Unfriendly S & X Owners

[75Shappyt]

hell, I drive a MS, I make all the model 3 owners park in the back of the business, you know with their own kind,


just joking, I like all Tesla owners, I do wave,

 

[contaygious]

I look down on myself all the time!

Seriously though it’s been years so waving at this point feels silly. Maybe when we were the only model s on the road. Now it’s every third car in sf.

 

[Hamilton C]

I am in the upstate New York area and other Teslas are a rarity because we are 5 hours from the nearest dealer.

My experience of taking delivery of a Model 3 just two days ago at that dealer, was that in the first twenty four hours was I was really impressed with other Tesla owners (they happened to be Model S owners) who were very friendly, helpful and trusting.

I received my Model 3 about 12:30 PM. Do to a variety of reasons, the dealer was only able to delivery the car charged to about 100 miles, and I was facing a 5 hour trip home. That evening at my first super charger stop, a model S owner showed me how to get the plug into my car. It developed he has been a Tesla owner for 5 years. He had a flat tire and was waiting for a commercial flat bed tow company to pick up his car. It was about 7:30PM and he had a ride on the way to pick him up. Since I had just started charging, he asked me if I would mind waiting for about 20 minutes (not a problem as I needed to charge longer than that) for the flat bed so that he could leave with a friend who was picking him up. I said yes, and was incredulous he handed me the key fob to his Tesla S and (after exchanging cell numbers) took off with his friend. When the tow arrived I put them on the phone with the owner who gave me the go ahead to give him the key fob.

Even though I know he could track the car, I found it incredible that there was such trust among two perfect strangers who happened to own Teslas, that one would give the key to the other, (and I suppose that I would agree to wait for 20 minutes while he went on his way). We exchanged texts in which he thanked me and noted that owning a Tesla was indeed akin to being a member of a club.

The next day as I was driving into a small shopping center looking for my second supercharger, a man was crossing the street and pointed and said "it" is over there, pointing me to the back of a building where it would have taken a long time to find the supercharger. While there he pointed out that the superchargers are in pairs, and that both cars could charge more rapidly of they selected chargers with an empty stall in between so that different circuits were in use. He also looked up and answered a couple of questions I had about operation of the Model 3, even thought he owned a model S. Again, he said we are members of an exclusive club.

So, my early first experience is that I am a member of a friendly and helpful community where it counts most, up close and personal.

A great feeling.

 

[sperkin]

They're just jealous you have a better car for $15k less.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Simple fact is that a lot of Tesla owners are shy tech-nerds. I felt a bit sad driving across Europe on holiday in a rented Model X and struggled to get into conversations at superchargers.

As a Model S owner I absolutely love the M3, and would happily have it as my next car.

All Tesla owners are part of the family, and there’s nothing else even close.

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

I love the M3 too but I like the S better. To me the S is the perfect car. Some people prefer bigger, smoother, quieter more solidly built cars with less range and slower touch screens.

 

[GeekGirls]

There is no universal description of Tesla owners. They do what they do and feel what they feel for a wide range of individual reasons. I’ve read posts from Model S and X drivers who are excited about the Model 3 even though they have no intention of buying one, and I’ve read posts from others who are irritated that Tesla ownership is so common in their area that they want to buy something else just to feel like part of an exclusive club again. We own an S and a 3, and I tend to wave at Tesla drivers but my wife doesn’t - and she drives the Model 3. Go figure. People are people, as complex and wonderful and irritating as that may be.

 

[SMAlset]

I am a proud new owner of a M3 AWD. The cars performance is truly amazing, but what's even better is my transportation is not fueled by fossil fuels.(I charge at home which is powered by solar.) I was under the impression that the majority of Tesla owners purchased the vehicle to help "accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy." Thus I assumed Model S & X owners had something in common with me.
I live in southern California where there are a lot of Teslas. In fact, I see at least one Tesla vehicle every time I go for a drive. When I see a Tesla vehicle out in the wild I always wave to them. After two months of waving to S & X drivers, none have waved back. I now get the feeling that because my M3 isn't as expensive as their cars we have no rapport.

I have experienced M3 owners are much friendlier.

When we got our Model S last year I was as excited as you about having this great EV and when I saw other Model S drivers I too felt like acknowledging them. Doesn't happen up here in the SF Bay area where I assure you there are more Teslas than down State. From post like this on the Model S forum that I've read over time, California owners just don't wave, flash lights, etc. In the very beginning of Teslas popularity when they were more rare on the road I understand they did. Various suppositions given to this lack of recognition such as they are so common now that they aren't special any longer, not cool to be in car cliques, don't want to call attention to themselves, etc.

Shortly after we got our Model S we were driving in our small town and came to an intersection with a traffic light. Next to us pulled up another S and at the cross street pulled up another Tesla (don't remember S or X), all of us sitting at the light. We were so instinctually aware there were 3 Teslas all in this one spot in our town and thought that was special. Neither driver of the other two cars seemed to notice though.

Believe me there are a number of Model S/X owners that are two-Telsa car families with Model 3s as the second car because they love their Teslas so much. Don't think they view Model 3s in that way you think.

 

[SMAlset]

I will add that two days ago I was driving to a local starbucks in my Model 3 and right in front of me was an X. It went straight while I turned for starbucks. Get to the drive-thru lane and as I pull around the corner right in front of me is a Blue Model 3. Cool I thought. He gets his order from the window and leaves and I pull up to pay and the young barrista looks at me as I hand her my money and says "two Model 3s in a row!" I smiled and said "are you counting?" and she smiled and said "yes". I thought it was cool that she knew the cars. Can't imagine anyone saying "two Benzs or two Porsches". It definitely was a Tesla Moment.

And as uninterested as we Tesla drivers might appear, I suspect we are secretly waving in our minds.

 

[outie]

When I had a Porsche Cayman S i always got waved/flashed with other Cayman owners. I don’t think 911 did though

However for Tesla don’t forget many early (even now) Model 3 owners were S/X owners as they got priority. I personally don’t think they would look down on cars they own. It’s probably just not a popular tradition especially in a state like California where I’ve met 3 other Model X @ at a 4-way stop sign. I’d have to put my car on manual high beam or keep my palm up non-stop.

 

[MXWing]

Not waving doesn’t mean looking down. Tesla are too ubiquitous to try and create a bond with every 10th driver in SoCal

What I am pleased about the Tesla drivers I’ve come across is they are not obnoxiousl to each other. Not trying to race you, use turn signals. Etc.

 

[Raechris]

I own an S and waved to a 3 yesterday. I always wave to a Tesla - they are an infrequent sight here (but definitely growing)

 

[Bill Price]

I'm afraid to wave at a Roadster from far away because I've still not learned the subtle differences between it and a Lotus Elise.

I wasn't aware of a San Jose ordinance against waving at a Lotus Elise by mistake? How costly is that?

 

[Dmagyar]

LET'S NOT MAKE THIS A THING...

Back when I used to ride a motorcycle, same thing, most riders would wave back, except the “Harleys” that’s fine, never screwed with my enjoyment. In a parking lot the other day I was pulling in and getting out of my M3 and another guy was just leaving (in his M3) thumbs up in both directions. We both left with big smiles.

 

[jbcarioca]

Lol... I’ll tell you I rarely react in time to wave to anyone across the way. Perhaps if I’m not driving but you’re not going to see a passenger waving. I tell my GF she should do the AP wave: show both hands. She hasn’t taken me up on it yet.

I rarely wave at any Tesla unless they have a license plate like mine

 

[FranceUSA]

I think that if you moved to Montana, even the Bears would wave at you and you could really test the AWD feature of the car too as you try to run away from the bear.

 

[FlyinLow]

Back when I used to ride a motorcycle, same thing, most riders would wave back, except the “Harleys” that’s fine, never screwed with my enjoyment. In a parking lot the other day I was pulling in and getting out of my M3 and another guy was just leaving (in his M3) thumbs up in both directions. We both left with big smiles.

I’m in Western PA. There are an increasing number of Teslas here, especially Model 3s. For many of us we are enjoying the EV-olution of transportation as we know it. We plan events, attend Cars and Coffee, drive back roads to see fall foliage and do things that are fun.

Tesla is a great excuse to connect as human beings like we used to, friendly, fun, with people of all kinds and one common interest.

 

[RayK]

I rarely wave at any Tesla unless they have a license plate like mine

Waving at you!

 

[Candleflame]

I don't wave to other Tesla drivers. They aren't my friends. But I do look and think "Ooo, another Tesla!".

I imagine S and X owners are a bit butthurt, being that my 3 cost a lot less and drives a lot further on a charge than their cars, except the $100,000 100D Model S, and even then not by much. And my 3 is almost as fast and still has the Tesla logo. The M3P would be faster than the P100D Ludicrous if Tesla wasn't artificially holding it back.

Model 3 -- Almost as good and a whole lot cheaper!

Same with the BMW 5 series owners. They are a bit buthurt. My 3 series costs a lot less, drives a lot further on one tank than their cars, except the diesel engines and even then not by much. And my 3 series is almost as fast and still has the BMW logo. The M3 would be faster than the M5 if BMW would be releasing the next gen M3 earlier.

3 Series - Almost as good and a whole lot cheaper!

 

[Uncle Paul]

Traditionally, Tesla owners do not wave, but acknowledge each other with a "knowing nod"