The rear license plate frame. Unlike the usual cheese ball ones dealers install, which I immediately remove, this one actually looks classy. Small details like that.
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To you, what are the small, lesser known things that make the Model 3 just brilliant?
- Thread starter WilliamG
- Start date
insaneoctane
Well-Known Member
1. Another subtle AC advantage.....
When you approach your car on a HOT day, just opening the door will start the AC cooling. No longer do you need to crawl into a hot car to start it and begin cooling. Quite brilliant and handy. Of course you could also do it with the app if you think ahead. Nonetheless, never again do I HAVE to crawl into a hot car!
2. Probably controversial, please don't shoot the messenger, but the use of my phone as my key has worked flawless for me since day one. When it really works as envisioned it is revolutionary. I never need keys and I (almost) always have my phone. I no longer carry keys anymore.
3. Speed AND efficiency in the same car. And we are talking about arguably the most efficient car in production!
4. The minimalist interior straightens up easily. Maybe I just keep my interior clean, but with very little work my interior looks so clean and uncluttered (by design)
5. Ever improving software. Not just the little tweaks (which are awesome that little things might be fixed and you won't necessarily have to just live with them until you sell your car), but when I bought my Tesla it didn't have a dash cam. Now it does!
6. Put it in park, get out and walk away. It turns out this is not only brilliant but intuitive. Since owning my Tesla, I can't tell you how many times I've walked away from the family ICE only to discover a few steps later that I've left it running and unlocked! Oops.
When you approach your car on a HOT day, just opening the door will start the AC cooling. No longer do you need to crawl into a hot car to start it and begin cooling. Quite brilliant and handy. Of course you could also do it with the app if you think ahead. Nonetheless, never again do I HAVE to crawl into a hot car!
2. Probably controversial, please don't shoot the messenger, but the use of my phone as my key has worked flawless for me since day one. When it really works as envisioned it is revolutionary. I never need keys and I (almost) always have my phone. I no longer carry keys anymore.
3. Speed AND efficiency in the same car. And we are talking about arguably the most efficient car in production!
4. The minimalist interior straightens up easily. Maybe I just keep my interior clean, but with very little work my interior looks so clean and uncluttered (by design)
5. Ever improving software. Not just the little tweaks (which are awesome that little things might be fixed and you won't necessarily have to just live with them until you sell your car), but when I bought my Tesla it didn't have a dash cam. Now it does!
6. Put it in park, get out and walk away. It turns out this is not only brilliant but intuitive. Since owning my Tesla, I can't tell you how many times I've walked away from the family ICE only to discover a few steps later that I've left it running and unlocked! Oops.
One thing nobody has yet mentioned is the DC Fast (i.e. Supercharging, CHAdeMO, CCS) capacity and taper. This perspective probably is limited to people who have a long history with Tesla. My own began in early 2013 when Supercharger were rare. Until recently 1020kW was the maximum. Soory for long introduction.
At 150kW Superchargers (V3) the Model 3 charges at or near that level and tapers much more steeply than did my P85D. Thus from 8% to 90% only took me 45 minutes the other day at Port Orange, FL where my P85D took about 1 1/2 hours to do the same. At that my P85D had about 225 miles rated range and my P3D has about 285 miles rated range. Similarly I tested the CHAdeMO charger where my P85D was fed during my fist six months back in 2015. Back then my P85D took about two hours to go from ~10% to 80%. MY P3D went from 11% to 80% in just 45 minutes.
In short, whatever DC charging system you use teh Model 3 has a much steeper taper so will have a far faster charge than will previous Teslas. Clearly taht will change but for now Advantage: Model 3!
At 150kW Superchargers (V3) the Model 3 charges at or near that level and tapers much more steeply than did my P85D. Thus from 8% to 90% only took me 45 minutes the other day at Port Orange, FL where my P85D took about 1 1/2 hours to do the same. At that my P85D had about 225 miles rated range and my P3D has about 285 miles rated range. Similarly I tested the CHAdeMO charger where my P85D was fed during my fist six months back in 2015. Back then my P85D took about two hours to go from ~10% to 80%. MY P3D went from 11% to 80% in just 45 minutes.
In short, whatever DC charging system you use teh Model 3 has a much steeper taper so will have a far faster charge than will previous Teslas. Clearly taht will change but for now Advantage: Model 3!
The OP didn't say it had to be unique to the Model 3 or EV's.
What I like about it is that it always works assuming I have cell service. Where something like Apple's feature on the iPhone doesn't always seem to work consistently. Sometimes it shows where I parked, and sometimes it doesn't.
For something truly unique to the Model 3 I'd say using the phone as the key. This obviously has some downsides, but what I love about it is that it prevents me from ever forgetting my phone when I go to work.
Bill Foster
I'm going home!
This. The amount of satisfaction I get from that stupid plate frame is ridiculous.
also, THIS. not having some big fob in my pocket is such a nice thing.
and to go with that the key cards are awesome. Cheap, look great and take up zero room in my wallet. I could also see them putting the key on an elastic wrist strap, like Jag has done.
I have another one! :
I have rarely needed to clean my wheels in the last few months because regen braking = so much cleaner than brake dust flying everywhere. Compared to my Golf R or my STI, this is revelatory. Their wheels were filthy within a week.
I have rarely needed to clean my wheels in the last few months because regen braking = so much cleaner than brake dust flying everywhere. Compared to my Golf R or my STI, this is revelatory. Their wheels were filthy within a week.
Did no one mention how much of the world you see with no dash blocking the view?
The no dash and Tesla pad was supposed to be highly controversial and stop tons of sales because “no one” would ever get used to it.
Pretty much the entire automotive world stfu once the car was actually in the wild.
Risky but successful move.
The no dash and Tesla pad was supposed to be highly controversial and stop tons of sales because “no one” would ever get used to it.
Pretty much the entire automotive world stfu once the car was actually in the wild.
Risky but successful move.
Re: Post 22 on page 2, referring to unlocking the charge port when phone is in your pocket ... after a night of charging, I walk into the garage and pass the right side of the car before walking around the back to the charge port. I just need to press one of the door handles lightly, but not enough to open the door, and it will wake up the car. By the time I get to the charge port, I can just press the blue button on the handle and remove the charger. Easy.
The climate control just works. This is the first car I've had where you can just set a temp and leave it. No fiddling with the vents to get enough cool air, but not freeze your hands on the wheel. No turning the temp down to get cooled off and back up when the you get to cold. It just stays comfortable.
Always having a full "tank". Never having to look at the gas level and planning when I need to stop to fill up.
No keys. The car FOB was the last key I had to carry with me. Now I have none.
Always updated maps with up to date points of interest. Old cars you were stuck with a couple year old map that was never updated unless you shelled out a few hundred dollars. I always just used my phone even though I had in car navigation.
Remote cooling/heating. Being able to turn on the climate control remotely without running the car. My previous cars had remote start but you had to pay several hundred dollars a year for the feature.
Auto garage door. Very nice the car closes the garage door when you leave and opens it when you approach.
Built in streaming music which I hope one day is something better than Slacker.
The open, roomy feeling from having almost no dash and a glass roof.
Always having a full "tank". Never having to look at the gas level and planning when I need to stop to fill up.
No keys. The car FOB was the last key I had to carry with me. Now I have none.
Always updated maps with up to date points of interest. Old cars you were stuck with a couple year old map that was never updated unless you shelled out a few hundred dollars. I always just used my phone even though I had in car navigation.
Remote cooling/heating. Being able to turn on the climate control remotely without running the car. My previous cars had remote start but you had to pay several hundred dollars a year for the feature.
Auto garage door. Very nice the car closes the garage door when you leave and opens it when you approach.
Built in streaming music which I hope one day is something better than Slacker.
The open, roomy feeling from having almost no dash and a glass roof.
Somebody mentions the lte use is only for Tesla. Actually it is better than that, I can surf internet while my wife is driving.
Also, a feature I like is the basic cruise control. If I set it for 98 kmh, the car will drive at 98 not 97 or 99.
It is the first time i am using such an accurate cruise control.
Also, a feature I like is the basic cruise control. If I set it for 98 kmh, the car will drive at 98 not 97 or 99.
It is the first time i am using such an accurate cruise control.
silentcorp
Member
The brake hold option, driving another car without the ability to easily lock the car in place at a stop light is painful.
ElectricEel
Member
I drove my car to Vegas this weekend. I don't have auto pilot, but I used the cruise control. And being able to control the speed from the wheel, and when I lowered the speed the 'regen' would slow the car down.
It was my knockoff autopilot, but I was able to drive at least 100+ miles my foot didn't have to touch the brake. Freggin amazing and how fast it sped up.
XLR82XS
D M C
Other cars have this feature. My 2016 Golf R had it. But yes, it's great. Some might prefer the way VW did it, and some might prefer Tesla's implementation. With all things equal (Creep on), VW engages the Hold feature when you stop, no matter how hard you're pressing the pedal. With Tesla's implementation, you need to firmly press the brake.
I like both iterations for different reasons. Not sure I think either one is better than the other.
a ton of good features mentioned here. My .02 -
the climate control (always on feature - and how little battery it uses). I probably won't leave it on while at work all day but definitely going to lunch with a client i'll leave it on. definitely a wow feature here in tx.
the hooks in the frunk. i often go to the grocery store on the way home and get 2-3 bags of groceries. perfect solution. and i LOVE what someone mentioned on this thread about putting food in the frunk. i pick up pizza quite often or fast food and it smells the car up pretty bad. good tip
the sentry mode (which i need to learn more about) that takes video of anyone who dings or hits your car in the parking lot.
also, the fact that these cars are very unlikely to be stolen.
my absolute favorite thing, besides climate control, is the phone app. specifically that i don't have to have a fob in my pocket. i wear a slim fit suit and my money clip always hits buttons on my acura fob and will unlock the car, set off the panic alarm, or worst yet, some combination will roll down the windows an inch or so and pop the sunroof. that happened one time when it was pouring rain, unbeknownst to me in the office, and came out to a drenched car. not good.
cant wait for friday - pick up day!!!
the climate control (always on feature - and how little battery it uses). I probably won't leave it on while at work all day but definitely going to lunch with a client i'll leave it on. definitely a wow feature here in tx.
the hooks in the frunk. i often go to the grocery store on the way home and get 2-3 bags of groceries. perfect solution. and i LOVE what someone mentioned on this thread about putting food in the frunk. i pick up pizza quite often or fast food and it smells the car up pretty bad. good tip
the sentry mode (which i need to learn more about) that takes video of anyone who dings or hits your car in the parking lot.
also, the fact that these cars are very unlikely to be stolen.
my absolute favorite thing, besides climate control, is the phone app. specifically that i don't have to have a fob in my pocket. i wear a slim fit suit and my money clip always hits buttons on my acura fob and will unlock the car, set off the panic alarm, or worst yet, some combination will roll down the windows an inch or so and pop the sunroof. that happened one time when it was pouring rain, unbeknownst to me in the office, and came out to a drenched car. not good.
cant wait for friday - pick up day!!!
Well pizza in the frunk with AC on....the car is going to smell pizza...
ahhh, interesting. i didn't think of that. i assume the air intake comes from the frunk then?
I don't know for sure but I can definitely tell you that some air is going through.
Not my experience. After many many pizza pickups in the frunk I have never felt any hint of pizza smell inside.Well pizza in the frunk with AC on....the car is going to smell pizza...
