Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Ordered M3P coming from FBO E85 Golf R...hope the Model 3 can check the same boxes

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Hi everyone,

I just put in an order for a Model 3 Performance, blue on white, no FSD. I intend on installing either the Ohlins or MPP coilovers and running Michelin PSS in the summer and PA4 in the winter.

While I am extremely excited to take delivery of it (says Jun-Aug, but I REALLY hope it's late Jun or early JULY), part of this is a practical choice and I guess I'm hoping that the Model 3 can deliver on some of the things that made my Golf a truly remarkably great car. One of the reasons I am doing this is because I can sell my Golf for more than the new MSRP despite 40k miles, and I feel it is the financially responsible thing to do and roll that equity into an EV. I guess I just want to vent a bit about my thought process and see if there is anyone else who came from a FBO E85 Golf, as it's quite a different beast from a standard Golf. I have never driven the official Model 3 Performance, but I have driven my friend's Model 3 Stealth Performance so pretty close.

Golf R Pros:

1. It's faster, from a dig and from a roll. Lined up against my good friend's M3 Stealth and it walked away from it every time. That being said, the performance gap wasn't huge and I had to use launch control to win from the dig (that's not going to happen in a real-world situation on the street).

2. Hatchback practicality. I almost went for a Model Y just for this, but was not willing to lose even more performance. The amount of stuff I could fit in the Golf was ridiculous for such a small car. I fit four adults and all of their luggage (2 bags per person) for a weekend getaway, and I out-dragged a Mustang 5.0 - while I was carrying a Husky rolling toolbox from Home Depot in the back. The Golf is up for the task at any time, in any conditions, whether it's hot laps, drag racing, vacationing with friends, carrying a 65in TV, a dishwasher, or climbing the mountains in the snow.

3. Infotainment - CarPlay, enough said. To me, this is the #1 reason I almost went with the BMW i4 M50 instead of the Tesla. If the i4 M50 had superchargers and I didn't think it would depreciate 50% in two years, I would go for it just for CarPlay. I know the Tesla system is good, but it's not remotely as good as car play for someone like me who uses calling, texting, FB messenger, whatsapp, waze, Apple music, Apple podcasts, etc, literally every single day.

4. Interior functionality and quality - the seats on the Golf are awesome, the bolstering on the Tesla's is non-existant. I feel the Golf's cockpit is more driver-centric, there is storage everywhere, there are no rattles, the build quality is Audi-level.

Golf R Unknowns:

1. Dynamics. I am guessing that the Golf R is going to handle significantly better than the M3 since it weighs 3200lbs, but I have not truly driven the Tesla in anger at the limit so this is an unknown for me. My experience level is that of an instructor for HPDE groups, so I know how to push a car. I am curious to hear how the stock suspension compares and if putting on the MPP or Ohlins can take it to a level close to the Golf on stock suspension in Race mode.

Tesla Pros

As much as I am concerned about performance, cargo handling, and infotainment, the Model 3 has some incredibly compelling things going for it - some of which are pretty specific to me.

1. No worry about modified ICE problems. My Golf has been bulletproof so far; this is my second one and they have had zero issues up until now in the last six years. But now I am smelling oil in the exhaust, and let's be frank - pushing a little 4 cylinder to trap 120mph in the 1/4 mile is not going to last for 100k miles. My life is very high stress already and I am tired of the high level of maintenance required to ensure reliability at this power level (oil change every 5k, plugs every 10k, DCT and Haldex service, etc). The Model 3 comes decently close to straight line performance of my Golf, but with zero worries about the turbo or transmission blowing.

2. Range! This might be surprising, but to get the Golf to the performance level it is at I have to run 100% e85 fuel. The Tesla actually will get more range than my Golf does, AND be a better long distance car. In the midwest, there are tons of e85 stations, but I cannot drive the Golf cross country like I could the Tesla

3. Tech: while the infotainment will be a letdown compared to the Golf, there are a few things that Tesla really gets right. I have Raynauds disease (circulation problems) and the Golf has no heated steering wheel and no remote start. Every day in the winter when I get into the Golf, I have to wear heated gloves or my hands painfully lose circulation. The thought that I can pre-heat the car from an app and have the steering wheel be heated when I get in the car is mind-blowing to me and will change my life in a positive way in the winter

4. In my apartment building I get free charging and reserved prime parking spots on floor 1 of the parking garage for EVs, right next to the door. This will save me time every single day, and be more secure.

5. In my city, EVs get free parking anywhere downtown (don't have to pay meters!)

6. I live walking distance to work, so walk or scooter most days. But when the weather is bad, my commute is about 1 mile. This is bad for an ICE, but just fine for the Tesla


I guess what I'm getting at is I am a die-hard car enthusiast who loves the dynamics of a sports car (I have strictly owned BMWs, including a M2, and modified Golf Rs over the last decade), but I feel the Tesla is a more valuable tool at this point in my life when I just don't have the time to track like I used to. I just hope I can get enough dynamic enjoyment out of it where I can smile on the backroads, because I really do love what Musk is trying to accomplish with these cars.

I am definitely a bit nervous to ditch my Golf since it has been such a perfect car, but at the end of the day it's a modified ICE that is putting out almost twice the WHP that it did stock, and it's been doing it for 40k miles and is burning oil. It's time to try something more convenient and hopefully reliable into the future.
 
This is tough. I went over the same dilemma with my significantly upgraded S5 3 years ago. They are different for sure. The things I miss the most? Exhaust sound and manual transmission and CarPlay. Like REALLY miss.

I think it boils down to your driving style. If most of your driving is spirited and performance orientated with periodic commuting and errand running, you’ll really miss your Golf R. If the ratio is flipped, Tesla hands down.

I’d say the TM3P is the best daily with extreme performance capabilities that can be used at the track (with coils and brakes). The Golf R will reward you with involvement (manual) and a glorious sound.

The CarPlay is an issue that won’t be fixed and I’m in your side about it not being included. At least very unlikely. That and the service experience isn’t exactly known to be stellar (but experience varies greatly here). Both are big bummers and if another electric car (or I get the money for a 992) gets the performance of an upgraded TM3, I’ll jump ship. If Audi downsizes the RS Etron GT or BMW makes a true M version of the I4, I’d be begging them to take my money.
 
This is tough. I went over the same dilemma with my significantly upgraded S5 3 years ago. They are different for sure. The things I miss the most? Exhaust sound and manual transmission and CarPlay. Like REALLY miss.

I think it boils down to your driving style. If most of your driving is spirited and performance orientated with periodic commuting and errand running, you’ll really miss your Golf R. If the ratio is flipped, Tesla hands down.

I’d say the TM3P is the best daily with extreme performance capabilities that can be used at the track (with coils and brakes). The Golf R will reward you with involvement (manual) and a glorious sound.

The CarPlay is an issue that won’t be fixed and I’m in your side about it not being included. At least very unlikely. That and the service experience isn’t exactly known to be stellar (but experience varies greatly here). Both are big bummers and if another electric car (or I get the money for a 992) gets the performance of an upgraded TM3, I’ll jump ship. If Audi downsizes the RS Etron GT or BMW makes a true M version of the I4, I’d be begging them to take my money.

It really is frustrating, nobody makes the cars that I want in the USA. I totally recognize that I am the minority of the market and MOST people don't want the cars that I would do, but if Tesla made a Model 3 Plaid (125-130 trap speed) hatchback with carplay I would pay $100k for it. Likewise, if Audi would sell the RS3 hatchback in the USA I would pay $100k for it.

The lack of performance modifications on an EV is an interesting downside. Nobody really made the car I wanted in the ICE world either, but I could take the Golf R and modify it to make 400-600WHP depending on if I did a turbo upgrade (I did not so far, so right around 420whp). Thus, you could have an AWD hatch with premium interior, carplay, that did 10 seconds in the 1/4 mile and was engaging to drive. A true do-it-all. You can't do that in the EV world since the software is so locked down, so that makes it a lot more difficult to get a car to suit everyone's preferences.

I am with you 100% in regard to the 992, but I just can't afford it now without cutting other areas of my lifestyle I am not willing to sacrifice (a downtown apartment).
 
  • Like
Reactions: tm1v2
@paradoxical You'll miss the hatch for sure, and the seats.

Doubt you'll miss any low speed power/acceleration, as you say in "real world" driving the M3P is quicker than an ICE car that needs carefully orchestrated launch control. Whether you'll miss the high speed pull is really a personal thing.

Handling dynamics...I promise you the M3P on Öhlins will outhandle your Golf R. Yes the M3P weighs more, and you will feel the weight, but the Model 3 weight distribution is worlds better than a Golf and it really shines once you upgrade the suspension.

Now whether it will *outgrip* your Golf R really mostly depends on what kind of tires, how much rubber, how much camber, etc...that's up to you, what you want to bother with. All else being equal, it may take wider rubber to get the same grip just due to the M3P's extra weight. Or maybe not thanks to the better weight distribution. My M3P is street-only so I haven't gone down the path of seeking maximum possible grip.

My last sporty car (many years ago) was a mild-ish modded STI hatchback. Fulltime AWD of course and very similar weight distribution as your Golf R I think. Official curb weight was 3373 lbs if I recall correctly. I kept the dampers and springs stock, but added adjustable sway bars, lots of bushing + mount upgrades, and a quick ratio steering rack. My M3P outhandles that STI in every possible way, except for the M3P having a bit less ground clearance and suspension travel (only matters on the really rough stuff). If memory serves my STI had more grip thanks to running 200TW street/track dual use tires and a more aggressive alignment (I was doing occasional track days in it), whereas my M3P is only setup for street use with 300TW tires and basically stock alignment, plus more weight, on the same width tires.

But in terms of handling dynamics it's no contest, my M3P on Redwood's Sport Öhlins + MPP FLCA bearings blows away any 4 door ICE car I've ever driven, especially those with the engine in front of the front axle like a Golf (R) or Impreza (WRX STI). The stock 2021+ M3P suspension is soft poorly dampened junk, seems you've figured that out already with your upgrade plans, but once you take care of that this car has really fantastic handling for a sedan.
 
From my experience in driving my Model 3 (LR no Performance) for the past few years I think it depends based on what you truly enjoy about driving a car. The comments above are spot on, it will pretty much out perform, out handle, out accelerate in all real world cases (and most all on track conditions as well). In my case, I would give up the performance and still enjoy driving a nice stick shift with V8 any day. The Tesla for me is the absolute perfect commuter car and it is great having all the speed on tap, acceleration, neutral handling, but to be honest, it really is boring as hell after a while. I know most folks will disagree, but I always still wish I had the engaging driving experience (even at a loss of pure performance). Then I come to my senses and realize my daily driver requires absolutely zero maintenance and just does its job effortlessly.

Even after 3 years, I still hate the fact that all the controls are on the touch screen.

Eric
 
  • Like
Reactions: T3SLAROD
Hey man, I actually attempted to respond to this thread yesterday, but by the time I hit post reply, the thread disappeared and also the mega paragraph I wrote in response lmao.

Anyways, I'll try to recollect what I had written.

Your situation reminds me very much of my own a couple of months back. I was not sure I had made the right decision when I ordered it, while I was waiting for it, and I even questioned it when I got it. While I did not have an FBO Gold R, I did have an M2 Competition, which in my opinion is one of the greatest modern M cars ever produced, and I sold it because I was offered a ridiculous amount of money I just could not refuse. Further, I am quite young and did not want to spend thousands on service, tires, and overall usage of the car when I could be saving that money for future investments/property, etc. I am saying this because I also chose to switch based on a logical decision, rather than an emotional one.

Do I miss some things about the M2C? Yeah, of course. If I had to be honest, stock vs stock, the M2C beats the M3P in looks, handling, refinement, and the specialness factor, because with the Model 3 Stock, you will not stand out as much as with an M2C, but the M3P would absolutely eat it in any sort of real-life scenario. Additionally, I think it is really understated the joy of being able to go that quick, but also be able to relax whenever you are stressed and or tired, something that modified sports cars or even sports cars, in general, lack the ability to do. When it comes to the M3P, you can unmatched technology, quick low/mid-end acceleration times, and a very direct steering feel despite its weight, but also a somewhat mushy/soft suspension.

However, who said you cannot modify Teslas? There are plenty of examples of people modifying these cars for the track, given their great platform, drag racing, or even just for styling. I am not sure if you would modify your M3P, but based on your past experience I am willing to bet that you probably will not be able to hold yourself. If that is the case, honestly, these cars only really need one thing: a good set of coil overs (MPP, KW) and I would recommend adding some wider tires because stock sizes are a bit too narrow in my opinion. (stock I think it already turns really well, it just feels a bit sloppy, the Mountain Pass Performance Sport Adjustable Coils, which are made by KW and 20mm wider tires, made this heavy sedan handle better than my M2, and I am not exaggerating)Below I will attach a picture of my car just to show an example of what you can do.

I am sure I missed a bunch of things, I know so because I could ramble about this for multiple pages.

Regardless, I think you made a great choice and I have no doubt you will be happy with it. It is a new experience, but just because you are choosing to go electric, does not mean that in the future you cannot get another ICE car for track days or the weekends if you desire.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6664.jpg
    IMG_6664.jpg
    1,003.5 KB · Views: 1,017
Golf R Pros:

1. It's faster, from a dig and from a roll. Lined up against my good friend's M3 Stealth and it walked away from it every time. That being said, the performance gap wasn't huge and I had to use launch control to win from the dig (that's not going to happen in a real-world situation on the street).

Are you serious that your Golf R can out-accelerate the M3P of 3.1? That's pretty impressive if so. But like you said, not something you'd do very often I assume? (definitely not every light, lol)

One thing I found to really enjoy over my past cars like STi's, is that I didn't push it all the time. Because doing that would guarantee parts breaking after a while. So I would still auto-x the car, do hard launches from time to time, but made sure I didn't 'abuse' it by doing it all the time.

With an EV, you don't really have those worries. I don't hesitate to push it anytime. No more needing to warm up the car in the mornings before stepping on it either. Those things are HUGE advantages/pros for me.
 
Are you serious that your Golf R can out-accelerate the M3P of 3.1? That's pretty impressive if so. But like you said, not something you'd do very often I assume? (definitely not every light, lol)

One thing I found to really enjoy over my past cars like STi's, is that I didn't push it all the time. Because doing that would guarantee parts breaking after a while. So I would still auto-x the car, do hard launches from time to time, but made sure I didn't 'abuse' it by doing it all the time.

With an EV, you don't really have those worries. I don't hesitate to push it anytime. No more needing to warm up the car in the mornings before stepping on it either. Those things are HUGE advantages/pros for me.

Yes, the golf makes about 420WHP and 400+lbft torque, is AWD with DCT, and weighs 3200lbs. It's probably dead even to 60 and then walks away steadily. I have a video somewhere I will try to find and post. But to beat the Tesla absolutely requires launch control, which I literally never do on the street. Otherwise, the Tesla jumps out in front while the turbo builds boost. Launch control revs the engine to about 4000RPM to get it in boost and then dumps it, which is stressful on the transmission and drivetrain. Getting this power output also requires e85 fuel.

I actually really would like to be able to not worry about warming up the engine before beating on the car. I live downtown so the first turn I do for every trip is an on-ramp, and I absolutely hate having to wait 5min before being able to go full throttle. Would be super nice not worrying about WOT before oil is up to temp.
 
Geez, I had no idea a stage 1/2 golf could get down below 3.1s 0-60, I‘ve never seen that kind time posted but don’t follow it that closely. I plan to get my son a GTI and looking forward to modifying it.
 
Wow - sounds like the OP is needing a drag strip car. Let's get real - Can't do all that normal stuff on the roads - at least legally and safely.

Much more to enjoy in the Tesla, besides pure acceleration. Model 3LR or P is super quick, and will smoke 90% of the cars on the road (no need for launch control, building boast, building revs or elaborate traction control) - even super cars costing many multiples more. Go look up the YouTube dragtimes - he smokes almost everything on the drag strip in his Model S Plaid.
 
I came from a stock Mk7 R. I think that the Golf is built a bit better, but I’m not going back to gas after having a P3D for a year. The downsides are minimal. It seems so silly to make all that noise just to propel a car now. Not to mention the smell and huge disparity in efficiency.

I don’t think that Tesla is going to keep my interest forever, but they are certainly the best when it comes to a “drivers car” in EV form at the moment. I would recommend making the jump regardless. You aren’t going to lose any money through depreciation when you decide to move on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tm1v2
... Thus, you could have an AWD hatch with premium interior, carplay, that did 10 seconds in the 1/4 mile and was engaging to drive. A true do-it-all. You can't do that in the EV world since the software is so locked down, so that makes it a lot more difficult to get a car to suit everyone's preferences...
Just buy the MS Long Range and put good tires on it. You have a hatchback, albeit a larger one, you have a car that will do 10 sec 1/4's and trapping at about 130. No CarPlay but workarounds exist it seems. Interior is much better than the 3. I have a 3 and S. You have better range, very good top end pull, and you are at about 100k. Stick tires make it a lot more fun and the 0-60 times are quick enough to keep you entertained (Tesla claims 3.1 w/rollout).

If back to considering the M3P, easy choice. I've been down the rabbit hole of highly modified cars. I had more Rabbits/Golfs going than I care to count going back to the original GTI and every variation of it since then until about 3 years ago and probably and equal number of S variant Quattros mixed in as well.

At the end of the day either the M3 LR w/boost or the M3P are going to be one of the best daily drivers you can buy. As you've already surmised, not a lot of cars are going to be quicker on the actual street. Where the 3's fall off enough at top end compared to other cars, you are already up in licensing losing category on the street. So for the vast part of the M3's performance envelope you have very few competitors on the street. The low center of gravity helps the car hide its weight well.

The biggest downside to me is the suspension on ALL the Teslas is pretty mediocre. There isn't as good as control as the competitors higher end cars. I am not one of those believers that ultra hard suspension is where it is at. Tesla has issues with compliance and control. It is rough over smaller bumps and not as well controlled as it should be on the bigger ones. There are some good options out there now if you want to drop 3k on something substantially better.

Having driven ICE cars, and ridden ICE motorcycles for 50+ years I have to say while I fully appreciate what BEVs have to offer, I sometimes miss the sound of some of the more exotic cars/bikes I've owned. The tradeoff for the loss of that sound is ALWAYS being in the right gear and having instant and substantial acceleration on tap. I am good with that tradeoff.

I can run my Teslas hard and they are still incredibly cheap to feed. Being able to heat/cool the cabin before entry means my kids are a lot happier than being thrust into the backseat of a car that is 150F degrees inside. At the end of the day, I can't think of a better car for a daily driver than either my 3 or S. In really tight city traffic the 3 is better than the S, mostly due to its size. On more open roads the S is where I want to be as with the adjustable suspension I can dial in what if I want more comfort or more agility. The ventilated seats are a huge plus for the S. WIth the hatchback I can make a trip to Home Depot and shove a ton of stuff in there too. The S is far more fun to drive than any variant of the Y for me.

Given free parking and free charging at your apartment, it would be a very easy decision for me. I sold all my ICE cars over the last 18 months and I am not looking back.
 
So this happened a lot quicker than expected! My delivery date for my blue Tesla was Sept, but I got a call from Tesla over the weekend saying that they had a brand new Red/white that I could take THIS WEEKEND! So despite my preference for blue, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and jump on it. Got the text at 2PM Friday, arranged financing and did everything through the app by 5PM, and took delivery today.

So, here's my feedback!

Better than expected:

1. Usable power at any time. I knew this going in, and it's still slower than the Golf once you get over 80, but I think it will be fine for me. I don't feel like it's tremendously slower and I will make more use of the 60-100 than the 80-130, so I will say that I'm pretty happy with this. Still want more power, of course, but it's just fine for now.

2. Trunk opening - yes, a hatchback is better, but the opening here is one of the largest I've had so it helps take the edge off it not being a hatchback. This is still a downside compared to the golf, and a significant one - but not quite as bad as I had imagined.

3. Fit and finish - no panel gaps, no rattles, etc. I went over the car with a fine tooth comb before accepting delivery and could not find anything wrong with it.

4. I am surprised how some things I viewed as gimmicks might actually be nice, for example the games. You can't make this up - a family member was giving me a ride to get the Tesla, and on the way back he was following me to their place for dinner. The transmission on their 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum Max exploded and dumped transmission fluid all over the highway and we were stuck waiting for AAA for a couple of hours. We passed the time sitting and playing Chess in the Tesla. Never in a million years would have thought having a game on your car would be useful, but it happened.

5. Amount of storage space. Now, the use of this space is often very poorly thought out (didn't come with any trays or dividers, etc), but there is more storage space in the interior than I expected. Nice bonus.

6. Convenience of the App combined with Watchla. I really, really enjoy being able to use various functions, schedule them, keep an eye on my car's charging status, security cameras, etc, all via my phone and Apple Watch. I knew this would be good going in, but didn't realize how much I would like it.

About as expected:

1. Infotainment quality - it's more responsive than I expected, but there are some stupid UI decision that were made. I was generally able to use it effectively, but it's not as polished as carplay - not even close.

2. The built in NAV is a bit less sophisticated than expected, particularly with perspective, 3d views, etc. REALLY MISS WAZE. The fact I can't get police alerts on the screen really sucks.

Worse than expected:

1. Total lack of some very obvious ergonomic things that other cars have gotten right for decades. No sunglasses holder. Cup holders suck (no spring tension clips). No grab handle for passengers. Very deep center console departments with no organization, makes things disappear into the abyss. Frunk is hard plastic and not lined, so you hear things sliding around. No convenient dedicated storage space for the charging adapter (I need to use it every time at my apartment). Certain functions just should have used traditional buttons. I feel like Tesla could have asked a focus group of like 10 totally average people about these things and they would have been fixed.

2. Dynamics: Okay, this was my biggest surprise. The suspension on the car really sucks for performance driving. The Golf with stock suspension is in a completely different league. I had heard people saying it wasn't great, but it's honestly a lot worse than I expected. This one is interesting to me because I can feel some good things chassis-wise, but they are hidden behind tons of soft rubber. I almost feel like soft bushings are the biggest problem with the car, and then secondarily that it is under sprung. When you make inputs you can literally feel deflection as it happens - a great way to feel this in the steering is to drive about 80mph, brake decently hard (not engaging abs) to load the front suspension, and then slowly turn. You'll feel the bushings deflect under load. When you are pushing the car in the corners, you need to be very deliberate and careful in your steering inputs and wait, wait, wait for the weight transfer.

On the flip side, from what I can feel I believe this can be fixed pretty easily with bushings and coilovers. I am really, really looking forward to seeing what this chassis and powertrain can do with a sorted suspension. If I can sort that out and get some of the driving dynamics up to where I'd like them, I think the car will be a real winner for me.
 
So this happened a lot quicker than expected! My delivery date for my blue Tesla was Sept, but I got a call from Tesla over the weekend saying that they had a brand new Red/white that I could take THIS WEEKEND! So despite my preference for blue, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and jump on it. Got the text at 2PM Friday, arranged financing and did everything through the app by 5PM, and took delivery today.

So, here's my feedback!

Better than expected:

1. Usable power at any time. I knew this going in, and it's still slower than the Golf once you get over 80, but I think it will be fine for me. I don't feel like it's tremendously slower and I will make more use of the 60-100 than the 80-130, so I will say that I'm pretty happy with this. Still want more power, of course, but it's just fine for now.

2. Trunk opening - yes, a hatchback is better, but the opening here is one of the largest I've had so it helps take the edge off it not being a hatchback. This is still a downside compared to the golf, and a significant one - but not quite as bad as I had imagined.

3. Fit and finish - no panel gaps, no rattles, etc. I went over the car with a fine tooth comb before accepting delivery and could not find anything wrong with it.

4. I am surprised how some things I viewed as gimmicks might actually be nice, for example the games. You can't make this up - a family member was giving me a ride to get the Tesla, and on the way back he was following me to their place for dinner. The transmission on their 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum Max exploded and dumped transmission fluid all over the highway and we were stuck waiting for AAA for a couple of hours. We passed the time sitting and playing Chess in the Tesla. Never in a million years would have thought having a game on your car would be useful, but it happened.

5. Amount of storage space. Now, the use of this space is often very poorly thought out (didn't come with any trays or dividers, etc), but there is more storage space in the interior than I expected. Nice bonus.

6. Convenience of the App combined with Watchla. I really, really enjoy being able to use various functions, schedule them, keep an eye on my car's charging status, security cameras, etc, all via my phone and Apple Watch. I knew this would be good going in, but didn't realize how much I would like it.

About as expected:

1. Infotainment quality - it's more responsive than I expected, but there are some stupid UI decision that were made. I was generally able to use it effectively, but it's not as polished as carplay - not even close.

2. The built in NAV is a bit less sophisticated than expected, particularly with perspective, 3d views, etc. REALLY MISS WAZE. The fact I can't get police alerts on the screen really sucks.

Worse than expected:

1. Total lack of some very obvious ergonomic things that other cars have gotten right for decades. No sunglasses holder. Cup holders suck (no spring tension clips). No grab handle for passengers. Very deep center console departments with no organization, makes things disappear into the abyss. Frunk is hard plastic and not lined, so you hear things sliding around. No convenient dedicated storage space for the charging adapter (I need to use it every time at my apartment). Certain functions just should have used traditional buttons. I feel like Tesla could have asked a focus group of like 10 totally average people about these things and they would have been fixed.

2. Dynamics: Okay, this was my biggest surprise. The suspension on the car really sucks for performance driving. The Golf with stock suspension is in a completely different league. I had heard people saying it wasn't great, but it's honestly a lot worse than I expected. This one is interesting to me because I can feel some good things chassis-wise, but they are hidden behind tons of soft rubber. I almost feel like soft bushings are the biggest problem with the car, and then secondarily that it is under sprung. When you make inputs you can literally feel deflection as it happens - a great way to feel this in the steering is to drive about 80mph, brake decently hard (not engaging abs) to load the front suspension, and then slowly turn. You'll feel the bushings deflect under load. When you are pushing the car in the corners, you need to be very deliberate and careful in your steering inputs and wait, wait, wait for the weight transfer.

On the flip side, from what I can feel I believe this can be fixed pretty easily with bushings and coilovers. I am really, really looking forward to seeing what this chassis and powertrain can do with a sorted suspension. If I can sort that out and get some of the driving dynamics up to where I'd like them, I think the car will be a real winner for me.

Good luck.
 
Hey man, I actually attempted to respond to this thread yesterday, but by the time I hit post reply, the thread disappeared and also the mega paragraph I wrote in response lmao.

Anyways, I'll try to recollect what I had written.

Your situation reminds me very much of my own a couple of months back. I was not sure I had made the right decision when I ordered it, while I was waiting for it, and I even questioned it when I got it. While I did not have an FBO Gold R, I did have an M2 Competition, which in my opinion is one of the greatest modern M cars ever produced, and I sold it because I was offered a ridiculous amount of money I just could not refuse. Further, I am quite young and did not want to spend thousands on service, tires, and overall usage of the car when I could be saving that money for future investments/property, etc. I am saying this because I also chose to switch based on a logical decision, rather than an emotional one.

Do I miss some things about the M2C? Yeah, of course. If I had to be honest, stock vs stock, the M2C beats the M3P in looks, handling, refinement, and the specialness factor, because with the Model 3 Stock, you will not stand out as much as with an M2C, but the M3P would absolutely eat it in any sort of real-life scenario. Additionally, I think it is really understated the joy of being able to go that quick, but also be able to relax whenever you are stressed and or tired, something that modified sports cars or even sports cars, in general, lack the ability to do. When it comes to the M3P, you can unmatched technology, quick low/mid-end acceleration times, and a very direct steering feel despite its weight, but also a somewhat mushy/soft suspension.

However, who said you cannot modify Teslas? There are plenty of examples of people modifying these cars for the track, given their great platform, drag racing, or even just for styling. I am not sure if you would modify your M3P, but based on your past experience I am willing to bet that you probably will not be able to hold yourself. If that is the case, honestly, these cars only really need one thing: a good set of coil overs (MPP, KW) and I would recommend adding some wider tires because stock sizes are a bit too narrow in my opinion. (stock I think it already turns really well, it just feels a bit sloppy, the Mountain Pass Performance Sport Adjustable Coils, which are made by KW and 20mm wider tires, made this heavy sedan handle better than my M2, and I am not exaggerating)Below I will attach a picture of my car just to show an example of what you can do.

I am sure I missed a bunch of things, I know so because I could ramble about this for multiple pages.

Regardless, I think you made a great choice and I have no doubt you will be happy with it. It is a new experience, but just because you are choosing to go electric, does not mean that in the future you cannot get another ICE car for track days or the weekends if you desire.

That looks absolutely spot on mate. Rim/tyre specs?
 
So this happened a lot quicker than expected! My delivery date for my blue Tesla was Sept, but I got a call from Tesla over the weekend saying that they had a brand new Red/white that I could take THIS WEEKEND! So despite my preference for blue, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and jump on it. Got the text at 2PM Friday, arranged financing and did everything through the app by 5PM, and took delivery today.

So, here's my feedback!

Better than expected:

1. Usable power at any time. I knew this going in, and it's still slower than the Golf once you get over 80, but I think it will be fine for me. I don't feel like it's tremendously slower and I will make more use of the 60-100 than the 80-130, so I will say that I'm pretty happy with this. Still want more power, of course, but it's just fine for now.

2. Trunk opening - yes, a hatchback is better, but the opening here is one of the largest I've had so it helps take the edge off it not being a hatchback. This is still a downside compared to the golf, and a significant one - but not quite as bad as I had imagined.

3. Fit and finish - no panel gaps, no rattles, etc. I went over the car with a fine tooth comb before accepting delivery and could not find anything wrong with it.

4. I am surprised how some things I viewed as gimmicks might actually be nice, for example the games. You can't make this up - a family member was giving me a ride to get the Tesla, and on the way back he was following me to their place for dinner. The transmission on their 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum Max exploded and dumped transmission fluid all over the highway and we were stuck waiting for AAA for a couple of hours. We passed the time sitting and playing Chess in the Tesla. Never in a million years would have thought having a game on your car would be useful, but it happened.

5. Amount of storage space. Now, the use of this space is often very poorly thought out (didn't come with any trays or dividers, etc), but there is more storage space in the interior than I expected. Nice bonus.

6. Convenience of the App combined with Watchla. I really, really enjoy being able to use various functions, schedule them, keep an eye on my car's charging status, security cameras, etc, all via my phone and Apple Watch. I knew this would be good going in, but didn't realize how much I would like it.

About as expected:

1. Infotainment quality - it's more responsive than I expected, but there are some stupid UI decision that were made. I was generally able to use it effectively, but it's not as polished as carplay - not even close.

2. The built in NAV is a bit less sophisticated than expected, particularly with perspective, 3d views, etc. REALLY MISS WAZE. The fact I can't get police alerts on the screen really sucks.

Worse than expected:

1. Total lack of some very obvious ergonomic things that other cars have gotten right for decades. No sunglasses holder. Cup holders suck (no spring tension clips). No grab handle for passengers. Very deep center console departments with no organization, makes things disappear into the abyss. Frunk is hard plastic and not lined, so you hear things sliding around. No convenient dedicated storage space for the charging adapter (I need to use it every time at my apartment). Certain functions just should have used traditional buttons. I feel like Tesla could have asked a focus group of like 10 totally average people about these things and they would have been fixed.

2. Dynamics: Okay, this was my biggest surprise. The suspension on the car really sucks for performance driving. The Golf with stock suspension is in a completely different league. I had heard people saying it wasn't great, but it's honestly a lot worse than I expected. This one is interesting to me because I can feel some good things chassis-wise, but they are hidden behind tons of soft rubber. I almost feel like soft bushings are the biggest problem with the car, and then secondarily that it is under sprung. When you make inputs you can literally feel deflection as it happens - a great way to feel this in the steering is to drive about 80mph, brake decently hard (not engaging abs) to load the front suspension, and then slowly turn. You'll feel the bushings deflect under load. When you are pushing the car in the corners, you need to be very deliberate and careful in your steering inputs and wait, wait, wait for the weight transfer.

On the flip side, from what I can feel I believe this can be fixed pretty easily with bushings and coilovers. I am really, really looking forward to seeing what this chassis and powertrain can do with a sorted suspension. If I can sort that out and get some of the driving dynamics up to where I'd like them, I think the car will be a real winner for me.

It’s a heavy car. From a performance Ice car driver it won’t “feel” great but you can mod it to be capable. For daily driving and freeway on and off ramps it’s great.

As for the compartments. Amazon has a bunch of budget sliding trays for the center console. The aftermarket support is pretty nuts on gadgets and accessories. Get a few generic usb controllers for the games also.
 
So this happened a lot quicker than expected! My delivery date for my blue Tesla was Sept, but I got a call from Tesla over the weekend saying that they had a brand new Red/white that I could take THIS WEEKEND! So despite my preference for blue, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and jump on it. Got the text at 2PM Friday, arranged financing and did everything through the app by 5PM, and took delivery today.

So, here's my feedback!

Better than expected:

1. Usable power at any time. I knew this going in, and it's still slower than the Golf once you get over 80, but I think it will be fine for me. I don't feel like it's tremendously slower and I will make more use of the 60-100 than the 80-130, so I will say that I'm pretty happy with this. Still want more power, of course, but it's just fine for now.

2. Trunk opening - yes, a hatchback is better, but the opening here is one of the largest I've had so it helps take the edge off it not being a hatchback. This is still a downside compared to the golf, and a significant one - but not quite as bad as I had imagined.

3. Fit and finish - no panel gaps, no rattles, etc. I went over the car with a fine tooth comb before accepting delivery and could not find anything wrong with it.

4. I am surprised how some things I viewed as gimmicks might actually be nice, for example the games. You can't make this up - a family member was giving me a ride to get the Tesla, and on the way back he was following me to their place for dinner. The transmission on their 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum Max exploded and dumped transmission fluid all over the highway and we were stuck waiting for AAA for a couple of hours. We passed the time sitting and playing Chess in the Tesla. Never in a million years would have thought having a game on your car would be useful, but it happened.

5. Amount of storage space. Now, the use of this space is often very poorly thought out (didn't come with any trays or dividers, etc), but there is more storage space in the interior than I expected. Nice bonus.

6. Convenience of the App combined with Watchla. I really, really enjoy being able to use various functions, schedule them, keep an eye on my car's charging status, security cameras, etc, all via my phone and Apple Watch. I knew this would be good going in, but didn't realize how much I would like it.

About as expected:

1. Infotainment quality - it's more responsive than I expected, but there are some stupid UI decision that were made. I was generally able to use it effectively, but it's not as polished as carplay - not even close.

2. The built in NAV is a bit less sophisticated than expected, particularly with perspective, 3d views, etc. REALLY MISS WAZE. The fact I can't get police alerts on the screen really sucks.

Worse than expected:

1. Total lack of some very obvious ergonomic things that other cars have gotten right for decades. No sunglasses holder. Cup holders suck (no spring tension clips). No grab handle for passengers. Very deep center console departments with no organization, makes things disappear into the abyss. Frunk is hard plastic and not lined, so you hear things sliding around. No convenient dedicated storage space for the charging adapter (I need to use it every time at my apartment). Certain functions just should have used traditional buttons. I feel like Tesla could have asked a focus group of like 10 totally average people about these things and they would have been fixed.

2. Dynamics: Okay, this was my biggest surprise. The suspension on the car really sucks for performance driving. The Golf with stock suspension is in a completely different league. I had heard people saying it wasn't great, but it's honestly a lot worse than I expected. This one is interesting to me because I can feel some good things chassis-wise, but they are hidden behind tons of soft rubber. I almost feel like soft bushings are the biggest problem with the car, and then secondarily that it is under sprung. When you make inputs you can literally feel deflection as it happens - a great way to feel this in the steering is to drive about 80mph, brake decently hard (not engaging abs) to load the front suspension, and then slowly turn. You'll feel the bushings deflect under load. When you are pushing the car in the corners, you need to be very deliberate and careful in your steering inputs and wait, wait, wait for the weight transfer.

On the flip side, from what I can feel I believe this can be fixed pretty easily with bushings and coilovers. I am really, really looking forward to seeing what this chassis and powertrain can do with a sorted suspension. If I can sort that out and get some of the driving dynamics up to where I'd like them, I think the car will be a real winner for me.
Glad you are enjoying the car dude.

Coilovers make the M3P a completely different monster, trust me, worth every penny. I would recommend MPP Sport or KW. If you want and if you can swing it, I also recommend wheels and tires. Differentiate the car from the rest and it improves the handling significantly.