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Why I Won't Be Purchasing My 3rd Model S

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ICE = never the right choice. Those exhaust notes you're enjoying are the sound of the planet choking.

Where does the energy for your Tesla come from? Mine comes from coal plants.
What is the environmental impact of the cobalt mining required for the batteries? And speaking of batteries, were do those go once the car becomes obsolete in 5-7 years?

That type of hyperbole and looking down your nose towards people driving ICE cars is childish.

Regardless of my feelings for Tesla, having also come from a BMW, I can confirm much of what OP is saying is pretty accurate.
 
I would hazard a guess that much of the current Tesla issues would be mitigated by them better managing expectations.

If I thought I were getting a 150k vehicle and it didn't live up to the fit and finish standards of the typical performance/luxury marques such as Merc, BMW or Audi then yes I think I would be disappointed. Likewise if I had a complicated machine that required service centre visits and the standard of service was decreasing then again I'd feel aggrieved.

My personal take, though, is that as a Tesla buyer you're driving a test-bed vehicle that has new and exciting tech, random changes in specifications on a continual basis and offers something unique in a pretty car, sporty package that offers ecological motoring (and some nice fuel savings).

I guess the question to ask at the very start of the Tesla ownership process is 'are you okay with these positives as compared to these possible negatives'.


If you're looking for the typical experience as expected at that price-point, then it wouldn't surprise me that one of the more typical German triumvirate is going to a better choice for you. Enjoy your new car.
 
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I guess the question to ask at the very start of the Tesla ownership process is 'are you okay with these positives as compared to these possible negatives'.

I was an early adopter back in 2013 and I was completely ok with some growing pains. But what I saw along the way is a company that is moving backwards. Back then, a car that "updated itself over the air" was completely foreign and awesome. Now virtually every luxury car has that capability. The service centers would bend over backwards to accommodate you and make sure you experience was positive (since the earlier cars had several mechanical issues that needed to be addressed). Now unfortunately it's the complete opposite. I've been driving with a burned out passenger DRL LED for 6 months because they "fixed" it the first time and it just went bad again. It took 3 visits to fix it, and I didn't want to deal with the hassle again.

Ultimately, we need to stop allowing ourselves to apologize for a less than quality product and stop getting excited over the bare necessities like coat hooks, visors and center consoles. I remember reading these forums and getting giddy over the idea of a center console. Now I just feel foolish for apologizing for Tesla's poor design.
 
I was an early adopter back in 2013 and I was completely ok with some growing pains. But what I saw along the way is a company that is moving backwards. Back then, a car that "updated itself over the air" was completely foreign and awesome. Now virtually every luxury car has that capability. The service centers would bend over backwards to accommodate you and make sure you experience was positive (since the earlier cars had several mechanical issues that needed to be addressed). Now unfortunately it's the complete opposite. I've been driving with a burned out passenger DRL LED for 6 months because they "fixed" it the first time and it just went bad again. It took 3 visits to fix it, and I didn't want to deal with the hassle again.

Ultimately, we need to stop allowing ourselves to apologize for a less than quality product and stop getting excited over the bare necessities like coat hooks, visors and center consoles. I remember reading these forums and getting giddy over the idea of a center console. Now I just feel foolish for apologizing for Tesla's poor design.
Yeah, the quality issues are frustrating. Traded my 2013 S in for an end of quarter 2017 S. Had fitment issues that were ridiculous:
  • Left front fender gap excessive along hood and at A-pillar (corrected at body shop)
  • Drivers door misaligned (too low at B-pillar) (corrected at body shop)
  • Hatch left side misaligned (corrected at body shop - hatch window had to be replaced)
  • Door handles not flush with doors on ALL 4 doors (corrected by mobile service)
  • Chrome trim along windows misaligned (corrected by me)
Just no excuse for this. Eventually got all things corrected but required total of 4 weeks at shops and home visit.
 
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ICE = never the right choice. Those exhaust notes you're enjoying are the sound of the planet choking.

Worse.

The exhaust notes in an M5 are fake, piped in through the audio system.

As a former NA in-line 6 and then V8 M3 owner, this was the moment I mentally broke up with BMW. Why they thought it was OK to create a fake exhaust note for the cabin I have no idea, but says everything about what the M cars have become.
 
It's not a thing even in CA, except for *maybe* 2-3 locations.
In Socal:
Talking to coworkers today who are also Tesla owners. One of them visits fountain valley supercharger often, he said in the last 3 visits, yelling and screaming are happening from people (Tesla Owners) waiting to charge. There is always that person who does not care if there is a line...

I will be going in for 2 year service in Costa Mesa next week, I am actually not looking forward to it based on feedback from a local OC facebook group. Since the release of model 3, things have not been the same. I hope I get through it without problems.
 
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Is this a thing? (Outside a select few locations in CA maybe?)

I’ve never seen nor experienced this... but I’m on the east coast.

I took the family on a vacation/road trip 'once' (they'll never do it again in an EV). We spent a lot of time in hotel and shopping mall parking lots. On our way back, already exhausted... we had to stop and charge in Barstow (our last charger stop)... all slots were full plus the 18 other Tesla's in queue (I have pictures)... it took 2.5 hours to get a bay (and the hour+ to charge)

...it is a common THING in SoCal. Go ahead and check afternoon availability in Santa Ana, Burbank, San Clemente (where I got to witness a physical shoving match between two idiots arguing about who was next (after 1 hour+ wait), or any SC in San Diego.

I expect if I calculated my time; driving out of the way, waiting for superchargers and charging; it's probably close to the amount of time I would have spent pumping gas.
 
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Where does the energy for your Tesla come from? Mine comes from coal plants.
Since your location is "USA," it's only 30% coal. :)
What is the environmental impact of the cobalt mining required for the batteries?
A lot less than you think.
And speaking of batteries, were do those go once the car becomes obsolete in 5-7 years?
They get recycled, of course.

You keep throwing up straw men, we'll keep knocking them down! :p
 
But as consumers, we should demand better from these manufacturers.
Yes we should. We should demand motors that respond instantly. We should demand transmissions that aren't always continuously shifting. We should demand large colorful screens. We should demand cars that don't require you to stop and some filthy fueling station every single week. We should demand cars that can run on sunlight.

I did a European Delivery on my last BMW and loved every minute of it. Once I drove a Tesla though, I just couldn't get over how awful the experience of driving a BMW was.
 
Well, I waited 3 years to buy my Model S, and had plenty of time to study the pros and cons. All I can say is that I wish I had bought it sooner. I understand that the extreme luxury is not there, but with my long commute, the comfort and smoothness of the drive say it all! We are in this together to promote alternative fuel sources and better engineered machines. After I got the “need for speed” out of my system the first week I had my P85D, I reverted to normal driving. I enjoy every minute of it. I do not think that the P100D is significantly better than my P85D to justify the price difference. Perhaps when something better comes out, and my P85D is obsolete, then I might upgrade. BUt my intentions are to take care of this car and use it as I meant to use it-driving -a lot.
 
Since your location is "USA," it's only 30% coal. :)

A lot less than you think.

They get recycled, of course.

You keep throwing up straw men, we'll keep knocking them down! :p

So 30% coal, 30% fracked gas, 30% nuclear, 10% other? Still nothing to gloat over.

And how are you calculating the human cost of the cobalt being mined? You do understand where it comes from, right?

Straw men? Hardly. You just ain’t woke and like to piss in other people’s cereal.
 
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I think there are a number of Tesla owners just waiting for the other guys to catch up to EV drive-trains. Tesla has definitely primed the market for products such as Taycan and other EV's. I know I am looking forward to more competition on the performance BEV market. Stick a Model S drive-train in a Porsche and you got me hooked. Of course I plan to give Tesla a fair shake, though not falling for any "coming soon" features anymore. Not there at delivery means playing a lottery whether it will ever be delivered - I prefer to do my gambling in the casinos, on poker tables (the only game where I am not playing against the house).
 
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Agree with the OP in most statements. We also lease all our cars (except for the model 3 we bought early this year just because no lease was available). Loved the P85D, love now the 3 LR. But neither compares with the BMW 650 I had before the S, or for the Merc E coupe we have as current second car in terms of fit and finish and quality of the materials. It is exhilarating drive (Tesla) vs plush comfort with a sporty drive (BMW/Merc). I just wish I could have both.... Agree with @whitex that a Tesla drivetrain in a BMW/Audi/Merc/ Porsche would be very tempting.
 
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When Geely realised their car safety knowledge was non-existent, they went out and bought Volvo. I am half-expecting Tesla, once nice and profitable to do something similar (albeit buying in people, rather than companies).
 
I had a 2015 M5 and couldn't stand the fact that BMW pipes in a fake exhaust note through the sound system. Also, I found it unsufferably heavy, and with an automatic transmission, extremely difficult to handle the power generated. I would never, ever trade in my MS for an M5.

After that, I had a '16 Porsche Cayenne (which I still miss), and a '16 AMG C63S. I still miss the exhaust note on the AMG. It was AMAZING. But also wouldn't switch back to that car either. The Cayenne, however... well let's just say I'll be keeping my eye on the Mission E.

Enjoy your M5; hope you like it!
 
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Agree with the OP in most statements. We also lease all our cars (except for the model 3 we bought early this year just because no lease was available). Loved the P85D, love now the 3 LR. But neither compares with the BMW 650 I had before the S, or for the Merc E coupe we have as current second car in terms of fit and finish and quality of the materials. It is exhilarating drive (Tesla) vs plush comfort with a sporty drive (BMW/Merc). I just wish I could have both.... Agree with @whitex that a Tesla drivetrain in a BMW/Audi/Merc/ Porsche would be very tempting.

I question the OP's decision because Porsche/Audi are coming out with their EV's fairly soon. If I was in his shoes I'd be concerned with yet another massive loss in depreciation because something better is right around the concern.

It seems like the Porsche Mission E (or TayCan) is right up his alley. Maybe the timing on the lease didn't quite work out, and he didn't want to suffer the humiliation in being in a car that cost less than $100K like the P3D or keeping a car that was older than 3 years old.

I echo a lot of the concerns of the OP (especially with service), but I'm more of a purist when it comes to wanting a drivers car. The whole massaging seats thing sounds nice, but I'd rather drive. That's why I tend to opt for the lesser cars (the S4 instead of the S8, the M3 instead of the M5, etc).

Car companies had to introduce those frivolous niceties on the top end because there isn't a whole lot of room for improvement on an ICE vehicle.

I'm not sure Tesla will ever have the ultra-lux vehicle the OP really wants. It seems like Tesla is going a different direction where they're mostly focused on autonomous driving technologies, and expanding into other vehicle classes.
 
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So 30% coal, 30% fracked gas, 30% nuclear, 10% other? Still nothing to gloat over.

And how are you calculating the human cost of the cobalt being mined? You do understand where it comes from, right?

Straw men? Hardly. You just ain’t woke and like to piss in other people’s cereal.

Well my electricity comes from renewable resources; the water cycle. The cobalt might have come from nearby the hydro dam also. It may have been extracted at the same time they removed some copper, do you use any copper in the course of an average day?

Regarding other mining thoughts I sometimes feel guilty about the diamond I put on my wife's hand, but she doesn't.

And how are you calculating the human cost of other people's cereal? You do understand where it comes from, right?

Those crops are affected by climate change where BMW's contribute 0.0001% of this, and the crops are typically farmed by Hispanics; extremely unlikely any will have the means to buy a Model 3 (just to keep the thread on track...)
 
When Geely realised their car safety knowledge was non-existent, they went out and bought Volvo. I am half-expecting Tesla, once nice and profitable to do something similar (albeit buying in people, rather than companies).
Tesla brought in the interior guy from Volvo, but we won't really see what he brings to the table until the 2019 Model S refresh.

Hopefully it will be more Volvo like because they've taken the crown from Audi in recent years. But, I'm concerned that Tesla will go overboard on the minimization.

I imagine this year will consist of a fair number of people like the OP who absolutely want the top end, but realize t the top end isn't up to par with ICE competitors or even the P3D (in terms of value). So they'll jump ship. Err, at least until the automatic lane change is released. I can't imagine jumping ship if that works well. Why be part of the poor who have to change lanes manually. That's just slumming it. :p

I personally went the P3D route, and I'm simply going to use an after market HUD. But, my needs are considerably less than the OP. I also want to ride out the AP ride a little longer to see what happens.

If nothing comes of all that I'll likely jump ship to the Mission E.
 
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