Model S 85 versus 70D? Trying to Choose

[Beryl]

I had the same debate as the OP. I'm in an area with few SCs and plan to drive to areas with even fewer SCs so range is king. I started with a deposit on a 70D and ended up confirming a 90D. The video posted above underscored this rationale.

If it comes down to affording a 70D or 85, I would recommend the 85 for someone living SC anorexic Arkansas. SCs are being built but I doubt there will ever be enough to totally eliminate range anxiety for folks in your area.

A side note: A wonderful thing about a Tesla, IMO, is that I can be stuck on a highway with a million others trying to get out of the way of a storm and never having to worry about running out of fuel.

 

[hybridbear]

This is the question we'll be dealing with too. Since we'll be looking at CPO cars, the question of 70D, 85 or 85D will more likely not matter since the challenge will be finding one with the features that are the absolute minimum (19" wheels for better range/efficiency, pano roof, autopilot, cold weather pkg, leather seats). I'm not sure how difficult it would be to find a CPO car with those features, but we'll see in the next few months.

 

[davidc18]

We had a new 90DL loaner for a week and I was surprised that at 90% charge, the 90 reported 230 miles vs our 70Ds 214 miles. I would have expected more range from the 90. I also observed that the loaner had 21" wheels and its energy use was averaging 420 vs the 70s 320 on 19" wheels.

 

[2krazykats]

We had a new 90DL loaner for a week and I was surprised that at 90% charge, the 90 reported 230 miles vs our 70Ds 214 miles. I would have expected more range from the 90. I also observed that the loaner had 21" wheels and its energy use was averaging 420 vs the 70s 320 on 19" wheels.

That's interesting battery statistics between the two cars.

I think people are going to have to assess their needs versus wants if they're like me and am getting a Tesla that is 3Xs the price I would normally pay for an ICE in the first place. I want a 85D but what I really need is a 70D so that's what I went for. I did go back and forth between those two options and eventually couldn't justify the price difference. With my lifestyle where I don't drive a lot of long trips and day to day driving is in the city, I couldn't see a situation where I would need +30 more range miles. Nor could I justify going 0-60 a second or 2 faster. I will have great passing capability over any ICE car on the road with the 70D and that's good enough.

Whatever decision you make, from what I can tell from reading the forums, people are darn happy with their Tesla and I imagine we will be too.

 

[davidc18]

Just for fun, the 90DL was 51k more than our 70D, which is quite the step up in price.

 

[JeffS]

Just for fun, the 90DL was 51k more than our 70D, which is quite the step up in price.

Wow! That's a fully loaded 1yr old CPO Tahoe up in price. Not that I didn't know that, just never really thought about it like that before.

 

[Xpress]

Just for fun, the 90DL was 51k more than our 70D, which is quite the step up in price.

That's Ludicrous if you ask me...