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P85D (pre/post April) ride performance
- Thread starter marty2112
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
My P85D is stiffer and less compliant than any sports car I've ever owned and I always opt for the sport suspension when available. The P85+ loaner is softer yet very sporty. It's the perfect balance of sport for the street. My p85d feels like it was tuned for a smooth bump free road course. It's way too much for street driving.
Thx my freind and a belated happy birthday yesterday.... if Ken, Henrik and I had known we would had sang you a birthday song yesterday in our skype session (maybe in Danish) :biggrin:
It is funny you say it. My P85D finished production 10th of April. I feel every stone and "un-evenness" in the road... Must admit i compared to my Audi A8 (D3) and i kind of like it but also I find it too rough sometimes.
Guess i wanna try a post april P85D.
Torben_E
It is funny you say it. My P85D finished production 10th of April. I feel every stone and "un-evenness" in the road... Must admit i compared to my Audi A8 (D3) and i kind of like it but also I find it too rough sometimes.
Guess i wanna try a post april P85D.
Torben_E
Think of the rectangle formed by top/bottom of your tires, one for front and back. Sways reduce the tendency for a parallelogram to form, when side loaded.
My opinion is that sways begin to matter more, when you aren't taming the high roll-center that an engine produces. Roll and sway are different because you can keep this rectangle and still have an elevated mass keel over on its side. The lower the origin of this roll (and the more it is dialed out by SAS doing its thing), the more you can focus only on what is happening side to side, in turns. Since sway bars don't really become springs until you are turning, you get to enjoy a softer ride in a straight line. This is where I like Tesla's sway bar, ball-joint and bushing evolution. They seem to be realizing the dividends aren't as high, when they reach for stiffer shocks and springs. So, personally, I find it more agreeable they went with one [SAS] spring unit, even if I'd much rather a Performance car have cockpit adjustable shock valving, than ride height.
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+1 dynamic shocks are one of my most loved features about my M3. It's not only dynamically settable, but the damping rate can be adjusted 1000 times per second, which means better dynamic handling characteristics and still a mellow ride over bad roads.
lolachampcar
Well-Known Member
I can not say with absolute certainty but I believe Tesla has only used one air spring rate (combination) and one coil spring rate (combination) so far.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
Then how would that explain the different measurements people seem to be getting?
The parts catalog is clearly not complete then as the sway bar measurements have varied quite drastically.
Apparently this is a matter of preference and some are happy with their vehicle configuration in either case. Sadly I am not one of them. And additionally I have not found that Tesla is doing right by their customers by avoiding this issue. No one at the service center or at vehicle delivery has been able to answer questions about this topic.
So I am wondering, how are people on this thread feeling about it? Are there folks that are unhappy with their suspension and would like the other?
I am facing the difficult decision to return / sale my car. And sadly it is not necessarily because of the suspension but rather from the lack of attention that Tesla has paid to my questions.
Thoughts?
So I am wondering, how are people on this thread feeling about it? Are there folks that are unhappy with their suspension and would like the other?
I am facing the difficult decision to return / sale my car. And sadly it is not necessarily because of the suspension but rather from the lack of attention that Tesla has paid to my questions.
Thoughts?
I've got a fairly early production P85D... Should I measure something for you guys?
I used to have a P85+. The P85D is much more stable on the freeway than the P85+. The P85D is also a little more stiff, feels like less play in the suspension but it still rides smooth, just less play and a slightly stiffer ride.
I used to have a P85+. The P85D is much more stable on the freeway than the P85+. The P85D is also a little more stiff, feels like less play in the suspension but it still rides smooth, just less play and a slightly stiffer ride.
@bradhs, Thanks for the offer. The only thing I can think of is measuring the sway bar diameters and getting the struts' part numbers. However probably not worth your time. Others here have confirmed that the sway bar diameters changed (got smaller) for cars built in April 2015.
Your comment about the P85+ are helpful to me. While my car was at the SC for a couple of problems I got a P85+ loaner. After 50 yards I commented on how much more responsive the steering was on that car than mine. It had less roll on turns and in general felt more stable at speed. I attributed what I am calling stability to the reduced roll and possibly stiffer ride.
The P85D I test drove felt like that P85+, possibly stiffer but I can't remember. Regardless, the P85D I test drove and the P85+ loaner were stiffer and more responsive than the P85D I have.
Still wondering if anybody else that feels they got a different car than what they test drove has been successful at getting Tesla to comment or act on this. Any help would be appreciated.
Your comment about the P85+ are helpful to me. While my car was at the SC for a couple of problems I got a P85+ loaner. After 50 yards I commented on how much more responsive the steering was on that car than mine. It had less roll on turns and in general felt more stable at speed. I attributed what I am calling stability to the reduced roll and possibly stiffer ride.
The P85D I test drove felt like that P85+, possibly stiffer but I can't remember. Regardless, the P85D I test drove and the P85+ loaner were stiffer and more responsive than the P85D I have.
Still wondering if anybody else that feels they got a different car than what they test drove has been successful at getting Tesla to comment or act on this. Any help would be appreciated.
lolachampcar
Well-Known Member
My P+ on air springs was slightly more compliant in bump then my PD and slightly less compliant when moved the P+ to coils. Roll stiffness was significantly more on the P+ as was understeer tendency although that is likely due to the PD's ability to pull the front wheels through a corner instead of the rear wheels pushing the fronts.
I agree with lolachampcar. Similar experience. While I liked the software ride of the P85+ I didn't like the driving dynamics or high speed freeway driving as much as I do in the P85D. As for stiffness, I wouldn't mind it being less stiff when I've got guests in the car, which is rare anyway. Maybe tire and rim size has a little to do with it? I have the staggered set up with 265's in the rear, I know some P85D's shipped without this setup, 245's all around.
I still can´t fathom why Tesla removed the performance suspension!?! It is the main thing holding me back from ordering a P90D, as I currently have a P85+. I do NOT want a mushier ride with worse steering feel.
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[QUOTE
Still wondering if anybody else that feels they got a different car than what they test drove has been successful at getting Tesla to comment or act on this. Any help would be appreciated.[/QUOTE]
Yes, the demo cars at Tesla still have the stiffer suspension, so it is really a different feel compared to the car that you will get when ordering. It´s really annoying that Tesla and sales rep´s have so little insight in this matter.
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[QUOTE
Still wondering if anybody else that feels they got a different car than what they test drove has been successful at getting Tesla to comment or act on this. Any help would be appreciated.[/QUOTE]
Yes, the demo cars at Tesla still have the stiffer suspension, so it is really a different feel compared to the car that you will get when ordering. It´s really annoying that Tesla and sales rep´s have so little insight in this matter.
Yes, the demo cars at Tesla still have the stiffer suspension, so it is really a different feel compared to the car that you will get when ordering. It´s really annoying that Tesla and sales rep´s have so little insight in this matter.[/QUOTE]
But do the demo P90Ds still have the stiffer suspension? This is what you should test drive.
Niclas, we ordered our P85D at the reveal event and it was delivered in 2014. The suspension got progressively worse as we kept putting miles on it. The car was so stiff that it rattled like a cheap sh*tbox. On days when I wanted to drive a comfy car, I drove my 800HP 911 turbo with racing coilovers. It's hilarious and sad at the same time.
It sounds harsh but as a shareholder and someone waiting for a 4th Tesla product (Model X Sig), I will reserve the right to be harsh. They will never turn a 5000lb sedan into anything track-ready, so having GT3RS or McLaren suspension on P85D was a dumb commercial decision. In my business when loyal customers talk, WE D*MN LISTEN and take action proactively! I am glad they fixed it.
I now have the "standard" suspension on it and the car is not any mushier than an M5 we used to have.
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