pain" to operate requiring doing "alot more". You prefer a 4-wheeled appliance that goes from A to B (rapidly) and that's fine. Tons of people feel the same way. Just realize the opposite experience exists, and other people find merit in operating revving, screaming, characterful machinery.
I'm in Southern CA, and they are like everywhere. Are people in Michigan still into their Fords or Chevys, since Michigan is one of the known places where American cars are made? Not Tesla American, but like traditional cars.
Kind of ironic Tesla doesn't really have that "American Car" idea compared to Ford, Dodge, Chevy, etc. I once thought it was European just because it Tesla were more compared to Audi, Mercedes, BMW more than Ford or Dodge.
My landlord had a S2000, it was a very intuitive car made for a race fan. I once sat in a heavily modded Corvette with a super heavy cluch, like it was a leg weight machine at the gym. I couldn't believe that guy was willing to drive a car with such a heavy clutch, probably had to really love racing to put up with the inconvenience. Is there any benefit performance wise anyone would like to drive with a heavy clutch, even if its harder?
It probably be the hardest car to try parking in a tight parking garage. Trying to feather the gas and clutch to get around tiny spots.
Hondas of the 90s and 00s are known to have well-judged clutches. More important is to transmit pedal feel -- when the clutch bites. (Modern Honda and others just feel like a video game). The S2000 was great at both.
Mustangs and other muscley cars have stiffer pedal feel. Friend has a Murcielago, and like all Lamborghinis (when they still had a clutch pedal!!!), it's stiffer than a teenage boy at the school dance. Beyond point of enjoyment, IMO. It's something to due with the beefier power plate and clutch, needed to cope with high torque.
The Porsche Carrera GT supercar was known to have a notoriously difficult one to operate. More "regular" Porsches, along with the S2000, and Miatas, are the ones commonly praises for great manual gearboxes.
I had a BMW X6 and prefer Lucy. The vented seats in the X6 were useless it was so weak. The zillion ways of adjusting the seat didn’t really seem to make it anything special...just complicated. The Jaguar XF had nice seats...ventilation was robust and gorgeous styling. Not really physically more or less comfortable than Lucy. The only seats I’ve had that I’d hands down say were more comfortable were in a Hummer H2. Freaking amazing.
