On the fence...

[muncheroo]

Hi everyone,

I ended up here because my family is growing and my wife really wants a third row. I test drove a plug-in XC90 and was really delighted when the car was in all electric mode, but unfortunately, it only goes 17 (lol) miles before needing to tap into the gas tank. Got me thinking, why not just spend a little it more and get a tesla? Went for a test drive and my wife and I both really liked it. Was told that I basically need to put down an order in the next week or so to qualify for the full tax credit, so I've been researching and reading like crazy. I came across a couple of things that seem like they may bother me, so I wanted to explore them a little further here.

1. 'shudder' when accelerating. I've heard some people say this happens in less than 5% of cars, others say it's nearly 100%. Would be amazing if owners, especially those with higher mileage could chime in so I can get a better feel for what my odds are of avoiding this problem. I'm maybe a mildly OCD person so this might be a deal breaker for me if it's truly prevalent.

2. music interface -- should have tried this one while test driving but didn't think of it. Would love to hear from audiophiles regarding quality of Bluetooth streaming from an iphone.

3. average service cost. read about some really ridiculous bills -- wondering how much people are generally spending on a yearly basis for service and how often they have to bring the car in.

Thanks much!!

PS if someone has a referral code they can throw my way, that would be appreciated!

 

[jeffro01]

Hi everyone,

I ended up here because my family is growing and my wife really wants a third row. I test drove a plug-in XC90 and was really delighted when the car was in all electric mode, but unfortunately, it only goes 17 (lol) miles before needing to tap into the gas tank. Got me thinking, why not just spend a little it more and get a tesla? Went for a test drive and my wife and I both really liked it. Was told that I basically need to put down an order in the next week or so to qualify for the full tax credit, so I've been researching and reading like crazy. I came across a couple of things that seem like they may bother me, so I wanted to explore them a little further here.

1. 'shudder' when accelerating. I've heard some people say this happens in less than 5% of cars, others say it's nearly 100%. Would be amazing if owners, especially those with higher mileage could chime in so I can get a better feel for what my odds are of avoiding this problem. I'm maybe a mildly OCD person so this might be a deal breaker for me if it's truly prevalent.

2. music interface -- should have tried this one while test driving but didn't think of it. Would love to hear from audiophiles regarding quality of Bluetooth streaming from an iphone.

3. average service cost. read about some really ridiculous bills -- wondering how much people are generally spending on a yearly basis for service and how often they have to bring the car in.

Thanks much!!

PS if someone has a referral code they can throw my way, that would be appreciated!

Code sent...

Okay so here we go...

1. Mine doesn't do this but I know this is an issue. There's a thread around here somewhere about the engineering fix that was put in place for this so depending on when your test drive car was built this may be a non issue for you.
2. I don't have any complaints in this department but I must admit I don't have the best of hearing... From what I've read here most seem quite happy with the X sound system but naturally, YMMV.
3. When we had our Model S lease we only did one of the 3 yearly service visits (the first one) and never had any issues with anything after that. If you plan on buying then I'd get the extended warranty if you're going to keep it long enough. If you're leasing, probably not worth it... I can't say that service costs have been an issue whatsoever for us...

Jeff

 

[drewg123]

I was also considering the XC90 plug in, and we decided on the MX. What really did it for me was the lurch/hesitation from the engine firing up and the transmission hunting for a gear when I punched it to merge on my test drive. This was compared to silky-smooth behavior from the Tesla we drove.

I have a later 2017 build MX 100D. I have the shudder when I have my suspension in "normal" height, but not at low. I think it may generally depend on how high you have your suspension set to be. I read here that older cars like mine come configured with the suspension set to provide even tire wear in "normal" mode, and you risk uneven wear in "low" mode. I am coming up on 1 year, and plan to ask about this when I take my car in for service. I'll complain about the shudder, and ask them about the suspension / tire wear setting. I have read they will adjust the suspension to provide even wear in low mode. Until then, it is staying in normal mode.

I'm not an audiophile, but we have the nicest stereo they offered, and it sounds a lot better than any other car stereo I've had. BT streaming works well for me. I think it is on par with the stereo in the Volvo we drove (Bowers and Wilkens?)

I'd go Tesla (I already did) mainly because the car is always improving. I have a friend with an XC60 and a 2015 AP1 model S. He says the XC60's driver assist is about on-par with AP1, except with more frequent nags. However, I don't think he's gotten any substantial updates to his car. I've gotten so much in the last year (most recently V9 with drive-on-nav).

 

[LoveEV]

1. 'shudder' when accelerating. I've heard some people say this happens in less than 5% of cars, others say it's nearly 100%. Would be amazing if owners, especially those with higher mileage could chime in so I can get a better feel for what my odds are of avoiding this problem. I'm maybe a mildly OCD person so this might be a deal breaker for me if it's truly prevalent.

2. music interface -- should have tried this one while test driving but didn't think of it. Would love to hear from audiophiles regarding quality of Bluetooth streaming from an iphone.

3. average service cost. read about some really ridiculous bills -- wondering how much people are generally spending on a yearly basis for service and how often they have to bring the car in.

Thanks much!!

PS if someone has a referral code they can throw my way, that would be appreciated!

1) I'm on 25k miles and no issues with juddering, I think some older cars can have the issue and the half shaft needs to be replaced, can also happen when trying to accelerate on high suspension setting. new cars wouldn't have this is, a new part would be used.
2) spotify bluetooth from iphone can give you a better bit rate than the in car spotify. I have an audiophile system (b&W 802d3 and classe audio) at home but the in car audio is nice
3) there is no real need to service the car, Tesla say they don't make a profit from service either. Standard wear and tear obviously applies. I did buy the 3 year bundle but on hindsight I wouldn't have bothered.
4) Referral code has been PM'd to you and happy to chat anytime.

 

[Krazaak]

Shuddering is an issue, but it's directly related to individual's driving style, suspension preferences and to some extent the trim. It's caused by high torque acceleration while in normal or higher suspension settings. This is obviously worse on the P100D because of the higher torque. Some people report uneven tire wear in low suspension, especially with the 22" rims. Personally, I keep mine in always low and I have completely even wear, with 20" rims. If you insist on keeping the vehicle in normal and punch it at every opportunity, you'll probably develop a shudder with a 100D or especially P100D.

 

[Tam]

1. 'shudder':

Not an issue for me. I can only notice minor shudder when demonstrate flooring the accelerator to others which I don't do that often.

2. music interface:

Interface is not best as it's just a simple menu with no saved playlist... but it works. Bluetooth music works fine with android and Iphone 6S. Theoretically, bluetooth music bandwidth is very poor comparing USB flash drive.

3. average service cost:

I like optional prevention so my highest costs are pre-paid annual inspection and extended warranty.

Other than that:

Out of pocket expenses are high at Tesla such as about $50 for a flat tire compared with $0 from many local tire shops doing it for free!

I got my Tesla Model S since 2012 to 2018 and the only out-of-pocket expenses were $1,000 for 4 tires for more than 100,000 miles.

The same with my current 2017 Model X as I haven't paid any service costs other than the optional pre-paid programs $2,750.00 inspection + $4,800.00 extended warranty=$7,550.00 total.

They are optional as you do not have to go for annual inspection and you still get 4 year / 50,000 mile warranty (extended warranty costs extra.)

 

[DrEvil]

1. 'shudder'

I have a month old X and haven't noticed any shudder as of yet. I initially set my suspension at low but changed it back to normal height until I hit 60mph. The service department can change the camber if you need do almost entirely one type of driving (ie low for mostly highway or higher up for in-city driving or where aero drag is not as much of an issue). I rarely do jack rabbit starts as I'm usually driving my family but I do enjoy the instant "throttle" response when jumping from 30 to 50.

2. music interface

Despite Bluetooth 5.0 having increased bandwidth you're still going to have a lot of compression and less dynamic range. The car does pair up quite quickly with my LG G7 (newest Snapdragon). Usually it's paired within 2-4 seconds of the car "waking up" with the key fob and transfers have been seemless. I had to actually kill the Bluetooth modules on my/my wife's cars due to parasitic drain. I'm going to format a 128GB drive this weekend for use with the onboard dashcam and to play 320 MP3s (I doubt the player can handle lossless format like FLAC).

3. average service cost

I'm still up in air about the extended warranty but the expected routine maintenance for the X is significantly cheaper than anything else in it's class. I see you're in Seattle. I've spent enough time in Seattle traffic with in-laws to see it's not much better than LA Traffic (that area on the 5 near Mercer Island is painful). A bigger concern would be collision repair and perhaps even insurance costs. I had trouble getting insurance initially as I put my father on the title with me and AAA quoted me an insane rate of almost 5K/yr because of no discounts under a solo policy. I went on my wife's USAA policy and got a very good $1000/yr rate for 100/300/1 million coverage.

I'm coming from a Honda Odyssey and was looking for a vehicle that wouldn't guzzle gas like my van. I honestly loved the Odyssey ride and interior but the brakes sucked big time (should have upgraded to Brembos at the start). I tried out Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX and was even considering the new longer wheelbase RX L variant but that had a pathetic 2KWH battery. I also considered the Volvo XC90 because safety was my number one priority but like you noted the battery is more of an afterthought. Wife wanted a Porsche not for the performance but for the name (to me the build quality didn't seem much better than 2018 X). After watching the way the frame for the X performed in crash tests I was sold. I don't know if it's just my bad luck or I'm just hyper-vigilant but I just see way too much stupid on the roads here in LA (same in Seattle). I can always void the warranty and do custom mods and change the seats or pimp out any car to my liking but I can't necessarily ensure my family walks away from every crash. I'd like to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible and the X does that. I'm in medicine and basically any injury that sends you to the hospital after a crash negates any savings that might have been had with a vehicles (that's not even considering pain and suffering).

I have 3 young kids. Technically the younger 2 are supposed to be in boosters but they're anatomically big enough I decided to just skip them and go for the 7 seat option. If you have kids in car seats or boosters the X is much easier to enter/exit than pretty much any vehicle - even a minivan with sliding doors. If the kids are older, consider maybe getting the 6 seat variant because it just makes it easier to stow backpacks under those wonderful Tesla seats - almost like airplane seating. The only reason I didn't go for the 6 seat option was I knew one kid would always be riding in the back and I didn't feel comfortable with the kids heads so close to the rear glass. I know the rear frame is strong but all it takes is a inattentive raised pickup driver riding your tail in the fast lane.

The biggest issue I have so far with the X is the FWDs. I can't open them to full height even though I have a 9 foot garage because the opener is mounted so low. I have to have my garage door changed to a high lift track and will probably upgrade the opener as well. In parking lots the FWD are awesome. A little slower than the minivan sliding door and you still need to be careful not to close on somebody walking around the vehicle even with the sensors, but it makes ingress/egress insanely easy. My 5 year daughter has no problem opening/closing them after buckling up.

 

[rms57]

Hi everyone,

I ended up here because my family is growing and my wife really wants a third row. I test drove a plug-in XC90 and was really delighted when the car was in all electric mode, but unfortunately, it only goes 17 (lol) miles before needing to tap into the gas tank. Got me thinking, why not just spend a little it more and get a tesla? Went for a test drive and my wife and I both really liked it. Was told that I basically need to put down an order in the next week or so to qualify for the full tax credit, so I've been researching and reading like crazy. I came across a couple of things that seem like they may bother me, so I wanted to explore them a little further here.

1. 'shudder' when accelerating. I've heard some people say this happens in less than 5% of cars, others say it's nearly 100%. Would be amazing if owners, especially those with higher mileage could chime in so I can get a better feel for what my odds are of avoiding this problem. I'm maybe a mildly OCD person so this might be a deal breaker for me if it's truly prevalent.

2. music interface -- should have tried this one while test driving but didn't think of it. Would love to hear from audiophiles regarding quality of Bluetooth streaming from an iphone.

3. average service cost. read about some really ridiculous bills -- wondering how much people are generally spending on a yearly basis for service and how often they have to bring the car in.

Thanks much!!

PS if someone has a referral code they can throw my way, that would be appreciated!

Most importantly, you mentioned 3rd row access. I remember showing my wife the XC90 and while there was decent space in the back of the XC, the access to it's 3rd row paled in comparison to the FWD and the way the Model X seats slid forward and tilted. Also remember that larger car seats typically use the seatbelt instead of the latch system, particularly as your child grows. Any middle row with the belt on the pillar instead of the seat will not allow you to move that seat for access without disconnecting the car seat. This is a HUGE negative for us and one of the reasons why we went with the X. Our friends with the GLS550 at SOL as they literally hop in from the trunk and into the 3rd row instead of having to undo a carseat, lol. Arguably, that 3rd row is the most comfortable before going up to a Suburban or Tahoe XL.

1. I have a 100D and no shudder issues at 10k miles
2. I'm no audiophile, but the system sounds good to me. The cabin is typically quieter and conducive to nicer acoustics, but I'm only listening to kids songs and pop music since they're deciding what we listen to, lol.
3. Sorry, no services for us yet

You'll love the X. It's time to hop off that fence

 

[Uncle Paul]

Had no shudder on my X until Tesla did a free upgrade that reduced 0-60 times from 6 seconds to 4.9. The additional torque instigated a shudder, but only on maxumum acceleration from a stop.
Lowered the suspension down to low, and the shudder totally went away.

Stereo system is pretty good. Blue tooth will rarely satisfy an audiophile due to the limited band with and compression. That is more of an issue with blue tooth than Tesla. Some load high quality, non compressed music onto USB memory sticks to get the finest renditions.

One of the reasons the music sounds so good is because the Tesla is so quiet. No motor noise. Sometime just a friendly electric motor sound which to me is pleasing.

To offset the possibility of shudder, remember you will never again feel a shift point. Many of the newer multi speed transmissions hunt all over the place and make dramatic downshifte through many gears. The Tesla is ultra smooth. Throttle response is lighting fast, as you never need to wait for the turbo to spool up.

Model X works great for families. My Nephews and Nieces call it the Space Ship. Falcon wing doors allow for great access and super installation of baby seats.

Service so far has been 0 for me. Car gets better all the time with Over The air updates which constantly add more capabilities.

Handy tip. If you want to be assured of getting the full Tax Credit, ask if Tesla may have one, with your configuration already produced and with expedited delivery. There is a flood of new orders coming in right now, as so many on the fence guys want to get the full tax credit.

If you have a showroom near you, stop in and ask what they might be able to get you one sooner. Take the kids along too to get their reaction.

You are experiencing what I call FIA. (Forum Induced Anxiety). Common to people reading enthusiasts forums. The problems stand out because those people speak the loudest.

The Tesla really stands out due to their fantastic fleet of Superchargers all across the world. A truly unique traveling experience.

 

[muncheroo]

Thanks guys!!!

I had my daughters in the wee hours of 10/31, and while delirious from sleep deprivation later that day, I ordered my 75D, just in time to still qualify for 400kwh of free charging every year.

Lol @ FIA — would have probably bought the car a bit sooner if I didn’t do all this research.

Hopefully I acted quickly enough to still get delivery in December!

 

[LoveEV]

I ordered my 75D

congrats what specs and colour did you go for?

 

[Varmint]

I'm replying because our situation is very similar. I actually owned a 2017 XC90 Momentum (purchased at the tail end of '16). "Nice" car, but no comparison. We leased it for a couple of years and because we'd recently moved to a new city, quickly found out we were burning through miles 30% too fast. By the end of year 2, we needed to move fast to dump it, or else start eating crazy mileage penalties.

We also needed third-row and looked a Land Rover, Audi and Porsche (cayenne). I've always been a Tesla fan and decided to just take the plunge. I has also read the horror stories and will continue to worry about it throughout the life of the car, but I can say right now with about 2K on the car, that it absolutely blows away anything I've ever owned in terms of the overall vehicle experience. It's a 75D as well, and range has not been an issue so far despite us living in the boonies (Spokane). I am very glad I didn't spend the extra money on a 100D. The extra 25% range would be a nice pillow, but not worth the extra cost for me.

Experience dealing with Tesla pre and post sale is another matter. While the helpful attitudes were nice, the absolute incompetence of the delivery adviser was shocking. He screwed up everything from financing to trade-in details. Tesla took my trade-in, I paid them the negative residual, and then sold it at auction to a nearby Volvo dealer. 6 weeks later my name is still on the (now uninsured) car, and Volvo is still looking for payments from me. It took me another 2 weeks and probably 15 emails to the escalation team to get it sorted out. Meanwhile the dealer that bought the car didn't have a title (obviously), so AFAIK, it's still sitting on his lot depreciating.

Anyway, despite the heavily borked paperwork, the delivery experience was good (Seattle SoDo) and the car has been great. My only regret is the payments are double what the Volvo was, although to be fair, it's financed, not leased this time. As far as quality comparisons with the Volvo, there are none. Nothing about the Volvo can touch the Tesla. Volvo has one of the most advanced lane keeping systems in the industry, and it's trash compared to Tesla. The engine is a turbocharged and supercharged 4-banger and it's gutless as hell. The infotainment system (and particularly voice-activated systems) are laughable, and there are far worse systems!

Don't even think about it - just do it. Don't let them rush you at delivery, and inspect the car for obvious issues. If you get a bad apple, don't accept delivery. Chances are everything will be fine and you'll driving out of there feeling like you had sex for the first time.

 

[muncheroo]

Lol I’m picking up from the sodo location as well! Delivery date is 12/20 so I’m gonna slap a big red bow on there for myself. Short of there being a missing wheel I’m probably not going to refuse delivery

 

[Varmint]

SoDo was great, congrats and good luck! If you run into any serious communications issues with your DS, contact Stephanie at the Bellevue location, as SoDo is primarily a service center.

 

[Meagain]

If you truly care about Music quality - you'd never use bluetooth in any car. Put it on a USB drive - lossless format.

 

[bonaire]

Growing family means more expenses and more debt. General question is how's finances? Make sure you're able to reach retirement with good buffer and limiting debt load.

 

[muncheroo]

Obviously putting down 100k to have it depreciate 15-20% a year is not a wise financial decision no matter how much money one makes. Im touched by your concern for my wallet but this is really not the place for such unsolicited discussions