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Model 3 or wait for Model Y and other questions

Should we get a Model 3 or Wait for the Model Y?

  • what are you waiting for get the Model 3 NOW

  • Wait for the model Y


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For anyone reading this and still interested in the original topic, please get a 3. The last thing the world needs is another SUV. I know people that bought an SUV just so they can see over the SUVs. They are more expensive, slower, less efficient and handle worse. Additionally, you become part of the problem. For me a big part of buying a Tesla is to be part of the solution. Environmentally and from a road user point of view. I've owned sedans all my life and a couple of 4x4s. There is no chance I'd ever buy a compromised car like an SUV, my 4x4s were for off road stuff when I lived in the bush. I used to travel 600km trips regularly, at night and the ability to dodge things was very useful. You just can't do that in an SUV (though EVs are generally better due to their weight distribution). I do like the X Wing doors on the X though. Not enough to buy one, I'd have an S in a heartbeat to replace my wagon, but not an X.
I haven't got the 3 yet, but the boot is more than adequate (if a little oddly shaped) and coming from a Commodore based vehicle, I do like a big boot. As for SUV space, save your money and rent something for the 1 time a year you need more space.
Of course everyone's opinions are different. That's mine.
The 3 boot may be adequate however the 3 boot opening is not adequate for my needs. Hence why I have a hatch. I’ve also learnt that the only way to get environmental haters over the line is to just show them a cheaper option. Dont mention the environment. Seems to work most of the time.
 
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That just sounds like personal preference.

I had a petrol station wagon previously, and that's my preferred "form factor" - I found it very useful. Tesla don't make a station wagon but the Y is the closest in terms of functionality. I have 3 tween/teen kids and they're not getting any smaller.

I'm also considering doing Uber with it and the Model Y is perfect for airport pickup/drop offs with heaps of luggage. Great form factor as I can keep "my" stuff in the under-boot or frunk and have the entire rear for customers gear.

I don't need an off-road vehicle, there are plenty of "weekend" destinations on sealed roads in my part of the world.

If you're renting cars a few times a year, it's costing you more money and the car you bought is sitting at home? At what point do you stop saving money?

I don't need to accelerate at rapid speeds. 300 km instead of 350 km doesn't phase me. I don't need a low to the ground car. I'm not going to be taking it to track meets. If for some reason the Model Y didn't come in an SR type spec in Australia, the Model 3 would be my only option and I'd certainly be happy with it - but it would be a compromise car from my point of view.
Isn't a personal preference the same as an opinion?
Also, I don't rent another car, but it's a solution for those that don't want to spend $20k more on a car. I have a AWD Commodore Wagon, but I don't need an SUV. In fact, I'd happily replace my wagon with a S75D when I can afford it. It has enough room to take the dog to the vets, and I'd not feel bad driving a second hand S75D down a dirt road (such as on Kangaroo Island). That's literally all I need the wagon for. I don't go bush any more either. So for my needs, I don't need an SUV. The Model 3 has an enormous boot (only slightly low and deeper than my Calais I'm coming from, and still has the underboot (undertrunk?) or whatever you call it! I guess there is always the frunk for your stuff if uber-ing? I didn't think there was an appreciable difference in the lower/front storage areas. putting 3 kids across the back would be tricky in a 3, the Calais is amazing for that, I expect the S75D would be good enough in my example. So for me, I'd still be happy with a sedan rather than an SUV.
Of course your preference (or opinion) is probably different, which is kind of what I said in the first post? I don't agree with your opinion, but it's not wrong.
On a more Y specific note, I really don't like how it looks like someone attached an air hose to a Model 3 and inflated it! But again, that's yet another opinion. The X is less like that and looks more like a unique vehicle through my eyes, not that I'd buy one of those either! The great thing about both of these is they were designed as an SUV in the first place. A lot of the poor safety of SUVs comes from their growth out of a truck/ute such as the Outlander. But for me, they don't work and just get in my way when I'm trying to see. So I'm not
 
I have a 3LR and I love it. It's not perfect but I think it is the best car I've ever had.

The vast majority of the use it gets is driving to and from diving. Despite the small boot opening, I can get all my dive gear, including two tanks, weights, etc. in the boot. I can also carry another tank in the frunk. There's actually space for two tanks in the frunk but it would go beyond the weight limits. My camera sits in a box on the back seat. This works perfectly for me if I'm driving on my own.

The problem I have is that I cannot fit a second set of gear in. For example, I have a friend that also lives in the Mountains and if we dive together we either have to take two separate cars or both go in his gas guzzling Land Cruiser. Or if I wanted to head up the coast with a friend for some diving, we'd have to take separate cars.

Now, I could perhaps put the back seats down and that would give me more space. That presents two problems. First, my gear is usually wet and I'd rather not have water (especially saltwater) on the seats and floor, etc. Second, it is much harder to secure the gear with the seats down; I really don't want my tanks sliding around when I brake.

Will a Y serve me better? Perhaps. I will certainly look at them when they become available. If I can get two sets of gear in the boot area it will be prefect.
 
The last thing the world needs is another SUV. I know people that bought an SUV just so they can see over the SUVs.

For me that is the biggest problem with SUVs - it leads to an “arms race” on the roads, where people get bigger and bigger vechicles to lord it over the other vehicles on the road and to “protect” themselves from other urban tanks. And then when SUVs don’t quite do that any more, because there’s so damn many of them on the road, people start buying monster dual-cab utes to out-SUV the SUVs.

Where will it end?
 
For me that is the biggest problem with SUVs - it leads to an “arms race” on the roads, where people get bigger and bigger vechicles to lord it over the other vehicles on the road and to “protect” themselves from other urban tanks. And then when SUVs don’t quite do that any more, because there’s so damn many of them on the road, people start buying monster dual-cab utes to out-SUV the SUVs.

Where will it end?
Hopefully with us driving proper cars able to see ahead by looking underneath them🤣
 
For me that is the biggest problem with SUVs - it leads to an “arms race” on the roads, where people get bigger and bigger vechicles to lord it over the other vehicles on the road and to “protect” themselves from other urban tanks. And then when SUVs don’t quite do that any more, because there’s so damn many of them on the road, people start buying monster dual-cab utes to out-SUV the SUVs.

Where will it end?

Maybe a Grumobile....Elon could make it happen with SpaceX's involvement ;)

Grumobile.png
 
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I wanted something that would fit into my garage with a rubber boat (or other things) on the roof rack. Very happy with the 3LR which does just that and I find the boot&froot good size. Cars like the EV6 and Ioniq5 were just too high and I have not checked the height but the Y could be as well. My previous car was a turbo diesel Peugeot 508. Very nice car apart from being a fossil and the 3 is extremely similar in dimensions just a few millimetres lower underneath and actually has a few centimetres lower roof than the Peugeot- nice! Again it is personal preference but I enjoy the smooth shape of the 3 and find all SUVs look chunky.
 
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A Model 3 with a hatch back would have been the sweet spot for me.

Is there that much difference between a hatchback and a liftback? I've used the terms interchangeably.

Isn't a personal preference the same as an opinion?

Getting pedantic here, an opinion is what you think is or is not. "Cats are smarter than dogs because dogs do what you want them to, while cats do what they want to do," is an opinion. It's a statement of what the speaker thinks or believes the facts are.

A preference is what you like. "I like cats better than dogs because cats are clean and fuzzy and they purr," is an expression of preference. It's a statement of what the speaker likes.

Both are subjective. But an opinion can be right or wrong, while a preference is neither; it's just what someone likes.
 
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For me that is the biggest problem with SUVs - it leads to an “arms race” on the roads, where people get bigger and bigger vechicles to lord it over the other vehicles on the road and to “protect” themselves from other urban tanks. And then when SUVs don’t quite do that any more, because there’s so damn many of them on the road, people start buying monster dual-cab utes to out-SUV the SUVs.

Where will it end?

I think comparing Model Y with the SUV characterised in the above post is not really fair. Like @Chuq, @paulp and a few others here, myself included, we want a car with a hatchback/wagon style opening to enable easy load/unload of oversized items, to bring the pets, etc. I have a Mercedes C-Class Wagon and found it the cargo very useful for my errands. Just this weekend, I was visiting a relative and helped her shopped for a bbq using her large sedan. Unfortunately we couldn't fit the box in the boot or back seat and had to ask a friend to pick us up. That would be something I can easily fit in my wagon.

Anyway, as the Y doesn't seem to arrive anytime soon, I placed my Model 3 order about 2 weeks ago. At this time, the Model 3 price is really unbeatable. The price of the most basic model of AUD60K (under USD43K) is around USD2000 less than US price before on-road costs and incentives.
 
Anyway, as the Y doesn't seem to arrive anytime soon, I placed my Model 3 order about 2 weeks ago. At this time, the Model 3 price is really unbeatable. The price of the most basic model of AUD60K (under USD43K) is around USD2000 less than US price before on-road costs and incentives.

Yeah, I’m in the same boat as you (though I ordered an LR). The hatch on the Y is appealing - I have a smaller car than the 3 now (old Astra), but being a hatch I can probably get bigger things in it. But life is short, and with everything pointing to another 9+ months for the Y I didn’t want to wait. It’s not _that_ different otherwise.

The Astra is also 20 years old, and while it’s still reliable (only 115K on the clock), it’ll probably need a bunch of maintenance soon that’ll cost more than the value of the car. Also it’s time to treat myself - you can buy yourself nice things that don’t make financial sense sometimes!

I’ll give it a few years, and if I still feel like I need a hatch I’ll upgrade to a 2025 MY or something. Maybe there’ll be compelling non-Tesla options without massive wait times by then.
 
As I said in my earlier post, if I needed more space, I'd get a second hand S before I bought a Y, and it'd most likely be cheaper. The lack of a lifback design for the 3 was definitely an error. They should (IMO) have done something different with the panoramic window and still had a liftback, but it is what it is.

As for opinions, I generally like to treat them as no one is wrong. I see I'm going to need to express my preference instead in the future so as to not offend.
 
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Is there that much difference between a hatchback and a liftback? I've used the terms interchangeably.
Just the angle as far as I know. Technically Liftback is the correct term for Teslas as their slope is a small angle from the horizontal. Hatchbacks are closer to vertical (like a VW Golf).
Getting pedantic here, an opinion is what you think is or is not. "Cats are smarter than dogs because dogs do what you want them to, while cats do what they want to do," is an opinion. It's a statement of what the speaker thinks or believes the facts are.

A preference is what you like. "I like cats better than dogs because cats are clean and fuzzy and they purr," is an expression of preference. It's a statement of what the speaker likes.

Both are subjective. But an opinion can be right or wrong, while a preference is neither; it's just what someone likes.
Interesting. TIL. Thanks
 
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As I said in my earlier post, if I needed more space, I'd get a second hand S before I bought a Y, and it'd most likely be cheaper. The lack of a lifback design for the 3 was definitely an error. They should (IMO) have done something different with the panoramic window and still had a liftback, but it is what it is.
It's probably a good business decision. Sedan is cheaper to make (just my guess). People will still buy regardless of their preference (Tesla still can't make enough of them). If one really need the liftback, buy the more expensive model.
 
For anyone reading this and still interested in the original topic, please get a 3. The last thing the world needs is another SUV. I know people that bought an SUV just so they can see over the SUVs. They are more expensive, slower, less efficient and handle worse. Additionally, you become part of the problem. For me a big part of buying a Tesla is to be part of the solution. Environmentally and from a road user point of view. I've owned sedans all my life and a couple of 4x4s. There is no chance I'd ever buy a compromised car like an SUV, my 4x4s were for off road stuff when I lived in the bush. I used to travel 600km trips regularly, at night and the ability to dodge things was very useful. You just can't do that in an SUV (though EVs are generally better due to their weight distribution). I do like the X Wing doors on the X though. Not enough to buy one, I'd have an S in a heartbeat to replace my wagon, but not an X.
I haven't got the 3 yet, but the boot is more than adequate (if a little oddly shaped) and coming from a Commodore based vehicle, I do like a big boot. As for SUV space, save your money and rent something for the 1 time a year you need more space.
Of course everyone's opinions are different. That's mine.
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The last thing the world needs is another rant about peoples car choices.

At the end of the day sedans are terrible at transporting larger objects such and don't fit into my lifestyle. Especially the tiny boot opening on the Model 3.
I need a hatchback and that's what I'll buy.
 
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The last thing the world needs is another rant about peoples car choices.

At the end of the day sedans are terrible at transporting larger objects such and don't fit into my lifestyle. Especially the tiny boot opening on the Model 3.
I need a hatchback and that's what I'll buy.

I'll agree that something surely could have been done to made the Model 3 a liftback. Still hoping for that Model 3 wagon one day, but I Think i'll be waiting a very long time. I completely understand why people like on-road SUV/crossovers, they are the ultimate do it all vehicle for many people.