Tesla Model S: PH Carpool
How much has this PHer enjoyed the Tesla experience? He's just ordered a Model 3 as well...
Car: Tesla Model S P85+
Owned since: February 2016
Previously owned: Porsche Cayman S, BMW 335d M Sport Touring, BMW 330Ci M Sport, Honda S2000, Range Rover Sport G4 Challenge and a host of other expedition-prepped 4x4s, a raft of French hot hatches from my early days. Also many motorbikes, including Ducati Multistrada 1200, Suzuki GSX-R750 K6, Triumph Speed Triple, Aprilia RSV and a couple of track bikes.
Why I bought it:
"A friend of mine purchased a Model S 85 when they first arrived in the UK, and I was blown away. This wasn't just a good electric vehicle, it was a good car full stop! The power delivery, even on his mid-range 85, was brilliant, and it did everything I would need in a car. From that moment, I was hooked on the idea of having one - it was when, not if! I spent ages looking at new vehicle options and working through different configurations on the website, but then my sales contact rang me about this P85+ ex-demo vehicle coming up for sale - fully loaded with every option apart from the third-row seats. It was a deal I couldn't miss out on, so I put a deposit down immediately."
What I wish I'd known:
"Nothing really; due to my friend having one already, and the very helpful staff at Tesla West Drayton, I was pretty well informed. Being such a new vehicle, there aren't many problems and anything that is an issue is fixed under warranty. As an ex-demo, the car was given a full service, check and refurb as required before I took delivery."
Things I love:
"Pretty much everything! Mine is a P85+, so has the largest motor of the RWD cars before being discontinued, so it's quick. Really quick! 0-62mph in a tad over four seconds is impressive, but it's the instantaneous torque that is truly shocking! I also think it looks great; it's pretty vast and understated, yet distinctive enough that people take a second look.
"The interior is a lovely place to be; the 17-inch touchscreen is very clear and intuitive, so much better than any other vehicle I've ever been in. Autopilot is a revelation, it makes motorway journeys infinitely more bearable and it even works on well-marked A- and B-roads well too. The mobile app is also good, allowing you to pre-heat the car on cold days (and cool it on hot days), track the car's location, check on charging and so on. Speaking of which, the Tesla Supercharger network is fantastic too!"
Things I hate:
"Not having a P90D with Ludicrous mode? Since the P85+ was discontinued, all the performance variants have been dual motor vehicles (and therefore AWD), so they're the P85D and P90D. It's not really worth upgrading mine to one of these just yet, but 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds is pretty darn tempting... That being said, having one of the last RWD Performance variants is nice - a (distant) future classic, maybe? Rear tyres don't seem to last long; I'm down to 4-5mm of tread after only 2,500 miles, but that might be from showing so many people how it accelerates...
"Weight is also an issue; it's a fairly heavy old beast due to all those batteries, and pressing on down a fast twisty bit of road you can really feel it. Lastly, the steering is pretty numb, the brakes are not up to sustained heavy use and the interior packaging could be improved too, with more storage space required in particular. Oh, and the 'typical range' calculation on the dash should be more realistic, it's not very 'typical' if you ask me!"
Costs:
"Nothing. Literally, nothing. No fuel, no servicing costs, no repair costs. It's been back for some warranty work and everything was fixed for free. I haven't noticed any increase in my home electricity bills as yet, but I reckon it will cost me around 10 per cent of what I was paying for in diesel or petrol previously. New rear tyres will be around £200-£250 a corner as they're 21-inch wheels and take a 265-section tyre."
Where I've been:
"Several weekends away to the Cotswolds, South Downs and a skiing/snowboarding trip to Scotland. There were not any charging issues, although thanks to bad weather and a strong headwind we did arrive at one Supercharger station with only six per cent battery remaining! Having said that, we could have stopped much earlier at a third party charging station at almost any motorway services. I'm planning a bigger trip into Europe next, either up into Scandinavia or across France and towards Italy."
What next?
"Nothing immediately, although I have put a deposit down on the new Model 3 (along with 325,000 other people!). This may end up being for my wife as I think I'd prefer another Model S, but either way I'm totally sold on the brand, its vision and its products. If you haven't tried one, you really should! I'm also planning on getting an S2 Elise as a weekend toy, I need something light and with plenty of feel as an antidote to the Tesla's supreme refinement!"
Can you say what the issues were that you had fixed under warranty? Minor niggles with fit and finish are about the only negative I've heard for the Tesla, wondering what things to look out for once they start to become available more cheaply as used buys in a few years time.
I have had the experience of being silently 'zoomed' by one, accelerating away from me on the M1 like some giant invisible hand had pulled an exceedingly strong, and equally invisible, rubber band and then suddenly let it go.
My only negative comment would be that from any distance, they look very much like a Mondeo from behind, or a Passat / Insignia, especially depending which alloy wheels it has fitted.
I would love to try, and possibly own one of these, my only concerns would be the availability of charging stations (notwithstanding the ones at motorway service stations, IKEA etc), and the cost of replacing the battery packs I a few years time - does anyone know how much they will be?
I'm aware that 2 years ago the battery pack was circa $45k, but I'd guess prices will fall as battery production is ramped up and as soon as different models start using the same basic battery.
Still, a hell of a hit if you're unfortunate enough to havdan incident whereby the battery is damaged
The back wasnt comfy and the interior quality, me be being used to german vehicles, felt very underwhelming.
They are quick and quiet but the driver spent more time looking at his overlarge IPAD then the view outfront.
Tis the future though and we should embrace it, wont be long before you can upload your MP3 of your favorite engine note and listen to that, if you wanted to, internally - ala new BMW's.
Minor niggles - no door pockets. The interior space is great & I love the front boot, but there's a dearth of storage pockets etc... in the cabin. (updated version fixes that I think - be nice if you could retrofit).
I always thought the massive screen looked awkward in the photo's, but in the flesh it's great and super intuitive. Love how you drag the icon into the screen for the option you want to use.
Great that you get free 3G data too so you can stream music etc...
There wasn't a lot I could fault it on.
The back wasnt comfy and the interior quality, me be being used to german vehicles, felt very underwhelming.
They are quick and quiet but the driver spent more time looking at his overlarge IPAD then the view outfront.
Tis the future though and we should embrace it, wont be long before you can upload your MP3 of your favorite engine note and listen to that, if you wanted to, internally - ala new BMW's.
As a single car owner, it is not for me but I think it's an excellent proposition for someone who wants efficient everyday transport and who has more interesting cars in the garage for weekends/trackdays.
I'd wait until the charging infrastructure is a little better before being comfortable about having one.
I have had the experience of being silently 'zoomed' by one, accelerating away from me on the M1 like some giant invisible hand had pulled an exceedingly strong, and equally invisible, rubber band and then suddenly let it go.
My only negative comment would be that from any distance, they look very much like a Mondeo from behind, or a Passat / Insignia, especially depending which alloy wheels it has fitted.
I would love to try, and possibly own one of these, my only concerns would be the availability of charging stations (notwithstanding the ones at motorway service stations, IKEA etc), and the cost of replacing the battery packs I a few years time - does anyone know how much they will be?
I'm aware that 2 years ago the battery pack was circa $45k, but I'd guess prices will fall as battery production is ramped up and as soon as different models start using the same basic battery.
Still, a hell of a hit if you're unfortunate enough to havdan incident whereby the battery is damaged
Minor niggles - no door pockets. The interior space is great & I love the front boot, but there's a dearth of storage pockets etc... in the cabin. (updated version fixes that I think - be nice if you could retrofit).
I always thought the massive screen looked awkward in the photo's, but in the flesh it's great and super intuitive. Love how you drag the icon into the screen for the option you want to use.
Great that you get free 3G data too so you can stream music etc...
There wasn't a lot I could fault it on.
(I am sat 10 minutes from Notts right now with not even a phone signal, never mind 2G/3G/4G!)
I have had the experience of being silently 'zoomed' by one, accelerating away from me on the M1 like some giant invisible hand had pulled an exceedingly strong, and equally invisible, rubber band and then suddenly let it go.
My only negative comment would be that from any distance, they look very much like a Mondeo from behind, or a Passat / Insignia, especially depending which alloy wheels it has fitted.
I would love to try, and possibly own one of these, my only concerns would be the availability of charging stations (notwithstanding the ones at motorway service stations, IKEA etc), and the cost of replacing the battery packs I a few years time - does anyone know how much they will be?
I'm aware that 2 years ago the battery pack was circa $45k, but I'd guess prices will fall as battery production is ramped up and as soon as different models start using the same basic battery.
Still, a hell of a hit if you're unfortunate enough to havdan incident whereby the battery is damaged
I can imagine subsequent owners being quite happy about replacing suspension or brake parts on the Tesla (if they are available), but the killer will be the battery, no matter how much the unit cost comes down. It's not like an internal combustion engines car, where one can obtain a new cylinder head, gearbox, clutch etc (of course there may be other electrickity components in the Tesla that are replaceable at lower cost)
Not withstanding that, I like the idea of the Tesla, it makes me think of it as a Paul Smith dark grey suit, all sharp lines and style, versus (for instance, a Mondeo) a similar looking Marks & Spencer suit, which although ostensibly similar just doesn't somehow feel as good
Both do the same thing, but in different ways.
I'm not sure how that analogy came about, but I'm overdue my medication, so please feel free to rip the arse out of me!!!
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