RE: Tesla Model S: PH Carpool

[fatboy b]

p1stonhead said:

Looks are subjective so if you dont like it then thats down to you. I wouldnt write off a car for its looks though unless it was seriously offence which it isnt in any sense of the word.

The materials are fine. They may have been a bit poor at first but current cars are much better. The one I drove was good quality.

I dont ever do long journeys. Again if you constantly do then its obviously not the car for you. You can drive most of europe via superchargers with a bit of route planning. Maybe not ideal but free fuel for a whole european road trip would appeal to me.

The technology is as far along as any other car so no negative there.

Plus its faster accelerating for a Ferrari so thats a plus for me. Handling seeemed pretty good too. Again, if these things dont matter then thats fine but every negative you have posted is due to your own preferences so you cant say its a bad car.

The new one I had a look at in Solihull a few weeks back hadn't moved the game on as far as interior quality. But if people think a Mustang is good inside, then I can see why they think a Tesla is also good. I haven't been in an American car yet that has a good quality interior. It's not a high priority for them it seems.

[otolith]

Thanks for the comments on the interior, but I'm still not entirely sure whether you are talking about something objective about the fitness for purpose of what it is made from and how it is designed, or whether it is a matter of being different to the construction of cars which you understand to be "premium" brands and therefore not "premium"?

[WestyCarl]

otolith said:

Thanks for the comments on the interior, but I'm still not entirely sure whether you are talking about something objective about the fitness for purpose of what it is made from and how it is designed, or whether it is a matter of being different to the construction of cars which you understand to be "premium" brands and therefore not "premium"?

Discussing "quality" and "premium" in cars is a minefield, everybody will have different opinions.

[otolith]

Indeed. I'm just trying to understand whether these are objective considerations, or just "It doesn't look German enough".

[MrBarry123]

kambites said:

I'm sure the ones you pay for will expand to meet demand; presumably they're profitable?

How quickly the "free" Tesla supercharger network expands is perhaps a rather different question.

Indeed - as with everything.

The guaranteed expansion of the Supercharger network would be a big bonus (or negative depending on the answer...) for me in terms of buying one in a couple of years' time.

[bertie]

fatboy b said:

0-60 times are way way down on my list of wants in a car. So in my opinion, you're wrong. It doesn't matter. As has been said many a time, it's good fun for a week or two, then gets boring.

My list of wants from cars are:-
- looks good inside & out (oh, that's a failure at the first hurdle for the Tesla then )
- good quality materials that aren't going to keep rattling - my Audi A5 and all my BMWs failed here
- good long-distance cruiser that I can take around Europe, as well as go ~400 miles to a customer when I have to.
- technology that allows me to do what I need to in a car, along with a decent powertrain that provides OK economy and allows safe overtakes, but also can have a bit of a hoon with.

So there's no real point in me going to test drive a Tesla really is there?

It's funny how everyone used to bang on about performance being poor on electric cars as a reason not to have one, but then when the performance is better all of a sudden performance is not a consideration.

The Tesla isn't a looker, but then no big saloon is. It's no better but certainly no worse than a 5 series / A6 / Merc E / Jag XF etc.

The interior in a new direction and that's what people cant get their hear round.

The infotainment & tech is ahead of the german brands and a mile ahead of JLR.

I'll conced that if your routine involves regular 400 mile trips it's not your car though, but mine and most other folks doesn't.

[fatboy b]

bertie said:

fatboy b said:

0-60 times are way way down on my list of wants in a car. So in my opinion, you're wrong. It doesn't matter. As has been said many a time, it's good fun for a week or two, then gets boring.

My list of wants from cars are:-
- looks good inside & out (oh, that's a failure at the first hurdle for the Tesla then )
- good quality materials that aren't going to keep rattling - my Audi A5 and all my BMWs failed here
- good long-distance cruiser that I can take around Europe, as well as go ~400 miles to a customer when I have to.
- technology that allows me to do what I need to in a car, along with a decent powertrain that provides OK economy and allows safe overtakes, but also can have a bit of a hoon with.

So there's no real point in me going to test drive a Tesla really is there?

It's funny how everyone used to bang on about performance being poor on electric cars as a reason not to have one, but then when the performance is better all of a sudden performance is not a consideration.

The Tesla isn't a looker, but then no big saloon is. It's no better but certainly no worse than a 5 series / A6 / Merc E / Jag XF etc.

The interior in a new direction and that's what people cant get their hear round.

The infotainment & tech is ahead of the german brands and a mile ahead of JLR.

I'll conced that if your routine involves regular 400 mile trips it's not your car though, but mine and most other folks doesn't.

The latest tech in the new XF is better than the mrs' new 16-plate Golf. By a mile too.

And I'm very surprised that you don't do the odd 400 mile trip, given your garage . I'd be out most weekends!

[bertie]

fatboy b said:

The latest tech in the new XF is better than the mrs' new 16-plate Golf. By a mile too.

And I'm very surprised that you don't do the odd 400 mile trip, given your garage . I'd be out most weekends!

Has the "new" XF got the new infotainment from the JLR / Intel tie us at their development centre in India?

I thought the F pace was the first to get that, the system in my RR sport is comically , punch it through the dashboard frustrating

[fatboy b]

bertie said:

fatboy b said:

The latest tech in the new XF is better than the mrs' new 16-plate Golf. By a mile too.m

And I'm very surprised that you don't do the odd 400 mile trip, given your garage . I'd be out most weekends!

Has the "new" XF got the new infotainment from the JLR / Intel tie us at their development centre in India?

I thought the F pace was the first to get that, the system in my RR sport is comically , punch it through the dashboard frustrating

I think the new XF got it from early this year with the bigger screen option. Previous new XFs had an updated old system. I thought they were outsourcing it all to a proper company.

[bertie]

fatboy b said:

bertie said:

fatboy b said:

The latest tech in the new XF is better than the mrs' new 16-plate Golf. By a mile too.m

And I'm very surprised that you don't do the odd 400 mile trip, given your garage . I'd be out most weekends!

Has the "new" XF got the new infotainment from the JLR / Intel tie us at their development centre in India?

I thought the F pace was the first to get that, the system in my RR sport is comically , punch it through the dashboard frustrating

M
I think the new XF got it from early this year with the bigger screen option. Previous new XFs had an updated old system. I thought they were outsourcing it all to a proper company.

http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com/en-in/jlr-corp/news/2013/11/jlr_intel_collaboration_201113/

[fatboy b]

bertie said:

http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com/en-in/jlr-corp...

That's the one then. The new XF was meant to get that as an option Q1 this year.

[Mike_C]

I'm just gonna leave this here...

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/driver-powe...

2016 Driver Power survey:

- Best for performance: Tesla Model S
- Best for handling: Tesla Model S
- Best for running costs: Tesla Model S
- Best ride quality: Tesla Model S
- Easiest to drive: Tesla Model S
- Best for practicality: Tesla Model S
- Best for in-car technology: Tesla Model S
- Best car overall: Tesla Model S (with the highest ever score of 97.46%

[bertie]

Mike_C said:

I'm just gonna leave this here...

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/driver-powe...

2016 Driver Power survey:

- Best for performance: Tesla Model S
- Best for handling: Tesla Model S
- Best for running costs: Tesla Model S
- Best ride quality: Tesla Model S
- Easiest to drive: Tesla Model S
- Best for practicality: Tesla Model S
- Best for in-car technology: Tesla Model S
- Best car overall: Tesla Model S (with the highest ever score of 97.46%

The whole survey is wrong, the XF is better in every way, fat boy says so.

[Mike_C]

bertie said:

The whole survey is wrong, the XF is better in every way, fat boy says so.

Hahaha, yeah all those owners getting it so wrong, silly them and silly us!

[fatboy b]

bertie said:

Mike_C said:

I'm just gonna leave this here...

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/driver-powe...

2016 Driver Power survey:

- Best for performance: Tesla Model S
- Best for handling: Tesla Model S
- Best for running costs: Tesla Model S
- Best ride quality: Tesla Model S
- Easiest to drive: Tesla Model S
- Best for practicality: Tesla Model S
- Best for in-car technology: Tesla Model S
- Best car overall: Tesla Model S (with the highest ever score of 97.46%

The whole survey is wrong, the XF is better in every way, fat boy says so.

You're finally seeing sense

[Mosdef]

'One potential area for concern is build quality; you’d expect a car costing £60,000-plus to finish higher than 33rd.'

Impressive scores nonetheless. No score for smiles per mile or driver engagement though? At least it beat the Renault Zoe, imagine that piece of st winning JD Power car of the year!

[ORD]

I missed someone quoting that Driver Power survey!

The Zoe came second! The Kadjar was right up there.

All the survey tells you is which owners have the least clue about cars and/or are utter fanboys.

[cheddar]

I've watched a shedload of Tesla videos in the last week, everything from drag races to journalist reviews to independent owners reviews and those 'Tesla acceleration passenger reaction' videos, I'm totally sold.

It's not the outright performance, it's the outright 'useable' performance, the all day everyday 'press and go ballistic' performance. No process to go through to disable traction or enable launch, no high rev histrionics, no rev matching or exhaust blaring kerfuffle that attracts unwanted attention.
I'm willing to bet that Tesla owners will use more of their available torque more of the time than any supercar owner, it's the fuss free they can just do it time after time.
Will they get bored of the 'one trick' character? Time will tell but I can imagine them getting back into a ice driven vehicle and wondering why it's such a fussy thing to drive.

I should add, I'm a diehard petrolhead, owned maybe 60 cars and only just bought my first auto (albeit with a 320hp V8) but resistance is futile, these Tesla's are the future

[bertie]

Mosdef said:

'...... No score for smiles per mile or driver engagement though?!

Again, really?

No, because a near 5 metre 2 tonne saloon is not where you look for driver engagement.

Caterham, Elise, Cayman even - involving in varying degrees.

Massive saloon - not involving

[Mosdef]

bertie said:

Mosdef said:

'...... No score for smiles per mile or driver engagement though?!

Again, really?

No, because a near 5 metre 2 tonne saloon is not where you look for driver engagement.

Caterham, Elise, Cayman even - involving in varying degrees.

Massive saloon - not involving

Again, can be when there's a big, sonorous, characterful V8 involved, some steering feel, and some revs, gears etc. The QP (more previous than current model), M6GC, most AMGs, Panamera (GTS rather than Turbo) are all quite lively and what I'd call involving. Not scalpel sharp but enjoyable regardless.