Is Performance Worth It?

[Dutchie]

Take a look at this video

 

[commasign]

It is fun to show off to friends and family. But how many friends and family do you have?

Half dozen family, a dozen co-workers, and handful of friends/friends-of-friends have purchased Teslas as a direct or indirect result of demos, rides, or test drives in my cars. A few more have said they are definitely getting a Tesla for their next car. Have also given rides to local politicians and staff, and foreign government officials as part of my volunteer work with the local EAA chapter. I'm sure demos, rides, and test drives in base model Teslas are impactful as well, but there's just something special about slamming people's heads into headrests.

 

[evannole]

Heck yeah...I use the performance acceleration every day battling Florida rednecks and dodging University of Florida students. I also love the way the wheels/red calipers look. I accidentally enabled chill mode with an unknown code and almost had to get psychiatric therapy for adjustment disorder

I don't have (or need) Performance, but sympathize with your having to dodge UF students with any frequency...

 

[mswlogo]

Half dozen family, a dozen co-workers, and handful of friends/friends-of-friends have purchased Teslas as a direct or indirect result of demos, rides, or test drives in my cars. A few more have said they are definitely getting a Tesla for their next car. Have also given rides to local politicians and staff, and foreign government officials as part of my volunteer work with the local EAA chapter. I'm sure demos, rides, and test drives in base model Teslas are impactful as well, but there's just something special about slamming people's heads into headrests.

Now I feel lonely.

 

[TD_alseT]

Worth it, YES. Necessary, debatable... I would absolutely buy another.

 

[rcarpen22]

I didn’t read all the posts, so someone might have said this already, but... I do not think just the software upgrade is worth $10k. I paid it anyway because I knew I would regret it if I didn’t, but that’s a different question. Now that they are giving you software upgrade, suspension, wheels, etc. all for the same money AND dropped the price another $2000, I think the performance model is an incredible deal.

 

[Garlan Garner]

This has been asked and answered a half million times already. Here are the things to consider:

• Will you be bringing the car to the track regularly?
• Are you okay sacrificing normal every day range (15%) for track mode?
• Are you willing to pay for very expensive premium parts?
• Do you have the self control to not drive like a maniac on public roads?
• Are you willing to replace the more expensive tires more frequently?
• Do you live where the roads are rough and rutted? Sidewalls on the 20" tires are very thin and easily damaged.
• Replacing a flat tire is $300-400 each, and there are people that have already replaced all 4 due to nails, curbs, pot holes, etc.
• Would you save money by just buying a brake upgrade instead of the Performance package?

These are pretty much the questions you'll need to answer for yourself. If you find that you take longer trips or don't have regular access to your own charger, then the efficiency loss of the Performance package may be a big inconvenience to you. If you live where there are rough roads, you're going to constantly be replacing tires and likely replacing wheels. A set of all four wheels with tires mounted it $4000, so damaging a wheel is probably going to be a pretty expensive mistake. Also, since you can't rotate the tires on the P3D, you're going to need to replace them more frequently even though there will be perfectly good sections of tread on them.

Also, have you ever driven a performance vehicle before? If not, then there's really no need to go crazy here. Buying the performance package just for the random occasion you can use the faster acceleration on public streets really doesn't make any sense. Losing your license for doing 60 in a 30 MPH zone isn't really a good way to spend a year, especially with an expensive car parked in your spot.

I guess in summary I'd say it doesn't look like you plan to go to a race track with the car, so you're not likely to get much benefit from the track package. But you are likely to experience the costs associated with it.

There is really only one question.

Hey performance owners....do you want to trade down to AWD?

 

[Garlan Garner]

Does Tesla have a brake upgrade package for M3-AWD? I did a spirited backroad drive recently and I was impressed by the overall performance, however, one weak link was the standard brakes for that kind of driving. It would be nice if I could upgrade to the P3D+ brakes.

Does Tesla have a brake upgrade?

I didn't get a P3D+ for stop'ing.

I bought a P3D+ for go'ing.

lol

 

[MagnusMako]

Looks as if you have already decided. I have both the RWD LR (no longer sold) and the P without the sport wheels, brakes, etc. (no longer sold). After my experience with 20” sport wheels on my Model S P85, I would not get low profile wheels/tires due to easy sidewalk blowouts, quick wear, and reduced range. The added traction just not worth it. It is unfortunate that Tesla no longer offers the P without. And, unfortunately, you could not sell the wheels and put on Aeros because the P brakes would not fit.

If I were buying today, I would buy the AWD and hope that at some point in the future Tesla offers a paid upgrade that unlocks more power. The consensus on this forum is that the P drive unit is the same as the AWD, and that the only difference is software unlock. It would be an easy pure profit lever for Tesla to pull some day! Not saying they will... but they probably could...

I agree, some kind of paid performance unlock in the 3D would be ideal and the surely the easiest profit gain for Tesla in the world. Wouldn't even have to be P3D level of acceleration. I think just something halfway in between would satisfy a lot of owners (including myself). I have no intention of tracking, do not desire to replace expensive tires more often, do not care enough about the looks of 20", would like to preserve my sidewalls, etc. I just want a little extra oomph and I'm willing to fork out for it. I'm sure there's a large percentage who are in the same boat.

 

[DrDabbles]

There is really only one question.

Hey performance owners....do you want to trade down to AWD?

If I was a traveling rep or needed to regularly make long drives for work, likely yes. It can be the difference between needing to charge before meeting with a client, or being able to charge after the meeting. With the P3D you're basically leaving 50+ miles on the table for every full charge.

 

[Garlan Garner]

If I was a traveling rep or needed to regularly make long drives for work, likely yes. It can be the difference between needing to charge before meeting with a client, or being able to charge after the meeting. With the P3D you're basically leaving 50+ miles on the table for every full charge.

What?

Leaving 50+ miles on the table?

Please explain.

P3D+ is the highest range Tesla that is made @ 310 miles per charge.

 

[DrDabbles]

Take a look at this video

That was a Mid Range vs Performance. That's not a meaningful comparison, and doesn't really have anything to do with this thread. The question was Performance or not, so I assume the choices are AWD vs. Performance. But I think LR RWD is also a good consideration.

 

[ChrisH]

What? Leaving 50+ miles on the table?

Please explain.

P3D+ is the highest range Tesla that is made @ 310 miles per charge.

Lol no. The LR RWD is rated at 310 but gets up to 330. The AWD is rated at 310 and gets about that and the P3D+ is rated for 310 and usually gets more like 285. At least based on most people’s experience I’ve read on here.

 

[DrDabbles]

What? Leaving 50+ miles on the table?

Please explain.

The P3D has a higher Wh/mi consumption compared to the other Model 3 variants. As an example:

P3D+: 278 Wh/mi
LR RWD w/19": 246 Wh/mi
P3D-: 244 Wh/mi
LR RWD w/18": 232 Wh/mi

The performance model with 20" wheels has very high consumption, and that's when you're driving in static conditions attempting to be careful. If you add in some snow or rain, some quick accelerations, or bring that test onto surface streets, the consumption of the P3D+ goes up much higher than 15%. My usual consumption for my P3D is 320-350 Wh/mi.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Lol no. The LR RWD is rated at 310 but gets up to 330. The AWD is rated at 310 and gets about that and the P3D+ is rated for 310 and usually gets more like 285. At least based on most people’s experience I’ve read on here.

No...no....

My P3D+ only gets 285 because of all of those crazies that challenge me off the line at the light.

I have gotten over 310 coming from Starkville MS to Chicago.

I posted the whole trip in another thread.

 

[Garlan Garner]

The P3D has a higher Wh/mi consumption compared to the other Model 3 variants. As an example:

P3D+: 278 Wh/mi
LR RWD w/19": 246 Wh/mi
P3D-: 244 Wh/mi
LR RWD w/18": 232 Wh/mi

The performance model with 20" wheels has very high consumption, and that's when you're driving in static conditions attempting to be careful. If you add in some snow or rain, some quick accelerations, or bring that test onto surface streets, the consumption of the P3D+ goes up much higher than 15%. My usual consumption for my P3D is 320-350 Wh/mi.

I can supply you with numerous screenshots of much less than an average 278 Wh/mi.

Anyway.....lol...enjoy the disagree button.

I'm not that shallow. Its just a discussion.

 

[DrDabbles]

I can supply you with numerous screenshots of much less than an average 278 Wh/mi.

Anyway.....lol...enjoy the disagree button.

I'm not that shallow. Its just a discussion.

Cool, I can also supply lots of pictures of my car never achieving 278 Wh/mi. But what isn't contested is that the P3D is the least efficient of all of the Model 3 variants.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Cool, I can also supply lots of pictures of my car never achieving 278 Wh/mi. But what isn't contested is that the P3D is the least efficient of all of the Model 3 variants.

What? That makes no sense.

You can supply pictures of your car never...…?

 

[Drizzle]

From an emotional perspective the choice is very easy - if you love going to roller coaster parks and look forward to them for the pump then you will want a performance version. If not, forget about it. Screaming for more as you go down the biggest drop? Yeah, no brainier.

The $$$ question is simple (imo) as well - can you afford the monthly payments comfortably while achieving your other financial goals or not? Don't let a car sink you, especially if you don't own a home yet. Secondly, people have already brought up the extra costs for tires, loss of range etc so keep those in mind too.

 

[MagnusMako]

The way I see it is if jumping up to the P3D is already a stretch then it's probably a wise choice. Because it's a more expensive toy that has higher operational costs to go along with it. But if you have plenty of buffer, do what makes you happy.