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RWD Appreciation

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We just love our Blue LR RWD Model 3. It has more range than our Model X 75D. She’s more fun to drive, more efficient with electricity because of the lighter weight and charges almost 50% faster than our X on the same home charger, go figure! She a blast to drive, so agile and fast. Absolutely no regrets. The X is great for road trips because of the added storage and six seats.
 
I have an early LR RWD 3 as well as a recent P3D. I am still impressed by the get up and go of the RWD3 even after experiencing the P3D. I installed after market wheels and staggered tires on the LR RWD 3 and it performs quite well. I drove in February 2018 in Chicago with the factory wheels and all-season tires in a ton of snow and had no issues. The RWD is a great car option. AWD is not as necessary as people think.
 
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I have an early LR RWD 3 as well as a recent P3D. I am still impressed by the get up and go of the RWD3 even after experiencing the P3D. I installed after market wheels and staggered tires on the LR RWD 3 and it performs quite well. I drove in February 2018 in Chicago with the factory wheels and all-season tires in a ton of snow and had no issues. The RWD is a great car option. AWD is not as necessary as people think.

Do you know what efficiency penalty you got from installing staggered tires? Are they performance tires?
 
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S with 20" wheels. 10" in back, 8.5" in front. Cost about 20% vs. the 19" factory wheels and all-weather Continental tires when driving from Chicago to Charleston, SC this summer i.e. 1.2+ miles of range used per 1 mile driven. Worth it as the mountain drive from Knoxville, TN to Asheville, NC was awesome withe the staggered setup. No range issues with the 2,400 miles driven and Superchargers the whole way.
 
I'm confused about 0-60 times for the Long-Range RWD versus AWD. I've seen the times posted by Tesla obviously (5.1 vs. 4.5). But then the guy who gave me my test drive said there wasn't really any measurable difference between the two in acceleration. Because of that discrepancy, I started looking online. I saw some articles that talked about actual, tested 0-60 times for the L-R RWD being more like 4.6 (which corroborates the Tesla guy's assertion). But other articles said those faster times were recorded a while ago, and that since then Tesla has used software updates to throttle back the RWD acceleration so that it's more like the posted 5.1. The RWD car I drove in mid-September was plenty fast for me, so if that's what I'll be getting I'm fine with that. But if it's a half second slower, maybe not so much.

Any info on this would be very appreciated. Thanks.
 
I'm confused about 0-60 times for the Long-Range RWD versus AWD. I've seen the times posted by Tesla obviously (5.1 vs. 4.5). But then the guy who gave me my test drive said there wasn't really any measurable difference between the two in acceleration. Because of that discrepancy, I started looking online. I saw some articles that talked about actual, tested 0-60 times for the L-R RWD being more like 4.6 (which corroborates the Tesla guy's assertion). But other articles said those faster times were recorded a while ago, and that since then Tesla has used software updates to throttle back the RWD acceleration so that it's more like the posted 5.1. The RWD car I drove in mid-September was plenty fast for me, so if that's what I'll be getting I'm fine with that. But if it's a half second slower, maybe not so much.

Any info on this would be very appreciated. Thanks.

I have not seen any dyno results pre- & post- firmware update or any other hard proof that this is true. For me personally, I don't get hung up 0-60 numbers as i'm not a stoplight racer. The RWD really shines accelerating from 10~30mph to 60~70mph. It somehow wrinkles space-time onto itself so I can teleport from one location to another instantly. The ability to instantly accelerate while cruising at speed is intoxicating.

My commute is mostly highway with traffic. The car feels "bottled up" most of the time because traffic is simply too dense for my car to stretch her legs and run. It's a good feeling to know that all of the power is at my beckoning call, just a tiny press of the pedal away. It's honestly all I need and could ever ask for. I'm only 2 weeks into this purchase and it's hands down the best *product* i've ever purchased. It's not hyperbole.
 
Thanks for the response. I ordered a Long-Range RWD last week, but today I got the opportunity to switch to an AWD car that I could buy and take possession of in just a few days. The RWD car is near my limit financially, so I'm trying to decide whether to "stretch" financially to splurge for the AWD. I'm in Texas so I don't *need* the extra traction; it would just be a matter of whether I want to pay for the extra acceleration.
 
The RWD car is near my limit financially, so I'm trying to decide whether to "stretch" financially to splurge for the AWD. I'm in Texas so I don't *need* the extra traction; it would just be a matter of whether I want to pay for the extra acceleration.

Let me help you out. It depends what you need and what you value. The good news is you can't go wrong with either option.

AWD
It's going to pull harder at higher speeds
It will likely get you going faster in snow or wet (it doesn't help with stopping however)
It will have different handling characteristics that you may find more desirable

RWD
Lower cost
Lower weight
Higher efficiency
Traditional sports car handling**

** RWD vs AWD handling
If you aren't familiar with the friction circle concept, I'd recommend reading a quick primer here:
How To: Read a Friction Circle
The reason most traditional sports cars are RWD is to allow the rear wheels to provide acceleration while the front wheels do all the steering. The front tires have only 1 job if you're not braking: steer left or right. In AWD or FWD, the front tires are accelerating and steering which necessarily reduces g's for steering. AWD tends to be easier to drift in a predictable manner, and IMO can get you out of some sticky jams as long as you don't overcook it. I've owned several WRX and RWD sports cars. They are both fun in their own way. I'm happy to back in RWD after several years of AWD.
 
BrenkJ, FWIW, I just did a few 0-60 last week. When I got the car, my best was 4.81. Last week my best was 4.83. Same road and conditions. Statistically, I don't see any real drop after all the software updates.
 
I wouldn't say the RWD is lesser - it's lighter for one thing and it gets the job done quite nicely. If you aren't in need of AWD for traction or 'insane' acceleration, it would seem it's the perfect car as is...

:)
While I understand all the reasons put forth for the RWD, I have a question about the regen braking, specifically because I live in very mountainous area (the Pyrennees) where I currently drive a manual. I use engine braking extensively on the descents and on the twisty roads.
Will the RWD provide enough braking power (and regen) without me relying on the brakes too much?
 
I drive a RWD MS, at first I thought I made a mistake and everyone keeps saying “What will you do when the snow comes?”

But honestly, I’m fine with it. I bought some Winter Shoes and am ready to roll (no pun intended).

At the end of the day, be happy with what you have and don’t worry about what else is out there.

PS: I got a loaner P85D for a week. Yea, it was Fast AF but I’m just fine with my 75. We all have the “car” that everyone wants!
 
I got my model 3 in May when there was no option for AWD and have loved it since. It’s fast corners welll and while I have had a Suburu awd performance car in the past The 3 is just so much better in so many ways. Maybe AWD is a better option for some but I’m happy for a few years wirh this.
While I understand all the reasons put forth for the RWD, I have a question about the regen braking, specifically because I live in very mountainous area (the Pyrennees) where I currently drive a manual. I use engine braking extensively on the descents and on the twisty roads.
Will the RWD provide enough braking power (and regen) without me relying on the brakes too much?
 
Having my RWD since April has been incredible. I just couldn’t imagine having to wait those extra months for AWD. Besides....the $5k I spent on autopilot would have eliminated the extra $$ for AWD anyway.
I’ve had several RWD cars even living in the NEast, they are just more fun. I was lucky enough to have an BMW M3 E46 with SMG for a few years and I can say that the Model 3 is just as fun in almost all aspects (except maybe handling). I like the staggered wheels setup someone mentioned earlier in this thread, I might look into that.
 
The good news on all of the LR/RWD versus LR/AWD is we have a choice. Sounded like the RWD does reasonably well in colder climes with traction & handling. Better yet, if you are a bit skeptical as I was & had the choice of AWD & white interior with only all season tires , you got the AWD with 19” wheels. Having put 1,800 miles on the car in a month, it is a pleasure to drive & the white interior with Metallic silver/grey is striking! If Tesla sets up the AWD electronics (traction), the only time I won’t be able to move in snowy conditions is when it needs to be plowed. LOL. Hoping to take a cross country trip in the next six months. That might be where the RWD better range with 18” tires is really noticeable. In the price range of the current cars, the pricing differentials are not so great. Living in a northern clime does bring a better trade value & perceived need for AWD.
 
Would never get an AWD. I have an early vin RWD it’s just shits and giggles. I drift around corners and taught myself how to do donuts in this car. It’s truly amazing and in my opinion More fun than a P3D. Need new rims though as my stock 19s with contis aren’t great. Looking at staggered 20s with PS4S and the @MountainPass TC module
 

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If Tesla sets up the AWD electronics (traction), the only time I won’t be able to move in snowy conditions is when it needs to be plowed. LOL.

Sounds like you're enjoying your AWD! IMO, the deciding factor between RWD and AWD should be performance at the top end, not handling in snow. At the end of the day, the TM3 is a sports car with 5" of ground clearance.If you live in a locale with significant snow accumulation multiple times each winter, you need the right tool for the job. Good ground clearance, snow tires/chains, and yes AWD (though I would argue the first two are more important than AWD).

Here in DC area we get *maybe* 3 significant snows per winter. I take my truck or my wifes SUV to work if I really must get out of the house the day or two after. Most snow is a dusting to 2" or so and is gone as quick as it came. For the other 98% of the year the RWD efficiency for daily commuting is the right tool for the job. To each his own :)
 
While I understand all the reasons put forth for the RWD, I have a question about the regen braking, specifically because I live in very mountainous area (the Pyrennees) where I currently drive a manual. I use engine braking extensively on the descents and on the twisty roads.
Will the RWD provide enough braking power (and regen) without me relying on the brakes too much?

On my trip through the mountains in Colorado in my RWD, I used regen pretty much exclusively, with minimal braking for those that liked to jump in front and hit the brakes. The regen works extremely well and the brakes just compliments that.