Here is why I'm getting the bare bones 35k T3

[Darkon]

Something to consider... unlike smartphones that become almost obsolete after a couple of years, Tesla makes OTA updates. The hardware/mechanics on the car will take much longer to become obsolete. I saw a headline a few days ago about other EVs installing big touch screens and having OTA software updates (likely because they need this now in order not to fall too far behind Tesla). So, if you're concerned about the model 3 becoming obsolete after five years, I think, if for any reason, it might be because of battery cost more than anything.
Go ahead. Buy the larger battery and premium upgrade. You can keep it for ten years like you always do and be fine.

I agree that the OTA updates are a huge advantage that Tesla currently has over other companies and is something that makes me much more comfortable buying a Tesla M3. My Jeep has their high-end stereo/GPS system that's a total POS and the many issues it has will NEVER be fixed. However, the use of a touchscreen for nearly all interaction with the car's systems allows Tesla to keep fixing and enhancing the car's functionality over time. And that's not just a hypothetical...it's something they've been doing for the X and S for the last few years.

On the hardware side, I agree that the rate of change will be less and that battery capacity/cost will probably be the things that change the most over the next 10 years.

I do think that over the next 10 years that things like USB ports may start to standardize on USB-C connectors rather than the larger "standard USB" connectors, but there will always be adapters for those situations. USB-C would also be a more forward-thinking technology because it supports higher power requirements than the standard USB connector, but we're still probably 2-3 years (or longer) before we start to see a larger shift to USB-C, so that's not too big of a concern.

Wireless phone charging is another area I see that might undergo some changes in the next couple of years, especially if Apple adopts it with the upcoming iPhone. I think I read something about the M3 (probably with the Premium package) supporting wireless charging, but haven't been able to find any details on that yet. Hopefully Apple will use something that is pretty standard that Tesla will be able to support. I do like the way that Tesla is selling the USB to micro-USB/USB-C/Lightning cables for the phone docking area so you can make it work with whatever phone you have. Maybe wireless changing will support a similar approach in the future.

The hardware for EAP/FSD is something that I think should be OK for a while. Elon seems very confident that a camera-only approach is more than adequate, and I think if you are comparing it to human drivers I'd have to agree. However, I think additional technology (such as LIDAR or other active sensor systems) that can see through fog and other obstacles that even human can't see through could be used to make FSD far safer than human drivers could ever be. But given that a camera-only based FSD system has the potential to be much safer than a human driver, I think a camera-only based approach will probably last 10 years or longer.

@ Cloxxki
I do like the idea of being able to use my M3 to generate income by adding it to Tesla Network when I don't need it, but I'm thinking that in this use case I would probably want the larger battery in order to maximize the amount of time my M3 would be able to generate revenue rather than recharging itself. I'm also not very confident that this is something that will happen in the short-term, but it will hopefully be possible around the time I'm ready to get a new car. After all, why trade in my old M3 if it can generate income for me if I keep it (as long as that income is greater than the costs of charging and maintaining it)?

 

[IFought4U]

That's exactly what I was thinking about doing, base with nothing but white paint.

 

[kbM3]

You can plug in your typical road trips into the site below to get a sense of how much time you would save going with the standard or long range. The site will also show you how much it should cost to supercharge on that trip. Select the Model 3 standard or long range under settings and compare. Is the time savings worth $9,000? A Better Routeplanner

For trips, the 310 mile range version would be able to skip the first supercharger, but probably not the second. So for $9k you are only saving about 30 minutes a few times you will be taking road trips. I can think of much better things to do with $9k than save 30 minutes a handful of times a year.

If you can fit your average commute and other errands in about 150 miles per day then the 220 mile range car should be fine even in the winter. I tracked our driving, when we had a gas car for a few years with Automatic OBD dongle and app.

In December we got a Model S 60 with 210 mile range. Our Model 3 will be our second commuter car. Historically I haven't kept cars very long, but hope to keep these Teslas for 5 years or more and possibly replace it with a Model Y. Cost for greater range has been coming down fast and in 5 years we will probably see 300 mile range as the standard.

More is better, but unless you are traveling all the time (retired people or sales people), to me, it doesn't make sense to spend $9k more in the Model 3 or $23k more for Model S 100d to get to 300+ miles.

You are not counting all the time you save getting to 60 mph more quickly.

 

[IFought4U]

You'll be a more satisfied customer if you just buy the base model.
I have driven a new $99K Model S 75D with the premium package, leather upgrade, moon roof, AAP (HW2), wheels & paint for 8 months. Literally nothing worked when I took delivery on Dec 20, 2016. Unless you consider courtesy lights thrilling. Today, much of what I purchased still doesn't work. As bad as my autopilot experience continues to be, I think full autonomy is much further in the future than touted.

The most recent over the air updates have been more disclaimers of liability for the AAP deficiencies than any upgrades. The responsibly for the operation of the vehicle is on the operator...... period. Read the latest version of an owners manual and you'll see that right after it says the car will do something, like safely change lanes, it has a disclaimer saying maybe not.
As of Aug 4, 2017.
My car often:
Won't see surrounding vehicles. (Especially motorcycles).
Won't warn me when approaching stopped vehicles.
Inoperable on my car:
Rain sensing windshield wipers.
Curve following head lamps.
Auto Hwy exit and slow down when using AAP & Navigation.
Auto Hwy Interchange when using AAP & Navigation.
Identify nor adjust for speed limit postings.

Other disappointments include: the emergency braking feature doesn't STOP the vehicle to avoid a low speed collision. It only slows the car to reduce the impact or severity of a high speed collision. Why it's okay to have a preventable, several thousand dollar repair or slowly roll over a pedestrian at 7 mph is beyond me. Also, Tesla won't tell me what they know isn't working properly. I have to find out through trial and error. Very frustrating.
I don't know for a fact, but I anticipate AAP is going to be a nightmare when released, in mass, to Model 3 buyers. I suspect the thirty they rolled out last week probably didn't include an activated AAP option. Nor will the first offerings later this year. It simply isn't working......... "YET" as my service reps like to tell me after I complain about each near miss or failure.

 

[azred]

I'd likely move the larger battery option to the top of my priority list if:

1) I lived in a cold climate. By cold I mean weeks at 40F or below. As others have said before me, cold climates require more battery energy spent on warming occupants and battery, plus the battery chemistry is such that capacity is reduced in cold weather. So, folks in Minneapolis: Consider the larger battery.

2) I lived in a hot climate. By hot, I mean weeks above 100F, e.g. Phoenix. My rationale here is to reduce stress on the battery. Heat, combined with high State Of Charge (SOC) can permanently reduce the battery's useful capacity faster than normal (looking at you Nissan). Even though Tesla uses liquid cooling for the battery, I still consider heat a negative factor. A larger battery means you could maybe live with only charging to 70% each day, and keep within that battery life extending sweet spot of 40 to 70 percent.

3) I was driving more than 100 miles a day. Increasing the number of large Depth of Discharge (DOD) cycles can bring degradation on sooner than desired. A larger battery would maybe mean fewer charges from 20% to 90% for example. Notice that the Tesla warranty for the larger battery is longer than the standard's. Perhaps this is an indicator that given the typical miles driven, larger Tesla batteries lead less stressful lives.

4) I lived in a condo or apartment with a dick homeowners association or landlord, i.e. no onsite charger for you. A bigger gas tank (battery), means less trips to the "gas" station.

I apologize for the lack of citations to my claims above. Google is your friend.

1,3 and 4 make sense. 2 is nonsense.

 

[photog72]

Just curious. What is the difference in the audio system in the premium pkg vs. the standard audio? My '16 Honda Accord Touring has the top of the line audio system, and it still blows (it will be gone when I get the T3). My wife's '17 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring has a Bose system, and it sounds fantastic. What are we looking at in the Tesla? I would get the premium package, just for a great audio system. Everything else can be base.

 

[dgpcolorado]

I wish that CO would offer a credit towards the cost of a charging station or at the very least the electric companies should.

The $5000 Colorado tax credit for EVs isn't enough?

My electric co-op has a $750 rebate on an EV purchase, although it is limited to one per year (unlike the state tax credit). However, I expect that EV rebate is unusual for electric utilities.

 

[Carl]

We don't know what premium audio in the M3 is, do we? In the MS, it was never (imho) worth it's 2800 EUR price, in the MX (from what I read on this forum), it's better.

But in event the premium package of the M3 comes with a lot of other goodies as well!

 

[206er]

The $5000 Colorado tax credit for EVs isn't enough?

My electric co-op has a $750 rebate on an EV purchase, although it is limited to one per year (unlike the state tax credit). However, I expect that EV rebate is unusual for electric utilities.

Seriously. In Washington, we get nothing tax credit-wise and are expected to like it.

Now, there is a sales tax exemption for the first $32,000 of an EV MSRP'd at no more than $42,500, but I'd rather have the CO $5,000 tax credit.

 

[206er]

You'll be a more satisfied customer if you just buy the base model.
I have driven a new $99K Model S 75D with the premium package, leather upgrade, moon roof, AAP (HW2), wheels & paint for 8 months. Literally nothing worked when I took delivery on Dec 20, 2016. Unless you consider courtesy lights thrilling. Today, much of what I purchased still doesn't work. As bad as my autopilot experience continues to be, I think full autonomy is much further in the future than touted.

The most recent over the air updates have been more disclaimers of liability for the AAP deficiencies than any upgrades. The responsibly for the operation of the vehicle is on the operator...... period. Read the latest version of an owners manual and you'll see that right after it says the car will do something, like safely change lanes, it has a disclaimer saying maybe not.
As of Aug 4, 2017.
My car often:
Won't see surrounding vehicles. (Especially motorcycles).
Won't warn me when approaching stopped vehicles.
Inoperable on my car:
Rain sensing windshield wipers.
Curve following head lamps.
Auto Hwy exit and slow down when using AAP & Navigation.
Auto Hwy Interchange when using AAP & Navigation.
Identify nor adjust for speed limit postings.

Other disappointments include: the emergency braking feature doesn't STOP the vehicle to avoid a low speed collision. It only slows the car to reduce the impact or severity of a high speed collision. Why it's okay to have a preventable, several thousand dollar repair or slowly roll over a pedestrian at 7 mph is beyond me. Also, Tesla won't tell me what they know isn't working properly. I have to find out through trial and error. Very frustrating.
I don't know for a fact, but I anticipate AAP is going to be a nightmare when released, in mass, to Model 3 buyers. I suspect the thirty they rolled out last week probably didn't include an activated AAP option. Nor will the first offerings later this year. It simply isn't working......... "YET" as my service reps like to tell me after I complain about each near miss or failure.

That's insane, and something my wife would not tolerate. I'd never hear the end of "we should've bought the Accord or Civic" if the Model 3 has even one problem upon delivery, and would probably even be pushed to refuse delivery and head straight to the Honda dealership. Model 3 will be our first non-Japanese car, so it's imperative for it to be a good quality, reliable EV.

 

[Phrixotrichus]

That's insane, and something my wife would not tolerate. I'd never hear the end of "we should've bought the Accord or Civic" if the Model 3 has even one problem upon delivery, and would probably even be pushed to refuse delivery and head straight to the Honda dealership. Model 3 will be our first non-Japanese car, so it's imperative for it to be a good quality, reliable EV.

If it eases your mind. The model S I´m driving from time to time is a 2014 Model and initially had a lot of issues that shouldn`t happen in this price range...like seriously shouldnt.

But as of ~2016 everything seems to have been fixed and Tesla really has upped their overall reliability. No problems at all in the last 2 years besides...well I think the AP is still crap atm. But you don`t have to buy that so it`s not a real prob.

 

[Maaz]

The base version of this car will be best value.

 

[xav-]

I think I'll also be going with the 35k base with +1k white paint. I'll be using a normal 120V plug to charge it at ~6-7 miles an hour, which is plenty.

I did the T3 comparison with a base 320i, and the 320i isn't bad in comparison... I just know the T3's user and driving experience will be bar none.

What I really want is the Model Y.

6 - 7 miles per hour? I am happy if I get 4 miles per hour on the volt.

 

[gregincal]

That's insane, and something my wife would not tolerate. I'd never hear the end of "we should've bought the Accord or Civic" if the Model 3 has even one problem upon delivery, and would probably even be pushed to refuse delivery and head straight to the Honda dealership. Model 3 will be our first non-Japanese car, so it's imperative for it to be a good quality, reliable EV.

Um, all he's complaining about are limitations in the driver assistance features, but those in the Accord and Civic are even way more limited. I find the Honda system can barely steer me around a gentle curve.

 

[xav-]

That's insane, and something my wife would not tolerate. I'd never hear the end of "we should've bought the Accord or Civic" if the Model 3 has even one problem upon delivery, and would probably even be pushed to refuse delivery and head straight to the Honda dealership. Model 3 will be our first non-Japanese car, so it's imperative for it to be a good quality, reliable EV.

There is no way there won't be bugs. This is tesla that we are talking about, and the car is all new.

You need to do the right thing and be ready to BS your wife on delivery day.

Good luck.

 

[Stolz25]

The base version of this car will be best value.

I think the PUP package is a great value the more I learn about it.

Seats (especially if we get the option for white soon), glass roof, sound system upgrade (which rumor says is fantastic). Powered seats and memory for my wife is nice too.

Of nice value to me, but not necessarily everyone, are the rear USB ports, because I have two small children.

I'm starting to think the best value is 40k.

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

That's insane, and something my wife would not tolerate. I'd never hear the end of "we should've bought the Accord or Civic" if the Model 3 has even one problem upon delivery, and would probably even be pushed to refuse delivery and head straight to the Honda dealership. Model 3 will be our first non-Japanese car, so it's imperative for it to be a good quality, reliable EV.

Don't buy an early version then. Wait a couple of years.

 

[jsmay311]

6 - 7 miles per hour? I am happy if I get 4 miles per hour on the volt.

I think 5-6 miles/hour is more likely given what we know.

If you take Tesla's claimed charge rates for 240V charging for the standard battery, it works out to 0.256 kWh/mile.

At 120V 12A (1440W) charging, that would give you ~5.6 miles/hour. But 120V charging is usually less efficient than 240V, so maybe it'd be closer to ~5 miles/hour.

 

[SageBrush]

I'll be using a normal 120V plug to charge it at ~6-7 miles an hour, which is plenty.

About 1.1 kW net into battery, so better figure 4 - 5 miles per hour charging.

 

[grashelm]

Depends on the day of the week for me. On Monday, it was First Production (LR battery, PUP) with paint and EAP. Today it's the base model plus paint. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I can (and do) easily rationalize to myself almost every configuration available for this vehicle. On the plus side I do have time to (hopefully) figure out exactly what I want!