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Question: Time to buy a newer car?

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Moderator note (bmah): The first three posts in this thread were moved from the Software 2018.39.6 thread.

I would appreciate feedback from people who have newer Tesla S cars. I currently own a Tesla S (85 KWh) that was built in March of 2015 and has about 12K Miles. Would buying a new 2018 Tesla S (100 D) really enhance my driving experience with V9 and future SW releases? Will Tesla continue to upgrade their computing HW or they have reached a plateau? If I buy the new Tesla I could gift my old Tesla S to our son. Thanks.
 
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I would appreciate feedback from people who have newer Tesla S cars. I currently own a Tesla S (85 KWh) that was built in March of 2015 and has about 12K Miles. Would buying a new 2018 Tesla S (100 D) really enhance my driving experience with V9 and future SW releases? Will Tesla continue to upgrade their computing HW or they have reached a plateau? If I buy the new Tesla I could gift my old Tesla S to our son. Thanks.

If you buy FSD they will upgrade the computer hardware only to AP3 which is scheduled to debut in spring 2019.
P.S. lucky kid! The vehicles go the other way for me (to my Dad).
 
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I would appreciate feedback from people who have newer Tesla S cars. I currently own a Tesla S (85 KWh) that was built in March of 2015 and has about 12K Miles. Would buying a new 2018 Tesla S (100 D) really enhance my driving experience with V9 and future SW releases? Will Tesla continue to upgrade their computing HW or they have reached a plateau? If I buy the new Tesla I could gift my old Tesla S to our son. Thanks.

I have not received v9 yet but did recently trade in my 2015 85D on a 2018 100D. Even without the new firmware, I felt the move was worth it. The 2018 has much better fit and finish, is more responsive, and quieter. With the MCU2 the screen renders much more quickly and the browser is actually usable. The added 70 miles of range is great as well. I am impatiently waiting now for the update, currently on 32.4. Go for it. Your son will love the 85.
 
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I don't have a newer Model S, but I think it's worth representing the other side of this debate. Asking for responses only from those who upgraded is going to create a lot of sample bias in the advice you get. Apologies if that's what you wanted. :)

Upgrading from an ICE car to a March '15 Tesla was a huge jump. Your money bought you all the perks of an EV powertrain, OTA updates, great performance and handling, environmental friendliness, and Autopilot.

The difference between a '15 Tesla and an '18 Tesla is nowhere near the difference between an ICE vehicle and a '15 Tesla. The biggest difference is the AP2 hardware. Some day that will be huge (for me, that day is when I can push a button and go to sleep or pull out my laptop). But is today's AP2, improved fit and finish, bigger HEPA filter, and better soundproofing really worth the cost of upgrading (about $25-35k by my estimate)?

If it is, by all means do it. But be honest with yourself about what specific new stuff you're getting, and how much it's worth to you. To me, that list is a lot less exciting than what we got three years ago when we bought our first Tesla (ours is a March '15, too).
 
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We have a 2015 and 2018 Model S and while the new one has a faster MCU, is quieter inside, and BT phone works better (could be related to the noise level in the car), nothing really which even remotely makes me think of upgrading the 2015. I'm more likely to trade it for a Taycan if I like it when it comes out next year (willing to give up some 0-60 performance for better phone integration, some physical buttons, not losing functionality like recent v9 update, and not having to wait for years to get features I paid for already and possibly never getting them). I would also lose the + suspension in the process, plus have to do a bunch of work to move my radar/laser system from old car to new, so not tempted at all. If my 2015 was a single motor I would have a bit more motivation since I really like the dual motor, but even so, I probably wouldn't.
 
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I've got a 2014 pre-AP car, and a 2017 AP2.5 car. The number of subtle improvements that have been made over the years is extremely impressive, and the 2017 is an all-around much better car.

That being said, no way do I think its worth the cost of the upgrade. Keep in mind there are some significant downsides to the newer cars. The frunk is substantially smaller. The new seats, which are very supportive and great for around town are not as comfortable for long trips. A lot of the paint colors and interior options have gone away as well.
 
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Firmware 9.0 does have some new features your AP1 car can't use.

We know that Tesla will have at least one hardware upgrade in the future - they are going to a custom system on a chip for AP sometime next spring of thereabouts.

My thinking is since I have an AP car, I'm waiting until Tesla delivers a level 3 freeway car.

They think they can do that with AP2 hardware. That may be the case; it may not. Even if it is, they may discover that minor additions to the hardware will make a much better car as they finally get the software sorted - in which case I expect a new hardware version not long after they release level 3.

You're in the same position, though it sounds like your budget isn't as tight. My logic might work for you, or you could buy the latest and hope Tesla guessed well before.
 
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The only thing you'll really gain is a facelift and AP2.5. Since you only drive 12K miles per 3 years, is that really worth it?
On the other hand, if you can just casually give that car to your son, and then go out and spend another $80k+ like it's no big deal, then why not?
 
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I have not received v9 yet but did recently trade in my 2015 85D on a 2018 100D. Even without the new firmware, I felt the move was worth it. The 2018 has much better fit and finish, is more responsive, and quieter. With the MCU2 the screen renders much more quickly and the browser is actually usable. The added 70 miles of range is great as well. I am impatiently waiting now for the update, currently on 32.4. Go for it. Your son will love the 85.

Excellent point about the extra 70 mile range. That would be handy when we make our trip from our house in Overland Park, KS to our son's condo in Verona, WI. Hope you got your V9 update. I am eagerly waiting on the next version with "Drive to NAV" option which should be very interesting.
 
Firmware 9.0 does have some new features your AP1 car can't use.

We know that Tesla will have at least one hardware upgrade in the future - they are going to a custom system on a chip for AP sometime next spring of thereabouts.

My thinking is since I have an AP car, I'm waiting until Tesla delivers a level 3 freeway car.

They think they can do that with AP2 hardware. That may be the case; it may not. Even if it is, they may discover that minor additions to the hardware will make a much better car as they finally get the software sorted - in which case I expect a new hardware version not long after they release level 3.

You're in the same position, though it sounds like your budget isn't as tight. My logic might work for you, or you could buy the latest and hope Tesla guessed well before.

Very thoughtful and excellent points. At level of HW will Tesla support full autonomous driving? That is the dilemma I am facing. Buy a 2018 model (and hope they can deliver it on it) or wait for a while until I have better visibility ?
 
The biggest thing I notice when driving an older loaner (two 2015 S cars so far) is how noisy they are. I do prefer the newer center console, but other than that, there really isn't any compelling differences with the newer car. Once (if) FSD starts being delivered, the story will change.
 
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Very thoughtful and excellent points. At level of HW will Tesla support full autonomous driving? That is the dilemma I am facing. Buy a 2018 model (and hope they can deliver it on it) or wait for a while until I have better visibility ?

That is certainly the $64k question, and I'm not sure anyone including folks inside Tesla has that answer yet.

Tesla thinks they can make it work with 2.0 and 2.5, possibly with sensor or processor updates, but until they get working software approved, it's possible they'll end up needing something else.
 
I have not received v9 yet but did recently trade in my 2015 85D on a 2018 100D. Even without the new firmware, I felt the move was worth it. The 2018 has much better fit and finish, is more responsive, and quieter. With the MCU2 the screen renders much more quickly and the browser is actually usable. The added 70 miles of range is great as well. I am impatiently waiting now for the update, currently on 32.4. Go for it. Your son will love the 85.

Yesterday I had taken my car for its first service. At my request they gave me a brand new Tesla S P100D as a loaner. I must say that I liked it very much. The seats and the cabin are much better than my 2015 Tesla S. I liked the AP2.5 and displays.

Since I have very few miles and my car and it looks like new I might wait until Tesla comes up with their own AI chip and AP3 within the next 9-12 months. I think that might be a point where Tesla technology would plateau (hardware wise). This would obviate the need to buy any more new cars. I guess sunny will have a wait for a while or he gets his own Model 3!