Test drive Model S P85 or buy 60kWh?

[purplewalt]

Should you ever want to take a road trip, the extra range with the 85 (over the 60) may come in handy.
That was the tipping point for me, and I am very glad that I got it.
Due to the heat in Texas, using the AC does have an impact on the anticipated range.

In day to day driving performance, with the 85 there may be an extra bit of power there for you should you need it.

If you want to save the extra cost of the 85, and still have some extra funds, maybe consider picking up some TSLA stock and get the benefit of growth.

I did get the air suspension, and it does the trick in my garage @ my office. Steep area ramp drags bottom of car, but not when raised up.

 

[Al Sherman]

I always warn them ahead of time by saying "Are you ready?" before I floor it, but they are always shocked by the acceleration..

LOL Me too!:smile:

 

[Crispix]

No such thing as a wrong decision, OP. You'll love your car the same whether it's a 60 or a P85. My story:

I test drove a P85 and bought a regular ol' S85 without having driven the standard version. Not worried about it; I don't think I maxed out the P during the test drive and it was still a kick in the pants.

Anyway, reasons I picked the S instead of the P:
1. I want 19" wheels. The 21" wheels would be nice, but expensive and prone to wear out quickly. I had 19's on my previous sports car and was happy to have them and even happier not to have to replace them every year (or more!)
2. If I'm not getting the fancy performance wheels, less incentive to get the fancy performance version of the car.
3. If I'm not getting the fancy performance wheels or the fancy performance version of the car, no need to get the fancy air suspension. I won't know what I'm missing.

So no need to spend several buckets of money on wheels, P, and air suspension. For me, picking 19" wheels = a cascade of easier decisions and a lot less spent on options. (But I still got pano, tech, sound, leather, etc. The necessities, right?)

Yes, price does make a difference even if your budget is somewhat fluid. And the car you get is always fantastic. It's impossible to make a wrong decision.

 

[TyrionMidEarth]

Do you know when the next Atlanta event is? I am also waiting for it.

As for performance vs standard, I'd love the power but can't justify the extra cost. That's actually the reason I am mulling going to Dania Beach, FL for a test drive since the drive event in Atlanta usually doesn't have a S85.

I am thinking of a standard 85kWh though since right now we don't have any charging infrastructure around here and I would like to be able to take weekend trips in my Model S. May be I am just range anxious.

 

[Colasec]

OP, I was in the same position. The P85+ was the only vehicle available for me to test drive and I could only afford the 60. I had similar concerns and shared them on this board, even starting a thread in Driving Dynamics asking if I would feel the same fun instant burst of acceleration with my 60 as I had felt in the P85+. I was reassured just as you have been here, and am no longer worried about it.

And don't forget - it'll be four to eight weeks after your test drive that you actually get the car and you're certain to have forgotten the exact feeling. I wouldn't want to try them back-to-back and pretend that they are the same, but by the time you take delivery it'll feel the same to you.

 

[Buccinator]

Do you know when the next Atlanta event is? I am also waiting for it.

Tesla did not give me a date. I am on the list to be called when the event is set up. She did tell me it would be in about a month.

 

[jandkw]

Tesla underestimates the 60 performance. Dragtimes consistently got 0-60 in 5.1 instead of 5.9 tesla claims. The 85 is probably right under 5. One dragtest i read said 4.9. The 60 apparently has 322 hp which might explain it a bit. Quatermile was 12.4 with p and 13.7 with 60 so i ended up ordering 60

I was a little surprise to see Dragtimes video myself that my S60 can go 0-60 in 5.1 sec. which is crazy fast to me. I too, test drove the S85 before my S60 purchase and cannot tell the performance difference between S85 and S60 probably because of the S60 weight although I didn't time it to confirm. @Buccinator, if I were you, I'll save the $20K to buy the S60 for the next Gen3 car. P85 is not for me and I hate to pay speeding tickets.