Scheduled a Teat Drive - How to Make the Most of It

[Shootr]

Hello all, long time lurker - first time poster...

I scheduled a Model 3 test drive for this Saturday in Scottsdale, AZ. The wife is interested in getting one so this is the first step to see how she likes it.

She is so-so with technology and with only an hour or so to get familiar with the car, I don't want her to get overwhelmed right off the bat. I'm assuming Tesla has the test drive program figured out to make it as enjoyable as possible but thought I would check if anyone has some pointers on what to focus on most as we get oriented.

Mostly I hope features like: the Autopilot assistance will be appreciated/useful on her 30 mile daily commute, the Maps/Traffic app to help with avoiding traffic, and the little things like wireless cell phone charging, heated seats (yes, even in AZ during winter-she'll use it), etc.

PS: I put a reservation in on the Cybertruck the night it was introduced so I have quite a wait still!

 

[Shootr]

Aarrrgh... "TEST" drive...

 

[JFS3]

When I went for my Test drive, I got there a bit earlier and spent time in a showroom demo car. So when I got to drive the 3 it was all about the driving. Then I test drove a Y, which confirmed the choice of a 3 for my taste

 

[chrstna4]

It’s a long video but the guy goes through the owners manual so you can see features of the car and not have to learn on the test drive:

 

[Spacecadetwzrd]

Just drive it and don’t over think it. It is just a car

 

[Shootr]

Just drive it and don’t over think it. It is just a car

Yeah... my OCD with preparation kind of sucks sometimes...

 

[brkaus]

Mooo. Milk it for all it’s worth.

 

[Spacecadetwzrd]

Yeah... my OCD with preparation kind of sucks sometimes...

If the planning is a the obsession , what exactly is the compulsion ?

 

[Shootr]

If the planning is a the obsession , what exactly is the compulsion ?

Making checklists, leaving too soon and getting to appointments too early, printing boarding passes AND having them on my phone - crap like that I guess.

 

[sduck]

drive it around

 

[kavyboy]

Aarrrgh... "TEST" drive...

"Report" your own post and ask moderators to correct the title if you want it changed, but I kinda like it as-is.

 

[cypho]

I suggest putting acceleration mode to chill and regen to low for the first 2 minutes of your test drive.

In sport mode, when you press the go pedal it really goes - like way more than anything you've experienced before. It's not hard to control but when are not expecting it, it can be startling. And when you get startled from the sudden rush and and let your foot off go pedal, region will kick in and it feels like someone slammed on the brakes. The regen is not really that strong, but when you're already startled by the acceleration, the unexpected deceleration can be equally startling.

I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few test drives have ended in the first 10 seconds when people decide they're not interested in repeating the teenager learning to drive a stick shift experience. By setting the car to chill and low regen you will avoid that.

It only takes a few minutes to get used to how the pedal reacts, and once you do you will want to turn sport mode and full regen back on and floor it at least once for the full Tesla experience.

 

[nvx1977]

don't forget to listen. The sounds of driving an EV are very different. Note how dead silent it is when you first get moving. Pay attention to the electric motor noise. Appreciate the various alert chimes of the car; they were very well thought out.

Drive it like a normal car for most of your drive. Be prepared for the feeling of regen when you release the pedal, as that will take a bit of getting used to. I'd wager by the end of the test drive, it will feel a lot more normal, and.... maybe even preferable!

The "pedal to the floor" test is optional, especially if your wife doesn't care about the performance aspect. She might try to press deeper just to see how easy/hard it is to get the car to move fast. I think she'll find that it's hard to accidentally launch the car. I don't think it's necessary to use chill mode for the test drive.

Switch drivers, so someone can sit in the back seat and appreciate the view. Look up.

Remember that you don't NEED to touch the screen at all while driving. You don't even need to look at it. Get your steering wheel and mirrors and HVAC temp adjusted before you get going (look up YT vids on how to properly adjust side mirrors when parked if you don't know how). You may be tempted to play with the screen while driving because it's novel, like working the HVAC or connecting a phone to play music. But remember that most tweaks on the screen are set-it-and-forget-it. The "tech" is not that distracting unless you really want to engage with it.

 

[alloverx]

Perhaps just take it straight home after the test drive?

 

[Lo-voltage]

Be prepared to view every other car on the road as a dinosaur after your time with a Tesla
They are so advanced but also a joy to drive
If you like speed, set everything to sport
If you like comfort, set everything to sport
If you like anything in between, set everything to sport
Basically you control how the car reacts with your right foot on the go pedal
If your wife can operate a smart phone then she will have no issues with a Tesla

the best part of my test drive and the crucial selling point were the immortal words.... “ two hands on the wheel, head back and floor it!” ... SOLD!!!

 

[UncertainTimes]

FLOOR IT

 

[kysrsoze]

I say enjoy it for what it is, without studying up for it. It was awesome trying to absorb all. Find somewhere with some nice curves to push through, and above all, find a place to stomp the accelerator while test driving the Perf. There's nothing like it. I didn't think my wife would care about acceleration, but she drove it and floored it, and was blown away. She loves to drive it. We got back to the mall afterward and started talking about colors.

I also suggest driving other "performance cars" first. I drove the Model S, an S6, an S5 and a Genesis G70 3.3T first, and it helped me appreciate how damned good the Model 3 is to drive.

 

[one2many]

My wife did the teat drive. After one hour she asked when are we
ordering it. And thats all I heard until I pushed the order button.

 

[ElectricIAC]

Hello all, long time lurker - first time poster...

I scheduled a Model 3 test drive for this Saturday in Scottsdale, AZ. The wife is interested in getting one so this is the first step to see how she likes it.

She is so-so with technology and with only an hour or so to get familiar with the car, I don't want her to get overwhelmed right off the bat. I'm assuming Tesla has the test drive program figured out to make it as enjoyable as possible but thought I would check if anyone has some pointers on what to focus on most as we get oriented.

Mostly I hope features like: the Autopilot assistance will be appreciated/useful on her 30 mile daily commute, the Maps/Traffic app to help with avoiding traffic, and the little things like wireless cell phone charging, heated seats (yes, even in AZ during winter-she'll use it), etc.

PS: I put a reservation in on the Cybertruck the night it was introduced so I have quite a wait still!

Nice.

 

[ElectricIAC]

My wife did the teat drive. After one hour she asked when are we
ordering it. And thats all I heard until I pushed the order button.

You have to press two.