Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

PROS/CONS - what makes you love your Tesla?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
<clip>........There is no consensus on the suspension. It's a love/hate thing in this forum, I think largely based on the road quality in various regions. I've opted to install MPP coilovers ($3500 installed, including alignment) and I'm very happy with the end result.

IMO, the harshness of the Model Y suspension has probably turned away more customers than Tesla expected.

This is the reason I am hesitant; I did take a test drive in a MYLR dual motor with 19" wheels a few months ago, and was completely surprised how harsh the ride was. Yes, the vehicle handles well, but if I wanted a sports car I would have kept my M240xi. I really hope that they address this. Why should someone who just paid $50K+ have to spend another $3500 to have a decent SUV ride? I clearly don't get it......
 
Quick introduction: I'm on the fence about getting a Model Y LR. I test drove one, and I've been reading a LOT about the car. In short, driving it sure was fun but I read some of the negatives and I wonder if it's really worth it. So...

What pros outweigh the cons for you, and make you love your car?
Not what features made you buy a Tesla Y (or 3), but what now makes you glad that you did?

Here's a quick list of some of the things I've read about, and I am concerned about, but couldn't really test on my test drive:
  1. Phantom braking so bad that some people don't even use AutoPilot, and no "ordinary" cruise control at all
  2. Auto headlights too unreliable to rely on
  3. Auto windshield wipers unreliable whereas other cars do it well
  4. no Apple / Android integration
  5. lots of issues playing music from USB (I'm old fashioned and like having my 10,000+ song collection on USB in my current vehicle)
    • it forgets where you were when you leave the car and get back in (that would really annoy me)
    • issues searching USB by voice commands
  6. paying luxury car price for the car but not getting luxury features common in other cars in this price range
  7. rear visibility - tiny rear window, small side mirrors, no blind spot warning like many other cars have now

I guess I'm wondering if I can't use AutoPilot, auto headlights & wipers, experience problems playing musing on USB, if rear view and blind spots are worse than my current car, would I really be happy with a Model Y? Or is driving it just that much fun?
#1. Depends on your software. When I first got the car I had zero issues with phantom braking, and even after my first software update it was fine... then after another software update it has rendered TACC useless and thus AP useless. I am hopeful that the next update will fix these issues. One of my problems with Tesla is that there is zero information given BY TESLA on what a given software update will do. We run on rumors and leaks that make their way to on line news outlets. If you go to the release notes IN THE CAR about a software update it is blank.
#2. Worse than any other cars auto headlights I have ever driven... luckily even though you are forced to have auto headlights selected in order to use AP, you can override it with the left stalk.
#3. Never had a problem with this so far, but I am pretty good about keeping my windshield clean. I suspect if I have a bug strike right over the camera it may go nuts on me, but so far so good.
#4. I use Android Auto in other cars for navigation and phone audio, but the Tesla built in Nav is pretty good, and Bluetooth audio streaming from my phone is excellent, so I don't need Android Auto in the Tesla. I can understand other people being upset about this though.
#5. No experience with this, my phone has 500 GB of storage so my entire music library is there and available via Bluetooth.
#6. You are paying luxury car prices for a giant battery, and electric motors that combine performance AND efficiency. Not a single Tesla (or other EV) on the market can compete on a luxury basis with a similarly priced luxury car. For example, the Chevy Bolt is a tinny little "hot hatch" style car that if powered by and ICE would be $20,000 to $25,000 and come with a sunroof and power seats. In the Bolt you pay (before discounts) $10,000 more than that and have no sunroof and manual seats.
7. Rear visibility is trash in the Y, but better in the 3. You do have blind spot warning, but it is NOT intuitive... you have to be looking at your center screen when changing lanes instead of looking in the mirror. To mitigate this, in the Tesla you can turn on the rear camera and the two rear looking side cameras... these provide excellent blind spot view.

What I love is the performance, the very fast charging speed, and (when it isn't screwed up by a software update) Auto Pilot. Even with a good software build I would prefer "dumb" cruise control instead of TACC, but we are not given that choice. Also, I have free charging at work, so my commuting cost is zero, and I charge up to 90% before the weekend and get some of my non-commuting miles for free :)

What I hate is being a Beta tester. As others have pointed out in this thread, TACC is BETA, Auto steer is BETA, auto wipers are BETA... these features have been in Beta for damn near a decade now. People seem to love having over the air software updates. I prefer having a car that has software that works and is stable.

Keith
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I took a 2nd test drive today and just place my order for a blue MY. Now the waiting begins.
I also want to add that: although I still have many reservations, such as I think a $50k+ car should have reliable cruise control, I want to make the leap into EVs and I think that Tesla has the best EVs currently out there.
 
I want to make the leap into EVs
This is an important point - switching to EVs take a bit of a leap and a paradigm shift. I think you have to want to make that change, and some of the new things get better as you get used to them, or get better with technological changes. For instance, it takes longer to "fuel" up, even at a Supercharger, so you have to mentally be OK with not stopping for 5 minutes at a gas station. Long trips take a little more pre-planning, because there isn't a place to stop for power on every corner, like there is in an ICE. But once you mentally make those preparations, you realize the benefits make it worthwhile. (For instance, I realized that if I spend an hour sitting at home in front of my computer answering emails, I can do that same thing spending an hour sitting in my car while it charges - the same time doing the same thing, just in a different place.)
 
This is an important point - switching to EVs take a bit of a leap and a paradigm shift. I think you have to want to make that change, and some of the new things get better as you get used to them, or get better with technological changes. For instance, it takes longer to "fuel" up, even at a Supercharger, so you have to mentally be OK with not stopping for 5 minutes at a gas station. Long trips take a little more pre-planning, because there isn't a place to stop for power on every corner, like there is in an ICE. But once you mentally make those preparations, you realize the benefits make it worthwhile. (For instance, I realized that if I spend an hour sitting at home in front of my computer answering emails, I can do that same thing spending an hour sitting in my car while it charges - the same time doing the same thing, just in a different place.)
EXACTLY! I have to say, taking an ICE road trip, it was easy to slide back into the 600 mile/7 minute fillup routine of the ICE, but the trade-off: odor, fuel spillage on my shoes, checking the oil, etc, made the ICE stop seem quite crude. It's definitely a paradigm shift, and it's...not...for...everyone...YET!
 
  • Love
Reactions: Deutsch100
... Long trips take a little more pre-planning, because there isn't a place to stop for power on every corner, like there is in an ICE.

Where most folks live, this is true, but if you want practice getting into the EV charging mindset, try what I did, unintentionally. ;)

My son and I took a road trip this past spring, where we meandered from the East Coast to the Grand Canyon, in an ICE vehicle because my Tesla MY was still on order.

I had never driven out West before. (I don't think rental cars within California really count.) On two different legs, I was seriously worried about running out of gas because I assumed gas stations would be more frequent. First, between Mesa Verde and the Grand Canyon, which is almost all 2-lane road through the Navajo Nation. Second, on I-40 between Albuquerque and Amarillo.

If I had been driving an EV, at least I would have known to plan ahead.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deutsch100
Quick introduction: I'm on the fence about getting a Model Y LR. I test drove one, and I've been reading a LOT about the car. In short, driving it sure was fun but I read some of the negatives and I wonder if it's really worth it. So...

What pros outweigh the cons for you, and make you love your car?
Not what features made you buy a Tesla Y (or 3), but what now makes you glad that you did?

Here's a quick list of some of the things I've read about, and I am concerned about, but couldn't really test on my test drive:
  1. Phantom braking so bad that some people don't even use AutoPilot, and no "ordinary" cruise control at all
  2. Auto headlights too unreliable to rely on
  3. Auto windshield wipers unreliable whereas other cars do it well
  4. no Apple / Android integration
  5. lots of issues playing music from USB (I'm old fashioned and like having my 10,000+ song collection on USB in my current vehicle)
    • it forgets where you were when you leave the car and get back in (that would really annoy me)
    • issues searching USB by voice commands
  6. paying luxury car price for the car but not getting luxury features common in other cars in this price range
  7. rear visibility - tiny rear window, small side mirrors, no blind spot warning like many other cars have now

I guess I'm wondering if I can't use AutoPilot, auto headlights & wipers, experience problems playing musing on USB, if rear view and blind spots are worse than my current car, would I really be happy with a Model Y? Or is driving it just that much fun?
I agree with your list of cons and there are many others as well. Not having HUD and BSM mirrors was big for me as was lack of cross traffic monitoring for backing out. However after owning the Model Y for 2 months now I must say the driving experience is excellent. Tesla gets a lot of things right, and it offsets the cons. I think as they grow as a car company they will improve in the areas where traditional cars are better (like air conditioning), but I don’t think the traditional manufacturers will catch up to Tesla’s electronic drive train for many years to come, and this is a huge part of EV ownership. I love my MY!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deutsch100
I agree with your list of cons and there are many others as well. Not having HUD and BSM mirrors was big for me as was lack of cross traffic monitoring for backing out. However after owning the Model Y for 2 months now I must say the driving experience is excellent. Tesla gets a lot of things right, and it offsets the cons. I think as they grow as a car company they will improve in the areas where traditional cars are better (like air conditioning), but I don’t think the traditional manufacturers will catch up to Tesla’s electronic drive train for many years to come, and this is a huge part of EV ownership. I love my MY!
(Huh? Once they corrected a faulty connection [plug wasn't fully inserted] behind the screen, my HVAC has been flawless for 13k miles)
 
I have now had my Model Y Performance a little over 2 weeks now. As with EVERY make and model, there are for sure pros & cons. While I have driven and owned almost every model from all Euro brands, the last 25 years have been primarily BMW, Range Rover (full size), Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar.

Model Y PROS:

-Not filling up at the gas station like most of my ICE cars required every week or so. So. California gas is right around $5/gallon too OUCH!
-Fast, intuitive and easy to use giant touchscreen.
-Very comfortable seats and the premium seating material is so buttery soft and smooth!
-Tesla app and phone as key are the best I have ever used!
-My paint and wheels are flawless and as good as any 6 figure car I have owned!
-F A S T.
-Great brakes.
-Auto Pilot is shockingly good and fun! I have used it since day 1 and have never had a single phantom brake experience. Fingers crossed.
-While not the best A/C (nothing beats Range Rover or Mercedes), the Model Y A/C is strong and cold enough...although the heat pump takes a little longer to blow cold like non-heat pump systems.

Model Y CONS:

-Very harsh and overly firm ride! Why Tesla?
-Build quality is for sure subpar, but honestly better than Tesla used to be. I was prepared for so many "OMG defects", that I was "pleasantly" surprised to not have as many build quality issues as expected or have seen on other Teslas!
-Constant and continuous light humming/buzzing, especially prominent when stopped. There is a BIG forum thread about this. Not an issue when driving, and if my MY was an ICE it would not even be an issue...but for an EV, I would like silence like my other EVs provided.
-The lack of Sirius/XM. When I have good cell service the Tesla Streaming music is awesome!!! But usually about 25% of my driving consists of the spinning wheel and no streaming music. I have started listening to FM radio again. The HD radio in the MY is awesome, but the commercials on most stations is so terrible and annoying. I am constantly channel surfing. I desperately miss Satellite radio!!!!!
-The inability to call Tesla, Tesla Financial or a Service Center. The app is great, but does not replace a real human. Tesla really needs to improve on contacting real customer service.
 
I have now had my Model Y Performance a little over 2 weeks now... Tesla really needs to improve on contacting real customer service.
For fun you should pop over to a VW thread about the ID4...wow, some real happy campers with their VW's technology and service. Speaking about support - there's always the Volt. Just don't park it indoors while we sort out our battery issues.

I'm continuing to enjoy my Y. Unlike any car I've ever owned (35 and counting). 7700 miles of smiling when I drive it.
 
For fun you should pop over to a VW thread about the ID4...wow, some real happy campers with their VW's technology and service. Speaking about support - there's always the Volt. Just don't park it indoors while we sort out our battery issues.

I'm continuing to enjoy my Y. Unlike any car I've ever owned (35 and counting). 7700 miles of smiling when I drive it.
This thread was about pros and cons of our Model Y, and I even began stating that there are pros and cons to every car. Not interested in an ID.4 or Volt/Bolt. If so, I would have bought one and joined one of their online forums ;)

There really is no need to go into full Tesla apologist/attack/defensive mode. I listed many great Pros about the Y. Breathe, relax.
I am genuinely happy your car is so perfect. Tesla however, like all brands, is so far from perfect.
 
This thread was about pros and cons of our Model Y, and I even began stating that there are pros and cons to every car. Not interested in an ID.4 or Volt/Bolt. If so, I would have bought one and joined one of their online forums ;)

There really is no need to go into full Tesla apologist/attack/defensive mode. I listed many great Pros about the Y. Breathe, relax.
I am genuinely happy your car is so perfect. Tesla however, like all brands, is so far from perfect.
All good here. I’m just a happy camper.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Deutsch100
I’ve had an MY LR for 3 months, 11K Mike’s including two long-distance trips (1,000 miles/day).

Agree with everyone’s points above and I’ll add a few more that took me by surprise:

PROs
- one-pedal driving is truly a joy. I only need to use the brake pedal a few times per week.
- can’t imagine ever buying another ICE, and at least right now, ever buying a non-Tesla.

CONs
- your real world “road trip range” is 120-140 miles between charges (15min stops charging to 60-70%). You get used to it, and it is leagues ahead of any other EV brand.
- paint quality is poor; clear coat is so soft even looking at it wrong seems to cause tiny scratches! There are hundreds of forum threads here about adding ceramic coatings for a reason!
 
I've read here that the
- paint quality is poor; clear coat is so soft even looking at it wrong seems to cause tiny scratches! There are hundreds of forum threads here about adding ceramic coatings for a reason!

I've read here that the reason for that is that they get shipped out as soon as they're made, whereas other vehicles tend to hand around at the factory for a while which gives the paint time to cure properly

No idea if this is really true or not though
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deutsch100
(Huh? Once they corrected a faulty connection [plug wasn't fully inserted] behind the screen, my HVAC has been flawless for 13k miles)
Well they haven't been able to fix mine yet. Still has episodes of warm air in AC mode. I think they may have made this HVAC system so complex they are having some difficulty diagnosing it. Other manufacturers have more years of experience designing automotive systems and probably have worked out more of the details of keeping passengers comfortable under varying conditions. I am glad to hear yours was able to be fixed though, that is encouraging!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deutsch100
RichBrowne was HARDLY "...full Tesla apologist/attack/defensive mode." Seriously. ;)
Yes, you are right :) Compared to some replies, this is not full defensive mode. My apologies.

I think many though need to come to a point where a Tesla shortcoming does not need to be defended or other brands brought up. My new MYP has a lot of PROS, but there are for sure some CONS (some big, some small).