Tesla S - Daily Driver or Second Car?

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Since we got our Model S just over 7 months ago, my wife's Mini's odometer has ticked over by about 700 miles while the S has almost 11,000 miles on it.

Daily driver? Or, second car? That's a tough one! :biggrin:

 

[SCW-Greg]

Tesla (EV) logic defies premium sedan drive logic.

With an EV you want to drive the car all over town. Particularly short trips to the grocery store and back, picking up the kids at school, going to the movies, etc. At the same time, with 40, 60, and many/most of us on 85kWh packs, this car is meant for cruising longer distances - more than just jotting around town.

There is no more harm on the system driving a couple of blocks to get groceries, as there is running a couple hundred miles to visit friends, family, or whatever takes you out. When you're idle, the motor is not working. When your slowing down the inverter puts electricity back in to the pack. Minimal waste to friction/heat that normal brake pads have to work for. And we could go on and on about all the other gasoline engine inefficiencies. Really, why would you be so hard on a gas engine - as to fire up? Particularly when it's cold, with all that cold steel wearing on itself.

Now, my only worry is about tire wear.

We have three cars, two ICE, and our Model S. The Model S is the car getting all the miles now... and it's just fun to drive. Now we just need to replace the other 2 for an X, so the wife has something worthwhile/meaningful to drive.

 

[stevezzzz]

To the OP: Did you anticipate the unanimous response? :biggrin:

And, yes: my Model S has been my daily driver for 10 months and 22 days; and my former Roadster was, too, for almost three years before that. My poor old Acura RDX is feeling abandoned, but I keep it around for serious snow days.

 

[mpbruin108]

It seems like i'm in the minority here but I use the Tesla as my longer trip car and not my daily commute. I drive 5 days a week in LA and I prefer not to use the Tesla as I hate the roads in LA and all the potholes. So I have a daily beater car (2012 Hyundai) and use the Tesla when I just want to cruise or just take the family out around town.

 

[ElectricFarmBoy]

Daily driver. And on days when we have to take kids to school early before I leave to work, my wife will take the Tesla for that run and then I hop in. Its definitely the go-to car in our home. Only reason we use our second vehicle (Honda Odyssey) is if we have > 5 people needing to be moved, or the Tesla is already in use. And then we're a bit sad, because the trip will be that much less fun (and that much more expensive).

 

[AndyM]

My Model S is my only car. Rather, it will be when I sell my 11-year old Saturn.

I've driven the other car exactly twice since December. Once to loan it to a friend, and once to park it for a week while I rented an RV. I wanted to use my Model S right away when I got home from my RV trip Tomorrow I will return the RV and bring the Saturn home to rust in my driveway.

Model S is everything I want in a car. That's why I bought it. Period.

 

[DavidM]

Daily driver for me. My wife drives the SUV. Not sure what we will replace the SUV with, since the Model S can store so much cargo that we really don't need an SUV anymore.

 

[texex91]

To the OP: Did you anticipate the unanimous response? :biggrin:
.

Well it looks like many do have a second car (and an SUV at that)--so think it's a valid question.

Also here in Texas it can flood, so having a second car like SUV for those days isn't a bad call.

Had no concerns that it CAN be a daily driver, just want curious how many people use it as such.

My question was also self serving, as having a Porsche 911 that doesn't get much time except weekends (because I'm afraid to take some places), I don't want Tesla to become the same.

 

[Cottonwood]

The Model S is absolutely my daily driver at one house and the Roadster is the daily driver at the other. There is an MS and a Jeep Cherokee in Pagosa, and a Roadster and a Toyota FJ in Boulder.

You should keep the SUV until next year, then replace it with a Model X.

I have an MX on order (we will see if I keep the Roadster then), but I will never replace one of my SUV's with a Tesla, although the SUV's get very few miles on them. The MX is NOT an SUV; it is a Crossover. Another name for a Crossover SUV is a pretend SUV!

I know that I am in the minority, but I really use my SUV's off-road. Let me list some of of the things that my SUV's do, that an MX will never do:

1. Pull at trailer. The warranty on the MS, and I assume the MX, is voided if you ever pull a trailer.
2. Go on tough, obstacle-strewn trails. I bet noone will ever mount rock rails on an MX and really use them. Rock rails are put on so you can slide one side of the SUV over a rock that you don't quite have the clearance to push over. It protects the sheet metal between the wheels from crumpling or being torn on the rock.
3. Mount a winch bumper and winch on the front. Several times, I have put the clevis bolt mount in the receiver hitch in back, attached that to a tree with a tree strap behind me, and pulled other vehicles out of bad places.

Now don't get me wrong; the MX will be a great modern, luxury, all-wheel-drive Crossover (minivan), but it will not be an SUV. I will keep a real SUV parked the garage, the SUV just won't be the daily driver and won't get many miles on it.

 

[LagunaHJames]

When I first got my Model S at the end of May I did not take it to the health club or grocery store, using our Leaf instead but in the last month we have barely driven the Leaf because I prefer my Model S. Over 4500 miles since May 25th! Love it!

 

[AC1K]

the P85 is my only car, ill winter drive it as well,

hopefully maybe in 2-3 years, my second vehicle will be a mission motors R (The Tesla of Motorcycles )

- - - Updated - - -

My Model S is my only car. Rather, it will be when I sell my 11-year old Saturn.

I've driven the other car exactly twice since December. Once to loan it to a friend, and once to park it for a week while I rented an RV. I wanted to use my Model S right away when I got home from my RV trip Tomorrow I will return the RV and bring the Saturn home to rust in my driveway.

Model S is everything I want in a car. That's why I bought it. Period.

you went from a Saturn to a Model S? wow thats a big jump

 

[mknox]

Daily driver. over 10,000 miles since March. My wife drives an ICE but has a very short commute compared to mine.

 

[SUPRKAR]

Definitely second car. Since we got our Tesla we have put about 60 miles on the Lexus and 9780 miles on the Tesla. Oh wait a minute perhaps I got that wrong. ???????????????

 

[Longhorn92]

Definitely second car. Since we got our Tesla we have put about 60 miles on the Lexus and 9780 miles on the Tesla. Oh wait a minute perhaps I got that wrong. ???????????????

Funny. Your second car is simply the car you choose to use before any other car.

 

[islandbayy]

Exactly 3 months to the day for my 60kw, 7,600 miles. Mt truck has been driven 3 times. My truck is extremely angry at me

 

[dirkhh]

My first car. Sold a 10.5 year old 3 series station wagon with 88k miles. So averaging ~8k/year, ~700 miles/month in the past.
1900 miles on my Tesla in four weeks of actually being in the same country as the car

My wife has a minivan that we use when we need to move everyone in the family plus the dogs (or when we are going different places), but both my wife and I always pick the Tesla if it is available (and big enough).

 

[derekt75]

Daily driver.
It's annoying to have to drive the AMG every now and then to keep the battery charged until I sell it.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Model S is arriving at my house in a few days. It will be my daily driver for real estate. I will be selling my 2007 Prius Touring.

 

[breading]

My Model S P85 is my daily driver too. I sold my 15 year old Toyota truck to make room in our garage. Selling the truck was a sad day. After taking delivery of my Model S though, I haven't looked back.

 

[richkae]

My Roadster has been my daily driver for 4 years. Replaced my 911.
The Model S has been my wife's daily driver since we got it ( but I take it every chance I get ).
We have a Prius that is our 3rd car ( only because we need a 2nd car that can take 2 kids ) but it has less than 400 miles on it in the last 10 months. In fact, I will buy more propane for the BBQ this year than gasoline for the Prius. It will go away when we get our Model X.