Before deciding on an inventory car, my wife and I were split on the Pano roof. Her logic is that it's almost as important as leather, because you won't find any luxury car without a sunroof of some sort. I was going to get Pano over the premium interior package, which sounded like bells and whistles more than functionality. I dunno if my opinion helps or not but I wanted to share.
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The reasonably* priced Model S
- Thread starter jedinite
- Start date
I have a vintage model S85 which means rear wheel drive. The rear wheel drive cars are great--you are in California, you do not need all wheel drive. I like the feel of the rear wheel drive. I recommend getting as big of a battery as you can, road trips are fun in a Tesla. More range opens up the possibilities for road trips.
Red is nice. If you like silver but don't want silver, consider midnight silver. My wife saw it when we picked up our 90D and really liked it. Me too.
I don't think you will get anywhere close to $5000 more for the D when you trade it in or sell it. If you like driving the S60, save yourself $5000 and don't get the D. I really liked the S85 except for maybe 2 times in 2 years when it slipped on wet pavement. The only way you will know if you can live with RWD is to test drive an S60 or S75.
I think the options you selected in your original post are perfect.
I don't think you will get anywhere close to $5000 more for the D when you trade it in or sell it. If you like driving the S60, save yourself $5000 and don't get the D. I really liked the S85 except for maybe 2 times in 2 years when it slipped on wet pavement. The only way you will know if you can live with RWD is to test drive an S60 or S75.
I think the options you selected in your original post are perfect.
I just ordered also and was trying to make it as inexpensive as possible. I am not a luxury car guy or a performance car guy. It's the technology that is attracting me to the Model S. Any luxury and performance gains I get are just icing on the cake. I am currently driving a 14 Chevy Volt.
- Pano roof - I never had a car with a sunroof and never felt like I wanted one. However, after sitting in the backseat of a Model S without Pano I realized how low the ceiling is. I am mostly getting it for the head room.
- D or not to D - I am in Houston and snow is not a factor. We get icy roads every now and then but I would be crazy to think AWD will allow me to drive through them without risking losing control. It would be fun to go faster but $5k is an expensive option. I am sticking with RWD
- 60 - The 60 is a great value and I will always have the option to upgrade. Why not use that money for the options I cannot upgrade to later?
- Textile - I am not a leather guy. I despise it. Not because of animals - I will eat a cheeseburger in the middle of a slaughterhouse - but because it really shows its age. No matter how high quality the leather is it will never hold up to a decent fabric or even synthetic leather. Maybe the heat down south has something to do with it but it is just impossible to maintain the moisture in leather so it does not crack or peel. Comfort? I can't imagine textile being worse than my base Volt seats and I never felt they were uncomfortable.
- Premium Package - I hated to pay for this package but I really wanted the power lift gate. I have two kids now and I am constantly carrying things and loading/unloading them in the back. Especially the stroller. If it was not for the kids I definitely would have skipped this.
- Air Suspension - Some people think I am crazy for opting for air suspension over next ten seats. But I scrape my volt on many driveways and parking lot entrances. I drove SUVs before the Volt so I was not used to having that problem. The Volt has a piece of plastic that handles the scrapes well but its not something you want to get comfortable with. Air suspensions do eventually go out and will cost a lot of money. I had to deal with that on a previous SUV I owned. But I am willing to deal with it on the Tesla also. The air suspension will not sag when I have people and/or cargo in the back. It should also keep my lower front spoiler from taking a beating. Besides it looks so damn cool sitting low.
- Auopilot - I sit in traffic on the freeway everyday. This will be big feature for me.
So I placed my order finally. 7 days and then no turning back!
I decided to go with the D because the cost differential over the life of the loan wasn't a significant amount. And if I chose to sell my car in the future or upgrade, I know I won't recoup $5000 entirely, but perhaps it's a bit more desirable, or less undesirable if it were if I had only the rear wheel. The biggest deciding factor here was the increase in HP which when passing over taking other vehicles is nice to have on tap.
I did find a few nice pictures off of the site that better explains the difference between all the motor models:
Single Motor has a large rear motor.
View media item 116153Dual Motor has two smaller motors.
View media item 116155Performance Models have one large rear motor and a smaller front motor.
View media item 116154
Built out I am at $82,500 minus the referral which brings the total to $81,500 before taxes and fees.
60D Red, Grey Interior (might change to tan), Pano Roof, Auto Pilot, Premium package.
CA has approved additional EV Rebate Funds, so there's $2500 back for now (about $133M approved so that's about 53K EVs) and $7500 fed tax credit.
I'll probably do the Light Harmonics aftermarket speaker upgrade which is about the same price as the Premium Sound but with distinctly better speakers, but I'll drive around with stock for a while before I make any changes there.
I decided to go with the D because the cost differential over the life of the loan wasn't a significant amount. And if I chose to sell my car in the future or upgrade, I know I won't recoup $5000 entirely, but perhaps it's a bit more desirable, or less undesirable if it were if I had only the rear wheel. The biggest deciding factor here was the increase in HP which when passing over taking other vehicles is nice to have on tap.
I did find a few nice pictures off of the site that better explains the difference between all the motor models:
Single Motor has a large rear motor.
View media item 116153Dual Motor has two smaller motors.
View media item 116155Performance Models have one large rear motor and a smaller front motor.
View media item 116154
Built out I am at $82,500 minus the referral which brings the total to $81,500 before taxes and fees.
60D Red, Grey Interior (might change to tan), Pano Roof, Auto Pilot, Premium package.
CA has approved additional EV Rebate Funds, so there's $2500 back for now (about $133M approved so that's about 53K EVs) and $7500 fed tax credit.
I'll probably do the Light Harmonics aftermarket speaker upgrade which is about the same price as the Premium Sound but with distinctly better speakers, but I'll drive around with stock for a while before I make any changes there.
Just my 2 cents since you are still in the change period: test drive a couple different vehicles if possible - I foumd the front motor whine on several vehicles I test drove problematic. I was all set to order the D and was able to take a car overnight and found the front motor whine at certain speeds very annoying. I asked for a different car figuring I got a bad front motor and had the same problem but at different speeds. So I drove several more with varying degrees of front motor whine. Most people aren't nearly as sensitive to it, but in case you are check it out. I ended up getting the rwd and couldn't be happier.
davidc18
Active Member
Two thoughts from personal experience.
1. I would delete the front motor, it tends to make quite a bit of 'whine'ing noise so the car is not silent like the rear drive only models ( I had the front DU replaced at 16k miles and the replacement is now as noisy (at 26k) as the original unit. I wish we had gone rear motor only.
2. Use the money to get the upgraded sound system. The LH system will not make up for the lack of the subwoofer.
1. I would delete the front motor, it tends to make quite a bit of 'whine'ing noise so the car is not silent like the rear drive only models ( I had the front DU replaced at 16k miles and the replacement is now as noisy (at 26k) as the original unit. I wish we had gone rear motor only.
2. Use the money to get the upgraded sound system. The LH system will not make up for the lack of the subwoofer.
jedinite,
Congratulations on your order! I think you picked the best possible options given your wants and needs.
I would stick with the D for the hp, and the small range bump. As long as you are giving up frunk space with the refresh model, you might as well get something in return. Also, the new small motors are Tesla's third generation design, and they should incorporate Tesla's lessons learned from the original large motor for the S, as well as the Roadster's motor.
I have an 85D, and I do not find the "whine" to be the least bit objectionable. I only hear it when accelerating hard, and it is not loud even then. It has a cool "warp drive" kind of sound. I definitely consider it a desirable feature, not a bug.
Considering that you plan an early 2017 delivery, you may get the "autopilot 2.0" hardware. I hope you do! We may (or may not) find out more after Tesla's 10/17 press conference.
GSP
Congratulations on your order! I think you picked the best possible options given your wants and needs.
I would stick with the D for the hp, and the small range bump. As long as you are giving up frunk space with the refresh model, you might as well get something in return. Also, the new small motors are Tesla's third generation design, and they should incorporate Tesla's lessons learned from the original large motor for the S, as well as the Roadster's motor.
I have an 85D, and I do not find the "whine" to be the least bit objectionable. I only hear it when accelerating hard, and it is not loud even then. It has a cool "warp drive" kind of sound. I definitely consider it a desirable feature, not a bug.
Considering that you plan an early 2017 delivery, you may get the "autopilot 2.0" hardware. I hope you do! We may (or may not) find out more after Tesla's 10/17 press conference.
GSP
Chopr147
Active Member
jimtelsa
Member
I went CPO. No pano, 85 battery, non leather and got the color I wanted. I drove all the rest and the new versions. But I did not want to break the back and I wanted to drive the car and not let the lease drive me. In one year I have put 18k on the odometer and cant be more happy. Tesla takes care of me, and my car continues to impress me. If money is a non issue then go new, but I wanted to drive without limits and wanted a payment that I could manage. I also have a big Frunk. Yeah Baby.
Enjoy the journey. PS my one option that I do have is the smart suspension. Must have as it saves its raised locations so the next time your at your friends house with that killer driveway.
Enjoy the journey. PS my one option that I do have is the smart suspension. Must have as it saves its raised locations so the next time your at your friends house with that killer driveway.
joebiker25
Member
I had the same mindset going in and really hoped that the stock seats were going to impress...unfortunately I had better seats in a beater Corolla when I was in college. The next gen leather seats grip your body and are incredibly comfortable. I have a bad back and spend at least 3 hours daily in the car so that was a no brainer. The Premium package is a lot more than just power lift for the trunk. The HEPA filter is awesome as I drive by farms and don't smell manure anymore. The adaptive lights and premium interior make the car look like the luxury car I paid for.
Autopilot is so amazing and I am actually annoyed when I drive my wife's MBZ Suv now
I keep my cars for a looong time so will spend an ungodly sum next week on Xpel wrap and ceramic paint protection. AWD is totally unnecessary for me in sunny CA with 99% freeway driving.
just my $0.02
Autopilot is so amazing and I am actually annoyed when I drive my wife's MBZ Suv now
I keep my cars for a looong time so will spend an ungodly sum next week on Xpel wrap and ceramic paint protection. AWD is totally unnecessary for me in sunny CA with 99% freeway driving.
just my $0.02
So the D vs Rear wheel continues.
When I test drove the 75D and "punched it" to pass some Semi's on the I-5 I didn't notice any whine. Mind you, my current daily is a tuned Honda Accord with a Greddy Exhaust, so there are very few vehicles that are quieter than mine on a daily commute. I'll miss the nice throaty growl of my ICE but I won't miss it for long after getting my Model S. The Model S I drove was literally stealth mode compared to what I drive now.
I requested to see if the dealer has any rear wheel vehicles that I can do a comparison drive with. I will keep my ears on the noise.
As for the Upgraded sound, it seems like they added a front tweet sound bar to the vehicle (maybe) and a sub, but other than that I don't know that the mids are any different from standard, and those mids from what I've seen on some YouTube upgrades seem like pretty nominal speakers. You'd think on a $2500 upgrade you'd get nice kevlar cones with huge magnets behind them. If I go with LH aftermarket I'll wait until they release part 2 so I can get the sub as well. TBH, it's a car and not a home theater room, so I'm not going to go overboard on the sound when what I might be playing won't be lossless content. I might just chose to get an NVX B.O.O.S.T. to add base to the stock system and call it a day. When I listened to the Premium Sound in the showroom it didn't impress, kind of muddy in the middle and highs were not bright enough. The Harmon Kardon system in my CLS was amazing, Premium Sound option fell well short of that and that's why in my opinion they are not a value add-on.
Premium Package: Is still a great value. Bio Defense (High-end HEPA filtration) for allergies and 2 carbon air filters for bad air quality and funky smells; Automatic rear lift gate - a must for people with kids and have to lug stuff around constantly; LED daytime running lights; LED Fog lights; Quick connection Phone Dock; Leather arm rests and steering wheel with leather seating. That all adds up to the best VALUE add to a base Telsa build.
***Warning total tangent and soapbox moment... ***
If there's one thing wrong I could criticize Elon for on his approach to selling a car, is that he upholds the notion of up-selling on options with the Premium Package. Get people in the door with the most basic build to highlight the lowest price you could have the car at if you're will to compromise, but then offer a package that almost no one skips out on so that it tacks on at least $3000 to the price, and since some of these sub-options are tied, it means more like $5500-48,500 if you want full advantage of it (e.g. Leather wrapped steering wheel, arm rests and ventilated seating). I'll get off my soapbox and digression, but I will say if he wanted to say "hey this is the BEST car for the money" and the customer just wants to chose colors, performance and maybe some cosmetic features, he could have included the Premium package. Remember when power windows were an option in most cases in the 90s? Anyway, if I only had one option to chose this is the one I probably won't do without.
****
When I test drove the 75D and "punched it" to pass some Semi's on the I-5 I didn't notice any whine. Mind you, my current daily is a tuned Honda Accord with a Greddy Exhaust, so there are very few vehicles that are quieter than mine on a daily commute. I'll miss the nice throaty growl of my ICE but I won't miss it for long after getting my Model S. The Model S I drove was literally stealth mode compared to what I drive now.
I requested to see if the dealer has any rear wheel vehicles that I can do a comparison drive with. I will keep my ears on the noise.
As for the Upgraded sound, it seems like they added a front tweet sound bar to the vehicle (maybe) and a sub, but other than that I don't know that the mids are any different from standard, and those mids from what I've seen on some YouTube upgrades seem like pretty nominal speakers. You'd think on a $2500 upgrade you'd get nice kevlar cones with huge magnets behind them. If I go with LH aftermarket I'll wait until they release part 2 so I can get the sub as well. TBH, it's a car and not a home theater room, so I'm not going to go overboard on the sound when what I might be playing won't be lossless content. I might just chose to get an NVX B.O.O.S.T. to add base to the stock system and call it a day. When I listened to the Premium Sound in the showroom it didn't impress, kind of muddy in the middle and highs were not bright enough. The Harmon Kardon system in my CLS was amazing, Premium Sound option fell well short of that and that's why in my opinion they are not a value add-on.
Premium Package: Is still a great value. Bio Defense (High-end HEPA filtration) for allergies and 2 carbon air filters for bad air quality and funky smells; Automatic rear lift gate - a must for people with kids and have to lug stuff around constantly; LED daytime running lights; LED Fog lights; Quick connection Phone Dock; Leather arm rests and steering wheel with leather seating. That all adds up to the best VALUE add to a base Telsa build.
***Warning total tangent and soapbox moment... ***
If there's one thing wrong I could criticize Elon for on his approach to selling a car, is that he upholds the notion of up-selling on options with the Premium Package. Get people in the door with the most basic build to highlight the lowest price you could have the car at if you're will to compromise, but then offer a package that almost no one skips out on so that it tacks on at least $3000 to the price, and since some of these sub-options are tied, it means more like $5500-48,500 if you want full advantage of it (e.g. Leather wrapped steering wheel, arm rests and ventilated seating). I'll get off my soapbox and digression, but I will say if he wanted to say "hey this is the BEST car for the money" and the customer just wants to chose colors, performance and maybe some cosmetic features, he could have included the Premium package. Remember when power windows were an option in most cases in the 90s? Anyway, if I only had one option to chose this is the one I probably won't do without.
****
davidc18
Active Member
I've heard a few nvx installs and I was not impressed so I've left the 70D stock. The upgrade includes (please correct if I am wrong) 8" front door speakers vs 6", speakers in the rear hatch and the sub. There is also an external amp and line out connections that are missing with the standard sound system.
I bought a 60 and it's a great car. I would suggest you consider AWD seriously, for three reasons: 1) it holds the road better, 2) it gets better range, 3) it reduces tire wear enough add up to real money. I'm also a fan of the cheap seats, which I think are more comfortable (YRMV). I would only advise the Pano roof if you have tall adults who will be riding in the back.
Plain black is an option, but consider one of the multi-coat paint options as it is less likely to show scratches.
Plain black is an option, but consider one of the multi-coat paint options as it is less likely to show scratches.
The whine that bothered me from the front motor was at low speeds - usually between 30-40 mph. My rwd is virtually silent.
HA! I love the whining about the whine here. Keep in mind that relative to other cars this "whine" means your Tesla goes from silent to nearly silent. My wife calls my refresh 60D the Stealth Bomber. Compare it to any ICE vehicle and it's pretty damn quiet, with or without the front motor. Road noise and radio noise means I only hear the whine if I have the radio off and I'm driving at slow speeds with the window open. We're really splitting hairs with the whine. Perhaps it was worse on the older models?
Get AWD if you need AWD is my opinion, but perhaps I'm too pragmatic for this discussion!
Get AWD if you need AWD is my opinion, but perhaps I'm too pragmatic for this discussion!
livingthedream
Member
Why all the whining about whining!? On our April'16 S90D, the whine is noticible only at low speed with the radio off when accelerating rapidly. I actually like it, would miss it if it was gone, and compared to anything else I've driven would still consider it "silent". Road noise is far more obvious once your over 45ish.
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