Is Performance Worth It?

[StealthP3D]

At a certain point it is suspected that the Model 3 is using forced motor inefficiency to provide heat for the battery, but even before that Li-ion batteries just aren't as effective when they are cooler.

Automobile inefficiencies in bitter cold weather is well documented and affects the Long Range and P3D equally, even gasoline powered cars take quite a hit in the extreme cold. The cool thing about EV's is the extreme cold doesn't affect their reliability in the same way as a gasoline or diesel car which might not crank very strongly when it's that cold, the fuel might not vaporize well and diesel can actually start to gel. In an EV, even it's it's bitter cold, you can bet it's going to go when you push the accelerator. Fortunately, most of the world lives where it doesn't regularly get much below freezing.

 

[HeatproofGenie]

Yes this is very true . Depends how you drive. My range for example is only 60 miles.

View attachment 374556

Please tell me you don't have that kind of consumption driving on public streets.

As to the thread. AWD or RWD LR is the sweet spot for these cars even though yes RWD LR isn't available anymore. Either of the non performance cars are more than fast enough and certainly faster in acceleration than the vast majority of all cars on the street. I can't deny the allure of the Performance model but I'm still in accumulation phase so my money has more utility used in other ways at the moment.

 

[mswlogo]

Please tell me you don't have that kind of consumption driving on public streets.

As to the thread. AWD or RWD LR is the sweet spot for these cars even though yes RWD LR isn't available anymore. Either of the non performance cars are more than fast enough and certainly faster in acceleration than the vast majority of all cars on the street. I can't deny the allure of the Performance model but I'm still in accumulation phase so my money has more utility used in other ways at the moment.

It's funny, the "sweetest" two options are no longer available.

LR RWD (super range, cheap)
P3D- (decent range, full boost for little money).

First world problems.

 

[Maximilien]

Financially, absolutely not!
To pump up the adrenaline, absolutely yes!

 

[tomas]

It's funny, the "sweetest" two options are no longer available.

LR RWD (super range, cheap)
P3D- (decent range, full boost for little money).

First world problems.

LOL those are the 2 I have.

 

[SammichLover]

Automobile inefficiencies in bitter cold weather is well documented and affects the Long Range and P3D equally, even gasoline powered cars take quite a hit in the extreme cold. The cool thing about EV's is the extreme cold doesn't affect their reliability in the same way as a gasoline or diesel car which might not crank very strongly when it's that cold, the fuel might not vaporize well and diesel can actually start to gel. In an EV, even it's it's bitter cold, you can bet it's going to go when you push the accelerator. Fortunately, most of the world lives where it doesn't regularly get much below freezing.

Yeah, I'm just talking maybe 5-10% efficiency loss at 5C compared to 20C. Peanuts in the big scheme of things unless you're trying to stretch to the very limit of your vehicle range, which is normally an unnecessarily long distance to go without charging in the LR Model 3.

 

[DrDabbles]

Correction P3D+, but of course there are miles left on the table for Dual Motors too.

Correcting your correction. Only the P3D+ is available now, so I just said P3D since the original post is about buying a new performance or not Model 3, or a Model X. You can't get the P3D- anymore.

You numbers seemed out of line but not by much 295 miles (actual AWD rating by Tesla) * 15% for 20" wheels is 44.5 miles, yikes.

I've got tons of photos from road trips and just driving around. I can get 295 Wh/mi in warm weather driving with traffic with my 18" studded snow tires after driving for several hours if I'm _extremely_ cautious.

And for those that claim they can get say 310 miles range with 20" wheels (which is great) you'd probably get on the order of 364 miles range with Aero's with the same driving habits/conditions.

Anybody claiming 310 miles with the P3D with 20" wheels needs to bring evidence. I'll leave it at that.

 

[DrDabbles]

Wait what?! This is not true. Its a square setup not staggered.

Not sure if anybody corrected you yet or not, but while the tires aren't staggered, the tread pattern is asymmetric and directional so you can not rotate them.

 

[Perry]

Not sure if anybody corrected you yet or not, but while the tires aren't staggered, the tread pattern is asymmetric and directional so you can not rotate them.

Even with an asymmetric and directional pattern you can still rotate front to back. The direction of rotation and side will be the same in that case.

 

[happyzod]

The boost alone is not worth $8000.00

FUSC, Boost and Wheels/Brakes for $15k (Initial Offer)
FSUC and Boost for $10k (Initial Stealth Offer)
Boost and Wheels/Brakes for $10k ($5k Credit or Current Pricing)
Boost $5k (Stealth - $5k Credit and Currently not available)

Any way you slice it Tesla now values it at around $5k

That said, they might offer it if they were strapped for cash and if offered at $5k I suspect they would sell a boat load of the upgrades.
But they would/could cannibalize Performance sales now and forever if they do because many buyers will assume an upgrade will be offered later.

Maybe what they should do is offer it for $5k at purchase time and $7k later like they do AutoPilot.

Somehow you reduced the price of the boost by 1K throughout. Just an example, current AWD base Price is 49,900 and current performance price is 60900. That's an 11K difference, not 10K.

It was always 11K to upgrade to the stealth version except for a few weeks where they raised the AWD Prices then lowered them right back down. The initial pricing for AWD when they introduced stealth was 53K vs 64K. Where are you coming up with this magical $5K number? Please spell it out. Also, remember that plenty of people paid 11K for the boost that you said wasn't worth 8K.

Remember, the upgrade is not 100% free for tesla. They factor in a warranty contingency for the extra wear and tear the boost provides.

 

[DrDabbles]

Even with an asymmetric and directional pattern you can still rotate front to back. The direction of rotation and side will be the same in that case.

That's of extremely limited value if you get your alignment checked at all.

 

[MXWing]

Financially, absolutely not!
To pump up the adrenaline, absolutely yes!

Why not? It’s only 35K.

Or that’s what the wife was told anyway.

 

[Perry]

That's of extremely limited value if you get your alignment checked at all.

That's how tires are rotated front to back. The cross rotation use to be popular years ago but that's not how it's usually done today. When Tesla rotates tires during service on all their models (I had my done by mobile service) they only do front to back. And yes it's of great value to do this, because the front wears on the sides, from turning, and the back wears in the center.

 

[JetFalcon]

Financially, absolutely not!
To pump up the adrenaline, absolutely yes!

So if some guy tried to argue why he got the Performance Model, and it was because he runs a stressful business and the only way he can cope with running it was to have adrenaline at any moment?

Can he say the upgrade is worth from say a dual motor? I think the autopilot is the only big expense upgrade that is worth it. In the sense you can drive much longer distances and conserve your energy, which could prevent an accident. Autopilot takes away so many human error factors in the correct situations.

 

[JetFalcon]

If say you are set on getting the dual motor mid range model. And I think autopilot is almost the same price upgrade as performance, except a few grand cheaper.

If the budget can only afford one big upgrade (Performance or Autopilot), would you choose to go Performance (no autopilot) or have mid range dual motor (with autopilot).

 

[Perry]

If say you are set on getting the dual motor mid range model. And I think autopilot is almost the same price upgrade as performance, except a few grand cheaper.

If the budget can only afford one big upgrade (Performance or Autopilot), would you choose to go Performance (no autopilot) or have mid range dual motor (with autopilot).

In a way those two options are diametrically opposed. If you like driving then the performance is the way to go. If you don't then the auto pilot is more appealing. I got the performance because I enjoy driving a well balanced and performant car and have no desire to have the car drive me. Others like my wife don't like driving so performance makes no sense while auto pilot does.

 

[JetFalcon]

In a way those two options are diametrically opposed. If you like driving then the performance is the way to go. If you don't then the auto pilot is more appealing. I got the performance because I enjoy driving a well balanced and performant car and have no desire to have the car drive me. Others like my wife don't like driving so performance makes no sense while auto pilot does.

Well, haven't driven the Performance to make a true conclusion of what I would give & take. I don't think I'm a car guy compared to some other car guys who drive super aggressive non comfortable cars everyday. I had a BMW M3 before the Tesla, and I didn't enjoy driving the M3 because it didn't drive like a commuter car.

The Tesla Model 3 seems to have best of both worlds. It def goes fast, but offers much smoother driving over any gas based car. And with dual motor, I can easily accelerate to any left turn traffic light if I see it turn green from a distance, knowing I will most likely make it in time before it turns yellow & red. It was something my BMW M3 failed to do, it could accelerate, but it would lag if sudden acceleration was needed.

 

[roguenode]

In a way those two options are diametrically opposed. If you like driving then the performance is the way to go. If you don't then the auto pilot is more appealing. I got the performance because I enjoy driving a well balanced and performant car and have no desire to have the car drive me. Others like my wife don't like driving so performance makes no sense while auto pilot does.

I'd take perf over EAP every time. I've got both and rarely use EAP. I do try TACC sometimes in heavy, slow traffic, but even that has limited usefulness in my area as the damn car phantom brakes so often on hills. EAP in less than ideal conditions is a disappointment for me. No disappointments with the performance, other than wishing it was a bit quicker. Bonus for track mode, which is a total blast in the winter.

 

[mswlogo]

I'd take perf over EAP every time. I've got both and rarely use EAP. I do try TACC sometimes in heavy, slow traffic, but even that has limited usefulness in my area as the damn car phantom brakes so often on hills. EAP in less than ideal conditions is a disappointment for me. No disappointments with the performance, other than wishing it was a bit quicker. Bonus for track mode, which is a total blast in the winter.

That’s an interesting argument. EAP vs Performance.

I’d take EAP any day. I have both. Even as it functions today. But I do expect it to improve a lot.

It was one of the major reasons I got the car.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Just get both.

*shrug*