M3 delivery / MS return: Comparing the two, driving, + ceramic coating

[FrunkLover]

Hi all - I don't have anything too novel to comment on but wanted to share a few of my experiences this week in case it helps the community make any decisions in the future.

Quick background is that I just returned my 2017 Model S. Its lease was up and I posted previously about my dilemma on whether to buy out the S or update to a 3.

As you can see based on the location of this post, I went the M3 route and am very pleasantly surprised by it so far. I was concerned about quality of materials, quality of build, lack of instrument cluster, size, lack of opening moonroof, lack of my unlimited premium connectivity and supercharging, to name a few.

To keep it short, the drive quality, quality of build, and overall design have blown me away. I am extremely pleased by

• how solid the car feels, from shutting the doors to the excellent steering response (and steering wheel, which was another concern of mine)
• panel gaps are at an absolute minimum
• doors are - from what I can tell - 100% aligned, which I don't even see on other new M3s (maybe I just got lucky!)
• view out the front, which is feels unimpaired vs. the S -- overall visibility is excellent, with the exception of rear view, which seems a bit more limited
• steering response, feels tight, particularly with lighter weight

Some other observations:

• I do miss the air suspension of the S so far, in New York City I am feeling a lot more bumps -- I am hoping driving response will make up for it
• phone key capability working very well so far
• enjoying updated wireless charging + USB C ports
• charging port door + charging light don't look as good as the S setup
• installed Tesla's carbon fiber caps on my 19" sport wheels to distinguish it a bit, which look much better on the car than when I first opened the delivery box
• smaller trunk is noticeable
• smaller rear legroom is noticeable
  
• I will miss automated lane changes as part of my EAP package, but was/am unwilling to pay for FSD right now -- autopilot will do just fine

Delivery and returning my S:

• there was quite a bit of back-and-forth trying to schedule my lease return and the date I took delivery of the 3
• Tesla apparently has a strict policy to offload the car within 72 hours of its arrival -- I had been working with my delivery coordinator to schedule a late July delivery for months, yet when it came down to the day/week, I still had to repeatedly request an overlap with the day my lease was up, which was about a week later than it was delivered to the SC
• after the lease return department told me the Red Hook showroom was not somewhere I was permitted to return my lease (this is where I took delivery of my S), I explained again that I was picking up a new vehicle and an exception was made -- miss on Tesla's part that the delivery coordinator does not actively work with the showroom, with the lease department, with whomever schedules deliveries to really lock down a plan for customers. Now that I'm a repeat customer, this extra step would have really made me feel even better about dropping $55k on a new car.
• Tesla removes eligibility of its seven day return window if you want to take advantage New York State's $2,000 rebate (yay!), FYI
• Tesla dealt with the transfer of my plates and registration, which is a $60 line item on my receipt
• delivery specialist in person also confirmed he thought Y quality problems are persistent
• small part of underbelly plastic is hanging, which I will schedule mobile tech to add necessary clip

Next steps:

• ordered the SnapPlate for my front plate -- even had a question for the company and they were super quick to respond. I did not want to drill holes into the front bumper, so will try this out. FYI, Tesla is now using adhesive tape instead of drilling into the front bumper -- they gave me the holder in case I wanted to use down the line
  
• dropped off for a ceramic coating this AM -- will update the thread with pictures and review of the process here in Queens after I get it back later this week
• I can't imagine I won't do the Acceleration Upgrade .. so enticing

Open questions:

• I still don't have a great charging solution living in an urban area. While I park in a one-car garage that only I have access to, I don't have direct access to electricity. I don't like handing my car to a valet at a public garage, I like to drive my own car. Question is: If I use specifically 72 kW urban superchargers, does that have the same negative impact to my battery longevity as it is hypothesized the 150/250 kW superchargers do? (I also posted here, as it is a separate topic.)
• Winter range, which hampered my S quite a bit -- with a smaller battery pack, curious what the difference in efficiency will be. I go up north often in the winter

Long post! Hope it helps somebody. Can answer questions below and will update post-ceramic coat application.

 

[AdamVIP]

I think your comparisons are all right on. The S is a way bigger car and rides better on the highway and around town at the expense of maneuverability. The Model 3 has a better user interface (missing IP aside) though and I think the updated S whenever it comes will be pretty tough to beat.

 

[PNWLeccy]

I can't imagine living in NYC/Queens with a Model S, that thing feels like a boat in the city! The Model 3 is much more nimble but it will still be tough to navigate the potholes in the city with the relatively stiff suspension. I live in downtown Seattle and these roads are a nightmare and it's a rumblefest until i hit the freeway.

Where in Queens are you located btw? I use to live in Astoria and loved it!

 

[FrunkLover]

I can't imagine living in NYC/Queens with a Model S, that thing feels like a boat in the city! The Model 3 is much more nimble but it will still be tough to navigate the potholes in the city with the relatively stiff suspension. I live in downtown Seattle and these roads are a nightmare and it's a rumblefest until i hit the freeway.

Where in Queens are you located btw? I use to live in Astoria and loved it!

Astoria! Been here five years, grew up in Brooklyn. New York is a great electric car town if you are comfortable giving your car to a valet and plug it in. I think the hidden secret are indoor municipal lots, run by the city. Many of them include free L2 charging and the cost to park isn't outrageous -- and you park yourself. New York State parks and beaches often also have L2, also for free -- just need to get there early.