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.
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.