Utterly, irreparably spoiled - Experience in a rental Infiniti

[highfalutintodd]

I'm in Orlando, FL for a business trip. Avis was kind enough to upgrade me to an Infiniti M37 for my rental car.

A few months ago, I would have been thoroughly impressed with this car and would have thoroughly enjoyed this ride.

Now, however, after three short months of Model S ownership, all I could think while driving it was, "What a piece of junk!"

While there were a couple of nice features that I'd enjoy having in my MS (seat coolers in Orlando = heaven, and the please-Elon-give-me-this-in-the-next-software-update reverse camera backup lines), overall this car was simply a mess.

The accelerator was alternately too touchy and too mushy - impossible to smoothly drive the car even after a couple of days' driving. The brakes were similarly mushy - the wonderful feeling of controlled stopping was simply not there.

The navigation system was one of the most confusing, addled thing I've ever seen. After experiencing this mess of a user interface, I can't believe that anyone complains about the Model S system at all. Granted there are some additional features I'd love to have in the MS Nav, but the simple, clean, easy interface simply blows this Infiniti system (and my previous Honda's nav) away. And now that I've experienced the glory of searching for a location via Google Maps, everything else seems like stone-age tech.

And the buttons! Buttons, buttons, buttons everywhere, covering every available surface. Talk about distracted driving! I was far more distracted trying to find the correct stupid buttons on the panel while driving than I've ever been by my Model S' touchscreen.

I was just absolutely amazed. Not long ago this would have been one of the nicest cars I'd ever driven. Now, I couldn't wait to turn it in knowing how much better the driving experience can be.

My wife called me a car snob when I told her this. I guess she's right, but I can't argue. My Model S has spoiled me - there's simply no going back now.

 

[Discoducky]

Spoiled rotten (in a great way) to the core! Hope you didn't have to fill'er up! :scared: Not sure I'd remember how to do it after 7 months of home fillups.

 

[Plug Me In]

Could be worse

I recently drove a rental Ford Fiesta for a week!

Had fun with the kids laying down the gas pedal, listening to the engine scream and nothing happening!

 

[MikeL]

Great post todd! A first hand account of why I think it's so ridiculous when someone says EVs won't succeed because of all the 'compromises'. Fact is, the entire global car industry has devolved into one giant lowest-common-denominator compromise. Then tack-on a dealer/marketing/advertising behemoth designed to churn up tepid interest and differentiate one piece of new junk from the others. I have sat in many a rental car over the years and can only recall one or two times when I DIDN'T think "man, what a piece of junk." Pretty sad for the newest, best America had to offer at the time.


Now we have Elon & Tesla completely changing the game. A tipping point will be reached when it's just accepted knowledge that EV transpo is not only NO compromise, it is simply obviously better. We know it already, of course, inching - striding - racing to that tipping point. ML

 

[Sparky]

Agree on all counts.
The M37 S was one of the comparison cars which I test drove just before my first Model S test drive.
I even went back and re-drove the Audi A7 (terrible Nav and audio interface) and the Porsche Panamera (same confused acceleration at moderate speeds and twisty roads but, superior road feel IMO).
Then I drove a Jag XF afterwards. The salesman said "awesome car, huh!". I smiled and said "sorry, but you owe it to yourself to drive a Tesla Model S. You'll never think that about this car again."

It's the thing that doesn't get covered enough IMO. You can't stomach going back to an ICE after some time in a Model S.

 

[No Tailpipe]

I had a similar experience with Enterprise during my last business trip. Except, it was with a Dodge Challenger/HEMI V8.
The rental agent told me this is the "sportiest" and most powerful (375hp) car they have on the lot. So, I said...sure let's do it. I haven't driven a Dodge since I can't remember. Something must have changed in over 20+ years.

First impression. Not only was this car designed with an old school mindset it drives like one too. It looks like they dusted off the original plans from the 1960s Dodge Challenge and added navigation, LED mood lights, keyless entry and push button start/stop. Overall it was loud, big, obnoxious, with blind spots galore. So, your asking...was it fun to drive? Meh. At 25mpg it sucked gas like baby calf sucking on a bottle of milk. GONE in seconds. Which in it's self was a pain since that required multiple trips to the gas station rather than pulling into my garage and connecting to the grid.

Driving a model S has forever changed my perspective of driving and going back to an ICE car is more annoying than pleasurable. Oh, after driving the Challenger for a day I looked up the car on Dodge's website and found something that was funny. When flipping through interior pictures of the Challenger I came upon one showing the center console with navigation. The picture was titled, "Control at your finger tips" - "Find the best gas prices". Classic! You can't make this stuff up.

 

[purplewalt]

Agree on all counts.

Then I drove a Jag XF afterwards. The salesman said "awesome car, huh!". I smiled and said "sorry, but you owe it to yourself to drive a Tesla Model S. You'll never think that about this car again."

It's the thing that doesn't get covered enough IMO. You can't stomach going back to an ICE after some time in a Model S.

+1
best response to an otherwise glib salesman
"You'll never that that about this car again."

IF and WHEN he went to drive a Model S, he would realize the truth of what you had told him.