S/3 Comparo -- Driven Back-to-Back-to-Back

[Stratusbill]

If dual motor M3 is available only with air suspension which is what I currently expect based on a tweet from Musk, I wonder if it will still be as nimble? I have a Model X in VT and the biggest gripe my wife has is how bumpy it gets on poorly maintained paved roads. Strangely, the MX is fine on the bumpier dirt roads around here.

I am trying to decide between LR, SR, or not all on M3. A lot of the decision will come down to back seat comfort for my 5'11 daughter in terms of knee support and how the suspesion feels in the duel motor version. If it is too bumpy or the back seats are unacceptable for 30 minutes drives for my tall daughter, then we will not get it. If both these are as good or close to as good as our MX, then we will go with the LR set up even though the M3 would only work as a road trip car when we did not bring our 100 pound dog. If backseat and road comfort or fine, but not as good as the MX, then we will get the SR option. What is clear to me at this point is I will need to test drive before deciding which might be tricky if the dual motor comes only with air suspension.

I did an interesting exercise on A Better Route Planner yesterday where I planned a route from my house in VT to my sister's house in DC with my MX90D and the LR M3. Surprisingly, the M3 was almost an hour faster than MX (7hr vs 8hr) due to lower weight and less need of supercharging on route.

According to Bjorn post back seat of 3 is better than S.

 

[cantanko]

Being in a right-hand drive market, I’m reasonably sure we’re a good year away at least from M3. That being said, by the time it does arrive I’m reasonably sure the Model S3 will be with us (S being the original, S2 being the facelift according to the App’s API) and I’ll have to reconsider everything again! May be out of my price range by then however, so not even thinking about it until all the options are actually available.

Still can’t help but think the AWD performance M3 will suit my use case way better than the land yacht that is the S, but right now for me the S 75D is the best thing in the world, because I have one

 

[bstronger]

Does anyone have a P85 to compare to a RWD M3 in a similar back to back test? I had a loaner 90D once and I felt it was a bit boring to drive vs rwd.

 

[Sunshine State]

Sold our S a few weeks ago when we got our 3. It's so much more enjoyable to drive. People I've had in the car can't believe the 3 costs half the price (and most agree it's better).

It depends on what you are comparing the 3 to. It may be better than a 2013 S but a newer S is also a huge improvement over an older S.

 

[bstronger]

Writing from Amelia Island just arrived after
P85DL cruise down from CT. Easy 500 miles
Day 1 then 400 day 2 including blowing away a
Few Carolina muscle cars on I95. Very satisfying
Awaiting M3 AWD intended for my wife but
Hoping for some local hands on for the CT back
roads. Cannot however imagine preferring
It on I95 trip. Of course we’ll see what the next
S version vs next 3 versions include.
Btw do not do this:
If in auto steer and you accelerate past 90 the
Software will immediately deny auto steer until next stop. A sort of Tesla naughty boy message.

 

[aldux]

Interesting comparison. I got my Model X last week (100D) and am loving it! We seem to be incapable of the whole "traveling light" mode, so the SUV was a logical move from a Lexus RX450h. But now you've got me wondering about the forthcoming Model Y. My wife still has a Lexus RX400h, so when the time comes...

 

[Canuck]

Hmmmmm, I don't know guys.... I think this assessment makes sense for the regular powertrain... but the P100D is something else entirely.

The OP's assessment was only for the regular powertrain. Once the P3 comes out the comparison to the PS can be made. Until then, that jury is out. But it seems the jury has come back on the S vs. 3 and the 3 has the majority of jurors.

99% of my driving is on long, straight, mostly empty highways and freeways. Obviously the S is a better choice for me.

It's the exact opposite for me. Most of my driving is on windy mountain highways. I still love driving my S on them but can't wait to get my 3 to see how it performs. Tesla surprised us in Canada and moved our dates from late-2018 to mid-2018. Bring it on!

 

[Roadster84]

My wife and I have had our Model 3 since Christmastime, and we've good advantage of the opportunity to trade back and forth day to day between it and our S85D.

In doing so, we've reached the usual conclusions:

S = smoother, with slightly less intrusive road feel and wind noise

3 = more nimble

3 = able to carry a lot

S = able to carry a lot ... with ease

S = more UI "territory" and more mature UI design

3 = snappier UI hardware, far better nav routing display

Etc.
​

However, until today, I hadn't taken time to trade cars back-to-back-to-back on the same morning.

Routed a great mix of big straight surface streets and small winding ones, straight-ish freeways and curving on-ramps, high-speed canyon highways and lower-speed mountain roads. (For SFV, CA folks: Valley Vista, Sherman Way, I-405, Sepulveda (in the pass), Mulholland, and Beverly Glen.)

Goal was to see which car was more enjoyable to drive. Faced with looming decision of keeping (or upgrading) Model S (sensible for road trips) vs. trading "down" to a Model 3, I wanted to see which car I'd prefer as a daily driver.

If the contest proved close, the wise answer would be to stand pat, with my wife and I able to trade off and enjoy the best of both worlds. That's where I'd tentatively come down, aided by sage advice from members of this forum.

Until today.

Driving the same route, back-to-back-to-back, yielded a major surprise: The contest wasn't close. The contest ... wasn't.

Seems an easy choice to sell the S once 3 AWD becomes available.

Sure, it would be nice to have a (hoped-for) S110D or 120D for travel.

But, probably not at the expense of less delight daily.

And, certainly, not at an incremental cost of $50K (~ $5K/yr add'l depreciation rate). (Would we Turo a 120D for $200+ a day for the two or three weeks of road trips we do each summer? If not, why should we spend an equivalent amount depreciating an S whose only advantages for us fall a fewer weeks a year?)


Just one person's Sunday drive thoughts.

Would welcome yours!

Ive got all three models (S, 3, & X).
Model S P100DL is the winner. With my little experience of an European Rally Car Driver, racing on a frozen lakes in Canada and Finland and on a twisties of a Mount Palomar in Southern California, I can assure you that if you know how to drive not just to cruise to the local Whole Food groceries store you can appreciate performance and handling of the S P100DL in a capable hands,
Model 3 on other hand, as it is is a cute upgrade for Toyota Prius or Nissan Leaf drivers, but if you have ever put through paces fully modified competition level Ford RS, or Rally specs Subaru, or roar California Canyons in DB 9 or F12 then, and only then you will realize that for half among of money you have a contraption capable of spanking all of the exotics on the tight curves with CG as low as Corvette, yet with all wheel drive confident hook up and acceleration matching 1000cc sport bikes roaming California Canyons, and so you will enjoy this cage immensely...
Model 3 is cute to roll with your Mother In Law to a church for Sunday Holly Mess, but as it is, it is only capable of successfully competing with advanced Prius drivers on the Costco parking lot?! ...
Just an observation of s motorsports enthusiast and not neutered Costco shopper.

 

[Sunshine State]

Interesting comparison. I got my Model X last week (100D) and am loving it! We seem to be incapable of the whole "traveling light" mode, so the SUV was a logical move from a Lexus RX450h. But now you've got me wondering about the forthcoming Model Y. My wife still has a Lexus RX400h, so when the time comes...

We had an RX450h and the comparison between the X and the RX is a good one. The X is a similar car to the RX450h for comfort and soft ride on a long trip. Even the newest S with the same Tesla luxury seats isn’t as good for overall comfort and neither is the 3. The X has a heavy luxury feel with the by far biggest windshield view of any car our there. We took a road trip to the Florida Keys and the Autopilot and huge windshield made it one enjoyable trip up and down the overseas highway.

 

[rogerbohl]

We had a Mazda Miata with our S, and added the "3" to the fleet. We spend a lot of time in San Francisco and over the GG Bridge, and both find the "3" more agile and more suitable to narrow SF traffic and bridge lanes, and shortage of parking spaces -- it feels much more than the 4+ inches narrower. We plan to take the more comfortable-riding S on a cross-country tour, and of course the "fuel" is on Tesla. The Mazda still gets a little use by my wife around our suburban town, but my wife is even more ecstatic about the "3" than am I. At one point we were thinking of keeping the "3" and selling (no sales tax) the S to my son, but he got his own, used S at a price he couldn't refuse, and we don't want to part with ours! We've figure out how to juggle 3 cars in our driveway, so we'll keep the whole fleet, for now!

 

[darrelld]

I faced the Model 3 vs Model S decision and decided to keep my CPO Model S. My daughter is taking over my reservation for the Model 3.

Just cant do this with a Model 3.

 

[Keith S]

My kids tell me that the rear seats in our 3 are not anywhere close to the comfort of the rear seats in our S85 or P90D.

The acceleration in the 3 is good, but a Model S P100D is a whole different world. I do look forward to seeing what the performance Model 3 feels like. The prototype they had at the original unveil felt pretty darn fast, at least from the passenger seat.

Were they I FACT...dual motor model 3's..???? Still cant get a 100% correct answer...

 

[DiegoPasadena]

Can't do this with a Model 3 either. Still: I want mine NOW!!!

 

[Keith S]

I faced the Model 3 vs Model S decision and decided to keep my CPO Model S. My daughter is taking over my reservation for the Model 3.

Just cant do this with a Model 3.View attachment 285153

If ya slice it in two...ill fit lengthwise...

 

[Canuck]

Model S P100DL is the winner.

It better be for the price. Please tell us something we don't know.

Model 3 is cute to roll with your Mother In Law to a church for Sunday Holly Mess, but as it is, it is only capable of successfully competing with advanced Prius drivers on the Costco parking lot?! ...

I know this is said "tongue-in-cheek" but nevertheless the 3 is much more of a vehicle than you are willing to admit. Not everyone is a racetrack driver and it is more than sufficient for most people to have a lot of fun in it -- even in advance of the P version. I don't go to church, and my mother-in-law lives half away around the world in Australia (which works for me) so I'll be using mine to drive to my cabin and back a lot and I know for a fact it will be much more fun than a Prius, and probably more than my S85. But of course not as fun as P100DL (although there's a lot to be said for a small car on a windy highway).

In my view, you need to step down from your pedestal a bit.

 

[Canuck]

Model 3 on other hand, as it is is a cute upgrade for Toyota Prius or Nissan Leaf drivers, but

Model 3 is cute to roll with your Mother In Law to a church

This reminds me of Mnuchic's wife tweet:

“Cute! Aw!!! Did you think this was a personal trip?! Adorable!

Same attitude.

 

[ℬête Noire]

This reminds me of Mnuchic's wife tweet:

Same attitude.

If you are replying to Mr. "First post ever" Roadster?? (I forget exact username), yeah I wouldn't bother.

 

[Canuck]

If you are replying to Mr. "First post ever" Roadster?? (I forget exact username), yeah I wouldn't bother.

Yes, you're right. But given his attitude I just couldn't help myself. It's nice to have comparisons from people who own the vehicles, but his only examples were insults -- Leaf, Prius, church and mother-in-laws -- it just doesn't get any worse!

 

[ixnimrod]

My wife and I have had our Model 3 since Christmastime, and we've good advantage of the opportunity to trade back and forth day to day between it and our S85D.

In doing so, we've reached the usual conclusions:

S = smoother, with slightly less intrusive road feel and wind noise

3 = more nimble

3 = able to carry a lot

S = able to carry a lot ... with ease

S = more UI "territory" and more mature UI design

3 = snappier UI hardware, far better nav routing display

Etc.
​

However, until today, I hadn't taken time to trade cars back-to-back-to-back on the same morning.

Routed a great mix of big straight surface streets and small winding ones, straight-ish freeways and curving on-ramps, high-speed canyon highways and lower-speed mountain roads. (For SFV, CA folks: Valley Vista, Sherman Way, I-405, Sepulveda (in the pass), Mulholland, and Beverly Glen.)

Goal was to see which car was more enjoyable to drive. Faced with looming decision of keeping (or upgrading) Model S (sensible for road trips) vs. trading "down" to a Model 3, I wanted to see which car I'd prefer as a daily driver.

If the contest proved close, the wise answer would be to stand pat, with my wife and I able to trade off and enjoy the best of both worlds. That's where I'd tentatively come down, aided by sage advice from members of this forum.

Until today.

Driving the same route, back-to-back-to-back, yielded a major surprise: The contest wasn't close. The contest ... wasn't.

Seems an easy choice to sell the S once 3 AWD becomes available.

Sure, it would be nice to have a (hoped-for) S110D or 120D for travel.

But, probably not at the expense of less delight daily.

And, certainly, not at an incremental cost of $50K (~ $5K/yr add'l depreciation rate). (Would we Turo a 120D for $200+ a day for the two or three weeks of road trips we do each summer? If not, why should we spend an equivalent amount depreciating an S whose only advantages for us fall a fewer weeks a year?)


Just one person's Sunday drive thoughts. Would welcome yours!

 

[ixnimrod]

Unfortunately nonstandard acronyms or abbreviations are unhelpful, and this applies to both sophisticated and unsophisticated EV owners. What does UI refer to? Much appreciated.