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Refreshed “2021” Model 3 Performance Waiting Room

Eddie1218

Member
Aug 23, 2020
205
197
San Diego
That’s great to hear, thanks! Overall cabin/wind noise is good too? Hopefully we pass each other on the roads in Dallas, you’ve got a great spec.
In hindsight I was worried when I heard ppl complaining about wind and tire noise. Got caught up with all that. I guess it depends what your previous car was. I came from a hellcat and this is very quite to me. The cabin is far from church quite though. I wish it did make more sounds. I like when you stomp it and you hear some electrical motor sounds. Maybe in the future we will be able to pump some synthesized sounds into the cabin. I wouldn't do an exotic ICE sounds . Probably "The Jetsons" sound.
 

TBrownTX

Member
Dec 25, 2020
381
436
Dallas, TX
In hindsight I was worried when I heard ppl complaining about wind and tire noise. Got caught up with all that. I guess it depends what your previous car was. I came from a hellcat and this is very quite to me. The cabin is far from church quite though. I wish it did make more sounds. I like when you stomp it and you hear some electrical motor sounds. Maybe in the future we will be able to pump some synthesized sounds into the cabin. I wouldn't do an exotic ICE sounds . Probably "The Jetsons" sound.

Yes it's different. I'm coming from a Cadillac Coupe. Prior to that, I had a Mustang. What impresses me is the power it can put down, with absolutely no slip. It just takes off like a bat out of hell. I can tell its heavier than my Cadillac or Mustang, you feel it a bit in the corners and stopping, but it's still amazingly agile for a 4000+ pound car.

I suspect the car can do more than my driving abilities would safely allow, but all in all, I'd trade the little bit of extra weight, lack of cool exhaust sound, and maybe some handling/braking for the rocket ship based technology that is the M3P.

My decision was between a CT5-V and the MP3. I test drove them back to back. I was in love with the Caddy, but didn't make it out of the parking lot w/ the Tesla before changing my mind. As a package, its simply amazing. Are there better handing cars? Sure. Do others brake better? Yup. Do they measure up to the Tesla overall, no way.

Tim
 
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m3ira

Member
Mar 15, 2021
30
32
Dallas
Sounds amazing. Jag and Porsche seem to have created some cool sounds but I prefer Tesla’s approach. By the way, I’m in Plano! My last car was a Civic but have spent time in friend’s Lexus/BMW/Audi’s so was hoping to emulate that refinement.
 
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TBrownTX

Member
Dec 25, 2020
381
436
Dallas, TX
Sounds amazing. Jag and Porsche seem to have created some cool sounds but I prefer Tesla’s approach. By the way, I’m in Plano! My last car was a Civic but have spent time in friend’s Lexus/BMW/Audi’s so was hoping to emulate that refinement.

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. In fact, those cars will feel simply obsolete to you soon enough.

Tim
 
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JohnnyEV

Member
Feb 16, 2021
95
94
Bay Area, CA
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. In fact, those cars will feel simply obsolete to you soon enough.

Tim
+1 came from a 392 Scat pack...thought I would miss the growl, but I don't and I definitely don't miss the paranoia of stomping on it then looking around for cops lol. Now as far as wind noise it's not that bad, and maybe even more quiet depending on what you are used to. If you are coming from a luxury car Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, etc it will be louder though as they are usually "Silent as the grave" at least mines were.
 
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UnderCharged

Member
Dec 25, 2018
132
94
Maryland
I'm actually looking forward to the cabin being quiet, I'm coming from a 04 rsx and this thing rattles and the suspension creaks all the time. Handling is subpar and let's not even talk about acceleration.

Come on March 27
 
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Dec 2, 2020
141
59
Las Vegas, NV
It’s me again, the annoying guy dreaming about air suspension.... To those that have accepted delivery, can you please speak to the ride quality of the car? Is it overly rough? Or stiff in a sporty way? I have never driven the Performance...

Thanks Eddie for mentioning your thoughts!
OK, here’s the thing:

Just as soon as you push it hard or you have bumps you can feel how it’s kind of riding on it’s bump stops

As you go into compression the spring rate gets dramatically higher

The car is tuned for a decent ride under slow or moderate driving conditions and smooth roads

When you get deep into the bump stops it wants to sort of pop back up, and this tends to make it a little bit skittish in bumpy corners

I actually got a little out of sorts coming around the corner last night and I think the lack of steering feel led me into overcontrolling it. Hard to judge the countersteer without that yaw feedback through the wheel.

Part of it could be the stability nanny cutting in as I correct, or bad alignment.

This car does have some significant torque steer.

I’ve only have 80 miles on it, but whatever it is i find this car hard to place precisely in low speed corners, worse with accel/decel, but it is not as bad when in track mode.

Apparently there is no way to use the Nav in track mode?

The ride is a little rough.

MPP makes bushings that are supposed to improve steering feel, going to have to get those, and their coilovers for sure.

You probably need full suspension and more rubber to get the handling even close to the power this car has.

It’s kind of a drag racer!
 
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Mahamilto

Member
Feb 20, 2021
93
88
New York, NY
I thought it wasn’t rough at all during my test drive. I’m also in the camp that a sports car is supposed to ride like, well, a sports car. If I wanted smooth/soft I wouldn’t have gone with the performance...

coming from someone who had a 2004 Corvette Targa and 2009 CTS-V (the real V with 556hp), felt the M3P was smoother than both by a large margin and still had more go kart feel than either (probably the weight distribution tbh)
 

jkcb78

Member
Mar 9, 2021
8
19
Cincinnati
Is your going through Chicago too? That's what my local SA said, it's on truck to Chicago. Once it reaches there is when they'll setup delivery.
Not sure about the route. All I know is that I got a text message telling me to setup delivery. Given that the earliest option for delivery was a week and a half away I was assuming my car was still in Cali.
 
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nick0188

New Member
Feb 17, 2021
2
6
Pittsburgh
Commenting on the ride quality: I came from a 2011 GTI on coilovers, a 2013 S4 with electronic adjustable dampers and 1" lowering springs and my wife still has a 2016 Audi Q5. So I feel like I have experience with a broad spectrum. I find the ride to be really nice. A bit stiff in some instances, but not at all unpleasant. I would not want it any softer for certain.

I have Eibach springs and swayers here going on this weekend, so I will comment back again afterward. Mine is a 2021, about 2 weeks old with ~250 miles.
 

m3ira

Member
Mar 15, 2021
30
32
Dallas
So interesting to see the varied takes of the ride quality. Of course everything is relative to the cars we are coming from, but nonetheless all of this is very helpful! Great to hear the ride is nice coming from a history of Audi's. Likewise interesting to hear about how the car feels at the "edge cases" that @SummerlinChiro described. Lots of detail, much appreciated...

Lack of steering feel is something I picked up on too when test driving the LR. I accelerated hard while making a sharp left turn at a traffic light and felt a bit blind trying to position it in the inner-most lane.
 

MadMax082

Member
Feb 25, 2021
91
96
Phoenix AZ
I have a question for someone who knows. After my automated phone call to confirm delivery, I now have a lending agreement that I have to accept (on my account page). Do I accept it before accepting the car? I'm just thinking out loud. What if I have to reject the car because of quality issues etc.
 

Socalcommuter

Member
Dec 8, 2016
96
88
Los Angeles
I have a question for someone who knows. After my automated phone call to confirm delivery, I now have a lending agreement that I have to accept (on my account page). Do I accept it before accepting the car? I'm just thinking out loud. What if I have to reject the car because of quality issues etc.
Yeah, I think you just accept the agreement but will have time to look over the car before accepting the car on the app
 
Dec 26, 2019
30
17
Earth
OK, here’s the thing:

Just as soon as you push it hard or you have bumps you can feel how it’s kind of riding on it’s bump stops

As you go into compression the spring rate gets dramatically higher

The car is tuned for a decent ride under slow or moderate driving conditions and smooth roads

When you get deep into the bump stops it wants to sort of pop back up, and this tends to make it a little bit skittish in bumpy corners

I actually got a little out of sorts coming around the corner last night and I think the lack of steering feel led me into overcontrolling it. Hard to judge the countersteer without that yaw feedback through the wheel.

Part of it could be the stability nanny cutting in as I correct, or bad alignment.

This car does have some significant torque steer.

I’ve only have 80 miles on it, but whatever it is i find this car hard to place precisely in low speed corners, worse with accel/decel, but it is not as bad when in track mode.

Apparently there is no way to use the Nav in track mode?

The ride is a little rough.

MPP makes bushings that are supposed to improve steering feel, going to have to get those, and their coilovers for sure.

You probably need full suspension and more rubber to get the handling even close to the power this car has.

It’s kind of a drag racer!

I'm coming from a BMW M3. Agreed the steering is numb, feels like a video game controller. Didn't try to corner too hard. With my BMW M3 I can toss it into corners at almost any speed within reason and feel confident I can stabilize it. The BMW M3's chassis and steering wheel communicates exactly what each corner of the car is doing. It's pretty amazing and leagues above the regular 3 series 340i, etc. (I've owned like 5 of those). M3P felt better than regular BMW 3 series, but way worse than BMW M3.

However I did not experience any torque steering during my test drive, or else I wouldn't have ordered the M3P.
 

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