Irritated after 4 days of SR ownership.

[Eno Deb]

We got the AWD LR in July 2108.

Happy to see that Tesla will still sell the car in 89 years, man from the future.

 

[Eno Deb]

Well I got A P3D-, the $7.5k tax credit, a $5k refund, and apparently I still have free supercharging, so I don't feel too bad about my choice.

That's probably the best deal of them all in hindsight ...

 

[outie]

SR+ owners are irritated SR buyers get the same car with few software limits for $2500 less. And some SR+ owners wish to downgrade but Tesla won't let them.
Compared to the OP or other $55K+ Model 3 owners, SR+ owners are the least ripped off of all Model 3 owners.

My consolation as SR+ owner is the 5.3 sec 0-60 time vs 5.6 sec of SR.
But if SR actually has 5.3 sec also..... then I would be upset for paying $2500 for the heated seats because that will be the only remaining difference that I care about.

I thought Tesla said if SR+ owners want to downgrade they are welcomed to do so? Or is that only for SR+ cars waiting for delivery?

 

[Leafdriver333]

I thought Tesla said if SR+ owners want to downgrade they are welcomed to do so? Or is that only for SR+ cars waiting for delivery?

only people waiting for delivery or possibly those within 7day return period who didn't test drive.

 

[SMAlset]

I don't think Tesla is particularly interested in differentiation, their higher-priced customers be damned.

While it may seem like that at times I just think they have their hands full with FSD and that's taking the majority of their focus, but stuff continues to happen behind the scenes to improve the different models. Tesla's just announced the Model S will get 370 range miles and what...60 miles more now than the longest range Model 3. That's pretty impressive and certainly setting the Model S apart from the Model 3. Model X gets as similar ~10% bump I believe. MotorTrend's article layouts more changes in the Model S. It's nice the higher priced models are getting more attention now.

 

[Leafdriver333]

While it may seem like that at times I just think they have their hands full with FSD and that's taking the majority of their focus, but stuff continues to happen behind the scenes to improve the different models. Tesla's just announced the Model S will get 370 range miles. That's pretty impressive.

Tesla.com already shows it when you customize the cars.

 

[woodisgood]

While it may seem like that at times I just think they have their hands full with FSD and that's taking the majority of their focus, but stuff continues to happen behind the scenes to improve the different models. Tesla's just announced the Model S will get 370 range miles. That's pretty impressive.

You're right - I'm not suggesting they are completely abandoning the higher models. But they'll sell them cheaper and cheaper if they can, and they won't keep premium features out of lower trims if they can afford to put them in.

Only two things matter - how many units are sold, i.e., how many ICE cars are replaced with EV, and the profit margin on the units sold. If the margin on the 50K car is 2K and on the 37K car is also 2K, do you think they care which they sell? Actually yes they do. As Elon said, they'd RATHER sell the smaller battery cars because they can produce a greater quantity of vehicles with the same amount of raw material. Case in point - the return of the S/X standard range.

The endgame is literally putting as many EVs on the road as possible and surviving as long as possible to be able to do so.

 

[AlexM3]

Well nobody forced you to buy the M3P. If you can afford it, then color me jealous. I agree, the SR seems to be a tremendous value but I WISH I could justify/afford a dual motor performance version. If you CAN'T afford it, then you made a mistake that isn't Tesla's fault in any way. If you're saying they should be closer together in cost, you may be missing the point. M3P is a flagship of the line. 35k SR was a checkmark on a list and a way to penetrate a layer of the market that otherwise wouldn't have happened - people like me. Now I have friends who have previously thought Teslas are purely for rich snobs asking me how much my payments are and thinking about it themselves. It's good marketing IMO. Plus they already pulled the 35k model essentially. It was a sale, basically, like what many companies do around Christmas and Black Friday time.

I bought a 4k 65 inch TV a year ago for a really good price. Now they have 70 inch TVs for a bit less than that. I can't complain - I was okay with that choice then and I accept it now. It's still a great TV and you still have a great car.

Yours will do what mine won't. But also that's money you won't ever see again. Maybe you realized you don't care about performance as much as you thought you did? It's a bit like lamenting that you bought a BMW M3 while a 330i exists for much less but is "essentially the same car" minus the actual performance.

If it help, sometimes I think I should have gone for the bigger battery or the dual motor... Perhaps grass is always greener - my .02

 

[MXWing]

If it help, sometimes I think I should have gone for the bigger battery or the dual motor... Perhaps grass is always greener - my .02

Good arguments and welcome to TMC. I will dispute your 330i vs M3 example however. I believe the M3 has exclusive paint options and looks far more aggressive. You can tell them apart. 3SR vs 3P-, NO DIFFERENCE.

I’ll often argue both sides of the same issue and even change opinions given new information.

This helps me make informed decisions for myself and hopefully helps others.

Almost a year ago, I argued the 3P was TOO cheap and it would destroy the 2018 Model S. While it certainly pissed off a lot of people I was right in the end.

Performance Model 3 is too cheap - about to drop some truth bombs.

I actually have upsold AWD and P to members here when they were originally thinking 3LR.

I don't regret I got the 3P+ but I do wish there was more differentiation between that and lower trims. I do understand more differentiation = less production.

There are some very nice advantages to having a 3.5 second car:

-Green/Yellow means go. Red means stop.
-Stopped at red light, In far left lane, need to to hit an exit 4 lanes over and 1/8th of a mile to work with. EASY
-M3,M5,C63 AMG, RS4, Ferrari, GTR, Z06, ZL1, none of those matter. NONE of them wanted a piece of me.
-10 years from now, 3.5 will probably still be a very quick car.

In your case, it's not a bad idea to get a 3SR/3SR+ You lose very little value by the time the Y comes out. You can get your performance fix then.

I believe the Y is better than the 3 in every way and it should have been the "3" that Tesla made to begin with. Look for the Y to replace the 3 and the 3 to become an entirely different vehicle than it is today. Perhaps it will be the Corolla/Civic segment of EVs.

 

[Fernand]

I like my M3 and wouldn't likely want the Y because
1) The Y is somehow uglier. THAT's going to be the Corolla.
2) I don't have to drive family around. I tell them the M3
back seats must be kept down to deter rear window B&E.

 

[Leafdriver333]

I see EV price stagnating where it is and Tesla prices slowly going up.
Tesla will never become as ubiquitous as Elon dreamed of.

 

[PatP]

I totally agree. It's a steal. Wish I needed to buy one on top of my P3D..!

So after 4 days or so of SR ownership I’m irritated.

At speed - whether it be 45, 60, 70 - it drives far too closely to my 86.5K Model 3.

It already looks like it inside.

I know the cars quite well so I can identify practically every difference - down to IGBT vs MOSFET for the inverters.

Not saying the 3P doesn’t have its advantages but I am unsure if I would say no if Tesla offered a 40K check to downgrade my 3P to a 3SR.

This 35K car is apparently the best kept automotive secret in the world. It’s a secret because Tesla actually has stock and every sedan on the road hasn’t been replaced yet.

I calculate it to be a 42K car in 2016 money if the current iteration was released at that time.

Tremendous value.

More love and differentiation needed on the higher trims.

Maybe free Mario kart in the apps section and make it a $100 micro transaction for 3SR.

 

[TMThree]

If anything I would get the LR with 19 inch wheels. Anything I can do after market. The performance is still scratching an itch, but I think I’ll want to spend that 10k on tints and some ceramic protection etc

I don't see why anyone would want the 19" rims even if they came free. They look nice, but it isn't worth a 10% range loss. And it's not like they're custom/rare/unique - Tesla makes higher profit margins with them, so most people have them.

Tesla Range Table - Teslike.com

 

[mike123abc]

If the battery pack size works for your driving the SR and SR+ value is very hard to beat.

If you want to drive cross country in it, you will pay a price by having to make more stops. But, in reality few drive cross country often.

 

[mike123abc]

I don't see why anyone would want the 19" rims even if they came free. They look nice, but it isn't worth a 10% range loss. And it's not like they're custom/rare/unique - Tesla makes higher profit margins with them, so most people have them.

Tesla Range Table - Teslike.com

From Edmonds ( Stopping Distance and Grip With 18- and 19-inch Tires - 2017 Tesla Model 3 Long-Term Road Test )

The difference was bigger and broader than expected. The 19-inch Continental tires made our Model 3 launch more smartly to produce a better 0-60 mph acceleration time (5.1 seconds instead of 5.3), stop shorter from 60 mph (128 feet instead of 133), and generate a lot more grip around the skidpad (0.93g instead of 0.85g).

Beyond the numbers, this simple tire change absolutely woke up the Model 3 on the handling circuit, where all of the above objective data points came together to produce a more engaging driving experience. It turned into bends more precisely, hung on through corners more tenaciously, and allowed the driver to roll onto the throttle with more authority on the way out.

In short, the 19s made our 2017 Tesla Model 3 a lot more fun, and by a considerable margin. But this was more than a performance and fun-to-drive upgrade. A shorter panic stop can reduce the likelihood or severity of a rear-end collision. Sharper track handling reflexes also translate into better accident avoidance on the street. And we also found that ride comfort and road noise — attributes seemingly unrelated to tire grip — improved considerably.

 

[daniel]

He's saying the car is the same for half the cost. But we already knew that - unless you are accelerating hard, it's basically the same vehicle. His SR will also get better range for the kwh because of the 18" aeros and single motor.

Gotcha. Thanks.

I was a Day 2 reservation holder and Owner, and placed my firm order literally one week before I began thinking that moving to Maui might be a good idea. I really wanted the P3D, but it was looking as though that would mean an additional year's wait. And I wanted to be able to make the long drive for my annual summer hiking trip from Spokane to Canada. So I got the First Production version with upgraded interior, which I didn't really want, and the long-range battery, which I definitely wanted, and without dual motor which I really wanted or Performance which I also wanted. I paid for EAP and blue paint.

If my invitation to order had come a week later, I'd probably have waited and bought the car here. On Maui I have no use for the long-range battery, which I have, or dual motor which I don't. I could have gotten the car cheaper and saved the hassle of having it shipped. It's scheduled to arrive in 6 days but my experience shipping the Prius over suggests I might get it a day or two sooner.

And in spite of all the above, I am absolutely delighted with this car. Maybe I paid more for it than I needed to if the $35K version is just as good and would have met my needs here. But I got the car sooner. My disappointment is not that they're selling just as good a car cheaper. It's that for five months it sat in my garage in Spokane while I was driving the Prius here because the rented condo didn't have a plug for it. But that's nearly over.

The Model 3 is the best and safest car I've ever owned. And if Tesla is selling just as good a car for a lot less money, then good for them, so that more people will replace their stinkers with EVs.

 

[dcdttu]

I will dispute your 330i vs M3 example however. I believe the M3 has exclusive paint options and looks far more aggressive. You can tell them apart. 3SR vs 3P-, NO DIFFERENCE.

I personally kinda like it the other way around. BMW makes their performance cars stand out, for those that want everyone to know they paid a lot I guess. Tesla's performance models fly under the radar, and can show you what they truly are when you floor the accelerator - that's my kind of ride.

 

[Transporter]

SR+ owners are irritated SR buyers get the same car with few software limits for $2500 less. And some SR+ owners wish to downgrade but Tesla won't let them.
Compared to the OP or other $55K+ Model 3 owners, SR+ owners are the least ripped off of all Model 3 owners.

My consolation as SR+ owner is the 5.3 sec 0-60 time vs 5.6 sec of SR.
But if SR actually has 5.3 sec also..... then I would be upset for paying $2500 for the heated seats because that will be the only remaining difference that I care about.

If getting AP should only be a 1500.00 difference between SR and SR+ since they are saying it's 3000.00 to add AP to SR(38k vs 39.5k with AP). If you don't want AP SR is for sure the best deal. If getting AP I still think SR+ for price difference is the best getting the supposed extra speed and range for when you do need it.
I live in FL so have no use for the heated seats , I think I have used them perhaps 5 times in my current car over the last 3 years lol.

 

[Leafdriver333]

...Tesla's performance models fly under the radar, and can show you what they truly are when you floor the accelerator - that's my kind of ride.

And the slower model 3 cars benefit by mimicking.

 

[Nocturnal]

What a twist!

The SR is definitely an insane value. World's safest car, all tesla tech, EV benefits, only missing bits are speed and range which most don't care about, especially for a second car.

SR+ owners are irritated SR buyers get the same car with few software limits for $2500 less. And some SR+ owners wish to downgrade but Tesla won't let them.
Compared to the OP or other $55K+ Model 3 owners, SR+ owners are the least ripped off of all Model 3 owners.

My consolation as SR+ owner is the 5.3 sec 0-60 time vs 5.6 sec of SR.
But if SR actually has 5.3 sec also..... then I would be upset for paying $2500 for the heated seats because that will be the only remaining difference that I care about.

I have to say I'll never understand why this is so common with people. It's one thing to advocate to get something special for yourself, but to want to someone else to be damaged is just weird. Focusing on that sort of thing will just result in being miserable.

Well I got A P3D-, the $7.5k tax credit, a $5k refund, and apparently I still have free supercharging, so I don't feel too bad about my choice.

Lucky! My free supercharging cut off before I even had the refund check in my hand. ​

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