My M3 vs my MS...the revolution is underway

[SomeJoe7777]

Much better car than the S in many respects.

Except one.

 

[bruinboi85]

Picked up our new 3 on Tuesday. So basically have owned it for a day and half. First impressions:

• Best sound system of any car we've owned bar none. Last night when I arrived home I just sat in the car mesmerized by the music. When was the last time that happened to you?
• Ever been to K1 Speed? The electric go karts? That's what driving the car feels like. Its fast and responds instantly to throttle input. The regenerative braking takes a little getting used to but you hardly ever have to use the physical brakes once you do - you just modulate the throttle.
• Interior fit and finish is really nice although the steering wheel is a bit plain.
• Exterior - noticed one headlight bulges out and the charging port does not close fully. Did not notice either issue when examining the car at pickup. It looked good and I guess we were too exited. Awaiting a call back from Tesla to schedule service.
• Trunk - my wife does all the shopping and hates that the trunk does not have automatic close. For a premium upgraded car at basically $60k I absolutely agree with her.
• Autopilot became active after about 40 miles. When my wife tried it for the first time she giggled like a little girl. The car feels like driving the future.

We named it "Astro".

Cheers!

 

[Timbuk2000]

I took delivery of my Model 3 several weeks ago. I ordered it in June 2016 when I purchased my Model X (90D). I have now had a chance to compare both and like both for different reasons. I am keeping the Model 3 due to its superior range and handling. To me range is the primary factor in purchasing an electric car. When you own a Tesla, features and build quality are a given. Utility obviously is a factor, i.e. sedan vs suv. I enjoyed the 6 seats in the Model X and the hatch back, however I do not need those features. The Model 3 has superior range over my Model X and is more nimble. I look forward to many road trips in the Model 3 and look forward to future improvements in range by Tesla. When it comes time to move up from my Model 3 Extended Range, I will again look at range first and features second. Attached is my Model 3s license plate.

 

[artsci]

Very helpful comparison. But I keep reminding myself that sometime soon there will be a new Model S and that likely will blow the socks off the old Model S and the Model 3. Even though I have a 3 on order I’m really waiting for the new version of the S.

 

[LJ32]

Pretty much agree with everything you posted. The 3 is a revelation to me. Paired with our X, I feel like we are in car Nirvana now, covering essentially every use case our family of 4 (or 5 when the M-I-L is in town) has. I thoroughly enjoyed our S60 also before we traded in for the X. It was and amazing car itself. But we hadn’t driven one in a couple years. But I had a P85 S for a loaner recently and it is a very different car with its uses. I felt it was way too much (heavy, big, powered, and yes costly) for an everyday car. The X fits a different need so, it’s worth it for us.

But the 3. Paraphrasing Tin Cup about his 7-iron...I am in love with it. It is the perfect everyday car IMO. I won’t trade it for anything. Except if they make a Y with a nearly exact feel. And even then, I’m not sure.

I know Tesla wants to sell more Ss, esp given the margins and the 3 backlog. But the 3 has the potential to really hurt some companies. If they can get them out in quantity and with quality.

Jomo25, great information. We canceled our M3 reservation Sept, 2017 to purchase a MX 100D. For the first time in 30 years, we both agree on a car, MX 100D is the best vehicle we have ever owned. Next year, lease on our MB S550e expires in April. We have been thinking about going down to one car only, the MX but your comments are starting to have us think about M3 as a second car. We will be watching build quantity and quality. We will never again purchase any ICE vehicle.

 

[Sunshine State]

IMO math is simple. Take any model S or X that is comparable to a 3... price is roughly twice as expensive.

Take the model 3s that are shipping right now for instance. Those are equivalent to loaded 100D. That's like $110k

Are air suspension and AWD worth $55k??

There are always people willing to make compromises to spend less. Tesla cars are clearly not all in the same league but the 3 is certainly a much cheaper car than the S and X in most ways but still a Tesla. Mercedes also sells $40k cars and $200k cars, are the differences worth the extra money? It boils down to how much money you have in your pocket or how much you are willing to compromise.

 

[North75]

Picked up our new 3 on Tuesday. So basically have owned it for a day and half. First impressions:

• Best sound system of any car we've owned bar none. Last night when I arrived home I just sat in the car mesmerized by the music. When was the last time that happened to you?
• Ever been to K1 Speed? The electric go karts? That's what driving the car feels like. Its fast and responds instantly to throttle input. The regenerative braking takes a little getting used to but you hardly ever have to use the physical brakes once you do - you just modulate the throttle.
• Interior fit and finish is really nice although the steering wheel is a bit plain.
• Exterior - noticed one headlight bulges out and the charging port does not close fully. Did not notice either issue when examining the car at pickup. It looked good and I guess we were too exited. Awaiting a call back from Tesla to schedule service.
• Trunk - my wife does all the shopping and hates that the trunk does not have automatic close. For a premium upgraded car at basically $60k I absolutely agree with her.
• Autopilot became active after about 40 miles. When my wife tried it for the first time she giggled like a little girl. The car feels like driving the future.

We named it "Astro".

Cheers!

Are there a lot of (or any) small sedans that have trunklid actuators? I've never seen one, but perhaps they exist.
I think people (especially Americans) are used to SUV's or hatchbacks that have them.

 

[LVThomas]

This may be petty, and I haven’t read all the replies, but I would like previous owners to have free supercharging. It is not that I am at a supercharger every day, or even every week, but I like not paying when I do go.

I am sure the costs work out to be much less on a 3, but I like not worrying about paying a supercharger bill.

 

[LVThomas]

Are there a lot of (or any) small sedans that have trunklid actuators? I've never seen one, but perhaps they exist.
I think people (especially Americans) are used to SUV's or hatchbacks that have them.

I think we (Americans) associate car size with features. I like smaller cars (one reason I thought I would never own a model S), but I also like features. Seems like something is always left off smaller cars. I had an Audi S3 on order when I got my Model S.

 

[ArcAngel]

Are there a lot of (or any) small sedans that have trunklid actuators? I've never seen one, but perhaps they exist.
I think people (especially Americans) are used to SUV's or hatchbacks that have them.

My MS does not have the auto hatch lift, so I am not missing anything with my M3, I can see why some people might want this in the M3, but if you put this in the bucket of compromises you make going from the MS to the M3, knowing there is a large cost difference and there should be options/features in the MS not available in the M3, it’s a relatively small exclusion.

 

[Xn3Fan]

I have been meaning to “give back” to this forum...

Thanks for your review. We have our invitation, but are waiting for dual motor...western NY snow band.

The two things we'll miss on the M3 is the sunroof (we use ours year-round) and the heated steering wheel. Otherwise, we're excited. We'll be keeping our MX, though.

My comment on the Frunk is, if they made it power close, we'd use it all the time. It's a pain to have to manually close it being careful where to put your hands and having to use two hands. Otherwise, out would be the grocery shopping depository.

Thanks again.

 

[ArcAngel]

You are welcome...while I don’t need dual motor nor do I miss the sunroof, I will really miss the heated steering wheel. I might be an over the air update since no one can tell me if the wheel contains the heating elements, but like the auto lift hatch/trunk, it may end up being one of those small compromises in the M3 from the MS.

 

[Leo UK]

Struggling here as in the UK we wont get one for possibly 18 months ( allowing for waiting lists) - I want to hang on and have a 3 with all the bells and whistles.. but another 18 months or longer really makes me look towards a Model S

 

[dhrivnak]

One important thing you forgot to mention in my humble opinion is the efficiency of the three. The watts/mile is about 20% better than the S. The Model 3 is a much better size for us and the efficiency boost actually makes for slightly faster travel. Nothing against the S but I much prefer the Model 3. So much so I even purchased a few more shares of the stock.

 

[Smelias]

What a great review. I believe early adopters like ourselves were initially disappointed when taking delivery of their first generation MS back in 2013. We all ordered it without ever seeing one, let alone test driving it, so the delivery was actually the first time many of us actually touched one. To me, the exterior was beautiful, but I wasn’t impressed at all with the design, the fit, nor the finish of the interior. I though it was actually inferior to that of the Hyundai Sonata that drove me to the service center, and not even close to other luxury cars on the market. That was a big disappointment, and I expressed it to my friend to which he responded, “Would you compare the interior of a luxury horse drawn carriage to that of the first automobile?” That’s when I realized that there is always a design cost to advancement. It’s the nature of the beast. If you read Musks autobiography, he reveals that the first gen Model S indeed had an inferior interior because none of the major suppliers were willing to provide quality parts to his specs. It wasn’t until the second generation that the suppliers were willing to do this. So it is with the wisdom of this experience that I recently took delivery of a new Model 3 myself and your review is spot on.

Like the other early adopters on this forum, I reserved a Model 3 right away just on the strength of my experience with the Model S. Although I was never happy with the interior, the driving experience was second to none. It was simply a great automobile. However, as a first generation model, it didn’t have many of the cool options that Tesla has become known for, so upgrading to a fully loaded Model 3 was an easy decision for me. It was also quite a pleasant one since I am in love with this car. It’s so much better than my old Model S that I can’t even begin to discuss it without the risk of droning on about how great it is forever. Is it perfect, no, but it is the best automobile on the road today. It’s quick, it’s comfortable, and it’s very efficient. I also like the door handles better, and the phone to unlock function is working great with the newest firmware upgrade. It also gets better with age because of those firmware upgrades as features get added or improved on from time to time.

Now, I had an incident which required the Model 3 to be in the shop for a week since I fried the computer after tinting the windshield (don’t do it). I had the car week before this disaster and was given a second generation Model S as a loaner for the week it took to diagnose and fix the problem. I could not believe how different it felt driving the Model S after driving the Model 3 for a week. Although it drove like a big, heavy car, the interior felt tight and claustrophobic, exactly the opposite feeling I get with my Model 3. Anyway, the car was fixed and It’s been a great experience driving it ever since.

If you are in the market for a new vehicle in that price range, I would suggest you only consider the Model 3. Period. Full stop.

 

[Grossvater]

I have been meaning to “give back” to this forum for all the advice and information I have gotten these past three years, so here goes. I won’t bury the lead—I think the Model 3 is a revolution, a full turn in many ways past the Model S, and it will put other car companies out of business. Even if the cost of the two cars were equal, I believe at this point I would opt for the Model 3.


The quick background: I took possession of my black MS 70D (AP1, PuP) in June of 2015, and received my Model 3 (PuP, “19 in wheels, Midnight Silver, EAP2) on February 28th. I still have my MS since the lease is not finished until June, so I am driving both each day/week.


I have nothing but love for my Model S, and I reserved my M3 on day one in March of 2016 because I figured it might arrive at the time my lease was ending. I wanted the option of going to the 3 from the S for mostly cost considerations. As the car was released and started being delivered, I made the decision to buy it since the replacement for my MS70D, the MS75D, was much more expensive with much less range. Now that I have spent a month with the M3, I can say the differences are much more dramatic, in a good way. I will try to avoid some of the obvious comparisons written on this forum unless I have something new to say about them, but in no particular order, here goes.


The Model 3 is a sports car to me, plain and simple, while the MS is a touring car. It drives harder/firmer than the MS. It’s not as comfortable a ride, but it’s certainly not uncomfortable, and in fact I prefer the ride, which feels more connected to the road. Maybe the BMW M3 vs 7 Series would be a good analogy?


As far as rear wheel drive vs dual, I don’t notice much difference in the driving between the two. Given the bigger battery size and being 1K lbs lighter, the 3 acceleration is much faster than my S anyway, and living in southeastern PA I simply don’t drive the car in snowy weather (stay home for a few hours till the roads are plowed). I can certainly see someone needing a dual motor model in certain circumstances/geographies, but for the vast majority of drivers I don’t know why you would pay extra for the dual motors. This rear wheel drive 3 has plenty of acceleration.


Interior notes:


1. Overall: The interior seems more refined and appointed than my S. The lack of a center cluster and the wood of the dash stand out and take over the aesthetics of the entire interior…and that change seems a big upgrade in the overall presentation of the interior. It’s clean, simple and pure genius.

2. Touch screen: In addition to being sharper and more responsive, the location makes it so easy to operate. In my S, I need to lean forward from my seat a couple of inches to even touch the screen. In my 3 I can do it without even completely extending my arm. Given that everything is done from this screen makes this a necessity, but now when I am in my S I am annoyed whenever I need to operate the screen.

3. Push button door: it is very convenient to simply push that button with your finger and then elbow your way out of the car, especially if you have one or two things in your hands when doing it. I also prefer the 3 outside handles to the presentation style of the S, after taking a week or so to get used to it. The overall feel of the doors is more solid and requiresa hard push to close tightly, including the trunk.

4. AP lack of stalk: I read much about this and dreaded it since I use AP1 all the time in my S driving from PHL to NYC and DC. While I still prefer the stalk, the lack of it has not proven to be a major inconvenience, and if Tesla turns the scroll wheel on the right side of the steering wheel into a speed controller, then it will be even less inconvenient. I rarely change the follow distance so having to do that via a menu is not a big deal to me, especially since you are using AP when you need to do this and it’s not a problem to take your eyes off the road for a few seconds.

5. Sound system: the 3 is far superior to my S…not even a close comparison on bass, midrange, and overall clarity. This goes for phone calls over the Bluetooth speaker. I don’t feel like I need to shout in the 3, which I often feel the need to do in the S.

6. Storage: I am very happy with the upfront storage of the center console (NA in the S). The overall cargo storage with the deep bay below the floor of the trunk, and the easy, one-finger flip down of both seats provides plenty of room. I never use the frunk in either car (it amazes me how people complain about having to use the app to open it…who is regularly using the frunk and for what??). I could see missing the hatch and extra room of the S if you are used to that, but I have a hard time thinking most people need this additional storage/cargo space. If you do, you would probably get an X or something completely different in the SUV world. It does not seem to be a material difference to me between 3 and S.

7. Roof: The 3 roof is fantastic, and I much prefer it to paying for a sunroof, which I personally never open in the S except to vent the car in the summer. For this I would like to see Tesla allow the app to crack the windows in the car.


I am assuming that software updates will take care of some omissions on the 3 like wifi, auto dimming high beams, support for Sirius radio, etc, but even if some things such as a heating steering wheel (I use all the time in the S) and rear heated seats never arrive, I don’t see enough things lacking that I would miss too much on a daily basis, particularly given the price difference in the two cars.


In summary, I think two things will happen as this car rolls out. First, the MS75D will be completely cannibalized and eventually even go away. I understand why some people would buy the 100D and want ludicrous mode, etc. Those people have money to burn and/or love speed. But why would anyone buy a 75D for what amounts to $30K+ more, and only get in addition the dual motor (see above) and marginally more cargo/passenger space, while getting 75 miles LESS range than the enhanced battery version of the M3? It makes no sense.


Second, once the full range of M3s come out, and the word gets out about this beyond the fanboys like me and 500K people who have ordered the early version of this car, the onslaught will be on. Once people can test drive this car next to other options, EV and ICE, it will be all over. If Tesla can ramp production to meet demand they will dominate the global car market. Their own production challenges are the only things that can stop this company—this car is that good.


One more comment: I used to think that the cars themselves and the supercharger network were the two biggest reasons that Tesla would eventually dominate the car world. Then a few weeks ago I was at Tesla HQ on a business trip and in speaking with someone there was told that they feel their real advantage is in the service/delivery center network. Those of us who own a Tesla know that there is practically no maintenance, and many less moving parts than in an ICE car. All the traditional car makers have a network of franchises who make all their margin on service. It they end up going EV, which the world is formally now moving toward, how will they provide enough revenue/incentive to keep those franchises profitable? This is a problem Tesla does not have as their service centers are all company owned and sized to be profitable given the lower volume of service needs. This has to have all of Detroit and the major players in Germany and Japan worried.


Thanks for reading. I’d welcome comments/complaints!

 

[Grossvater]

About item 4. Taking my eyes off the road for a few seconds in this part of Tennessee is inviting suicide. The back roads do not have narrow shoulders, they have no shoulders. If I am off the pavement, I am either in a creek or scraping a mountain side.

 

[iwannam3]

How did tinting the windows ruin the computer?

 

[Smelias]

How did tinting the windows ruin the computer?

The liquid used to clean the windshield and apply the tint pooled up on the sides after using a squeegee and somehow it fried the computer. As to whether it directly shorted the computer or indirectly I don’t know, I just know the liquid reached an area where a short occurred and fried the computer. They replaced it and that was that. It only effected the screen functions but the car still worked.

 

[SO16]

Thanks for the very informative comparison review.

I do expect the Model S to lose sales to Model 3, given the 3's advantages in cabin space and features. I think that Model S will retain the set of customers who want crossover-like rear storage space, but the looks and handling of a sedan. The hatch area of Model S is ridiculously huge. Tesla will have to seriously upgrade the Model S interior though, because the Model 3's convenience features (stuff like coat hooks, door bins, pockets) seriously outclass what is available on the S.

Too funny. I have coat hooks, bins and pockets in my other vehicles. I have yet to use them....after even ten years.