Given the most recent price cuts (April 19) what is the advantage of buying the Model Y LR instead of the SR?

[lencap]

Today I ordered a Model Y AWD with the 4680 pack manufactured in Austin. Hopefully I’ll get it by late May at the latest. LR delivery at least a month longer. Tempted to get the Performance, which will likely arrive far sooner, but resisted an impulse purchase. I can say that despite the reviews about the harsh and jittery Performance ride, that wasn’t my experience. The ride was firm but controlled and enjoyable. Acceleration is true sports car territory, and handling seems fine during a 30 minute test drive on all kinds of road surfaces and highways.

My neighbor has a 2022 Y LR AWD and I couldn‘t help noticing that the car I took for a test ride today is much quieter and rides better than her car. The newly added carpeting and door material/construction seems to make a difference.

I don’t know if TX production is different/better from Fremont, but I was pleasantly surprised and ordered it on the spot before Tesla realizes they cut prices too much and starts raising them. My 2018 LR Model 3 RWD had a list price $6,000 more than the Model Y I just ordered. That’s truly amazing.

 

[tashtibet]

owner of 2017 Bolt & 2020 MY (replaced my 2018 M3)-Bolt is simply Affordable. As I was planning to get MYSR 4680 the price dropped $5k-I specifically want white interior. People want long range but hardly take it on road trip. It's like Cell plan-everyone gets unlimited talk & text but nobody use it that way. Bolt is Point A2B but Tesla has all the entertainment etc. I take my MY for camping but I can't do camping or many other things in the Bolt-simply commute!

 

[ERD5406]

I ordered this week MY all wheel drive red/white. Had ordered in Feb MYLR but decided to cancel. EDD still shows generic Apr/May. I am in Virginia. Hope for all of us to have good experience and not too long a wait.

 

[vickh]

Today I ordered a Model Y AWD with the 4680 pack manufactured in Austin. Hopefully I’ll get it by late May at the latest. LR delivery at least a month longer. Tempted to get the Performance, which will likely arrive far sooner, but resisted an impulse purchase. I can say that despite the reviews about the harsh and jittery Performance ride, that wasn’t my experience. The ride was firm but controlled and enjoyable. Acceleration is true sports car territory, and handling seems fine during a 30 minute test drive on all kinds of road surfaces and highways.

My neighbor has a 2022 Y LR AWD and I couldn‘t help noticing that the car I took for a test ride today is much quieter and rides better than her car. The newly added carpeting and door material/construction seems to make a difference.

I don’t know if TX production is different/better from Fremont, but I was pleasantly surprised and ordered it on the spot before Tesla realizes they cut prices too much and starts raising them. My 2018 LR Model 3 RWD had a list price $6,000 more than the Model Y I just ordered. That’s truly amazing.

Good move. I'm debating the same, but only test drove LR. Did you compare both 23 versions? I've read the AWD handling is actually better due to battery pack

 

[lencap]

Just got confirmation that my car will be ready in a week! I am delighted, and thanked the sales rep, asking her how did she manage to get such an early delivery date. She said that likely what happened is that a prior reservation in the exact same spec I ordered was cancelled, and since I had placed my order I was next in line and got the car!

In terms of the ride - BOTH of the 2023 Model Y test drives (Y AWD, Y Performance) had MUCH BETTER suspensions than my friend's 2022 Model Y LR. In addition to the better suspension, the noise level in both cars is also noticeably lower than the 2022 version. Reviewers have pointed out that Tesla added carpeting to the rear hatch area, improved the rear storage area screen to provide better sound isolation and a magnetic grip to hold it in place, and also added carpeting and a better sound isolation panel in all the doors. The improvement is noticeable.

My only concern is that there seem to be a larger number of people complaining about built issues - panel gaps/alignment/motor failures than in the past years. I imagine the larger number of cars being produced is part of the reason, along with people expecting some problems due to the widely known production problems in the past. Consumer Reports Annual car issue, for example, suggests that all Teslas are problem prone. That data is likely very dated as the surveys are on cars that are 2018-22 production.

The Y AWD drive has the 4680 battery pack and is only produced in Austin. It uses the new "SuperPress" manufacturing device which essentially produces both the front and rear structures of the car in one piece which has the potential to greatly improve and standardize quality by eliminating several assembly steps. The 4680 battery pack helps as well, since the front and rear assemblies attach directly to it as a stressed member. The rear hatch is likely the only remaining area of concern, and that can be adjusted with far less effort than panels.

Hopefully paint issues are less of a problem now than they had been. I viewed an interview that Elon gave saying that part of the problem with paint was that they were running the assembly line too quickly and the paint didn't have time to set before moving through the production process. It's been corrected.

All together I expect to have a Model Y with the highest level of production quality currently available. Both the LR and Performance use the 2170 battery packs and don't benefit from the assembly change using the 4680 battery. That's why I bought the AWD version, along with my daily driving habits which are far more modest than the 279 mile range on the AWD package. The quick SuperChargers fill in whatever range gap I may need.

 

[vickh]

Great review. Better build+cheaper=good deal. The range difference is worth guaranteeing the new build process

 

[twannnabe]

Lencap - I’m in a similar boat (or should I say “Bolt” as you) and considering the same choices. Did you end up trading to Tesla? Were they somewhat fair in their offer for the EUV?

 

[vickh]

Does the AWD have 2 motors or 1?

 

[lencap]

The reason I bought the car now is that I received an overpriced offer for the value of the EUV by several thousand dollars - the appraiser may not have understood the tax credit fully. Their offer was far higher than anyone else. Tesla’s offer was lower than others, but within 10% Of the others excluding CarMax.

AWD is dual motor and other than range and assembly process has all the features of the LR. In 2018 when I bought the Model 3 range was very important. Since then the faster SuperCharger speeds and increase in locations makes range far less of an issue for me. I saw little downside and all upside with the Austin built AWD.

There may be some issues with the new battery pack that we learn about later, but I’m fine with the purchase.

 

[bluenycom]

Does the AWD have 2 motors or 1?

All EV with AWD have to have at least 2 motors, some have 3 or 4. No EV with AWD has single motor as none have drive shaft between front and rear wheels. That would add too much complexity.

 

[GOVA]

More range alone is worth it for me. If you travel at around 85 the LR should do around 200 miles. SR will do 160. This matters. Once you hit cold, which in your case might be rare (?), this compounds to even less range.

With such minimal price difference, I'd go for LR 100%.

Conversely, if you drive 'around the block' doing 80 miles a week without even hitting the freeway it is a different story.

 

[vickh]

Is the MYAWD more efficient vs LR?

 

[Hotshot5959]

I know I am a little late here but watch this video the difference between the range of LR and AWD(4860) seems big on numbers but isn't that much of a difference in real world.

 

[vickh]

I know I am a little late here but watch this video the difference between the range of LR and AWD(4860) seems big on numbers but isn't that much of a difference in real world.

Great video
I wonder if it's b/c the AWD is more efficient?

 

[Hotshot5959]

Great video
I wonder if it's b/c the AWD is more efficient?

it is more efficient in city but not a huge margin
AWD CITY/HWY = 129/116 over all 123 MPGe
MYLR CITY/HWY = 127/117 over all 122 MPGe

but i guess it is more about reaching from A to B lets say the distance between A to B is 400 miles
if you have a AWD or a LR you are probably going to stop 2 times anyways just what exactly the video shows even on a long trip both will have to stop at the same charging station no matter their range.
it is just about that minor range of security which LR gives but honestly there can be mixed opinions about it.

 

[vickh]

it is more efficient in city but not a huge margin
AWD CITY/HWY = 129/116 over all 123 MPGe
MYLR CITY/HWY = 127/117 over all 122 MPGe

but i guess it is more about reaching from A to B lets say the distance between A to B is 400 miles
if you have a AWD or a LR you are probably going to stop 2 times anyways just what exactly the video shows even on a long trip both will have to stop at the same charging station no matter their range.
it is just about that minor range of security which LR gives but honestly there can be mixed opinions about it.

Good info. It only adds up on really long trips but not much time b/c how fast SCs are.


Related: My SR 3 is more efficient but a lot less range I believe (It maxes out at 190 miles now, down from 220 at delivery) I believe the Y is better at degradation Q: is 4680 pack more so?

 

[Hotshot5959]

I guess the 4860 battery is still new for a lot of reviews, my guess is we should know better by end of the year as a lot of car with these new battery packs are rolling out.

 

[DanielR26]

Only the Model Y AWD has the 4680 battery.

No model Y in the US has a LFP battery that can/should regularly be charged to 100%.

The MY AWD is recommended to be charged to 100% regularly per Tesla. This is because software limits it's range not the battery chemistry so your not actually "topping off" the battery and therefore can get more of the advertised range. When comparing to MYLR at 90% charge you're really only getting about 17 miles more per charge.

 

[ucmndd]

The MY AWD is recommended to be charged to 100% regularly per Tesla. This is because software limits it's range not the battery chemistry so your not actually "topping off" the battery and therefore can get more of the advertised range.

Literally none of this is true.

 

[DanielR26]

Literally none of this is true.

That's what they told me the other day via texting them. Confirmed it in store as well with Service Tech.