Hey Guys,
So I pickup up my Model 3 Performance 2 weeks ago (pre-refresh) not sure of the impact or when the refresh would take place it wasn't a factor.
I got a sizable £5k discount from the new list price as the car had 1,600 miles on the clock.
Problems
Initial Thoughts
When I was first shown the car, at the Dartford Depot in London, it had 40 miles of charge this was quite concerning considering it wouldn't have been remotely adequate to get back home. Luckily there was a Supercharger located in the staff area. There was also heavy damage on the vehicle, the car had heavily damaged wheels, scratches on the trim along with a missing sun-visor mount - strange. Whilst the vehicle was discounted due to the 1,600 miles, it was sold as new therefore the level of damage wasn't acceptable. I was fine with the interior scuffing however we were unimpressed with the condition of the car.
Tesla's response
The delivery individual said our only option was to take pictures of all the damage and schedule a service and try to get the stuff fixed. This was shocking. I'm picking up a 'new' god damn car and don't want to be taking pictures unsure if I've missed something and am therefore liable. I was reassured with the 7 day return but that would just be a hassle. Anyway, as it was getting quite late and the day had been stressful enough, we took delivery and made our way back.
Driving the car
God damn, as soon as we set off all the problems effectively melted away. It's ridiculous and annoying that a car can have as many flaws as it did yet still be awe-inspiring. Over the next few days we put a total of 600 miles on the clock and figured the car out, by day 4 I had my mind set. I would be getting a Tesla, just not this one. I wanted confirmation all the damage could be sorted in order to keep the car however I was unable to get this as Tesla were unable to schedule a service in the short time-frame. This later turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Verdict
Whilst the acceleration of the Performance is great, it's incredibly similar to flooring the Long Range Model 3. I test drove the Long Range whilst I had the Performance for a comparison, I felt the same thrill. Whilst the performance has a much nicer stance, it's all due to the wheels and suspension which in all honestly is impractical for the UK. We simply have too many potholes and uneven streets. The Performance's tyre walls really are very thin and the suspension is simply not comfortable for extended drives in the countryside. I was considering swapping the wheels on the car but the suspension would still make for a somewhat uncomfortable ride relative to the long-range. Ultimately it's a beautiful car that drives well and you're well looked after with the supercharger network. Whilst there have been annoying elements, honestly, taking delivery of anything other than a Tesla would be moronic. During the week I had to rely on public charging when low and was met with the realities of owning an electric car where the infrastructure is developing, expensive tariffs as I didn't have the appropriate memberships, unavailable changepoints (GeneiePoint) despite on-line statuses. Knowing that Tesla is doubling the UK Supercharger network is definitely helpful. The damage on the car just helped push us towards returning the car despite the additional hassle with cancelling insurance and whatnot.
What now?
Returned the Performance last week and placed an order for the £100, still haven't received the deposit we put down but hopefully that gets sorted soon! I'm expecting delivery in November as per the Tesla configurator and got an interesting email. I knew the generic image was different this time, I recognized the black trim from leaks. I immediately went on the configurator and was pleasantly surprised to know the Model 3 had been refreshed and the car I would be taking delivery of would have all the updates; new center console, updated mechanics, increased range and most importantly a powered trunk! I guess it all turned out well in the end.
If you'd like to know anything else just drop a comment or ping me, I'd be happy to help out!
moderator comment - referral code deleted
So I pickup up my Model 3 Performance 2 weeks ago (pre-refresh) not sure of the impact or when the refresh would take place it wasn't a factor.
I got a sizable £5k discount from the new list price as the car had 1,600 miles on the clock.
Problems
Initial Thoughts
When I was first shown the car, at the Dartford Depot in London, it had 40 miles of charge this was quite concerning considering it wouldn't have been remotely adequate to get back home. Luckily there was a Supercharger located in the staff area. There was also heavy damage on the vehicle, the car had heavily damaged wheels, scratches on the trim along with a missing sun-visor mount - strange. Whilst the vehicle was discounted due to the 1,600 miles, it was sold as new therefore the level of damage wasn't acceptable. I was fine with the interior scuffing however we were unimpressed with the condition of the car.
Tesla's response
The delivery individual said our only option was to take pictures of all the damage and schedule a service and try to get the stuff fixed. This was shocking. I'm picking up a 'new' god damn car and don't want to be taking pictures unsure if I've missed something and am therefore liable. I was reassured with the 7 day return but that would just be a hassle. Anyway, as it was getting quite late and the day had been stressful enough, we took delivery and made our way back.
Driving the car
God damn, as soon as we set off all the problems effectively melted away. It's ridiculous and annoying that a car can have as many flaws as it did yet still be awe-inspiring. Over the next few days we put a total of 600 miles on the clock and figured the car out, by day 4 I had my mind set. I would be getting a Tesla, just not this one. I wanted confirmation all the damage could be sorted in order to keep the car however I was unable to get this as Tesla were unable to schedule a service in the short time-frame. This later turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Verdict
Whilst the acceleration of the Performance is great, it's incredibly similar to flooring the Long Range Model 3. I test drove the Long Range whilst I had the Performance for a comparison, I felt the same thrill. Whilst the performance has a much nicer stance, it's all due to the wheels and suspension which in all honestly is impractical for the UK. We simply have too many potholes and uneven streets. The Performance's tyre walls really are very thin and the suspension is simply not comfortable for extended drives in the countryside. I was considering swapping the wheels on the car but the suspension would still make for a somewhat uncomfortable ride relative to the long-range. Ultimately it's a beautiful car that drives well and you're well looked after with the supercharger network. Whilst there have been annoying elements, honestly, taking delivery of anything other than a Tesla would be moronic. During the week I had to rely on public charging when low and was met with the realities of owning an electric car where the infrastructure is developing, expensive tariffs as I didn't have the appropriate memberships, unavailable changepoints (GeneiePoint) despite on-line statuses. Knowing that Tesla is doubling the UK Supercharger network is definitely helpful. The damage on the car just helped push us towards returning the car despite the additional hassle with cancelling insurance and whatnot.
What now?
Returned the Performance last week and placed an order for the £100, still haven't received the deposit we put down but hopefully that gets sorted soon! I'm expecting delivery in November as per the Tesla configurator and got an interesting email. I knew the generic image was different this time, I recognized the black trim from leaks. I immediately went on the configurator and was pleasantly surprised to know the Model 3 had been refreshed and the car I would be taking delivery of would have all the updates; new center console, updated mechanics, increased range and most importantly a powered trunk! I guess it all turned out well in the end.
If you'd like to know anything else just drop a comment or ping me, I'd be happy to help out!
moderator comment - referral code deleted
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