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Newbie switching from ICE to EV

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I traded a 2015 Chevy Sports Sedan in on a 2014 model S P85.
The SS is a unicorn for those unfamiliar it was mechanically a Camaro but in a Impala/Malibu-ish 4dr. Sedan body. The Tesla is so much more responsive and has the torque and response I always wanted from modified V8s.

I’m very familiar with the SS, definitely a unicorn and fast ass sedan! A Model S would be stretching me thin with having the Merc so the M3 fits the budget perfectly for me. The dealer here set me up for a test drive appointment. They’ll remotely unlock the car and let me take both for a half hour each and I’ll make my decision that way.
 
If you can find a stealth, I'd go with that. I was really stubborn held out until I could find one - used, 6700 miles. I've got 2 other flashy glitzy fast vehicles (600hp Shelby GT500 and AMG GLA45 with all appearance packages), and just am so tired of the painted-caliper, big-wheel-tiny-tire look. I put 17's on my Shelby with big sticky Mickey Thompsons and I prefer driving my AMG in the winter with my 18" setup as opposed to my summer 20's. I'm totally in the minority as I know most people here like the big-wheel rubberband setup.

My 600HP Shelby and my stealth Model 3 both run 11.5x at Bandimere (my dragstrip, 5860' elevation), but I can tell you that my Model 3 is actually far quicker most the time, even comparing to that cammed super-charged V8. Throttle-response is superior and there is no such thing as having to downshift to get into the powerband, etc. It's just always instantly ready to go. There is no launch mode either, which I love. In my AMG, I have to switch the dial to race mode, then both paddles up, and 2 more things that I usually forget... and then it's only active for 3 seconds or so before it cancels itself.

EDIT: Sorry, almost forgot. Bottom line, whether Performance or stealth, get a fast Model 3!

Good to know! I have the GLE 63S and it might be heavy but the thing moves like a rocket. The dealer near me set me up with a test drive appointment this week. They’ll remotely unlock the cars for me and give me a half hour with each, the LR AWD and Performance. If a stealth becomes available they will let me get first dibs. I’ll make my decision after the test drive. I appreciate your input.
 
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I'm totally in the minority as I know most people here like the big-wheel rubberband setup.
I think the opposite is true based on what I’ve seen on here. People are picking up on the multiple diminishing returns of stupid wheels and especially getting fed up bending them. A lot of guys instantly sell their 20s on their Type Rs for 18s, too. A well-proportioned wheel with a clean meaty tire is where it’s at - the Marketing department just hasn’t picked up on it, yet.
 
I think the opposite is true based on what I’ve seen on here. People are picking up on the multiple diminishing returns of stupid wheels and especially getting fed up bending them. A lot of guys instantly sell their 20s on their Type Rs for 18s, too. A well-proportioned wheel with a clean meaty tire is where it’s at - the Marketing department just hasn’t picked up on it, yet.

The 20’s on the M3P look great but replacing a bent rim is expensive and not something I want to do, I’d prefer an 18” wheel with more meat to help the offset that worry and help the ride comfort a bit.
 
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I would get the Performance. Why? Well, there is ZERO percent chance you will regret it, and there may be a chance you regret not getting it. You'll always wonder in the back of your mind if you would have enjoyed it more.

I'm "down" to only owning 8 cars. Still have my BMW, but I'm trying to sell it, as the Tesla replaced it. E60 gen 535i M-Sport, manual transmission. Hot rodded a bit, straight downpipes and a juicebox calibration have it at I believe about 380 horsepower. It feels like a dog compared to the Tesla, and I used to think it was fast. My first car 30 years ago was a 67 GTO, which I'm currently restoring. Big honkin V8 torque monster. A dog compared to the Tesla. I drive some 2 lane roads in rural areas. Hilly, winding terrain. You get behind a slow car in about anything else, you just have to suffer. Not so in the Tesla. Any small break with dashed lines is sufficient t pass. As referenced from the Viper owner on page 1, the drivability and instant torque make it much more fun in day to day traffic. And sometimes, that acceleration is actually safer. The Porsches I currently and have previously owned are handling cars, they don't even compare (even the 2 race cars). The closest car I have ever had to this was a pretty heavily modified Merkur XR4Ti, but the turbo lag was a pretty hefty price to pay for the acceleration once it spooled. It pales in comaprison to the Tesla.

I sold my 20" wheels before I even got the car. Bought 19" Enkei Raijins. I have a second set of 18" Fast EV wheel/tires for trips for the range. I do not believe that the Performance is inherently less capable of range, I believe it is almost entirely the wheels and tires. Get some range based tires, and you should have nearly the same.

After a year of owning the car, adn nearly 3,000 miles per month (until the quarantine), I can tell you it NEVER gets old. Sometimes I nail it in the middle of an open road for just a second because.......well, just simply because I can. And I giggle like a little school girl every time.
 
Nice discussion. I am also a potential new owner and going through the similar decision process.

What is the point of having a battery not charging to 100% if it is able too? How do you stop it from not charging to 100%? Can you tell the Tesla to stop charging at 80%? It just makes no sense to me to not charge to 100% and if the battery performs better charging to 80%, why not make the max charge? Sorry if dumb question.
Not dumb but uneducated. You need to do some reading about battery chemistry. Its about long term reliability, use and life span of the battery, not about the percentage of charge. Also this is true of most all rechargeable devices including your phone. Learn how it works and your battery will last a lot longer and take a fuller charger when older.
 
I’m very familiar with the SS, definitely a unicorn and fast ass sedan! A Model S would be stretching me thin with having the Merc so the M3 fits the budget perfectly for me. The dealer here set me up for a test drive appointment. They’ll remotely unlock the car and let me take both for a half hour each and I’ll make my decision that way.
My point got lost.
SS was 415hp/415tq in 4000lbs car
2014 S P85 is 416hp 440tq in 4600lbs car

The S is much more responsive despite the weight because of how electric power works, full torque from zero and no delays from downshifting or anything.

The Tesla is not as quick to accelerate at higher speeds but I am not often putting my foot in it at already highway speeds.
 
Here is a fun image. My track is Bandimere Speedway, over a mile high at 5860' elevation. On the left is my supercharged 600hp (530whp) Shelby Mustang and on the right is my stealth Model 3. For my Shelby run, I had to prep the day before, swap my regular tires with Mickey Thompson drag radials, and make sure I wouldn't be arriving at the track with more than a quarter tank of gas. For the Tesla, it just showed up, and ran on snow tires, no prep involved, other than a pretty full charge.

On paper, it would appear the 2 cars are nearly identical, at pretty much every checkpoint. You would think that as these 2 cars did their more normal business of driving around town, stop-lights, passing, etc., at normal speed limits that they would be about identical. No way, the stealth is quicker, and the only way my 600hp ICE car can compete is if it is prepped with drag radials, does a smoky burnout, and a very loud feathered clutch drop from 3500rpms... then, to make it close the race has to go past 100mph. You can see my big SC V8 is really beginning to mow down my Tesla as they near the 1320 mark, and if the race were a foot or two longer the Shelby would have won. The point is, not all of the quickness of the Tesla shows up "on paper" due to many of the "on paper" tests not really being real life situations. OP, if you want a vehicle that's quicker than your 600hp rig, that will always hook, the performance is what you need. Every time I get back in the Shelby I'm surprised at how much slower it seems around town.


Tesla vs Shelby (1).jpg
 
Nice discussion. I am also a potential new owner and going through the similar decision process.

What is the point of having a battery not charging to 100% if it is able too? How do you stop it from not charging to 100%? Can you tell the Tesla to stop charging at 80%? It just makes no sense to me to not charge to 100% and if the battery performs better charging to 80%, why not make the max charge? Sorry if dumb question.

General rule of thumb is to charge to 90%. Regen works, so the car is operating more efficiently than at 100%. Battery balancing takes place (reportedly at charge levels higher than 85%). Also less stress on the battery pack chemistry. When on road trips, charge overnight to 100% for the initial leg, then max of 80% at Superchargers in order to optimize charging time.
 
What is the point of having a battery not charging to 100% if it is able too? How do you stop it from not charging to 100%? Can you tell the Tesla to stop charging at 80%? It just makes no sense to me to not charge to 100% and if the battery performs better charging to 80%, why not make the max charge? Sorry if dumb question.

Yes, you can tell the car at what point to stop charging (even via the Tesla phone app).

Short answer: It's for battery longevity. The batteries last longest if you keep charge level above 20% and below 80%. It's not a huge deal if you go above/below those limits (it won't explode or anything!), but if you do it a LOT you will reduce battery lifetime. So for daily use (commute etc), just charging to 80% (or 70% if you are me) makes sense. If you are doing a long road trip, then that's the time to charge to 100%.

Also, charging rate varies based on several factors, one of which is charge level. When you are on the road and supercharging, the rate slows significantly as you approach 100%, so unless you really need that extra percentage, you are better off stopping charging at a lower level and going on your way.

Finally, when the battery is at or near 100% you get reduced (or no) regenerative braking (since there is no "room" in the battery for the charge generated by the braking). This makes driving the car different with 100% vs (say) 90% charge. Regen braking, once you get used to it (about a day), is really great since you can do pretty much all driving with one pedal, which (a) is far easier and (b) vastly increases brake lifetime.
 
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I’d buy the Performance Model 3, sell the tires/wheels, and get a more efficient 18” or 19” rim.

I have the AWD with the $2k Acceleration Boost, so it’s halfway between a regular AWD and a Performance. At the time I bought my AWD, there was a $16k difference between the two, which was too much to swallow. Today, the price delta is small enough that I would get the Performance instead.
 
Just for clarity since it is so overstated here.
Rim size has nothing to do with efficiency or range.
Rim weight impact on an EV with Regen is less than it would be in an ICE since much of the energy used accelerating the mass of a heavier wheel can be recaptured with Regen.

Tires are the big factor, larger rims often get stickier tires, rim aerodynamics come into play at highway speeds where the steady speed would leave little room for rim weight influence
 
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I went from a 575 whp bmw m3 to a 2020 model 3 performance. The 0-60 is insane and no it doesnt get old light to light. However if you come from a burnout machine like I did you will miss a little of the danger that comes with rwd and user definable traction control options.. 60 to 90mph is fast but after 90 its just a quick car say stage 1 tune 3 series or a 5.0 mustang. All in all if you live under 100 mph you would be stupid to pick any car other than this one to win a race.

Battery percent anxiety! Forget range anxiety I drive 50 miles minimum a day and have never even got the car under 40 % in 6 months. If you want full power all the time ( 60 mph)+ like you had in your gas car you will need to keep the percentage above 75%. I personally charge at work only so I leave with 90 and by the time I get home I have 80 to 75 % to go 25 miles. The next day Im forced to have lower hp on my way to work and even though it really doesnt matter it just sucks to know you have less power. And let me tell you the power goes quick when you are having fun at highway speeds.

The only negatives I can say about the car itself are the brake and the suspension. The pads are pretty weak compared to my bmw but then again it was 3600 lbs and you will only really notice this if you drive it really hard. Same goes for the suspension its great around town but on the highway doing doing 100+ it can get pretty squirrely and scary. I plan on installing a coil over suspension which i think will fix both issues.


I say go with the performance sine you can exactly modify the car in the future if that's your thing.
 
I went from a 575 whp bmw m3 to a 2020 model 3 performance. The 0-60 is insane and no it doesnt get old light to light. However if you come from a burnout machine like I did you will miss a little of the danger that comes with rwd and user definable traction control options.. 60 to 90mph is fast but after 90 its just a quick car say stage 1 tune 3 series or a 5.0 mustang. All in all if you live under 100 mph you would be stupid to pick any car other than this one to win a race.

Battery percent anxiety! Forget range anxiety I drive 50 miles minimum a day and have never even got the car under 40 % in 6 months. If you want full power all the time ( 60 mph)+ like you had in your gas car you will need to keep the percentage above 75%. I personally charge at work only so I leave with 90 and by the time I get home I have 80 to 75 % to go 25 miles. The next day Im forced to have lower hp on my way to work and even though it really doesnt matter it just sucks to know you have less power. And let me tell you the power goes quick when you are having fun at highway speeds.

The only negatives I can say about the car itself are the brake and the suspension. The pads are pretty weak compared to my bmw but then again it was 3600 lbs and you will only really notice this if you drive it really hard. Same goes for the suspension its great around town but on the highway doing doing 100+ it can get pretty squirrely and scary. I plan on installing a coil over suspension which i think will fix both issues.


I say go with the performance sine you can exactly modify the car in the future if that's your thing.

That is really interesting. So, I drive from Cleveland to Toledo every week which is about 85 miles on the Ohio turnpike in my current BMW 530xi. Speeds on the turnpike can be really fast and I generally will go from 75 mph to 90 mph, especially during this Pandemic, as people that are on the turnpike are driving faster. Can I do that with a Tesla Model 3 LR and make the round trip or will I have to baby it at some point? I really don’t want to worry about changing my driving habits. I do enjoy driving fast like that, probably from my days living in Europe. :)
 
If I drive semi agressive I waste about 14 kw in 50 miles . I would not compare your current car driving style to this one . Once you get on Autopilot you just cruise and don't tend to care about speed as much . Sometimes I'll be at 65 on the highway and as long as I'm not holding up traffic it's just fine . I would never do that in my BMW as I'd get bored really quick .
 
If I drive semi agressive I waste about 14 kw in 50 miles . I would not compare your current car driving style to this one . Once you get on Autopilot you just cruise and don't tend to care about speed as much . Sometimes I'll be at 65 on the highway and as long as I'm not holding up traffic it's just fine . I would never do that in my BMW as I'd get bored really quick .

Thanks - just rented a Model 3 LR with FSD and will be trying it the next 3 days. I really like to drive fast on the turnpike, so he how it does. FSD sounds neat, but I think I would get bored without driving like on the autobahn all the time. Just want to make sure I can do that with the Tesla and not get killed on mpg, as my BMW still gets good mpg at fast speeds. :)

If I have to drive it, like when I used to have a hybrid, that will not bring any joy to my car driving experience.
 
I had a LRAWD model for 14 months and 34k miles. Unfortunately due to some road debris, it met an early demise.

I bought a 2020 Performance.

IMO, the ride is slightly better, the feel from tires is better and for sure the brakes are better. Performance is also faster, of course. Most of the time the difference is not THAT noticeable, but it's definitely worth it. I don't regret it at all.