voip-ninja
Give me some sugar baby
Alternatively once the flood gates open you'll be waiting 10 months to get a fob.
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InsideEVs: Key Fob free to current owners!
- Thread starter ebmcs03
- Start date
Alternatively once the flood gates open you'll be waiting 10 months to get a fob.
I hope that since you can program them yourself that they just put them in the Tesla online store, that way the SCs don't have to be involved at all. (And if they are going to give any free to existing owners they could send them a coupon code to use.)
What is the "time limit allowed?" When I was using the keycard, I had to use it on the B-pillar AND the cupholder, every single time. The car would never turn on without badging in to the center console.
It's actually pretty bad. It's less convenient than a normal key and fob, and it's extremely easy to lose. As you can imagine, on a brand new car, I was very cautious with my keycard, and still dropped it on the floor twice in my first week -- the first time I didn't notice it and thankfully a stranger did. It's so light, it easily falls out without notice, unlike a normal key. I'm simply not someone who is forgetful or careless or loses keys, but with this one, it's really easy to do so.
Reminds me of my 2-seat BMW, some guy paid $45k for it, brand new at Beverly Hills BMW in 2000, and didn't spec the $500 dealer-installed alarm/keyless entry. I can't imagine buying a brand new car in BH and using a key in the door to unlock it
thankfully, both of our iPhones work flawlessly as phone keys, and it really is a game changer, so I can't fathom why anyone wouldn't use it. My wife and I share the car, we'll go out for a run for example, and both of us always 'automatically' have our car access on us. Nothing extra to do, no steps, no extra things to carry. If she finishes before I do, or I finish before she does, walk up to the car, open the trunk, get your clothes, go change, get in, listen to the radio, whatever. If we were using 'normal' keys, odds are only the 'driver' that day would have theirs on them.
Not in my normal leather wallet. I put it on the inside so that it's closest to the outside of the wallet, but even then it was maybe 40% successful. Enough of a PITA that it makes more sense to take it out by habit rather than try 3 times and THEN take it out.
Kichwas
Member
Makes me glad I got my car before the card got phased out.
Last thing I want is another bulky piece of plastic in my pocket that I have to replace the batteries on every so often.
The card is super convenient and perfectly sized.
Last thing I want is another bulky piece of plastic in my pocket that I have to replace the batteries on every so often.
The card is super convenient and perfectly sized.
For daily use, I'd rather use the phone key. But failing the phone key, I'd rather have the fob.
So I plan to get the 'free' fobs, never use them, use phone key, and rely on the keycard in the wallet as the fallback. If for some reason some iOS update breaks phone key, then I'll start carrying the fob
So yeah, those of us who got the car pre-fob are in the best of all possible worlds.
Maximilien
Member
It's simple. It is right direction that Tesla is making key fob.
It makes everyone happy and the more options the merrier.
I have no problem with phone and keycard. It does annoy from time to time when I shift among Tesla Models, and sometimes Model 3 does not automatically recognizes owner and have to shift S or X to 3 in the app. No biggie tho'
Having a keyfob is much more convenient for my case but my pocket will be bulging out with 3 keyfobs. That will make me look funny and less symmetrical in appearance.
It makes everyone happy and the more options the merrier.
I have no problem with phone and keycard. It does annoy from time to time when I shift among Tesla Models, and sometimes Model 3 does not automatically recognizes owner and have to shift S or X to 3 in the app. No biggie tho'
Having a keyfob is much more convenient for my case but my pocket will be bulging out with 3 keyfobs. That will make me look funny and less symmetrical in appearance.
i will never understand how people consider the card (which either way you have to get out of your pocket) to be more convenient than a key fob that never leaves your pocket.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
Better than either would be a card with a battery- so you don't need to take it out and it's not bulky like a fob.
Lexus has been offering these for a good 10 years or more now for example.
Within 2 minutes of using the card on the B pillar you can press the brake and the car will "start" without needing to use it on the center console- per the owners manual.
yes, but that's not the point. multiple people have made the statement here that the card is more convenient than a fob, which makes absolutely no sense.
N5329K
Active Member
voip-ninja
Give me some sugar baby
I agree with you but it is superior in a few very limited usages. For someone who wants minimal pocket size, the card is more convenient. Likewise for someone who wants something water-proof that never needs a battery change the card is better.
In pretty much every other way the phone-as-key or fob is FAR superior.
Although worth noting that from Tesla's perspective the keycard was a huge cost savings for them which is probably why they did it.
Kichwas
Member
Key fob: bulky plastic item that get dropped, scratched up, loses batteriesx etc.
But mostly the bulky chunk of plastic issue. It is the pet rock of the modern era.
Card: slim shape and credit card size/weight means it fits anywhere I used to carry a credit card (itself rapidly becoming obsolete due ti things like Apple Pay).
That’s the convenience.
Extra steps to unlock is something I personally prefer: makes it less likely to be forgotten. Thus better security.
But mostly the bulky chunk of plastic issue. It is the pet rock of the modern era.
Card: slim shape and credit card size/weight means it fits anywhere I used to carry a credit card (itself rapidly becoming obsolete due ti things like Apple Pay).
That’s the convenience.
Extra steps to unlock is something I personally prefer: makes it less likely to be forgotten. Thus better security.
I greatly prefer the card over a fob, although for the most part I use my phone to unlock. The card is waterproof, so I can take it in the water when I swim at the beach. The card has no battery to die (people are actually asking for a battery??). The card is cheap to replace, so cheap in fact that I am going to pick up a couple of spares. The card weighs almost nothing and adds no bulk to my pocket. It is a massive improvement over every fob design I have seen.
thanks for the lecture, even though it makes no sense. preferring to do things a certain way and something being the most convenient way to perform a task are two different things.
there is no way that taking out your wallet or card, tapping the pillar and then putting it away is more convenient than just walking up, opening the door, sitting down and driving away. someone may prefer to do it that way just because they don't want to carry keys, but it is NOT more convenient.
i think we're talking about two different things...convenience is being able to walk up, open the door, sit down and drive away. there is no easier way to do that than to just have a fob (or phone if it ever actually worked) in my pocket. some people may prefer to have the card for whatever reason, but that doesn't make things more convenient. all it does is add extra steps.
preference != convenience
chronopc
Active Member
I don't think the fob is convenient because it's only purpose is to operate the car so I would only bring it if I was driving. I have my phone and wallet with me at all times. So having a working phone is by far the most convenient option for me. Key card as a backup isn't bad since it's in my wallet so it's always there when I need it. Which has only been a few times when I needed to give it to a Valet.
Not to you.
But many of these threads get bogged because some folks can’t (unable to ?) understand that other people have different preferences.
Just because you don’t see it doesn’t make it invalid.
Personally I don’t see a fob as being anything more than a holdover from the past. Doesn’t mean I don’t see the validity of you anying one - however illogical it is to me
Each to their own - hakuna matata
