First off - my expected delivery of ordered Model S (S85, Black/Black, Leather, Tech, parking sensors, subzero package) is early April at the factory.
Second - I wasn't sure which sub-forum to post this thread so have put it in the Main Model S one.
Mods - feel free to move to the appropriate subforum location.
I personally did not feel the need to order the rear seats, however, looking through the variety of threads here about the third seat option, the following has come to my attention - I may be wrong about anything I write down below, so please feel free to correct me on this:
1) Prior to VIN 54xx, all Model S were manufactured so that the rear seats could be added. What this apparently entails is a reinforced rear bumper for added safety of the rear occupants plus the correct interior hardware so the seats could be placed along with an emergency hatch release.
2) Since then (VIN 54xx and later), if the rear seat option is not requested at the time of ordering, this specific rear bumper reinforcement is not added to the Model S nor the other elements needed to add the seat.
Here is my question:
Is the added reinforcement for the rear bumper something that would actually increase the safety for the other occupants in the front/middle rows of the vehicle in a rear-end collision? That is, would it be better to order the $2,500 option of the rear seats just to have the added reinforcement? I believe I read one forum post that suggested the crumple zones of the Model S without the rear seat option actually could potentially be safer than the reinforced rear bumper for the front/middle row occupants - but it was not clear.
Bottom Line Question: Does it make sense to add the third row option to increase safety for the rest of the cabin as well?
It's probably too late for me to do that, but I didn't find any specific info about this looking through all the threads.
Interested to hear what people think. Thanks.
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Go Green
Future: Model S (S85, Black/Black, Leather, Tech, parking sensors, subzero package)
Currently: 2013 Toyota RAV4EV, 2011 Nissan Leaf, 9.95kW Solar on roof since '09
Formerly: 2000 Honda Civic GX, 2000 Toyota Camry CNG, 2008 MiniE, 2012 BMW ActiveE
Second - I wasn't sure which sub-forum to post this thread so have put it in the Main Model S one.
Mods - feel free to move to the appropriate subforum location.
I personally did not feel the need to order the rear seats, however, looking through the variety of threads here about the third seat option, the following has come to my attention - I may be wrong about anything I write down below, so please feel free to correct me on this:
1) Prior to VIN 54xx, all Model S were manufactured so that the rear seats could be added. What this apparently entails is a reinforced rear bumper for added safety of the rear occupants plus the correct interior hardware so the seats could be placed along with an emergency hatch release.
2) Since then (VIN 54xx and later), if the rear seat option is not requested at the time of ordering, this specific rear bumper reinforcement is not added to the Model S nor the other elements needed to add the seat.
Here is my question:
Is the added reinforcement for the rear bumper something that would actually increase the safety for the other occupants in the front/middle rows of the vehicle in a rear-end collision? That is, would it be better to order the $2,500 option of the rear seats just to have the added reinforcement? I believe I read one forum post that suggested the crumple zones of the Model S without the rear seat option actually could potentially be safer than the reinforced rear bumper for the front/middle row occupants - but it was not clear.
Bottom Line Question: Does it make sense to add the third row option to increase safety for the rest of the cabin as well?
It's probably too late for me to do that, but I didn't find any specific info about this looking through all the threads.
Interested to hear what people think. Thanks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Go Green
Future: Model S (S85, Black/Black, Leather, Tech, parking sensors, subzero package)
Currently: 2013 Toyota RAV4EV, 2011 Nissan Leaf, 9.95kW Solar on roof since '09
Formerly: 2000 Honda Civic GX, 2000 Toyota Camry CNG, 2008 MiniE, 2012 BMW ActiveE
