Owning two Teslas now

[mattack4000]

Yeah I am dumb, I decided the best strategy with owning Tesla is to buy another one so you can have a backup car with autopilot in case your primary car has to spend time at the shop. Anyway the 3/Y are the latest and greatest, especially if you read every review and post about them. Yet after driving my new one, I can't say I would pick that over my older X, cost aside. I have been driving a X for 2.5 years, maybe I am just a little spoiled. I had super high expectations for the 3, but I came out more impressed with the X more than anything else. Here are several key factors why I like the X more.

(Not in order)
1. The automatic doors. It's such a chore to open the door on the 3, especially with how low the car sits. Half the time the door won't latch properly and I have to open and close again.
2. The center screen. I don't look at the dash much, but I absolutely love being able to look down and see my speed and have the navigation on the left side of the screen. The center screen just doesn't cut it for me.
3. I thought my X was getting noisier, but you will find the X to be super quiet after riding the 3.
4. While I don't have any consistent rattles or wind noise from the 3, but the car feels like it is haunted. It would make noise at random times for no reason. It can be perfect on one spot at 70, then it can be super noisy at 70 on the same exact type of pavement. Slight rattles, wind noise would just come out of no where.
5. The steering wheel feels way nicer than the 3, something about it. I can't tell you what it is.
6. Maybe it is because I am fat (200lbs), but I found the seats in 3 to not be comfortable. Backseat room is also not good either.
7. Suspension being able to soak up the bumps and more importantly it doesn't transmit vibration back into the car.
8. The big sunroof on the 3 is nice, well they are nice until you get into the X and being able to see everything.
9. I thought the 3 has this nice system, I found it better than average at best.

There are couple things I like on the 3 more than the X though, forget about cost and efficiency.

1. The little storage compartments, they are everywhere in the 3. X doesn't have much.
2. Armrest for the back captain seat
3. More nimble and easier to drive
4. Way smaller, great for parking
5. Overhead lights

 

[mswlogo]

Agree on lots of your points. I had a Model 3. And I really wanted an S or X after driving a loaner S.

I think the variation in Model 3 noise is the road texture. Some roads are quiet at 70. Then the texture changes (usually more worn roads) and it's pretty bad. Even the same road can change on different sections. There are quite a few simple DIY mods for model 3 that help a LITTLE.

I didn't want to be to invested in Tesla so I basically swapped the Model 3 for a Volt and Swapped my Jeep for Raven LR X.
Many ways I like the Volt more than the Model 3. One big one is, it's a lot quieter. But the dealers are dumber than brick getting them fixed. Chevy service makes Tesla Service look awesome.

 

[MattUNI]

We are going full Tesla as well. Bought a 3 in late 2018 and take delivery of our 2020 MX tomorrow (in theory). I'm excited to be fully electric!

 

[mattack4000]

I ditched my volt because I hated it so much. It had poor visibility compare to the 3, weird interface and a cramped feeling interior. Worst of all, the gas engine was rubbing against some insulation and made a burning smell. I prefer my smart car over the volt.

Agree on lots of your points. I had a Model 3. And I really wanted an S or X after driving a loaner S.

I think the variation in Model 3 noise is the road texture. Some roads are quiet at 70. Then the texture changes (usually more worn roads) and it's pretty bad. Even the same road can change on different sections. There are quite a few simple DIY mods for model 3 that help a LITTLE.

I didn't want to be to invested in Tesla so I basically swapped the Model 3 for a Volt and Swapped my Jeep for Raven LR X.
Many ways I like the Volt more than the Model 3. One big one is, it's a lot quieter. But the dealers are dumber than brick getting them fixed. Chevy service makes Tesla Service look awesome.

 

[forkee]

same here. started with a 3. got the X. sold 3 and got a 2nd X, lol

 

[bob_p]

X & S come with foam insert tires, which helps reduce road noise.

Do the 3 & Y have the same tires, or as part of the cost reduction, do they have standard tires?

Our first Tesla (2012 S P85) didn't have the foam insert tires, and we noticed the reduction in road noise when we got our 2017 S 100D which had the quiet(er) tires.

 

[Qbenjamin]

The ONLY thing that I liked about the 3 over the X, is the awesome efficiency. The X is a big girl and the range inefficiency seriously shows that in comparison to the petite 3.

 

[mswlogo]

The ONLY thing that I liked about the 3 over the X, is the awesome efficiency. The X is a big girl and the range inefficiency seriously shows that in comparison to the petite 3.

The X seems to hit a wall on efficiency as it gets cold. Mostly due to lost regret. Model 3 seemed more gradual loss. If it’s below 45F my wh/mi jumps to 350 or more. If it’s above 45F with 50% or more regen it’s well under 300. I was getting 260 wh/mi the other day when it was 60F. Never saw a snow flake on the battery all Winter.

I could get 230 wh/mi on an AWD Model 3 with 19” in summer. And probably 300 winter. With lifetime of 270. 18” snow tires.

On Model X I hope to average 300 year round. 270 summer and 350 winter. Something like that. Have not run a full year to know yet but that’s where it’s headed. 20” summer 19” inch OEM winter. Always have range mode on.

Never preheat either car or precondition the battery.

So 30-40 wh/mi more isn’t bad at all.

 

[lowtek]

Picking up the wifeys Model Y tomorrow, we’re officially “all-in”

 

[Qbenjamin]

The X seems to hit a wall on efficiency as it gets cold. Mostly due to lost regret. Model 3 seemed more gradual loss. If it’s below 45F my wh/mi jumps to 350 or more. If it’s above 45F with 50% or more regen it’s well under 300. I was getting 260 wh/mi the other day when it was 60F. Never saw a snow flake on the battery all Winter.

I could get 230 wh/mi on an AWD Model 3 with 19” in summer. And probably 300 winter. With lifetime of 270. 18” snow tires.

On Model X I hope to average 300 year round. 270 summer and 350 winter. Something like that. Have not run a full year to know yet but that’s where it’s headed. 20” summer 19” inch OEM winter. Always have range mode on.

Never preheat either car or precondition the battery.

So 30-40 wh/mi more isn’t bad at all.

The newer models must be much more efficient, or it could also be that the "P" models are just inefficient overall. I never saw anything less than 450 Wh/mi when it was less than 45F outside, I've even had several trips in the 600's (very short commutes of < 5 miles).

 

[mattack4000]

I was at about 380 in the summer, 400-410 in mild bay area winter on a non raven. I didn't drive the 3 long enough, it does have the performance tires so I understand it will be noisier than the other cars. Still, the difference is pretty big between the two cars and I had just complained about how noisy the X is now compare to new

 

[lowtek]

I've even had several trips in the 600's (very short commutes of < 5 miles)

As a new X owner, it's going to be a while before I see any efficiency .. it's a lot of fun to drive

 

[mswlogo]

The newer models must be much more efficient, or it could also be that the "P" models are just inefficient overall. I never saw anything less than 450 Wh/mi when it was less than 45F outside, I've even had several trips in the 600's (very short commutes of < 5 miles).

Mine was a P (stealth). And I live in New England (one year and 10K miles).

20" P+ tires will eat range for sure.

 

[jboy210]

Picking up the wifeys Model Y tomorrow, we’re officially “all-in”

I would love to hear your comparison between the two.

Given that our household is just my wife and I the Y makes better financial sense than our X. But I love the space of the X and our 3 feels very cramped in comparison.

 

[zwz002]

I would say the combination of a 3/Y and S/X would be ideal. I don't have a Y, but after owning the other three models, I feel like this combo would give you all the options out there. LR 3 or Y would have the new tech and range, S/X for the comfort and space.

 

[BayArea_David]

My family also went total EVs starting 2016 and no looking back. I am driving a 2016 Model X and
wife who owned a 2016 Model S is driving a Model 3 P3D-.

I prefer my Model X among S/3 and my wife prefer her old S overall. My Model X is without
any issue for 3.5 years and it drives just like what I had initially (I don't care about the youtube/
netflix/games/FSD capabilities and I like to drive my Tesla and don't want the car to drive for me.)

I was thinking to go for Model Y but eventually decided not to do it based on my driving experience
of Model 3. For me, the X is very comfortable for the driver and passengers and provide space for
passengers and/or cargo.

I will keep my X until Tesla has major update on S/X or the availability of the Cybertruck.

 

[Brahane]

6. Maybe it is because I am fat (200lbs),

200lbs is fat? Then I must be considered an elephant at 265

 

[kingkong5]

We have two model S. Best cars we've owned. And since we both have S's, it's not problem to trade off or take the other one whenever we need to. Wifey came in from a Toyota Sienna, and I had a BMW M5. We're both happy.

 

[forkee]

I've even had several trips in the 600's (very short commutes of < 5 miles).

This is my issue. My work is 2 miles away. I average 500-600 throughout the week, and phantom drain takes the other 50%. Out of my 220 mi range, I get actual 80 miles per "tank" that lasts me a couple weeks if i didn't charge it the entire time.

 

[ChadS]

I think it would help if Tesla showed efficiency numbers in terms of wh/mile used to push the car, and a separate value showing wh/minute used to do other things - like heat the battery or cabin, or run Sentry Mode. If you back your car out of the garage on a cold day, and just sit in your driveway for a half an hour with the car on, and then drive back in to the garage - holy cow, will you have awful efficiency for that trip. The energy use won't actually be too ridiculous, especially given the number of minutes that you had the car on, but given that you drove almost 0 miles, energy/miles will be an enormous number.

Gas cars have the same issue. My last gas car, over a decade ago, was a 60/66mpg Honda Insight. On warm, flat 45mph trips to and from my father's house, I would get about 85mpg. But on cold, flat 4-mile trips to and from work (mixed speeds), I would get about 46mpg. One cold evening, stuck in a bad traffic jam with the heater on, I got 36mpg.

I eventually bought a block heater for it. I didn't save any money that way, but by heating the engine with electricity before driving on cold days, it was more efficient. My cold 4-mile trips to work went up to 55mpg or so, I think.

But more to the OP's point...we have a 3 and an X. I love my 3, and when the Y was first announced, I had hoped to replace my wife's X with the Y. But looking at all the stuff we'd give up if we got rid of the X...we are going to keep it. It is a fantastic road trip car, super easy to get our elderly passengers in and out, and super flexible for cargo.