Help me decide: 2019 Model 3 performance vs 2017 Model S 75D (or 90D)

[stonefocus]

I am thinking too hard about this issue... and for a long time.
Wanted to ask you guys since you guys are expert.

Assuming both model has same price, Model 3 performance and Model S 75D, which one you'd like to go for?
I know this is MS forum, but I am asking this to M3 forum as well.

My background:
1. Single, but getting married soon.
2. Car I have driven so far:

• E92 M3
• BMW Active hybrid
• Porsche 911S (997 generation)
• BMW i3
• Porsche Boxster S

3. This car will be my only car.
4. I often go to weekend blast with my Boxster S
5. I go to Auto cross as well, 1 or 2 times of track day
6. But feel like it is time to grow up and have more stable and luxury car to experience diversity on my car life
7. I live in SoCal

My thought
1. If I get the model S, I will get HW 2.5 + FSD, but will have to skip FSD for model 3P
2. If I go for 90D, I will get a similar range with M3P?
3. S has more comfort, 3 has more fun

I am pretty sure you guys have thought about this same issue and please share your wisdom and thinking process to come down to your own conclusion.


Thanks in advance!!

 

[Uncle Paul]

After your marriage, your racing days will be on their way out...especially if a baby is in the works

Good idea to begin acting like you are married and ask your bride to be what she thinks.

 

[Tam]

...
2. If I go for 90D, I will get a similar range with M3P?...

No.

MS 90D nonP= 295 Miles (corrected from previous posting thanks to @FatherTo1 )

M3 LR AWD Performance = 322 Miles

That's 27 more miles for Model 3 Performance. (number edited due to above revision)

Your poll does not write the prices down so:

Range is King so I'll vote for Model 3 among the choices.

 

[cookie99]

Y Long Range Non-Performance

 

[FatherTo1]

No.

MS 90D RWD nonP= 265 Miles

M3 LR AWD Performance = 322 Miles

That's 57 more miles for Model 3 Performance.

Your poll does not write the prices down so:

Range is King so I'll vote for Model 3 among the choices.

How is a 90D RWD? I thought a regular 90D is rated at 294 miles...but maybe you're still correct at 265 with battery degradation on the 90-series batteries.

I agree with @heinzcatsoup and get a non-P Model Y with that budget. More space and utility than a Model 3 and better suited to a (possibly) growing family. Plus you'll have HW 3 and a fresh battery with a Y.

 

[Tam]

...How is a 90D RWD?...

My bad! You are right that RWD cannot be Dual. Your 294 miles is correct.

It's still shorter range than Model 3 though.

 

[Akikiki]

Get the 3. No, get the 90, wait, wait, get the 75. Well, no after thinking, get the 3.
No, the 75 sounds like best choice. Wait, 90 goes farthermost. But...

Oh heck, I don't care get all of them.

 

[Simon_Emes]

I'd go 90d. Of course if on track only the m3p works, all s get too hot to fast, so after a few full accelerations you wont get full power anymore.

As for the interior it is completely different. In my eyes model s is pretty close to Germans, but model 3 is awfully simplistic and made of plastics only. When you go for an s from 2016 you still get a sunroof and real leather seats, so pretty noble interior.

My choice would be that, if acceleration on track is important to you there is only one electric choice from Tesla: m3p. Otherwise of course the Tajcan

 

[2101Guy]

for financial reasons, I'd go with the 2017 as it has had the most depreciation. Financially speaking, its the better decision/choice.

 

[cookie99]

for financial reasons, I'd go with the 2017 as it has had the most depreciation. Financially speaking, its the better decision/choice.

How can that be for financial reasons if he said the price is the same? FINANCIALLY SPEAKING, the model 3 is the better choice because it has a longer warranty along with its a simpler car with less things breaking and its an improved battery design. financially speaking its more efficient cost per mile.

now, not financially speaking, i would go with the model S because its a nicer car that looks better.

 

[ucmndd]

You want the 3. Even asking this question in the S forum, most people agree. That should say something.

 

[turtlesz]

Given your choices the M3P seems the best bet. Also looking at your previous cars the 3 seems better suited for you as it is smaller and handles extremely well. For a growing family and if you need a single car you may want to go for the Model Y though. Still decent handling, all the newest tech and HW, excellent range and more space compared to a 3.

A used P100D for $62k w/ FSD, free supercharging, 21s and Tesla warranty seems like a great value too. Just make sure you get the $2500 MCU upgrade and it will feel new.
2016 Model S | Tesla

 

[Akikiki]

Y not a Y?

 

[HrvatskaEV]

I'd go 90D unless the 75D is similarly equipped and way cheaper. The M3P is an awesome car but the MS is better quality. It's also more practical, I could never deal with the tiny trunk on the Model 3.

 

[2101Guy]

How can that be for financial reasons if he said the price is the same? FINANCIALLY SPEAKING, the model 3 is the better choice because it has a longer warranty along with its a simpler car with less things breaking and its an improved battery design. financially speaking its more efficient cost per mile.

now, not financially speaking, i would go with the model S because its a nicer car that looks better.

Because the rate of depreciation of the Brand new Model 3 will be MUCH higher over the next 2-4 years, than rate of depreciation of the used Model S.

 

[EVDRVN]

I'd go 90D unless the 75D is similarly equipped and way cheaper. The M3P is an awesome car but the MS is better quality. It's also more practical, I could never deal with the tiny trunk on the Model 3.

Better quality is subjective depending on what items you are talking about. S has massive space but it's a big car and no where near as fun to drive. T

 

[EVDRVN]

Y not a Y?

Yes, great car for space performance, etc. A performance without the PUP. Better range, no tire issues.

 

[Sunshine State]

The battery "rating" is better on the 3 but in the real world I believe the P3 rating is overly optimistic more so than the S rating. Having both a Performance S and P3 I can say the rated range seems much more realistic on the S. An older used Performance S is now priced very similar to the P3 and is at a totally different level of brute power. A new 3 comes with a 4/50 warranty but a Tesla used S typically comes with a 4/50 also and depending on the year the S has an 8/unlimited mile battery drivetrain warranty compared to 120k for the P3. On the street the brute power of the Performance S is day and night quicker that the P3 and unless you are in the tiny faction of owners that will venture onto a road course then you will never appreciate the lighter weight advantage of the 3. The utility of the S is also far greater than the 3 with the S’s SUV like rear capacity. I prefer the smaller horizontal screen in the 3 for watching movies while supercharging but prefer the bigger S screen and physical controls in the S for everything else. People will say you get used to navigating the 3 screen and you certainly can but it’s also nice to not have to navigate to access features like you can in the S. I’m lucky to have both but I put more miles on my P3, it is my everyday driver and I feel more comfortable in it because it’s more familiar to me but the S is obviously a nicer car. It’s always fun to jump back in the S if we need the room and it’s a thrill feel how much quicker the S is after getting used to the P3. One other thing to think about is that getting an AP1 Performance S is not a bad thing at all. The AP1 system while not getting AP updates (always still gets software updates) is still just as useful in everyday AP use and lacks the glitches that happen regularly with the AP2 and above systems. The voting system in this post may not be a total unbiased representation but based more so on what the voters currently own. It would be interesting to know how many S owners vote for the S and how many 3 owners vote for the 3. It would be even more interesting to see how many people currently own both and how they vote. I believe unless you have both and can go back and forth day to day your preference will be whichever car you are familiar with because neither car is a bad choice.

 

[HrvatskaEV]

Better quality is subjective depending on what items you are talking about. S has massive space but it's a big car and no where near as fun to drive. T

The build quality of the 3 is great in some spots and pretty lousy in others. The S is solid and soft-touch in almost all areas, it feels more luxurious IMO. I found the S pretty fun to drive on my test drive but the 3 is probably more agile because of its size. Similar to comparing the BMW 3-Series and 7-Series, except the Model S is much more practical than the 7-Series.

 

[HrvatskaEV]

The battery "rating" is better on the 3 but in the real world I believe the P3 rating is overly optimistic more so than the S rating. Having both a Performance S and P3 I can say the rated range seems much more realistic on the S. An older used Performance S is now priced very similar to the P3 and is at a totally different level of brute power. A new 3 comes with a 4/50 warranty but a Tesla used S typically comes with a 4/50 also and depending on the year the S has an 8/unlimited mile battery drivetrain warranty compared to 120k for the P3. On the street the brute power of the Performance S is day and night quicker that the P3 and unless you are in the tiny faction of owners that will venture onto a road course then you will never appreciate the lighter weight advantage of the 3. The utility of the S is also far greater than the 3 with the S’s SUV like rear capacity. I prefer the smaller horizontal screen in the 3 for watching movies while supercharging but prefer the bigger S screen and physical controls in the S for everything else. People will say you get used to navigating the 3 screen and you certainly can but it’s also nice to not have to navigate to access features like you can in the S. I’m lucky to have both but I put more miles on my P3, it is my everyday driver and I feel more comfortable in it because it’s more familiar to me but the S is obviously a nicer car. It’s always fun to jump back in the S if we need the room and it’s a thrill feel how much quicker the S is after getting used to the P3. One other thing to think about is that getting an AP1 Performance S is not a bad thing at all. The AP1 system while not getting AP updates (always still gets software updates) is still just as useful in everyday AP use and lacks the glitches that happen regularly with the AP2 and above systems. The voting system in this post may not be a total unbiased representation but based more so on what the voters currently own. It would be interesting to know how many S owners vote for the S and how many 3 owners vote for the 3. It would be even more interesting to see how many people currently own both and how they vote. I believe unless you have both and can go back and forth day to day your preference will be whichever car you are familiar with because neither car is a bad choice.

I see that you have a 2020 X5 - this was a car that I shortlisted. How would you say the two cars compare in terms of comfort and build quality?