Hello,
I have both Plaid and Long Range on order but having a difficult time deciding which one to take.
Long range is plenty fast for me but the idea of having the fastest car for just 50K more is very tempting. A lot of people said I will get "used to" the acceleration of Plaid and probably won't use it as often, and recommended to go with long range. So my question for the plaid owners is are you happy with your choice? Do you wish you saved 50k and got a longer range?
Thanks!
Copy and pasting from another thread.......
I just like that instant "traffic insertion" aspect of the car's acceleration ==> Point and Shoot, as they say! Makes merging, passing or rapid insertion into higher speed left/HOA lanes a dream. This. I'm able to get into spots on the Freeway with this car that I wouldn't attempt with a gas...
teslamotorsclub.com
"For perspective, there are very, very, very few production cars on the road that can accelerate from 0-60 in under 4.0 seconds. My 2014 Corvette, I think was marketed as having a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. Yet, on the street, I'll never come remotely close to that. With just rear wheel drive, the tire just light up any time you try. On a highly prepped race track where the launch areas are sticky as heck, can you possibly meet what most manufacturers claim their cars are capable of. With EV's, that instant torque, combined with All Wheel Drive make it easy to duplicate over and over in almost any situation. The Plaid is the exception if you want the 1.99 as you do have to go through the prep process that takes 15 minutes and is not practical on the street. But, even without the prep for launch mode, it still does 2.2 to 2.3. My point is, on the street, there's not very many ICE cars at all that could challenge even just the Long Range version of the Model S. Most ICE cars, on street tires on a typical road that has not been prepped specifically for drag racing, will struggle so badly just to get off the line. Watch any of the videos. The Tesla is 20 car lengths ahead before the other car gets into 2nd gear. The Dodge Hellcat, which I believe is capable of 0-60 in under 3 seconds (in perfect conditions), can only manage 0-60 times in the 4 second range on street tires on a typical street that is not prepped for racing.
The instant torque of an EV has spoiled driving any other car for me. Even my Corvette feels like a slug in comparison. I absolutely love the instant acceleration of an EV and could never go back to an ICE car as my every day driver. Not that long ago, there were very few cars that could get into the 3 second bracket for 0-60. For someone that doesn't floor the car all the time, I'm still blown away daily by how incredible even my 3.8 second LR MS is. Between that and loving never having to stop at a gas station are the two reasons why I will always be locked into EV's for the rest of my life. Or at least until "beam me up Scotty" is a reality!!?"
And another one related----
The chrome handles are a pain in the a living here in South Florida. Sitting in the sun, the handles get really hot to the touch. Build quality does not compare to Mercedes or BMW for the same price range. I have had all of them and I must say that the build quality is far superior on German...
teslamotorsclub.com
"I agree, I love it as well. My car is a slow poke at just 3.8 0-60 (LOL), but yes, I love the instant torque. At 1/4 throttle, I'm generally 10 car lengths ahead at take off from every traffic light. Not because I'm racing, but just because that's the way it is with EV's. I love it as well and agree whole heartedly. However, I never come close to using even the 3.8 0-60 capability I have. So for someone like me, who has maybe "floored it" 2-3 times since I bought it, having the ability to go 0-60 MPH in 1.9 seconds for $45,000 more dollars just doesn't rank on my list. I had a 2015 P90D. The only time I ever used it in that car was to show off to passengers who had never felt a car that could accelerate that quickly. Was a party trick that I never used in my every day driving. And back then, it was only a 3.0 second 0-60. That's why I "downgraded" to the Long Range this time around. But have never once felt like I'm missing something with my 3.8 second car. It's all a matter of preference for each particular buyer. Back when I was in my teens or 20's, I absolutely would have loved to have it. Back then, I was more than excited with my Camaro that covered 0-60 in about 6 or 7 seconds!!! Nowadays, even the cheapest econo cars are faster than that! My how times have changed!"
And one more (there are however countless discussions on the topic throughout the forum)
Porsche Taycan or Audi eTron GT or Mercedes EQS are decent substitutes, depending on what your priorities are. Personally I'm planning to replace my Model S with Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo, but the EQS came in second, and eTron GT RS came in third but would have been first if it was a hatchback...
teslamotorsclub.com
The Tesla "Plaid" version is a simple luxury for those that can afford it. $40,000 and the only difference is one accelerates quicker than the other. That's always been the case with the "Performance" version of Tesla. Especially on the S & X, Tesla charges astronomically for that acceleration. But, was originally a $10,000 premium. Then went to $20,000, then $30,000, then $40,000. It think it was up to $50,000 at one point, But, as demand declined, it came back down. Used to be $20,000 for the "P" version, then another $10,000 or $20,000 for the "Ludicrous" mode. In the past, you got red painted calipers included, as well as a spoiler that you can buy on E-bay for $89.00. But other than that, no other difference between the two.
The new Long Range version however, has "Insane" mode, which was the original mode offered when the P85D came out. It's 3.1 0-60 is basically exactly the same as the P85D or P90D was. I had one and used it as a party trick to show off to new passengers, who were shocked each time they felt it. It was $20,000 when I bit the bullet and bought it. Now, it's included for free with the Long Range Version. Can't imagine it wouldn't still shock passengers that have never felt a car than can do 0-60 in 3 seconds, which is faster than just about any car on the planet as it is.
1.99 seconds is beyond insane, yes. Actually, it's more like 2.2 - 2.3 seconds in real world driving without the "roll-out" and being in perfect conditions on a sticky race track, and after letting the car warm up and lower itself and engage "launch mode" etc. Still incredible no doubt. So, when that Ferrari or Lambo pulls up to you at the red light of an intersection and wants to race, you'll have to politely ask "would love to, but can you give me 10-15 minutes for my car to set itself up for launch mode?" Yeah, not going to happen. For the rare few that go to a drag strip regularly, then it clearly has all the value in the world. Other than the $2.4 million dollar Rimac Rivera, which does 0-60 in 1.8 and the 1/4 mile in 8.6 seconds, there won't be a production car at the track that can beat you. But, for those that will never take their car to a race track, I personally think "Insane Mode" offers nearly the same "wow" factor to passengers, just as it did in 2015 when the P85D / P90D came out.
While I can afford it, the reason I can afford it is partially attributed to being smart throughout the years. The sensible side in me can't bring myself to spend $40,000 simply to accelerate 0.8-0.9 seconds faster to 60. I NEVER used the P90D's performance except when demonstrating it to passengers. And 3 seconds 0-60 gave me a headache as it was. I only drove the Plaid for a short time, but can't imagine what 2.2 - 2.3 second repeated launches would do to my head!! Sure, it's a hell of a "WOW" factor. But, then for most, it never gets used beyond those demonstration moments. And the original Insane mode at 3.0-3.1 was always a hell of a "WOW" factor as it is. So to get that at no extra cost now, that's a pretty good deal. Even my current 2019 LR Raven at 3.8 0-60 is still far more than I ever use on the road. I think I've floored the car maybe twice since I bought it.
All depends on the user and how much they will actually use it. Most that I know with Tesla's say they never use it and just got it because it was the best of the best available, rather than because it was an option they would actually benefit from.
There's never been a dispute about Tesla's performance. They've set the bar and continued to raise it. 6 years in, there are still buyers willing to pay that $40,000 price tag simply for quicker acceleration, so Tesla will keep charging it as long as they can get it. Again, as with the 2019, eventually those buyers fade and the price comes down into the $10,000 to $20,000 range, until they release something new again.
With most high-end cars, when you purchase the "Performance" version of it (Mercedes AMG, BMW M, Audi RS, etc), that $40,000 gets you quite a bit more than just acceleration (sportier bodies, better wheels, better brakes, better suspension, spoilers, usually some upgraded interior pieces, etc). At $10,000 to $20,000, not so bad for what Tesla offers. At $40,000, regardless of the fact that it does accelerate quicker than any other production car, sending the kids to college or getting them a Model 3 for that $40,000 just seems to be a higher value!! LOL.
