With snow tires or stock Michelin 3 season tires? My Model 3 was delivered Nov 7 and about a week or so later, swapped the 3 season tires for Nokian Hakka R3s. I literally believe it hasn't snowed since. Of course February is the big snow month. Also our driveway has a 30% incline for 250'.
Model 3 review - After moving from RWD to AWD
- Thread starter Merle Corey
- Start date
golfpilot
Member
I accidentally drove a RWD off the lot. I had never driven an AWD, but I knew the one I was in wasn't it. Front of the car just felt dead to me. Once I figured out how to get the vin to pop up, I returned the car. Driving off the lot with the correct car, I was instantly happy about the many extra months and 3k I had to give up for the AWD.
JeffK
Well-Known Member
A good tip from the delivery checklist is to make sure the VIN (which can even be seen from the exterior of the car) matches the one on your paperwork.
pdamski
Member
In my real world testing I have noticed another thing that may illustrate the difference between RWD and the AWD, especially the P3D. The sensation I feel when slamming on my P3D is that of being pulled by the car whereas the sensation I used to feel in my RWD cars was that of being pushed. I imagine that the RWD Model 3 feels similar to the ICE versions. I moved from a 2014 Mercedes C 250 Coupe to my P3D and have never driven an AWD car before. Love the feeing of increased traction and lack of dive in the corners. Not thrilled with the sound and feeling of the Michelin 4S tires on our grooved freeways but on a smooth, newly paved road it feels almost as smooth as my old Benz.
golfpilot
Member
When I was first introduced to the car, first thing I did was check the VIN. But we went back inside and when I went back out I got into the wrong car.
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
The mobile app, which is set at delivery, also shows "AWD" in plain English. Part of delivery is also 'naming the vehicle' that page also shows "AWD" as well as vin. However, upon first read of golfpilot's post sent chills down my back as I have an AWD LR as well.
JeffK
Well-Known Member
No Tesla employee helped me with inspecting or even seeing the car. For me this was after Elon invited owners to "help out" (facepalm).
Probably used the keycards. My first time was with the keycards.
I don't recall what the woman used when she did the delivery. My guess the car was unlocked. The first thing she did was 'key' my phone. I got in the car w/o unlocking, she took passenger seat and set up defaults. We then switched, she drove out of the garage, wished me well and I took it from there. Just as with physical keys there are only so many permutations before there is another key that will start you car. It's a little unnerving to think the universal of exclusive RFID codes is so small that one card could start the adjacent car.
I've had a few pickup trucks with 4WD, meaning that I can switch between 2W and 4WD at the flip of a switch (or, back when, a lever, the horror!) and the difference between the two modes is very noticeable on cornering and acceleration, even on dry pavement (only go mainly straight on dry pavement with 4WD so as to avoid torquing up the drive train due to not having a center differential). 4WD always accelerates in a way that leaves the truck more level with much less of the rear of the vehicle squirming. Even cornering is more level front to back and side to side in 4WD. Part of this is because traditional rear drive vehicles have some torque that attempts to twist the frame opposite the drive line torque and what happens is with the front engaged (in 4WD), the torques of the two opposite-facing drive shafts (front and rear) cancel each other very nicely. Other vehicles with transversely mounted engines or, in the case of Teslas, two motors, behave a bit differently, but there is still a positive effect to spreading the motive traction load and drive line torque over all 4 wheels instead of two.
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One would hope with RFID the number of combinations would be so large as to be impossible.
About 10 years ago I worked for a company and we discovered at one point that two of our older Ford vans, despite being ordered separately, had key locks that would work with either vehicle key set. The keys looked to have slightly different key cuts, but not enough to matter to the locks on the two vehicles. (!) Physical keys have much fewer possible combinations than RFID keycards and fobs and of course the remaining cars being made with physical keys most all have RFID chips in the key head now anyhow.
I was trying hard to be polite and not accusatory. I don't understand how that could have happened, buy one car and use your RFID card to drive home in someone else's car. In fact I didn't unpack my keycards until I got home and gave one to my wife.
golfpilot
Member
Keys cards were in all of the cars. To add, I was having trouble getting my phone to pair to the car. They spent 5 minutes trouble shooting it with me. Finally said "It can take up to 48 hours, the card key will work for now" mind you, the trouble shooting was being done in that wrong car. Once I got the right car, phone paired immediately. They never even checked my ID during the delivery process... I was floored by the whole scenario. I'm sure things have been smoothed over by now.
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cusman
Member
Impressed that it only cost you $5000 in depreciation on that trade-in, but will you have $7500 x 2 (i.e. $15,000) worth of Tax Liability in the same year?
The Solar installation Tax Credit can roll over between multiple years (not sure if limited to 2, but at least 2 as I understand it), but the EV Tax Credit is use it or lose it for the Tax Year in which you bought the vehicle.
The Solar installation Tax Credit can roll over between multiple years (not sure if limited to 2, but at least 2 as I understand it), but the EV Tax Credit is use it or lose it for the Tax Year in which you bought the vehicle.
Congratulations on getting the config you wanted!
Our long trips are infrequent, so the reduced efficiency of our AWD doesn't bother me. The biggest gain I think is in the safety of 4wheel traction control, and of course the acceleration of having 4 tires delivering torque.
I love the responsive (go-cart) steering. In my 60 years there have been numerous times that an accident was avoided by a hair. Responsive steering is a big safety plus in MHO.
Enjoy!
Our long trips are infrequent, so the reduced efficiency of our AWD doesn't bother me. The biggest gain I think is in the safety of 4wheel traction control, and of course the acceleration of having 4 tires delivering torque.
I love the responsive (go-cart) steering. In my 60 years there have been numerous times that an accident was avoided by a hair. Responsive steering is a big safety plus in MHO.
Enjoy!
SabrToothSqrl
Active Member
Having both a RWD and AWD in our garage, they are very different animals.
The RWD is light and sporty feeling in the steering. it takes the perfect amount of effort to move the wheel (normal setting). and the car feels light and playful and like a happy dog ready to bounce.
The AWD feels heavy in the wheel and more serious. It doesn't make jokes. if it does, it makes them in German, and they are very serious.
the AWD is WAY quicker in and out of the turns and whoa is it a fun ride in the twisties. But the RWD begs to be played with. the AWD takes away some of the fun, but adds the rip your face off feel.
Depending on my mood and the road, I'd be happy to drive either...
Also, the AWD doesn't send as much power to the back, so you don't feel like you need more grip from the OEM (18) tires. The RWD begs for more grip. the AWD uses available grip better, but again it's so serious about it!
Anything below 'the limit' of the tires/horse power... the cars are very similar. almost impossible to tell apart. Only when pushed do you notice the difference... and really... I still can't tell which I prefer.
The RWD is light and sporty feeling in the steering. it takes the perfect amount of effort to move the wheel (normal setting). and the car feels light and playful and like a happy dog ready to bounce.
The AWD feels heavy in the wheel and more serious. It doesn't make jokes. if it does, it makes them in German, and they are very serious.
the AWD is WAY quicker in and out of the turns and whoa is it a fun ride in the twisties. But the RWD begs to be played with. the AWD takes away some of the fun, but adds the rip your face off feel.
Depending on my mood and the road, I'd be happy to drive either...
Also, the AWD doesn't send as much power to the back, so you don't feel like you need more grip from the OEM (18) tires. The RWD begs for more grip. the AWD uses available grip better, but again it's so serious about it!
Anything below 'the limit' of the tires/horse power... the cars are very similar. almost impossible to tell apart. Only when pushed do you notice the difference... and really... I still can't tell which I prefer.
I am not doubting you but that is odd. For instance, on my delivery, the very first thing was "here are your key cards" and from that point on they were in my possession. It was far better 'choreographed' such that there was no possible way for anyone to gain access to some other car there. In fact, I just checked to make sure the vin on my acct matches the vin on my car. It does!
SoCalDude
Member
Interestingly, our local service center told us that the AWD should get better mileage than the RWD—maybe because the two motors can operate at lower power demand than just the one, and that overcomes the added weight and friction from second set of gear reduction?
But in your oarticukar case, there’s one more variable—the difference in wheel size. Are the tires on your 19’s lower profile than the tires in your buddy’s 18’s? If not, then your tire/wheel diameter would be greater, and your tire/wheel revolutions per mile might be less. That might mean less power consumed and be more important than the aero’s on his 19’s.
A neat experiment, but unless the only difference is the AWD vs RWD, other factors may be in play!
Incidentalky, we have AWD with standard aero 18’s...
