Would you give up 'extras' to go from S85 to P85?

[barbja]

I have a very odd target number that I'm not willing to break: 89702 (for what they show on the configurator. I know that they're subtracting 7500 from what you have to pay them). My minimum requirements are 85kwh, leather, not piano black, tech, and parcel shelf.

If I get an S85, I can pretty much go crazy and get whatever I want. My current config is: S85, leather, obiche, tech, parcel shelf, pano, twin chargers, parking sensors, 21" wheels. No air suspension. No audio upgrade (that hurts, but $2500? Really?)

However, if I opt for a P85, there'd be no pano, no twin chargers, and I'd get base wheels.

I'm leaning towards 19" wheels anyway, but those 21" are so niiice. I wish they had a 20" option. I would feel much more comfortable with 20" wheels since I tend to be really hard on tires.

So, if it were you, would you give up 21s, a pano, and twin chargers to get a P85? And, if I were feeling especially frugal, I could go with the minimum+S85 and be 10k under budget. Oh my!

Pano: its a luxury. But twin chargers? Are they worth it in Texas where even low power chargers are hard to come by, much less high power ones? There would be one in my garage though, wouldn't there? And Tesla at the Domain. Can you charge up while you shop at the Apple store and Macy's?

 

[jerry33]

I want the goodies. I'm not concerned with 0-60 the S85 is plenty fast.

Just because there are no 70+ amp chargers today doesn't mean there won't ever be. I know several Leaf owners who didn't buy the larger charge port because there weren't any when they bought the car and now are regretting it. In addition, the second charger costs a lot more to install later.

Unless you use most of your range during the day and then drive some more in the evening, there isn't much point to getting the HPWC rather than a NEMA 14-50. I understand that Tesla will buy the HPWC back if you ask. In most houses using the HPWC will require a new panel or else dialing the HPWC down to 40 amps, so it's a major expense.

TX, 85S, pano, sound, 19", grey/silver, tech, shelf.

 

[Enadler]

Personally I would skip the P85 and get the loaded S85. Also skip the twin chargers and get the sound system. You are correct there are very few places in the wild where you will be able to utilize the dual chargers. You don't even need them in your garage (btw skip the HPWC). With a single charger and a 14-50 outlet in your garage you can charge at about 30 mph which will give you a full daily charge (230 miles) in about 8 hours. Unless you drive high mileage daily and you have a need for a quick turnaround you don't need anything faster for your overnight daily charge.

 

[Jonathan Hewitt]

Another vote for the loaded standard. I haven't driven the performance before but the standard blows me away. If I'm the first car at a red light and floor it once it's green everyone else at the light is a quarter miler behind me very very quick. You can pass cars with almost no effort. You decide what speed you want to go, then the car is at that speed. If you're the type that always has to have the fastest car then maybe the performance is a better choice for you, but personally I like all the features.

Admission: my last car was a Prius C.

 

[barbja]

The twin charger option includes the HWPC now (so they could justify $2700 perhaps?). So you're saying that I can get the 'high power home charging' option to get the twin chargers, then sell the HWPC back to them?

Ordinarily I'm all over audio upgrades, but I've read a lot of mixed reviews on the MS audio upgrade. If it ends up in the budget, I'll see if they have some available for me to compare. You'd think there would be something in Fremont. I'm willing to fly out there and let my ears do a test. I have a friend that lives 20 mins from the Fremont location. Airplane trip!

 

[Puyallup Bill]

I want the goodies. I'm not concerned with 0-60 the S85 is plenty fast.

Just because there are no 70+ amp chargers today doesn't mean there won't ever be. I know several Leaf owners who didn't buy the larger charge port because there weren't any when they bought the car and now are regretting it.

Boy, can I relate to that. When I ordered the LEAF, US CHAdeMO chargers were just a gleam in someone's eye, so I opted to save $700 and not get the port. Bad decision.

I know Canada and WA are more than a stones throw from TX, but Canada has the high power J1772s, and there is a move going on to install a bunch in WA. Couldn't it happen in TX?

- - - Updated - - -

The twin charger option includes the HWPC now (so they could justify $2700 perhaps?). So you're saying that I can get the 'high power home charging' option to get the twin chargers, then sell the HWPC back to them?

It looks like Tesla will work with you on that HPWC/Twin Charger bundle. I emailed Ownership with my reasons why they ought to unbundle, and received the following:

Hi William,

I received your note this morning regarding our new option to bundle the High Power Wall Connector and Twin Charger feature.

We made this decision in clarify for customers the benefit Twin Charger feature offers, and what it requires. Fortunately, under the circumstance that a customer cannot install the Wall Connector, we will accept a return of the device. This is the only work around we have currently, but I’ll investigate if we can add the Twin Charger into the configuration manually, without addition of the Wall Connector.

Thanks for sending us the suggestion. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.

 

[Seven7]

I would skip the pano roof, it will bake you in a hot climate. Just my honest opinion.

 

[Jayb737]

I would get the standard. It's really fast and the INSTANT torque will surprise you. I've driven both and don't think the difference is worth it unless you have a place to race it.

 

[Tommy]

Definitely get the upgraded sound system; you will spend many times that to improve upon the system Tesla offers. Case in point, I heard an after market system in an S ordered with the standard sound system. Per the owner, it was $4K to install. The big gain to the system was the prodigious amounts of additional bass. Unfortunately, the bass was easily identified as coming from the rear and being a recovering audiophile I know in a good system the bass shouldn't be location identifiable. So, at least in this after market "upgrade" $4k didn't beat the factory system.

 

[AMPd]

If I were in your situation I'd go with the standard 85 with all the goodies.
It's plenty fast and all the options would make the car more enjoyable

 

[barbja]

You guys are making me feel much better with the choice for an S85. You're also helping me out so much with the give and take on the options.

Here's my current thinking: S85, leather, obiche, tech, parcel shelf, sound, parking sensors and 19" cyclones. Almost $5k under budget! If I can net out at $1500 for the extra charger, I'll probably spring for that.

 

[phat78boy]

Having a loaner S85 for a couple days, I can say there is a big difference between it and my P85. That's not to say the S85 is slow, not at all. It is up to you how much that speed is worth.

I don't think the dual chargers are worth it unless you drive a lot or take trips where there will be no planned SC. Even if 80 amp chargers become the norm, will you really need them that often? On the plus side, this can be added after should you need it later also.

I may be in the minority, but I think the sound system is really good. This same system would be 2500+ from just about every other dealer, so I believe it is well worth it.

If I was you, I would forgo the 21" wheels and load up the S85. Aftermarket wheels are easy to order/install and much cheaper.

 

[simplesolar]

I would go for the P85 with leather and standard air suspension. Having the P is better than all the other stuff you don't need.

 

[xradr]

Hi Barbja!

If you like/need the tech items/gizmos/etc get those and stick with S85. A lot of stuff you can do after market at a later date too (2-3 years from now if you like when you accumulate more cash pile). Lots of people have changed rims/tires to 20's, kept the base stereo and had aftermarket upgrades (Reus especially good).

The dual chargers are among the things that would be much harder to upgrade/change in future. In this way, you may consider it a "future proofing" of your investment. I suspect as gen III comes out and volume of electrics on road increase, the availability of these public (and private) chargers will increase significantly in ANY metro area. In our region, there are 20+ HPCs, HPWCs, etc. Austin will probably become similar with time.

Only advice I can give is know thyself.


Caveat--> I got P85 with the exact opposite mentality and it worked well for me. Went for performance, didn't get tech, or any gizmos (except the whole damn car is a giant piece of tech ... hehe). When I bought it, was about 12K cheaper than it is now though ... so I think I got a deal/steal. Black P85, 21 inch grey rims, rear child seats, dual chargers. No pano, no tech package, nothing else really. Down the road, will likely upgrade stereo.

 

[kendallpb]

The S is crazy quick to accelerate. Folks are always impressed when I floor it. I recommend air (better aerodynamics on the highway). I'm glad I got my pano, but I admit I don't open it up frequently. But if you're not interested in those, I won't press. ;-)

Tesla's twin charger reasoning makes little sense to me. That's not to say you should or shouldn't get it; we live in different parts of the country. But I've already taken advantage of it on a trip, plus Tesla stores more and more seem to have HPWCs, plus IMHO it's future proofing. Today--rare to use it except at home (where it's not really needed, usually); "tomorrow" (i.e., in the coming several years)--high powered chargers of various stripes will likely become less rare. (shrug)

Any way you slice it, you'll be getting a great car! Congrats.

 

[dsm363]

You guys are making me feel much better with the choice for an S85. You're also helping me out so much with the give and take on the options.

Here's my current thinking: S85, leather, obiche, tech, parcel shelf, sound, parking sensors and 19" cyclones. Almost $5k under budget! If I can net out at $1500 for the extra charger, I'll probably spring for that.

Sounds like the way to go. The P85 will just eat through your entire budget. S85 with options would be more enjoyable than bare P85 I think. Congrats!

 

[jerry33]

I would skip the pano roof, it will bake you in a hot climate. Just my honest opinion.

If you park the car in the sun, leaving the pano roof at 15% will do wonders for keeping the inside cool. An extra layer of tint will fix any baking in the hottest climates. And there's the extra headroom in the back that the pano allows.

- - - Updated - - -

You guys are making me feel much better with the choice for an S85. You're also helping me out so much with the give and take on the options.

Here's my current thinking: S85, leather, obiche, tech, parcel shelf, sound, parking sensors and 19" cyclones. Almost $5k under budget! If I can net out at $1500 for the extra charger, I'll probably spring for that.

I'd add the pano roof to this. You'll appreciate the extra headroom in the rear if you have any adult passengers, and it does wonders for keeping the car cool while parked. (I've found 15% open to be better than the 12% vent setting.)

 

[barbja]

If you leave the pano open at 15% and it rains, does it get wet inside? Or is 15% enough to keep out light rain, but perhaps not flood worthy rain.

We were at a matinee movie yesterday and there is no way I would have expected it to rain while we were in there, but it certainly did. Full sun (when we went inside), almost 100 degrees in extra drought season: what's up with rain? I was happy for my grass, but I would have been really unhappy if the inside of my car got wet!

 

[jerry33]

If you leave the pano open at 15% and it rains, does it get wet inside? Or is 15% enough to keep out light rain, but perhaps not flood worthy rain.

Well, you need to look at the weather. It's going to get wet inside if the roof is open any amount greater than zero. If there is a chance of rain either you don't leave the pano roof open or you watch closely. (e.g. go to Wunderground and look at the forecast, if there is any chance of rain--and typically it doesn't rain when the chance is 20%--then leave it closed.)

 

[Sunnyday]

If you park the car in the sun, leaving the pano roof at 15% will do wonders for keeping the inside cool. An extra layer of tint will fix any baking in the hottest climates. And there's the extra headroom in the back that the pano allows.

Hi Jerry, I've read several comments about the pano baking the car in the heat, but yours is the first I read that suggested how the pano might help keep the car cool while parked in the sun. Makes sense. I'm torn on the pano. I want the extra headroom for passengers, but I like shade. Question for you and other pano owners: For shade worshipers such as myself and my family members, does the pano make passengers feel like they're sitting in the sun? I know it's tinted, but does anyone know what kind of UV(A/B) blocking it provides? I see the page at Model S Features | Tesla Motors notes it blocks 98% of *visible* light. That page also says it blocks about 80% of the sun's heat, so not blocking 20% sounds like it could make things uncomfortable for passengers, or necessitate more air conditioning which would lower mileage. Would love to hear varying opinions on this from shade worshippers. Thanks!