What's the most surprising thing you've found once you got your Tesla?

[phaheem]

There’s a separate button in the air conditioning screen controls (bottom right) to activate the rear AC vents even if no one is sitting in the back!

I was always under the impression that the rear vents activated only if someone was sitting in the back. I was so happy when I discovered that button/feature

More info re: backseat:

If you have a baby/child car seat installed in the back seat, the Tesla May warn you that a “passenger” in the back seat has not buckled their seat belt. You can tell the Tesla that you have a car seat installed there to bypass the unbuckled belt warning by tapping the icon on your display for the unbuckled seat, and the icon will change to a car seat!

 

[SageBrush]

I enjoy many features that the Tesla has simply because this is my first luxury car but I think what has most surprised me is the total experience. It cannot be explained as a list of features. The rat in the Disney movie 'Ratatouille' described it best when trying to explain why cheese is tasty and so are strawberries, but together they are wonderful.

I drive electric for environmental reasons but there is no doubt that Tesla has made an exceptional car. Certainly the best one by far I have ever driven.

 

[dfwatt]

I enjoy many features that the Tesla has simply because this is my first luxury car but I think what has most surprised me is the total experience. It cannot be explained as a list of features. The rat in the Disney movie 'Ratatouille' described it best when trying to explain why cheese is tasty and so are strawberries, but together they are wonderful.

I drive electric for environmental reasons but there is no doubt that Tesla has made an exceptional car. Certainly the best one by far I have ever driven.

Well said. That's kind of My overall take as well. It's just a different class of experience from owning any previous vehicle. We could never go back. And it's strange to think that a car can somehow materially impact your quality of life, but we enjoy driving in a way we never did before. It used to be a toxic chore and now it's fun. And long distance driving has gone from being a really toxic chore that's dangerous and exhausting to something that we don't mind doing and that is made traveling a whole lot more accessible. For example we went to Montreal this summer and we probably would not have done that if the car wasn't so pleasant to drive. And our drive to Florida in the winter is a whole lot more pleasant than it would otherwise be.

 

[Daddio56]

How bright (even low beam) headlights appear in my rearview mirror.....I wonder how many folks I unintentionally blinded in their Model 3's when I came up on them in my F150...which I traded in for my very own Model 3!

 

[DopeGhoti]

How bright (even low beam) headlights appear in my rearview mirror.....I wonder how many folks I unintentionally blinded in their Model 3's when I came up on them in my F150...which I traded in for my very own Model 3!

When I test drove, I at one point had the sun directly behind me, nailing me right in the face via the rear-view mirror, and I was surprised when I reached up to fip the mirror into the "headlights behind me" angle- only to find the lever not present. It was a mixed surprise to learn about the self-dimming mirror (which I like) and that it was only active when the headlights are (which I do not). Turning on the rear-view camera makes for a nice backup a rear-view mirror.

 

[Phlier]

How bright (even low beam) headlights appear in my rearview mirror.....I wonder how many folks I unintentionally blinded in their Model 3's when I came up on them in my F150...which I traded in for my very own Model 3!

It sounds like the auto-dimming function of your mirror isn't working correctly, if at all! That could be a serious safety issue. You should seriously consider taking your car to a SC and having them check it out.

I've actually been very happy with how well the auto-dimming function works, so if yours is blinding you, it's time to have it checked out.

 

[camalaio]

It sounds like the auto-dimming function of your mirror isn't working correctly, if at all! That could be a serious safety issue. You should seriously consider taking your car to a SC and having them check it out.

I've actually been very happy with how well the auto-dimming function works, so if yours is blinding you, it's time to have it checked out.

To be fair, being used to a truck one probably doesn't even see the intensity of light that the Model 3 redirects even with dimming. Headlights just aren't in line with truck mirrors. That said, my Honda rearview mirror had full dimming. The Model 3 rearview and side mirrors have a ring of undimmed reflective surface that depending on how headlights hit it can be very annoying. That might be part of the issue.

 

[SageBrush]

The rat in the Disney movie 'Ratatouille

Found the clip

 

[StellarRat]

Not a feature but rather a surprising observation of the various Tesla owners in this forum.

I swear, the attitude of some of the fanboys of this car cracks me up. Really makes me understand now why lots of Teslas get keyed.

Even the ones that have come from Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, etc? Because there are lot of "fanboys" and girls that previously drove those supposedly "superior" cars, but now think that Teslas are superior.

 

[spindrome]

Even the ones that have come from Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, etc? Because there are lot of "fanboys" and girls that previously drove those supposedly "superior" cars, but now think that Teslas are superior.

All of the above.

 

[Dubes]

and air resistance? I would be more likely to do it in a S. The 3 makes it so hard to go neutral (even in a car wash!)

Air resistance is a type of friction, look up fluid friction. I did it in my MX. What makes it so hard to shift ME into neutral?

 

[ACofNY]

No AM radio. Must pay $300 to have HomeLink garage remote feature (& hardware) added.

Once I found the quality of streaming the AM stations over my phone, I have no desire to listening to AM over the air. But for the Homelink, I can't believe I am using a garage remote again after all these years with a good number of cars that I've owned. I rather connect my garage door motor to internet, (not currently for security reasons,) first. I have not looked at the all the features for the garage remote app and compared it to Tesla's HomeLink.

 

[sceptic]

I also can't believe that I'm back to using a garage remote after giving my 10 year old car to my daughter (that had a simple way to trigger my garage opener by pressing a button in the car)
but I just discovered that there are backup lines that show where my car is in relation to the cars around me when I back out of my garage- very cool for someone as depth challenged as I am!

 

[SlimJim]

After 6 months of ownership I still get car sick from the acceleration. And I am fine with it.
I don't know which is more surprising.

 

[DopeGhoti]

After 6 months of ownership I still get car sick from the acceleration. And I am fine with it.
I don't know which is more surprising.

The unmitigated power available at the tap of the foot is always surprising, even when you're expecting it. And it never fails to put a smile on my face. I just don't to that terribly often anymore (unless I need to move) because I would like my tires to last longer than they would if I were launching at every red light.

That said, does anyone find oneself occasionally hoping for a red light?

 

[SO16]

The unmitigated power available at the tap of the foot is always surprising, even when you're expecting it. And it never fails to put a smile on my face. I just don't to that terribly often anymore (unless I need to move) because I would like my tires to last longer than they would if I were launching at every red light.

That said, does anyone find oneself occasionally hoping for a red light?

At a bare minimum, I certainly want to be in front at the red light.

 

[Legofreak]

At a bare minimum, I certainly want to be in front at the red light.

I try to be behind someone at a red light and switch into AP just so i don't have to pay attention while stopped. tends to slam my head into the headrest when the light turns green and im not looking... at least it will wake me up lol