What should I do (s or 3)

[Jase1125]

Trying to decide between two options (same price - $53k)

1. Model 3 Long Range AWD, Midnight Silver with sport wheels. Advantage is it has the latest autopilot hardware.

2. 2016 Model S 75D with 20k miles. AP1 hardware and free supercharging. Options include Autopilot Convenience, Premium Upgrade, Next Gen seats, leather, Pano Sunroof, Hepa Air filter, carbon fiber spoiler, Sonic Carbon Slipstream 19" wheels.

Commute during school year is 30 miles one way. Drop off 12 and 14 year olds at school and then to work. 18000 miles a year. Color is Blue with Carbon wheels (attached). Help a brother out; which should I get. I do wish the S had air suspension....

 

[Azman]

Trying to decide between two options (same price - $53k)

1. Model 3 Long Range AWD, Midnight Silver with sport wheels. Advantage is it has the latest autopilot hardware.

2. 2016 Model S 75D with 20k miles. AP1 hardware and free supercharging. Options include Autopilot Convenience, Premium Upgrade, Next Gen seats, leather, Pano Sunroof, Hepa Air filter, carbon fiber spoiler, Sonic Carbon Slipstream 19" wheels.

Commute during school year is 30 miles one way. Drop off 12 and 14 year olds at school and then to work. 18000 miles a year. Color is Blue with Carbon wheels (attached). Help a brother out; which should I get. I do wish the S had air suspension....

Are you looking at a used Model S from Tesla or a 3rd party dealer. IF it is a 3rd party dealer i would avoid that as there is no extended warranty available once your original runs out.
I got my Model S used from Tesla and love the fact that i have the warranty just in case i do end up needing it. Which i probably will.

 

[tpnicho]

I was in the same boat as you, although my 53k was in £. I ended up with a 2017 75D AP2.5, 400KW superchargin per year, no bells or whistles. I love it, my preference was to wait for a Model 3 to hit UK shores however i have a big dog and he just wouldn't in a model 3 so i went with the S.

Things to consider -

• How many miles are you going to do? be realistic, everyone would like 300+ but how often do you ever drive more than 200 in a day
• With the Model 3 you will have all the latest toys / with the Model S you will have an amazing car but the AP 1 wont be able to Sentry Mode / dash cam etc and with a 3 you will be able to charge eventually at 250kw, our Model S is restricted to about 105kw with the latest software update.
• Can you live with out a dashboard, i personally prefer the interior styling and dashboard of the Model s but keep an eye out for a display with a yellow ring
• Size - do you need a bigger car and boot (trunk) or can you live with a smaller car
• Looks - which do you prefer, i personally prefer the S and the pic you showed is beautiful!!
• Warranty, if not CPO from Tesla, after reading a lot on the Forums recently, out of warranty is not somewhere i want to find myself personally.
• Which do you prefer? Ultimately this is the one that counts!

 

[Rahul]

If you need the range for road trips or think FSD will happen I’d go 3. Otherwise the S is a more boss car and you’ll enjoy the extra space so if that’s more appealing I’d go that route. It’s a tough call but I’d go S

 

[rocketshipp85]

Why not get an AP 2 S, you can get a used 75D for like 50-55k.

 

[jerry33]

If you are going on trips, then between the two options, get the 3. IMHO, 75 isn't enough battery for trips. Of course, if you can stretch, the new long range S is far superior to either.

 

[iluvmacs]

Go drive both and see what suits you better. The S is huge. Some people like that and some don't.
Otherwise, the 3 is much better design overall in my opinion.

 

[Watts_Up]

Unless you really need the practicality of a hatchback,
I would take the Model 3 mostly because of the new battery 18650, the most important component of an EV.

 

[jerry33]

Unless you really need the practicality of a hatchback,
I would take the Model 3 mostly because of the new battery 18650, the most important component of an EV.

The 18650 is the battery in the S/X. The 3 has a 2170. Both have the same chemistry, the differences are form factor and the enclosure of the entire battery pack.

 

[drklain]

Unless you really need the practicality of a hatchback,
I would take the Model 3 mostly because of the new battery 18650, the most important component of an EV.

The model 3 has a 2170 battery, the Model S has the 18650 (the 2170 is the new battery coming from Gigafactory 1). We know that it is a different form factor (slightly different sized batteries) and there have been discussions/theories that the battery chemistry is improved (although that is not confirmed. We do know that the Model 3 battery pack is different than the Model S, with the ability to replace modules vice the whole pack and better thermal management (which alone may account for the ability to do faster supercharging rates...when you are charging the battery the biggest issue isn't battery chemistry, it is thermal management, at least to date).

The big question is what do you want -- the equivalent of a brand new Toyota Camry (Model 3) or a used large Lexus or BMW (Model S). Both are good cars but have different features and benefits, especially if you are talking a used vice new Model S. The Model S is a MUCH bigger car (you don't realize it until you see a Model 3 and Model S next to each other). Personally, I love the hatchback and ability to drop the rear seats for additional storage capacity. It will carry a lot more than a Model 3...but that may not be important to you. On the other side, the fact the car is so much larger makes fitting it in some home garages (and even parking spaces) a pain. It is a BIG car from an exterior dimension point of view.

Was it me, I'd either buy an AP2.0 Model S (used) or go with the 3. People who own AP1.0 cars love them, but i have serious concerns about obsolescence and lack of future updates on those cars...but that is just my opinion.

 

[Max*]

We have one of each. The S is our roadtrip car, it's roomier inside and can fit more in the trunk. I like the 3's interior better than the S's though.

 

[jerry33]

Was it me, I'd either buy an AP2.0 Model S (used) or go with the 3. People who own AP1.0 cars love them, but i have serious concerns about obsolescence and lack of future updates on those cars...but that is just my opinion.

I have an AP-0 car and still get upgrades. Of course AP-1 won't get any AP upgrades, but it will get the others.

 

[Max*]

Advantage is it has the latest autopilot hardware.

Right, but you're not paying for the FSD software.

The base AP software on the Model 3 isn't as good as the AP1 software/hardware on the Model S.

The "FSD" package on the 3 (even though it's not FSD, but Nav on AP) has more features than the AP1 on the Model S (I would say "better", but I'd get people arguing/complaining here).

 

[darxsys]

Go drive both and see what suits you better. The S is huge. Some people like that and some don't.
Otherwise, the 3 is much better design overall in my opinion.

Can you tell me why you think the 3 is designed better than the S? It's a pretty unique opinion.

To the OP: try them both and decide. I don't know what would need to happen for me to buy a Model 3. Looks like a frog that went on Joe Rogan's show and smoked some with him.

And yes, you can get extended 3rd party warranty these days (X-Care) so don't be automatically afraid of buying from dealers.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Model 3 is a good Urban car. Nimble and sporty.
Model S is the better cruising road car with more room for people and stuff. Handy hatch back.
Car rides fine, both with air springs and coil metal springs.

Both offer all the Tesla goodness, but in different size packages.

 

[Alset4S]

Are you looking at a used Model S from Tesla or a 3rd party dealer. IF it is a 3rd party dealer i would avoid that as there is no extended warranty available once your original runs out.
I got my Model S used from Tesla and love the fact that i have the warranty just in case i do end up needing it. Which i probably will.

There is an extended warranty available.

 

[Jase1125]

I confirmed with Tesla I could purchase an extended warranty with them. Pricewise, I'm not sure it makes sense. Cheapest is about $2500 for a couple of years and 25k miles. I mean if the MCU went south, aren't they about $2500? Almost would rather keep the cash and gamble.

I generally prefer the S styling, but the 3 has grown on me considerably. I like the greater efficiency of the 3, but free supercharging with a supercharger 8 miles from my house leads me toward the model s. I just wish it had a larger battery pack than 75 although I don't want to pay the extra money . I am in DFW, so the nimble 3 in stop and go traffic along with garage parking makes me think I will appreciate its smaller size. The larger S would be nice for road trips, but we tend to get off the beaten path (i like landscape photography) so the S wouldn't work so good in the middle of nowhere. At this point, leaning toward the 3 and will take the wife's SUV for long trips.

 

[Krash]

Late 2016 AP2 S 75D w free supercharging.

Check EV-CPO every couple days.

 

[iluvmacs]

Can you tell me why you think the 3 is designed better than the S? It's a pretty unique opinion.

I don't think it's as unique as you imply. Nearly every time I see a post from a 3 owner who got an S loaner they come back saying "wow, I actually like my 3 better".

• Way more efficient
• Better visibility out the front and sides (rear is a wash, or maybe slightly better in the 3)
• Easier to get in and out of
• More maneuverable when driving
• An interior design that isn't designed around you not having anything in the car (Cupholders you can actually use, center console that is much better design, storage space in the arm rest, door pockets, seat back pockets, etc.)
• Much better sun visor design
• Actually functional phone charging dock (not to mention does 2 phones)
• More comfortable for rear seat passengers (added armrest, headroom is too low in the S for even average height people, and seatbelts oddly short in the S)
• Better dashboard design and interior "feel" (yes, personal opinion)
• Door handles that don't break all the time
• Lower maintenance & related costs
• Compared to the used S that was mentioned, there will be tons of updates, many of which a new S might also have (AP2.5/AP3, updated faster MCU screen, etc.)

The only thing I liked better on the S I had before the 3 was the hatchback/extra cargo room. But that was more than overshadowed by the fact that neither myself nor my wife liked driving a car that was so huge and felt like a boat.

 

[Liquidsx]

I was asking the same question a few weeks ago. Went with Model S.