Hawaii Tesla Owners

[Papafox]

Ddruz- Your writeup was very helpful, thanks! Makes the three-week wait a little tougher, though.

gmtom1- A year and a half ago I installed enough panels to meet my house's electrical needs plus supply the power to drive 400 miles per week with my upcoming MS. With Hawaii's high electrical costs, the combination of solar panels and an electric car is a winner. I personally prefer buying the panels to leasing electricity created on my own roof. With the low interest rates that are still available, your payments on a purchased system may be less than you're currently paying for electricity, and you own the system after five years or so. I looked at Revolusun, Sunetric, and the people with the Kumu Kit and went for Sunetric because I preferred the panels that Revolusun and Sunetric offered and of the two companies, Sunetric cut me the best deal. I'm very happy with the performance of the panels and system. Solar City may offer a purchase plan as well. I would check with all four companies.

 

[jeffdhood]

When did they back out of the home delivery promise? They made such a big deal about it when they announced it so long ago when we all plunked down our deposits. Of course, it's not a deal breaker, but for me it is something I've been looking forward to for a long time.

 

[nanimac]

Ddruz- Your writeup was very helpful, thanks! Makes the three-week wait a little tougher, though.

gmtom1- A year and a half ago I installed enough panels to meet my house's electrical needs plus supply the power to drive 400 miles per week with my upcoming MS. With Hawaii's high electrical costs, the combination of solar panels and an electric car is a winner. I personally prefer buying the panels to leasing electricity created on my own roof. With the low interest rates that are still available, your payments on a purchased system may be less than you're currently paying for electricity, and you own the system after five years or so. I looked at Revolusun, Sunetric, and the people with the Kumu Kit and went for Sunetric because I preferred the panels that Revolusun and Sunetric offered and of the two companies, Sunetric cut me the best deal. I'm very happy with the performance of the panels and system. Solar City may offer a purchase plan as well. I would check with all four companies.

we used alternate energy.. The owner drives a Tesla

 

[Akikiki]

ddruz, THAT is a FANtastic write up. I agree with you about the Tech package, the sound system and Air. I didn't have a chance to drive a MS without Air, and my orphan had it so I had no option but to accept it. The order (a Black MS) that I had on order only had twins and sound. I wound up with everything that's possible on the White one that I have. Don't misunderstand, I had to pay for all the toys on this White one, and I didn't have the guts and foresight to put on the Black one order. I am so glad I have all these toys. I love this car. No in return for your excellent list and write up, I want to list in order the things I don't like about this car.

In order, the 10 things that I dislike about the MS and my MS:
1.
2.
3.

Whew. Sorry to go on and on about each items, but once I started I simply could not stop. Now, those are all the things I wish that TM had done differently.
Don't ask me for a list of the things I would add to MS 2.0. Those everyone on TM's forum is already describing those. I'd like to have any or all of them. 'Nuff said. ddruz, thank you again for your report. Ya did a really great job on it. We are all grateful.

I think it will be useful for us each to use each other's Hawaii experience to benchmark how we are doing with energy use or distance as we get time in the seat. I just got back this morning driving a couple of good friends on an unexpected joyride up to North Shore and back down H2 and home to Kaneohe. (Of course we stopped for shave ice.) The total miles on the road was 94.9. I had a full charge and after pulling back and plugging in for recharge, I used 121 "miles of charge", I'll fall it. So driving 95 miles cost me 121 mile of juice or I guess 26 miles more than I went. That's 78% or about 80% when I round up. Now, I did this calculation just for fun, it's not a realistic gauge of use, because I "showed off" more than once to other drivers and my friends in the car with me. I just thought you folks would find it interesting. I could have made the "overhead" lower if I had tried.

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@jeffdhood, Hi. Welcome to the TMC forum. I guess you have a slightly different opinion since you are on the B.I. But, I was out at the Honolulu SC a couple of weeks back and during a chat with Barry he told me about 9 cars that had just arrived and were headed to the SC the that day. I asked if any were going to be delievered to people at home. Barry's reply was that TM was reducing or stepping that down. For awhile they would still be doing in those out of the way places on the mainland where there was no SC close by. And as the Honolulu SC becomse more built out and more amd more volume is coming out of TM and arriving here, they must maximize the resouces and invite the new owner out to pick the car up there.

Frankly, I didn't mind going out to the SC to get mine. Off the street, no friendly but pesky neighbors competing my time with Barry to learn about the car. He gave me all the time and then some that asking questions showing me stuff that I could bear before I jumped in and drove home.

Let us know please what TM does for you. I won't take a guess for fear of jinxing you.

 

[jeffdhood]

Mahalo nui for the reply Akikiki. Will do. Should be in a week or two. I'm not expecting any Tesla employees to come to my house as was originally implied so many years ago, but knowing that people have been getting the vehicles delivered to their homes on the mainland recently (sans a Tesla employee), I just expected mine would get trucked to my house, too. No big deal if I have to pick it up In Kawaihae Harbor. Just a little unexpected.

- - - Updated - - -

Does anyone know anyone on the Big Island that has a Model S? Just curious...

 

[spleen]

@ddruz - how much was the cost for the Glare treatment at 20/20 Detailing? Did they have Glare or did you have to supply it yourself?

Questions for the Hawaii owners here as I get ready to place my order:

Who has PV systems on their homes and which provider/installer did you go with? Anyone consider or use SolarCity, which is Tesla's preferred partner? Any issues or complaints? I'm also considering installing PV on my roof for when my MS comes, and researching options.

We have PV. Did two system installs on our roof - both with Revolusun. We liked them a lot for the first install and chose to use them for the 2nd install and didn't have as great an experience. But we really do like the Sunpower panels and would consider Sunetric as another installer if we were going with a 3rd system.

 

[jeffdhood]

Five years ago I bought my PV panels, racks, wiring and inverter at Grid Tie Solar Kits. I paid $20,000 for the parts and hired an electrician for $5000 to install them. The system paid for itself in 3.5 years. I got three quotes from the very few companies available at the time and they all wanted about $50,000. I'm just sayin'.

 

[StephenM]

Mahalo nui for the reply Akikiki. Will do. Should be in a week or two. I'm not expecting any Tesla employees to come to my house as was originally implied so many years ago, but knowing that people have been getting the vehicles delivered to their homes on the mainland recently (sans a Tesla employee), I just expected mine would get trucked to my house, too. No big deal if I have to pick it up In Kawaihae Harbor. Just a little unexpected.

- - - Updated - - -

Does anyone know anyone on the Big Island that has a Model S? Just curious...

From what I heard, the orphan signature red that is now being used as a loaner was originally supposed to go to someone on the Big Island, but for whatever reason fell through.
No one from there has chimed in so I don't know if there are any right now on the Big Island but I believe Barry said there were a couple on Maui and 1 on Kauai (when I last spoke with him 2 weeks ago. It may have changed by now).

 

[jeffdhood]

Mahalo nui Stephen for the reply. I did see Henk Rodgers had his with him here from Honolulu while he was here a few months ago, but shipped it back to Honolulu when he went back to Honolulu. If I ever go to Oahu for more than just a few days, I'm thinking about bringing my Model S with me. Probably a wash cost wise and a lot more fun,

 

[ddruz]

@ddruz - how much was the cost for the Glare treatment at 20/20 Detailing? Did they have Glare or did you have to supply it yourself?

20/20 supplied the Glare. My understanding is they are the only officially authorized Glare applier on the island. The price for two Model S 5-year Glare packages was $520.27 each including tax. I went in with a coworker whose car is shipping next week who already contracted with 20/20 for the package upon arrival of his car. I understand that it normally is about $600 + tax for a single car. Check their website for details on the 5-year Glare package including guarantee.

For those asking about PV installers: I used Sunetric because at the time they installed panels with the highest output per area of all installers on Oahu. Don't know if that has changed. I wanted to max out the kWh for my roof area. If you have a large enough roof area it is more economical to go with the less efficient panels that take up more area.

 

[spleen]

20/20 supplied the Glare. My understanding is they are the only officially authorized Glare applier on the island. The price for two Model S 5-year Glare packages was $520.27 each including tax. I went in with a coworker whose car is shipping next week who already contracted with 20/20 for the package upon arrival of his car. I understand that it normally is about $600 + tax for a single car. Check their website for details on the 5-year Glare package including guarantee.

For those asking about PV installers: I used Sunetric because at the time they installed panels with the highest output per area of all installers on Oahu. Don't know if that has changed. I wanted to max out the kWh for my roof area. If you have a large enough roof area it is more economical to go with the less efficient panels that take up more area.

Thanks for the details. Hmm, maybe it's time to try to set up a group buy. Any interest out there?

 

[gmtom1]

Interesting - I will definitely have to check out 20/20 and Glare once I get my MS later this year. Their detailing packages seem pretty reasonable too.

Thanks all for the info & recommendations re: PV.

 

[Papafox]

I have a couple questions about Glare. Can it be applied on a car that already has part of the paint covered in Tesla factory paint protection, and do you have any idea how long the Glare shine will last.

 

[spleen]

For anybody who's considering 20/20 Auto Detailing for Glare, if you have the Yelp app, there's a Yelp special going on right now for $150 for $250 worth of service. The 5 year Glare treatment is $600. If you buy two of these gift certificates, your 5 year treatment goes down to $400 plus tax. The certificate says a maximum for 2 certificates per person so nothing in there that states that more than 1 can't be used during a service.

From the posts that I've read about Glare, looks like there's no problem applying Glare over paint protection film.

 

[hodgeshawaii]

First Impressions - Drive HOME!

Well we (my 3 year old and I) picked up our car at 10:00 AM Saturday 25 May at the Waipahu center - Lucky the Cab driver had GPS - my goodness not easy to find. Ok, before I go on my RANT,...I want to say there a quite a few things I love about the car. Some are clever, some are what interfaces should be, and some devices look like both of my other 2 cars, both MB's. SO my very first drive in the new car was out the driveway and onto the Highway back home to Kahala-that's when buyer's remorse "almost" set in!

Wow was I PO'd. The NOISE from the "AIR BRAKES" they call mirrors is overwhelming. We have an S550 and I've had Lexus 4xx's and they are so much better for interior noise and comfort compared to this electric WiND NOISE MACHINE! This is a serious issue both in terms of mirror design and cabin noise deadening. Another fine blunder is even though you can "Manually" retract the mirrors - they soon run into the window/environment - not closing/folding all the way...what a mess! Because of this wind noise I can't tell you how happy I am I didn't spring for the upgraded sound system. Of course I will really be upset if I try to park somewhere and need to retract them...requiring me to get out of the car first-ugh.

I set my driving in "SOFT OLD MAN MODE" and it was anything but soft. I have no idea how it will be when I put it in the more extreme modes. Funny - the car drives just like the Nissan Teana that my wife bought in China, made in China, and of course driven on excellent Chinese roads all over China for 2 years. The Tesla S didn't impress me on my first drive in it.....usually the telling example of the car. Front of car seems light - who know's what the back feels like as it seems to be just a bump or two away from not being stable.

So what happen to the "radar/proximity" alerts as one gets close to objects, available and standard on most high end luxury cars for the masses, i.e. MBs, Lexus, & BMW's ? Mysteriously absent in this car. Looked at website today - not an option....my goodness are we in the stone age?

I won't even go into seat controls as another poster has outlined those shortcomings. Memory settings?

I guess driving in Hawaii it won't bother me too much that I don't have a spare tire. If I was in my home in Lake Tahoe/Reno I'm pretty sure I would never buy a Tesla. I can't imagine driving to Las Vegas and being in the middle of the trip and having a flat tire, perhaps out of cell range - or even in range, I can't imagine how long it would take someone to get to the breakdown location.

I also have never had a car manufacturer tell me how to specifically close a hood/frunk so as not to damage it since it is - fragile!

So, not sure any of you go to the automated car washes on Kapiolani Blvd - but that seems to be a no-no with a TESLA. Seems that if you get out of the car, i.e. no heavy object in car, the parking brake is automatically set. Many places, unsure about the ones here in Hawaii, have an insurance restriction on staying in the car through a car wash - and others, like in Las Vegas - you sit right there....we shall see about that shortcoming in the near future - as I'm sure the Pearl White will be dirty soon. Too bad there wasn't a control button on the HUGE SCREEN that said push for CAR WASH!

Ok, my rant is almost over - I have calmed down enough to figure out I'll hardly ever go over 60mph here in Hawaii, that my wife will never drive the car - so memory seats are not required (In fact she won't get in the car...say's it smells like a dead cow - if she only knew), I can have it hand washed, I won't park in underground garages that are tight (Chinatown), I'll go get the car TINTED so that my 3 year old doesn't cook in the back seats (and we have a solid roof), I'll get a plastic - chip gard installed on the back bumper so my children don't destroy the paint getting in and out, and I learn how to set-up the car so that every time I walk through the garage it doesn't spring to life with lights flashing and door handles protruding and charger flashing. I love this car....

 

[nanimac]

Well we (my 3 year old and I) picked up our car at 10:00 AM Saturday 25 May at the Waipahu center - Lucky the Cab driver had GPS - my goodness not easy to find. Ok, before I go on my RANT,...I want to say there a quite a few things I love about the car. Some are clever, some are what interfaces should be, and some devices look like both of my other 2 cars, both MB's. SO my very first drive in the new car was out the driveway and onto the Highway back home to Kahala-that's when buyer's remorse "almost" set in!

Wow was I PO'd. The NOISE from the "AIR BRAKES" they call mirrors is overwhelming. We have an S550 and I've had Lexus 4xx's and they are so much better for interior noise and comfort compared to this electric WiND NOISE MACHINE! This is a serious issue both in terms of mirror design and cabin noise deadening. Another fine blunder is even though you can "Manually" retract the mirrors - they soon run into the window/environment - not closing/folding all the way...what a mess! Because of this wind noise I can't tell you how happy I am I didn't spring for the upgraded sound system. Of course I will really be upset if I try to park somewhere and need to retract them...requiring me to get out of the car first-ugh.

I set my driving in "SOFT OLD MAN MODE" and it was anything but soft. I have no idea how it will be when I put it in the more extreme modes. Funny - the car drives just like the Nissan Teana that my wife bought in China, made in China, and of course driven on excellent Chinese roads all over China for 2 years. The Tesla S didn't impress me on my first drive in it.....usually the telling example of the car. Front of car seems light - who know's what the back feels like as it seems to be just a bump or two away from not being stable.

So what happen to the "radar/proximity" alerts as one gets close to objects, available and standard on most high end luxury cars for the masses, i.e. MBs, Lexus, & BMW's ? Mysteriously absent in this car. Looked at website today - not an option....my goodness are we in the stone age?

I won't even go into seat controls as another poster has outlined those shortcomings. Memory settings?

I guess driving in Hawaii it won't bother me too much that I don't have a spare tire. If I was in my home in Lake Tahoe/Reno I'm pretty sure I would never buy a Tesla. I can't imagine driving to Las Vegas and being in the middle of the trip and having a flat tire, perhaps out of cell range - or even in range, I can't imagine how long it would take someone to get to the breakdown location.

I also have never had a car manufacturer tell me how to specifically close a hood/frunk so as not to damage it since it is - fragile!

So, not sure any of you go to the automated car washes on Kapiolani Blvd - but that seems to be a no-no with a TESLA. Seems that if you get out of the car, i.e. no heavy object in car, the parking brake is automatically set. Many places, unsure about the ones here in Hawaii, have an insurance restriction on staying in the car through a car wash - and others, like in Las Vegas - you sit right there....we shall see about that shortcoming in the near future - as I'm sure the Pearl White will be dirty soon. Too bad there wasn't a control button on the HUGE SCREEN that said push for CAR WASH!

Ok, my rant is almost over - I have calmed down enough to figure out I'll hardly ever go over 60mph here in Hawaii, that my wife will never drive the car - so memory seats are not required (In fact she won't get in the car...say's it smells like a dead cow - if she only knew), I can have it hand washed, I won't park in underground garages that are tight (Chinatown), I'll go get the car TINTED so that my 3 year old doesn't cook in the back seats (and we have a solid roof), I'll get a plastic - chip gard installed on the back bumper so my children don't destroy the paint getting in and out, and I learn how to set-up the car so that every time I walk through the garage it doesn't spring to life with lights flashing and door handles protruding and charger flashing. I love this car....

sooooooo...what exactly do you LIKE about the car?? Sounds like the cons outweigh the pros but good to hear the greats and the not-so-greats that people have of the Model S.

 

[spleen]

@hodgeshawaii
Sooooo ...curious as what made you decide to get the Tesla? How much did you know about the car before you bought it? I don't hear any wind noise from our mirrors (certainly no worse than any other car I've driven (Lexus, MB). uzzled:

 

[ddruz]

@hodgeshawaii,

Wind noise: I have absolutely zero wind noise from mirrors or anything else in this car. My Model S is deadly silent, astonishingly so. If you are hearing wind noise there is something not right about your particular car and it should be serviced.

Driver profile memory settings: This works great. Do you not have the driver profile memory feature? What is your configuration? Not all configurations come with memory. Prior to an Apr 1 order date memory was tied to the leather seat option. After an Apr 1 order date memory is tied to the tech package. This has always been disclosed on the options web page.

Odor: Do you have the parcel shelf? That is the only thing that has been reported with a bad odor and it goes away after a period of time. People remove it from the car and let it air out for a week or so then no problem at all. Everything else is just new car smell. If you don't have the parcel shelf and something smells bad it needs to be checked out.

Driving modes: Set Regenerative Braking to Low, Creep to on, Steering Mode to Comfort. Set all three like this in order to get what you seem to be looking for.

Parking / proximity sensors: No, Model S does not come with them. They are a new option on the European versions and are postulated to be available as an add on option in the US within a year.

Automatic car wash: Put the car into neutral and ride through the car wash. What automatic car washes require you to exit the car? You can definitely take Model S through automatic car washes. It is just not recommended if you wish to keep the finish pristine without minor swirls and marks from the brushes, etc.

 

[gmtom1]

@hodges

Sorry to hear your first experience driving the MS wasn't as great as it seems you expected. Perhaps the wind "noise" you're hearing is because it's normally covered up by the engine/mechanics noise that you normally hear in the other ICE cars you cited.

I believe the driver profiles provides the seat memory you're accustomed to. Better than most in fact, in that you don't have to touch anything, as I believe it's tied to the "key" you use with the car.

Hope you can get your issues worked out and enjoy the car. If not, I'm sure you'll have no trouble selling it, as they're in high demand right now.

- - - Updated - - -

@Hodges post above did raise an interesting thought that I had not considered - there's no spare with the MS, so what are folks planning to do if you get a flat? I'm pretty sure the MS doesn't have run flat tires?

 

[ddruz]

I believe the driver profiles provides the seat memory you're accustomed to. Better than most in fact, in that you don't have to touch anything, as I believe it's tied to the "key" you use with the car.

@Hodges post above did raise an interesting thought that I had not considered - there's no spare with the MS, so what are folks planning to do if you get a flat? I'm pretty sure the MS doesn't have run flat tires?

Seat memory is not tied to the key fob. It is user selected from a drop down menu.

Many slow-leak flats can be managed by filling up the tire with enough air to drive to a service station where they can hopefully repair or replace the tire for you. A number of flats that cannot be handled this way can be managed by the spray in tire sealers like the highly rated Slime or the very similar Tesla Tire Repair Kit available on their web site. Major blow outs need a flat bed tow or replacement tire on the spot since there is no spare.

I myself bought the Slime repair kit on Amazon for less than Tesla's similar kit. Both come with a tire inflator that plugs into the 12V outlet which can be used with or without the spray in sealer. Spray in sealers may make the tire or tire sensor subsequently unusable so if it's a slow leak the recommended plan is to inflate enough without spray in sealer to get to a service station.