Happy Anniversary to us...

[Eclectic]

[/IMG]
Four years ago today we took a risk and bought a Tesla. We certainly weren't the early adopters, but our car was one of the first 25,000 Model S's sold (something like that, maybe closer to 20,000 for those counting) and we felt that it was a risky move to go from the established makers that we had been happy with to try out something new. So we took a ride to the factory (Fremont is just down the road from us), took a test drive and bought a P85 on the spot (green, in fact).

Maybe we got lucky, but we never had a single problem with the P85. It was expensive, but it had perks that really mattered to my wife, who has to commute in Bay Area traffic. It wasn't hard at all to go from gas stations to plugging in.

We then upgraded to the P85D when it was first announced. It's an amusing car and we still have it. We're well over 100,000 miles combined on the Model S's and have had no real problems (other than promises made about features that didn't quite come true).

The next car won't be a Tesla, and probably will be an ICE. Lots of reasons for this, but primarily we're just bored with the Tesla. Totally a personal preference, as I'm incredibly impressed with how much Tesla got right with its first sedan/mass market car. It's truly amazing and revolutionary (though it has some serious limitations, which likely will be resolved sooner rather than later).

I wish Tesla would have focused more on making significant improvements to the Model S (interior, features, exterior design) rather than delving into things like semis, but it ain't my company.

Overall, I'm very happy I took the risk.

 

[TLej]

Congratulations, and good for you for trying something new 4 years ago. Personally I can't imagine either getting bored with the car, or going back to the world of ICE, but to each their own and you'll always be able to say you were part of the early movement towards transportation electrification.

 

[Canuck]

Four years for me too but it took four months to get mine when I ordered it up here in those days.

It wasn't hard at all to go from gas stations to plugging in.

Hard? It was so much easier and has made my life so much better. Four years of driving by gas stations instead of into them hasn't been hard at all for me, compared to plugging in.

The next car won't be a Tesla, and probably will be an ICE. Lots of reasons for this, but primarily we're just bored with the Tesla.

Now you totally lost me but to each his own. It takes all kinds to make the world go round.

I wish Tesla would have focused more on making significant improvements to the Model S (interior, features, exterior design) rather than delving into things like semis, but it ain't my company.

It seems to me the move from your non-AP to AP was a "significant improvement". Plus, they changed the nose-cone on the exterior. I can't see any more exterior changes that would improve the look but I do agree that the interior is due for a refresh, although I really like the minimalist design and no centre console of our classics.

 

[ABVA]

Congratulations all. I am also one of you that made a leap of faith back in October of 2013. Never regretted it and gave my 2013 S85 to my son (until he gets his Model 3) BTW he is a wonderful Son.
I also bought 2017 100D Model S with AP2. Now we have two Model Ss in my household, my nephew owns 2 Model Ss, and my cousin in Bay area another one, giving us a total of five Teslas in the family.
GO TESLA

 

[JPP]

See my sig--still smiling in my 2013 S85 since a May 2013 delivery.

 

[Sparky]

Happy Anniversary!
Bored with Tesla? I often test drive other cars just to keep up with the competition. I guess if aircraft-cockpit meets cigar-humidor was my thing, I might be tempted to look elsewhere. Or maybe if I tracked my car. The Porsche Cayman I drove recently was pretty sweet but that's about it.
But, it's good for Tesla to hear what the long-time owners think of the experience and why it won't be their next car.
Thanks for 4 years of lowering your CA air pollution.
And honestly, any other car purchase anniversaries you celebrate?

p.s. love that green.

 

[Eclectic]

Happy Anniversary!
Bored with Tesla? I often test drive other cars just to keep up with the competition. I guess if aircraft-cockpit meets cigar-humidor was my thing, I might be tempted to look elsewhere. Or maybe if I tracked my car. The Porsche Cayman I drove recently was pretty sweet but that's about it.
But, it's good for Tesla to hear what the long-time owners think of the experience and why it won't be their next car.
Thanks for 4 years of lowering your CA air pollution.
And honestly, any other car purchase anniversaries you celebrate?

p.s. love that green.

The green is a beautiful color, especially when when light hits it.

I don't like minimalist. I don't like garish either. I think Porsche does interiors well, as does Audi. The odds are that a Porsche replaces the P85D, but it's not imminent and the winds may change...

And actually, I just celebrated the 8 year anniversary of my F150 on Thursday (the truck that is my profile pic)... I don't celebrate anniversaries for my 10 year old VW, though, but I am quite fond of it.

 

[Canuck]

I don't like minimalist. I don't like garish either. I think Porsche does interiors well...

Flight attendants get ready for take off...

I know a lot of people like this, and find it "luxurious". I find it cramped, cluttered, busy, and there's so many buttons, dials and knobs you feel like a course in aviation is needed.

Here's the minimalist future -- yet it's here today but only in one automobile maker and it's certainly not for the Liberace inclined folks...

There's just no comparison in my books and I could never go back. Fortunately, Tesla agrees.

 

[cartwright]

I agree. More buttons != luxury. To my eyes that Porsche interior is way too much. I remember our 1983 Lincoln had a lot of buttons. As a kid, I thought it was cool, I guess.

 

[P85DBeast]

I think too many buttons makes the car feel old. And speaking of which my brothers 2015 911 has so many buttons I could be trying to turn on my seat warmer and I would probably end up putting the car in sport mode or opening the sunroof.

 

[roblab]

FIVE years ago, plus a few weeks, after six years of following Tesla, a $40,000 payment followed by four years of waiting, I knew this was what I wanted. My wife and I picked up number 00064. Had door handles replaced, but that was about it. My wife still thinks it was one of the smartest moves we've made. That and TSLA stock.

 

[Eclectic]

I agree. More buttons != luxury. To my eyes that Porsche interior is way too much. I remember our 1983 Lincoln had a lot of buttons. As a kid, I thought it was cool, I guess.

Yeah, and I thought the minimalist Toyota Yaris' center focused dash that seems to have been the design inspiration for Tesla was pretty cool too...

 

[Hugh Mannity]

That Porsche interior is awful.

 

[DIL]

If you're going to compare to the Porsche, please look at the latest 2018 Panamera. It's a world of difference and quite impressive

 

[Canuck]

If you're going to compare to the Porsche, please look at the latest 2018 Panamera. It's a world of difference and quite impressive

If you say so. It's certainly better -- and they are learning from Tesla -- but still far too much going on for my liking. I don't know why it needs all the buttons and the joy stick -- as if you can take off vertically with it -- then the shifter would make sense as to all the waste of space it uses up...

What Porsche has over Tesla, in my view, is things are put together better in the interior -- and that kind of attention to detail is lacking in Tesla. I don't need all the details a Porsche has, but the details Tesla does have don't feel as solid or as refined as in a Porsche.

 

[P85DBeast]

I love the interiors of Land Rover's especially the Range Rover Sport and the normal Range Rover. Looks way better than the Porsche.

 

[Eclectic]

So as an update to this, my wife and I drove the P85D to see her father yesterday (not a long trip, about 120 miles each way). I turned on the Christmas easter egg and she was amused, especially at the lane change bells, but her first question to me was "is there a Tesla that has better road noise insulation?" She is the primary driver of the car and she is fed up with how loud the interior is on the freeway.

So today, she's going to test drive a Panamera and a GLE Coupe to see what they're like. I can't say I'm thrilled about the idea of a Mercedes, as I didn't like the ones we've had before, but it's her car.

The point being that she would have considered a Tesla first if there had been a version of the Model S that has been thoroughly updated (interior/exterior and comfort items like noise control), but it's not even under consideration now.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

So as an update to this, my wife and I drove the P85D to see her father yesterday (not a long trip, about 120 miles each way). I turned on the Christmas easter egg and she was amused, especially at the lane change bells, but her first question to me was "is there a Tesla that has better road noise insulation?" She is the primary driver of the car and she is fed up with how loud the interior is on the freeway.

So today, she's going to test drive a Panamera and a GLE Coupe to see what they're like. I can't say I'm thrilled about the idea of a Mercedes, as I didn't like the ones we've had before, but it's her car.

The point being that she would have considered a Tesla first if there had been a version of the Model S that has been thoroughly updated (interior/exterior and comfort items like noise control), but it's not even under consideration now.

What about the 3? Yeah it’s going to take awhile to show up but still. Buy and ICE? Blech!

 

[Eclectic]

What about the 3? Yeah it’s going to take awhile to show up but still. Buy and ICE? Blech!

Funny thing is that I just walked past a 3 this evening (parked at the free charging station next to my gym). Second time I've seen one in the wild and this one was a lot better looking than the first one I saw. Maybe it was the angle and the lack of direct light on the car.

As for ICE, I'm perfectly happy with either an EV or an ICE. Whatever fits our needs best is what we get. I like ICE vehicles.

 

[Unpilot]

As a professional pilot for over 30 years I can say I LOVE the lack of buttons and knobs and doohickeys that the Tesla has.
There is a reason cockpits went from analog dials and switches to flat screens.

The trick is making the end user able to find the info they want when they want it.
So far in my experience my Model S got it right.