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Should I talk my wife out of an X and into a Y?

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I own neither an X or a Y (M3) but a couple of years ago a Tesla mobile service technician was lamenting about how bad the X reliability was (in the context of saying how thrilled he was with M3 reliability).

Breakdowns or extended service visits does not equal happy wife. But, maybe X reliability issues are all addressed now?
 
I wanted a Model 3, however with 3 kiddos and potential guests we opted into the Model Y LR 7 seater. For the price, I think we all felt that it was a good bargain. It also has an option for the Performance Package which I am looking into getting, but just by itself when I test drove it, it was pretty quick so daddy will be happy with it too.
Just to be pedantic - MY 7 seater cannot be configured as an MYP 7 seater, only MYLR. Boost package != turning an MYLR an MYP quickness nor top speed.
 
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I'm curious. what does MX offer (more) over MY other than the apparent size, falcon wing door, automatic door, yoke, and air suspension?
I believe you sort of answered your own question.

I had wife’s approval to get an X, back in 2019, and I was so stoked. But once I actually test drove it, it was a let down and I went with an S instead. At the time the X rode terribly, range wasn’t great, and there was too much shake in the FWD which gave me concerns about long term reliability, not to mention a known issue with FWD rubbing the paint down to bare metal at points along the frame. The newer X I’m sure is better.

I still want an X someday. I like the FWD and automatic doors, dual screens, and unique 6-seat configuration. The revised Raven and Palladium air suspensions are very smooth and being able to adjust ride height is useful at times. That said, the X is huge on the outside but I don’t find it necessarily that roomy or spacious inside. The Y has greater 2nd-row legroom over the X.

When we bought our S, it literally cost two Model 3s. Was the S twice as better as the 3? Pfft, heck no, and neither is the X twice as good as the Y, but the S/X don’t need to be. I still preferred the S over a 3 due to the dual screens, air suspension, hatch design, and better performance/range. Originally I planned to keep the S a very long time so I wanted to be happy instead of getting a 3 and pining for an S every time I saw one on the road.

The 3/Y are a phenomenal value, whereas you get more innovation with the S/X. The S/X are not value plays so it’s pointless trying to justify their price. It simply boils down to does the S/X check all the boxes for you and are you comfortable with the price/payment? If so, then buy/drive what makes you/your family happy.
 
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You mentioned doing a test drive. A friend tried to set up a test drive of a Model X a couple of week ago and Tesla told him they are not doing testing drives of the Model S and X right now. They are still doing test drives of the Model Y.

I think a lot of it is going to come down the seating position of the front seats. If you are a taller person I doubt a rear facing child seat would fit in the second row. If you can take one of the child seats with you on the test drive.
 
lol, you seem nice 😄

I consider myself a Y enthusiast and always kind of lusted after an X. It never really went away, but it has lessened since we took a huge road trip. I come from luxury sedan land (don’t want to say what so I don’t get shamed) and really thought the lack of air ride would be a deal breaker. Does the Y have white perforated Venetian leather? Nahh, but when the kids make a mess who cares.

I’m sure you will make the right choice for you and your spouse. I definitely feel less “special” rolling around in a Y, but I enjoy anonymously blending in now 😄
 
I'm posting this in the Y forum in hopes owners will give me good reasons to save $60k and get a Y. I'm a recent Model S owner (replaced two-door coupe because of back doors and car seats for kids)

Wife priorities:
1. Big enough for a rear-facing car seat behind driver. Child seat is imported from Europe and adjusts on rails for long-legged 5-year-old. MBZ 350GLE is adequate. My Model S isn't (but fine for one kid behind passenger, and future forward facing behind driver). That 6-position real third row in the X is appealing for when family visits, but the Y back row might take a forward facing 7-year old and do the job. Shoulder and head room are not a concern for this family car.
2. Safety. Both presumably excellent, but mass has no equal.
3. Image. X has cachet and rarity. Y is more pedestrian design.

My priorities:
1. X is nearly double the price.
2. Y gets the slight performance nod. (I'm a P100d owner and Plaid is not a consideration.)
3. Happy wife (should be #1, but note that long term financial security is also "happy wife.") I agree with her on safety and image.

Other factors.
  • Going all-electric for the family means that a long family drive trip (Texas to Florida) is more constrained.
  • We keep cars for a long time if we're happy with them.
  • Gotta test the yoke. A test drive of each would be nice.
I downsized from an X to a Y and wish I would've done it sooner. The efficiency gained alone was totally worth it (X is extremely inefficient and you'll almost never get the rated range). Now that the prices have gone up exponentially, there just aren't many pros to buying the X over the Y.
 
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If you can afford a Model X (my definition of "afford" is that it would not make a dent to your everyday expenses and constitute a relatively small percentage of your overall net worth), there's no reason to look at the Model Y, especially if your wife prefers the X. There is a reason why the X is almost double the price of the Y. Of course, if you test drive the X and Y and find that the Y is the superior car for your wife's needs, that would be great since you'd save $60k. But on paper there shouldn't be any comparison between the current X & Y.

I meet your criteria for a Model X buyer but it never crossed my mind seriously for three reasons:

One, it is bulky and clumsy for city driving; and
two, I would not care for the range penalty.
Third, 'image' is my anti-concern
 
I'm posting this in the Y forum in hopes owners will give me good reasons to save $60k and get a Y. I'm a recent Model S owner (replaced two-door coupe because of back doors and car seats for kids)

Wife priorities:
1. Big enough for a rear-facing car seat behind driver. Child seat is imported from Europe and adjusts on rails for long-legged 5-year-old. MBZ 350GLE is adequate. My Model S isn't (but fine for one kid behind passenger, and future forward facing behind driver). That 6-position real third row in the X is appealing for when family visits, but the Y back row might take a forward facing 7-year old and do the job. Shoulder and head room are not a concern for this family car.
2. Safety. Both presumably excellent, but mass has no equal.
3. Image. X has cachet and rarity. Y is more pedestrian design.

My priorities:
1. X is nearly double the price.
2. Y gets the slight performance nod. (I'm a P100d owner and Plaid is not a consideration.)
3. Happy wife (should be #1, but note that long term financial security is also "happy wife.") I agree with her on safety and image.

Other factors.
  • Going all-electric for the family means that a long family drive trip (Texas to Florida) is more constrained.
  • We keep cars for a long time if we're happy with them.
  • Gotta test the yoke. A test drive of each would be nice.
Maybe someone mentioned it..but it will take a LONG time to get an X, assuming you order it from Tesla....we're talking 1 year.
I think it is a very valid question (not that you need someone's approval), with the increase in price of the Y, why not consider the X?
My opinion:
I LOVE the X windshield...It is total sex on a car....The X is a nicer car in general..forgetting about speed, it will be a nicer call all around, ride (IMO), range, etc..
Gull wings are cool but the novelty wears off and is almost guaranteed to be problematic in the long run.
I personally hate the yoke...but that will be completely subjective. For sure your wife would want to try it with the yoke if she's driving it.
The 6 position X is so much better than the 3rd row Y. For many reasons...size/space/headroom/convenience..
I actually think the X is looking a bit dated from a looks standpoint...internals are great...external is looking old for whatever reason. But yes, the X has a bit more of a rarity factor, if that is something that concerns you.
Safety will be similar they're both top tier....I think the more modern design of the Y might be better...although the additional mass of the X helps in other ways.
I think you coming from an S, will feel more comfortable in the X whereas the Y will feel a bit stripped down in comparison.

Obviously the X is a better car....but you're paying significantly more for marginally better features..and in that 115k range you have LOTS of options that don't have to be Tesla....

But if you're set on getting the X..don't mind the Yoke and potential other costs down the line, over lets say 10 years, will you get 50k more in enjoyment? Probably...You just have to figure out how to actually get one...
 
I testdrove the S, X and Y in 2020. The Y had the best back seats for adults. There was more knee space and I could sit upright.

The X had pretty good back seats and walking in standing up with the Falcon Wing doors was awesome. If your car seat fits in the Model Y, it’s probably the best all round choice. It was for me.

Have fun, but there is a waiting list to get a new car…
 
FWIW, my wife presently drives an 18' GLE350 and we just put in an order for a MYLR7S. She likes but doesn't love the MB, and prefers driving my Model 3 to it. That being said, what we've ordered is already a bit more than we'd want to spend, so an X isn't even a consideration for us. Our 9 and almost 5 year old fit extremely comfortably in the backseat of the Model 3, and the Y adds I believe 5" of additional leg room. The 3rd row will primarily be used when we have to pick an extra friend up from school or a sporting event - so its small-ish size isn't really a problem, as its more of a nice to have in a pinch type of thing.
 
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$1k car seat is safer than $100 car seat. Sure.
Vastly safer, assuming one selects wisely. Same as with vehicle designs, they differ greatly in strength, energy absorption, idiot-proof-ness, and ability to keep an occupant alive in a marginal scenario. Also, Rear-facing is vastly safer in a frontal collision than forward facing.
 
Awe shucks, just get both.

The Model X is truly a Diva car. There really is no denying it. You wife will be pleasantly happy of how high it sits and how easy it is to get in and out. She won't like the ride of the Model Y. The opening and closing of the front driver door is really nothing but once she gets use to it, she will never want anything else. Being able to control the other doors from the fob and I believe now you can do it from the app is a great fun feature. When we're finishing up at a car event, my wife Karen loves to let the children tell Red Dragon to go to sleep and she uses the fob to close all doors. The FWD does make the car stand out but they also make getting in the back so so easy. If you get the captain seats in the back, then one push of a button and the seats moves forward and pivots to help get the brats in the back.

Don't deny, satisfy.
 
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Model X all the way! Out of all models the Y is honestly the least esthetically pleasing. It literally looks like a childs bicycle helmet. Not only esthetics but its barely larger than the model 3 in terms of space. my brother in law has a Y and hates it and is actually trying to sell it and buy an S.
May I ask why your BIL hates MY?
MY might be barely larger than M3 on paper, but it feels a lot larger and comfortable. Actually, MX is also barely larger than MY in terms of interior volume on paper.

From Motor Trend article:

"Being a larger vehicle, the Model X has more passenger space than the Model Y. In the front row, this means an extra 0.7 inch of head room and 4.3 inches of shoulder room in the Model X. However, the Model Y offers more front-row legroom by 0.6 inch.
It's a similar situation in the second row. The taller, longer Model X offers an extra 1.5 inch of head room over the Model Y and 2.8 inches of extra shoulder room. Here again, the Model Y offers more second-row legroom, an extra 2.1 inches compared to the Model X."
 
I guess the performance depends on which MY vs. MX comparison:

"With its larger batteries and more powerful motors, the Model X is the quicker SUV despite its extra size and weight. We've recorded a Model X hitting 60 mph from a stop in as little as 3.2 seconds and as much as 5.5 seconds depending on configuration. Tesla claims those times have been improved upon since we last tested a Model X and are now down to 2.6 and 4.4 seconds; however, those times have not been independently confirmed. Tesla also says the Model Y will hit 60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds and as much as 4.8 seconds"