S85 Post-Purchase Regret?

[frekri]

I think that is was a big difference between my standard 85 and a loaner P85 I borrowed. If you want insane acceleration performance it is worth the extra money. But the performance is too much...

I think that the S85 is a better every day car than the performance. The standard version is just in the sweet spot for a fast comfortable car. It has softer more comfortable acceleration. And with the 19" tires it is less noisy. Without the plus it is not so stiff on the road.

But if you want to make your friends smile from ear to ear in fear, then you will need the performance model.

The best description I can think of is that when driving the performance it feels like riding a feather. The car is so strong that you can't feel the resistance of a steep hill with a fully loaded car. It is just insane.

 

[Peter_M]

I had one ride and one test drive before buying, both in P85s, and the acceleration is awesome, but I figured the S85 was more power than I really need. But the S85 still gets people grabbing for the handles and swearing and laughing at the same time. So no, no regrets. And I'm happy to still have that $15K (Canadian) in my pocket.

 

[purplewalt]

Don't lose any sleep over this: your instincts were sound. Your S85 will deliver more driving pleasure than you can imagine, every time you get behind the wheel. When you give test drives, your victi...er, friends will wear the Tesla Grin from the moment you treat them to a full-power launch. Then when you let slip the fact that there's another model with even more power, they'll just shake their heads in wonder. Meanwhile, you'll be wearing the permagrin that comes from knowing you got the car that's at the sweet spot of the Model S line....

+1

I enjoyed the use of a P85 loaner this past Friday.
Fully loaded with driver (me) and 4 passengers, the car is cat-like quick.
They claimed it was like a roller coaster due to a couple of my sophomore moments driving.

The S85 IS the sweet spot of the Model S offerings.
Plenty of GO power, added range is nice too.
I probably would not still have a license if I had a P85. :wink:

Rest easy, Bardlebee.
You have a tiger, just get ready to roll.

 

[Bardlebee]

Thanks for all the input guys!

Sorry I didn't respond earlier, I work nights. Know that I read all your responses though and they are all great.

 

[Chipper]

The 60 is 223 lbs lighter:

Just saying hello! New 60 on order. Late Jun 2014 delivery - Page 5

Thanks. I was not aware of that.

 

[No Tailpipe]

Hopefully this may help put S60, S85 and P85 into perspective for you. It helped me determine which Tesla model S is right for me...since the Tesla grin is still on my face when I test drove a P85 for the first time.

ive owned various BMWs over the last 14 years, 3s, 5s and Xs. BMW offers a performance package for all these models, they are called M's. I've driven M series in all of them, and they are powerful and give you and any passenger a BMW grin. But, when it's comes down to it, just not practicle to have all that power all the time for the additional cost. Now, if cost wasn't an option I'm still not sure I would purchase a M series. For my driving habits it would be like purchasing a Corvette to drive to the mailbox at the end of my driveway and back. It's a waste of raw power and money...but that's a personal call.

So, back to your question. The 60 is fast, the 85 is faster, and the p85 is fastest. But, for me the decision was now between the s60 and s85 solely due to range. The 60 made sense from a price perspective, but range was a concern with long road trips to visit family or friends. Would I want to rent an ICE car for those long trips or hope for supercharger stations on the highways I would use? I felt more comfortable with the s85, but everyday in town driving a 60 would be more than enough and still fun!

 

[EdA]

After 15 months and 24,400 miles, I don't regret my S85 purchase one bit. It has more acceleration than I need. I've had a couple of P85 service loaners and I was always happy to get back to my S85.

I've got 29k miles and I feel the same way.

I was almost sickened to see the average on a P85 I was loaned which had >400kWh/mil average.
Who drives like that?

 

[ZsoZso]

I am very glad that I found this thread as I have not yet submitted my order (but am getting very close) and the only option I am still not 100% sure is whether to go with the P85 or S85. I also don't feel the personal need for the crazy fast acceleration, my test drive was actually in an S85 and it felt plenty fast for me -- I never owned a car anywhere near this performance, I am not a "racing" type, I would be swtiching to the MS from an iMiev. The only reason why I am tempted to go for the P85 is to show off to other people firends / family what an EV can do. I am strongly in favor of EVs, but of course with my iMiev I could not really convince my friends to switch form an ICE. The economic and convenience features of it are not enough to sway them and the green angle does not really count for everybody (unfortunately).

I could afford the roughly $15K difference, but I could also use that money elsewhere. It is reassuring to see that people don't regret going with an S85, thanks!

 

[liuping]

I never owned a car anywhere near this performance, I am not a "racing" type

I fit that description at well, but now I do accelerate on to the freeway quite "briskly". It's a blast in the S85, but even more fun in the P85. Pretty much the highlight of my day everyday is getting up to flow of traffic speed on the on ramps, or to the speed limit from red lights on some of the 50 MPH surface street on the way home.

Since I cannot justify a post purchase upgrade, I've "simulate" some of the roller coaster acceleration feeling by holding back a little when starting from a stop, then punching it once the car is moving around 20-30 MPH. In that range the S85 is almost the same as the P85, and you really feel the acceleration in your stomach.

 

[omarsultan]

Year and a half and 30K+ miles and I love my S85. My only "regret" is that I can't show off the full capability of the Model S when I give rides, but there is absolutely no "need" for the P.

After 10 months and 24K miles, I am in the same boat. For my daily driving, the S is more than ample. The only time I wish I had a P is when I am giving test drives and want to blow up peoples preconceptions arounds EVs. That being said, pretty much everyone I have given a test drive to have been impressed with the acceleration of the S off the line.

 

[Brass Guy]

Add another no-regret response. Yes S85 is plenty fast. And you can only use that P85 power on a straight smooth clean road. I've driven P85 loaners, but never with the 19" tires. I think you need real sticky tires to utilize that power. My S85 has the torque to loose traction if I'm steering or not on completely dry road. Uneven pavement, potholes? Forget about it. Everybody is impressed with the acceleration of the S85, and I too am happy to tell them "...this is the slow one!"
I'll also mirror the comment that although distinctly noticeable from a stop, above 30mph the difference dwindles. At highway speeds the difference is hardly noticeable.

 

[jerry33]

The 60 is fast, the 85 is faster, and the p85 is fastest.

aka: Light speed, warp speed, and ludicrous speed.

 

[Greyson]

aka: Light speed, warp speed, and ludicrous speed.

I'm reminded of Douglass Adams' measure of velocity "R", where the S60 probably starts around R2

 

[Kutu]

As I see it, for me at least, is that the P would give me bragging rights. That is just not worth the cost difference as compared to the S85. I've had muscle cars and owned L82 Corvettes and none of them accelerate like the Tesla S85!

 

[arldent]

Originally, I confirmed the order for an S85; however, after discussing it with the wife, she said to go for the P85 :tongue: knowing how fast I like to drive my convertible MB. I changed the order to a P85. I enjoy my MB because before you know it you would be going 85, 90 mph. I enjoy the acceleration in the P85 as compared to the S85. I test drove both and enjoyed both. Think about it: with the saving of $13K you will be able to use that money to Xpel coat, GTechniq coat, and Photosync your car with lots of change left over. FWIW, I think I should have stuck with the S85. Oh well, may be next time.

 

[Canuck]

Think about it: with the saving of $13K you will be able to use that money to Xpel coat, GTechniq coat, and Photosync your car with lots of change left over. FWIW, I think I should have stuck with the S85. Oh well, may be next time.

I justified not getting the P by putting the extra $13K towards a Nissan Leaf as a family car for my daughters, one of which is 17 and now drives it, and the other two will soon to be driving it too. It's the perfect car for kids to drive around town -- less greenhouse gases, and it saves gas on my wife's gas guzzling BMW since she is basically their taxi cab driver a lot of the day. I also justified it by putting that same 13K towards buying TSLA when it was at $170. In fact, I've justified the 13K savings on many different things... it allows you to spend more on other things.

I could still have afforded the P since at this stage it's really about how much I leave my kids after I'm gone but there's something to be said about restraint. Still, there are days when I have tinges of regret.

 

[ZsoZso]

I am in a similar situation now, confirmed my order this monday for an S85. I was thinking about getting the P85, I could afford it, but I am not into any kind of racing. I just want to drive electric not only within the city (which I can do with my current i-Miev), but also on weekend trips. The only time I would use the P85 extra acceleration is to show off to friends and I cannot justify the cost-difference for that little fun in my head. In addition, I think I might abuse the power more often just for fun ending up wasting more energy with a P85.

I also have a daughter (16) who is currently learning to drive and should get her G2 license in August. She will "inherit" my i-Miev to drive to school and to her numerous extra curricular activities which has been causing me and my wife a lot of taxi-duty in the past years.

 

[liuping]

I was thinking about getting the P85, I could afford it, but I am not into any kind of racing.

You can use the P85's acceleration every time you get on the freeway. You don't have to break speed limit once there. I enjoy the S85's acceleration, but the P85 loaner was even more fun. If could do it again, I would have gotten he P85 (still with 19" wheels and coil suspension though).

The only other thing I would change is probably skipping the fog lights. They only work when the head lights are on, so the are not really very useful.

 

[roblab]

A car purchase of this magnitude, obviously people are going to defend their purchasing decision to the grave, but with not much to compare it too for me something like this will help me put my mind at ease. Again its not a buzz kill to me, I will still be excited no matter what. I am assuming the P85 is mind blowingly fast, I drove it after all, and I am assuming the S85 is not-as-fast-but-still-super-torquey.

(bonks self on forehead) "I coulda had a V8!"

No. I really like the S85. P85 was just unnecessary, and I had just put way more money into it than I had ever in my wildest dreams imagined I would. Couldn't justify the hot rod mode when the S85 already HAS a hotrod mode, only gentler. Never been sorry.

 

[TsRocket]

Just flipped 17,000 miles of pure fun. In Whistler now, and have taken too many trips and multiple superchargers too count. I think when you stomp on the pedal and drill yourself and others into their seats, we all agree its a Rocket. I didn't notice the difference when i got my only loaner, but they don't let you go over 80 i hear. 125 works for me for speed, tickets are everywhere. All cities, counties, states are greedy for money. I got all my favorite things, instead, and saved money for 4+4 service plan, waiting for CHAdeMO still. But when SCs are available, just have fun. Best wishes on your dream machine.