Which Car to Take on Trip?

[PianoAl]

Soon I'll be taking a trip from California to Denver. I'd like your thoughts on which car to take on this trip.

Note that Tessie is 2.5% more efficient than Nick (Nick has a roof rack). Nick shows a range of 279 miles when I charge to 100%. Tessie shows 270 miles when charged to 100%.

Tessie doesn't have Enhanced Autopilot, but I could subscribe to it for the month. Tessie is quieter and feels more luxurious to drive.

Which car would you take?

 

[turns2stone]

I'd take the newer car. Unless you get annoyed by the inevitable rock chips or potential damage that a roadtrip typically invites. Then your older one might make more sense.

 

[PianoAl]

I just found that I can't subscribe to enhanced autopilot for a month, so it would be $199 for FSD.

Also, the LFP car will charge more slowly, right? ABRP says 27 hours vs 24.5 for Nick.

 

[Apprunner]

Denver has snow. I'd always opt for the ADW car.

 

[UncertainTimes]

Save the $200 for…anything else.

 

[RayK]

Denver has snow. I'd always opt for the ADW car.

Assault (with a) Deadly Weapon?

edit: Sorry, it's the first thing that my mind goes to when I see ADW. Watch too many crime and legal shows on TV. I was looking to get an AWD 3 back in 2018 but pulled the trigger a month or two too soon.

 

[PianoAl]

Denver has snow. I'd always opt for the ADW car.

AWD. Right, didn't think of that (smacks forehead). Will take Nick. Thanks all.

 

[XPsionic]

Denver has snow.

Yeah if it's before April I'd take the AWD car as well assuming both cars are on equal tires.
BTW Greenriver to Richfield is long, steep, extremely windy, and cold. You'd wanna charge the car up quite high to make sure you can get through it without having to slow down. The rest of the drive should be relatively simple and easy.

 

[3sr+buyer]

AWD. Right, didn't think of that (smacks forehead). Will take Nick. Thanks all.

What tires with how much tread depth does each car have?

 

[Dave[N]]

I've made that trip (from Sonoma County to Denver) 3 times so far to visit our Daughter, but never in winter.
I'd certainly bias toward the LR for reduced charging time in addition to AWD in winter.
Down side is the 2020 won't have the heat pump, so I'd expect more power to keep warm.
As a side note, if your up for a side trip we took a down day in Wyoming on the 2nd trip to circumnavigated Flaming gorge, but again that was not winter.

 

[afadeev]

Soon I'll be taking a trip from California to Denver. I'd like your thoughts on which car to take on this trip.
Which car would you take?

Whichever one has snow tires!

Note that Tessie is 2.5% more efficient than Nick (Nick has a roof rack). Nick shows a range of 279 miles when I charge to 100%. Tessie shows 270 miles when charged to 100%.

All irrelevant, since you wont see anything resembling those estimates driving on highways in sub-freezing temps.
Roof rack is removable, so don't take it into the account.

Tessie doesn't have Enhanced Autopilot, but I could subscribe to it for the month. Tessie is quieter and feels more luxurious to drive.

Your car names are all weird.
Take whichever car has the tires that will keep you on the road.
The rest is optional!

AWD. Right, didn't think of that (smacks forehead). Will take Nick. Thanks all.

AWD helps you get going faster, and run out of talent at higher speed.
AWD does NOTHING to slow you down, help you complete the turn on the asphalt, or to otherwise keep you on the road!

a

 

[Apprunner]

Whichever one has snow tires!



All irrelevant, since you wont see anything resembling those estimates driving on highways in sub-freezing temps.
Roof rack is removable, so don't take it into the account.



Your car names are all weird.
Take whichever car has the tires that will keep you on the road.
The rest is optional!



AWD helps you get going faster, and run out of talent at higher speed.
AWD does NOTHING to slow you down, help you complete the turn on the asphalt, or to otherwise keep you on the road!

a

AWD is much much better than RWD on all seasons. I lived in the snow belt for years and RWD definitely needs snow tires to be safe. Assuming the OP only has all-seasons considering he's in California.

 

[afadeev]

AWD is much much better than RWD on all seasons.

Yeah, that's what I keep hearing from the guys standing on the side of the the road, with their AWD SUVs stuck in the ditch.

I lived in the snow belt for years and RWD definitely needs snow tires to be safe.

All cars need snow tires if you live in the snow belt. No exceptions.
ASSuming that AWD will help you in the snow will only lead to MORE accidents.
AWD will help you get going faster in a slippery environment, which will only make it that much HARDER to stop or make that turn. AWD does nothing to add traction - all of that is achieved between the tire and the road. And if you are approaching threshold of tire traction in icy/snowy conditions, you need a better tire. MORE speed is the opposite of what you want!

a

P.S.: This coming form a guy who has lived in NE for the last 15+ years, driving threw 1+ feet of snow with RWD, FWD, and AWD cars.
P.P.S.: Given a choice, 100% of the time I pick the car with the best tires for the job first (e.g.: best winter tires), and drive train second (whatever-wheel-drive).

 

[Apprunner]

Yeah, that's what I keep hearing from the guys standing on the side of the the road, with their AWD SUVs stuck in the ditch.



All cars need snow tires if you live in the snow belt. No exceptions.
ASSuming that AWD will help you in the snow will only lead to MORE accidents.
AWD will help you get going faster in a slippery environment, which will only make it that much HARDER to stop or make that turn. AWD does nothing to add traction - all of that is achieved between the tire and the road. And if you are approaching threshold of tire traction in icy/snowy conditions, you need a better tire. MORE speed is the opposite of what you want!

AWD with all-seasons are doable in snowy weather. It sucks but if you lived there, you know not to drive like a moron in snow. Most people I knew never did switch to snow tires...they just rely on the AWD. I'm not saying its a good idea, but thats just how people were especially if they didn't have a garage or income challenged.

Conversely, RWD on all-seasons is pretty entertaining...until you slide and hit the curb.

 

[PianoAl]

Nick did great. We had a lot of sketchy snow and ice driving in both directions. I80 was closed for a while in Wyoming. Had the wind blow us sideways at one point.

Bought Autosocks on the way out and needed them on the way back.

Your car names are all weird.

? Nick for Nikola Tesla. Tessie for Tesla.

 

[Sambub]

The autosocks are interesting.. hadn’t seen those before, so thanks for sharing that.

 

[XPsionic]

The socks work great in a video that i watched, but they seem quite fragile and tore easily.

 

[PianoAl]

The autosocks are interesting.. hadn’t seen those before, so thanks for sharing that.

Autosock Tire Sock Review

I picked up a pair of these for a trip from CA to Denver. $118. I don't have snow tires. On the way home, I needed them. They were easy to put on and take off and seems to give good traction. The road surface was packed snow and ice. I drove 20 to 30 MPH (30 is the recommended max) for about...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[E46M3]

this sounds like my daughter's 3rd grade math homework.

 

[Candleflame]

Denver has snow. I'd always opt for the ADW car.

rwd with winter tires > awd summer tires any day.

Id take whichever car you prefer.