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

[hill]

is it safe to presume the model 3, like the newer x's and S's have no AM radio? Yes I know there are streaming elements that we can still use.

 

[UtopianThought]

For those looking for a 2013 P85 comparison to Model 3.

Note: I am a big guy

P85 - Note no automation features
Obviously faster off the line
More horizontal space for my shoulders
Air Suspension and GPS memory of spots to raise
Interior
Storage capacity
Rear camera quality
Screen size
Dash and customizability of thumb buttons
Cruise control has it's own stick
Less bouncy
Dog fits in crate in trunk on long trip
Button push Open/Close Trunk
Door Handles cooler
Doors actually close reliably (3 doors need to be closed firmly)
Free Supercharging
A little easier to get out of for my upper body (feels lower to ground)
I fit better in back seat, head hits glass in 3.
Sunroof (probably the thing my wife is saddest about the 3 missing)

Draw
Acceleration to pass at highway speeds - Minimally different
Teenager not allowed to drive
Neither of them has been sent to space yet

Model 3
More sporty feel
Cornering
Better voice integration
Better cupholders
Better center console
iPhone holder
Fewer Quality issues (not fair given the 5 year difference in ownership)
AutoPilot and Adaptive Cruise control on long trips
Dog fits in between boys in back seat (not in crate) and minimizes their fighting
Easier to park
Easier to navigate through tight spaces
Auto close charge port
Cheaper
A little easier to get out of for my lower body (head doesn't fit)
Doors tend not to get opened into other vehicles as easily by 4 year old
Will drive itself someday?

For me, I prefer the S, and will probably pay to upgrade to a new one when the time comes. In the mean time, I'm going to try to drive this one into the ground.

 

[ℬête Noire]

But model 3 can't do this!!

What is this, Amateur Hour w/Fredo Corleone???? You're never getting past the border checkpoint with that, Model 3 is choice of pros. Nothing but upside on the bottom side!

 

[Bartman1]

Here's my back to back comparison....We traded in our 5-month-old 2017 MS 75D and picked up our new M3 yesterday (White, Sport Wheels, EAP). We got the 23rd M3 delivered in Jacksonville, Florida. Drove the MS from our house to the SC and then drove the M3 back home....

Then we drove the M3 around a lot more and I've got to say that we love the M3 and don't miss the MS in the least bit.

Story with the MS is that I was the one who pushed my wife in to getting the MS because I really wanted a Tesla .... I currently drive a pick up truck during the week for work. My wife loved the everything about the MS, including the charging (no pumping gas), except she always thought it felt kinda like she was driving a boat....she's 5'4" and felt that, from her seating position and view, that the nose seemed to be long and hard to judge distance of the front end when pulling in to parking spots. For me, I really liked the MS and could have kept it forever, but after driving the M3, I'm hooked.

When I'm driving the M3, if feels so sporty and fun. I used to have a Porsche 911 and I think the view from the drivers seat is similar to how I remember the 911.... and the sporty feel and the size seems similar as well. I love this thing! It's awesome AF.

No issues anything. Build quality looks great. No issues with the ride quality. I love the way it rides. Love the UI and all the screen "buttons" are easy to reach. Plenty fast enough, although I'm thinking the future P-Model will be even more of a blast to drive. Seat's are just as comfortable as the MS and there is plenty of room if you don't require a full mom-size car.

Anyways, all I can say is that we have no regrets with trading up (my opinion) to the M3. It's better than what we imagined it would be, even with all the hype... and was well worth the wait. Now I'm thinking about putting in another reservation this weekend so I can get a performance model in a couple of years (hopefully less) when my ticket comes up again, after all of you folks reading this, who are on the waiting list, get yours.

 

[evJOULE]

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!

ForeverFree, Great post. I am still waiting in line with a reservation made back in 2016. I really like the style of the Model 3 and reported performance, but am not sure about the touch screen as it relates to the driving experience and safety. Any insight you could give regarding how you find driving with speed info not in your line of sight would be appreciated. Do you feel the distraction of having to look away from the road to view information, or make adjustments raises any safety issues?

 

[ForeverFree]

ForeverFree, Great post. I am still waiting in line with a reservation made back in 2016. I really like the style of the Model 3 and reported performance, but am not sure about the touch screen as it relates to the driving experience and safety. Any insight you could give regarding how you find driving with speed info not in your line of sight would be appreciated. Do you feel the distraction of having to look away from the road to view information, or make adjustments raises any safety issues?

Takes on Single Screen

Speed Info: Non-factor. Actually improved, because steering wheel not in way.

Adjustments: Only gripe is with cruise speed adjust. Should be on stalk or scroll wheel. Temperature setting is also problematic, but I am hopeful that this will eventually be configurable onto a scroll wheel as it is in Model S.

Overall: Model 3 screen sharper and snappier than Model S. However, larger Model S screen + second screen provide more “slots” for info - far less need to juggle stuff ... which can be distracting.

If Coming from Non-Tesla: Megascreen-centered approach way better than dealing with all sorts of small screens, buttons, switches, stalks, etc.


Bottom Line: You won’t regret your Model 3 purchase for an instant. You’ll never be able to go back. And, remember, the day you pick up your car is the worst that it will ever be. OTA software updates will continue to tweak it for the better.

 

[apmowery]

Takes on Single Screen

Speed Info: Non-factor. Actually improved, because steering wheel not in way.

Adjustments: Only gripe is with cruise speed adjust. Should be on stalk or scroll wheel. Temperature setting is also problematic, but I am hopeful that this will eventually be configurable onto a scroll wheel as it is in Model S.

Overall: Model 3 screen sharper and snappier than Model S. However, larger Model S screen + second screen provide more “slots” for info - far less need to juggle stuff ... which can be distracting.

If Coming from Non-Tesla: Megascreen-centered approach way better than dealing with all sorts of small screens, buttons, switches, stalks, etc.


Bottom Line: You won’t regret your Model 3 purchase for an instant. You’ll never be able to go back. And, remember, the day you pick up your car is the worst that it will ever be. OTA software updates will continue to tweak it for the better.

The adoption time for the center screen view is super fast (less than a day or two at most). The 3 is an absolutely incredible vehicle & my 3 just got updated this week with the right scroll wheel now controlling both speed & following distance. I can't stress enough how fun & incredible the driving experience is in the 3. One of my 1st thoughts when I climbed in was "wow this looks & feels like a $100k in my opinion" - excellent value in every aspect.

 

[buttershrimp]

What is this, Amateur Hour w/Fredo Corleone???? You're never getting past the border checkpoint with that, Model 3 is choice of pros. Nothing but upside on the bottom side!

View attachment 285370

Please, your model 3 is impressive, but my Model S has 100 KILO-watts..... Awwwww yeah, someone just got taken to school. I have product infused into the lithium.... gets you loaded, but the lithium stabilizes your mood once you get paranoid.... they call me Pablo Teslobar.... you can call me Don Buttershrimp