What's all this stuff in front of me?!?!?! I'm getting claustrophobic!!

[tomas]

Totally unfair You should have to only drive it 9 times!

Ok. By acclimation, we will go to 5 times. In concept, was just trying to exclude opinions from those who have never seen/driven or have driven just a couple of times. Thanks for pointing out my exaggeration.

 

[tomas]

If it bothers you that much, take it to a high end auto upholstery place and they can make it look more luxurious/premium for you...

People do that kind of customization for a $100k car. Not for a <$50k car.

 

[FlyinLow]

I sat in and looked thoroughly over a 3 before choosing an S. I bought a used S and need the hatchback and increased cargo room. A used S with AP1 was the same price as a new 3.

All that said I’d definitely get a 3 for my second family car. We will likely sell the ICE and go all electric in the furure.

For those who like a little more info up front consider a magnetic smart phone mount and the Waze app. You get speed and directions and you can mount it permenantly or via suction cup anywhere you prefer, even right in front of your line of sight like a heads up display.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

When I get my 3 I plan on correcting the lack of this stuff by getting an after market HUD.

 

[FlyinLow]

When I get my 3 I plan on correcting the lack of this stuff by getting an after market HUD.

Which one are you eyeing?

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Less than a week with the Model 3... I've been alternating back and forth between my S and the 3 (my wife's car... supposedly).

Every time I sit down in the S and start driving, I feel hemmed in by instrument cluster and surround, vents, raised dash...

Who needs that stuff! Amazed at 1) how quickly I could get used to the 3's controls and amazing forward visibility, and 2) how annoying that makes the S... and every other car.

Agree on the forward visibility but, respectfully disagree, @tomas, on the quality of the 3's controls vis-a-vis the S's. I drive my wife's 3 a couple of days a week and still look forward to getting back into my S. I've posted before about this: the S's controls are better thought through, better-sized and better-laid-out on a nicely angled, aptly-vertically oriented screen. The screen in front does offer much needed redundancy and access to key details. The S also has the right kind of stalks including a full-fledged wiper stalk.

 

[ölbrenner]

I guess some people just put a lot more value on aesthetics vs functionality/practicality than I do. That said, glancing to the side for the speedometer (and other misc stuff) isn't nearly as annoying as the incomplete UI and being forced to do things through the touchscreen that should be done via stalks or steering wheel buttons, and a 2nd screen wouldn't do anything to fix those deficiencies.

If you understood the premise of the Model 3, you would understand why Tesla chose to NOT have any stalks/buttons that have more than one "neutral" position. They indeed chose functionality first.

 

[Marsnaut]

If you understood the premise of the Model 3, you would understand why Tesla chose to NOT have any stalks/buttons that have more than one "neutral" position. They indeed chose functionality first.

As much as we would all like FSD to come to fruition, the car is designed for a future that won't exist for years. Many of us know not to pay for FSD (and I would hate to callously throw out the word 'vaporware') when configuring. It would make sense to save it for an interior refresh when FSD capabilities are ready.

I do admit that EAP allows you to fiddle with the touchscreen more, which is fine for most people.

 

[ölbrenner]

As much as we would all like FSD to come to fruition, the car is designed for a future that won't exist for years. Many of us know not to pay for FSD (and I would hate to callously throw out the word 'vaporware') when configuring. It would make sense to save it for an interior refresh when FSD capabilities are ready.

I do admit that EAP allows you to fiddle with the touchscreen more, which is fine for most people.

True on EAP timeline. But I still say Tesla designed to that end.

However, with the upcoming CC/following controls coming to the right steering wheel orb, more wiper control functionality on the stalk, and enhanced voice commands - the touchscreen will largely be relegated to speed/energy/nav monitoring and some audio when driving (as it should be imo).

 

[tomas]

True on EAP timeline. But I still say Tesla designed to that end.

However, with the upcoming CC/following controls coming to the right steering wheel orb, more wiper control functionality on the stalk, and enhanced voice commands - the touchscreen will largely be relegated to speed/energy/nav monitoring and radio when driving (as it should be imo).

Agree. No reason they can’t get everything we need on existing stalks and trackballs.

 

[trm2]

If you understood the premise of the Model 3, you would understand why Tesla chose to NOT have any stalks/buttons that have more than one "neutral" position. They indeed chose functionality first.

This is spot on. Tesla designed the Model 3 as a transportation appliance meant for "group" use.

 

[Marsnaut]

True on EAP timeline. But I still say Tesla designed to that end.

However, with the upcoming CC/following controls coming to the right steering wheel orb, more wiper control functionality on the stalk, and enhanced voice commands - the touchscreen will largely be relegated to speed/energy/nav monitoring and some audio when driving (as it should be imo).

I wonder how the mapping process will be for the orbs/trackballs. Adding too much functionality will make it easy to mistakenly do something else, while adding too little customization will prevent it from being super useful.

 

[jsmay311]

If you understood the premise of the Model 3, you would understand why Tesla chose to NOT have any stalks/buttons that have more than one "neutral" position.

That's weird... I thought the premise was a compelling, affordable EV for the masses to help accelerate the move towards sustainability -- NOT a science experiment unlikely to come to fruition until well into the next decade (if ever). Silly me.

And nothing about adding an extra stalk or a couple buttons to the steering wheel would go against what you're talking about.

They indeed chose functionality first.

And up is down, and black is white, and Elon never overpromises and underdelivers.

In all seriousness though, I might be more forgiving about the controls if they were anywhere near complete. How can you adequately assess something so unfinished??? We're told the right scroll wheel will do tons of stuff... eventually... someday. But it can't now.

If all of the usability deficiencies are going to be solved via software, hurry up and do it already, Tesla!
This sh!t should've been done 7+ months ago. There's absolutely no excuse.

 

[NCAviator]

I haven't noticed any rampant demands here for Android Auto/Carplay. I assume that was in the past before people had had a chance to use them. Maybe you could sort of get away with it on the two screen Model S setup but expect it would still feel weird and disconnected from the rest of the UI.

Volvo seems to have figured it out. They have android auto and car play. Yet; their UI has other controls at the same time as well. If tesla does not implement Alexis and google assistant they will be left behind. Their closed architecture will be a minus rather than a plus.

 

[nvx1977]

As far as the wiper complaint on the Model 3 goes, I really don't think it's a big deal. In my S, I have a stalk that has the same 'push for single wipe' button that's on the 3. I also have a rotational dial on that same stalk that lets me choose 2 auto-wiping speeds and 2 fixed speeds. I rarely use that dial. I leave it on the faster autowipe setting. For the few situations where the autowipe doesn't kick in early enough, I just press the button.

So for me, given how I've found myself using wipers in the S, I'm rarely going to need the touchscreen to operate the wipers.

 

[dgpcolorado]

... I rarely use that dial. I leave it on the faster autowipe setting. For the few situations where the autowipe doesn't kick in early enough, I just press the button...

I do the same. However, after seeing some complaints about the newer cars with auto wipe using one of the cameras, as opposed to a dedicated sensor, I'm wondering how well it will work in the 3? I guess you will be able to find out soon enough!

 

[T34ME]

People do that kind of customization for a $100k car. Not for a <$50k car.

I will do that kind of customization in my car........and a lot of other foolish stuff. I want a black headliner to match the interior.