Okay so if I get an SR+ with AP white its $42,200
LR RWD with AP white its $50,200
LR AWD with AP white its $52,200
I understand range is king... however we don't really drive out of town (100+ miles) more than 3-5 times a year.
We plan on having kids in the next 2-3 years so I most likely will want to get a Model Y 2021-2022 which I would definitely shoot for Long Range Y.
My thoughts are is the $8-10k more for LR RWD or LR AWD worth the extra .5-.7 in speed and additional 60-80miles of range? I think financially I could save those 8-10k I would spend on the Model 3 and put it towards a Long Range Model Y in 2-3 years. Basically use the SR + as our first step into electrification getting the color we want and since we don't technically drive far distances much...would I really notice a big difference, only thing I see as losing out on is rear heated seats, how is the audio, is it really noticeably different than the Premium?
Here are my thoughts for you, along with some of my personal history to give you perspective and since you are new to EV's: We have owned a Nissan Leaf for 3 years and now a Chevy Bolt for about 15 months. Family of 4, young kids. EV was originally for wife to commute to work, her distance was about 35 miles each way. So with the initial leaf around 95 miles of range it just covered it. We are in California, Bay Area, so there was always a charger within 10-20 miles and 2 fast chargers on her route to work, one at the mall and one at Whole Foods. I also set up a high capacity 240v charger at home. Leaf was great. When lease was up, new leaf's were not available, nor was the model 3. So we got a bolt. About 2 months later my wife went to 90% work form home and I went from a 7 mile commute to a 110 mile commute round trip. My bolt has been great. It gets about 220 miles per charge. I can just about make it 2 round trips to and form work on a charge, but usually it's more like 1.5 and then some charging at work. However, I charge every night and can easily drive to and from work, 110 miles a day and then some if needed without worry and charge to 100% over night no problem. My point is that even with a 110 mile daily commute, 200 miles of range would be plenty.
I'm getting a Model 3 in June because I want the autopilot for my commute, also my Bolt is a lease and I'll have exhausted the 30,000 lease miles in about 6 more months and then it will cost me $8k in millage overages when I turn it in. So for me, I'd much rather spend that $8k on a Model 3. Now: I don't "need" LR either. I could easily get by with a Standard+ charging every night. However, for us, since I'll be trading in our Buick Enclave for the Tesla, we need something that can do distance for the hand full of times we do family trips. We go to either Shasta to visit family, or may go to Disneyland (though we usually fly). So since I'll have a Model 3 and wife will have Bolt, we need the LR. Then, because I can, and I'm a car guy and haven't had a fun car for 8 years, I'm going to spring for the performance version. Which is a total frivolous expense, but I can afford it and I want something fun for my 15+ hours in a car per week commuting.
If I were you and you do not NEED the long range, and this is your first EV and you are thinking about kids in the future and you are being budget mindful, I would say just go with the Standard +. I might spring for the upgraded interior, personally I feel the black is too dark, especially when it is dark outside or at night. I would say FSD is a toss up as well. Currently as far as I can understand, the only thing that the $5000 gets you beyond the now included EAP is navigate on auto pilot, auto lane changes, self parking and summon. Unless you are doing long trips or a crazy commute, I don't think any of those features are anything anyone "needs". It may effect the resale of the car if you plan to swap it for a Model Y but that $5,000 isn't going to be doing much for you over the next year and, if you are budget tight, that money might be better used elsewhere. Also, in 2-3 years there will be a bunch of Model X's for around 50K and they will be loaded. Last I looked there was a loaded LR Model X 2016 for $62k (about what my Performance trim Model 3 is going to cost me). That is also our long term plan, that when the lease on the Bolt is up we will get the Wife a Model X and use that for family trips.
Unless you plan to do some massive road trips, I don't think you need LR at all. I assume you have a second car? That was also when we have had the past 5 years. 1 EV for commuting and a long range ICE family car. Heck you could even look at older model S cars. I've seen some for $34k. They don't have FSD, but you can find some under $50k with AP. This might be an option since you don't plan to keep your Model 3 for a super long time.
