Model 3 Key Fob is here: $150

[Eno Deb]

That's what I thought, but using Phone as Key to unlock doesn't seem to wake the car, or at least get it on WiFi.

It does, but you have to press one of the door handles (since Tesla disabled walk-up unlock a long time ago). Using the fob you can unlock and thus wake the car without touching it.

 

[more863-also]

It does, but you have to press one of the door handles (since Tesla disabled walk-up unlock a long time ago). Using the fob you can unlock and thus wake the car without touching it.

Damn. To think I can't ever preheat my car at home - kinda sucks.

 

[TheLocNar]

You can use the fob while it’s still in your pocket without looking at your phone. Unlocking your phone, launching the app, waiting for it to wake up the car, click unlock frunk, click double dare accept...after using a fob on my S, it’s just far simpler if you want to access the frunk or trunk with a fob. But to each their own...

With my phone I just walk up to the car and open the door....

 

[ngogas]

@stupidlazydog so what can you do with the key fob that you can’t with the card or phone?

 

[TheLocNar]

@stupidlazydog so what can you do with the key fob that you can’t with the card or phone?

Throw away $150.

 

[BobAbooey]

Throw away $150.

I pushed a button one time in a week to test it, and now here it sits

 

[Eno Deb]

@stupidlazydog so what can you do with the key fob that you can’t with the card or phone?

- You can use it if you happen to have one of the phones that don't reliably work with the car
- You can give it to a valet without spending 10 minutes to explain how to use the card and then wondering if they'll find it later because they can't hang it on their key hooks
- You can easily open the frunk
- You can drive it around on the table while making "vroom vroom" sounds (or should that be "zoom zoom" because it's an EV with a real battery in the floor pan?)

 

[stupidlazydog]

@stupidlazydog so what can you do with the key fob that you can’t with the card or phone?

Fits in the pocket of my favorite running pants (key card and phone don't). Can unlock without walking around to the driver's side (when I'm not carrying my phone). easier to open the frunk (don't have to fish out phone, open app and wait for it to connect to car). It's not much, but enough for me to buy one.

I bought an Apple watch mainly so I don't always have to carry my phone. I'm a woman, don't want to carry a bag, and women's clothes aren't known for having roomy pockets. I would be a happy camper if only Tesla had an app for the watch.

 

[stupidlazydog]

Throw away $150.

Bought a car for over $60,000. I can afford the fob.

 

[TheLocNar]

Bought a car for over $60,000. I can afford the fob.

It's not about affording it.

 

[mike123abc]

- You can give it to a valet without spending 10 minutes to explain how to use the card and then wondering if they'll find it later because they can't hang it on their key hooks

Since it does not have passive entry, I suppose I could get one and keep it in the glove compartment. Then it would be there for a valet or if I wanted to let someone borrow the car.

 

[BenR]

@stupidlazydog so what can you do with the key fob that you can’t with the card or phone?

You can have it on a hook for your kids to go get in the car in the morning while you finish getting ready, or when they invariably need to go out later to grab something they "accidentally" left in there, without giving up your phone or fishing for a card/wallet that may or may not even be on you.

It may be able to do other useful things as well (unlock charge port without messing with door handles?) but just that one is good enough for me.

 

[stupidlazydog]

It's not about affording it.

It may be a waste of money for some, but for me it has its uses

 

[Daniellane]

It may be a waste of money for some, but for me it has its uses

Agreed.
Still waiting for ours to arrive.
I will mainly use mine to unlock the car to charge it.
I have a Model S and my wife has a Model 3. When my app is set to my car, it doesn’t unlock the Model 3.
Every time I go to plug the model 3 in, I have to take out my phone, open the app and switch it to the Model 3. (See attached video) Apparently, (according to a Tesla employee) it’s a security thing to only unlock one car at a time to avoid accidentally giving someone access to your other car(s).
This is how vehicle switching works in the app...

 

[BobAbooey]

Agreed.
Still waiting for ours to arrive.
I will mainly use mine to unlock the car to charge it.
I have a Model S and my wife has a Model 3. When my app is set to my car, it doesn’t unlock the Model 3.
Every time I go to plug the model 3 in, I have to take out my phone, open the app and switch it to the Model 3. (See attached video) Apparently, (according to a Tesla employee) it’s a security thing to only unlock one car at a time to avoid accidentally giving someone access to your other car(s).
This is how vehicle switching works in the app...

Someday I wish to see 2 cars on my app...

 

[AcuraDude]

I love having a phone as a key...when it works. For all the bad reviews I read with the worst phone for this...the Pixel 1, I was really worried. I took ownership mid Sept and the phone worked 100% of the time for week 1, then dropped to about 80% reliability for a month (which was fine). Now I'm not sure if the cold weather has anything to do with it, but my phone reliability has dropped to around 60% and has become very annoying. This morning when I was running to my car in the freezing rain, of course the phone would not work. Also, while walk away lock works most of the time, it too seems to becoming less reliable. And one more thing I'm hoping the fob will fix...sometimes after getting in the car (phone worked fine for unlocking), it won't go into drive or reverse. The SC said it was because of the bluetooth on my phone and next time it happens I should try placing the keycard on the center console.

I turn on and off my bluetooth twice/day, turn off my phone twice per week, and reboot the car by using the safety & security screen and then also using the two scroll wheels with brake pedal every weekend.

I bought my phone two years ago for $750 and it works fine for everything else. No way I'm buying another phone for this issue. My fob has been on order for a week and can't get here soon enough!

 

[bigroccrek]

I ordered a FOB two weeks ago and received teh order received email within minutes. Haven't heard a peep from Tesla since. Anyone know how long it takes to ship? Does not appear to be any way to get an order status on the Tesla website.

 

[BobAbooey]

It may be a waste of money for some, but for me

.

 

[bigroccrek]

Did not have that notice on the website when I placed my order, but thanks for the info.

 

[BobAbooey]

Did not have that notice on the website when I placed my order, but thanks for the info.

I ordered mine when it first listed on the site. Think it was a Friday and it shipped the following Monday