Model S range and interior update imminent?

[whitex]

Put your headlights on auto? How often do people change their suspension height while driving? I admit I’ve done it a couple of times. Wouldn’t be a problem in the Porsche though, that for sure...

I turn my lights ON manually when it's cloudy and "grey" outside (happens a bunch in Seattle) for visibility (so that people can see my car better) - auto headlights doesn't work for that well or at all. I adjust suspension when I come across things which I don't think the car will clear, sometimes steep driveways, other time speed bumps, or rough surfaces with holes. I get the Teslas are designed in California, so grey, overcast days are rare, and so is rain, so ability to manually turn on the lights, or problems with water obscuring the rear camera after 2 minutes of driving, are way low on Tesla priority list. I guess if doesn't happen in California means Elon doesn't encounter the problem means it's not a problem.

 

[Ken7]

Every time I approach my S I’m still amazed at how fresh the exterior styling is. To my eyes it looks like a car that was, literally, just designed yesterday. Even the interior still looks good and in terms of a refresh, I am definitely not a fan of a single screen layout.

With that said, usable blind spot and backup monitoring are sorely needed. It’s embarrassing that my Sonata PHEV had it. Sure you can adjust your side view mirrors to assist in covering blind spots, but still. Interestingly, our current Honda Clarity does not have backup monitoring nor traditional blind spot monitoring on the mirrors either. It does have the right side camera that shows your blind spot on the nav screen, but you’re on your own on the left side. I find traditional mirror lights work the best and are the most instinctive to use.

 

[sandpiper]

Does the leasing company in Canada pocket government rebates when you lease and buy out at the end, like they do here in the US? I'm curious, how much did the 10 months of driving cost (what you had to pay to buy it out vs. what you got on the trade-in)?

Btw, I have a P85D and have no incentive to upgrade at all because:

1. Can't get + suspension any more. I can totally tell the difference when driving my wife's non+ air suspension.
2. Can't justify the price premium for P (like you) so any upgrade would be to a slower car (P85D is speced at 2.9s 0-60mph, but it's the highway 40-75 is what I would miss most)
3. Nothing new except for slightly bigger battery, which to me is a nice to have - I made it from Seattle to Toronto and back with the 85 battery with no range issue, so it's good enough.

So, I'm waiting to see what Taycan will offer. Hoping for a Porsche handling and braking, with Tesla-like EV power responsiveness, plus less battery management related limits (I have managed to get power limited during by cross country trip a few times at high SoC), faster charging, better interior options like phone integration, physical buttons so I don't have to take my eyes off the road for 2-4 seconds in order to turn on headlights or raise suspension, and actually working, non-beta safety features like EAB or blind spot detection (which still works only 50% at best today on Tesla) and with better warnings (e.g. mirror light instead the instrument cluster graphic).

There aren't any rebates here. When they did exist, you would qualify based on the length of a lease. Three years would get you the full rebate, and the leasing company would pass it along to you 100%.

I made money on the buy out / trade - around 15K or so. So that was part of my decision.

The new 100D offers nearly 160 km additional range over my 3.75 year old P85D - which is down to about 385 km on a full charge . That's huge for me; it lets me do some trips that I otherwise couldn't. I admit I'll miss the P+ suspension as well, but it's a tradeoff I'm willing to make. I'd been holding off for a 110 or 115 - but indications are that it might be a while yet.

 

[wdolson]

I turn my lights ON manually when it's cloudy and "grey" outside (happens a bunch in Seattle) for visibility (so that people can see my car better) - auto headlights doesn't work for that well or at all. I adjust suspension when I come across things which I don't think the car will clear, sometimes steep driveways, other time speed bumps, or rough surfaces with holes. I get the Teslas are designed in California, so grey, overcast days are rare, and so is rain, so ability to manually turn on the lights, or problems with water obscuring the rear camera after 2 minutes of driving, are way low on Tesla priority list. I guess if doesn't happen in California means Elon doesn't encounter the problem means it's not a problem.

The car does have the daytime running lights that are always on when the headlights aren't. That seems adequate to me for people to see me. Here in the Portland area we have our share of gray, overcast days too. When I see other Teslas the running lights are usually enough to see them.

 

[whitex]

The car does have the daytime running lights that are always on when the headlights aren't. That seems adequate to me for people to see me. Here in the Portland area we have our share of gray, overcast days too. When I see other Teslas the running lights are usually enough to see them.

There are no running lights on the back and sides. The car is clearly more visible with lights on than just DLR, though I agree that DLR helps.

Trying to argue that turning lights on on a Tesla taking eyes off the road is not a problem because nobody ever needs to be doing it is just dodging the point that doing it on a Tesla is more cumbersome that almost every other car out there. Some people like to turn lights off, others prefer to even turn off DLR's, people have different preferences. Nobody NEEDS as much power as Tesla offers, yet if your car lost half its power, you'd think there is something wrong and probably wouldn't accept "it's not a problem because the car will still get anywhere you want with half the power available".

 

[bmah]

There are no running lights on the back and sides. The car is clearly more visible with lights on than just DLR, though I agree that DLR helps.

Trying to argue that turning lights on on a Tesla taking eyes off the road is not a problem because nobody ever needs to be doing it is just dodging the point that doing it on a Tesla is more cumbersome that almost every other car out there. Some people like to turn lights off, others prefer to even turn off DLR's, people have different preferences. Nobody NEEDS as much power as Tesla offers, yet if your car lost half its power, you'd think there is something wrong and probably wouldn't accept "it's not a problem because the car will still get anywhere you want with half the power available".

Agreed. Basically, turning headlights on or off manually is just a pain, and if you have a use case that is different from what "auto" implements, well, you feel that pain.

Here's one of mine: Driving on the freeway, semi truck wants to merge in front of you and engages turn signals. If you want to let the trucker in (and I will often do this if I have enough clearance) a common protocol is to flash your low beams twice to say "go ahead and merge" (if at night, blink the low beams twice). There's no way to do this without taking your eyes off the road and using the touchscreen. If I could have one more stalk control in the Model S, it's be for headlight control.

I'd actually like to have another couple knobs or stalks or buttons or whatever on the next S cockpit, rather than trying to throw even more stuff over to the touchscreen like on the 3.

Bruce.

PS.

I get the Teslas are designed in California, so grey, overcast days are rare

You haven't been in the Bay Area during the summer have you? Go look at the thread with all the pictures of Model 3s at the factory and tell then me it's never overcast here.

 

[Tes La Ferrari]

Here's one of mine: Driving on the freeway, semi truck wants to merge in front of you and engages turn signals. If you want to let the trucker in (and I will often do this if I have enough clearance) a common protocol is to flash your low beams twice to say "go ahead and merge" (if at night, blink the low beams twice). There's no way to do this without taking your eyes off the road and using the touchscreen. If I could have one more stalk control in the Model S, it's be for headlight control.

I'd actually like to have another couple knobs or stalks or buttons or whatever on the next S cockpit, rather than trying to throw even more stuff over to the touchscreen like on the 3.

Bruce.

Very good idea Definitely one area where stalk controls are better than a touchscreen option

 

[FlatSix911]

Agreed. Basically, turning headlights on or off manually is just a pain, and if you have a use case that is different from what "auto" implements, well, you feel that pain.
Here's one of mine: Driving on the freeway, semi truck wants to merge in front of you and engages turn signals. If you want to let the trucker in (and I will often do this if I have enough clearance) a common protocol is to flash your low beams twice to say "go ahead and merge" (if at night, blink the low beams twice). There's no way to do this without taking your eyes off the road and using the touchscreen. If I could have one more stalk control in the Model S, it's for headlight control.I'd actually like to have another couple knobs or stalks or buttons or whatever on the next S cockpit, rather than trying to throw even more stuff over to the touchscreen like on the 3.
Bruce.

Why not just flash your high beams using the stalk... same effect

 

[The Duke]

If I could have one more stalk control in the Model S, it's be for headlight control.

What am I missing here? On my Model S I flash low beam semi's that it's OK to pull in all the time. Pull the turn signal stalk towards you.
Or are you talking Model 3 and I misunderstood? The Model 3 is supposed to get voice control, but until then it's a PITA.

 

[Krash]

...If I could have one more stalk control in the Model S, it's be for headlight control...

This would be a great candidate for voice control. You could even have it confirm on the right scroll wheel.

 

[bmah]

Why not just flash your high beams using the stalk... same effect

Flashing low beams doesn't annoy the other car drivers in front of you like high beams do.

What am I missing here? On my Model S I flash low beam semi's that it's OK to pull in all the time. Pull the turn signal stalk towards you.
Or are you talking Model 3 and I misunderstood? The Model 3 is supposed to get voice control, but until then it's a PITA.

No, pulling the turn signal stalk flashes the high beams...see my comment above.

(And that is what I do in this situation, being the lesser of two evils vs. going to the touchscreen.)

Bruce.

EDIT: The point I'm trying to make is NOT about this ONE EXAMPLE USE CASE, it's that some things got harder to do by moving from physical controls to touchscreen controls, to the point where doing them isn't practical while driving.

 

[FlatSix911]

Flashing low beams doesn't annoy the other car drivers in front of you like high beams do.
No, pulling the turn signal stalk flashes the high beams...see my comment above.

(And that is what I do in this situation, being the lesser of two evils vs. going to the touchscreen.)

Bruce.

EDIT: The point I'm trying to make is NOT about this ONE EXAMPLE USE CASE, it's that some things got harder to do by moving from physical controls to touchscreen controls, to the point where doing them isn't practical while driving.

Usually not a problem... YMMV

 

[wdolson]

Flashing low beams doesn't annoy the other car drivers in front of you like high beams do.



No, pulling the turn signal stalk flashes the high beams...see my comment above.

(And that is what I do in this situation, being the lesser of two evils vs. going to the touchscreen.)

Bruce.

EDIT: The point I'm trying to make is NOT about this ONE EXAMPLE USE CASE, it's that some things got harder to do by moving from physical controls to touchscreen controls, to the point where doing them isn't practical while driving.

In general pushing so many controls to the touch screen makes it necessary to take your eyes off the road to do a lot of thing. With old fashioned buttons you learn where the buttons are and you can feel for them while watching the road. With a touch screen you need visual feedback. I've turned on the defroster a number of times when I was trying to adjust the cabin temp from the touchscreen. I never had any problem doing that in my Buick because the climate control button for temperature was a distinctive shape (it was much larger than the other climate control buttons).

Minimalist controls make manufacturing cheaper and they work OK for phones, but in a car you're trying to multitask and it doesn't work as well. I don't mess with the headlight settings much, but when I do it's a pain. On the rare occasion I flash my headlights (I don't think of it because this is the first car I've owned with that ability), I jut flash the high beams.

 

[whitex]

You haven't been in the Bay Area during the summer have you? Go look at the thread with all the pictures of Model 3s at the factory and tell then me it's never overcast here.

I lived there many years ago. I still spend cumulative 3-4 weeks per year there. Cloudy is relatively rare and when it happens it it usually also rains (so auto lights go on because of wipers), making overcast grey so much more rare.

 

[bmah]

I lived there many years ago. I still spend cumulative 3-4 weeks per year there. Cloudy is relatively rare and when it happens it it usually also rains (so auto lights go on because of wipers), making overcast grey so much more rare.

Perhaps you go to a different part / microclimate of the Bay Area than I do because that's not my experience at all, and I've lived / worked in various parts of the East Bay for 30+ years. Anyways...back to the "imminent" Model S update...

Bruce.

 

[The Duke]

OK, since we have no news...
I think the update will close up the frunk lid like the Model 3. No more opening below the hood.
They soon will kill the front grille on all Tesla models.

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

I’m just super glad we celebrated our MSes 1st birthday last week and managed to enjoy it a full 365 days before the imminent refresh made our car irrelevant!

 

[wdolson]

I’m just super glad we celebrated our MSes 1st birthday last week and managed to enjoy it a full 365 days before the imminent refresh made our car irrelevant!

I got the early refresh, but AP2 came out 4 months after I took delivery and the 100 KWh battery not long after that. If I have any regrets all I have to do is drive somewhere. I've said for some time the only thing better than the Tesla you have is a newer one...

 

[Tiger]

I believe we need a track mode upgrade to P100D which you can disable with a pin code/profile to prevent your kids and valets from exploiting it

 

[The Duke]

I believe we need a track mode upgrade to P100D which you can disable with a pin code/profile to prevent your kids and valets from exploiting it

Last Valet told me "please park over there" (Marriott Las Vegas). He "did not want the responsibility". There were three parking spaces and each had an exotic car or was empty during our stay.