"Tesla": The word that will get you a better Mercedes lease.

[TMThree]

When an ICE burns fuel, 80% of it goes out as wasted heat, and 20% to propulsion. So in reality ICE and EVs both use about the same amount of power in moving the vehicle (my model 3 containing ~2.5 gallons of energy), we just don't have the extra heat loss (and hence your "free" heater that you enjoy). Using your limited battery to also generate heat will cut down on range, there is no way around that.

So if needing to run a heater is a requirement, then maybe your best use case is an ICE. Or maybe consider wearing thicker socks. Or relocating to Florida and not needing a heater =)

 

[Gordon87]

Probably white with black interior. I like red the most, but don't like paying $2,000 for a color of a car.

I got red for my Tesla 3 and haven’t regretted it. At $2,000, it is only about $55/month over your 3-year time horizon.

I did get the black interior rather than white for two reasons: (1) Less worry and maintenance to keep clean, and (2) worry over light reflections from the white dash trim piece. But either interior looks great, with any exterior color.

 

[SoCalDriver]

My neighbor is selling a nice two year old Mercedes Coupe I was considering buying for my daughter who starts driving next year. When I tell her, she says “no thanks, that’s old school for older people. I’d rather have a Tesla”

 

[RubberToe]

Electric is the present and future. Model 3 is the ultimate vehicle. It's just a matter of all the cavemen coming out of their caves and hopping onto the modern day spaceships

Some data from the California New Car Dealers Association shows that in the first half of 2019, about 7.8% of the cavemen in California have seen the light of day. Same exact % as last year, but the shift from plug-in hybrids to pure BEV's is finally coming into focus.

And the overall share of the California new car market held by Tesla stands at 4.2%:

Full data can be found at the following link:

https://www.cncda.org/wp-content/uploads/Cal-Covering-2Q-19.pdf

 

[Az_Rael]

The second worst part is having to argue with your wife about who gets to drive.

That is why we own two.

 

[silentcorp]

I was thinking of getting a MB too, then I realized I'm not a grandpa.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

That is why we own two.

ditto

 

[Xenoilphobe]

My neighbor is selling a nice two year old Mercedes Coupe I was considering buying for my daughter who starts driving next year. When I tell her, she says “no thanks, that’s old school for older people. I’d rather have a Tesla”

my kids are the same way - grandpa has one of those, I dont want it. When I was a kid i drove a smoke belching vw diesel rabbit with a 48HP engine, man times have changed. Safest car I ever drove, it couldn't go over 82 MPH, blew tons of black oily smoke while it took 17 seconds to get to 60 MPH and that kept you from getting rear ended. Also got 52 MPG on the highway.

I think my dad saw this commercial too many times and bought me a beater one. the part about no maintenance was BS, I earned my automotive PHD dealing with this car, when it finally blew up (after 370,000 miles), I had replaced everything from the CV Joints to the Water pump and everything in between. Car caught on fire twice due to some electrical issue..

Interesting how even back then they had a Typo in the review on C&D, the actual highway MPG was 55 not 35 MPG...

Funny thing now is that after only owning Teslas for the last six years, I view all ICE Cars as that original 1977 VW Diesel Rabbit..

1977 Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel Test – Review – Car and Driver

Specifications
PRICE AS TESTED: $4828

ENGINE TYPE: inline-4, water-cooled, cast-iron block and aluminum head

Displacement: 89.7 cu in, 1471 cc
Power: 48 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 58 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 4-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 94.5 in
Length: 155.3 in
Width: 63.4 in Height: 55.5 in
Curb weight: 1946 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 30 mph: 4.5 sec
Zero to 60 mph: 16.8 sec
Zero to 70 mph: 26.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 20.5 sec @ 65.6 mph
Top speed (observed): 82 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 216 ft

FUEL ECONOMY:
C/D observed city/highway: 39.5/55.0 mpg

 

[RScottyL]

I have been driving a C Class Mercedes since 1997. I get a new one about every three years. I have leased 6 Mercedes C class sedans in a row. Collectively, I have driven these cars about 270,000 miles. I pay about $600 a month, including 10% California sales tax. I put no money down (other than first lease payment and license.) The payment includes all regular maintenance.

My lease is coming up to its end, and I was considering a Model 3. So I started monitoring this forum. About a week ago, I was about 75% certain my next car would be a Tesla.

However, the stories I read in this forum about all sorts of problems really cause me concern. Since 1997, not one Mercedes has ever broken down. In the 270,000 miles, I have never paid for maintenance or a single repair. Only one time did the dealer need more than a day to conduct a repair. (I left the car overnight, and was given a free Mercedes loaner.)

I have never had any problem even remotely close to the horror stories I have read here. If you scroll through this forum, about every 10th post is a complaint about some issue with the car, and or customer service. They include windshields cracking, paint issues, rattles, dings, vomit smells, etc.

Now, I do confess, no car is perfect. Mercedes can be problematic when you reach high miles. But I am talking about new car problems. The Model 3 appears to have a major quality control issue. The Mercedes does not.

There are also a lot of complaints in this forum about service. This is in contrast to my experience with Mercedes. Here's an anecdote: a few weeks ago, my sunroof shade wouldn't close. I brought the car to the dealer on my wedding anniversary, and told the service rep I needed it back by 2:00 (if possible) because I had a date with my wife. The service rep called me at noon to say the car was ready. (Also, I have had the same service rep for about 10 years, which helps.)

The good news: my salesman called after that service, because he saw the car was at 42,000 miles and asked when I was coming in for my next car. I told him I was growing bored with my C Class sedan, and was considering switching to a Tesla. Long story short: He offered me a C300 coupe for about the same price. (I must pay $1,000 cap reduction though.)

So, I am going to pass on purchasing a Tesla. Maybe in three years the company will get its act together. However, I do thank Tesla for getting me a bad ass C300 Coupe.

Yeah, but we are here because we do NOT want a Mercedes!

Service is expensive on a Mercedes, even though if you have a 3 year lease, you should only be doing oil changes and filter changes for the most part!

Also, they usually prefer premium fuel, so extra costs there.

 

[Dmagyar]

My neighbor is selling a nice two year old Mercedes Coupe I was considering buying for my daughter who starts driving next year. When I tell her, she says “no thanks, that’s old school for older people. I’d rather have a Tesla”

Tell your daughter I love our M3, I’m 68...

 

[Az_Rael]

I assume you didn't read the whole thread. I was looking for opinions, and the group convinced me to order a Tesla.

I see you are in the Los Angeles area. One caveat to Tesla ownership that I will throw out there is the current state of some of the service centers in LA. I am closest to Burbank and Van Nuys, and they are both over worked, under staffed, and very, very unorganized. It will not be the same experience you get at a traditional luxury car service center. It is difficult to get them on the phone, voicemails are not answered (or the box is too full), and emails go into a black hole. Often when we pick our cars up, items on the ticket have not been completed, causing extra hassle with rescheduling appointments, time off work, etc. Mobile service out of Van Nuys has also been a mixed bag with them showing up without the correct parts more times than not, and a complete no-show once.

Here is my most recent example of a “decent” experience with Burbank: I wanted to purchase some extra cabin air filters for my 3 since AC odor has been a problem. While picking up our S from service, I asked to buy the filters, but they were on backorder (it is a common problem on the 3, Tesla has been trying a software fix, but no luck yet). So she placed an order in the system and said they would call me when the filters are in. Over a month went by and no call, so I started trying to get a hold of them. Only took a few calls and one unreturned voicemail over a couple of weeks to get someone on the phone. She looked at my notes, checked their stock, and said the filters were available (I am guessing no one would have ever filled my order if I hadn’t followed up). I paid for the filters over the phone and she set them aside. I dropped by yesterday and stood in line to speak with a service advisor (they were slammed with 5 cars in line and one X on a tow truck that all needed to be dealt with) and I was eventually able to pick up the filters I ordered. Not too bad, really, but certainly not as easy as picking up a cabin air filter from any other dealer service center. These filters can’t be ordered online, so I had to get them in person at the SC, FYI.

It didn’t used to be too bad, but over the last year service has really gone downhill. I have heard Centinela might be better, but that Buena Park is just as bad, etc. Take a look at the nearest ones to you and read Yelp reviews, etc.

If your nearest service center is a good, well managed one, you will have a great experience.

 

[phaheem]

Bottom line: ordering a Tesla in November.

I, too, am coming from a 2016 C300 (lease) to the Model 3 (lease). My first EV; first alternative “fuel” car for that matter. There was a short overlap of time between turning in my C300 and having my Tesla - I had them both. No doubt, the Model 3 is so futuristic. But when getting back into my C300, there was an undoubtedly aura of refinement, years of experience, and solid engineering. But, I have no regrets. Welcome to the club!

 

[OCR1]

Unfortunately with growth comes growing pains. Tesla grew so fast when the Model 3 came out that they were not ready for it on the delivery and service side of the business. It takes patience to get through to them and get what you need. But on the positive side you will never need to take the car in for oil and filter changes or other routine service, so the only things you will visit a service center for are warranty repair items.

And then of course there is all that time you will save by never going to a gas station again...or a smog check center.

So it all evens out in the end.

 

[VT_EE]

Range loss: Oh yes, gas cars lose some too, but we don't hear anyone talking about it as the fill up is so fast (2-3 minutes) and there are so many gas stations everywhere. Every 10-20 miles on highways and every few miles in cities. Moreover, heating, the biggest range killer in electric cars, is kinda free in gas cars as they recirculate the engine waste heat, not burn KWhs to produce.
George is curious, if Tesla Model 3 uses a heat pump to make heating more efficient.

Both AAA and consumer reports issued warnings on winter range loss (50% is what they said) for electric cars last year after Model 3 sales took off and complaints picked up. Don't remember seeing such warnings for gas cars.
Consumer Reports Study Mirrors AAA's - Tesla Model 3 & Nissan Leaf Range Drops by About 50% In Cold Weather Operation | Torque News

And with really long ranges in many ICE cars today, a 20% range loss won't be noticed by most, unless someone is so low income that buying little more gas hurts the wallet too much. Here are some of the longest range cars today.
https://www.cars.com/articles/top-10-vehicles-with-the-longest-driving-range-1420698377103/
1. 2018 Jaguar XF 20d: 731 miles (42 mpg highway, 17.4-gallon tank)
2. 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid: 729 miles (46 mpg highway, 15.85-gallon tank)
3. 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: 713 miles (45 mpg highway, 15.85-gallon tank)
4. (Tie) 2017 GMC Yukon XL, 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV, 2018 Chevrolet Suburban: 713 miles (23 mpg highway, 31.0-gallon tank)
7. 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Blue: 702 miles (59 mpg highway, 11.9-gallon tank)
8. 2018 Chevrolet Cruze diesel sedan: 702 miles (52 mpg highway, 13.5-gallon tank)
9. 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid: 696 miles (47 mpg highway, 14.8-gallon tank)
10.2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE: 689 miles (53 mpg highway, 13.0-gallon tank)


Don't get me wrong here! I am just noting some of the cons that no one else will mention here. As OP is coming from a gas car, OP must evaluate if these limitations matter to him. If he is a road tripper, he should check out the super charger maps also to see if they cover his usual routes. Here, I even made a flow chart to help the OP A lot depends on people's life style and what they see as compromises.
View attachment 443108

50% range loss on the winter???? Maybe if you’re driving in a snowstorm with the outside temps at -20F. I have never come close to that level of winter range reduction in my Model 3LR RWD (based in Maryland). I find 20% reduction when the temp is around freezing. Reduction is also worse if you take a lot of short trips as opposed to long road trips. The car heats the battery up the first few miles, which uses a considerable amount of energy. Perhaps that’s where they came up with 50% loss: a bunch of 10 mile runs with sub freezing temps.

 

[SO16]

I have been driving a C Class Mercedes since 1997. I get a new one about every three years. I have leased 6 Mercedes C class sedans in a row. Collectively, I have driven these cars about 270,000 miles. I pay about $600 a month, including 10% California sales tax. I put no money down (other than first lease payment and license.) The payment includes all regular maintenance.

My lease is coming up to its end, and I was considering a Model 3. So I started monitoring this forum. About a week ago, I was about 75% certain my next car would be a Tesla.

However, the stories I read in this forum about all sorts of problems really cause me concern. Since 1997, not one Mercedes has ever broken down. In the 270,000 miles, I have never paid for maintenance or a single repair. Only one time did the dealer need more than a day to conduct a repair. (I left the car overnight, and was given a free Mercedes loaner.)

I have never had any problem even remotely close to the horror stories I have read here. If you scroll through this forum, about every 10th post is a complaint about some issue with the car, and or customer service. They include windshields cracking, paint issues, rattles, dings, vomit smells, etc.

Now, I do confess, no car is perfect. Mercedes can be problematic when you reach high miles. But I am talking about new car problems. The Model 3 appears to have a major quality control issue. The Mercedes does not.

There are also a lot of complaints in this forum about service. This is in contrast to my experience with Mercedes. Here's an anecdote: a few weeks ago, my sunroof shade wouldn't close. I brought the car to the dealer on my wedding anniversary, and told the service rep I needed it back by 2:00 (if possible) because I had a date with my wife. The service rep called me at noon to say the car was ready. (Also, I have had the same service rep for about 10 years, which helps.)

The good news: my salesman called after that service, because he saw the car was at 42,000 miles and asked when I was coming in for my next car. I told him I was growing bored with my C Class sedan, and was considering switching to a Tesla. Long story short: He offered me a C300 coupe for about the same price. (I must pay $1,000 cap reduction though.)

So, I am going to pass on purchasing a Tesla. Maybe in three years the company will get its act together. However, I do thank Tesla for getting me a bad ass C300 Coupe.

Do you think there are no “horror stories” on Mercedes forums?

The vast majority of Tesla owners haven’t had these “horror story” experiences either.

 

[VT_EE]

My neighbor is selling a nice two year old Mercedes Coupe I was considering buying for my daughter who starts driving next year. When I tell her, she says “no thanks, that’s old school for older people. I’d rather have a Tesla”

LOL. I can totally see my girls saying that at which point a lecture on entitlement would ensue.

 

[turtlesz]

I have been driving a C Class Mercedes since 1997. I get a new one about every three years. I have leased 6 Mercedes C class sedans in a row. Collectively, I have driven these cars about 270,000 miles. I pay about $600 a month, including 10% California sales tax. I put no money down (other than first lease payment and license.) The payment includes all regular maintenance.

My lease is coming up to its end, and I was considering a Model 3. So I started monitoring this forum. About a week ago, I was about 75% certain my next car would be a Tesla.

However, the stories I read in this forum about all sorts of problems really cause me concern. Since 1997, not one Mercedes has ever broken down. In the 270,000 miles, I have never paid for maintenance or a single repair. Only one time did the dealer need more than a day to conduct a repair. (I left the car overnight, and was given a free Mercedes loaner.)

I have never had any problem even remotely close to the horror stories I have read here. If you scroll through this forum, about every 10th post is a complaint about some issue with the car, and or customer service. They include windshields cracking, paint issues, rattles, dings, vomit smells, etc.

Now, I do confess, no car is perfect. Mercedes can be problematic when you reach high miles. But I am talking about new car problems. The Model 3 appears to have a major quality control issue. The Mercedes does not.

There are also a lot of complaints in this forum about service. This is in contrast to my experience with Mercedes. Here's an anecdote: a few weeks ago, my sunroof shade wouldn't close. I brought the car to the dealer on my wedding anniversary, and told the service rep I needed it back by 2:00 (if possible) because I had a date with my wife. The service rep called me at noon to say the car was ready. (Also, I have had the same service rep for about 10 years, which helps.)

The good news: my salesman called after that service, because he saw the car was at 42,000 miles and asked when I was coming in for my next car. I told him I was growing bored with my C Class sedan, and was considering switching to a Tesla. Long story short: He offered me a C300 coupe for about the same price. (I must pay $1,000 cap reduction though.)

So, I am going to pass on purchasing a Tesla. Maybe in three years the company will get its act together. However, I do thank Tesla for getting me a bad ass C300 Coupe.

At $600 you are getting ripped off on the lease for a C class unless it's an amg. Go to leasehackr website and you can learn more about the ins and outs of leasing and what's a good deal. For reference you can get a C class with $0 down for $270 a month, or a 530ix for $267 a month, or a GLC 350e for $331 a month. Sounds boring getting the same car since 1997 and continuing to lease like that. Seems like you like to stick with what you know which isn't an issue, but maybe a Tesla isn't quite for you. Why not get a E or mix up with another model ever? I've been in my share of C classes and don't think they handle well, slower compared to competition, but have reasonable interiors.

 

[killua]

Great response. However, do you think there is a problem with the Model 3 due to ramped up production? That's kind of what I am thinking.

Also, to be fair, I know three people in my office who have Teslas. They all LOVE them

sure with 500K Model 3 made , some occasional issues. I have 10K miles and zero issues. Many people who are happy with their purchases never post on forums, only people who are not generally come here to vent.

 

[killua]

FYI, 5 of my neighbors have teslas, not a single complaint and none of them are in these forums.

 

[goldengate]

I leased a Mercedes for 3 years... I instantly felt 20 years older driving it around. It was a great car but I'll wait until I'm 70 to get my next one.