Going to pass on AWD to get my Model 3 sooner, anyone else doing the same?

[Model S M.D.]

Very tough choice. I am leaning towards waiting for AWD. Every P85 loaner I've had was a little too loose and "chirped" too much when launching from a stand still. Maybe the smaller motor of the Model 3 will alleviate that slippage? My AWD Model S drives like it is on rails--love that feeling.

 

[Mark Z]

My Model 3 will not even look at snow...I am in SoCal and I will take my X to the mountains instead. But how is the traction on RWD models? I previously always got AWD on all my cars since I hated having tire swirl whenever I floored the car.

The Model S P85 spins the rear tires if I floor it. The AWD models have been superb. With 5 second acceleration, it might not be as troublesome. We need feedback from the Model 3 owners and if rear seat passengers help the traction and slow the acceleration. Looking forward to a test drive to check the tire spin and experience the handling.

 

[vgrinshpun]

Guys, if you can bear a hassle of swapping your wheels/tires set twice a year, consider getting a separate winter wheel + tire set. I am driving RWD 2013 MS P85+. Winter set makes huge difference and affords excellent winter traction, not only for acceleration, but for **braking** and **cornering** as well. I am using winter set of wheels/tires for the last 14 years (10 years on RWD Infiniti G35 prior to my Model S) and it makes huge difference.

I live in hilly development that almost never gets attention of snow plow before I leave for work. I have made it out of our development through the 6" (measured by tape) of unplowed virgin snow in my Model S with winter tires without any problem.

 

[Jason S]

For those that talk about P85 chirping on flooring it - yup, it does now. It didn't do it until after a firmware update around same time as AWD coming out and now it takes just a little finesse to floor it without spinning the tires a little.

Regarding the 3 - yeh, not getting AWD or larger battery because the S is great for all the other purposes (long distance, any snow, etc). Until we had the S we'd thought it would be the "second car" but now just don't want to drive anything else. Guessing the 3 will be just as compelling.

 

[K-MTG]

The Model S P85 spins the rear tires if I floor it. The AWD models have been superb. With 5 second acceleration, it might not be as troublesome. We need feedback from the Model 3 owners and if rear seat passengers help the traction and slow the acceleration. Looking forward to a test drive to check the tire spin and experience the handling.

Darn it!!!! I hope the 3 doesn't do this

 

[Maaz]

The Model S P85 spins the rear tires if I floor it. The AWD models have been superb. With 5 second acceleration, it might not be as troublesome. We need feedback from the Model 3 owners and if rear seat passengers help the traction and slow the acceleration. Looking forward to a test drive to check the tire spin and experience the handling.

This was the one thing that ticked me off about the P85 model s I had. Tired would always slip in sunny California unless my tires were brand new. So awd acceleration is a game changer in my X90D.

 

[ChadS]

AWD definitely helps, but our S85 has never spun the wheels like P85 loaners I have had. Neither did my RWD Roadster. I think it is limited to the P85.

 

[Jason S]

AWD definitely helps, but our S85 has never spun the wheels like P85 loaners I have had. Neither did my RWD Roadster. I think it is limited to the P85.

S85 doesn't have the power to break traction at the current tuning. P85 was really close on initial tuning - might get a little chirp on 21" Conti tires when unweighted; corning - but now it is easy to spin the 19" tires and I'm not sure about the 21s anymore.

The long range 3 on low rolling resistance 18" tires might spin, might not. It most likely won't on stock 19" tires.

 

[n00bie]

AWD is very versatile (plus launch faster), but best cars to drift are RWD because they have less grip so they can slide off the curve easier (plus less weight and less power loss).

waiting on a used RWD + 19".

 

[djplong]

Same decision here. I wanted a big-battery dual-motor car but... Dual motors will cost me $7500 plus whatever the option really costs. There's just no way that the full tax credit will last long enough to cover dual-motor cars.

At least they put the big battery out early. That it exceeds 300 miles makes me very happy. The only decision I really have to make is the color (I'll go with the standard wheels thankyouverymuch)

 

[kablammyman]

Going to pass on AWD to get my Model 3 sooner, anyone else doing the same?

Hell no. I waited this long, why stop now for a car that wont be orth the wait IMO. I already have an EV, and Im converting an ICE to an EV, so I can wait.

 

[cbutters]

I've been very tempted to pass on AWD to get it sooner, but I don't think I'm going to.
I'll probably lose the full tax credit but I don't really care.

A) I've been eyeing this car since the beginning, and always knew 35,000 would be the base price, so I expected upwards of 50K for a fully loaded model anyways.
B) The model 3 has kindof given me a unique situation of being able to save $$ for close to a year already, having another year+ to continue saving actually helps me to be able to afford the car and gives me a goal to not spend my money frivolously.
C) I expect the dual motor version will have greater range, handling and acceleration numbers.
D) I've already invested so much headspace, money preparation, etc into the car, that I wouldn't feel satisfied to not get the version of it I really want.
E)If they really do offer a "P" version of the car, waiting for the dual motor is the first step, and I'd like to know the details of the "P" before making a final decision. (If the P option is more than 10K, I'll be happy with just the AWD LR version)
F) I live probably the steepest longest hill in the entire state of Utah. The AWD will almost certainly make a difference in me being able to get home in the winter on stormy days.

So yeah, I don't want to give up the version I really want for a ~6 month wait difference.

 

[boiler81]

It's probably been mentioned, but in Washington State where I live, going though the mountain passes in winter often requires two wheel drive cars to chain up, whereas AWD cars/trucks with all season tires can go right through. State Patrol keeps folks honest.
Since I have to travel year round across the Cascade range (two mountain passes), I'm waiting for AWD. I'm getting too old to kneel and/or lay down on a snow/slush covered road shoulder to fight getting chains on/off.

 

[Shock-On-T]

AWD is most important on the S, because it's heavier and more powerful.

Unless you're driving on snow a lot you probably won't need the extra traction. The Tesla traction on ice and snow is already pretty legendary in RWD.

For the 3 I'll probably get the RWD when it eventually reaches Australia in 2019. Hasn't snowed in Sydney since the start of the Holocene.

 

[Sportstick]

Las Vegas....hmmmmmmmmm.....if I made it through Michigan with RWD (albeit with Blizzaks) all these years, LV should be easy!

 

[kk7p]

It's a tough choice. I had an early P85. RWD forces the rear tires to handle both the propulsion and the braking. A set of tires lasted about 25k miles. Car had 68k miles (3rd set of Michelins) when I traded it for a CPO 90D. Tire wear is far more even now, and the tires look like they'll go 40,000 miles instead of 25,000, based on wear rate to date. Handling is much better in corners, etc.

So it comes down to timing. I can get a RWD model 3 in the Oct-Dec 2017 timeframe, or an AWD in the Jul-Oct 2018 time frame. If there is a high probability the full federal tax credit will still be available to me when the AWD model 3 is deliverable, I'll probably wait. If it won't be, then I'll go RWD: $7,500 (or $3,750) can buy a lot of tires!

 

[jkennebeck]

I opted the other route. After finding out that the AWD and performance models would be another at least year wait, I found a 2015 CPO S P85D and cancelled my 3 res.

 

[broncobilly]

Like Violet, I WANT IT NOW!!!!!

 

[ahagge]

Much as I'd like to have it, I'll probably pass on AWD because a) losing out on at least part of tax credit, b) don't need hyper-performance, and c) ummm...California. Oh, and d) I want it NOW!

I'll probably think long and hard about AWD when the Y comes out, especially if it's more off-road friendly than the X is (fingers crossed)...

 

[jpkreger]

I'm in Alaska, so I'd love to have the AWD. However, it would mean the difference between a Feb-April delivery and Aug-Oct (with the corresponding rebates). I'll be keeping my F150 for those times when the city plows can't keep up, but otherwise going RWD with good snow tires. We're pretty similar to Norway in terms of climate and topography, so I have faith after seeing the videos and reports out of there. As bonus, this means I'll be getting the premium package, which is nice.