Random thoughts after driving my wife's (pretty nice) ICE vehicle for the first time in a while:

[dfwatt]

• Wait - why is the car so cold, and why isn't it ready to go once I fasten the seat belt??
• How do I start this thing again?? Oh, right, push button on the dash...
• What's all that RACKET?!? Oh, right - ICE, and diesel, to boot...
• Arrrgghhh - I didn't mean to activate the wipers!!
• Where's the shifter again - oh, yeah - that big lever in the console
• Whoa - started moving as soon as I shifted - hit the brakes, quick!
• What's all that RACKET?!? - part deux
• Noise changed - oh, right, this thing has a transmission!
• (approaching a stoplight) - Brakes, brakes, brakes!
• (squeezes throttle) - 425+ lb. ft. of torque at ~1300 rpm used to seem like a LOT! Now, notsomuch, at least compared with 475 lb. ft. @ ZERO rpm.
• Wow - the B&O audio definitely doesn't sound as good as the system in my M3P
• (squints) - How am I supposed to see the NAV on that tiny screen?!?!
• Sure wish these seats were as comfy as mine...
• I'm in a parking spot - why is the engine still running?
• (walks away from the car) LOCK ALREADY, stupid car!

Don't get me wrong, hers is a nice car and we've enjoyed owning it, but my paradigm has permanently shifted!

Great list.

I get into my somewhat souped up Lexus IS 350 (~325 hp) with its track-level shocks and suspension and Michelin SuperSport tires, and think:
1) WTF! Something must be seriously wrong with the engine. This thing used to be fast, now I floor it, and it sort of oozes forward, making a God-awful racket! Parking brake must be on . . .but where is that thing?
2) Somebody REALLLLLLY F-ed up the seats! They suck! There is no comfortable driving position!
3) Every bump, crack, and road imperfection hammers me - rides like a frickin' tank, so where's the kidney belt??
4) Bend it into a curve . . . at last . . . . something the car doesn't suck at! Hah!
5) Needs gas all the time. What happened to the 100+MPG? Gas stations . . .are GROSS!
5) Who replaced the panel with this POS cell phone screen? Where is the mic button? Whataya mean the NAV system won't accept verbal commands!

Geeez - somebody must have really messed this car up while it's been parked in the garage for 5-6 months! Who knew we had frickin' gremlins living in the garage!!

 

[PhatCat]

My guess would be, "priorities." Once another company has the vast majority of things Tesla has deemed most important (I won't list them), then I'll start to feel the same way.

Yep. Fart app.

 

[Gavyne]

Yep. Fart app.

More like Sentry Mode, Dog Mode, and remote climate controls all of which are nonexistent in ICE vehicles. I would rate any of these things to be higher priorities than having the car read texts to you. The thing is people shouldn't be bothering with texting in the first place while driving a car. But if you must hear the text messages, your iphone/androids already read texts out loud for you.

 

[stickman]

I agree advanced text to speech and speech to text would be nice, and certainly easily implementable if Tesla desires to do it. Which is one of the mind blowing things about this car; serious functional updates over the air.

Oh and I have noticed some of the things from these lists switching back to our highlander after the 3. Yesterday I got out of it and realized I was about to close the door and leave the keys (which I had to fumble for when coming back to the car with my hands full) in the ignition.

 

[skitown]

Yep. Fart app.

Yes, I'm sure that Andrej Karpathy's team is intensely focused on Fart App 2. /s

 

[StealthP3D]

What I notice most when I have to drive an ICE car are the vibrations, low frequency sounds and the disconnect from the foot controls and the cars motion.

When I drive either of our Model 3's I feel like I'm directly connected to the car's movements, like the car is responding to my thoughts. ICE cars feel disconnected, like a bucket of bolts, even high-end European Sport-Touring Sedans. And they feel extremely slow and heavy (even when the Model 3's are actually heavier). And the brakes feel crude and imprecise. I don't feel as young and agile when I drive an ICE car and this makes me feel more vulnerable in traffic. The Model 3 makes me feel like I'm in better and more immediate control of my position relative to other cars.

 

[Zcd1]

When I drive either of our Model 3's I feel like I'm directly connected to the car's movements, like the car is responding to my thoughts...

Exactly - does exactly what I want, at the instant I want it to - THAT'S what makes it such a kick to drive!

 

[Zcd1]

• Wait - why is the car so cold, and why isn't it ready to go once I fasten the seat belt??
• How do I start this thing again?? Oh, right, push button on the dash...
• What's all that RACKET?!? Oh, right - ICE, and diesel, to boot...
• Arrrgghhh - I didn't mean to activate the wipers!!
• Where's the shifter again - oh, yeah - that big lever in the console
• Whoa - started moving as soon as I shifted - hit the brakes, quick!
• What's all that RACKET?!? - part deux
• Noise changed - oh, right, this thing has a transmission!
• (approaching a stoplight) - Brakes, brakes, brakes!
• (squeezes throttle) - 425+ lb. ft. of torque at ~1300 rpm used to seem like a LOT! Now, notsomuch, at least compared with 475 lb. ft. @ ZERO rpm.
• Wow - the B&O audio definitely doesn't sound as good as the system in my M3P
• (squints) - How am I supposed to see the NAV on that tiny screen?!?!
• Sure wish these seats were as comfy as mine...
• I'm in a parking spot - why is the engine still running?
• (walks away from the car) LOCK ALREADY, stupid car!

Don't get me wrong, hers is a nice car and we've enjoyed owning it, but my paradigm has permanently shifted!

More random thoughts after a road-trip in the Q5:

• Sure wish my car were as quiet as this one
• turbo lag SUCKS
• seats aren't as comfortable as I thought they were, pre-Model 3.
• gas pumps, especially diesel fuel pumps, are dirty and smelly
• while the ability to coast at times is nice, 2-pedal driving at all times isn't.
• the infotainment system is downright primitive. Voice recognition is hit and miss (mostly miss) and searching for a POI in the NAV is ridiculously convoluted and complicated. Say what you will about a big screen controlling everything and the distractions it brings, it's the UI that's key, and Tesla's is miles better than the others.

The Model 3 really would benefit from additional sound insulation (from the factory). Can't wait to drive it again on Monday, though!

 

[pdxrunr]

For those of you renting ICE cars when you travel, check out the app Turo. Another paradigm shift is renting a Tesla when you’re away from home. Driving “my” car when I am away from home is fantastic. Stay in hotels with destination chargers means no fuel costs, and most hosts will pick you up curb side at the airport so its way quicker than the rental counter as well. You can rent model 3’s in most places for less than $100 per day, and of course S or X if you need more room on certain trips.

 

[mswlogo]

Biggest thing I notice is how quiet my Jeep Summit (has V6) and Chevy Volt (engine running) compared to excessively loud Model 3 on the highway.

You’re wife has a POS diesel. What do you expect.

 

[dfwatt]

Old but gold: Test drive of a petrol car

That piece is frikin hysterical!! Will send to all the petrol heads that I still unfortunately know.

 

[dfwatt]

More random thoughts after a road-trip in the Q5:

• Sure wish my car were as quiet as this one
• turbo lag SUCKS
• seats aren't as comfortable as I thought they were, pre-Model 3.
• gas pumps, especially diesel fuel pumps, are dirty and smelly
• while the ability to coast at times is nice, 2-pedal driving at all times isn't.
• the infotainment system is downright primitive. Voice recognition is hit and miss (mostly miss) and searching for a POI in the NAV is ridiculously convoluted and complicated. Say what you will about a big screen controlling everything and the distractions it brings, it's the UI that's key, and Tesla's is miles better than the others.

The Model 3 really would benefit from additional sound insulation (from the factory). Can't wait to drive it again on Monday, though!

Very funny!!

Realizing that with Dog Mode, Sentry Mode, and all its other super advanced features, Tesla Model 3 lacks one badly need OS upgrade: Crabby Wife Mode. This can be automatically activated when car detects female passenger, esp. early in AM without sufficient caffeinated beverage. CWM has three levels of intervention. Initially, it activates aromatherapy module, with choice of spouse-approved flavors (Chamomile, Lavender, etc). No man-cave flavor options, as these have been shown to increase spousal crabbiness.

If this is not successful in reducing crabby comments coming from passenger seat, Crabby Wife Mode then activates the Fart App but without cumbersome manual driver intervention. If crabby comments continue, Fart App volume gradually ramps up to max level of 100 db, many times louder than stock, turning your sleek Model 3 into a 'fartmobile' - audible from several blocks away. Gives new meaning to the "Falcon Heavy" setting. This typically causes terminal embarrassment for Spouse - guys of course just don't care.

Finally, if this too is unsuccessful, dumps small bucket of cold water on spousal unit. This last feature however requires aftermarket re-plumbing, which is expected to blunt widespread adoption, despite extremely high ratings in market testing research.

 

[Venomized]

I keep getting out of the car in park with the keys in the ignition and car still running I’m so used to putting model 3 in park and getting out.

 

[mosttoys]

Also playing Devil's advocate. My wife and I take a winter ski trip every year from Seattle to Sun Valley Idaho.
I can't even imagine driving my Tesla Model 3 Performance or any other Model 3 on that trip.
It is a 11 hour drive straight with my Jeep Grand Cherokee loaded. One year it was a horrible winter and the entire drive was below freezing and was -20 below zero F over the last 3 hours of the trip.

Using the comment of why is this car so cold... can you imagine only running the Tesla with heated seats to save power on that kind of a drive and how long that drive would have taken with reduced range.

Also... I have had comments of why do you have a garage door opener on your sun visor.. Geez a car this techie and pricey they took out homelink and made it only an option?

The Model 3 is in our CA home in Palm Springs and is absolutely perfect to drive in this environment and all of the pluses of electric over ICE definitely apply.