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[UK] Model S/X LHD Discussion
- Thread starter prabhu
- Start date
jabloomf1230
Minister of Silly Walks
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Some people clearly don’t have a basic grasp of supply and demand economics.
I reckon the seller had some success selling PS5 consoles at inflated prices on Ebay and thought they could do the same with the Plaid!
12Pack
Member
Well, in true Tesla fashion they didn’t actually have a LHD MS Plaid for my test drive, so I drove both their LHD MX Plaid and MS Long Range refresh.
Acceleration: The Plaid hits perhaps not that discerneably harder than the MS Raven performance off the line. But around 60mph, when the Raven starts to taper off, the Plaid really gets going. I suspect they’ve got a rising torque curve to prevent wheel spin. It hits harder at higher speeds, though they had the car limited to 87 mph. The Long Range refresh also hits harder at higher speed, though the Raven feels stronger for passing and certainly off the line than the LR. Plaid certainly worth it for the acceleration.
Exterior: Even side by side, hard to notice the wider haunches unless you are specifically looking for them.
Interior: Nicer quality, though the infotainment screen feels smaller and a bit awkward popping out of the dashboard next to the instrument binnacle. Didn’t measure any quieter than my Raven on my iPhone app, but I thought there was less higher frequency noise. The new roof is noticeably lighter, making for a brighter cabin. The rear centre armrest is a great addition. The Mrs. thought the front felt smaller. Overall though, not worth it for the interior alone.
LHD driving: We’re from the US and spend a lot of time there. Wasn’t really an issue on the A roads during the test drive. But still, I just have too many use cases to be able to deal with it. The Mrs. thought I was crazy for even considering it and declared it was too dangerous for normal use.
So we’ll be hanging on to the Raven until something better comes along in RHD.
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Have a feeling I won’t be able to get a test drive. They text me today to tell me I missed the appointment at the time I never booked. Text the person I’d been dealing with who is frankly useless to try to re-arrange and no response. Called them in and booked it back in. Then got a text later from same useless person who had originally suggested this time and date that I’d wanted all along to tell me they won’t have any Model S or X there.
So I have a booking that the phone line tells me is OK and someone via text who constantly books me in at the wrong time telling me they don’t have a car. Guess I’m going to be taking a 1.5 hour trip that might or might not be pointless next Saturday.
So I have a booking that the phone line tells me is OK and someone via text who constantly books me in at the wrong time telling me they don’t have a car. Guess I’m going to be taking a 1.5 hour trip that might or might not be pointless next Saturday.
Leytonstone
You're mistaken
@12Pack that's a concise write up, thank you, even if the conclusion felt like an inevitability 
fwiw my car had its v. first MoT this month, and I had the revelation it's the longest I've owned a car. Normally get an itch at 18 months, but there's nothing as fast nor as commodious nor as understated as the Model S. Half feel like finding another 2020 Raven and dry storing it.
Sounds mad? Decades ago had a pal who did just this with his 2000 Impreza WRX estate that he loved: bought an identical one - right down to the colour - then put it away and simply dusted it off when the first car was showing a few too many miles and collecting a few too many warnings on the MoT. I thought he was bananas but before now I've never been attached to one particular car.
LHD ain't the answer. And there's still the thorny issue of warranty... what to do.
fwiw my car had its v. first MoT this month, and I had the revelation it's the longest I've owned a car. Normally get an itch at 18 months, but there's nothing as fast nor as commodious nor as understated as the Model S. Half feel like finding another 2020 Raven and dry storing it.
Sounds mad? Decades ago had a pal who did just this with his 2000 Impreza WRX estate that he loved: bought an identical one - right down to the colour - then put it away and simply dusted it off when the first car was showing a few too many miles and collecting a few too many warnings on the MoT. I thought he was bananas but before now I've never been attached to one particular car.
LHD ain't the answer. And there's still the thorny issue of warranty... what to do.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
LHD is the answer
Buy the LHD and put the RHD in the garage, except for trips where that is needed. When RHD does come to UK shores then trade them both in for it ...
I am basing this on the thought that I could cope with LHD in UK 'coz all the trips I make in MS are "motorway / long distance" and I take the MY instead when nipping to the shops / local twisty journeys.
I'll get my coat ...
Leytonstone
You're mistaken
I do see the logic.
My issue is that commuting means 28 miles of B-roads, narrow lanes and even a ford. Not that LHD makes river crossings trickier, just that my route to work involves a lot of encroached nature and potholes you could lose a dog down. The Model S sometimes feels the wrongest tool for the job.
Years ago when out shopping for a car I'd dismissed the Tesla on the basis it was just too wide. But then I had to go and drive one, and maybe that same feeling will lift LHD sales, even if I couldn't imagine getting one myself.
My issue is that commuting means 28 miles of B-roads, narrow lanes and even a ford. Not that LHD makes river crossings trickier, just that my route to work involves a lot of encroached nature and potholes you could lose a dog down. The Model S sometimes feels the wrongest tool for the job.
Years ago when out shopping for a car I'd dismissed the Tesla on the basis it was just too wide. But then I had to go and drive one, and maybe that same feeling will lift LHD sales, even if I couldn't imagine getting one myself.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Basically: We all need / want RHD ...
Interesting that it seems there are a fair few here who are sticking it out, rather than rushing to Taycan.
Maybe Tesla market research has figure out that we RHD'ers will wait ... and meantime they are ready'ing RHD with V2H, HUD, etc. etc. in a dramatic volte-face to a new stance of rewarding customer loyalty
Interesting that it seems there are a fair few here who are sticking it out, rather than rushing to Taycan.
Maybe Tesla market research has figure out that we RHD'ers will wait ... and meantime they are ready'ing RHD with V2H, HUD, etc. etc. in a dramatic volte-face to a new stance of rewarding customer loyalty
consdiering their approach to 'build en masse and allocated based on demand' I'm a little surprised RHD/LHD is such a pain for them. I'd almost have expected them to have designed the cars to be able to flip in an afternoon at a service centre. Certainly not requiring such expense at production.
Does this also mean no RHD country gets a RHD car? Thats quite a few and even if volumes are expected to be low, you'd think globally in RHD markets its enough to do limited runs each quarter
Does this also mean no RHD country gets a RHD car? Thats quite a few and even if volumes are expected to be low, you'd think globally in RHD markets its enough to do limited runs each quarter
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
As I understand it Australia is not allowed to drive LHD ... so they don't even have the option of LHD purchase there.
Whereas when I was working in Japan (RHD), as a youngster, my boss had a Merc which was LHD - just to be sure that everyone knew he'd splashed out on a Foreign Car
Mind you, he made me drive it if we went anywhere together ...I still think this is wriggle out of the original price that was pegged by anyone with a deposit. The car must have been designed for RHD build capability, and that's a common thing in automotive design ... I'm struggling to think of any reason why RHD-build is, suddenly, hard - other than massive design cockup (seems unlikely, this is a refresh, not a brand new model), or some specific RHD-only part is not available (seems unlikely for same reason)
Or they are going to ditch all Halo models entirely ... clearly they are struggling to sell MS / MX elsewhere in world. People who can afford them can choose all sorts of other expensive marques ... but the reasons voiced here for wanting new MS/MX, in preference to those other brands, must hold elsewhere in the world - so why is demand weak there? Range / charging infrastructure is pants [relative to Supercharger network] in most of those countries too (other than one or two like Norway) so same issues re: other brands as in UK?
I've scratched my head and come up with nothing.
It's a bit rich to blame the sales figures when they didn't have a price on the order page for 90% of the time it was up.
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WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
I think the reason most haven't jumped onto something else is maybe a lack of anything else that interests people. There's other options of course but most of those also aren't available in RHD yet or maybe never will be. It's quite disappointing as never felt in the past RHD limited our choices too much. Maybe didn't get models quite as quickly but often wasn't too far behind.
Market cap wise I think they are the biggest car company yet they are unwilling to bring 2 out 4 models to RHD markets.
Most other OEM‘s create multiple models, some niche, some not so niche but most are available in RHD form.
That may indicate that Tesla mostly care about the longer term goal … flood the market with high volume FSD enabled vehicles so they can eventually monetise that capability. Elon has stated as much and the Model S/X RHD is an impediment to that objective, resource wise. In other words, Tesla are preparing to sell pay-by-use services and to do that they must seed the market with many, many vehicles. S/X had pitiful preorders relative to the 3/Y so was seen as a distraction.
There is a positive.
LHD S/X may retain a bit more value than we first thought!
Most other OEM‘s create multiple models, some niche, some not so niche but most are available in RHD form.
That may indicate that Tesla mostly care about the longer term goal … flood the market with high volume FSD enabled vehicles so they can eventually monetise that capability. Elon has stated as much and the Model S/X RHD is an impediment to that objective, resource wise. In other words, Tesla are preparing to sell pay-by-use services and to do that they must seed the market with many, many vehicles. S/X had pitiful preorders relative to the 3/Y so was seen as a distraction.
There is a positive.
LHD S/X may retain a bit more value than we first thought!
12Pack
Member
I've heard from by car crowd, as well as my Tesla crowd (charger installer, friend of my son that works in an SC, sales guys - we sell chips to Tesla), that actually insurance on the LHDs is the same, and that most LHD buyers are Tesla/car enthusiasts who plan to take the Plaid to racing events/airport runs etc.
In our case I really had planned it as a replacement for our MS daily driver. Really isn't room in my "garage" for a specialty drag racer - not something I'm into anyway.
In our case I really had planned it as a replacement for our MS daily driver. Really isn't room in my "garage" for a specialty drag racer - not something I'm into anyway.
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