M3P - Who switched from a (true) sports car?

[MadMax082]

Different strokes for different folks. I moved to M3P specifically because I don’t like the noise or those “sport cars”. Every time I see one at the light doing their “vroom vroom” noise I laugh. As if it’s sooooo hard to press the pedal. I’m done with gas guzzlers. They are old, outdated and frankly “dumb” cars. All cars seem stupid after I’ve driven my new Tesla for about 3 weeks since I took delivery.
Never have to stop at the ever expensive gas station. Every time I have to overpass someone of a freeway, still puts a huge grin on my face.

 

[EVTracker]

I've tweeted about the cooling issue to Elon Musk to which he chose to ignore to tweet back. They really need to fix the cooling issue. M3P has so much potential they really shouldn't pass. A dedicated Tesla racing series will also help with future development of the car down the road.

Thank you for the tweets to Elon. Keep them up! I do not have Twitter. You are correct in “so much potential”!!!

 

[MODEL+]

At one point, I had one of these simultaneous to the SR+ Model 3.
Was able to get a lot of A/B seat time between the two... so you can say I know what a "true sports car" or a balanced chassis should feel like .

The Model 3 continues to amaze me by how well mannered it is around corners and how quickly you can change directions considering the weight of the car.

Danny

 

[miatadan]

Different strokes for different folks. I moved to M3P specifically because I don’t like the noise or those “sport cars”. Every time I see one at the light doing their “vroom vroom” noise I laugh. As if it’s sooooo hard to press the pedal. I’m done with gas guzzlers. They are old, outdated and frankly “dumb” cars. All cars seem stupid after I’ve driven my new Tesla for about 3 weeks since I took delivery.
Never have to stop at the ever expensive gas station. Every time I have to overpass someone of a freeway, still puts a huge grin on my face.

One of the reason's I am getting a electric car is because I do not want " the exhaust note, vibration, lightness and winding out the gears " Why anyone would prefer the noise of the exhaust + engine as well as vibration, I do not get.

 

[GlynG]

Prior to the M3P I had a Focus Mk3 RS, had it for 4 years and loved every minute in the car - only thing i wasn't so keen on was the pops and bangs when giving it some beans, I liked the acceleration but of course the pops and bangs made sure everyone knew i was doing so - and for an old guy it made me look like a boy racer. Prior to the RS it was a 997.2 911 C2S - and two Boxsters before that.
I have Solar and home batteries and therefore all the excess generation will go into the car rather than export anything - so with No road Tax, no servicing and free fuel, a BEV was the way to go - and of course the only option for me was the Tesla as its the best overall package on the market.

 

[Dallas J]

I still have my Evo for AutoX and Track use. Its faster than the tesla but the tesla speed is just so attainable. You have to work for the speed in the Evo and of course just floor it in the M3P.

Its two different things where the Tesla is more like my S4 it replaced that it just grips and goes and you have to work at unsettling the car. The Evo is more raw where I may have to work hard at accessing the power but when it comes to tossing it around is much easier.

 

[raptor5244]

One of the reason's I am getting a electric car is because I do not want " the exhaust note, vibration, lightness and winding out the gears " Why anyone would prefer the noise of the exhaust + engine as well as vibration, I do not get.

Different strokes for different folks. I think it is important to differentiate between the exhaust note of say a Ford Fiesta and that of a V8 muscle car or high pitched scream of an exotic. For a lot of folks the driving experience is greatly improved by the right sound, vibration, top down and the connectedness you get from rowing your own gears. For driving enthusiasts the Tesla is a pretty sterile ride. If it didn't have the instant torque rush it would be downright boring to drive compared to a lot of other cars.

 

[miatadan]

Most of my cars were convertibles and I had 3 different Mazda MX5's but I had volume on stereo at high volume to drown out the exhaust, engine noise, same for the Mustang GT convertibles's. I prefer the smoothness and no vibration of electric cars, sadly there are no convertibles that are electric. Also stereo sounds better when there is no engine noise or exhaust noise.

 

[raptor5244]

Most of my cars were convertibles and I had 3 different Mazda MX5's but I had volume on stereo at high volume to drown out the exhaust, engine noise, same for the Mustang GT convertibles's. I prefer the smoothness and no vibration of electric cars, sadly there are no convertibles that are electric. Also stereo sounds better when there is no engine noise or exhaust noise.

Agreed on the sound system. Sounds great in an EV. In the Miata or muscle cars the exhaust note becomes the sound track.

 

[alexGS]

I switched from a 2008 Gallardo Spyder. The remarkable thing about that car was the lack of any refinement or evidence of any suspension tuning - poorly matched springing and damping exacerbated the body flex (from being a convertible), the 4WD was ineffective (twitchy under power), and the 5L V10, despite the variable valve timing and variable induction, had little torque under 5000, meaning you really had to drive the thing - which wasn’t pleasant with the clunky single-clutch transmission. You could feel the gearchanges through the floor. The later versions with 5.2L engine were a bit less rugged but I was expecting a well-built sports car, not something that felt like it was lashed together in a shed from old Audi parts.

Model 3 in comparison is remarkable for how it feels like a refined, volume-produced product from a carmaker who’s had more than the ten years or so of experience that Tesla has had. It all seems to work so well - the steering, the suspension, the torque from the motors... and you get a slightly weird-looking but practical four-door body thrown in, too. Yeah the paint’s not great and the panels have a few rough edges, but you’re paying for the wonderful drivetrain and the tech in the car (the Gallardo had a two-speaker radio with no nav or Bluetooth, no auto wipers or lights or anything, generally less equipment than a 2008 FIAT 500).

Of course the Gallardo looked sensational and people thought it was more expensive than it was (I had a helluva time selling it, eventually got the same price I paid for my Model 3) but this is one of those times when the perception doesn’t match reality - for either car. The Model 3 drives far better than it looks, and I have no doubt that the next three years of driving will prove much cheaper than the three years before.

Sorry about the old photos from where we were living - the last one’s a current photo - It’s already been 18 months and there is no other car I’d rather be driving

 

[dfwatt]

Who switched to a M3P from a proper sports car (i.e. BMW M3/M4, Merc C63, Caddy V, Audi RS, Vette, higher trim Stang/Camaro, etc)?

If so, which one?

I knew there was going to be a drop in handling/chassis performance, but it's a bit more than I was hoping for. The track numbers and certain reviews made it seem like the disparity was smaller than I'm experiencing, but I think the sheer power and instantaneous torque helps the numbers themselves. Numbers/times aside, there are a number of chassis characteristics that are sorely lacking. The damping is probably the biggest gripe.

However, I (sort of) knew what I was getting myself into, and the car is still enjoyable.

This is by no means a dumping ground of a thread, just curious what others think who came from a proper sports car.

So I'm curious in what Universe is a "higher trim Mustang" ( a 'Stang as you so quaintly put) it is a true sports car? You got to be kidding! At best virtually all of the cars on your list would be considered Sports Sedans. Not one is a proper sports car excepting perhaps the Corvette. The notion that most of the cars on that list handle better than the Model 3 seems a bit mythical. And most of them definitely don't handle better than a properly set up one. Despite these substantial departures from fact, it seems that people are more than willing to pitch in to a discussion on whether or not the model 3 is a worthy Sports sedan.

 

[Mahamilto]

So I'm curious in what Universe is a "higher trim Mustang" ( a 'Stang as you so quaintly put) it is a true sports car? You got to be kidding! At best virtually all of the cars on your list would be considered Sports Sedans. Not one is a proper sports car excepting perhaps the Corvette. The notion that most of the cars on that list handle better than the Model 3 seems a bit mythical. And most of them definitely don't handle better than a properly set up one. Despite these substantial departures from fact, it seems that people are more than willing to pitch in to a discussion on whether or not the model 3 is a worthy Sports sedan.

More or less agree here. the read should have been who switch from a real deal sports sedan anyhow. That’s a fair comparison. I’ve had both sports cars (C5 vette) and sports sedans (S4, WRX, the real deal CTSV not the v-series) and to be honest, the M3P puts them all to shame. The M3P out handles all of them with ease.

The myth of the M3P not being the best handling comes from the digital steering. The S4 and CTSV had a very different feel; when I was taking a hard s-curve, the steering input was different when transferring from the right turn into the left turn; you could feel the car wanting to keep going right and you had to manually input more effort to turn the wheels back to go left. That’s the nature of the M3P digital steering tho; and when u get used to it, it’s not inferior, just different.

The grip and ability to maintain speed going thru that turn isn’t lost whatsoever, but the effort and feel certainly differs. That takes some getting used to and I guess one could argue it’s harder to know when you are at the limit, but if you really focus on the lateral grip and how planted the car is, it’s not inferior. Period. And my god how effortless the power on exit/hitting your apex is.

A different experience for sure. But a good one

 

[SK360]

The model 3 doesn’t have “digital” steering... it’s just electric assisted power steering instead of a hydraulic pump. It’s still a steering wheel attached to a steering rack via mechanical linkage.

The model 3 has a pretty significant lack of front end grip stock, luckily it’s easy to remedy and with a few parts the car becomes a monster

 

[Mahamilto]

It feels digital is what I mean. It doesn’t have the same resistance/feedback for lack of a better word and is more point and shoot.
I agree it has a ton of grip.

 

[dfwatt]

It feels digital is what I mean. It doesn’t have the same resistance/feedback for lack of a better word and is more point and shoot.
I agree it has a ton of grip.

The solution is spelled Mountain Pass lower front control arm bushing. As Jesse at Mountain Pass says it makes the steering almost telepathic. Combined with sport coilovers set at any reasonable number, plus significantly wider front wheels and tires the car becomes a turn in and front grip monster. With those changes the steering is significantly more linear and gives better feedback frankly than the last Porsche that I drove which was the Taycan Turbo S

 

[SK360]

The solution is spelled Mountain Pass lower front control arm bushing. As Jesse at Mountain Pass says it makes the steering almost telepathic. Combined with sport coilovers set at any reasonable number, plus significantly wider front wheels and tires the car becomes a turn in and front grip monster. With those changes the steering is significantly more linear and gives better feedback frankly than the last Porsche that I drove which was the Taycan Turbo S

Can’t wait to try the front lower bushings. The corkscrew arms with no shims, sport coilovers and 265 RE71R have definitely solved the lack of front grip problem lol

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

It feels digital is what I mean. It doesn’t have the same resistance/feedback for lack of a better word and is more point and shoot.
I agree it has a ton of grip.

try different alignment maybe
or Hoosiers? I think these have feedback and resistance up to past the limits of useable traction. need camber though
& of course all the stiffer parts that should be stock.
point and shoot is not exactly right besides lack of shifting.

 

[Mahamilto]

what’s labor usually run on the front brushing install?

 

[dfwatt]

what’s labor usually run on the front brushing install?

It's typically about 45 minutes to at most an hour each side so that amount of time x your mechanics hourly rate

 

[holmgang]

miss my honda's gear shift, bmw's warm engine note, renault's (recaro) seat and steering feel