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#41
m80arm said:
Hi All,

First-time poster here so be gentle :). I've placed an order for a M3 LR that is expected in June and the more I read/watch around Tesla's I always seem to question myself on whether it's the right thing to do. Did anyone else do this when going from ICE to EV?

I've test drove the car a few times and happy with the overall size (Boot and baby seat space). I don't think the range anxiety is an issue as I'll have a home charger and most business trips will be up/down the A1/M1 which looks to be well equipped with superchargers. A recent issue that I'm now questioning is the noise inside the cabin which I'm sure going from a 320D with run-flats will not be an issue.

Keen to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Michael
Click to expand...
Hi Michael,


You should never really have range anxiety in a M3 LR/AWD. Keep the Aero wheels on for the full range, which is what 351 miles now? That's more than I have at 322 miles and I have no range anxiety, even on long trips.

Tesla keeps adding new Superchargers so your range problem will continue to diminish over time. Noisy cabin? I wish I had your issue. I'm half deaf, lol. I guess there are some perks to living in a world of relative silence. This might depend on how sensitive you are to noise or what you perceive to be unpleasant sound.

If you like, go and test-drive a Tesla from Turo dot com, and assuage your fears. You've made a great choice!

For myself, my biggest worry was whether to stick with my Model 3 AWD LR order or go for the available 2020 Stealth P3D- in the trim of my choice. $6000 more for the P. These 'Stealths' are no longer offered on any order page and I don't even think they're offered at all for 2021+ models. Back then I knew these were somewhat rarified unicorns. A Stealth is just a P without all of the 'Performance Upgrade Parts' (PUP) such as spoiler, sport suspension, 20" wheels, etc. I preferred the 18" Aero wheels for more range, cheaper tires, and less risk to the rims from imperfect L.A. roads. Sleeper cars are their own kind of fun too, for those who know the difference between a P, LR AWD, and SR+ anyway.

As you've guessed, I went for the Stealth and am SO glad I did. I don't miss the money and I still get to drive the Stealth any time the mood strikes. I know now I made the right choice for my neurotype and interests. :)

Also, welcome to the forum!
 
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#42
m80arm said:
Hi All,

First-time poster here so be gentle :). I've placed an order for a M3 LR that is expected in June and the more I read/watch around Tesla's I always seem to question myself on whether it's the right thing to do. Did anyone else do this when going from ICE to EV?

I've test drove the car a few times and happy with the overall size (Boot and baby seat space). I don't think the range anxiety is an issue as I'll have a home charger and most business trips will be up/down the A1/M1 which looks to be well equipped with superchargers. A recent issue that I'm now questioning is the noise inside the cabin which I'm sure going from a 320D with run-flats will not be an issue.

Keen to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Michael
Click to expand...
You will love your M3 LR - I love mine. 7000 miles in my first year due to lockdown and only needed Supercharging on one particularly long trip. I find it refined and well built, super fast, I love the constant software updates, and I am hopeful Autopilot will keep getting better with vision only (non-radar) coming soon.
 
#45
I do enjoy the LR that and do not regret getting it. But for me its not the most comfortable I have driven reminds me of driving my BMW. I do find the A7 i have is more confortable and miss having the HUD the only thing I wish they put on the M3 I know you can retro fit aftermarket ones but they all are a bit lame IMO. I think any one coming from an ICE has range anxiety at first but that soon disapears with the available SuC. My only gripe will be some EV drivers not moving their cars after a charging has completed hopefully it not too much of an issue when more stations are open or expanded.
 
#46
OddJob83 said:
I do enjoy the LR that and do not regret getting it. But for me its not the most comfortable I have driven reminds me of driving my BMW. I do find the A7 i have is more confortable and miss having the HUD the only thing I wish they put on the M3 I know you can retro fit aftermarket ones but they all are a bit lame IMO. I think any one coming from an ICE has range anxiety at first but that soon disapears with the available SuC. My only gripe will be some EV drivers not moving their cars after a charging has completed hopefully it not too much of an issue when more stations are open or expanded.
Click to expand...
it'll be replaced with how long will I have to queue anxiety this summer when all the new M3's hit the UK holiday road!
 
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#48
m80arm said:
Hi All,

First-time poster here so be gentle :). I've placed an order for a M3 LR that is expected in June and the more I read/watch around Tesla's I always seem to question myself on whether it's the right thing to do. Did anyone else do this when going from ICE to EV?

I've test drove the car a few times and happy with the overall size (Boot and baby seat space). I don't think the range anxiety is an issue as I'll have a home charger and most business trips will be up/down the A1/M1 which looks to be well equipped with superchargers. A recent issue that I'm now questioning is the noise inside the cabin which I'm sure going from a 320D with run-flats will not be an issue.

Keen to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Michael
Click to expand...
Congrats - you'll love it!

Don't read too much into all the negativity about flaws, etc. with the cars - yes some people do have issues, but I would hedge my bets that the majority are quite happy with their cars and had little to no issues when it was delivered - remember we're always quick to have a moan when things aren't right, but we're less inclined to say when things were perfect :) I'm not downplaying the issues that some people have - but I wouldn't let it put you off your purchase. (I say this as someone whose SR+ delivered in September 2020 was practically perfect - no panel gaps, everything aligned fine - the only issue and I was nitpicking was a small chip on the plastic on the back of the passenger seat which I would have happily ignored if I hadn't had to take the car over to Edinburgh to fix a bit of plastic (front fog light cover) that had come loose.

Regarding range anxiety - If your daily commute regularly involves you being near to the limit of the cars single charge range then I would suggest an EV may not be the best car for you at this time - but that's just my opinion - I'm sure plenty of others are quite happy having to supercharge / rapid charge every day. Of course if a few times a month you do longer trips and need to charge, then for me that's fine, but it might not be for you.

Noise: It is a very quiet car - especially at town speeds - I only noticeably hear the wind above 60 mph (unless it's a very windy day) and then I just turn the radio up. Road noise is near silent at town speeds - and on motorways, I hear the wind more than the road noise - given how *sugar* our roads in the UK are there are patches which are clearly noisier than others... One thing that has become apparent to me in the last few days is that it gets a lot noisier in hot weather (my hypochondria over whether it was just normal noise or the result of hitting the kerb in a drive-through the day before) - probably no more than a normal car does, but because there is no engine noise and it's usually so quiet it was noticeable to me.
 
#51
The latest MiC Model 3's look overall far better build quality than many of the Fremont built cars. The Shanghai factory probably has more spare capacity so when EM cracks the whip to meet delivery deadlines they will probably be less of a rush in Shanghai to achieve that. It doesn't help that half the cars in Fremont were built on a production line which was less automated so subject to more variable build quality even at best of times.

So hopefully, what now comes out of Tesla is the quality one expects from a mass produced vehicle although some will suffer from only having a cursory PDI so faults will not be picked up until the car reaches customers. With typical mass market cars, these faults are normally corrected prior to the customer setting eyes on their new prized possession.

As for moving from ICE to EV. Its different and has a few different tricks to learn, but I think for pretty much everyone, if you pick the right car in the first place, there is no regrets in going electric.
 
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#55
Had mine since September, it's a 2019 build M3 LR and coming from my mazda 6 tourer the Tesla is fantastic, where the Mazda was a really great car with litle to go wrong with it £80 per week fuel bill was a lot looking back (last month's total electric cost was £65 - Tesla and Mrs F working from home!). Yes ride noise is louder but there's no gentle rumble of an engine and at low speeds it's like you're gliding around, motorway driving is OK for noise (and from what i've seen the 2021 models are more soundproofed) but slap the radio on and it's not really distracting. Using autopilot means feeling a lot more refreshed after a long motorway journey.
I'd wanted to order mine during lockdown 1 but Mrs F wouldn't let me until I had done a test drive! pfft!

I wouldn't go back to an ICE now, I'd probably stay with Tesla as I love the minimalistic look and I find myself chuckling when I see steering wheels adorened with all manner of buttons. I'm just hoping inbetween now and my lease end the model Y becomes available come on Tesla factory Germany!!!, THAT would be my perfect ride (all the plus points of the M3, plus a slightly higher seating position, a full hatchback rather than saloon and the 2021 style interior updates!)
 
#59
I moved from a 2.2d Infiniti Q50 to M3LR. Loving the M3. Road noise is pretty much the same at motorway speeds. I soon got used to the minimalist cabin and also worked out the controls quickly. I thought this might take some learning, but when you break it down, there are not that many settings that you play with on a daily basis.

The seats are not as comfortable as in the Infiniti, Audi or BMW's I have had. The seat base is a little short for me and there is no adjustment on it. It's not a big deal and I'm settling into the seat shape after a few longer trips.

Longer trips need a change in mindset. You will have to stop to charge. Accept it and don't push back. I dislike motorway services, but I now have to use them to access the Superchargers. Taking a break is better for me and is what I should have been doing. By the time I've grabbed a coffee or something to eat, there is usually enough charge to get me to my destination.

You have to plan ahead. You can always find a petrol station, but not always a charger - especially in rural locations. I'm getting used to not panicking when SoC gets to 20% though as it will still get you a long way.

I'm not that sold on TACC and could happily do without AP. More to do with driving styles, but I didn't use cruise much on ICE cars either. TACC works, but has some foibles - many of which are discussed on this forum. At the end of the day, you're driving the car and be prepared to take-over or intervene as needed.

After three weeks, I wouldn't consider going back. I even caught myself laughing as I drove past a packed petrol station forecourt! You won't regret it.
 
#60
Model 3 proved to me that EV's have become so good with one pedal driving, smoothness, quietness and just general lack of fuss day to day that I've put my Harley up for sale and bought a BMW C Evolution - basically a two wheeled i3. Zero fuss, zero drama and so easy to live with two ev's
 
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