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Model S Is An Awful Muddin' Vehicle. But Great for Digging In The Mud.

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Yesterday evening was not ideal:

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A guy's car died in the middle of a busy intersection a few cars ahead of me. Others were honking and driving around him, and I figured I'd hate to be in that situation. So I pulled over onto a grass driveway and got out to push his car to another driveway, out of the intersection.

I came back to my car and was faced with a lot of rush hour traffic, and I'd have to back out uphill to get back onto the road.

No problem, I thought. I'll just do a quick three-point turn around and be on my way.

Bad idea.

The minute I touched the grass (it looked solid to me) I knew it was too late. I'd driven onto QuickMud (it looked like grass at the time).

Car only dug deeper as I tried to get out. No way to tow that I could tell, without putting straps around the rear wheels and risking damage. Even at the very high suspension level, there was very little space between the bottom of the car and the mud (especially in the rear). Notice the car's dug in to the point where the mud is up to the 19" wheel. Ended up jacking up each corner of the car individually, putting a long 2x6 under each wheel, driving back 6 feet, then repeating until I got back onto the roadway.

The scariest part was: 5 high school kids who helped push. (One was a Tesla fanatic and has watched every video online about the car!). I asked them to push where the microwave oven is (inside the frunk) and at the B pillar on each side...which turned out well...except for the mud on my headliner :crying:. And all over my driver side floor mat :crying:. And on the floor of the car :crying:. And the steering wheel :crying:. And the pedals :crying:.

Fortunately I was able to clean the car and get most of it off. I'll get the rest off tonight.

This story has two morals:

1. Only go mudding in raised, 4x4 trucks.

2. Don't ever help anyone.


(Kidding about #2).

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By the way, this is NOT an April Fools' joke. And that picture is not Photoshopped :).
 
So the owner doesn't fence his property because he'd miss out on all the fun?

So you carry 6ft long 2x6s in the MS? I carry 30 inch plastic launch pads which I've yet to use except as snow shovels.

Was frost still there keeping you from going further toward Perth, Australia?

I'd say chalk this one up as a Tesla Victory.
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Yesterday evening was not ideal:

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dude this is my driveway every time it rains. I have had absolutely no issues in snow/ice/rain/etc etc, EXCEPT for mud in my driveway. The MS can handle snow and ice just fine, but MUD -> nope. The only time I've ever been stuck in the MS...my own driveway mud. oh well. actually I just had it restoned today so hopefully no more muddy issues for me :)
 
dude this is my driveway every time it rains. I have had absolutely no issues in snow/ice/rain/etc etc, EXCEPT for mud in my driveway. The MS can handle snow and ice just fine, but MUD -> nope. The only time I've ever been stuck in the MS...my own driveway mud. oh well. actually I just had it restoned today so hopefully no more muddy issues for me :)

So you wash your car...daily?!?

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Get some of this stuff (RS-511 Vinyl-Fabric Cleaner) for cleaning the headliner, and for cleaning blue jean dye off of Tan or Grey leather seats:

Thanks for the advice! Most dirt came off the headliner. I have a little more work to do. Actually, there's more dirt on my headliner from Tesla Service than from this incident now!

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So what's your Model X reservation number? :)

I wish. Actually if I could get another one I'd get the AWD S...performance this time.

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Todd Burch you're my dirty car hero. I salute you, sir!

I prefer checks to salutes...gotta finance that AWD S somehow...