Hi,
I've got a deposit down on a Tesla Model 3 LR. I've test driven a showroom model on a couple of occasions - and I love it!
There is a small bit of doubt in my mind though, from each time that I drove my own car back home (a Mini Cooper S JCW).
I don't know if it's just a bit of sadness that the Mini may eventually be going? The Mini has a very loud personality, unique interior and it has a lot of character, in comparison, the Tesla is quite plain and doesn't feel as customisable due to the lack of options available.
I guess I'll also miss the noise of having a performance exhaust.
Does anyone else miss their old car, or even worse, regret moving to a Tesla?
Ash
Great topic!
What I miss most is having a small car, or a car that is small as I need it to be whilst accommodating my storage/cargo needs. The Tesla is bigger than I'd like given the size of my generously-sized garage, and it's the longest car I've ever owned at 15'5". Yes, I know the length of it because I compared the length of this car to other marques, trying to work out how I would fit the car and my bike in the garage. I sold the bike so that's not an issue.
I prefer small cars, but there are no EVs with decent range in the states, yet. The Bolt was the first 'smallish' vehicle to have a 238 mile range. But, I'm someone who owned a smart car, a FIAT 500 Abarth, a spate of Hondas, etc. I LOVE the Honda E but Honda is too shortsighted to bring that to the States, and its range isn't great for L.A. commuting from where I live (32 miles one way). Granted, in the pandemic this isn't an issue but at the time it was. I sold my LEAF S because of its insufficient 151 mi. range, and I wasn't in love with the styling.
If I had the choice of Tesla vehicles, and let's say this was 10 years hence, I'd have a small 'hot' hatchback of some type with around 350-400 mi. range, great minimalist styling, and SMALL. I don't have kids and don't cart people around often, so I really only need the front seats in most cases. I would love the Abarth 500E but the range is pathetic. Same with the Electric Smart.
I love my Tesla P3D-, but I would love it even more if it were about 20% smaller all around, or the size of a Lotus Elise (I know, like the Roadster). The Roadster is nice too, but I want a fully up-to-date vehicle with all the modern features Tesla can offer. I cannot afford the new Roadster, and it doesn't even look all that small (but I could be wrong). The Tesla is so fast, so quiet, so smooth, handles corners well, and visibility is good except directly to the rear. I love it.
In summary, if in the future I could buy a smaller Tesla EV hatchback with great range (at least 350 miles), I'd be VERY interested, and it would be easier to park or maneuver in the garage next to my girlfriend's car or just in general. With two Tesla Model 3s, things are pretty tight with side clearance (opening doors and such), but workable.
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