Musk had enough of the Falcon Wing Doors yet?

[mkspeedr]

I love my P85D - I am Tesla bias. I tested out the X for the first time last weekend. The FWD are so great for getting kids in and out of the back. I love the windshield. It was daylight and I didn't notice the ghosting. The seats were awesome. I loved it. There was three Xs on the lot. The lowest serial number had gaps in the hood and fender - really bad. The 2000+ serial number was way better. The 3000+ serial number was almost perfect.

The doors are awesome. They had a S parked next to the X and we took turns standing in front of the doors having them detect people.

The X might not replace a full size SUV for the biking, kayaking, hang gliding group. But for commuting they are great. I like not having to bend over to load or unload stuff in the second row.

I hope they have the bugs worked out by the time I buy one.

 

[engle]

Besides everyone else's reasons to love the FWD's, I like to raise them on my driveway along with the rear hatch and blast a slacker channel to entertain me while I'm working in my garages. They will also provide a portable mobile outdoor speaker system. I always install some of my HeatShield's to protect the veggie seats and keep the cabin cool.

Today, I finally finished transferring about 150 boxes of 25+ years worth of business records, personal tax returns, my 1983 Compaq "Portable" PC, etc. etc. from my 4th garage that has my HPWC to garage #3. "Life's too short to sort stuff to throw it away if you have the room to store it". Now, all I have to do is vacuum the carpeting, lay down some carpet runner where the X wheels will roll, and I can finally park my X in its own garage for overnight, 11 pm - 7 am, CA PG&E EV-A rate plan 11 cents / KwH charging!! Future plans are to replace the carpet and runner with those black plastic Gladiator Floor Tiles I saw in a home my wife sold in Los Altos recently.

 

[ohmman]

Normal doors worked just fine for decades. What problem do FWDs REALLY solve? Not one I can see after nearly four months of ownership. They just add headaches, anxiety and bring back the D-bag factor that we seemingly gave up by buying a "green" vehicle.

I couldn't have said it better myself. See the thread I just created about how ours hit a sign.

And the d-bag factor is real.

FWD, away of the hype/futurist factor, is more convenient for children and old people

My mom finds it nearly impossible to get into the back seat with the falcon wing doors. There's nothing for her to hold onto as she steps up. We put her in the front seat, and my wife gets in the back. How's that better for aging people?

 

[NoMoGas]

So other than the people who could never let themselves dislike anything Tesla does, is everyone else pretty much convinced that the Falcon Wing Doors are a bust and it's time to cut the losses and move on? I have to wonder if the marketing folks (and all the VPs) at Tesla aren't telling Musk the same thing. It's fairly obvious at this point that most people simply don't like them.

With the dissatisfaction of consumers, along with the myriad issues with them, I hope Elon will eat his pride on this one. It's ok to be wrong about something every now and then. It makes you appreciate the other 99% when you were right. No one is perfect. The most important thing to remember is that "sunk cost" rule.

WTH are you talking about? LOVE FWD's!

 

[BornToFly]

Lastly I saw in one of your other posts that you owned a Chevy Suburban. Love the irony of you calling our solution out as "hideous" and "mpg killing." Nice.

In 2006 we bought a Suburban to pull our wakeboard boat up to the lake, because the old minivan didn't have enough towing capacity. We sold it years ago when we didn't need anymore and leased a Leaf. What does that have to do with anything?

Calling a giant box on top of a roof hideous is just a matter of opinion. If you need it, you need it. That is fine. Do you think it makes the car look better?!? There are plenty of times when you have to put function first. I have acknowledged with the size of your family, and your hobbies, that a Model X would not work for you. Your setup is probably the best you can do in 2016 with the current car choices. But if you use the box twice a year, and keep it on the roof all year, then I'm going to make fun of you, so promise you won't be one of those guys....

 

[engle]

My mom finds it nearly impossible to get into the back seat with the falcon wing doors. There's nothing for her to hold onto as she steps up. We put her in the front seat, and my wife gets in the back. How's that better for aging people?

When I drove my 83 y/o mom on a road trip to Monterrey a few weeks ago, I set the air suspension to very low before she boarded and exited the X to make it a little easier for her. Agree something to grab on to would be useful. That might change the clean, post-modern "look" of the interior, however.

 

[Epymian]

I don't know guys - I love the FWD even though they can be a bit glitchy. I don't think I will ever get tired of opening them up. If you hate them so much, why not get an S? It can carry more stuff inside and costs less as well as going faster at the same engine trim.

I do agree a handle for support would be helpful for older folks, but that would mess up the clean lines of the interior. Maybe one that popped out when the FWD open just like the door handles on the S.

But still - those FWD are so unique that I am glad the Tesla has them. At this price range, I expect a bit of a wow factor.

 

[Atlantis]

I couldn't have said it better myself. See the thread I just created about how ours hit a sign.

And the d-bag factor is real.



My mom finds it nearly impossible to get into the back seat with the falcon wing doors. There's nothing for her to hold onto as she steps up. We put her in the front seat, and my wife gets in the back. How's that better for aging people?

Before my actual car, I had regular car so my grandmother had problems to enter to the car and especially to go out because regular car are so low. Now, I have a Fiat 500L which is higher so is more convenient to enter and to go out for her (and now my mother who have now a very bad disease that make her very weak). The only thing is that the doors are very heavy so we have to help them to open and close the doors.
So I imagined that with the motorized FWDs it would be even easier to them. Thanks for the information about the lack of something to hold. Maybe Tesla could put something to help this.

 

[ohmman]

So I imagined that with the motorized FWDs it would be even easier to them. Thanks for the information about the lack of something to hold. Maybe Tesla could put something to help this.

I think the motorized front doors of the X would solve your problem. Handles would too, though.

 

[hill]

So other than the people who could never let themselves dislike anything Tesla does, is everyone else pretty much convinced that the Falcon Wing Doors are a bust and it's time to cut the losses and move on? I have to wonder if the marketing folks (and all the VPs) at Tesla aren't telling Musk the same thing. It's fairly obvious at this point that most people simply don't like them.

With the dissatisfaction of consumers, along with the myriad issues with them, I hope Elon will eat his pride on this one. It's ok to be wrong about something every now and then. It makes you appreciate the other 99% when you were right. No one is perfect. The most important thing to remember is that "sunk cost" rule.

Yea, best to keep the mini van . . . . and not impinge on most other's contentment.

.

 

[systemcrashed]

Before my actual car, I had regular car so my grandmother had problems to enter to the car and especially to go out because regular car are so low. Now, I have a Fiat 500L which is higher so is more convenient to enter and to go out for her (and now my mother who have now a very bad disease that make her very weak). The only thing is that the doors are very heavy so we have to help them to open and close the doors.
So I imagined that with the motorized FWDs it would be even easier to them. Thanks for the information about the lack of something to hold. Maybe Tesla could put something to help this.

To make things even easier, the Model X kneels to the very low air suspension setting on the side that has the open FWD to help with loading passengers. It's pretty cool to watch. My older family members have had a much easier time getting into the MX third row than any other SUV I've had, including some second rows (because of height). This is even more noticeable if you park your car in High or Very High mode.

 

[Oyvind.H]

Cancelled because of the doors and other impractical solutions.

The X hits a very narrow segment. No roofrack (not for active people), no folding 2nd row, door solution unsuitable in one of Teslas largest markets (Norway) etc. I'm very sad that Tesla dropped the ball on this one. Perfect for people with limited needs though. Soccermoms loading and unloading kids several times a day. But at 100k+ and 2,5 ton, the car should be versatile.....

 

[aesculus]

Cancelled because of the doors and other impractical solutions.

The X hits a very narrow segment. No roofrack (not for active people), no folding 2nd row, door solution unsuitable in one of Teslas largest markets (Norway) etc. I'm very sad that Tesla dropped the ball on this one. Perfect for people with limited needs though. Soccermoms loading and unloading kids several times a day. But at 100k+ and 2,5 ton, the car should be versatile.....

Folding seats sure. That was offered originally. But what part of the FWD's did you not understand pre reservation?

 

[Buddyroe]

Folding seats sure. That was offered originally. But what part of the FWD's did you not understand pre reservation?

Probably that they'd be a PITA - and cause SO many issues. I see another thread was recently started where the doors aren't opening all the way and require you to open it the rest of the way on the touchscreen. When will this nightmare end?

 

[engle]

I see another thread was recently started where the doors aren't opening all the way and require you to open it the rest of the way on the touchscreen. When will this nightmare end?

It isn't a nightmare, it's by design. They are being more conservative now to avoid hitting an overhead obstacle. In your garage, after you've visually confirmed you can open them the rest of the way and press the touchscreen to do so, an option appears to remember this setting based upon GPS location. Since you only have to do it once in each place you park, it isn't onerous and certainly not a nightmare. My passengers enjoy using our falcon wing doors since they make ingress and egress so easy compared to conventional ones. Sliding doors would have made the X look like an ugly van.

Do you have an X, or just reading about it and trying to figure out how it works?

 

[engle]

Cancelled because of the doors and other impractical solutions.

The X hits a very narrow segment. No roofrack (not for active people), no folding 2nd row, door solution unsuitable in one of Teslas largest markets (Norway) etc. I'm very sad that Tesla dropped the ball on this one. Perfect for people with limited needs though. Soccermoms loading and unloading kids several times a day. But at 100k+ and 2,5 ton, the car should be versatile.....

The X is for active people. Instead of a roof rack which is harder to access on a higher vehicle like the X, an accessory hitch is available. One can attach skis, snowboards, or bicycles to it. There's also a towing hitch option you can attach anything to as long as it is within the weight limit, including a boat or aerodynamic trailer. Of course one loses lots of range pulling a trailer!

With the 6 seater, you can put your skis in a bag and fit them right inside the X.

I suspect (no evidence) that the 5 seat configuration will have a folding 2nd row. The reason is it is taking them many months to build this option, and, to my knowledge, they haven't shown anyone what it will look like. So, stay tuned...

 

[AnOutsider]

The X is for active people. Instead of a roof rack which is harder to access on a higher vehicle like the X, an accessory hitch is available. One can attach skis, snowboards, or bicycles to it. There's also a towing hitch option you can attach anything to as long as it is within the weight limit, including a boat or aerodynamic trailer. Of course one loses lots of range pulling a trailer!

I'm sorry, but this comes across as making excuses for Tesla. Roof racks are hard to reach! Tesla is doing you a favor by making you come up with another solution! My wife's Q7 has a roof rack and it is taller than the X.

In any case, Tesla has indicated that they were working on a roof rack solution at one point, so at least they realize internally that some folks do use them.

 

[ohmman]

I'm sorry, but this comes across as making excuses for Tesla. Roof racks are hard to reach! Tesla is doing you a favor by making you come up with another solution! My wife's Q7 has a roof rack and it is taller than the X.

In any case, Tesla has indicated that they were working on a roof rack solution at one point, so at least they realize internally that some folks do use them.

Hitch racks make Supercharging hard or impossible, too. So that's a point for roof racks on cars that rely on Supercharging.

 

[Lump]

"Forgot that the door was open when driving out of own garage. Nobody hurt. Spotted at repair shop."
Tesla Model X crashed in Lisle, IL USA

 

[engle]

Lump, thanks for posting that photo of the Falcon! I just made it my server's background for a few days to remind me to be even more careful with these since I can be very absent-minded sometimes!

Hitch racks make Supercharging hard or impossible, too. So that's a point for roof racks on cars that rely on Supercharging.

Very good point, depending on what's on the hitch rack. I think skis or snowboards would not be in the way. Bikes would have to be removed, which is a PITA, true. (I have a bike hitch rack from my old ICE Benz SUV. When I get a chance, I'll connect a few bikes to it and post how much of a PITA it is at the Fremont SC with photos.)

Stuff on the roof would have reduced coefficient of drag more than they do on a hitch rack, also. TSLA cares more about that, since EPA already reduced to 250/257 with the 90 KwH battery. Will be less of a concern with the 100 seen in firmware once it's released, my guess will be when GigaFactory starts producing batteries for vehicles, not just Tesla Energy.

Anyway, bottom line is people who have to have a roof rack can just buy an S, so what's the big deal? As an investor, I think the viral advertising effect of those falcons opening in parking lots (and driving open in parades!) is more valuable to TSLA's brand awareness. The vast majority of non-owners who see them aren't thinking about roof racks -- no -- it's the "wow" factor. Eventually, TSLA will have a full line-up of vehicles: S, X, 3, Y, new roadster, pick-up truck, convertible, coupes, private spacecraft, etc. etc. as they build market share.

Happy 4th to everyone in the country whose Continental Congress voted to separate from England on July 2nd, 1776!