Model S —> Model 3 : Any regrets?

[jbcarioca]

I went from a beloved P85DL to a P3D+. I am elated with the decision and prefer the Model 3 in almost all situations. That specifically includes long trips. My spouse loves the much added space for the front passenger seat compared to every other car we have ever had. She also appreciates the very easy and flexible individual controls for HVAC. Both of us find the Model 3 to be a better long range choice than the Model S. From time to time we do rent Teslas (S3X) so our preference for the 3 is based on current version comparisons.

Despite my views I'd buy a Performance S today were I to replace the 3 for the longer range and the Raven suspension, which I find delightful. That is a big deal to me so were the Model 3 to get even better range and Raven-style suspension I would probably change because I still prefer the Model 3 form factor and responsiveness.

Bluntly: all this is the proverbial First World Problem. There is no such thing as an undesirable Tesla!

 

[PatrickCH4313]

Owning a dec. 2017 Model S 100D (EAP/FSD) and got a Model 3 Performance for the week-end. A nice car but as an autopilot fan and driving on highway only on autopilot with NOA, I was very disappointing with the Model 3. Using TACC, no way to fix a speed other than the Max speed allowed, No way to resume a speed already set and no way to reduce the Max speed (f.e from 120 km/h to 80 km/h ) when TACC / autopilot are engaged only using the right roll button or quitting TACC/Autopilot and start again. So for me not usable. On the Model S it's so simple.

 

[SMAlset]

Unless you absolutely need the extra space afforded by the S, easy decision. 3 performance all the way.

I pissed off a lot of S owners calling the 3 would annihilate the S to the point that Tesla would discontinue the base versions.

Over a year later my predictions were 100 percent correct. Don’t see them undoing their disagrees after the fact but I’m more about being right than popular.

Beyond the nimbleness, the 3 gets all the toys and is all of Tesla’s focus at least until the Y which is just a taller 3 anyway.

For traveling, the S burns more KW than the 3 per mile, and charges significantly slower as well.

It’s not even a question really on the better value minus edge cases like I have a giant dog that doesn’t fit in a 3 or something like that.

I’ve been around long enough to know that FUSC coming back to the S is a trap.

I’m not touching another S or X unless it has a landscape screen (that doesn’t yellow I bet ) We know it’s on the way no matter what Elon says.

While it might be an easy decision for you if the only thing you need is extra space (assume you mean cargo storage), I'm sure it's not an easy decision for everyone. And half the cargo space is a big deal as well as passenger comfort both front and back seat on longer drives. I don't think the hatch on the Y will add too much more cargo space, just make it possible to store taller objects conveniently where you couldn't with the Model 3.

If our MS needed to be replaced due to an accident, we would still get a MS and that's after having a Model 3--even at this juncture without a total MS makeover yet. I love my Model 3 and totally enjoy driving it, but it simply doesn't replace our MS in my eyes and can't. Honestly I'm not concerned that it burns more Kw than the Model 3 or that it charges slower than my Model 3. We don't track our cars so those factors don't even come into play. I don't think I've ever bought a car based on "value" over another. We have always tended to hold our cars for a long time so would say we've gotten our value out of the cars we bought and enjoyed over time. Depends on where you are in your life at the moment I guess.

As long distance trips, as an adult I wouldn't have a problem being a back seat passenger in our MS, but wouldn't chose to be one in our Model 3. To me it would compare to being in our former full-size Toyota Avalon with plenty of back seat comfort to being in our former Honda LX.

 

[Levelheadsteve]

I’m new here so maybe there are posts on this, but why didn’t Tesla make the 3 a hatchback? Increased cost? Would be great to have the increased utility.

 

[DriveMe]

I’m new here so maybe there are posts on this, but why didn’t Tesla make the 3 a hatchback? Increased cost? Would be great to have the increased utility.

They did! More room and cargo space, hatchback, automatic lift-gate. It's called Model Y!

Welcome to TMC!

 

[EV-by-the-Sea]

I’m new here so maybe there are posts on this, but why didn’t Tesla make the 3 a hatchback? Increased cost? Would be great to have the increased utility.

My [purely speculative] guess is that they figured the 3 was already going to compete pretty closely with the S so they could at least allow the S to continue to differentiate itself by not giving the 3 a hatch.

 

[aaron0k]

Bought a 3 to replace my my wife's 2013 S/40. After 3 months, she missed the S... we decided to keep the 40 and sold the 3 (fortunately didn't take a loss).

All the previously mentioned pros apply; size, cargo, stability, door handles, key-fobs, lift gate, dual display, etc.; the 3 obviously had much better performance and range.

I very much liked driving the 3, very nimble and quick; though I also prefer the S as a daily driver.

 

[daniel]

I’m new here so maybe there are posts on this, but why didn’t Tesla make the 3 a hatchback? Increased cost? Would be great to have the increased utility.

I agree: I'd have much preferred a hatchback. Much more useful. The 3 still has a lot of room, though.

 

[StealthP3D]

The only thing I regret about our first Model 3 purchase was that it was for my wife.

Now we have two and all is right in the world.

 

[ucmndd]

I recently went through the math and motions here and was very close to leaping from my 2016 S75. By my calculations moving to a barebones SR+ would save me about $6,000 over the next 4 years.

In the end, I decided to hold off, at least for a while longer. Some of my reasoning:

M3 SR+ pros:

Newer, more efficient, has a warranty
AP hw3 (although I probably would not pay $6k for FSD)
Newer MCU that gets all of the security and game features (lots of hype about video playback in version 10, but let’s just say I’m not holding my breath for any of it to make it to MCU1.
Slightly longer range (my 75 only gets 224 miles at 100% now)
Obviously the focus of company attention and new features moving forward

Model S pros:

Free supercharging (admittedly a small financial benefit for my use case)
Has Enhanced Autopilot - IMO this was/is the sweet spot for price and functionality. I really care very little about summon or NoA, but I’d desperately miss auto lane change (but not enough to pay $6k for it)
8 year unlimited mile battery and drive unit warranty (I drive about 35k miles a year and the 100k battery warranty on the 3 makes me nervous)
It’s beautiful - the 3 is... well. Not.
Bigger, more comfortable, quieter car
Has all of the unbundled features the 3 doesn’t like full connectivity, premium audio, etc. again, things I would miss, but not enough to leap to the AWR LR.

I wish the LR RWD was still a thing... that might have actually made me commit.

 

[SweetP]

One more perspective from one who has both. The S is older (almost 6) without AWD and autopilot but at 82k miles it still has great road manners, a comfy ride with its air suspension, a pano roof, winter package, and parking sensors. The tech in my AWD 3 far surpasses it but for me it’s a mixed blessing with too many warning beeps and features I don’t need or use much. The 3’s much sportier and faster but my favorite is the one I’m driving ( either).
No clear winner by me. You can’t go wrong.

 

[MXWing]

Has Enhanced Autopilot - IMO this was/is the sweet spot for price and functionality. I really care very little about summon or NoA, but I’d desperately miss auto lane change (but not enough to pay $6k for it)

That’s a head scratcher because you paid 5K or more for EAP though.

It’s only 1K for FSD. It used to cost 2-3K.

I wouldn’t go from an Model S to a 3SR+ though. 3P- is the place to be at.

 

[ucmndd]

That’s a head scratcher because you paid 5K or more for EAP though.

It’s only 1K for FSD. It used to cost 2-3K.

True enough. Although I’ll say I bought EAP at the peak of the hype around the 2016 autonomous driving promises and have mostly felt burned by it since.

I guess what I’m saying is I value TACC and autosteer quite a bit. Nice that those are “free” now. The only other thing I really want in the current FSD package is lane change, but paying $6k for that is silly.

The rest is fluff and parlor tricks and I’m fairly pessimistic on any Tesla promises of future functionality at this point.