Potential M3 LR buyer questions

[John L]

Returning to the original thread topic... about a week ago I e-mailed Tesla sales asking whether there were any plans to open sales/service outlets in Cumbria/Lancashire. Disappointingly, I have received no reply, which suggests that there are no such plans, at least none that they are willing to make public. So it seems I shall be keeping the oily Merc for the time being.

 

[MrBadger]

Disappointingly, I have received no reply, which suggests that there are no such plans, at least none that they are willing to make public.

Or simply normal for Tesla.

 

[John L]

And then, as if Tesla reads this forum, I got a reply! In the negative but at least it was a reply. No plans for the north west it seems.

A classic example of chicken and egg: insufficient sales to justify a service centre and, as a result, a continuing lack of sales. Apparently Elon himself said recently that the principal barrier to sales was the lack of local service infrastructure. Hardly, ahem, rocket science!

 

[Dangerous Fish]

And then, as if Tesla reads this forum, I got a reply! In the negative but at least it was a reply. No plans for the north west it seems.

A classic example of chicken and egg: insufficient sales to justify a service centre and, as a result, a continuing lack of sales. Apparently Elon himself said recently that the principal barrier to sales was the lack of local service infrastructure. Hardly, ahem, rocket science!

The only barrier currently is battery supply. Tesla can sell all the cars they make but they're limited by cell production. As they make and sell more cars they will invest in more Superchargers and SCs.

 

[GrumpyManUK]

I went from a VW Caddy van to M3P. The internal sound difference, surprisingly, is remarkable.

 

[Yachtsman]

I went from a VW Caddy van to M3P. The internal sound difference, surprisingly, is remarkable.

In what way remarkakable?

 

[Wattsisname]

Road noise: newer 2021 double pane / laminated glass is definitely an improvement on the 2019 (have owned both). Acceptable IMO.

Tyres: Getting a spare for your garage isn’t that hard or too expensive if you’re not bothered what it looks like for the 3 days you might use it. If you do get a flat away from home you will be waiting for a flatbed - car can’t be towed on 2 wheels.

Servicing: there is none!! but if you buy new, expect 2 trips in the first year for manufacturing defects, after that you should be fine.

We went from an S class Merc to Model 3 LR.
They aren't in the same league and at first you may wonder what you are paying for.
Stick with it though, the Tesla is fun and a pleasure to drive. It's also way, way cheaper to operate!
I'll soon be celebrating my 2nd anniversary with the Model 3 and I have no wish to change it.
I was planning to buy a Model Y when they came out but I've changed my mind and will stick with the Model 3. I would never go back to ICE.
There are a host of really good EVs coming to market shortly and they look very tempting until you drive any distance and realise just how good the Tesla Supercharging network is. I'm looking forward to heading up to Scotland again when it opens - a simple journey that becomes an adventure in anything other than a Tesla. As for that trip to S of France I'm resigned to the fact that France is probably a Non for 2021 but it hasn't prevented me for tapping the address into the screen and seeing how easy it would have been.
As far as servicing is concerned I wouldn't worry since there is nowt to service. I shall have the brake fluid and cabin filter replaced in a couple of months time and that will be it, I think. When you get your car, examine it carefully and report the faults on the app - many of them may be sorted by a visit from a Ranger. The Ranger service is much better than I expected - very competent techs in my experience.
Punctures are a worry and I am surprised I haven't had one yet. I used to get them regularly with runflat P Zero's.
I have a can of Holt's gloop in the boot if the dreaded day comes.
My other concern is that there was a shortage of suitable tyres in the UK since January - I don't know if this situation has improved recently, no doubt someone will put my mind at ease (or not!)

MY on order. My only anxiety is re punctures. My run flat experience with the X3 had me carrying a jack and spare for the lsat three puncture free years. Do the gloops work?

Why ( rhetorically)does the aftermarket industry not offer a nice skinny spare and jack,

 

[Adopado]

Why ( rhetorically)does the aftermarket industry not offer a nice skinny spare and jack,

It does.

Unfortunately the size of modern wheel tyre combinations make even a "space saver" pretty enormous. You would be surprised how much boot space they take up.

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

Bit of a thread resurrection

The goo is said not to work well because the tyres are foam lined for acoustic benefits.

And in the US you can get a space saver spare, they just don’t seem to have reached Europe yet.

 

[init6]

Road hero spare wheel kit

Anyone got any experience of these kits? I got a screw in my tyre, not a disaster, but enough to make me think. Having had loooooong waits in the past for rescue, I'd like the reassurance of having an actual physical spare, at least on longer trips. Any thoughts?

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Xdama]

MY on order. My only anxiety is re punctures. My run flat experience with the X3 had me carrying a jack and spare for the lsat three puncture free years. Do the gloops work?

Why ( rhetorically)does the aftermarket industry not offer a nice skinny spare and jack,

Weight saving being the main thing for a manufacturer, any weight savings increase range (or MPG in an ICE). Then of course there’s the issue that the skinnies are rated at 50MPH and range of 50 miles, yet I’ve seen any number of cars batting down the motorway with one fitted at full (if not more than) the legal limit. This makes them dangerous when used by idiots and then finally as has been pointed out most drivers nowadays can’t change a wheel anyway, so call recovery.

 

[Wattsisname]

Weight saving being the main thing for a manufacturer, any weight savings increase range (or MPG in an ICE). Then of course there’s the issue that the skinnies are rated at 50MPH and range of 50 miles, yet I’ve seen any number of cars batting down the motorway with one fitted at full (if not more than) the legal limit. This makes them dangerous when used by idiots and then finally as has been pointed out most drivers nowadays can’t change a wheel anyway, so call recovery.

Understood.

All vehicles, including electric scooters, are dangerous in the hands of idiots.

If I can carry a spare, even if I don't want to dirty my hands, the breakdown service can change it. Otherwise, we have to be covered for a premium relay service. I have since noticed thinner, though not full space savers, wheels available on line. They claim to fit.

 

[GRiLLA]

Understood.

All vehicles, including electric scooters, are dangerous in the hands of idiots.

If I can carry a spare, even if I don't want to dirty my hands, the breakdown service can change it. Otherwise, we have to be covered for a premium relay service. I have since noticed thinner, though not full space savers, wheels available on line. They claim to fit.

Break down services typically arrive with universal spare wheels in their van, why would you need to carry it around everywhere for them ?

AA Multi-fit spare wheel | AA

the AA has a solution for vehicles with no spare wheel or multiple punctures. Thee AA multi-fit spare wheel

www.theaa.com

 

[Wattsisname]

Break down services typically arrive with universal spare wheels in their van, why would you need to carry it around everywhere for them ?

AA Multi-fit spare wheel | AA

the AA has a solution for vehicles with no spare wheel or multiple punctures. Thee AA multi-fit spare wheel

www.theaa.com

Thank you. To answer you : I was unware of that.
However I will check it out.

The RAC service for Europe could not help in France with a spare and so I carry my own at present.

 

[Peteski]

I carry a couple of cans of foam and a worm-plugging kit.

 

[Peteski]

The RAC service for Europe could not help in France with a spare and so I carry my own at present.

I'm planning a trip to France this summer. So what happened in that case, presuming you had a puncture out on the road in France?