Test drive Model S P85 or buy 60kWh?

[Buccinator]

I am signed up to test-drive the Model S here in Atlanta at the next drive event. Tesla has told me that the drive will be in a Model S Performance.
I am very excited to take the plunge. I am ready to buy another car and have a lot of interest in the Model S.
My budget is what I want to make it, however, 60K is the most I have felt comfortable spending on a depreciating asset. I am not sure I am ready to spend over 100k, nor do my driving patterns justify even the P85. I drive about 8 miles to work one way. I am wondering how difficult it will be to buy/drive the P60 car, after driving the P85 Performance.

I have two reasonable justifications for selecting the P60.
1: My driving patterns would rarely, if ever, require the P85
2: My true cost to own (cash out the door)

With all of the above rambling complete, here comes the question:

Is the performance of the P60 sufficient, or will I always be wishing I bought at minimum the P85, if not the Performance?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

 

[deonb]

Is the performance of the P60 sufficient, or will I always be wishing I bought at minimum the P85, if not the Performance. I drive about 8 miles to work one way. I am wondering how difficult it will be to buy/drive the P60 car, after driving the P85 Performance.

So first things - there is no P60. There are 4 basic models:
* 60
* 85 (sometimes referred to as S85)
* P85 (Performance)
* P85+ (Performance Plus)


I drive a P85 daily, but had a 60 loaner yesterday.

The 60 is still a fantastic car - it's still crazy fast. You're still going to leave every other car at the light except a 85.

Get Tech though if you can. And Pano thereafter. I immediately missed those features more on the loaner than I did the performance of the P85.

And for me personally I need air suspension to be able to get onto my driveway, so I couldn't pull the 60 into the garage. But whether you absolutely need air suspension depends on where you live.

 

[Buccinator]

Thanks for the clarification, and the insight. My build of the 60 has the tech, pano, charge upgrades. The only items not selected are the air suspension.

The driveway issue does concern me a little. I don't have a steep driveway, but it does have a decline that results in a "hump" at the top of it.

 

[deonb]

The driveway issue does concern me a little. I don't have a steep driveway, but it does have a decline that results in a "hump" at the top of it.

Yip. That's my problem as well. The house is below street level, so there is a slight up-ramp from the street to the sidewalk, followed by a downramp, resulting in a "hump" small enough that the front wheels of the car can be on the downramp while the rear wheels are still on the upramp. With suspension at standard this scrapes at the bottom of my car.

 

[sp4rk]

I am signed up to test-drive the Model S here in Atlanta at the next drive event. Tesla has told me that the drive will be in a Model S Performance.
I am very excited to take the plunge. I am ready to buy another car and have a lot of interest in the Model S.
My budget is what I want to make it, however, 60K is the most I have felt comfortable spending on a depreciating asset. I am not sure I am ready to spend over 100k, nor do my driving patterns justify even the P85. I drive about 8 miles to work one way. I am wondering how difficult it will be to buy/drive the P60 car, after driving the P85 Performance.

I have two reasonable justifications for selecting the P60.
1: My driving patterns would rarely, if ever, require the P85
2: My true cost to own (cash out the door)

With all of the above rambling complete, here comes the question:

Is the performance of the P60 sufficient, or will I always be wishing I bought at minimum the P85, if not the Performance?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Get the P85.

Why?

After you've got yours, you'll meet a ton of your peers who drive 85's. I'd hesitate to say over 95%.

And you'll NEED to keep up with the Jones's.

Ditto performance ... if you can afford it, get it. I didn't, and now the "toy buying" side of my brain regrets it.

Hope that irrational argument holds water?

 

[Al Sherman]

If you're pretty sure you'll never need/want the extra range; the 60 is a fabulous car and as said above it is still very fast. I never use the range but got the 85 because I like knowing I have it if ever needed. I upgraded to the Performance because it won Car Of The Year and I was getting peer pressure. :biggrin:

 

[Zythryn]

The performance is a ton of fun and the P+ is a requirement for track days.
However, in normal driving I have never found the need for the performance package.
We have an 85 and a 60. And the performance of either is more than we need for around town or travel.

That said, if I could afford a third, I would buy a P+ and bring it to local track days, Cars and Coffee, etc.
It wouldn't be practical, or a good use of money, but it is a lot of fun

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

I had test driven both the 85 and the P85 before I got my 60.

Although I'm a car nut and would have gotten the P85 if I really wanted to, I'm extremely satisfied with my 60 with tech, leather, air suspension and purposely, no pano (as I didn't want the single biggest mechanical contraption in the car that has already had hiccups in several cars).

My SF Bay Area drives and distances are much more - I've already clocked just under 10,000 miles in 6 months - and I've never needed the extra range of the 85. Performance of the 60 is stellar; I've beaten most Audis/BMWs/Mercs off the line time and again in real world driving.

60 really gives you the most bang for your buck.

 

[jai9001]

Zythryn,

How does the acceleration compare on the standard 85 vs the 60?

I own the 85 and I'm curious how much tesla understated the specs.

Thanks,

Jason

 

[rogbmw]

I have the "standard" 85 with no PANO. I actually love the car without the PANO roof. To each his own, but after having lived with it for 5 months, I can honestly say I do not even think about not having the PANO. But, I am also a person that rarely used the sunroof in previous cars.

 

[taraquin]

Zythryn,

How does the acceleration compare on the standard 85 vs the 60?

I own the 85 and I'm curious how much tesla understated the specs.

Thanks,

Jason

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

 

[Buccinator]

Thank you all. I have a problem with cars, and by problem, I mean I buy way too many, way too often. I love the design, look, and everything about the Model S. I cannot wait to drive this machine everywhere.

That being said, this is one of the best automobile forums I am a member of. Quick, insightful, and friendly responses. I look forward to being not an just an enthusiast, but an enthusiast owner.

 

[Al Sherman]

Thank you all. I have a problem with cars, and by problem, I mean I buy way too many, way too often. I love the design, look, and everything about the Model S. I cannot wait to drive this machine everywhere.

In that case get the P85 with everything. Including the Air Suspension.:smile:

 

[brianman]

The performance is a ton of fun and the P+ is a requirement for track days.

Disagree. By no means is it a requirement for track days. You'll notice it and be able to leverage it on track days, but it's nowhere near "deal breaker" for track use of Model S.

 

[GasDoc]

Is the performance of the P60 sufficient, or will I always be wishing I bought at minimum the P85, if not the Performance?

I've had both cars, check out my signature for configurations.

My 60 was totaled in a collision and I then purchased an 85P.

The only reason I went with the 85P, with exactly the same color, configuration and tires as my 60 is that the car was immediately available. I had been driving an ICE for a month and it was going to be another month or two if I wanted to order and configure a 60. The 85P was immediately available.

For my purposes, the 60 is plenty of car. It was much faster than my previous 740il (sport) BMW. The 60 was FAST, the 85P is SCARY FAST. I didn't find that I had problems with range with the 60kwh model, we even did a spring break roadtrip from the San Francisco area to LA and Vegas. However, I do live in the Bay Area with access to superchargers for road trips.

From what you've written about your justifications, I'd have no reservation with going with the 60kWH model.

 

[Cheerose]

Air Suspension vs. not ... does it make a difference with the ride?
I keep going back and forth between the 85 and the P85 -- and then, if I stay with the 85, Air or not. I know that they can be expensive to fix/replace.

 

[markb1]

I got the 60 after test driving both the P85 and the 85. I don't regret it. More than enough performance for me.

 

[callmesam]

Thank you all. I have a problem with cars, and by problem, I mean I buy way too many, way too often. I love the design, look, and everything about the Model S. I cannot wait to drive this machine everywhere.

That being said, this is one of the best automobile forums I am a member of. Quick, insightful, and friendly responses. I look forward to being not an just an enthusiast, but an enthusiast owner.

Get the 60 and then put your deposit down on the Model X.

Problem solved.

 

[Btrflyl8e]

I have the 60 and drive at least 30 miles a day so no range issues. I have driven it no different than I drove my ICE, except maybe a little MORE. Options are all personal preference and individual needs. I find air nice to have because I drive roads prone to flooding during afternoon rains, which occur almost daily here. More than once I've felt better being able to raise up my car and drive through standing water. It also make for less bending while washing! I didn't get supercharging since I was skeptical about the plan, but most likely will add it next month since I need to go to Miami and a SC is being built in just the right spot to make it possible for me to drive my 60 from Tampa to Miami and back with ease. Pano does give extra headroom, especially in the back, if that's important to you. Tech just because. I never regret any of my choices except not adding supercharging... Good thing it's only software so I'm not out of luck, just out another $500 adding it after purchase.

 

[GlennAlanBerry]

I think it depends somewhat on what car(s) you are driving now, and what cars you have driven in the past and how you like to drive as to whether you will be satisfied with the 60 or a P85. The 60 will be significantly quicker than most cars on the road, and the instant torque from the electric motor just magnifies that feeling at lower speeds. On the other hand, the P85 is significantly quicker than the 60, and it is a lot of fun to scare/thrill your friends and family the first time you floor the accelerator. They typically say something like "Oh my God!" or "Wow!". I always warn them ahead of time by saying "Are you ready?" before I floor it, but they are always shocked by the acceleration.

Beyond that, it is nice to know that extra power and acceleration is always there if you want it or need it. I also think it is nice to have the bigger battery, just in case you do need the extra range from time to time.