Tesla test drive. Thoughts

Tesla test drive. Thoughts

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LHRFlightman

Original Poster:

1,992 posts

177 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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Just back from a 40 minutes drive in a model 3 long range at Guildford Tesla.

No selling at all. Literally gave them my name, them grabbed the key, spent 3 mins showing me the basics and hopped out saying "See you in 40 minutes, enjoy".

So, along with my wife and 19 year old, off we went.

Initial thoughts are it feels more car like than I expected, in a good way. The iPad is intuitive and the car handled nicely, is very smooth, quiet and goes like a train when asked. I'm talking head smacked against the head rest acceleration.

Upon returning I was asked if I enjoyed it, and was informed I'd get a feedback form via email. A very simple process from start to finish.

I'm getting it again Monday for an overnight test drive. Looking forward to my spending some quality time with it.

V1nce Fox

5,508 posts

75 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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What’s your normal car, how does it compare to that?

LHRFlightman

Original Poster:

1,992 posts

177 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
quotequote all
V1nce Fox said:
What’s your normal car, how does it compare to that?
2017 Honda.Civic. So similar in size etc. The Tesla made it feel ancient.

I've got an S2000, not exactly a rocket ship but quick enough. It wouldn't see which way the Tesla went .



V1nce Fox

5,508 posts

75 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
quotequote all
LHRFlightman said:
2017 Honda.Civic. So similar in size etc. The Tesla made it feel ancient.

I've got an S2000, not exactly a rocket ship but quick enough. It wouldn't see which way the Tesla went .
Interesting thanks. What about handling, feel etc?

paradigital

970 posts

159 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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One of the things I really liked about the buying journey of my Model 3 Performance was the zero pressure selling technique.

They are BMW 3-Series sized, they look smaller than they are!

It’s the best part of 40cm longer than a Civic Hatch smile

LordFlathead

9,643 posts

265 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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I've owned my Model 3 LR for just over two years and I still look forwards to getting in it. I think Tesla's are a marmite brand - you either love it or hate it. The only thing I might replace it with is... is another Tesla and the network is a big factor for me.

Good luck either way thumbup

FeelingLucky

1,116 posts

171 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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LHRFlightman said:
Just back from a 40 minutes drive in a model 3 long range at Guildford Tesla.

No selling at all. Literally gave them my name, them grabbed the key, spent 3 mins showing me the basics and hopped out saying "See you in 40 minutes, enjoy".

So, along with my wife and 19 year old, off we went.

Initial thoughts are it feels more car like than I expected, in a good way. The iPad is intuitive and the car handled nicely, is very smooth, quiet and goes like a train when asked. I'm talking head smacked against the head rest acceleration.

Upon returning I was asked if I enjoyed it, and was informed I'd get a feedback form via email. A very simple process from start to finish.

I'm getting it again Monday for an overnight test drive. Looking forward to my spending some quality time with it.
Exactly mirrors my own experience. I was given the choice of all three models, I chose the performance. Upon handback I was only asked if I'd enjoyed the experience, and do I have any questions.

My only question was one of delivery times, and with that done I walked away, no pressure.

Like yourself my lasting takeaway was just how obsolete the car I'd driven up in was. This (for me at least) was the future. The running costs of the most economical car I'd ever owned (1.0L Fiesta) and the acceleration of the fastest car I'd ever owned (997 Turbo S) in a convenient practical package, what's not to like?

Canon_Fodder

1,775 posts

70 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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FeelingLucky said:
, what's not to like?
£50,000 price tag?

LHRFlightman

Original Poster:

1,992 posts

177 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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Canon_Fodder said:
FeelingLucky said:
, what's not to like?
£50,000 price tag?
£34,500?

Canon_Fodder

1,775 posts

70 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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I'm a personal buyer, cash, so £52,490 for me for a Model 3 LR according to their website

Too much money for a car for me - but others may find that attractive

silent ninja

864 posts

107 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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I would try some other EVs also.

If you like driving then the iPace and BMW iX3 are enjoyable.

Other worthy of a test drive: Mustang Mach-E (a surprisingly good looking car too), Kia EV6, Ioniq 5/6.

Register1

2,279 posts

101 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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LHRFlightman said:
V1nce Fox said:
What’s your normal car, how does it compare to that?
2017 Honda.Civic. So similar in size etc. The Tesla made it feel ancient.

I've got an S2000, not exactly a rocket ship but quick enough. It wouldn't see which way the Tesla went .
Pretty much when we did the test drive.
We back to backed the test in the M3, followed by the test in the MY

The M3 took off like a stabbed rat.
Even just at 70 on the motorway, pin the pedal, and 100 comes up in seconds.

Cornering is absolutely planted, and on rails.

After 40 minutes, we returned with the M3, (we had a go each, ) then hopped into the MY same again, but ths time the MY just felt sluggish, and cornering wasn't no where near as good.

The model 3 is an awesome car,
We ordered one, and received it a while ago.
Only regret is not jumping to full 100% electric earlier.

.
.

C.A.R.

3,976 posts

195 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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I'm keen to hear from other people who have test driven recently against the other options. At the time when I test drove (2021) the Ioniq5 was only just opening its' order books, likewise the KIA EV6 - and I was coming from a Hyundai, so already keen to change things up a bit. At that time, there wasn't really a viable alternative - the iPace was / is more expensive and whilst the Model 3 isn't a looker, the Jaguar is hardly a well-resolved design either.

I'm only a year in to my 4 year company car lease but if I was asked again tomorrow I think I'd still pick a Model 3 LR. Maybe a Performance if the budget allowed, but I cannot stand the "Uberturbine" wheel design and given how I drive the LR in dense traffic I doubt I'd see the advantage of the extra umph very regularly, aside from bragging rights.

I wish Tesla would develop a smaller car with the same tech.

Minsky

334 posts

32 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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Glad you enjoyed it - you’re right. Drove an EV and it feels like the future. Everything else feels like a museum piece.

The model 3 is a fantastic car. Recommend you also try a polestar but in honesty you can’t go much wrong with either.


heisthegaffer

3,649 posts

205 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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How many miles do people genuinely get per Kw in these please?

DodgyGeezer

42,391 posts

197 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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The Ionic5 is a smaller car and a more 'traditional' layout dashwise - arguably better looking, a better choice of colours (for less money), though not as quick, the cabin is more flexible than the Tesla. M3 or MY you can have pretty much whenever you want it (or at least you could) the I5 was a considerably longer wait. In the end the fact we got the MY for less than an Ultimate combined with the SuC network swung it for us

Piginapoke

5,056 posts

192 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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I love my Model 3 LR. I commute 80 miles once a week and it’s perfect for this. It makes ICE cars feel obsolete.

SWoll

19,167 posts

265 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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heisthegaffer said:
How many miles do people genuinely get per Kw in these please?
We averaged 3 miles/kWh in our 2019 Model 3 Performance over 2 years and 20k. Rarely driven with range in mind though and lots of < 50 mile journeys.

Our current etron 55 has managed 2.4 miles/kwh over the past 12 months and 11k driven in a similar fashion. I personally didn't find the Tesla as impressively efficient as others seem to, but then the factors that affect efficiency are numerous so no real surprise.

LHRFlightman

Original Poster:

1,992 posts

177 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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Very nice indeed.

FeelingLucky

1,116 posts

171 months

Saturday 4th February 2023
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heisthegaffer said:
How many miles do people genuinely get per Kw in these please?
211 w/mile is achievable, stereo on, a/c on generally not hypermiling.

So 4.7 m/kwh, and when I say achievable, I mean best I've managed on a good run, 45 miles Tesla 3P in summer.