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Tell me what's great about your car
- Thread starter Jagdipa
- Start date
MrBadger
Badger out
So one of the main reasons I wanted one was because it removed a lot of the anxiety of an MOT and service. I hate taking the car in and not knowing whether it would cost £200/£300/£400/£500. No one has mentioned the servicing costs - so are they reduced for Tesla's or are the about the same?
There is no servicing that is required to maintain your warranty. It is a very good idea to have an annual brake service (DIY perfectly feasible) because the brakes are used much less than an ICE vehicle due to regenerative braking ... so with the usual winter salt issues they are even more likely to need some cleaning and lubrication. Fix it if it goes wrong seems to be the Tesla approach. I've had no servicing costs so far (18 months).
2019 Model 3 red P- here.
Thoroughly great car all around. And I agree with what most people have said. The free improvements, the driving, the green ness (we fuel from so.energy green power), the speed.
To add a couple of points that I don't think I have seen mentioned.
There is no way I'd go back to a non EV, and I don't think anyone else has a competitive family car yet. If someone totalled this one today I would absolutely be replacing it with like for like (but the P- does benefit from a serious suspension update to make it go round corners as well as it goes in a straight line)
Thoroughly great car all around. And I agree with what most people have said. The free improvements, the driving, the green ness (we fuel from so.energy green power), the speed.
To add a couple of points that I don't think I have seen mentioned.
- on top of the general practicalities, although its no hatch back, it absorbs enough stuff for a family of 4 to self cater for a week, and
- fastest approved towing car by a country mile. All other equivalent cars top out at ~250bhp for towing approval. I can do 0-60 in 3 seconds, or tow a 500kg trailer. (putting an AND there not recommended)
- Getting paid 35p/mile+ to travel for work. Before lockdown I was suddenly much happier to travel for work as I paid home rate to charge up (~£9 for 250 miles I think), then stayed at a hotel with free charging at my destination. £200 untaxed for the roundtrip.
- I'm into AI, understand what they are trying to do, how hard it is and how well they are doing. I'm not dependant on any of the features, so its brilliant to watch the development from the sidelines and experiment with how well its going. Generally it has improved in my time of ownership, and I can see the building blocks coming together.
- The Tesla charging infrastructure. With the SC's and a family in the car I get get to anywhere in europe following a pattern of drive 150-200 miles, 15 min charge & toilet stop, drive another 150-200 miles, 35 minute food break. This pattern is needed anyway with primary school age kids, so doesn't cost me anything. And I still have some free supercharger miles, so it really doesn't cost me anything!
- Not a hatch back and is 1 model bigger than my family would have naturally chosen.
- You get more out of it if you have an early adopter or tinkerer mindset. It will be fine if you don't, probably, but getting stuck in to understand the car, eg on here, will increase your enjoyment.
There is no way I'd go back to a non EV, and I don't think anyone else has a competitive family car yet. If someone totalled this one today I would absolutely be replacing it with like for like (but the P- does benefit from a serious suspension update to make it go round corners as well as it goes in a straight line)
Your overall impression may depend on where you are coming from.
I came 'up' from a well spec'ed but old 2011 Leon - lovely in many ways by no luxury car and am very happy with the tesla. Mine is quiet and composed and built better on the inside, and equivalent on the outside as the Leon. If you are coming from an tricked out A6 or E class or something, you may have a different opinion? Not sure TBH, but a thought. But then I would have thought an S was a better match?
I came 'up' from a well spec'ed but old 2011 Leon - lovely in many ways by no luxury car and am very happy with the tesla. Mine is quiet and composed and built better on the inside, and equivalent on the outside as the Leon. If you are coming from an tricked out A6 or E class or something, you may have a different opinion? Not sure TBH, but a thought. But then I would have thought an S was a better match?
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
Not at all true. I don't use AP (or TACC) most of the time, because it's just not safe or sensible to try and use either of these features on very narrow and winding roads. Tesla make it clear that AP should not be used on roads like this, and TBH I've never once tried to do so.
I have tried AP a few times on dual carriageways and motorways. It seemed to work OK, no real issues, apart from one incident of phantom braking, but that was when passing a curtainsider, a known issue, I believe, that some seem to think relates to the movement of the truck sides or ties.
My issues of random braking and swerving aren't related to either AP or TACC, they just seem to be connected to driving down narrow lanes, with as much as can be turned off, turned off.
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Ah, fair, sorry for the misrepresentation! I did have some problems on narrow roads, but turned as many of the 'safety' features as I could down or off and it seemed to get better. Weirdly it is worse on narrow but marked roads than it is on actual single track I found. (Eg omg, you are going to die, dooooom, I'll take over steering for you:
B862
Google Maps, Vs meh, fine, go as fast as you want true not to kill yourself and be home on time:
Google Maps)
And I guess these inexplicable variations between experiences is part of what can be frustrating if you are on the wrong end of it :-(.
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
Mirrors my experience, but I think there's also a speed-related aspect, as well. At low speeds there's rarely a problem. Almost all the odd events on narrow roads seem to happen when accelerating, not to any particularly fast speed, 30mph or so is quite enough to trigger something. I'm near certain that it's the collision avoidance sensing that gets triggered, which should really only be looking ahead, I think. I have wondered a few times if the sensing system gets confused by roadside features, and thinks that the road is somewhere other than where it really is. It doesn't seem to happen much on wider roads, although I have had a few case of the alarm sounding and a vehicle in front turning red, at mini roundabouts, when there's been zero collision risk..
That the lease ends in a few months?
Joking aside, I like the super comfortable driving position and one pedal driving is awesome
Ability to preheat and cool / camp in the car
Silly performance and pre covid passenger rides
I like the Netflix / Youtube and being able to stream from Spotify built in too.
Actually it's also made me think about how I can be more sustainable generally.
Joking aside, I like the super comfortable driving position and one pedal driving is awesome
Ability to preheat and cool / camp in the car
Silly performance and pre covid passenger rides
I like the Netflix / Youtube and being able to stream from Spotify built in too.
Actually it's also made me think about how I can be more sustainable generally.
Tesla has been a game changer for me. I will never buy another dinosaur ICE car ever again. Supercar acceleration and yet totally relaxing to drive. Uber-cool futuristic interior design and tech too. It’s like you have just tele-ported 20 years into the future!
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