Hired a Tesla M3 SR+ for a few days...

[khyros]

Hi all

So I have a M3LR on order, delivery due June/July. I wasn't entirely convinced of my SR vs LR decision as the only car I was allowed to test drive was a LR.
So I found a company you can hire on a daily basis and it was quite conveniently very close to where I work. I hired a M3 for three days and these are my impressions

* Seats are surprisingly slightly uncomfortable. I can't quite figure out what the best position to adjust the seat at is.. too many adjustments are possible !!

* Cruise control is absolutely amazing. Autosteer is still a bit dangerous in my opinion.. maybe OK for motorway but not for single carriage ways and B roads.

Now.. SR specific..

* Audio is completely rubbish. Very glad I went for the LR premium audio

* Slightly more boring to drive than the LR I test drove

* Heat pump is noisy when supercharging.

Finally an observation.. this company, UFOdrive, controls the car with their own app. Not sure why but whenever the car is in PARK and unlock, the car is all over the place. it keeps trying to unlock the doors, sounding the unlocking beeps and flashing the lights. Definitely a bug!

Funny story.. supercharge use is included in the rental, but apparently UFO drive has now an expired credit card in their tesla account- I was able to supercharge on my first day but yesterday and today, nah - I can't. A bit rubbish if you ask me..

 

[Spuzzz]

I am surprised the audio sounded bad….I thought the SR+ had the same sound system. You probably drove one with traditional batteries. The battery you would likely get if you’re just now ordering is LFP which has its advantages, but a notable disadvantage. It’s even slower than the model you tested. 0-60mph in about 6 seconds….you will not regret the long range decision.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Heat pump is noisy when supercharging

If needed the car will do considerable cooling during rapid charging. not sure if that is heat pump or just outright "cooling fans". That is a Good Thing as it is protecting the longevity of the battery.

Probably only matters if you are in the car rather than running up a tab, and waistline, in Starbucks!

 

[Adopado]

* Slightly more boring to drive than the LR I test drove

Did you check it wasn't locked in "chill" by the hire company? In normal circumstances an SR+ is more than lively .. even if not as quick as the LR.

 

[Spuzzz]

Did you check it wasn't locked in "chill" by the hire company? In normal circumstances an SR+ is more than lively .. even if not as quick as the LR.

No way man. Rwd (sr) 0-60 in 5.3 seconds If you got last years model. if you have this years model it’s even slower. The dual motor is like 4.4 seconds. I’ve owned both … it’s a noticeable difference.

 

[init6]

* Cruise control is absolutely amazing. Autosteer is still a bit dangerous in my opinion.. maybe OK for motorway but not for single carriage ways and B roads.

You should have read the manual before you drove it. Autosteer is not intended for single carriageways and B roads. Not sure why people think they can be in charge of a nearly 2-tonne killing machine without reading the instructions...

 

[Adopado]

No way man. Rwd (sr) 0-60 in 5.3 seconds If you got last years model. if you have this years model it’s even slower. The dual motor is like 4.4 seconds. I’ve owned both … it’s a noticeable difference.

What on earth are you talking about!!? 5.3 seconds is Ferrari Testarossa acceleration! If that doesn't count as "lively" you are clearly on a different planet to me. Obviously there is a further step up in performance to the LR ... that really goes without saying. Sometimes cars have been known to be put into chill to restrict speed so it seems reasonable to ask the question.

 

[Spuzzz]

What on earth are you talking about!!? 5.3 seconds is Ferrari Testarossa acceleration! If that doesn't count as "lively" you are clearly on a different planet to me. Obviously there is a further step up in performance to the LR ... that really goes without saying. Sometimes cars have been known to be put into chill to restrict speed so it seems reasonable to ask the question.

It’s peppy compared to most ice cars. I’m only countering your position that an SR is as quick as a dual motor. The op has now tested both that and noted that the SR was only “slightly more boring.“ If he were locked in chill the difference would have been mind blowing.

 

[khyros]

You should have read the manual before you drove it. Autosteer is not intended for single carriageways and B roads. Not sure why people think they can be in charge of a nearly 2-tonne killing machine without reading the instructions...

I don't need a manual to have common sense. I tried for 10 seconds and judged it wasn't safe. Hence I stopped using it.

 

[init6]

I don't need a manual to have common sense. I tried for 10 seconds and judged it wasn't safe. Hence I stopped using it.

10 seconds is more than enough time to cause an accident. Common sense isn't.

 

[spdpsba]

Hi all

So I have a M3LR on order, delivery due June/July. I wasn't entirely convinced of my SR vs LR decision as the only car I was allowed to test drive was a LR.
So I found a company you can hire on a daily basis and it was quite conveniently very close to where I work. I hired a M3 for three days and these are my impressions

* Seats are surprisingly slightly uncomfortable. I can't quite figure out what the best position to adjust the seat at is.. too many adjustments are possible !!

* Cruise control is absolutely amazing. Autosteer is still a bit dangerous in my opinion.. maybe OK for motorway but not for single carriage ways and B roads.

Now.. SR specific..

* Audio is completely rubbish. Very glad I went for the LR premium audio

* Slightly more boring to drive than the LR I test drove

* Heat pump is noisy when supercharging.

Finally an observation.. this company, UFOdrive, controls the car with their own app. Not sure why but whenever the car is in PARK and unlock, the car is all over the place. it keeps trying to unlock the doors, sounding the unlocking beeps and flashing the lights. Definitely a bug!

Funny story.. supercharge use is included in the rental, but apparently UFO drive has now an expired credit card in their tesla account- I was able to supercharge on my first day but yesterday and today, nah - I can't. A bit rubbish if you ask me..

I think it is horses for courses.

I have a 2021 SR+ Q1 model, so do not have the 305miles/or the slightly bigger battery advantage or the Unicorn ones. I live in Cambridge and more or less do an average commute every day to work. I find the SR+ works for me in most situations except my longer trips to Scotland or Europe. But I don't do that often.

I find the 100% charging easy at home and I think the car is less heavy without the dual motor. I find driving this very easy in cities.

Not an audiophile, so happy with whatever it has. And far better than my previous Range rover.

Heat pump is noisy but it is only when supercharging. If you have a Tesla most of the time you are going to be charging at home. While using the supercharging network you are not going to be in the car as either you will be out for a coffee or other things as these breaks usually double up as comfort breaks.

Boring to drive is slightly subjective - I don't.

The question is - some people definitely need the bigger batteries, others have range anxiety and bigger is better sort of feeling, the rest of the crowd doesn't really need a bigger battery other than on a couple of occasions in a year or two.

I think the 0-60 comparison is wrong at all levels and if you genuinely want a really fast car to show off your skills - you need a proper manual, gas guzzling muscle car or one of the European sports cars. Not fair to do (expect) that in an electric car.

 

[greenbottle123]

you prob got a heavily abused rental car

 

[Buzzliteyear]

Maybe the Op, is trying to reassure himself that the extra cost of the LR is worth the money.

I went for a Q4 2021 SR+, after the test drive in a LR.

My choice was down to my budget and apart from the acceleration, plus more range. I couldn't justify the extra cost, unless I was a frequent traveler on the Autobahn.

I forgot to ask if the test drive car had the acceleration boost. The other half told me off for the whiplash she got, I swear that I barely touched the accelerator lol

 

[Adopado]

I’m only countering your position that an SR is as quick as a dual motor.

Please quote from my post on that point! .... no, I'll do it for you "Did you check it wasn't locked in "chill" by the hire company? In normal circumstances an SR+ is more than lively .. even if not as quick as the LR." ... where in there is there the slightest suggestion that the SR+ is as quick as a dual motor? Apology requested

 

[BarryW]

I find it very upsetting to hear about the audio situation. I have a sub in my current car and I was almost about to go for the LR just for the better sound system. I don't need the longer range or acceleration (my current car does 0-60 in 15.5 seconds, so this is a rocket in comparison), so I opted for the SR+. I am hoping that adding a subwoofer will be an option down the line if the audio is really that bad.

I think the audio is the one thing tarnishing my excitement for next week, but if the car is amazing in all other areas then it won't matter as much!

 

[urbaniser]

Just to add on audio, the LR has the sub and extra speakers amps, the SR, or RWD or SR+ have the standard audio.

 

[OnTheEdge]

The audio in an SR+ is fine, at least for me, and I do consider myself a bit of an audiophile. On par with any car I've ever had. It's a bit forward sounding, where the LR has the advantage of rear speakers. You can add an aftermarket sub and enable the rears if it really matters to you. I certainly wouldn't let it tarnish your excitement.

 

[khyros]

you prob got a heavily abused rental car

Very likely too.. UFOdrive cars are also hire-on-demand so it could be 7 different people on the same week.

 

[khyros]

Maybe the Op, is trying to reassure himself that the extra cost of the LR is worth the money.

I went for a Q4 2021 SR+, after the test drive in a LR.

My choice was down to my budget and apart from the acceleration, plus more range. I couldn't justify the extra cost, unless I was a frequent traveler on the Autobahn.

I forgot to ask if the test drive car had the acceleration boost. The other half told me off for the whiplash she got, I swear that I barely touched the accelerator lol

I think you are entirely right. I had doubts I made the right choice and this hire has told me a) right decision to get a tesla and b) right decision to get a M3LR.

Awesome too that I got some other M3 drivers waving at me, and a guy at the Stansted supercharger let me charge before he was finished.. (I was in a rush and had to pick my other half at the airport.

 

[khyros]

I find it very upsetting to hear about the audio situation. I have a sub in my current car and I was almost about to go for the LR just for the better sound system. I don't need the longer range or acceleration (my current car does 0-60 in 15.5 seconds, so this is a rocket in comparison), so I opted for the SR+. I am hoping that adding a subwoofer will be an option down the line if the audio is really that bad.

I think the audio is the one thing tarnishing my excitement for next week, but if the car is amazing in all other areas then it won't matter as much!

There must have been something wrong with this particular car I think. Even my husband who's not an audiophile at all told me the sound sucked for a 45K+ car.