New M3P vs.Used P85D+

[whitex]

I don't know if p85s had air suspension option?

Every Model S had air suspension available. "Plus" suspension was air only. Today every new Model S comes with it (no more coil suspension option).

 

[Wizard2416]

Every Model S had air suspension available. "Plus" suspension was air only. Today every new Model S comes with it (no more coil suspension option).

Also, I was told by Tesla that air suspension is coming out for M3s as option for 2019. We should be able to upgrade suspension once it's available...

 

[NeverFollow]

So, I've decided to keep my car for the long haul.

It's certainly a wise choice to keep a car as long as it works fine, since you don't get too much resale value after a while.

>> How often do you use Supercharging and how much did you really save?

Good questions. Here's a poor answer: I supercharge twice a week when staying at home city, enough for day-to-day running around.
I exclusively use SC when travelling. I went straight from an ICE (Lexus SUV) to Tesla.
I was paying about $75/week in fuel - I haven;t done that in over two years - so there some saving, less the cost of the MS.

I drove about 100 miles a day (or 600 miles a week) or about 300k miles a year.

Using an ICE car with 30 mile / gallons at $4 I would spend about $12 a day, $80 a week, or $4,000 a year of gas.

I noted on one the M3 discussions a few had done calculations that indicated (from memory) that the offer
of free supercharging for $5,000 would take about 50K miles to recoup (re; PUP refund).

With the Model 3, I estimate that I can drive 300 miles for about 80 kW of electricity.

Supercharger is about $.20 / kW, so driving 600 mile would cost $32 a week and for 30,000 miles would cost $1,600 a year.

So the $5,000 free supercharging would correspond for me to 3 years or 90,000 miles.

Note: I mostly charge at home at night, so the electricity rate is $.11 / kWh, so I spend only $16 a week and $800 a year of electricity.

So I spend in electricity over 5 years what I would spend over one year with an ICE car.

Unfortunately, I don't have an energy comparison of what it 'would' have cost over this period calculated upon electricity prices.

You can perform your own saving estimate including Supercharger usage: Tesla Model 3 Fuel Savings Calculator

 

[Perry]

Are you talking 0-60, quarter mile, 30-100, a lap on a track?

Make up your mind. The P3D is maybe “faster” in one of those scenarios. The one no one was talking about until you brought it up.

I am not bringing up any particular spec. I am just saying that the Model 3 is, in general, is a sportier car and more fun to drive if you are a sports car enthusiast. It does better than the S on the track because it is lighter and a more well rounded car when it comes to all around performance. On the track you can't prep the car for a Ludicrous launch nor can you stop to cool off the battery. You need a car that doesn't power restrict after one lap due to overheat and one that handles good on the corners. The S is neither of those. Yes it can do single prepped launches faster than the 3 but like I said unless you are are buying it just for drag racing, the S is not more performant, nor any fun on the track or in the mountains.

 

[Perry]

How often do you use Supercharging and how much did you really save?

Good point. I have free supercharging on my model 3 and I find that I rarely need to use it even though its free. It is just too inconvenient to wait for the charge when you can do it at home over night. For me supercharging is worth about $50 a year tops for the one longer trip I might possibly do. That's why I am trading it for $5000 refund. It would take me 100 years to use it.

 

[Mr X]

Used P85's can be had in the $35,000 - $40,000 range


It will be either that or a 35K 3 for me


P85's should drop even more in the next 4 months or so


What a deal coming up for me and others


And all Tesla's have more power than necessary.

 

[jbcarioca]

It is great fun reading the opinions of other people.
I swapped my P85D for a P3D+.
Here is my perspective.
P3D has more room for front seat passenger. That is Very Important for long road trips with a companion.

Both are quite similar for practical long trip range. Both are perfectly satisfying in terms of power.

The P3D handles much better and is far easier to drive in heavy traffic or twisty mountain roads.

For me anyway they both are superb highway cruisers.

The air suspension and powered trunk closing are clear advantages to the S.

On balance i’m Happy with my decision but...I still have free Supercharging in the P3D. I know that is wourth far less than it really is worth financially, but I like it. OTOH the new owner of my P85D also has that; when I sell my 3 the new owner will have ‘pay for charge’.

 

[Russell]

... I noted on one the M3 discussions a few had done calculations that indicated (from memory) that the offer of free supercharging for $5,000 would take about 50K miles to recoup (re; PUP refund).

Is that $5,000 US or AU dollars?

 

[bradhs]

I used to own a P85D and now have a P3D+. It depends on your needs. I prefer the P3D+ over the P85D because it's more agile, just as powerful and has AP2+. The only thing missed is the power trunk, rear hatch size for fitting large things and the seats (for hugging you). (I really liked the seats in the P85D, they were more supportive around the turns.)

 

[sreams]

The pros and cons are all mentioned above, however the tipping points for me were 3 issues - 1. performance, just too hard to go backwards...

The Performance Model 3 would be a side-grade, not a downgrade. There are some areas of performance which are superior on the 3. Which is why it is faster around a circuit than the S.

 

[Vegas]

I'll qualify my comment -

My reference is to acceleration of the MS P85D+ and above; these exceed that of the M3 and most other cars. It is unquestionably one of the fastest cars in the world in the 0-60 bracket. This is the most useful performance attribute on the street - when accelerating from lights, merging etc. I couldn't go backwards to (an M3) struggling to beat some performance cars and motorcycles off the line. For the past two years, the MS has been very satisfying in that regard.

If I was going to the track or fast winding roads - I'd take the M3.

The OP was asking our opinions - I shared mine, hoping it would help in some way. I didn't realise how defensive and insecure some people are.

 

[sreams]

I didn't realise how defensive and insecure some people are.

There was no defensiveness or insecurity in my statement. Just stating my opinion, as you did.

 

[Sappy02]

Are you hoping to get car tomorrow or at this point of game no way for $7500 credit?

Newer car with newer tech is a way to go.

I drove both P85D with upgraded guts in ludicrous mode and model 3 performance. Not back to back. P85D snaps your head back from 0-10 or whatever speed. But later both seem about the same. My AWD model 3 is slower but good enough.

I got it on Dec 31 in the afternoon. Talk about a close call haha.

 

[Sappy02]

I have a 2015 P90DL - AP1, SAS and all the options. I looked really closely at the M3P, I think it's a brilliant car, nice and nimble with latest tech. Ultimately, I settled on keeping mine (extended warranty by 3 years with unlimited K's - not via Tesla).

The pros and cons are all mentioned above, however the tipping points for me were 3 issues - 1. performance, just too hard to go backwards, and 2. trunk space and 3. the biggest influence by far, was free supercharging.

The days of free supercharging and free electricity at destination charged and other third party providers I think will continuously diminish in the future as more car markers enter market.

In 5 years time, I think it will be increasingly valuable to have free supercharging, both on resale and real world cheaper operating costs compared to similar newer vehicles - even though they'll have more advanced tech. Free travel, will become extinct. So, I've decided to keep my car for the long haul. I may be completely wrong, but that's my 2 cents worth.

Thank you for your input. So you are stating that performance wise P90D is a better vehicle than the P3D+. Additionally, how did you go about extending warranty not going through Tesla?

 

[Sappy02]

I'll qualify my comment -

My reference is to acceleration of the MS P85D+ and above; these exceed that of the M3 and most other cars. It is unquestionably one of the fastest cars in the world in the 0-60 bracket. This is the most useful performance attribute on the street - when accelerating from lights, merging etc. I couldn't go backwards to (an M3) struggling to beat some performance cars and motorcycles off the line. For the past two years, the MS has been very satisfying in that regard.

If I was going to the track or fast winding roads - I'd take the M3.

The OP was asking our opinions - I shared mine, hoping it would help in some way. I didn't realise how defensive and insecure some people are.

Thank you for the candid response. Much appreciated.

 

[Justin27]

I'll qualify my comment -

My reference is to acceleration of the MS P85D+ and above; these exceed that of the M3 and most other cars. It is unquestionably one of the fastest cars in the world in the 0-60 bracket. This is the most useful performance attribute on the street - when accelerating from lights, merging etc. I couldn't go backwards to (an M3) struggling to beat some performance cars and motorcycles off the line. For the past two years, the MS has been very satisfying in that regard.

If I was going to the track or fast winding roads - I'd take the M3.

The OP was asking our opinions - I shared mine, hoping it would help in some way. I didn't realise how defensive and insecure some people are.

'15 P90DL here, I agree, I live in a city and don't go to a track. I choose to keep the afterburner model
All my life there has always been something quicker on the road, with this car, I have yet to encounter it.