Plaid S or Highland Model 3 Performance

[terranx]

Any idea on if the brakes on M3P are appropriate for the car? On the Plaid you really need the track package if you want the braking and acceleration balanced. The yoke is cool but I never got as good with it as a round steering wheel for spirited driving.

People always repeat this myth with nothing to back it up. Look up the Plaid's actual braking numbers compared to any other high end sedan. It matches or beats them on stopping distances. The track pack isn't going to dramatically improve that. You're at the limits of traction. Where the track pack will help is repeated stops / fade resistance (i.e what you would expect on the track).

Ultimately if you want a car that can stop drastically faster than it can accelerate, you're going to need something with less than 1k HP.

 

[oktane]

Interesting, I was under the impression that larger brakes would allow faster deceleration. As for limits of traction, I would assume the same limit applies to acceleration. Maybe a better ABS controller to modulate the limits. So in a perfectly tuned setup, acceleration and deceleration would be equal. Sounds like it's not possible with current braking technology.

 

[terranx]

Interesting, I was under the impression that larger brakes would allow faster deceleration. As for limits of traction, I would assume the same limit applies to acceleration. Maybe a better ABS controller to modulate the limits. So in a perfectly tuned setup, acceleration and deceleration would be equal. Sounds like it's not possible with current braking technology.

In most cars braking is far quicker than acceleration. In the Plaid they're near equal - that's due to being at the limits of traction in both directions. That tends to freak people out, but that's just reality in a car that can accelerate as fast as the Plaid. In just about any car, if you can trigger ABS, you're at the limits of traction for braking.

The larger diameter rotors allow for more consistent repeated stops. But that's not super relevant on the street.

 

[NeuroRad]

Everyone’s going to have their own personal preference.

For me, I’d never consider a model 3. It’s a tarted up rental car. The MSP is a proper sport sedan and has the stats and looks to back it up.

The plaid is completely dominant on the street. I personally haven’t had any issues with the brakes although the TP brakes wouldn’t hurt.

I do wish Tesla would assemble the S tighter as far as panel gaps go. That’s one area where the new 3 kills the S.

 

[terranx]

That’s one area where the new 3 kills the S.

I'm not sure that's even true for Fremont builds. Especially post layoff

 

[Krash]

I love the top end pull of the Plaid…

This. Carbon wrapped rotors for the win.

 

[Izzyz28]

Everyone’s going to have their own personal preference.

For me, I’d never consider a model 3. It’s a tarted up rental car. The MSP is a proper sport sedan and has the stats and looks to back it up.

The plaid is completely dominant on the street. I personally haven’t had any issues with the brakes although the TP brakes wouldn’t hurt.

I do wish Tesla would assemble the S tighter as far as panel gaps go. That’s one area where the new 3 kills the S.

Tarted up rental car is exactly how I felt about my M3P. The Plaid makes the 3 feel like a tin can. Brakes are fantastic, although I think that initially people are somewhat turned off by the feel. The work great on the street and the track(drag and road course), but will get hot after some abuse, which is to be expected in a 5,000 pound car. But yeah, on the street, nothing is going to touch it. Ok, maybe 1 in 10,000 cars and very few bikes have something for it. In the 3 it's pretty cool to line up against a 392 or Mustang or whatever and beat it to 60 or 100. In the Plaid its insanely fun to have a supercharged Z06 or heavily modded anything next to you, knowing they probably didn't bring enough for the family car.

 

[Kohley]

In most cars braking is far quicker than acceleration. In the Plaid they're near equal - that's due to being at the limits of traction in both directions. That tends to freak people out, but that's just reality in a car that can accelerate as fast as the Plaid. In just about any car, if you can trigger ABS, you're at the limits of traction for braking.

The larger diameter rotors allow for more consistent repeated stops. But that's not super relevant on the street.

I agree, If you want the plaid to stop faster with cold stock brakes you need a stickier tire or less weight, I can easily get into the ABS at 100+ mph 3 times in a row (in Mexico of course). I would suspect, but I don't know for sure, that the big brake kit from tesla would be slower to stop at high speed if the brakes are cold. The compound might require some heat for them to work well. If on a road course, then the better brakes are needed because of the heat, on the street they are not needed.

 

[amukaoen]

I had a Model 3 performance highland ordered the second it was announced especially once I saw it qualified for the tax credit.
For some reason I just didn't feel very excited though. I felt like I was missing out on something.

Later that night I watched this video and changed my mind. Ended up test driving a Plaid and buying it and cancelling the M3P

 

[oktane]

The Highland M3P needs about 300 more HP. I watched a few reviews and the reviewers seem to like the car but no one is blown away by the performance like the Plaid. Maybe the new Plaids get a better suspension?

I have 21" on my current Plaid, wondering if the next one I should do 19s instead for better range and comfort.

 

[Leftlane22]

I have 19s on my Plaid and it is super smooth and quiet. I don’t drive for efficiency so I have no idea how much it helps with range.

 

[Propofoln]

after having 2 MSP's I can say that Tesla prioritizes fixing issues in the 3 and Y way better than the S and X. They are the 90% seller. With that being said, why I don't own a Model S anymore is due to

1. Vibration issues- go to the Model S/X forum. Mine was bought back from Tesla for a 80+ mph vibration they couldn't fix
2, Rear tire wear- Plaid rear tires only last 8k miles. Negative camber from factory that has been a problem and unaddressed for 10+ years. Requires camber arm or shim fix which costs $$ and time

 

[canasion35]

I’d go for the S Plaid. The highland model 3 P just fell flat in terms of performance over the older M3P. I was hoping for like plaid top end acceleration (or close to it) but sigh. Tesla failed the assignment. Just a new front lip, rear spoiler, “active” dampers, seats, and wheels

 

[Propofoln]

I’d go for the S Plaid. The highland model 3 P just fell flat in terms of performance over the older M3P. I was hoping for like plaid top end acceleration (or close to it) but sigh. Tesla failed the assignment. Just a new front lip, rear spoiler, “active” dampers, seats, and wheels

quieter
better ride
looks better
wheels are bad ass and forged/staggered
led interior ambient lighting
sport seats

you seem like you lack education on what was done. Look, I have a Taycan Turbo but an super impressed with what Tesla has done with the refreshed 3P. MSP is a vibration clunker.

 

[NeuroRad]

Looks better? Come on.

 

[Daniel L]

Wow so many S Plaid choices over the 3. Put me in the other camp, I'd rather have the lighter weight of the 3 over the S. I don't need the space, we have bigger cars for that. Besides the driver display, I'm not sure there's anything on the S I'd be missing on the 3. Interior noise should be quite similar, the air suspension is probably more comfortable but I'd like a sporty ride on my own commuter car. The seats should be similar.

As to tarted up rental car, I confused my friend's refresh LR S when he first bought it in 2021 for a model 3.. just briefly and I consider myself a car AND Tesla enthusiast. Maybe it's because he had it wrapped in matte ppf.

The Plaid has so much power and it puts it down so easily that it's really easy to get in trouble. My wife drives like a grandma and she gets to 70 on local roads without even realizing it. I hit 120 just getting on the highway only to slow down drastically when merging. I haven't had a single car/driver try to drag race it on the street over the past 5 months of ownership.

Tuned properly, the adaptive damper + coil spring setup on the 3 should handle far better than the air suspension on the S. I can't think of a single sports car that has air suspension. I'm sure the 3P's acceleration is "good enough" up to 60 or 70. For my own wants/needs, I'll drive the kids around in the cush Plaid but I'd rather commute and go on fun drives in the new 3.

 

[canasion35]

quieter
better ride
looks better
wheels are bad ass and forged/staggered
led interior ambient lighting
sport seats

you seem like you lack education on what was done. Look, I have a Taycan Turbo but a super impressed with what Tesla has done with the refreshed 3P. MSP is a vibration clunker.

Hello? It seems you’re biased in your response based off your personal experience with an S…no? 3 of your 6 quoted items are subjective…the remaining are facts. Where does my lack of education factor into my earlier reply?

 

[TheHeez]

I’d go for the S Plaid. The highland model 3 P just fell flat in terms of performance over the older M3P. I was hoping for like plaid top end acceleration (or close to it) but sigh. Tesla failed the assignment. Just a new front lip, rear spoiler, “active” dampers, seats, and wheels

Calling it a “failed assignment” and having never driven one, and likely never seeing one in person, seems like a stretch. You could have just said, “I don’t like how it looks and it’s only .2 seconds faster to 100kmh”.

I think a Plaid is a dream car, but the new M3P is a lot of car for the money.

 

[Propofoln]

Looks better? Come on.

I meant looks better than previous 3. New tail lights look cool. Model S looks better than 3

 

[canasion35]

semantics at this point - the threads intent is which one would folks pick and why, just one opinion among others at the end of the day!