Looks like I'm moving on...

[jefoth]

Funny how we arrive at diametrically opposed opinions. That’s what makes life interesting.

I’ve had premium company cars for over 35 years, but while a 6 pot petrol Beemer would run it close I’d still take my M3 -P every day of the week. I absolutely love driving it, and still try to find reasons to go out…..

My headlights work fine. I really don’t get that excited about matrix lights. I (personally) find my sound system is exquisite. Ok, my ears might be older, but I have Martin Logan’s in my living room, so I think I understand audio quality up to a point. Bear in mind quality audio in a “premium” car is more often than not a rather large additional option cost.

As for the insinuation “…Tesla plebs like Apple, and Apple products are not that great…” - well, again no one forces you to buy Apple, but a lot of people do, and few ever stray away….

We are all fortunate to enjoy the freedom of choice.

 

[gangzoom]

So many negative comments, makes us relative newcomers worry about the choice we have made.

Roughly 80% in the poll say they will buy another Tesla. The negative comments are the minority.

 

[Type2]

I find it amazing that someone can describe M3 headlights as "crap" -- they're perfectly good headlights! And the sound system really is fab. I guess I'm just a pleb.

The M3 headlights are utter garbage. The light output itself isn’t great. They are just basic LED lights rather than matrix. High beam doesn’t turn off when you’re in a built up area with loads of ambient street lighting. The auto function is too slow to react, so it doesn’t dip the beam in time for an oncoming vehicle, leading to annoyed drivers flashing their lights, and takes ages to turn high beam back on once the vehicle has passed. The lights do dip nearly quickly enough when approaching another vehicle from behind.

Most annoying of all is that reflective road signs, especially chevrons, cause the beam to dip. This means that when you’re approaching a bend with a chevron sign the lights dip exactly when you need high beam most. Happens every single time and makes driving along a dark country road extremely frustrating. All in all the auto function isn’t fit for purpose and I turned it off a long time ago.

 

[roblab]

Moving on? 'Bye.

 

[GRiLLA]

The M3 headlights are utter garbage. The light output itself isn’t great. They are just basic LED lights rather than matrix. High beam doesn’t turn off when you’re in a built up area with loads of ambient street lighting. The auto function is too slow to react, so it doesn’t dip the beam in time for an oncoming vehicle, leading to annoyed drivers flashing their lights, and takes ages to turn high beam back on once the vehicle has passed. The lights do dip nearly quickly enough when approaching another vehicle from behind.

Most annoying of all is that reflective road signs, especially chevrons, cause the beam to dip. This means that when you’re approaching a bend with a chevron sign the lights dip exactly when you need high beam most. Happens every single time and makes driving along a dark country road extremely frustrating. All in all the auto function isn’t fit for purpose and I turned it off a long time ago.

I would say I do struggle with other cars that do have matrix lights, audis and the like. They are not accurate, it generally looks like a confusing and distracting mess that makes it harder than it should be to understand where they are and where they are going. I flash at them (from my auto-dipped Tesla LEDs).

 

[Artiste]

I would say I do struggle with other cars that do have matrix lights, audis and the like. They are not accurate, it generally looks like a confusing and distracting mess that makes it harder than it should be to understand where they are and where they are going. I flash at them (from my auto-dipped Tesla LEDs).

In six years of driving my A6 I don’t think I’ve once been flashed by an oncoming vehicle while I’ve been using the matrix lights. Unlike driving my M3 when just about every oncoming driver shows his displeasure at the slow, late responding auto headlights.

Why do you say they aren’t accurate?? When driving in light mist when you can see the beam it’s quite incredible to watch individual LEDs turn on and off in accordance with other vehicles and even pedestrians. I would describe them as pin sharp accurate.

 

[GRiLLA]

In six years of driving my A6 I don’t think I’ve once been flashed by an oncoming vehicle while I’ve been using the matrix lights. Unlike driving my M3 when just about every oncoming driver shows his displeasure at the slow, late responding auto headlights.

Why do you say they aren’t accurate?? When driving in light mist when you can see the beam it’s quite incredible to watch individual LEDs turn on and off in accordance with other vehicles and even pedestrians. I would describe them as pin sharp accurate.

I can see them changing, lighting differently as they approach, sometimes with some weird extra bluey-ness which I assume is where you are close to a border. It's definitely better than being blinded, but not as easy as normal dips to understand where the car is and where it's going.

I've not driven a great deal in the dark in my Model 3 for ages, or rather mainly on motorways, but I've never seen an issue with them reacting and I've not been flashed. If you don't have the dips aligned properly, and they do drift, then people like to tell you. I assume they are flashing as they are bright.

 

[MrT3]

The M3 headlights are utter garbage. The light output itself isn’t great. They are just basic LED lights rather than matrix.

Part of the problem is that Telsa is an American company that designs its vehicles for its primary market, America. So whilst adaptive lights remain illegal in the US Tesla are unlikely to bring that feature to European sold vehicles.

The new 2021 M3 lights are an improvement, and possibly have some adaptive functionality to them hardware-wise but the software to make use of that functionality may never come.

 

[J1mbo]

Subjectively, the M3 headlights recieved the "Good" safety rating from the (US) IIHS (link).

 

[browellm]

I can see them changing, lighting differently as they approach, sometimes with some weird extra bluey-ness which I assume is where you are close to a border.

No. I think you need to drive or be a passenger in a car with matrix LEDs to know that's just not the case.

 

[rincewind]

Well, as the originator of this thread I'm now looking seriously at this. Yes, I know, that grille.... but I'm liking it (the car) the more I look in to it.

I proper alternative at last to the M3, and a proper tourer, quiet with air suspension (rear), which is where my priorities now lie. They do an M version too...

 

[ACarneiro]

There is a small group of people who are unhappy with their choice. As you will see from the survey above the vast majority are happy with their choice to the extent that they would buy again. (I'm certainly one of them.) There are reasons to question the features and capabilities of any car and those people are clearly missing some things that Tesla haven't given a high enough priority to. It's obviously true that if you have had a particular feature in the past that you value highly, and the Tesla doesn't have it, you may be disappointed ... but then nobody ever claimed a Model 3 has shape shifting mega wonderful adaptive matrix headlights!

(Oh, I didn't pay £60k for my car ... I paid £20k less than that ... and I think I've got plenty of Alcantara! )

I don’t think many people are unhappy with their choice.
I’m certainly not and I still love my car.
But it’s far from being the amazing feat of everythingness that many people claim it is.
One of this forum’s strong points, I find, is how we are perfectly capable of criticising our cars (unlike the quasi-religious fervour seen on many American sites)

 

[N0ddie]

Well, as the originator of this thread I'm now looking seriously at this. Yes, I know, that grille.... but I'm liking it (the car) the more I look in to it.

I proper alternative at last to the M3, and a proper tourer, quiet with air suspension (rear), which is where my priorities now lie. They do an M version too...

There have ben many cars over the years with faces not even a mother could love. However, the new faces on those BMWs is beyond horrific. Every time I see one (Which is every day since a colleague has one of the 440Msport, not full M) I am sick in my mouth a little bit.

 

[Neilio]

There is a small group of people who are unhappy with their choice. As you will see from the survey above the vast majority are happy with their choice to the extent that they would buy again. (I'm certainly one of them.) There are reasons to question the features and capabilities of any car and those people are clearly missing some things that Tesla haven't given a high enough priority to. It's obviously true that if you have had a particular feature in the past that you value highly, and the Tesla doesn't have it, you may be disappointed ... but then nobody ever claimed a Model 3 has shape shifting mega wonderful adaptive matrix headlights!

(Oh, I didn't pay £60k for my car ... I paid £20k less than that ... and I think I've got plenty of Alcantara! )

You’re right. And I don’t want to come across as a moaner. I just really miss my decent headlights! I do enjoy the car. The performance the driving experience and the ease of long distance driving it’s just not what I expected. I also seem to be the only person who doesn’t think the cabin is noisy! I think it’s a perfectly comfortable volume even at motorway speeds

 

[rincewind]

You’re right. And I don’t want to come across as a moaner. I just really miss my decent headlights! I do enjoy the car. The performance the driving experience and the ease of long distance driving it’s just not what I expected. I also seem to be the only person who doesn’t think the cabin is noisy! I think it’s a perfectly comfortable volume even at motorway speeds

I too love the car, but the noise at motorway speeds in mine is the overriding factor for moving on. At anything over 75 the wind noise around the A pillar drives me nuts. I've tried all suggestions on here to mitigate it, nothing works.

 

[GRiLLA]

Well, as the originator of this thread I'm now looking seriously at this. Yes, I know, that grille.... but I'm liking it (the car) the more I look in to it.

I proper alternative at last to the M3, and a proper tourer, quiet with air suspension (rear), which is where my priorities now lie. They do an M version too...

Saw this in the flesh at Goodwood today. The grill manages to look far worse in person than in pictures. Everything else was just like any BMW.

The Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 however were really nice, we slightly preferred the Ioniq's styling with the little pixelated lighting. Pleased to see lots of activity around the Model 3 on display, and amused to pass the Porsche stand and see a bunch on 911s being ignored with a crowd around the Taycan.

 

[SpareHeadOne]

I don’t think many people are unhappy with their choice.
I’m certainly not and I still love my car.
But it’s far from being the amazing feat of everythingness that many people claim it is.
One of this forum’s strong points, I find, is how we are perfectly capable of criticising our cars (unlike the quasi-religious fervour seen on many American sites)

That's me, I'm in the "maybe" camp. I don't hate my M3, but I don't love it either. If I was in the same position as the OP and wanted to stick with an EV, then I'd probably get another M3 - it would certainly be on the short list - and largely because of the SuC network.

I've only had my car since December last year, so I don't expect to be considering replacement for another two years at least and at that point there will be a lot of competition and (I expect) a significantly better public charging network on the motorway network at least; I don't think that will completely negate the SuC advantage, but I do think it will erode it significantly. The choice could be much more difficult and Tesla may not even end up the short list at that point.

 

[rincewind]

That's me, I'm in the "maybe" camp. I don't hate my M3, but I don't love it either. If I was in the same position as the OP and wanted to stick with an EV, then I'd probably get another M3 - it would certainly be on the short list - and largely because of the SuC network.

I've only had my car since December last year, so I don't expect to be considering replacement for another two years at least and at that point there will be a lot of competition and (I expect) a significantly better public charging network on the motorway network at least; I don't think that will completely negate the SuC advantage, but I do think it will erode it significantly. The choice could be much more difficult and Tesla may not even end up the short list at that point.

Mine's got to be returned on 8th December. Like you, I love the performance and the drivetrain. There are many other things that I don't love though.
I haven't used a SC for over a year, so the network is not a priority for me.

 

[Mrklaw]

Beaver tooth BMWs will surely get toned down with a facelift in a couple of years. If that coincides with a slightly more affordable i4 I could see myself in one if they simplify their options. Still annoyed I was prevented from purchasing CarPlay because I hadn’t optioned extended Bluetooth (which added the necessary WiFi hotspot for CarPlay). Way too complex to decide and their dealers aren’t much help

but I have a history of their cars and like how they drive

 

[SpareHeadOne]

Mine's got to be returned on 8th December. Like you, I love the performance and the drivetrain. There are many other things that I don't love though.
I haven't used a SC for over a year, so the network is not a priority for me.

Yeah, I've only used the network once, but at the moment I'm not doing some journeys that I expect to resume in the next few months. That said, for one of them the network was pretty much essential, but now there are half a dozen chargers at my destination (which I can reach on one charge), so it's not important.

In fact I can theoretically do all of my regular journeys without the network but the Tesla one is usually the most reliable and available; it wouldn't take much of a step up for others to make it irrelevant to me.