P85 vs P85+ Driving Differences

[Buster1]

Given two identical cars, the only difference being the "+" on one of them...which one would you choose and why?

I know about the physical differences of each model, but I'm curious also as to what the driving differences might feel like. Anyone driven both and able to offer up a comparo? I'm wondering if I would regret the + car with too firm a ride, but I've also read hear that it handles like it's on rails and the non + P85 has some body roll.

Thank you!

 

[bkp_duke]

non- plus def has body roll, nothing excessive, but noticeable.

If you like a very sporty feel (M3, Corvette, etc.) then the Plus is what to go for. If, however like me, a significant other will be driving frequently and hates that "hard" feel, you might consider the non-Plus P85.

 

[Buster1]

Thank you.

 

[blastum]

Plus likely has 21" wheels. No, thanks.

 

[smac]

I prefer the feel of the plus personally, it feels crisper in the corners.

I wouldn't chose one though, to get the whole experience you need the more expensive and damage prone rubber which cannot be rotated. Still, I like it when I get one as a loaner

 

[Chief holley]

I had to take my plus car in for a sun roof repair and I was given a non-plus as a loaner. To me, it felt like I was being blown all over the highway at higher speeds (loaners can only go 80 mph but I squeezed a few more!) and I did not like that. Other than that, it really didn't seemed that different.

 

[Markk993]

there are a ton of threads about this very subject that you should read....I struggled with the same question when I bought mine... I could not seem to justify the extra expense of the + and the fact that tires are more expensive and wear out more frequently. HOWEVER, I found a great deal on a used + and I could not be happier. The 21's do stiffen the ride a bit but the air suspension more than makes up for it so it is not an uncomfortable ride in the least...I had a loaner p85 a few months back and I think the difference is staggering (pun intended). The non + version is floaty and had more of a body roll which is very noticeable with a car with "P" power. After driving my + for a while I almost felt "less safe" in the normal P car. The + is much more "planted" on the road and handles so much better. accelerating through a corner was scary at first but I assume it is what you are used to and how you drive. So for me the only down side to the + is tire wear and the fact that you cannot rotate tires but that is a trade off I am so glad I made.

the other thing to consider (and what you didn't tell us) is what the configuration is on the P85. We can assume the + has 21s and air suspension. Does the P85 have air and 19's? if so there would be a significantly different ride. If the P is a coil car and/or has 21's then the gap narrows in my opinion.

I don't know if this is a fair comparison but to me I feel like the P car drives more like a Cadillac or a town car and the + car drives more like a BMW / Mercedes. More precise and a little more road feel.

Had i not bought the + I think I would have been very happy with a P85, Like i said it is what you get used to and you dont know what you are missing. But now that I have a + i am so grateful that I bought it. To me, hands down, the + car is much more fun to drive and a much better car. My vote would be to get the + without a question.

 

[Markk993]

One last though.. I have heard of some people who have + cars and switched the 21s to 19's or after market 20s both of which would "soften" the ride a little and still be less "floaty than a P85. ..

Hey just noticed you are in LV too... LOL

 

[Markk993]

Try this thread

P85+ loaner vs 85D

 

[Nick B]

I have a P85+ and I've switched out the 21 inch for 19 non staggered michelin pilot tires (don't exactly remember the tire's exact name).

I was given a P85 loaner and it felt like driving a boat (it had air too). Now there's no doubt that the 21 inch staggered setup is most likely the best setup for the car's performance but the 19 inch feel extremely stable and were much more confortable as well as much less expensive and prone to damage. I can manage 70 000 km's with one set of 19 inch tires (you can rotate them) as opposed to around 12 000 km's with the recommanded 21 inch pilot super sports (for the rears). Also, the tires cost about 60% of the price of the 21 inch setup.

My wife does not find the suspension to be rough and nor did my parents who drive a Lexus. I also live in Montréal where the roads are quite literally a mess.

 

[Buster1]

Man, you guys ain't making this easy! Thanks for the great advice, keep 'em coming!

Seems like maybe the expensive tires, might be the chief drawback for the + models.

Oh, and as a reference, I've owned and driven two Corvettes over the years, and a Ford Fusion Hybrid for the last 7 years. Both have their advantages of course. Maybe the Vettes are similar to the P85+ in body roll, grip, acceleration, etc?

 

[Xenoilphobe]

I had had both a P85 and a P85+ and replaced the P85 with a 90D. My 15 year old son said it best - the P85+ with the 19inch Michelin's is the best ride you can get.. The car carves the road like a razor through butter, the 90D and P85 not so much.

The staggered 21's are for looks, yes it carves better, but then again I am in traffic in Northern Virginia and the only thing you are carving is the toll booth on 267.... so who cares... P85+ suspension is very tight - I hope Tesla comes out with a P150D+ in the future..

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

the 21" wheels suck compared to light 19" with sticky tires.
I had one P85+ loaner but it was wet for most of the time I had it and could not tell the difference between that car on the 21" summers and mine on 19" all seasons at the time.
I would get the + if I had the choice and the price was similar but a bunch of the price was the 21" staggered wheels. I prefer staggered 19" wheels/tires (RE71R) for 'spirited' driving much better but a square setup would be fine and I actually have a lot of fun with slippery tires

 

[Markk993]

I would get the + with the 21s... if you wanted to down you road you could switch them for 19s and likely be able to trade them out with someone on the forum for a minimal cost... there are a ton of people looking to switch in both directions or that are buying aftermarket rims and want to get rid of the factory ones... This way you are at least starting with a superior car and if the tire wear is scary then switch them out. Personally I like the look of the 21s better and the Las Vegas roads are really not that bad at all to worry about damage.

Just do it!!

One other thing.... as a Las Vegas resident as well... I am wondering where you are buying the car from. A CPO? A private seller? a Local dealer? The reason I ask is that in Nevada private sale vehicles are not subject to sales tax. I bought mine privately (after the original owner purchased the extended warranty) and saved myself about 6K in taxes... Just curious.

 

[Buster1]

Thanks guys! Great info.

Mark, I am looking at CPO cars. I haven't considered a private seller as I was under the assumption that I would not get the CPO warranty with buying in that method. Am I wrong? That's great advice though and I'd love to save some cash on taxes and such if possible. But since this is my first adventure with an EV, I'm putting a solid warranty and battery warranty way high on my list of MUST HAVEs.

 

[Markk993]

They recently changed the warranty rules but you should check. It used to be that only the original owner can purchase the Extended warranty. That is why i had the owner do it before I purchased the car and added the cost to the price. the benefit is that I still had 2 years of the original and 4 additional years... with a CPO you just get 4 years and 50K in mileage in addition to what is already on the car. My way I am covered for 6 years (5 now) as opposed to 4... However the Extended warranty has a $200 deductible per warranty visit. If I were you I would talk to the sales person or call Tesla directly and get the story straight from the horses mouth. The real advantage of the CPO is that usually Tesla has already changed out anything that is even remotely suspect but knowing i had 2 years of original warranty i did not see that as too much of an obstacle. Do yourself a favor and call Tesla directly and have them explain it all to you... With Nevada sales taxes at 9%+ on 70K you are looking at $6300... or there about. Also keep in mind when budgeting that you will be likely spending over 1K per year on license plate renewal... you can go on the DMV website and get an estimate... Mine was around $1100... last year but it goes down every year as you know...in terms of insurance the Tesla is about $20 a month more than my Cayenne was... Figure about $800-$1200 to get a home charger installed... you need a permit but the up side is you get a break on your electric bill. Also dont forget to deduct the amount of money you would have spent on gas!!

Hope that helps

 

[Buster1]

Thanks Mark, sent you a PM.

 

[JST]

The price difference for the + when I was buying my new car back in 2013 was just crazy, in part because of the mandatory air suspension and 21" wheels, neither of which I planned to get.

On the CPO market the delta is a lot more reasonable (or at least it was when I bought my new-to-me CPO 2014), so when a P85+ in the right color with the right options came up, it was a no-brainer. I definitely prefer the suspension on the +, and I don't think the ride is particularly unpleasant or aggressive by performance sedan standards.

The 21s are heavy and impractical, but god they look sexy.

 

[TravisT]

non- plus def has body roll, nothing excessive, but noticeable.

If you like a very sporty feel (M3, Corvette, etc.) then the Plus is what to go for. If, however like me, a significant other will be driving frequently and hates that "hard" feel, you might consider the non-Plus P85.

Err...I just ordered a CPO P85+ for my significant other. She's coming from a Lincoln MKZ and had a Land Cruiser and 7-series BMW before that. I hope the suspension isn't to hard for her liking. It might have to become my car if so.

 

[cab]

I agonized over this a bit when CPO shopping. Ultimately, I ended up with a P85+ and although I've gone back and forth on it, I have decided I like the plus suspension. The ride does let a bit more road surface busyness into the cabin, but this heavy car is just better controlled. I noticed the delta when I had a regular P85 loaner. The latter would simply lean and wallow more under hard turns or more sudden maneuvers/ acceleration. However, I did swap out to the 19" rims. Although they do smooth out the bumps a bit more, the primary reason I did it was noise level...PS2s are just not as quiet on our grooved concrete freeways. My wife never complains about the ride quality and she drives the car more than I do these days!

I will say the one thing you need to take into account is the roads YOU drive on regularly. If they are crappy, then you probably want to forego any suspension that will "remind" you of that every second!