Tesla Model 3 initial impressions (and compare to. BMW 5-series)

[st_o_p]

Every area is different as far as norms and people trying to cut you off, etc., but I've never had an issue with people cutting me off with even more space than that in Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle traffic.

You should always be able to see the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you from your position in the driver's seat, as it reduces the likelihood of an accidental collision due to inattention, reduces the severity of pileups if someone rear ends you and you are on top of the guy in front of you, and, from my perspective as someone who rode motorcycles for years, it means you always have enough room to cut your wheel and get out of the lane you are in if something unforeseen happens.

Yeah - not around here. Here people will cutt you off if you leave 2" of space (figuratively speaking). And yes - I sometimes have been one of those people.

On the "You should always be able to see the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you" - this is one of those things like "you should always be nice to baby seals". Nice - but not really applicable in real life. I've been driving for almost 20 years here in the US - in this bumper-to-bumper - and more before that in Europe. I've never rear-ended anybody despite driving inches behind a lot of the time. It is simply a matter of reflexes - people with better reflexes can do that. Maybe most can't - but that has nothing to do with me. (And yes at speed I normally wouldn't tailgate - with the exception of when somebody is blocking the left lane and really needs to get out of the way).

Edit: Speaking of seeing bottoms - and somewhat unrelated - another thing I don't like about the Model 3 is the poor rear visibility from the inside mirror. The back of the Model 3 is too high - so if there is a car right behind you - particularly at night - it's very hard to see (as its headlights are hidden below). In my BMW I can always see what's immediately behind me.

 

[st_o_p]

I agree with you on the doors. They need to get this fixed so that it works 100% of the time. What I have found though as a tip: If you grab the handle and the car does not unlock, keep the handle pulled out and it will eventually unlock. It usually takes 2-5 seconds for me when this happens. I FEELS like an eternity though

Thanks - I'll try that.

 

[voip-ninja]

Yeah - not around here. Here people will cutt you off if you leave 2" of space (figuratively speaking). And yes - I sometimes have been one of those people.

On the "You should always be able to see the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you" - this is one of those things like "you should always be nice to baby seals". Nice - but not really applicable in real life. I've been driving for almost 20 years here in the US - in this bumper-to-bumper - and more before that in Europe. I've never rear-ended anybody despite driving inches behind a lot of the time. It is simply a matter of reflexes - people with better reflexes can do that. Maybe most can't - but that has nothing to do with me. (And yes at speed I normally wouldn't tailgate - with the exception of when somebody is blocking the left lane and really needs to get out of the way).

Edit: Speaking of seeing bottoms - and somewhat unrelated - another thing I don't like about the Model 3 is the poor rear visibility from the inside mirror. The back of the Model 3 is too high - so if there is a car right behind you - particularly at night - it's very hard to see (as its headlights are hidden below). In my BMW I can always see what's immediately behind me.

The advantage the model 3 has for visibility is that it takes only a moment to pull up the backup camera, and it can be left up even while driving. Quite easy then to see how close someone really is.

 

[Zcd1]

...
Edit: Speaking of seeing bottoms - and somewhat unrelated - another thing I don't like about the Model 3 is the poor rear visibility from the inside mirror. The back of the Model 3 is too high - so if there is a car right behind you - particularly at night - it's very hard to see (as its headlights are hidden below)...

I would generally agree with this. I'm a long-torso'd 6' 2" and also find the rear visibility over the parcel shelf to be the most compromised view out of the car. By comparison, though, the view through the windshield is amazing - the only car I've been in that approaches it is a Porsche 911. So, it's tradeoffs.

 

[Leafdriver333]

I would generally agree with this. I'm a long-torso'd 6' 2" and also find the rear visibility over the parcel shelf to be the most compromised view out of the car. By comparison, though, the view through the windshield is amazing - the only car I've been in that approaches it is a Porsche 911. So, it's tradeoffs.

I guess we have it better than Lambo owners.

 

[Petrocelli]

First post here - cross-posting with other forums (like bimmerfest).

Bottom line - the Tesla is an awesome car, much better than I expected - despite some things it is missing.

Extremely helpful analysis. I am car shopping and would be going from a Mercedes C300, so I would be making a transition similar to yours.

One question: How would you compare the cabin noise in the two cars while travelling about 70 mph on a freeway? I have read numerous posts on this forum complaining about cabin noise. But you don't mention it in your analysis. Could you please elaborate?

Thanks.

 

[st_o_p]

Extremely helpful analysis. I am car shopping and would be going from a Mercedes C300, so I would be making a transition similar to yours.

One question: How would you compare the cabin noise in the two cars while travelling about 70 mph on a freeway? I have read numerous posts on this forum complaining about cabin noise. But you don't mention it in your analysis. Could you please elaborate?

Thanks.

Cabin noise is actually one of my biggest complaints about Model 3 right now. After several months with the car - I greatly prefer driving it over the BMW. But if I could get one thing fixed - it would be cabin noise. It is a lot worse than the BMW - and more noticeable because there is no engine noise.

 

[Dan203]

Cabin noise is actually one of my biggest complaints about Model 3 right now. After several months with the car - I greatly prefer driving it over the BMW. But if I could get one thing fixed - it would be cabin noise. It is a lot worse than the BMW - and more noticeable because there is no engine noise.

There are some kits with rubber strips you put around the glass roof and door jambs that are suppose to reduce cabin noise. I'm not sure if they work, but they have decent reviews on Amazon and other sites.

 

[st_o_p]

There are some kits with rubber strips you put around the glass roof and door jambs that are suppose to reduce cabin noise. I'm not sure if they work, but they have decent reviews on Amazon and other sites.

I actually did buy the M3 strips for the doors - per the video someone posted on YouTube - but I never installed them. People said it makes the doors more difficult to close, and maybe doesn't improve the road noise that much. A car need to be engineered for low noise - as an entire solution, not just the doors or windows; noise can be coming from anywhere.

Edit: And BTW I hate the frameless doors. I know BMW and Merc have those too - but there I can choose a model that's not frameless. It does increase wind noise on the Model 3 for sure.

 

[Dan203]

Edit: And BTW I hate the frameless doors. I know BMW and Merc have those too - but there I can choose a model that's not frameless. It does increase wind noise on the Model 3 for sure.

My 135i had those and they were alright. There was always a bit of wind noise from them though. Especially when it was windy outside. It's like the pressure difference sucked them open a little. My 340i actually has full frame doors which have less wind noise, but have developed an annoying little creaking sound when the temperature is in a certain range.

But if I'm being honest the BMW is quieter than the Model 3.

 

[RobDickinson]

* Automatic trunk. And I don't just mean motorized, I mean the feature where you kick under the rear bumper and the trunc opens (when your hands are full).

Not seen it mentioned here yet - there is a 3rd party kit for ~$600 that does exactly this, the foot/kick thing is an add on but doesn't cost much extra, any auto guy can install in a day or less.

 

[Zcd1]

I actually did buy the M3 strips for the doors - per the video someone posted on YouTube - but I never installed them. People said it makes the doors more difficult to close, and maybe doesn't improve the road noise that much. A car need to be engineered for low noise - as an entire solution, not just the doors or windows; noise can be coming from anywhere.

Edit: And BTW I hate the frameless doors. I know BMW and Merc have those too - but there I can choose a model that's not frameless. It does increase wind noise on the Model 3 for sure.

I installed those weather sealing strips on the doors. Took about 30 minutes in total - super easy. Made a noticeable difference in road noise, IMO and if anything, the doors close with a more solid thunk than before. They're certainly no more difficult to close.

My car has basically ZERO wind noise - only road noise, and only on cement. It's silent on asphalt.

 

[Zcd1]

Not seen it mentioned here yet - there is a 3rd party kit for ~$600 that does exactly this, the foot/kick thing is an add on but doesn't cost much extra, any auto guy can install in a day or less.

I bought spring-loaded struts on Amazon for $30. 5 minutes to install and voila - automatic fully opening trunk!

 

[RobDickinson]

I bought spring-loaded struts on Amazon for $30. 5 minutes to install and voila - automatic fully opening trunk!

yeah I have ordered those but the Op wanted a foot switch enabled powered option, which exists.

 

[Nels]

I bought spring-loaded struts on Amazon for $30. 5 minutes to install and voila - automatic fully opening trunk!

Link, please?

 

[Zcd1]

Link, please?

Tesla Model 3 Automatic Trunk Lift Supports Rear Trunk Struts with Spring and Stainless Steel Washer (SET OF TWO) V2.0 [Upgraded] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6PZQ5S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DBZxDb670MT9C

 

[st_o_p]

I installed those weather sealing strips on the doors. Took about 30 minutes in total - super easy. Made a noticeable difference in road noise, IMO and if anything, the doors close with a more solid thunk than before. They're certainly no more difficult to close.

My car has basically ZERO wind noise - only road noise, and only on cement. It's silent on asphalt.

Thanks - that's good to know. Maybe I'll install them after all. I can always remove them later if I don't see any improvement (in noise).

 

[st_o_p]

Not seen it mentioned here yet - there is a 3rd party kit for ~$600 that does exactly this, the foot/kick thing is an add on but doesn't cost much extra, any auto guy can install in a day or less.

Yes - I noticed that kit that ships out of China. However - the installation is not something you can do by yourself (unless you're way more handy than I am) - it involves cutting and what not. And I don't trust so much the integration - with Tesla's constant software upgrades, some 3rd party plugin is not something I'd trust to work long term.

I would buy the same kit (with installation) - if Tesla offered it. And yes - I'd pay more than $600 if it works right.

 

[RobDickinson]

Yes - I noticed that kit that ships out of China. However - the installation is not something you can do by yourself (unless you're way more handy than I am) - it involves cutting and what not. And I don't trust so much the integration - with Tesla's constant software upgrades, some 3rd party plugin is not something I'd trust to work long term.

I would buy the same kit (with installation) - if Tesla offered it. And yes - I'd pay more than $600 if it works right.

Easy to pay an expert to fit it its not that hard.

 

[st_o_p]

Easy to pay an expert to fit it its not that hard.

It's certainly doable - but not something I'd call "easy". I wouldn't trust some random shop to start cutting my Tesla. And who knows what the plugin software will do, not to speak of invalidated warranties and what not. It's a feature I'd buy if it was available easy and painless and with no risks/downsides - but it's not something I'd take trouble to get.