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Car m,manufactures make changes pretty much every model year, some are small, some are huge. The bigger changes usually happen 2-3 model years... Every time TESLA makes a change, this forum fills up with whining about it... it truly is whining. I love my end of the year 2013 RWD s85, I have had it 6 months, i would love AP, or AD (autonomous Driving) but i cant justify it... I would also love a La Ferrari, or a Lambo, a F450, a Harley, etc etc, oh an a GS500... CArs are obsolete and depreciate it the moment you drive it off the lot... CARS area SUNK COST... If it bothers you don't buy it. Lease it, then every year or two you get the latest and greatest
JPP
Active Member
As the 'chief geek' in my group, I am asked all the time what the best (fill in the blank) is--smartphone, camera, TV, computer. The answer always is 'next year's model'. Whatever you buy today will be better, faster and cheaper in (fill in the blank--a week/month/year). I tell people to just 'freeze the technology' and appreciate what you have. You can wait forever and live in a cave, or get out and enjoy some amazing benefits of our 'modern era'. And, FWIW, good manufacturers/companies obsolete their own technology (e.g. Steve Jobs did this with older iPods). Evolve or die. If you must have the latest and greatest, lease it--don't buy it. You can now 'lease' an iPhone and stay current.
Chopr147
Active Member
I never thought of myself as the " get the latest,greatest technology" guy but my wife tells me different. I guess looking back at my tech. purchases over the years buying a Tesla just follows that trend. 
Having said that I am not at all bothered by this AP 2.0 announcement. When I first leased i told myself it would happen someday and to ignore the "want" of the new tech. Having leased and getting another Tesla in 3 years makes the decision so much easier. That 2.0 won't even be used for full autonomy for 2-5 years. By then I will have it.
But, 2 months into my new car and it is now "old" ? Damn!
Having said that I am not at all bothered by this AP 2.0 announcement. When I first leased i told myself it would happen someday and to ignore the "want" of the new tech. Having leased and getting another Tesla in 3 years makes the decision so much easier. That 2.0 won't even be used for full autonomy for 2-5 years. By then I will have it.
But, 2 months into my new car and it is now "old" ? Damn!
Agreed, but whereas computers actually do become obsolete as they age, older Teslas are still awesome, attractive, high performance vehicles that don't rely on fossil fuel.
I have multiple 7-8 year old computers that are still going strong and still do everything I need them to do in lighting quick speed. There are no hardware changes I could make to my computer that would make it do something that it can't already to right now. My Ipad is 4 versions old. Same thing, looked at a new one a few months ago, and other than maybe having a little quicker processor, it didn't do anything that my existing Ipad doesn't already to.
Not the case with Tesla for both the physical and functional reasons in noted in the original post.
diamond.g
Active Member
I find this hard to believe, unless you have already upgraded all the upgradable parts of your computer (RAM, Storage, WLAN/BT). My Mac is 6 years old and I cannot unlock it with my Apple watch because it is missing 802.11AC that newer Macs come with.
Computer technology, after decades of rapid evolution has been stabilizing for most of the last decade. The last frontier was making portable computers as powerful as desktops, but that too is stabilizing. Companies keep coming out with new sizzle to sell the same old steak.
Cars have been a fairly stable tech for many decades. They have gotten more electronic gadgets, better safety features, and slightly better fuel economy, but the car buying public isn't usually all that excited about the next model year. There are a number of new ICE cars being introduced right now. If you frequent car related websites, you may know about them, but the general public it is a big yawn.
While ICE tech is stable and not really getting too many people excited, EVs are the next big thing. Tesla is as talked about as Apple was 6 or 7 years ago and anything Tesla does is big news, even outside the automotive world. People who don't normally care about cars are paying attention to Tesla news.
From the late 1920s to the late 1930s aircraft technology jumped by huge leaps and bounds. In 1928 the state of the art in airliners was the Boeing 80 and the Ford Tri-motor. In 1933 Boeing introduced the 247, Douglas introduced the DC-2 in 1935, and then the larger DC-3 in 1935. There are still around 400 DC-3s and variants flying today. The planes of the late 20s look antiquated and primitive to the modern eye, but the DC-3 while looking like an older design, still looks akin to modern planes that fill the same role (though engine technology has gone to turboprops in the more modern planes). Modern Boeing airliners are built on the same technological foundation: a stressed aluminum skin over an aluminum frame. The 1920s airliners were often canvas covering wood frames and if it was metal, it was still over a more primitive frame and wasn't stressed.
The 1930s was a time when the public was fascinated with aircraft. Air racing was a major sport and the top personalities were household names. Flying on airliners were out of the reach of most budgets, but people dreamed about it and barnstormers gave people rides from makeshift fields on farmland.
Air racing and the fascination with aircraft began to diminish in the 1950s when military aircraft tech took off, but civilian aircraft tech became somewhat pedestrian. Air racing has diminished as a sport, but many racers today are modified military aircraft.
In the 50s the public in the US began to become very interested in car tech because teenagers could afford to buy old cars and fix them up and a lot of the technological advancements discovered during WW II began to appear in cars. There was a lot of public interest and people would wait with anticipation to see what changes were coming in car design the next model year. Most cars changed body styles noticeably from year to year. My SO is into classic cars and can name the model and year of just about any American car (and many import cars) built between the late 40s and mid-60s. She's gotten all excited about a classic car when she just sees the bumper sticking out from behind another car.
Car companies continued to tweak body styles from year to year into the 1980s, but the changes became smaller and smaller to a point where you can't tell a 2000 from a 2005 if the body style didn't change.
Sports car people might be interested in the new Corvette, or the next gen Mustang, but few people care how much a Camry changes from year to year. The Tesla Model S is probably one of the few modern sedans out there that people care about the differences over time. But it's really the underlying tech that fascinates. If the Model S was an ICE, few people would care.
Cars have been a fairly stable tech for many decades. They have gotten more electronic gadgets, better safety features, and slightly better fuel economy, but the car buying public isn't usually all that excited about the next model year. There are a number of new ICE cars being introduced right now. If you frequent car related websites, you may know about them, but the general public it is a big yawn.
While ICE tech is stable and not really getting too many people excited, EVs are the next big thing. Tesla is as talked about as Apple was 6 or 7 years ago and anything Tesla does is big news, even outside the automotive world. People who don't normally care about cars are paying attention to Tesla news.
From the late 1920s to the late 1930s aircraft technology jumped by huge leaps and bounds. In 1928 the state of the art in airliners was the Boeing 80 and the Ford Tri-motor. In 1933 Boeing introduced the 247, Douglas introduced the DC-2 in 1935, and then the larger DC-3 in 1935. There are still around 400 DC-3s and variants flying today. The planes of the late 20s look antiquated and primitive to the modern eye, but the DC-3 while looking like an older design, still looks akin to modern planes that fill the same role (though engine technology has gone to turboprops in the more modern planes). Modern Boeing airliners are built on the same technological foundation: a stressed aluminum skin over an aluminum frame. The 1920s airliners were often canvas covering wood frames and if it was metal, it was still over a more primitive frame and wasn't stressed.
The 1930s was a time when the public was fascinated with aircraft. Air racing was a major sport and the top personalities were household names. Flying on airliners were out of the reach of most budgets, but people dreamed about it and barnstormers gave people rides from makeshift fields on farmland.
Air racing and the fascination with aircraft began to diminish in the 1950s when military aircraft tech took off, but civilian aircraft tech became somewhat pedestrian. Air racing has diminished as a sport, but many racers today are modified military aircraft.
In the 50s the public in the US began to become very interested in car tech because teenagers could afford to buy old cars and fix them up and a lot of the technological advancements discovered during WW II began to appear in cars. There was a lot of public interest and people would wait with anticipation to see what changes were coming in car design the next model year. Most cars changed body styles noticeably from year to year. My SO is into classic cars and can name the model and year of just about any American car (and many import cars) built between the late 40s and mid-60s. She's gotten all excited about a classic car when she just sees the bumper sticking out from behind another car.
Car companies continued to tweak body styles from year to year into the 1980s, but the changes became smaller and smaller to a point where you can't tell a 2000 from a 2005 if the body style didn't change.
Sports car people might be interested in the new Corvette, or the next gen Mustang, but few people care how much a Camry changes from year to year. The Tesla Model S is probably one of the few modern sedans out there that people care about the differences over time. But it's really the underlying tech that fascinates. If the Model S was an ICE, few people would care.
I picked up my car on 9/30. No rear cup holders and no rear USB. I missed them by days. I also missed the AP 2.0 by a couple months. I just don't care as I bought a great car and am planning to keep it a long time.
My two cents.
My two cents.
Zapped
Model S - PURE EV
In 1979 I bought an Apple computer for $7000.00. Years later I could hardly keep up with upgrades to the Intel processors and Microsoft OS changes that made the processors obsolete as prices dropped.
This seems to be the new world of automobile IT.
Many will wait and many will ride the wave.
This seems to be the new world of automobile IT.
Many will wait and many will ride the wave.
Chopr147
Active Member
You may already know about these but here it is.
Rear Seat Dual USB Port for Tesla Model S
I put it in my S and it looks stock when done right. (other than small wire) Rear USB ports
gizmoboy
Member
If you only see it as a "little quicker processor," you're not looking closely enough. Four versions back is more like 8x slower...
theslimshadyist
Active Member
I use this analogy with people all of the time. I say, "TSLA is first, a technology company that second, happens to manufacture automobiles".
Canuck
Well-Known Member
The "eat dirt" part is clearly optional. As are the other two but that one was glaring.
To the OP, I held off on buying mine until i hit a certain life goal / milestone. In five years, and 10 years, the milestone and the car will be the same. Maybe you should think about it that was and tie your next purchase to an accomplishment or whatever. I didn't do it for this purpose but maybe this will help you next time.
MrJones390
Space Boat
It's great that Tesla's innovations provide such compelling reasons to upgrade. iPhone, on the other hand, has provided less compelling reasons to upgrade with the last few iterations, causing people to hold onto their perfectly working older phones longer. In my business, we capitalize on this.
I'm going to enjoy my non-AP car for a few more years then sell it and buy an used AP2-enabled one at a massively discounted rate (probably half price). I never buy new cars.
I'm going to enjoy my non-AP car for a few more years then sell it and buy an used AP2-enabled one at a massively discounted rate (probably half price). I never buy new cars.
jerjozwik
Active Member
and inturn, someone will likely by your non-AP car for a discounted rate, which im pretty sure is the idea. unlike your iphone, the more tesla makes people want to trade their car in, the more they can sell discounted teslas on the CPO market.
Richk
Member
I've always thought of Tesla like Apple, not just in design/tech focus and their stores, but their products get outdated quickly through constant evolution.
So when my wife and I bought our S70D last December, I thought that it'd be best to sell quickly. Car performance will always be fantastic, but the apps and automation updates would cause the value of the car to drop quickly. At least we're very lucky (or smart) purchasers, with how well the resale values have held up.
But then, AP2.0 was announced, and it turned into a must-have ASAP. Even if ultimately does not reach level 5 autonomy, it is absolutely going to be the cutting edge for the foreseeable future, and the idea of getting each software update that pushes that envelope is incredibly exciting. And to do that, we'll eat even further into our retirement funds.
So when my wife and I bought our S70D last December, I thought that it'd be best to sell quickly. Car performance will always be fantastic, but the apps and automation updates would cause the value of the car to drop quickly. At least we're very lucky (or smart) purchasers, with how well the resale values have held up.
But then, AP2.0 was announced, and it turned into a must-have ASAP. Even if ultimately does not reach level 5 autonomy, it is absolutely going to be the cutting edge for the foreseeable future, and the idea of getting each software update that pushes that envelope is incredibly exciting. And to do that, we'll eat even further into our retirement funds.
Dear OP,
If you buy what is today the top-of-the-line car, Tesla sells you a car built to those specifications. Tesla doesn't guarantee that it's going to be top-of-the-line always, or for any particular length of time. If having "what is now the top-of-the-line" is important to you, then living in the Tesla world is going to need some adjustments due to the continual change and improvement. I see that as more of a psychological issue than a technical one. (No offense intended.)
I've had my definitely-not-top-of-the-line S85D for 1.5 years and 24K miles. I have AP 1.0 but missed out on LTE, larger batteries, all the facelift stuff, and of course the new AP hardware/software. I'm actually quite happy with what I got...the way I look at it I got everything I thought I paid for, and more. No regrets, and no plans to switch cars anytime soon. I wish you the same level of happiness with your Tesla!
Bruce.
If you buy what is today the top-of-the-line car, Tesla sells you a car built to those specifications. Tesla doesn't guarantee that it's going to be top-of-the-line always, or for any particular length of time. If having "what is now the top-of-the-line" is important to you, then living in the Tesla world is going to need some adjustments due to the continual change and improvement. I see that as more of a psychological issue than a technical one. (No offense intended.)
I've had my definitely-not-top-of-the-line S85D for 1.5 years and 24K miles. I have AP 1.0 but missed out on LTE, larger batteries, all the facelift stuff, and of course the new AP hardware/software. I'm actually quite happy with what I got...the way I look at it I got everything I thought I paid for, and more. No regrets, and no plans to switch cars anytime soon. I wish you the same level of happiness with your Tesla!
Bruce.
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