$35,000 Tesla Model III Is Coming In 2017

[bradly1101]

It's been thought about for some time now.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/samabu...mmunications-roll-out-from-2021/#6b14bed1146c

I believe the cameras and sensors will end up being a fail safe mode for if/when V2V communications get disrupted. It's good that both technologies are being developed in parallel.

Yes, and IMO both should have been implemented before 'beta testing.'

Pedestrians could also be electronically visible, maybe by the network radio signal their phone sends out. The phoneless are the homeless, they could be issued pendants with RFid or sumpin'.

 

[Kaido]

Did a test-drive in a Model 3 recently (RWD with long-range battery). Thoughts:

1. Red is an amazing color on it. Looks like a Porsche. Red with the premium white seats is even better. Wow. Although I wish they offered like a Mazda Soul Red Crystal color for depth, to really make it stand out.
2. The blue is much darker than I expected. It would look great with the white seats!
3. The light silver is not up my alley, boring. Looks like they forgot to paint it. Didn't see the dark gray in person, but I love that color on the Model X!
4. The aero wheels are horrendous. Lawnmower wheels. They look even worse in person than they do in the pictures, lol. Really kinda ruins the aesthetic.
5. Huge trunk. Grocery frunk. Back seats flip down (not flat) to give you some extra room.
6. Backseat can fit 3 adults, but they won't be very happy about it, lol.
7. Surprisingly, a lot of headroom.
8. I was more comfortable in the 3 than the S. The S is kinda like a Corvette, pretty snug for me. The 3 is a bit snug, but not bad.
9. The white seats look fantastic, and are apparently easy to clean & easy to keep clean.
10. The seats are pretty decent. I would definitely shell out for the premium seats though, which feel like the regular seats, but with a bit more squish for cushioning.
11. Autopilot is really great. Handled NYC traffic like a champ. Drove around Manhattan for an hour & it had no problem with a zillion cars all around it. FSD isn't available quite yet, but the existing Enhance Autopilot really helps reduce the stress of driving in crowded areas.
12. Automatic parallel parking is a dream. If I lived in the city, it would be a must-have. Just press a button & it zips right in perfectly!
13. Pretty dang zippy. Someone else had the 3.5-second AWD Performance Model 3 out on a separate test-drive when I was there, but the regular one was plenty fast. I thought I'd feel the need to want the super duper model, but nope, existing one is juuuuust fine!
14. Pretty firm ride. This is a sports car. It can handle some bumps & whatnot, but if you're looking for a cushioned ride, this isn't it.
15. Having 300 electric miles available is absolutely amazing if you're at all familiar with EV's.
16. The touchscreen requires some getting used to, in terms of getting into the habit of navigating the menus & "knowing" where everything is. The glove compartment opens via the touchscreen. That annoyed me, lol.
17. Surprisingly large. It's a big car. It's not a Civic, although the photos make it look like a Civic. But it's easy to handle & park & whatnot, so it's not an issue. The X is a tank compared to the size of the 3 IRL.
18. Feels like a video game when you first sit down...there's just a steering wheel & a giant iPad-type of interface in front of you. It's so clean that it's weird.
19. Screen is apparently 1080 resolution, so when FSD comes out, you can probably stream movies, haha.
20. Legroom was okay. Somewhat snug, not uncomfortable, but not quite where I wanted it to be. Livable, definitely. This would be a great commuter car.
21. Really cuts out the outside noise, and no noticeable motor whine inside (like some other EV's have, which actually sounds pretty cool!). It was weird driving around NYC & not hearing the traffic. It was...insulating. Really nice, actually.
22. It got LOTS of attention. People were pulling up on the road & rolling down their windows to ask us questions about it. People took pictures at lights & would point and stare. Maybe that was just because it was in a big city & people notice stuff like that more.
23. Wish it had a sunroof. Top glass roof was tinted, however, and was nice. I was hesitant about the all-glass roof, but it's not annoying at all, it's actually very nice & not distracting in the least.
24. Wish they had more wheel options (for the rims). The wirey rims do fit the design, but I'd like to see some additional options.
25. Would be cool if they had something like Magnaride to improve the ride (ride isn't horrible, just firm, even on the smallest 18" tires). Supposedly air suspension will be available as an early option in 2019.
26. Overall, very nice! The perfect city & commuter EV. Self-driving is only going to improve in the future!
27. They need to update the interiors on the S & X. Everything from the electronics to the layout feels outdated. The 3 definitely feels like a from-scratch design with a focus on simplicity.
28. Regarding the (lack of) HUD: not needed, but definitely wanted. I never checked my speed once during the test drive because it wasn't right in front of my face, so I simply forgot.
29. I think that Autopilot will be like Sportronic (the fake clutchless manual gear-shifting mode on a lot of newer cars) - every once in awhile, you'll manually drive around just like you use the Geartronic stuff - just for haha's - and then go back to letting the machine do the work for you. It's fun to shift the gear or use the paddles from time to time for a few minutes, but then you just put it back into automatic & use that, you know? I think Autopilot will be exactly like that...your default driving mode, like staying in automatic instead of using the fake manual. It is VERY easy to get used to!

But then I sat in the X & forgot about everything else 😀 The X is my dream car...amazing visibility, super roomy, just feels really great overall. I considered getting a 3, but ended up getting an '18 Ecoboost Mustang instead (which was also half the price, lol). The interior on my model (Ecoboost Premium) is much nicer than the Model 3 - much more comfortable seats (plus they have ventilated seats, which the 3 doesn't even offer as an option), cool lighting effects, etc. The ride is also noticeably better on the Mustang (even without the Magneride option). This will most likely be my last ICE vehicle, as I plan on going with a Model Y in a couple years, but I wanted to check out the 3 in person to compare & to see if it would be an option for me. The 3 is very cool-looking, has a lot of great features, and overall is a really nice electric car. The self-driving thing is going to be huge once they get it all figured out, and if you do a lot of highway driving now, is significantly usable as-is today with Enhanced Autopilot.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

25. Would be cool if they had something like Magnaride to improve the ride (ride isn't horrible, just firm, even on the smallest 18" tires). Supposedly air suspension will be available as an early option in 2019.
.

Hope they skip the air ride. Sure it's nice for cruising but magnaride is much better for dynamic handling.

 

[JoeBleed]

Yes, I don't disagree, but I do think the situation is more complicated now than just nuts & bolts on an average car. For example, do we really want people hacking into the self-driving software on a Tesla?

My Jeep, for instance, is a lemon. Unfortunately, it's also highly-controlled by a central computer, which keeps failing in my vehicle (I'll probably be on my 8th BCM by the end of the year, lol). It's not something I can just "fix" myself, you know? Everything is so electronically controlled these days, it's not even funny. Even my parking brake is a pushbutton (which has gotten stuck in the "locked" position multiple times & left me stuck in parking lots, thanks software!).

Speaking of my Renegade, I love to complain about it 😀 Yesterday it decided not to detect my keyfob (wireless near-field entry). So I pulled out the built-in key, opened the door, and the alarm proceeded to go off for 15 minutes straight because it didn't detect the keyfob upon entry, despite me using a key. Highly embarrassing. I tried to use the emergency call feature in Uconnect to get an operator to disable it, but all of the operators were busy & so I started doing a monkey dance to get the car to detect the fob, which it did eventually (after 15 long minutes, all while the car was still on hold with the Jeep support people).

Anyway, enough rambling, haha. I do think we should have the right to repair things. My question is what can be repaired & what can't be repaired by a Tesla-authorized shop vs. a non-Tesla-authorized shop, you know? I'd imagine the AP cameras have very specific locations with measured distances & angles, for example. I can see replacing like a body panel or something, but at what point do you get into risky territory by modifying or doing a DIY repair on an EV with Autopilot?

But it's not that hard if you understand wiring, which a good mechanic should, and if you have access to software to access all of the control modules. The fact that you've had to replace so many BCMs in a short period tells me your mechanic, probably the dealer, doesn't know what they're doing either. I'd bet there is a wiring fault somewhere causing a short that's killing it. you replace 2 in a short period you stop replacing it until you think you've found what's killing it.

As to people hacking into the software, those people will do it anyway. the dealer can't do it with their tools either, all they can do is read the control modules for settings/codding and checking for fault logs or reading live input to try and trace a problem and flash firmware.

 

[bigi]

Tesla Model 3 Performance gets quicker than advertised 0-60 mph in first tests

https://electrek.co/2018/08/01/tesl...ker-than-advertised-acceleration-first-tests/

 

[Kaido]

Hope they skip the air ride. Sure it's nice for cruising but magnaride is much better for dynamic handling.

From reading about owners who have had both traditional & air suspensions on the Model S, they said there's not really any ride difference, it's just for the raising & lowering of the car (ex. go-fast mode or need-more-clearance mode). imo the 3 could benefit from something like Magnaride, for sure, especially at the top-level $80k trim.

 

[Kaido]

But it's not that hard if you understand wiring, which a good mechanic should, and if you have access to software to access all of the control modules. The fact that you've had to replace so many BCMs in a short period tells me your mechanic, probably the dealer, doesn't know what they're doing either. I'd bet there is a wiring fault somewhere causing a short that's killing it. you replace 2 in a short period you stop replacing it until you think you've found what's killing it.

As to people hacking into the software, those people will do it anyway. the dealer can't do it with their tools either, all they can do is read the control modules for settings/codding and checking for fault logs or reading live input to try and trace a problem and flash firmware.

The BCM's themselves have also had issues. Had one arrive DOA & one was on the fritz in testing outside of my car. That's all in the past now, thankfully, as I got rid of the lemon last week 😀

 

[Kaido]

Autopilot Hardware 3.0 coming next year:

https://electrek.co/2018/08/01/tesl...tonomous-driving-autopilot-hardware-3-update/

10x as powerful & will be available as a hardware swap if you have Autopilot 2.0:

The computer in the Autopilot 2.0 hardware suite is powered by Nvidia GPUs. Musk says that it is capable of processing 200 frames per second and Tesla’s hardware 3 will be able to handle 2,000 frames per second with redundancy.

He explained that they achieved that by building the chip from the ground up to act as a ‘neural network accelerator’ based on the neural net that Tesla’s AI and vision team have been building.

Bannon and Musk reiterated that the new computer will be offered as an upgrade to current Autopilot 2.0 (and up) owners by simply swapping the current computer.

 

[Kaido]

Oh snap, they're adding Atari games in a month:

https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-has-a-deal-with-atari-to-turn-teslas-into-gam-1828038584

 

[ponyo]

Model 3 outsold all mid-sized premium sedans combined in the US in July 2018. And Tesla is just starting Model 3 ramp. You're going see this spread and repeated worldwide once Tesla starts selling and delivering Model 3 to Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world. Like I said before, BMW and Mercedes and the likes are in for world of hurt in the future. They better hope they don't end up like Nokia when Apple iPhone changed everything.

 

[ponyo]

Autopilot Hardware 3.0 coming next year:

https://electrek.co/2018/08/01/tesl...tonomous-driving-autopilot-hardware-3-update/

10x as powerful & will be available as a hardware swap if you have Autopilot 2.0:

Tesla designed and developed their own freaking chip! And they developed and wrote their own software on that chip. That is Apple like and huge advantage for Tesla. There's not another auto company that can do what Tesla just did. Which is why when shorts say Tesla is in trouble because competition cars are coming next year for Tesla, I say what competition? Competition is years behind.

 

[JEDI]

Waiting till they have all wheel drive for the model 3.

I live in DC and rear wheel drive is suxxors in snow.

Also hoping for solar panel roofs by that time

 

[ponyo]

Waiting till they have all wheel drive for the model 3.

I live in DC and rear wheel drive is suxxors in snow.

Also hoping for solar panel roofs by that time

All wheel drive Model 3 is already available. You can order it right now and have it delivered in 2-4 months and get full $7,500 federal tax credit.

 

[Kaido]

Waiting till they have all wheel drive for the model 3.

I live in DC and rear wheel drive is suxxors in snow.

Also hoping for solar panel roofs by that time

All wheel drive Model 3 is already available. You can order it right now and have it delivered in 2-4 months and get full $7,500 federal tax credit.

Yup, and most of the new test-drive vehicles are AWD Performance Model 3's as well!

Solar panels are fairly useless on cars, unfortunately. Toyota's one on the Prius was like $2,000 for 50 watts. Basically just enough to keep a fan on to blow air around.

 

[Aikouka]

I've been tempted by the Model 3 lately. I guess you could say what holds me back is that I don't really need it, and I could always use the monthly payment for something else. It's the classic debate of fun vs. rational. 😛 I look at options like Enhanced Auto Pilot, and I struggle to find when I'd actually use it. TACC is nifty, but I don't have NYC-style traffic as mentioned above, and while there is sometimes hefty traffic on highways, I'd rather get around the usual clump of cars than get caught by them. My current car (Taurus SHO) can automate parallel parking (I have to do gas/brake though), and I never use it. Fortunately, if I ever move to a place where it's more useful, I can always add it later on. If I do get one, my current thought is just AWD with no options.

What pushes me toward the Model 3 and away from the Taurus SHO is that I don't trust the Taurus, and I'd feel wary about driving it long distances. Most of that has to do with this awkward issue that I've picked up on, which seems to occur when I shift from Reverse to Drive. If I back out like a normal person, which is just reverse -> stop -> shift to D -> go, the car will lunge/jerk forward a few times. The only way that I've found to abate the issue is to slightly adjust the procedure: reverse -> stop -> shift to D -> wait 1-2 seconds -> go. It almost never happens when I do that, but to be clear, it should never happen anyway.

Although, if part of the reason why it'd be nice to get the Model 3 is that I'd feel more comfortable making longer drives in it compared to my current car, then the EAP might not be a bad idea given it has advantages on long, interstate travel.

4. The aero wheels are horrendous. Lawnmower wheels. They look even worse in person than they do in the pictures, lol. Really kinda ruins the aesthetic.

I can understand the distaste for the Aero Wheels, but you can remove the plastic part and pay Tesla $50 for wheel center caps and lug nut covers. If you remove the plastic bit, they look like a fairly normal, aftermarket black rim.

Here's what the wheels look like without the Aero Cap.

But then I sat in the X & forgot about everything else 😀 The X is my dream car...amazing visibility, super roomy, just feels really great overall.

A friend of mine has an X, and I don't know... I just don't like its looks. It looks almost like a stretched-out Model S. Also, as a taller person, I can say that sitting in the back is not fun. It reminded me a lot of sitting in another friend's Ford Explorer with the lips between the floor and the door. I already have to sit with my legs at a bit of a sharp angle, and if you add in size 14 shoes and having to lift my legs up even further, it was not fun. Also, it seemed I wasn't the only one with that issue as there were scuff marks on the pillar near where my foot hit it. (To note, that was technically a loaner X, which is why it had a bunch of scuff marks. His X needs the windshield replaced.)

 

[Pantoot]

Got an email that they are doing free supercharging on the most expensive model 3 now, until mid sept. If you happen to be buying one of those make sure you use a code.

 

[Kaido]

I've been tempted by the Model 3 lately. I guess you could say what holds me back is that I don't really need it, and I could always use the monthly payment for something else. It's the classic debate of fun vs. rational. 😛

I just picked up a Mustang & can tell you that if you have the budget available, you should absolutely 110% go with fun 😀

I look at options like Enhanced Auto Pilot, and I struggle to find when I'd actually use it. TACC is nifty, but I don't have NYC-style traffic as mentioned above, and while there is sometimes hefty traffic on highways, I'd rather get around the usual clump of cars than get caught by them. My current car (Taurus SHO) can automate parallel parking (I have to do gas/brake though), and I never use it. Fortunately, if I ever move to a place where it's more useful, I can always add it later on. If I do get one, my current thought is just AWD with no options.

That's it exactly - you can always add EA & FSD later. Although man, I do wish I had that self-driving stuff for my daily commute!

Although, if part of the reason why it'd be nice to get the Model 3 is that I'd feel more comfortable making longer drives in it compared to my current car, then the EAP might not be a bad idea given it has advantages on long, interstate travel.

My advice would be to go for a free test-drive in one to see how you like it. I give it a leg rating of "okay", but I have long frog legs, so that doesn't apply to everyone. The Premium seats had nicer padding on them as well, so if you're on the road a lot, those might be worth springing for (btw, the white seats looked amazing IRL). I liked the fit a lot better than the Model S, especially because I actually had a lot of headroom in the 3, but my legs were definitely cockpitted in there - not claustrophobic, but definitely on the snug side.

I can understand the distaste for the Aero Wheels, but you can remove the plastic part and pay Tesla $50 for wheel center caps and lug nut covers. If you remove the plastic bit, they look like a fairly normal, aftermarket black rim.

Here's what the wheels look like without the Aero Cap.

Yeah, that's marginally better, but still pretty meh. imo the car looks the best with the 19" sport wheels:

Granted, if you're in the market for distance & not looks, then the aero wheels are supposed to have a pretty decent distance increase due to efficiency. Tesla says 10%, but real-world testing shows 4.3%:

https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-3-aero-vs-non-aero-wheels-real-world-efficiency-test/

On a tangent, here's a bit of the story behind the aero covers:

https://electrek.co/2018/01/19/tesla-model-3-aero-wheels-explained/

A friend of mine has an X, and I don't know... I just don't like its looks. It looks almost like a stretched-out Model S. Also, as a taller person, I can say that sitting in the back is not fun. It reminded me a lot of sitting in another friend's Ford Explorer with the lips between the floor and the door. I already have to sit with my legs at a bit of a sharp angle, and if you add in size 14 shoes and having to lift my legs up even further, it was not fun. Also, it seemed I wasn't the only one with that issue as there were scuff marks on the pillar near where my foot hit it. (To note, that was technically a loaner X, which is why it had a bunch of scuff marks. His X needs the windshield replaced.)

Absolutely...the X looks like a bloated marshmallow version of the S, haha. But, sitting in the driver's seat is so awesome when you're driving - that windshield is ridiculous! Plus, plenty of room, as far as interior space goes. I felt like I could really spread out & enjoy the drive in the X, vs. the 3, which is much more of a commuter car. And yeah, the backseat is really made for kids, or for folding down so you can have a longer trunk...not so great for adult-sized people. I'm hoping they nail the design on the Model Y, because an electric crossover with a 300-mile range & full self-driving would be right up my alley!

 

[Aikouka]

You know one thing I'm curious about... how's the stereo system? The one thing that I hate about my Taurus is that speed sensitive volume is nice for not having to constantly adjust volume when driving, but the problem is that it's just a multiplier... and it turns each volume level into a huge change. Essentially, at interstate speeds, I have to turn down from 6 to 5 because 6 sounds like someone is shouting, but unfortunately, 5 sounds like a low conversation level. I need my Goldilocks level. I also spent the money to upgrade to Sync 3 from MyFord Touch (Sync 2), and I don't know why I'm surprised, but Ford's software is absolutely garbage. I've heard complaints about sources in Tesla infotainment systems (apparently, Slacker is somewhat lackluster), but I did read that you can use USB drives, which is what I prefer to do.

I just picked up a Mustang & can tell you that if you have the budget available, you should absolutely 110% go with fun 😀

Haha, the devil on the shoulder, I see! The SHO isn't completely unfun, but what might surprise people is that while the SHO is actually somewhat comparable to the M3 in size (it's about 1.5 feet longer), my car weighs about 300 pounds more than a Model 3. 😱 Yeah, my car weighs about as much as an SUV or some trucks. It's got a twin-turbo V6, but you definitely feel that weight during acceleration.

That's it exactly - you can always add EA & FSD later. Although man, I do wish I had that self-driving stuff for my daily commute!

I think the biggest thing for me is that I like driving.. just not necessarily around other people. I haven't done it in a while, but I used to go out at night and just drive around. Although, I have read accounts of people saying that they felt more refreshed after long drives when using TACC and Autosteer.

My advice would be to go for a free test-drive in one to see how you like it. I give it a leg rating of "okay", but I have long frog legs, so that doesn't apply to everyone. The Premium seats had nicer padding on them as well, so if you're on the road a lot, those might be worth springing for (btw, the white seats looked amazing IRL). I liked the fit a lot better than the Model S, especially because I actually had a lot of headroom in the 3, but my legs were definitely cockpitted in there - not claustrophobic, but definitely on the snug side.

I've been tempted to do that, but the "local" Tesla dealer is 1.5 hours away. I wouldn't mind finding someone local just to see if I can sit in it. Maybe I should go to the nearby Supercharger station and just chat up some Model 3 owners... that's only about a half-hour away. 😛

Right now, if you build a Model 3, you're forced to take the extended range (+9k) and the premium package (+5k), which includes the premium seats that you mention. I have heard some good things about the seats when it comes to comfort. As for the white, I've always been more of a fan of black-on-black when it comes to car exterior and interior, but I do like that the white gets rid of the awkward wood panel on the dash.

Yeah, that's marginally better, but still pretty meh. imo the car looks the best with the 19" sport wheels:

The reason why I don't want the 19s actually has more to do with the tires. The 18s come with Michelin MXM4s and the 19s come with some Continental tire. That's the thing... I've never had a good experience with Continental tires. The SHO had them and they were awful in the rain. I would do simple acceleration, and the tires would usually slip for a second on just a damp road. (It didn't even need to be raining!) I upgraded to some Michelin tires, and I strongly prefer them. Although, Tesla doesn't use the usual ContiPro Contact tires that I'm used to.

The one thing that I'm trying to do is get a tire that gives better ride quality. I don't expect much difference in performance between an 18" all-weather vs. a 19" all-weather. I have 20" tires on the Taurus, and that combined with its suspension setup... the ride quality just isn't very good. You feel all imperfections in the road.

Absolutely...the X looks like a bloated marshmallow version of the S, haha. But, sitting in the driver's seat is so awesome when you're driving - that windshield is ridiculous! Plus, plenty of room, as far as interior space goes. I felt like I could really spread out & enjoy the drive in the X, vs. the 3, which is much more of a commuter car. And yeah, the backseat is really made for kids, or for folding down so you can have a longer trunk...not so great for adult-sized people. I'm hoping they nail the design on the Model Y, because an electric crossover with a 300-mile range & full self-driving would be right up my alley!

Oh, I should be a bit more accurate and say that I meant the middle row. I wouldn't even consider sitting in the back seat (the one that requires you to push the middle row forward to reach). I looked at it, and said, "Yeah, that's not happening...". 😛 I did get to sit in the passenger's front seat, and it does feel a lot better than in the middle.

 

[bigi]

If somebody is into the inner-working parts of the Model 3, I do recommend Ingineerix channel. His latest videos show many various sub components of Model 3 in great detail.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC31O6BEWzx4D--YPw9aJABA

After watching most of it, I must admit that it is truly extraordinary engineering and that tech is clearly years ahead of its "competition" whomever that is.

 

[ponyo]

I've read people with Model 3 Performance are getting 3.3 seconds 0-60 mph and quarter mile in 11.8 seconds. That's stock configuration real world numbers. That's insane for a midsize sedan for less than $80k. And this same car has 310 miles range and gets 126 MPGe.

Think about that. If someone told you there's ICE car capable of 3.3s 0-60 and 11.8s quarter mile and gets 126 mpg, you would tell them they're insane at any price point. Yet, Tesla Model 3 is less than $80k and does all this with electric motor and battery. This is the future and we're experiencing paradigm shift. It's going to be exciting next 20-30 years.

 

[Kaido]

I've read people with Model 3 Performance are getting 3.3 seconds 0-60 mph and quarter mile in 11.8 seconds. That's stock configuration real world numbers. That's insane for a midsize sedan for less than $80k. And this same car has 310 miles range and gets 126 MPGe.

Think about that. If someone told you there's ICE car capable of 3.3s 0-60 and 11.8s quarter mile and gets 126 mpg, you would tell them they're insane at any price point. Yet, Tesla Model 3 is less than $80k and does all this with electric motor and battery. This is the future and we're experiencing paradigm shift. It's going to be exciting next 20-30 years.

They had the Performance version of the 3 at the NYC store when I went, but someone else was test-driving it & I didn't want to wait, so I took out the regular RWD Model 3. I thought I'd miss not testing the 3.5-second version, but man, the stock version is PLENTY fast! Unless you specifically want the performance version, you're not missing anything at all by going with the regular RWD/AWD Model 3...that thing is pretty amazing as-is! As much fun as my Mustang is, it doesn't have the instant torque that the 3 does, which gives it an entirely different driving feel & "fling you back in your seat" effect.

 

[Kaido]

Nice Model 3 on reddit with ceramic tint & chrome delete:

 

[Aikouka]

Nice Model 3 on reddit with ceramic tint & chrome delete:

Don't forget about those aero wheels. 😉

 

[Aikouka]

I went and sat in a Model 3 last weekend as well as a Model S. Honestly, I didn't see much of a difference in driver room between the two, but I did think the Model 3's seats were slightly more comfortable. Overall, neither car was a bad fit, but I can say that going from a Model S, which looks like a hi-tech variant of a normal car, to a Model 3 is a huge change. I usually just describe the interior as "spartan" as it has a clean look to it. It's hard for that to not sound like a bad thing, but it really isn't a problem... it's just really strange if you've been driving "normal" cars for ages.

After getting home, I mulled over it for a while, and in the end, I decided to purchase one. Probably the most awkward part right now is that you want to ensure that you have prior financing in order, but given that you may wait up to 2-4 months for the car, most banks or credit unions will only give you loan offers that last for 30-45 days. I got a pretty good rate from my local credit union, which isn't too surprising as they offered me 0.89% APR when I bought my Taurus. The best part was when Ford offered to match it to simplify the process (i.e. dealer gets a kick-back from getting a loan), and then I told them the rate. 😛 The look in their eyes was priceless!

In the end, I went with Solid Black, Performance AWD, Aero Wheels, and Enhanced Auto Pilot. Now, I know mentioning "Performance AWD" without the "Performance Upgrade Package" will probably garner some weird looks, but there were two reasons... or maybe three...

1. Temperature. The Michelin 4S High Performance Summer tires in the Performance Upgrade Package are limited in their temperature range. When looking them up on Tire Rack, it specifically states that if the tire gets below 20F, that they need to be warmed up to 40F before use, or it could damage the tire. Now, I do live in the south-east, but it does get cold here from time to time. While I would have enjoyed the extra performance benefits in the summer, I don't want to deal with it in the winter. If I lived in a state like California, Florida, New Mexico, etc., then it likely wouldn't have been an issue.
   
2. Ride Quality. I've dealt with 20" tires on my current car, and I just... kind of don't want that right now. Plus the Performance Upgrade Package also lowers the car slightly, and I don't need the car scraping on the driveway.
3. Price. Well, frankly, it was an extra $5k in an already pricey car. 😛

I think if I could've optioned for the same acoustic Michelin tires that I'll get on the 18" rims, I would've strongly considered the package. I use the same tires on my current car (non-acoustic version), and I rather like them.

 

[Kaido]

I went and sat in a Model 3 last weekend as well as a Model S. Honestly, I didn't see much of a difference in driver room between the two, but I did think the Model 3's seats were slightly more comfortable. Overall, neither car was a bad fit, but I can say that going from a Model S, which looks like a hi-tech variant of a normal car, to a Model 3 is a huge change. I usually just describe the interior as "spartan" as it has a clean look to it. It's hard for that to not sound like a bad thing, but it really isn't a problem... it's just really strange if you've been driving "normal" cars for ages.

After getting home, I mulled over it for a while, and in the end, I decided to purchase one. Probably the most awkward part right now is that you want to ensure that you have prior financing in order, but given that you may wait up to 2-4 months for the car, most banks or credit unions will only give you loan offers that last for 30-45 days. I got a pretty good rate from my local credit union, which isn't too surprising as they offered me 0.89% APR when I bought my Taurus. The best part was when Ford offered to match it to simplify the process (i.e. dealer gets a kick-back from getting a loan), and then I told them the rate. 😛 The look in their eyes was priceless!

In the end, I went with Solid Black, Performance AWD, Aero Wheels, and Enhanced Auto Pilot. Now, I know mentioning "Performance AWD" without the "Performance Upgrade Package" will probably garner some weird looks, but there were two reasons... or maybe three...

1. Temperature. The Michelin 4S High Performance Summer tires in the Performance Upgrade Package are limited in their temperature range. When looking them up on Tire Rack, it specifically states that if the tire gets below 20F, that they need to be warmed up to 40F before use, or it could damage the tire. Now, I do live in the south-east, but it does get cold here from time to time. While I would have enjoyed the extra performance benefits in the summer, I don't want to deal with it in the winter. If I lived in a state like California, Florida, New Mexico, etc., then it likely wouldn't have been an issue.
   
2. Ride Quality. I've dealt with 20" tires on my current car, and I just... kind of don't want that right now. Plus the Performance Upgrade Package also lowers the car slightly, and I don't need the car scraping on the driveway.
3. Price. Well, frankly, it was an extra $5k in an already pricey car. 😛

I think if I could've optioned for the same acoustic Michelin tires that I'll get on the 18" rims, I would've strongly considered the package. I use the same tires on my current car (non-acoustic version), and I rather like them.

1. Congrats! That's awesome!! I am jealous! 😀

2. Tesla just started rolling out an Autopilot demo program, in case you want to play with it without paying the extra $$$ for it:

https://electrek.co/2018/08/09/tesla-autopilot-free-over-the-air-autopilot-trials/

3. Although if you DO spring for FSD now, you'll get the Autopilot 3.0 chip for free in 6 months, which may be worth the money now for both the enhanced performance & future resale value. Although it is NOT required for EA:

https://electrek.co/2018/08/08/tesla-autopilot-hardware-upgrade-free-with-full-self-driving-package/

4. I agree with the tire & rim choice. I went with the smallest size (18" factory rims) on my Mustang for exactly that reason - more rubber, better ride, better in the snow.

5. Make sure you get your free lifetime Supercharging pass with your Performance Model 3! (available until September 16th) I believe you need a referral: (we've got some owners here who can probably hook you up, if you haven't already gotten it)

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/08/0...rging-to-model-3-performance-until-september/