To P or not to P, that is the question...

[ozweepay]

I have a few more days before my MS order is locked in and the only lingering question on my mind is whether to stick with the 85D or go to the P85D. I have only test driven the former.

However, the only reasons I can discern for getting a P85D are:

1. You want to race it on a track against other fast cars
2. Having just the 85D would leave you with P-ness issues
3. You like making youtube videos

But really there is no practical reason... right?

My lease payment goes from $1034/mon up to $1380 for a P85D and to $1554 for the P90D.

50% more money to go from a 0-60 time of 4.2 down to 2.8 secs.

And yet I'm still thinking about it! Gah!!

 

[David99]

go for the P.

 

[Dwdnjck]

I think you have answered your own question.

 

[AMPd]

I'd get the p90d!
Beast of a car!

 

[danni]

The Model S is not much of a track car in any version. It'll overheat and reduce power too soon. Personally, I'd obviously take the P if money wasn't an issue, but for most of us it is, isn't it? The 85D has better performance by far than any other car I've ever had, and I'm sure I'll be more than satisfied with it. When will you really notice the difference? Not very often in everyday driving. At the occasional red light race, perhaps.

 

[Johann Koeber]

I have found the 'P' fun to wear out after a few months. This is just for me, others might think differently.

But those few months made it worthwhile. And probably the resale value is better (because the buyer of the used car gets his or her few months of 'P' excitement.

 

[sandpiper]

I have a few more days before my MS order is locked in and the only lingering question on my mind is whether to stick with the 85D or go to the P85D. I have only test driven the former.

However, the only reasons I can discern for getting a P85D are:

1. You want to race it on a track against other fast cars
2. Having just the 85D would leave you with P-ness issues
3. You like making youtube videos

But really there is no practical reason... right?

My lease payment goes from $1034/mon up to $1380 for a P85D and to $1554 for the P90D.

50% more money to go from a 0-60 time of 4.2 down to 2.8 secs.

And yet I'm still thinking about it! Gah!!

The only RATIONAL argument for a P is that if you're in an area without a lot of Teslas, you'll become an instant ambassador for the brand and technology.

EVERYBODY who gets into it will want you to show it off. My favorite thing is to go to a quiet bit of road, let my prospective victim take the drivers seat and tell them to stomp on it. Almost without exception they laugh/panic/react in some way. And so people go away with a great story to tell and that's the best form of advertising that there is. Hopefully some of your victims will be enthralled enough to go to the website and put down a deposit!

You'll have that same effect in an 85D, but to a lesser degree of course and you risk that maybe one of those potential sales won't happen.

So, if you think about it buying a P85D is the environmentally responsible thing to do. And THAT is how I rationalized it to myself! I've half convinced myself to do the Ludicrous upgrade when it comes out using exactly the same reasoning.

 

[tstafford]

It's pretty stark when you lay out those differences in the lease payments. While I suppose I shouldn't be surprised I'm still a little bit shocked to see the bump from the P85D to the P90D - nearly $200/mth for that last little edge (and bragging rights). You get some extra range too of course.

I don't know what you should do but I can tell you why I chose the P85D. I'm a technology guy (own/run a software business) and a car nut (too many to list) so the Tesla hits on both notes. Any Tesla right now is an extravagance for me as I have a perfectly nice 535i that I love to drive. Since it's an extravagance I decided "in for a penny in for a pound" - the last thing I want is to spend nearly $1100/mth and regret not getting the P. The regrets of "wasting" the extra $350 to go to the P sound less awful to me than the regrets of having 90% of what I want.

 

[78Lion]

For us old guys, it's not really a choice.

 

[Matteo]

Hi ozweepay,

◘ How long do you plan keeping this car?
◘ What is your yearly mileage?
◘ How much of that mileage will be for long distance trips using the supercharger network?

 

[mwulff]

50% more money to go from a 0-60 time of 4.2 down to 2.8 secs.

And yet I'm still thinking about it! Gah!!

Seriously any Tesla will give you a sore neck if you floor it too often. Yes it's fun and games for a month or two but then everyday driving sets in. You don't really launch to 60 in everyday traffic anyway, so I wouldn't spend the money for it. Much better to put that money to use elsewhere.

 

[skboston]

A year after getting P85+ the fun of flooring it doesn't wear for me, it always gives me pleasure to do and my friends are always laughing

 

[FlasherZ]

The 85D is pretty zippy the way it is (approaching my original P85!)

For the average person out here I'd recommend the 85D and the marginal price difference between 85D and P85D is a bit too much compared to marginal value... when it was $10k, I was okay with it, but when it increased to $14k and now $20k... unless you have extra $$ lying around begging to go to someone else, I'd say the 85D will be sufficient.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

The 85D is pretty zippy the way it is (approaching my original P85!)

For the average person out here I'd recommend the 85D and the marginal price difference between 85D and P85D is a bit too much compared to marginal value... when it was $10k, I was okay with it, but when it increased to $14k and now $20k... unless you have extra $$ lying around begging to go to someone else, I'd say the 85D will be sufficient.

+ 1

 

[dsm363]

You won't be upset with the 85D. Agree, get the P85D if you absolutely must have it but it's not necessary of course. All about want vs. need. Fun car though.

 

[SmartElectric]

50% more money to go from a 0-60 time of 4.2 down to 2.8 secs

Get the P90D and feel like a rocket pilot every day.

Any Tesla is fast enough, but there is something to be said for the P and D together:
Tesla Model S P85D | Fully Charged - YouTube

That review is from a driver who feels the standard Tesla is plenty, but clearly, he loves "dipping in to it" as you can see from the video.
The rush of 1.1G is worth it if you like amusement rides!

 

[BWN]

I'll give you my 2 cents: I bought a MS60 in March. It's been in the service center for a week (replacing heater box for musty AC smell, the part was hard to locate) and have a P85+ as a loaner. After driving the loaner for a week I can honestly tell you that the performance is identical in 99.9% of situations. Meaning, I can't safely drive the MS60 to its limits of acceleration, much less the P85+. Yes, on a drag strip or a deserted road you could accelerate a little faster, but the reality is that all these cars are SO quick/fast.

 

[jbcarioca]

The 85D is pretty zippy the way it is (approaching my original P85!)

For the average person out here I'd recommend the 85D and the marginal price difference between 85D and P85D is a bit too much compared to marginal value... when it was $10k, I was okay with it, but when it increased to $14k and now $20k... unless you have extra $$ lying around begging to go to someone else, I'd say the 85D will be sufficient.

+2. I do not regret my P85D for even a moment, but were i doing it again I would choose the 85D with the 90 kWh option. The odd thrill is pretty expensive for no real purpose. Still, I'm sure I'd miss it, but not for the price difference.

 

[mkspeedr]

If you ask the question - get the "P" After 8 months I love the P85D and I need to upgrade it to ludicrous.

The people who don't need the "P" don't ask - they know performance is not important. I can tell the difference between insane and non insane mode. It feels muted.

 

[ozweepay]

Hi ozweepay,

◘ How long do you plan keeping this car?
◘ What is your yearly mileage?
◘ How much of that mileage will be for long distance trips using the supercharger network?

Three years (that's the term of the lease). In my Prius, my yearly mileage has been 8,250 over the past 8 years. I went for 12,000 on the MS lease figuring I might drive more just for the pleasure of driving. And I'll probably make 1 long-distance trip per year with the SC network.