Model S Plaid - 6 Months Later

So, six months ago tonight, I was lucky enough to pick up one of the first Model S Plaid to be delivered to customers. I thought folks might be interested in how things are going.

This is my post from the night I picked up the car: Wiki - Model S Delivery Update

Some statistics:

• 5,191 miles
• Running 2021.36.8.9 and FSD Beta 10.6
• Quickest I've gone 0-60: 2.1 sec (1 ft rollout)
• 1/4 mile: 9.6 sec @ 150 mph (at drag strip)
• Fastest I've gone: 156 mph (at drag strip)
• Lifetime efficiency: 335 Wh/mi
• Name: "HellPony" - named through a thread here on TMC

Service issues:

• Wind noise from passenger a-pillar area
  • Triangular glass loose in its bracket
  • Replaced by mobile service
• Rattle from rear of car during turns
  • Play in latches for rear seats
  • Temporarily fixed by Service using tape--waiting on permanent fix from Engineering
• Side mirrors do not properly return to auto-tilt set position
  • Service validated issue and replaced both mirrors but did not resolve the issue

Exterior:

• Car was great at pickup in terms of pant quality, fit and finish, and panel gaps and that has held up--in fact car looks great (car is OptiCoated and I hand wash)
• There was some concerns around stone chips on the rear quarter panels, but I have not encountered that so far
• Widow tint is highly recommended

Interior:

• Having lived with the new interior for a while, I more appreciate the time and effort someone took son picking materials, textures, etc
• White seats are still while--easy to clean, no creasing, puckers, etc
• The wood trim nicks easily--ended up getting some touch-up
• Still impressed by the low noise floor--the double-paned glass and all the soft surfaces help.
• Like the fixed glass roof--opens up the interior and does a good job blocking heat. I do, however miss the open air driving of the pano roof
• Coming from a 2013, there is an embarrassing amount of storage--the center console is nice in that it is has little cubbies to help keep things organized

Driving experience:

• Acceleration never gets old, but beyond 0-60, the rollin acceleration is great for merging on freeway, passing, etc
• The new suspension is superb--the car is poised in every situation I have thrown at it from curvy river roads to flat-out acceleration runs
• Vision-only AP worked well. The only thing it seemed to struggle with for me is keeping proper distance with a lead car

The Yoke!:

• I love mine, I would not trade it for a round wheel, even if Elon himself offered to come swap mine out
• It took a while to get used to it--some of you have seen the video of my travails as I got acclimated
• My best advice it to approach the yoke as a different control interface--treating it like a wheel will lead to more challenges
• For the actual yoke, I am pretty much driving like I my old wheel--one handed, palming, etc
• The stalkless piece took a bit longer -- what I really like is having key controls under my thumbs--the ergonomics are like an Xbox or Playstation controller. It is compact and efficient--going back to my wife's X seems awkward now
• The force touch controls are a work in progress--they have made tweaks to both the control and the haptic feedback that have improved the experience, but there is still opportunity to improve

Wish list:

• Big thing is I wish they were further along with the software:
  • There are still a number of features from the launch that are still outstanding like games (Witcher, etc), ANC, IIRC torque vectoring
  • The Bluetooth implementation, in relation to the rear seat audio appears unfinished
  • V11 - the current UI seems cobbled together and unfinished

Bottom line, this car has been a blast for the last 6 months and expect that to continue. I've included everything that I thought folks would find interesting--let me know if folks have other questions.

 

[byeLT4]

Awesome! As always thanks for sharing, can't believe it has been 6 months already!

 

[Ormond]

I misread the car’s name as “Hello Pony,” Hello Kitty’s American cousin.

Your lifetime efficiency is impressive! Thanks for the update.

 

[omarsultan]

Awesome! As always thanks for sharing, can't believe it has been 6 months already!

I know -- time has flown and I am glad the long suffering have mostly gotten the cars--wait times, on the other hand, are nuts!

I misread the car’s name as “Hello Pony,” Hello Kitty’s American cousin.

Yeah. someone tossed the name out as a joke in some thread and I thought it captured the contradictory the nature of the car perfectly

 

[buddyg]

Congrats sounds like a great car overall. I am getting my first Tesla a model S Plaid in the next week or so. Can’t wait!

 

[Dinosaurus]

4ish month owner here. Are you sure about the vision-only? Pretty sure our cars have a radar and it is enabled, unless you got into FSD Beta.

I also had the rear seat clicking issue, I threw some tape on it and it is gone. I had a driver's-side A-pillar clip problem, but they replaced it free of charge and in sub 45mins. Lastly, had a passenger side door handle squeak because of its alignment, mobile service fixed it quickly.

Overall, loooooove the car. I went too dark on tint and may lighten it. It is far and above my favorite car I've ever financed (and that number is probably 14+).

 

[j5555]

3 month owner. Love the car. Yoke ok, no stalk turn signal I can deal with. Horn button sucks. It should be on center of wheel.

 

[jaguar36]

Two week owner here and I agree with most everything you said! I was expecting to hate the lack of stalks, but it really hasn't been an issue.

Interior:

• Coming from a 2013, there is an embarrassing amount of storage--the center console is nice in that it is has little cubbies to help keep things organized

I hate the giant center console. I really love the bowling alley in my 2014. It was so convient to put a laptop bag in and really showed off the benefits of an EV. I also miss the little pouch in the front of the seat, was the perfect place to put my badge or parking pass.

 

[omarsultan]

Two week owner here and I agree with most everything you said! I was expecting to hate the lack of stalks, but it really hasn't been an issue.



I hate the giant center console. I really love the bowling alley in my 2014. It was so convient to put a laptop bag in and really showed off the benefits of an EV. I also miss the little pouch in the front of the seat, was the perfect place to put my badge or parking pass.

I also initially missed the yacht floor (because it really opened up the front and was great for takeout bags), as well as the front seat pouch (which was brilliant design), but, aesthetics aside, the center console has so much flexible storage, I made peace with it.

Also, from a practical perspective, I don't think anything in on the yacht floor would stay put during a launch.

 

[dlittle]

So, six months ago tonight, I was lucky enough to pick up one of the first Model S Plaid to be delivered to customers. I thought folks might be interested in how things are going.

This is my post from the night I picked up the car: Wiki - Model S Delivery Update

Some statistics:

• 5,191 miles
• Running 2021.36.8.9 and FSD Beta 10.6
• Quickest I've gone 0-60: 2.1 sec (1 ft rollout)
• 1/4 mile: 9.6 sec @ 150 mph (at drag strip)
• Fastest I've gone: 156 mph (at drag strip)
• Lifetime efficiency: 335 Wh/mi
• Name: "HellPony" - named through a thread here on TMC

Service issues:

• Wind noise from passenger a-pillar area
  • Triangular glass loose in its bracket
  • Replaced by mobile service
• Rattle from rear of car during turns
  • Play in latches for rear seats
  • Temporarily fixed by Service using tape--waiting on permanent fix from Engineering
• Side mirrors do not properly return to auto-tilt set position
  • Service validated issue and replaced both mirrors but did not resolve the issue

Exterior:

• Car was great at pickup in terms of pant quality, fit and finish, and panel gaps and that has held up--in fact car looks great (car is OptiCoated and I hand wash)
• There was some concerns around stone chips on the rear quarter panels, but I have not encountered that so far
• Widow tint is highly recommended

Interior:

• Having lived with the new interior for a while, I more appreciate the time and effort someone took son picking materials, textures, etc
• White seats are still while--easy to clean, no creasing, puckers, etc
• The wood trim nicks easily--ended up getting some touch-up
• Still impressed by the low noise floor--the double-paned glass and all the soft surfaces help.
• Like the fixed glass roof--opens up the interior and does a good job blocking heat. I do, however miss the open air driving of the pano roof
• Coming from a 2013, there is an embarrassing amount of storage--the center console is nice in that it is has little cubbies to help keep things organized

Driving experience:

• Acceleration never gets old, but beyond 0-60, the rollin acceleration is great for merging on freeway, passing, etc
• The new suspension is superb--the car is poised in every situation I have thrown at it from curvy river roads to flat-out acceleration runs
• Vision-only AP worked well. The only thing it seemed to struggle with for me is keeping proper distance with a lead car

The Yoke!:

• I love mine, I would not trade it for a round wheel, even if Elon himself offered to come swap mine out
• It took a while to get used to it--some of you have seen the video of my travails as I got acclimated
• My best advice it to approach the yoke as a different control interface--treating it like a wheel will lead to more challenges
• For the actual yoke, I am pretty much driving like I my old wheel--one handed, palming, etc
• The stalkless piece took a bit longer -- what I really like is having key controls under my thumbs--the ergonomics are like an Xbox or Playstation controller. It is compact and efficient--going back to my wife's X seems awkward now
• The force touch controls are a work in progress--they have made tweaks to both the control and the haptic feedback that have improved the experience, but there is still opportunity to improve

Wish list:

• Big thing is I wish they were further along with the software:
  • There are still a number of features from the launch that are still outstanding like games (Witcher, etc), ANC, IIRC torque vectoring
  • The Bluetooth implementation, in relation to the rear seat audio appears unfinished
  • V11 - the current UI seems cobbled together and unfinished

Bottom line, this car has been a blast for the last 6 months and expect that to continue. I've included everything that I thought folks would find interesting--let me know if folks have other questions.

thanks for sharing, I'm about a month out myself from receiving mine. Have you bought any 'must have' accessories?

 

[omarsultan]

thanks for sharing, I'm about a month out myself from receiving mine. Have you bought any 'must have' accessories?

Congrats!

I think window tint is mandatory around here--I would expect the same is true in Texas. I am also a fan of OptiCoat, so those are my big adds, along with a set of 19" wheels with all season tires. Oh, I also picked up a Dragy if you are into that.

On the to-do list is mostly little stuff:

• Vinyl wrap are the like so the T-logo on the back matches the rest of the trim
• Upgraded floor mats for front/rear
• Upgraded headlights if Tesla releases plug-compatible new ones

That's about it.

 

[WilliamG]

Mud flaps are a must have if you want your rear quarters to not be destroyed over time.

Model S Refresh Mud/Splash Guards

Anyone know of where we can buy a set of Mud/Splash guards for the Model S Refresh? There’s a known issue with rock chips on the rear lower sills before the rear wheels. Any help would be greatly appreciated

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[cwanja]

Side mirrors do not properly return to auto-tilt set position

Been noticing this as well. Not going to go through the hassle of having service swap them. It is just my passenger side though.

 

[dlittle]

Congrats!

I think window tint is mandatory around here--I would expect the same is true in Texas. I am also a fan of OptiCoat, so those are my big adds, along with a set of 19" wheels with all season tires. Oh, I also picked up a Dragy if you are into that.

On the to-do list is mostly little stuff:

• Vinyl wrap are the like so the T-logo on the back matches the rest of the trim
• Upgraded floor mats for front/rear
• Upgraded headlights if Tesla releases plug-compatible new ones

That's about it.

Absolutely agree on the headlights, I'd love to swap those out for some newer looking ones. Seems to be one of the few things completely left out on this refresh

 

[Jsvette56]

Four month owner: 7500 miles, 275 Wh/mi.
Love the yoke, hate the haptic buttons on it.

 

[Montreal D]

So, six months ago tonight, I was lucky enough to pick up one of the first Model S Plaid to be delivered to customers. I thought folks might be interested in how things are going.

This is my post from the night I picked up the car: Wiki - Model S Delivery Update

Some statistics:

• 5,191 miles
• Running 2021.36.8.9 and FSD Beta 10.6
• Quickest I've gone 0-60: 2.1 sec (1 ft rollout)
• 1/4 mile: 9.6 sec @ 150 mph (at drag strip)
• Fastest I've gone: 156 mph (at drag strip)
• Lifetime efficiency: 335 Wh/mi
• Name: "HellPony" - named through a thread here on TMC

Service issues:

• Wind noise from passenger a-pillar area
  • Triangular glass loose in its bracket
  • Replaced by mobile service
• Rattle from rear of car during turns
  • Play in latches for rear seats
  • Temporarily fixed by Service using tape--waiting on permanent fix from Engineering
• Side mirrors do not properly return to auto-tilt set position
  • Service validated issue and replaced both mirrors but did not resolve the issue

Exterior:

• Car was great at pickup in terms of pant quality, fit and finish, and panel gaps and that has held up--in fact car looks great (car is OptiCoated and I hand wash)
• There was some concerns around stone chips on the rear quarter panels, but I have not encountered that so far
• Widow tint is highly recommended

Interior:

• Having lived with the new interior for a while, I more appreciate the time and effort someone took son picking materials, textures, etc
• White seats are still while--easy to clean, no creasing, puckers, etc
• The wood trim nicks easily--ended up getting some touch-up
• Still impressed by the low noise floor--the double-paned glass and all the soft surfaces help.
• Like the fixed glass roof--opens up the interior and does a good job blocking heat. I do, however miss the open air driving of the pano roof
• Coming from a 2013, there is an embarrassing amount of storage--the center console is nice in that it is has little cubbies to help keep things organized

Driving experience:

• Acceleration never gets old, but beyond 0-60, the rollin acceleration is great for merging on freeway, passing, etc
• The new suspension is superb--the car is poised in every situation I have thrown at it from curvy river roads to flat-out acceleration runs
• Vision-only AP worked well. The only thing it seemed to struggle with for me is keeping proper distance with a lead car

The Yoke!:

• I love mine, I would not trade it for a round wheel, even if Elon himself offered to come swap mine out
• It took a while to get used to it--some of you have seen the video of my travails as I got acclimated
• My best advice it to approach the yoke as a different control interface--treating it like a wheel will lead to more challenges
• For the actual yoke, I am pretty much driving like I my old wheel--one handed, palming, etc
• The stalkless piece took a bit longer -- what I really like is having key controls under my thumbs--the ergonomics are like an Xbox or Playstation controller. It is compact and efficient--going back to my wife's X seems awkward now
• The force touch controls are a work in progress--they have made tweaks to both the control and the haptic feedback that have improved the experience, but there is still opportunity to improve

Wish list:

• Big thing is I wish they were further along with the software:
  • There are still a number of features from the launch that are still outstanding like games (Witcher, etc), ANC, IIRC torque vectoring
  • The Bluetooth implementation, in relation to the rear seat audio appears unfinished
  • V11 - the current UI seems cobbled together and unfinished

Bottom line, this car has been a blast for the last 6 months and expect that to continue. I've included everything that I thought folks would find interesting--let me know if folks have other questions.

I had a P100D and I have had my plaid for 2 months. I absolutely love it. I agree with your comments about the yoke - after a couple of weeks of getting used to it, I would not go back to a standard wheel. As to the stalks, I would take them back in a second. The high beams are a pain in the behind and the horn is a joke. I use a flick of the high beams to make sure other drivers see me and then escalate to the horn if necessary... it doesn't work if you have to take your eyes off the road and one hand off the wheel while you look for the right button on the yoke... it is downright dangerous. Even the turn signals are not great. I'm all for the clean design, but not at the expense of essential functionality and safety.

 

[omarsultan]

I had a P100D and I have had my plaid for 2 months. I absolutely love it. I agree with your comments about the yoke - after a couple of weeks of getting used to it, I would not go back to a standard wheel. As to the stalks, I would take them back in a second. The high beams are a pain in the behind and the horn is a joke. I use a flick of the high beams to make sure other drivers see me and then escalate to the horn if necessary... it doesn't work if you have to take your eyes off the road and one hand off the wheel while you look for the right button on the yoke... it is downright dangerous. Even the turn signals are not great. I'm all for the clean design, but not at the expense of essential functionality and safety.

Glad you are enjoying your new car.

My only comments that muscle memory will eventually kick in. Funnily, the thing that took the longest for me to unlearn/re-learn, coming from a Model S, was to not hit the right turn signal when I meant to skip a track.

I wonder about the yoke+stalks combo--the thing that works for me with the yoke+stalkless is that key controls are *always* under your thumbs so no need to move hands or even loosen grip to reach a stalk. I do most of my driving one-handed with my left hand which its me control the car and use turn signals. Anyway, that's me--I get other folks feel differently.

 

[Montreal D]

Glad you are enjoying your new car.

My only comments that muscle memory will eventually kick in. Funnily, the thing that took the longest for me to unlearn/re-learn, coming from a Model S, was to not hit the right turn signal when I meant to skip a track.

I wonder about the yoke+stalks combo--the thing that works for me with the yoke+stalkless is that key controls are *always* under your thumbs so no need to move hands or even loosen grip to reach a stalk. I do most of my driving one-handed with my left hand which its me control the car and use turn signals. Anyway, that's me--I get other folks feel differently.

I have relatively large hands, but unless you have the hands of an NBA player, the horn and the high beam buttons are quite the stretch, using 1 or 2 hands

 

[Cory151]

I came from a P100D as well and I love the Plaid. The yoke is great. If you ride motorcycles a lot you'll get used to the thumb positioning of the haptic controls, quickly. On a bike the blinkers horn and lights are actuated via your thumbs.

 

[Wol747]

I came from a P100D as well and I love the Plaid. The yoke is great. If you ride motorcycles a lot you'll get used to the thumb positioning of the haptic controls, quickly. On a bike the blinkers horn and lights are actuated via your thumbs.

I would guess though that the handlebars are rarely 270 degrees away from straight ahead?