Model 3 Mule Sightings

[melindav]

Hmm, the interior of the Matte Black has been seen before, at the reveal test drive, a little later at the factory (see a link I included below). The main difference, to me, is I have never seen it with this image on the 15" screen. The other difference is there seems to be at least 3 different wheels that have been installed on the Matte Black version (unless they have multiple versions of the Matte Black Model 3). From what I can tell, there are the wheels that were installed during the reveal, then the wheels installed when the MBM3 was seen at the factory (also a pic of the interior) (Eye-Catching Matte Black Tesla Model 3 Goes Out In The Wild - Gallery), and the wheels most recently seen in the video.

pretty sure this (the 3/31 reveal matte black) is not the same as the one seen earlier this week driving near the PA HQ. not a lot of reason for Tesla to remove the MFG plate, put the reveal wheels back on and tint the glass since Monday. (assuming these pix were not old and sitting around waiting to be posted).

 

[ModelNforNerd]

pretty sure this (the 3/31 reveal matte black) is not the same as the one seen earlier this week driving near the PA HQ. not a lot of reason for Tesla to remove the MFG plate, put the reveal wheels back on and tint the glass since Monday. (assuming these pix were not old and sitting around waiting to be posted).

my guess is older picture just now uploaded.

EM wasn't entirely sure they were going to put matte black into Prod, and he expressed surprise after the reveal at how popular it was.

I imagine they haven't made multiple matte black mules.

 

[melindav]

my guess is older picture just now uploaded.
EM wasn't entirely sure they were going to put matte black into Prod, and he expressed surprise after the reveal at how popular it was.
I imagine they haven't made multiple matte black mules.

could be, and maybe lighting between being inside the shop and outside makes the difference, but the freeway photo (which we know is from the beginning of this week) looks to have lighter tint (or just solar glass), while the one sitting inside looks to have applied darker tint - especially on the rear glass.

 

[sg021]

Nice pictures, thanks OP. I am actually pretty pleased with the trunk. The shape of the opening is very similar to our '10 IS250 in that it's tall more than deep. I found it easier to put large things in the IS than in our larger car.

 

[Warrentt]

My co worker stated he saw a mule regular black color in Portland metro area while driving on freeway with his dad . He didn't have time to take any picture.

 

[timk225]

I have never liked black paint in the first place, so factor that into my opinion, but this matte black color makes me think of every rice boy racer I have ever seen, driving around in his fart piped and chrome wheeled Honda Civic, and he had enough money to buy some stupid looking body kit for the car, but couldn't afford to paint it, so he drives the car with gray primer on half the body.

From what I read, you aren't supposed to wax this matte black paint, and be careful how you wash it. Is it worth the hassle?

 

[juanmedina]

A M3 matte blue I would buy. Specially if the blue is exactly the same as the Hyundai Veloster rally edition. I have seen the color in person and it looks amazing.

 

[Kimo]

Should be only 2 wheel versions, as the reveal and later pics at the factory are the same. /QUOTE]

I will have to look at the video and pics again, but I suspect you are correct. The wheels at reveal and later just seemed so different, and I bet it was due to lighting conditions and angles.

 

[FirstSea]

I have never liked black paint in the first place, so factor that into my opinion, but this matte black color makes me think of every rice boy racer I have ever seen, driving around in his fart piped and chrome wheeled Honda Civic, and he had enough money to buy some stupid looking body kit for the car, but couldn't afford to paint it, so he drives the car with gray primer on half the body.

This, I absolutely don't understand why people would want matte black, it makes the car look cheap. I live in LA, the only matte black cars I see are civics and 8 passengers SUVs, to take a +$35k car and make it look like it was spray can painted IMO devalues the car by making it look ghetto.

 

[graphic]

I live in LA, the only matte black cars I see are civics and 8 passengers SUVs, to take a +$35k car and make it look like it was spray can painted IMO devalues the car by making it look ghetto.

I'm from the ghetto parts of H-town (Houston), where all I see is candy paint, and I like matte black...hater!

 

[sg021]

Matte vs. metallic is just a personal preference. People are always looking for differentiators, so I think the take rate would be alright if the cost isn't too high and the care reasonable. The Mercedes GLC has matte brown as an option, by it's really expensive. I would probably not get matte, but I think it looks good.

Older cars were a lot closer to a matte color, especially if you see them on the road today after all that aging. Last year we sold a family member's early 90's Toyota. It was completely matte faded red at that point.

 

[melindav]

My co worker stated he saw a mule regular black color in Portland metro area while driving on freeway with his dad . He didn't have time to take any picture.

which freeway?

 

[Warrentt]

which freeway?

He didn't say but I suspect I5

 

[eye.surgeon]

I own a matte painted vehicle from the factory. It is high maintenance. It would not work for 95% of owners. You cannot use any polish, silicone, or wax based products on it AT ALL. That means no mechanical or even hand washes unless you are doing it, with special products specifically sourced for matte paint. It's not nearly as simple as personal preference between matte or traditionally glossy paint. BMW requires a signed disclaimer./release when they sell a matte vehicle, presumably because they got tired of dealing with the problems of getting silicone or shining products on it as almost all car wash products have.

 

[Jersey Shore Tom]

I have never liked black paint in the first place, so factor that into my opinion, but this matte black color makes me think of every rice boy racer I have ever seen, driving around in his fart piped and chrome wheeled Honda Civic, and he had enough money to buy some stupid looking body kit for the car, but couldn't afford to paint it, so he drives the car with gray primer on half the body.

From what I read, you aren't supposed to wax this matte black paint, and be careful how you wash it. Is it worth the hassle?

I am interested in people's opinions about how this paint looks in person and how hard it is to maintain. I am not interested in racist and classist opinions about anything, ever.

 

[KirbyTurbo]

OK here is a crazy possibility, what if the model S escort team isn't just to help out the model 3 since it's a test prototype, but rather Tesla is testing advance AP (2.0 and beyond).

Sure the model 3 driver is holding the steering wheel, but there are a few reasons this could be happening :
- they are done testing
- testing requires a human to steer
- for safety the driver is required to keep his hands on the steering wheel at all times

What I believe Tesla might be testing is network AP. Tesla knows there will be hundreds of thousands of their cars on the road in the next few years, if we assume Tesla is encouraging people to use the AP, it's easy to imagine why network AP would be beneficial. Instead of you traveling on the highway with AP by yourself, your Tesla could detect another Tesla 20 yards away traveling in the same direction as you, so for convenience and safety both cars could travel single file on the same lane. Two Tesla driving with AP and sharing traffic information would be safer than a single one, plus they would probably be safer than two cars being driven by two different individuals.

I really think Tesla isn't just testing the 3, but instead Tesla is using their cars to test how well three networked AP cars could drive themselves.

Crazy? perhaps.
Cool? Totally.

Nope Not crazy. I could believe that they are doing this.

 

[JSkrehot]

I was driving home from a 4 day camping trip in Yosemite this morning and saw the Matte Black Tesla Model 3 going toward Yosemite, just before Groveland. If I were not towing my 34' trailer, I would have turned around and asked to get a look at it. I checked and the Groveland Supercharger is now up and running and that is the last stop after Manteca when heading into Yosemite for Supercharger access. It had to have been where he/she would have stopped, I can not wait to get my Model 3 and make that drive.

 

[Borgholio]

I was driving home from a 4 day camping trip in Yosemite this morning and saw the Matte Black Tesla Model 3 going toward Yosemite, just before Groveland. If I were not towing my 34' trailer, I would have turned around and asked to get a look at it. I checked and the Groveland Supercharger is now up and running and that is the last stop after Manteca when heading into Yosemite for Supercharger access. It had to have been where he/she would have stopped, I can not wait to get my Model 3 and make that drive.

Likewise! My wife and I are going to spend several days in Housekeeping camp in the Valley Floor once we get our Model 3. The road trip is going to be a lot of fun, and the glass roof will let us see everything.

 

[ecarfan]

I was driving home from a 4 day camping trip in Yosemite this morning and saw the Matte Black Tesla Model 3 going toward Yosemite, just before Groveland. If I were not towing my 34' trailer, I would have turned around and asked to get a look at it. I checked and the Groveland Supercharger is now up and running and that is the last stop after Manteca when heading into Yosemite for Supercharger access. It had to have been where he/she would have stopped, I can not wait to get my Model 3 and make that drive.

There is no Tesla Supercharger that I am aware of in Groveland. I go through there several times a year on my way to Yosemite, and was there last Wednesday and last Sunday morning (yesterday). It is not shown on the Tesla Motors "Find Us" web page.

When you say "you checked", what does that mean?

There is a 80A Tesla HPWC at the Groveland Hotel which is shown on the Tesla Motors "Find Us" web page. I used it last Wednesday night. An HPWC is not a "Supercharger".

There is a thread about the possibility of a Supercharger coming to Groveland but no one has posted any information about construction starting, see Supercharger - Groveland (possible contract to build one pending)

Sorry that I just missed seeing that black Model 3 prototype. That would have really flipped me out! I have a reservation.

 

[hockeythug]

I own a matte painted vehicle from the factory. It is high maintenance. It would not work for 95% of owners. You cannot use any polish, silicone, or wax based products on it AT ALL. That means no mechanical or even hand washes unless you are doing it, with special products specifically sourced for matte paint. It's not nearly as simple as personal preference between matte or traditionally glossy paint. BMW requires a signed disclaimer./release when they sell a matte vehicle, presumably because they got tired of dealing with the problems of getting silicone or shining products on it as almost all car wash products have.

Thanks. Makes the decision very easy.