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Model Y - Test Drive
- Thread starter HaggisMan
- Start date
ajbrun
Member
It's on the second page after submitting interest. Personal details, and then when you want to book.How is it to show when there's availability? O only can find a form to submit interest .
If the ride is similar to the M3 then I guess they have a point - the M3 is a sports saloon, you would expect an SUV to have a more compliant ride (unless you order the Performance variant).
There was an update to the Vehicles eligible for the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme list today but still no addition of Tesla Model Y
Thanks for the info. I can see a few cars have been added including the Mercedes AMG EQS 53 which is likely to arrive in the UK after the Tesla Model Y. Hopefully there be another update soon with the Model Y
They actually just give you a car for 30mins and let you go on your own on local roads.All the UK motoring press got to drive a LHD model a couple of month ago but you have to think they would supply a RHD vehicle for the public to test drive unless they only let you drive around the car parks at Thorpe Park
hairysteve
Member
Agree - my other cars are a BMW X3 M40i (run-flats) and M135i and both are a firmer drive even in comfort mode.
This afternoon my wife and I had a test drive of a Model YLR at Thorpe Park. I currently have a 2019 M3P, but my wife is desperate to get the Tesla experience too and has set her heart on a long range Y or 3. The test route wasn't brilliant. Despite the assurances I had been given in a courtesy call the previous day the route was on urban roads with speed limits of 30 to 50 mph, rather than country roads or motorways. At least the road surface was poor so we could judge the ride quality, which was much better than most Youtube road testers have claimed, but perfectly ok in our opinion. We both have a long history of driving sports cars so perhaps we are not quite so demanding of ride quality as others.
We arrived a bit early and were able to have a good look around a red display Y in indoors before going on the test drive. You sit much higher up in the Y than the 3 and the bonnet falls away a lot such that you can't see the front edges of the car. The whole car looks much bigger than the 3, 8cm wider according to the Tesla "salesman" and 2 cm narrower than the S. The boot and frunk are noticeably larger too, and with the back seat down the space is enormous and pretty flat compared to the 3. I enquired as to whether the power upgrade was available for the Y LR - it is just as on the 3, but as an upgrade anytime after receiving the car like EAP and providing the car isn't on a lease. Also a tow hitch is available as a service centre fit option.
On the test drive I found the acceleration underwhelming compared to my M3P, although in reality it's still fast. Steering is response similar and the car did not seem too large for the road. I shouldn't really compare the handling as my M3P is fitted with MPP adjustable coilovers. Refinement and build quality for this Chinese built car felt a step up over my 2019 M3P. My wife found the Y much better than expected, previously she had been leaning towards a 3, but she does change her mind a lot with cars! Now she's not so sure.
When we got back to the showroom I asked how easy it would be to arrange test drive of a 3LR sometime. The salesman said why not try one now! As luck would have it they had one in my wife's ideal spec, black with 18" wheels with Michelin PS4s (the Y was on 20" wheels). They said take as long as you like although the car only had 70 miles range left. The performance of the 3LR was noticeably quicker than the YLR, giving a nice kick from low speeds, but the difference between them is less than between the 3P and 3LR. According to the wife the steering felt sharper in the 3 and she preferred the lower and more sporting driving position with legs more out stretched. The heated steering wheel was lovely too in both of them.
We came away with many questions answered but still undecided between the YLR and 3LR. Do we need the space of the Y - rarely, but the hatch is useful. Will the extra width be a problem? The £5k price difference is significant too. The extra performance of the 3LR is nice and the range has just been increased to an amazing 389 miles (with 18" aero wheels) on the configurator, evidently due the new 82 KWh LG battery. In reality the real world range is like to be more like 350 miles at best which is still very good. Decisions, decisions!
We arrived a bit early and were able to have a good look around a red display Y in indoors before going on the test drive. You sit much higher up in the Y than the 3 and the bonnet falls away a lot such that you can't see the front edges of the car. The whole car looks much bigger than the 3, 8cm wider according to the Tesla "salesman" and 2 cm narrower than the S. The boot and frunk are noticeably larger too, and with the back seat down the space is enormous and pretty flat compared to the 3. I enquired as to whether the power upgrade was available for the Y LR - it is just as on the 3, but as an upgrade anytime after receiving the car like EAP and providing the car isn't on a lease. Also a tow hitch is available as a service centre fit option.
On the test drive I found the acceleration underwhelming compared to my M3P, although in reality it's still fast. Steering is response similar and the car did not seem too large for the road. I shouldn't really compare the handling as my M3P is fitted with MPP adjustable coilovers. Refinement and build quality for this Chinese built car felt a step up over my 2019 M3P. My wife found the Y much better than expected, previously she had been leaning towards a 3, but she does change her mind a lot with cars! Now she's not so sure.
When we got back to the showroom I asked how easy it would be to arrange test drive of a 3LR sometime. The salesman said why not try one now! As luck would have it they had one in my wife's ideal spec, black with 18" wheels with Michelin PS4s (the Y was on 20" wheels). They said take as long as you like although the car only had 70 miles range left. The performance of the 3LR was noticeably quicker than the YLR, giving a nice kick from low speeds, but the difference between them is less than between the 3P and 3LR. According to the wife the steering felt sharper in the 3 and she preferred the lower and more sporting driving position with legs more out stretched. The heated steering wheel was lovely too in both of them.
We came away with many questions answered but still undecided between the YLR and 3LR. Do we need the space of the Y - rarely, but the hatch is useful. Will the extra width be a problem? The £5k price difference is significant too. The extra performance of the 3LR is nice and the range has just been increased to an amazing 389 miles (with 18" aero wheels) on the configurator, evidently due the new 82 KWh LG battery. In reality the real world range is like to be more like 350 miles at best which is still very good. Decisions, decisions!
Yes, some false hope when I saw it had been updated which quickly left when I clicked to see the additions. I had another reply from Tesla uksales who are reiterating they applied at the end of last year. Other than finding another contact there’s not much more that can be done as Tesla are saying they’ve applied and OZEV are saying they haven’t received anything.
hairysteve
Member
The OZEV scheme ends 31st March 2022 and many installers will be very busy with the new shipment of Teslas, wonder if we could get the charger installed now and retro claim the £350 once the MY is on the list.
ajbrun
Member
Maybe - if I understand correctly, so long as it's installed before end of March, you can claim before end of April. Although if the Model Y isn't added by March, I don't know if there'd be much appetite to have it added...
Electric vehicle chargepoint and infrastructure grant guidance for installers
Guidance for installers about the OZEV electric vehicle chargepoint and infrastructure grants
I think you have to claim within 28 days of install and the installer has to claim. So they depending on installer they may be willing to install and charge the full value then refund the £350 if a subsequent claim is lodged. One installer I contacted was very clear at time of ordering the order would either fall under the grant or not and couldn’t be changed. I guess with people being so busy there’s not massive appetite to go outside normal processes
NEED a hatch occasionally or would be convenient to have a hatch occasionally? My previous car was a BMW 4 gran coupe and thats the first car I’d had with a hatchback and the first with a powered boot at all. My wife usually has hatches. I’ve never felt a huge need - even trips to ikea the ability to fold the seats properly flat is usually more important than the rear opening more. Yes more convenient but not sure a dealbreaker.
Sounds like you preferred the 3 maybe? Could you compromise and get a 3LR plus acceleration boost as a car you’d both share, with the Y also then shared for the more practical option?
I felt it was a shame the Y is wider. the 3 isn’t a small car and just making it taller should have been enough for more practicality and storage. And arguably would have made it simpler to adapt from the 3?
Tevo Solutions
Former Vendor
I had a drive of the Y this week. As we've been developing and selling suspension upgrades for the 3 for some time now, I've got extensive experience of driving the 3 on all sorts of roads, test tracks, circuits etc. with the factory suspension and with Ohlins, Bilstein and KW aftermarket coilovers.
My initial impression was that the crashiness and harshness you get with the standard M3 is largely gone, but in it's place there is a firmer, bouncier ride over bumps than the 3. The problem with car reviewers is they all have their own ways of trying to express to their readers what ride quality and handling feels like without getting too technical and losing them, so it then becomes a matter of interpretation. But I do think there will be a lot of M3 owners getting into the MY and saying the ride is "worse", even though it is "better" in some respects.
One issue I found was increased bump steer on uneven roads. That's where the car is almost steering itself as it rides the bumps. A bit unpleasant but some may not find it a big problem, especially if they're mainly driving on motorways and well surfaced A roads.
There was quite a bit of road and motor noise and thumping over bumps from the back but I think that's as a result of the lack of parcel shelf. These demo cars are early RHD examples, the same as they got in Hong Kong originally. HK now gets the parcel shelf, so I think we'll have that when our cars arrive in February. There may be a case for adding some additional sound insulation to the parcel shelf to help more, but let's see when we get it.
It's a much higher seating position and not my preference but it's certainly easier to get in and out of compared to the 3. The extra room is going to be really useful to some. With the rear sets folded, there's loads of cargo space. Performance-wise, it felt similar to the M3LR without boost option. I don't know if these demo cars had the acceleration boost installed.
Let's face it, your average MY driver is probably going to be perfectly happy with the level of performance and handling the standard Model Y delivers.
However, getting out of the demo MY and back into our M3LR fitted with a Bilstein coilover kit, it immediately becomes apparent that the factory setup is lacking in several ways and can be significantly improved if you don't mind spending a bit more money. Needless to say, as soon as we get our MY we'll be starting work on a coilover kit for it which will be much better suited to British roads so watch this space.
My initial impression was that the crashiness and harshness you get with the standard M3 is largely gone, but in it's place there is a firmer, bouncier ride over bumps than the 3. The problem with car reviewers is they all have their own ways of trying to express to their readers what ride quality and handling feels like without getting too technical and losing them, so it then becomes a matter of interpretation. But I do think there will be a lot of M3 owners getting into the MY and saying the ride is "worse", even though it is "better" in some respects.
One issue I found was increased bump steer on uneven roads. That's where the car is almost steering itself as it rides the bumps. A bit unpleasant but some may not find it a big problem, especially if they're mainly driving on motorways and well surfaced A roads.
There was quite a bit of road and motor noise and thumping over bumps from the back but I think that's as a result of the lack of parcel shelf. These demo cars are early RHD examples, the same as they got in Hong Kong originally. HK now gets the parcel shelf, so I think we'll have that when our cars arrive in February. There may be a case for adding some additional sound insulation to the parcel shelf to help more, but let's see when we get it.
It's a much higher seating position and not my preference but it's certainly easier to get in and out of compared to the 3. The extra room is going to be really useful to some. With the rear sets folded, there's loads of cargo space. Performance-wise, it felt similar to the M3LR without boost option. I don't know if these demo cars had the acceleration boost installed.
Let's face it, your average MY driver is probably going to be perfectly happy with the level of performance and handling the standard Model Y delivers.
However, getting out of the demo MY and back into our M3LR fitted with a Bilstein coilover kit, it immediately becomes apparent that the factory setup is lacking in several ways and can be significantly improved if you don't mind spending a bit more money. Needless to say, as soon as we get our MY we'll be starting work on a coilover kit for it which will be much better suited to British roads so watch this space.
dangrenade
MYLR White/White Inductions
Thank you so much for your professional opinion. I plan on keeping this car for a while and the coilover kit would be something I would consider investing in. Roughly how much would one set me back. Ballpark figure. Many thanks.
Have a look at their website. £2500 + fitting for a Bilstein kit for the Model 3.
Tevo Solutions
Former Vendor
We don't expect the price to much different from the M3 kit as it's basically the same car underneath. We'll probably aim for more of a 'comfort' than 'sporty' feel with the MY, as I think that's what most owners will be after. It'll still handle well though.
