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My first 4500miles in our Model 3

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We live in Scotland. We traded in our Jaguar XJ for a Model 3 in June. Since then we have driven 4500 miles. We have done 3 trips of over 1000 miles.

Things we like:
The Tesla charging network in the U.K. is excellent although some stations on the busier motorways are becoming full and you may have to queue.

Charging at home on our Rolec charger is a breeze and covers 50% of our power needs.

If the Tesla is driven as a straightforward car with no driving aids it is the best car I have ever driven.

The cost of filling up is obviously much less than an ICE car.

The car is very comfortable on long journeys.

The sound system is very good.


Things we don’t like:
My wife has banned me from using cruise control (TACC). TACC causes the car to brake for no good reason especially on anything other than a motorway, although even on a motorway, overtaking lorries can sometimes cause harsh braking if the lorry moves to an inside lane. Consequently we don’t use Autopilot either. Having my foot hovering over the accelerator to cancel phantom braking is more trouble than it is worth. I do appreciate that TACC is in beta but it has been for six years……

We get about 80% of any stated range driving normally on country roads at the speed limit. We can drive for two hours on a motorway at the speed limit before seeking a charge.

The indicators do not always self cancel.

The full beam auto dip headlights are useless.

The Sat Nav is poor, it is way behind Google maps or Tom Tom and has a real problem counting junctions at roundabouts.

The suspension is hard and that means being shaken to bits on poor roads. Don’t rest your head on the headrest…..

We have waited six months for a smart meter from Octopus Go and are still no nearer getting one.

Overall I still like our Tesla model 3 (just about), it is a shame the driving aids have been over sold because the base car is good. I would buy it again, mainly because the charging network is so much better than anything else in the U.K. but more chargers are needed at popular motorway sites.
 
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The suspension is hard and that means being shaken to bits on poor roads.

What are you comparing it to ?
The Jag XJ ? You do know that car is know for its exemplary ride/handling ?


I love the (Tesla ) firm ride.
 
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