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Thanks for your input, but being a neurologist/endocrinologists I can rule that out.
Canuck
Well-Known Member
I think the title to the thread is misleading. The extra $20k gets you a lot more than just upgraded seats but if you want upgraded seats you have to, at this time, go for the package they're offered in. That's because the seat manufacturer is constrained until this happens:
Futuris Automotive is getting a new factory the size of three football fields in Newark, Calif., ready to rev up production of seats and headliners for Tesla, which builds its Model S sedans nearby. Headliners are attached to the inside roof of cars.
“We decided to move into the Bay Area because we believe in what Tesla is trying to do,” says Sam Coughlin, Futuris’s top executive in the U.S. He plans to double the number of jobs at the factory this year, including engineers wooed away from Detroit.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/electric-car-pioneer-elon-musk-charges-head-on-at-detroit-1421033527
You really do need to step back and take an objective look of how your posts read to others, as pointed out by Ecarfan.
Tesla has growing pains. That's not always a bad thing. You may want them to provide you with the upgraded seats "right NOW" or a date they will be available but often that's simply not possible. There are many variable that must be accounted for in Futuris’s expansion and depending on those variables, dates can change and then people will complain that they failed to meet that deadline. So for now it makes sense to sell the limited supply to people who buy the most expensive car.
In my opinion, after driving my car for nearly a year, the seats are fine. To say they are not even "decent" is an exaggeration.
Futuris Automotive is getting a new factory the size of three football fields in Newark, Calif., ready to rev up production of seats and headliners for Tesla, which builds its Model S sedans nearby. Headliners are attached to the inside roof of cars.
“We decided to move into the Bay Area because we believe in what Tesla is trying to do,” says Sam Coughlin, Futuris’s top executive in the U.S. He plans to double the number of jobs at the factory this year, including engineers wooed away from Detroit.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/electric-car-pioneer-elon-musk-charges-head-on-at-detroit-1421033527
You really do need to step back and take an objective look of how your posts read to others, as pointed out by Ecarfan.
Tesla has growing pains. That's not always a bad thing. You may want them to provide you with the upgraded seats "right NOW" or a date they will be available but often that's simply not possible. There are many variable that must be accounted for in Futuris’s expansion and depending on those variables, dates can change and then people will complain that they failed to meet that deadline. So for now it makes sense to sell the limited supply to people who buy the most expensive car.
In my opinion, after driving my car for nearly a year, the seats are fine. To say they are not even "decent" is an exaggeration.
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Canuck
Well-Known Member
Yes, and even when they tell us all the same date they don't always meet that date... the centre console and CHAdeMO adapter come to mind, as well as the Supercharger map and I'm certain I'm missing other things. For this reason, it's good they haven't placed an official date on the seats unless they are certain they can meet that date.
The last remark was made with a wink in the eye that some of the more devoted Tesla supporters seemed to have missed. I guess I will have to edit in a :wink: not to offend anyone.
Coming back from a test drive where the Tesla rep. told me the Next Gen seats are much more comfortable, but that he had no idea if they would ever be an option in the non-P model, naturally it's a very frustrating $20K upsell no matter the reason is. It's very odd to me why that should have me looking elsewhere?
Anyone who spends $20k just for a seat upgrade is out of their mind. If you don't care about the other "D" features, just take your car to a high end custom shop to get the seats completely custom redone. Same different and save yourself a good $15k or so (I have no idea how much something like this would actually cost).
hhh, Have you had a chance to sit in the Next Gen seats? If not I would suggest finding an opportunity to do so as it may turn out that regardless of the upgrade cost, that they are still not to your liking. Leaving custom seats as already suggested or a different vehicle as the practial options.
roblab
Active Member
Dang! And all this time I've been driving sitting on not even decent seats!
To be fair, no one asked me about seats. When I made the down payment ($40,000) on my S85, no one had even seen a drawing of the car. Then, later, we had a mock up of the S called the Alpha. No one asked about seats. A few years later, I got to sit in a car. Never asked about seats. Imagine if I had made this a deal breaker! I would not have owned this remarkable car for over two years, or driven 60,000+ miles.
Did I mention the SEATS???? They are supportive, not cushy. They are not like Audi or BMW seats. They just let you drive, and drive, and drive. I have a bad back, pain in the thoracic area, a ruptured and repaired herniated L4-5. I can drive all day with no pain. That's what I want.
Oh, and no bad taste, either. I would recommend you get your hands on a Tesla. You're not getting any younger.
...so, your lack of patience is Tesla's problem? Wait a little bit, the option will soon present itself. Gripes about the original seats have been unfortunately common and thankfully Tesla has acted on those, those updated seats are still new so give them a chance to percolate down to the rest of the line.
The P models have always had lower range on account of the stickier tires and the 21"-as-standard wheels even before the dual motor. The S85D should have *more* range because of the forthcoming ability of the car to turn off juice to the bigger rear motor at cruising speeds.
EarlyAdopter
Active Member
hhh - I'd recommend going to a Gallery and spending some quality time (1 hour or more) sitting in both seats, if possible.
I had the original gen seats in my old P85 for two years and found them perfectly comfortable, particularly for long (500+) mile trips. In fact, for long trips I found them more comfortable than the Recaro seats in my old Audi S4.
What the next gen seats offer, in my assessment, isn't improved softness or comfort - it's additional lateral support through larger side bolsters and a deeper seat base. Essentially, you sit deeper into the seat and there's more of it wrapped around your sides. The main benefit I find is for holding on during aggressive driving. I'm looking forward to getting mine (still due bill) for track driving.
As for long driving trips, I'm unsure whether they will offer any improvement over the already comfortable original seats.
I had the original gen seats in my old P85 for two years and found them perfectly comfortable, particularly for long (500+) mile trips. In fact, for long trips I found them more comfortable than the Recaro seats in my old Audi S4.
What the next gen seats offer, in my assessment, isn't improved softness or comfort - it's additional lateral support through larger side bolsters and a deeper seat base. Essentially, you sit deeper into the seat and there's more of it wrapped around your sides. The main benefit I find is for holding on during aggressive driving. I'm looking forward to getting mine (still due bill) for track driving.
As for long driving trips, I'm unsure whether they will offer any improvement over the already comfortable original seats.
eye.surgeon
Active Member
Every car forum I've ever been on had a lengthy "these seats suck!!!" thread consisting of a few that declare said seats the spawn of satan and a few declaring them made by Jesus himself. Seats are very personal. The seats in my S85 are just fine for me. If you find them uncomfortable buy a different car. And you can count on a debate over the next gen seats as well...some people will find them horribly uncomfortable.
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
I love the seats in my P85 (Dec 2013 build) - but as my wife says - you are the model they build suits off of -- 180 lbs 70 inches tall - so my narrow arse and short frame works great in a Model S. My friend who is 320 lbs and can hardly walk hates the seats... in fact he hates a lot of things now that I think about it.
I have an early VIN S85. When taking long (300+ mile) trips I developed sciatica for the first time in my life. Eventually I got a wedge-shaped cushion that solved the problem. Otherwise I find the original seats fine.
I was in for a tire rotation recently. I had, for the second time, a chance to sit in the new seats. They seem an improvement, but I won't know until I've tried them on a long trip. Nevertheless, when one of the Tesla folks stated that they were creating a list of desired changes to place in my profile, my first request was the option of putting the new seats in the car. Am hoping that when (if) that option becomes available I can get a loaner for an afternoon and take her for a long drive to try out the new gen seats to see if they will be worth what Tesla will charge.
I was in for a tire rotation recently. I had, for the second time, a chance to sit in the new seats. They seem an improvement, but I won't know until I've tried them on a long trip. Nevertheless, when one of the Tesla folks stated that they were creating a list of desired changes to place in my profile, my first request was the option of putting the new seats in the car. Am hoping that when (if) that option becomes available I can get a loaner for an afternoon and take her for a long drive to try out the new gen seats to see if they will be worth what Tesla will charge.
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