Sorry, but I must disagree with you too.The problems arise for the Model 3 just as they do with many ICE. When the car is cold-soaked, especially with snow, the window drop and door handles can freeze. I have had that myself when i lived in inclement climes and encountered the same problems. Preheating is needed only when the car is cold-soaked. During the day, after the initial heating one would need to stay a very long time to encounter the problem again. It is not to say it could not happen, but in those areas where that is likely there are often block heaters in parking spots that can be used to offset re-preheat usage (of course most places where that problem might be frequent are very cold areas where ICE need block heaters. For people who've never had a modern car with window drop to facilitate door opening and closing, much of this is irrelevant. For them it is mostly just freezing door locks. I used to have that problem with a BMW 535, and carried a small fireplace lighter to open the locks and defrost door seals. Frankly, I detested that process, but moving to a sub-tropical location did solve it for me. Sadly, many people must still endure those misfortunes. Anyway, the Model 3 is one of the few that such a morning preheat can easily be used to eliminate the problem. Really, do you have that problem when your car is in a closed parking garage, even if unheated? If so, this could be a different problem than I understand it to be.
I appreciate the civil disocurse here instead of it turning to attacking each other (as other threads seem too
).
On the garage point, that is an exaggeration on my part I appoligoze for. It is enclosed and typically stays above freezing, so I do not anticipate it being an issue, but it it becomes one, I do not have any service to the car.
As for the cold soaking, I disagree. The one time I experienced this so far, I had driven for 3 or 4 hours, parked for an hour in about 30° F temp, and the door was stuck opening. No precipitation at all.
I also owned a frameless door car, a Scion FRS (aka Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ) for 50-60k miles (forget now) and drove it in any and all snow storms (studded Nokians and aaLSD FTW). I can only remember a handful of times the latch stuck, most after very wet precipitation (rain, ice, sleet, ext). This was not a common problem I had on that car or others.
I can tell you I do not know anyone who has to car tools to daily get into their car.
I think we can agree that the mass buying public expects to be able to get into their car 100% of the time and can tolerate when it doesn't work during certain circumstances (heavy snow, ice, freezing rain, ext). But if it becomes common during normal winter circumstances (i.e. no precipitation and not super freezing cold) there will be frustration and harm done to Teala's reputation.
I also ask where you are located. You mention block heaters; this is not a common thing in much of the US; i can say I do not know anyone in NE that has one or would even know what it is, minus some diesel cars and heavy trucks. I know they are internationally (I tried to get one on my Audi, EU has them, not even in parts catalog in US), but not most of the US.
Thanks for the thought discussion!
