Need help deciding between Performance and Long Range Model 3?

[GreenHokie]

If the cost difference is not an issue and you really do want to have that extra acceleration & speed, then the choice is easy... Performance!!
I was in the same situation as you... knew the LR was the more logical/practical choice, but felt I would regret not having that extra acceleration & speed of the Performance. Once I test drove both models, I had made up my mind to get the full Performance and proceeded to custom order it. Then, my sales advisor threw a curve ball at me and told me about a “stealth” (P3D-) model that was just delivered to one of the main distribution hubs on the east coast and available for immediate purchase/delivery. Once I learn that this P3D- model has the same acceleration & top end speed as the full Performance (but with the preferred 19” wheels) I jumped all over it. As someone else said, I think the P3D- with 19’s is the best of both worlds. If that is not an option in your area, then full Performance all the way!!

Good luck with your decision and post some photos for us when you take delivery!!

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

I don’t “need” the performance model... just really want it. If they still offered the sleeper model I’d get that.

If you don't need the car right away I would wait another month or so to see if the P3D- become available (off-menu) again. Have to pay close attention here because historically, they go pretty fast once they are available, and it is not normally announced formally by Tesla. Tesla builds cars in batches so just because there aren't any right now doesn't mean there won't be in the future. And they almost certainly make more money off of them, so I assume they'll build more of them.

 

[Chisale]

That’s great advice! I don’t drive much though, as we have an ICE SUV if needed. I’m assuming winter will halve my range, right?

Here's my experience. I do go out of town on a regular basis as I travel for work but only about 3-4 hours each way. I also only track long drives so this doesn't reflect shorter drives . But in general if temps are in the 30s to start off with and warm up you are looking at a 10-20% drop. If it starts off in the 20s and only gets up to the 30s then perhaps as much as 30-40%. When it gets down to near freezing then I wear a fleece coat in the car and try to only use the seat heater which consumes less energy than heating the entire car through the regular heater. The seat heaters are really warm. If it's just going to be bitterly cold for the entire trip then I don't really know because at that point I just drive my hybrid. Especially if there's not a supercharger close to my destination. Just like to reiterate that because a lot of people see that EPA range. That is indeed really accurate when it's 70 degrees out and you're not using much AC or heat. But when those turn on then it drops a lot. Hope that helps. The car has an excellent live energy tracking feature which shows graphs of what your battery storage will be when you reach your destination and it constantly updates with faster or slower driving or heater use. So that helps a ton with range concerns.

 

[Whitehawk]

P- would be my vote if available. You don’t want summer tires and 20s in snow country. If you get a P+ you will need a second set of wheels and tires...

 

[camalaio]

Out of curiosity, why not SR+? (it sounds like you don't need the range offered by LR?)

Anyhow. You can only answer this for yourself. My previous car was a Honda Crosstour with a V6. I thought it was plenty fast, went up steep hills very easily, lots of passing power, etc. Even a RWD Model 3 puts that thing to absolute shame and is very fun to drive.

I find my LR AWD has just enough power that any more would result in tires just spinning for anything but a straight line. As in, if I floor it turning out of my local grocery store onto the main road, I'm already at the limit of traction with the LR AWD so Performance would only make the traction control work harder.

If you really want straight-line acceleration for the few extra thousand dollars (plus the extra costs for the rubber you wear out ), go for it. Keep in mind it only gives you an advantage below highway speeds. At highway speeds, LR AWD vs. Performance are identical in terms of acceleration. I personally can do many other things with those thousands of dollars that I would enjoy more.

Regarding 20" wheels, yes, potholes will break 'em. All large rims with low profile tires suffer this problem. If you are in an area with a lot of potholes that you will inevitably hit, then I'd really recommend the 18" rims.

As for a set of winter tires, I don't know what winter is like in CT. If you get snow or ice, or the temperature is below 45F, and you need to travel, then it's really the only way to provide yourself more traction than you would have otherwise. If it's generally above 45F and you will never see snow/ice, then it's not worth it.

 

[leeeeee]

I have an AWD LR and it is plenty fun. If I floor it, by the time I regain my composure and check my speed, it's already time to let up. That's not too say p won't be more fun

Honestly, roads are roads in most all states, CT just gets more snow.

You've clearly never been to NJ.

 

[mal_tsla]

I like the upgraded brakes on the P model. But I'm sure you can get some nice brakes with the savings if you don't like the 20" wheels with sticky but low profile Michelin PS4 tires.

 

[inthecity]

If range matters to you, the performance has been documented to get considerably lower numbers by many users here on the forum. You definitely will not hit the advertised 499km. also, don’t test drive a performance model unless you’re really willing to buy it, it will ruin you.

Both are great cars, one thing to keep in mind is the performance has a funny 3mm lip around the wheel hub, makes fitting rims a challenge as they have to accommodate this. Read up on it, this is due to the rotor used on the performance brakes from what I’ve discovered here on the forums.

LR AWD is no slouch, either. Definitely don’t look at it that way. Good luck!

 

[chewyc]

I got a performance, and convinced a friend who said "LR is enough" to go P. If you like crazy fast acceleration the P is your only choice. My old Audi S3 seems slow as hell and it does 0-60 in 4.6. The LR does that in 4.4, the P does it in 3.2. A modern Lamborghini or Porsche 91 Turbo does it in 2.8, just to give you a frame of reference.

 

[jordanair45]

When Elon said a Tesla is the most fun thing you can buy. It’s true. With dual motor versions. It’s insane. Performance all the way.

 

[jjh1234]

Aloha,

I’ll be ordering a model 3 soon and am really leaning towards the performance model. However, I’m moving to Connecticut and am curious whether the 20” wheels and lowered suspension would be a problem.

I’m open to getting another set of wheels/tires for snow/ice, but will I absolutely need these if I’m a casual driver? I work from home and don’t have to leave the house if I don’t need to.

Not sure if location in CT matters, but it’s Darien.

I don’t “need” the performance model... just really want it. If they still offered the sleeper model I’d get that.

Mahalo in advance!

Don't forget (like I did) the Performance comes with SUMMER tires. They are only rated down to 40 degrees and can crack if used below 20 degrees. I just bought a set of 19" T-Sportline with Pirelli Sottozero 3 tires for the winter. Now I get to store the 20"s or sell them. I would get the LR AWD if I had to do it again.

 

[MagnusMako]

There are pro's and con's to each and it all depends on what you're willing to settle with. Being that far up north, I think I would want to keep all the range I can, but if you don't get out much and don't go on long trips it might not matter all that much. The Performance eats electrons for lunch, so you WILL lose real world range compared to the LR despite it being rated as 310. The Performance rims are also fragile. Hit one good pothole and you're looking at a cracked wheel and an expensive replacement. Unless you decide to go with aftermarket 18's (just need to be careful about selection due to the hubs). In the end the LR is a nice compromise, but the P is it if if you really crave that extra low end punch. If I could go back in time, I would have sprung for the P since I live in Texas and the winters are fairly mild.

 

[Knightshade]

I like the upgraded brakes on the P model. But I'm sure you can get some nice brakes with the savings if you don't like the 20" wheels with sticky but low profile Michelin PS4 tires.

Unless driving on a track (or in the chase scene from a Jason Bourne film) the brakes make no difference at all other than costing more to replace and giving you far fewer wheel choices.

I got a performance, and convinced a friend who said "LR is enough" to go P. If you like crazy fast acceleration the P is your only choice. My old Audi S3 seems slow as hell and it does 0-60 in 4.6. The LR does that in 4.4, the P does it in 3.2. A modern Lamborghini or Porsche 91 Turbo does it in 2.8, just to give you a frame of reference.

FWIW Tesla cheats- they measure the P differently from the other versions. The AWD is actually 4.0 flat when fairly measured the same way as the P. (and this has been confirmed by both car mags and numerous owners here with calibrated measurements)

And above ~60-70 there's virtually no difference... (which is why the P is just under a second quicker to 60, and also still only just under a second quicker at the end of the 1/4 mile when both cars are north of 110 mph)

 

[Elle_H2]

You guys have been great, thanks for all the advice.

Im hoping by the time I order they allow the stealth option. I really think that’s the best option for me. If they don’t, I’m not sure what I’m going to choose. I just really don’t want 20” wheels, lol!

 

[wcorey]

I'll be blunt and likely get some push back, a lot of push back. If you feel you are still 25 and have raging testosterone, get the P. Otherwise get the LR AWD. Are you ever going to notice the difference between 0-60 in 3 seconds and 0-60 in 4 seconds? To my mind, it really comes down to that. Do you have so much money that you'll happily leave your tire tread at stop lights by punching the accelerator pedal when you see green?

 

[PACEMD]

I like having the extra power of the P3D- at low speeds but you can also dial it down to chill mode. Meaning you don't have to use that extra power/speed. The concept that a Performance model has less range then a LR AWD is not inherently true. It's only true in so far as you allow the Performance features to entice you to drive inefficiently. Drive the LR AWD like a maniac and you will have less range than a Performance model driven sensibly. True range for a given battery is all about how you drive, just like gas milage in an ICE machine. Look around and you can find a P3D-. And tires that crack if below 20 degrees? Are you talking about degrees Kelvin?

 

[camalaio]

I like having the extra power of the P3D- at low speeds but you can also dial it down to chill mode. Meaning you don't have to use that extra power/speed. The concept that a Performance model has less range then a LR AWD is not inherently true. It's only true in so far as you allow the Performance features to entice you to drive inefficiently. Drive the LR AWD like a maniac and you will have less range than a Performance model driven sensibly. True range for a given battery is all about how you drive, just like gas milage in an ICE machine. Look around and you can find a P3D-. And tires that crack if below 20 degrees? Are you talking about degrees Kelvin?

If you buy a P model just to put it in chill, you've nerfed the very thing you're paying a lot of money for, no? I guess there's 20" rims (no use to OP), summer/sport tires (limited use in 4-season territory outside of the track), larger brakes (not useful outside of the track), lowered suspension (not useful outside of the track), and a spoiler lip (these are what, $50?).

I'm very obviously not in the category of people considering a P model (especially the physical components), but putting it in chill seems to be the most counterproductive thing one could do with one.

RE: tires, I'm not sure how true cracking at low temps is, but they are also definitely not All Season tires and would have very limited use to the OP if they're somewhere with 4 well defined seasons.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Im hoping by the time I order they allow the stealth option. I really think that’s the best option for me.

That is a good plan then. Keep an ear out for availability - they will likely disappear fast and then be gone for a bit. You might consider putting in an order for a car and then telling your advisor you are waiting for the Stealth and will accept nothing else. (I think it is only $100 to reserve now?). There is no efficiency difference between the P3D Stealth and the regular AWD. There is a large hit (in efficiency and your wallet) when you go to the Performance PUP package (20” etc).

And tires that crack if below 20 degrees? Are you talking about degrees Kelvin?

This was a reference to the 20” PS4S.

The concept that a Performance model has less range then a LR AWD is not inherently true.

Agreed. (For the Stealth.)

You do not have to turn on Chill mode to get excellent efficiency in a P3D Stealth (though nowhere near as good as the old RWD of course). You can enjoy it and be efficient. It’s not either or.

 

[mal_tsla]

Unless driving on a track (or in the chase scene from a Jason Bourne film) the brakes make no difference at all other than costing more to replace and giving you far fewer wheel choices.



FWIW Tesla cheats- they measure the P differently from the other versions. The AWD is actually 4.0 flat when fairly measured the same way as the P. (and this has been confirmed by both car mags and numerous owners here with calibrated measurements)

And above ~60-70 there's virtually no difference... (which is why the P is just under a second quicker to 60, and also still only just under a second quicker at the end of the 1/4 mile when both cars are north of 110 mph)

2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor First Test Review - Motor Trend

"It's a similar case with the brakes. Stopping from 60 mph in 113 feet is fine but hardly spectacular. It's a few feet better than the rear-drive car thanks to an increased regenerative braking effect from the front motor. (Rear motors applying too much regenerative braking can destabilize the car, so they can't regenerate to their full potential.) The Performance model's big brakes and sticky tires haul it down in a far more impressive 99 feet."

Tires + brakes, but yeah, "no difference at all" is probably a stretch. Thats a great article tho, very relevant to this thread.

The P is 30% faster to sixty mph. It seems like less because 3.1 vs 4.0 feels like a small difference to us numbers wise. Can you tell the difference between a 5s car and a 6.5s car? How about an 8s car and a 10.4s car? Same magnitude difference.

Thats definitely noticeable but ultimately not so important.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Tires + brakes

It’s the tires. Instrumented tests posted in these forums show that swapping to sticky PS4S from MXM4s on the same AWD vehicle reduced stopping distance by 20 feet (it was reduced from 125 feet to 105 feet for the test surface in question).

The bigger brakes may well have a different pedal feel, with different modulation characteristics, which could be very nice, but in terms of emergency stopping distance, they just are not a factor.