Drove a model 3 PP

Drove a model 3 PP

Author
Discussion

stef1808

Original Poster:

950 posts

157 months

Wednesday 14th April 2021
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Not sure what I think about it and if I’m going to buy one (yet)

Took my c63 to go and get it - On the motorway there’s no comparison and like others has said the 3 was a bit dull. The speed felt, with no noise or drama, well it actually felt slow - comparatively

Acceleration off the line is another story, at first I wasn’t expecting the instant acceleration and it made me giggle. After several stop-go’s I got a bit more use to it although was still fun. After 15 minutes on the test drive I started feeling nauseous so had to calm down.

The comfort was spot on although it was nice to get back in the interior of the C.

I’m tempted to get one purely for that acceleration excitement but would imagine after a while that might fade away.

(Ended up using 35% battery in the 1 hour test drive so can’t imagine realistically getting more than 150 miles range)

Great experience and when wireless charging is an option it might be a game changer, for now I left without putting a deposit down which I was almost sure I would be doing. Am I wrong?

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

255 months

Wednesday 14th April 2021
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What fell off this one?

stef1808

Original Poster:

950 posts

157 months

Wednesday 14th April 2021
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The charger cap got stuck but was fixed after resetting wink

272BHP

5,024 posts

236 months

Wednesday 14th April 2021
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I was pretty disappointed with performance of the M3P.

If the weather is warm and you have just come off a supercharger and the battery is full and at a good temperature then yeah it can feel fast from low speeds. When any of those variables are off then it is not particularly impressive. Try and overtake from 50-80 and it wouldn't live with BMW M3s, C63 etc

Acceleration from rest is good but not as good as reported. Hysterical reports of the acceleration making passengers throw up are just silly.

NDA

21,559 posts

225 months

Wednesday 14th April 2021
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It depends why you are buying it and what you'll use it for.

I have owned a few quick cars over the years (Murcielago, Ford GT etc) and the Tesla is certainly within touching distance in terms of launching yourself forwards - but that's just a party trick to be honest.

If you're buying it to do boring commuting miles, daily dull trips - then it's a great car. If you're buying it for some other reason, then you might find it a bit underwhelming.

I like mine, but I have other cars to enjoy too.

Sten.

2,214 posts

134 months

Wednesday 14th April 2021
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I had a decent drive of a relatives M3P and while the low speed shove was a giggle, the overall experience is pretty dull. I know it's subjective but I also think they look incredibly boring. I'd happy have one as a company car for the commute but I'd need something decent in the garage for weekends.

Terminator X

15,028 posts

204 months

Thursday 15th April 2021
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#whitegoods

TX.

Pooh

3,692 posts

253 months

Thursday 15th April 2021
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I have also test-driven one and I cannot imagine why anybody would complain that it is slow, I do get the part about it being a little dull, but there is no other car that offers similar performance that can do high milages so cheaply.
I will probably get one through my business later this year, I would rather have an Alfa Giulietta Veloce but doing 30k miles a year in one will cost me vastly more money and it is nowhere near as fast.
You will certainly get more than 150 miles range if you drive even remotely normally.

stef1808

Original Poster:

950 posts

157 months

Friday 16th April 2021
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I think the lack of drama and noise made the car feel slow on the motorway
Will leave driving normal for the green peace forum but for me the realistic range of my realistic driving is considerable less than claimed

Pooh

3,692 posts

253 months

Friday 16th April 2021
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stef1808 said:
I think the lack of drama and noise made the car feel slow on the motorway
Will leave driving normal for the green peace forum but for me the realistic range of my realistic driving is considerable less than claimed
I found it a bit dull due to the lack of feel of what the car was doing rather than because it was electric, my Zoe is actually quite good fun down a twisty road, despite the fact that it is slow and electric because it has a decent level of feedback and I can feel what is doing.
My normal driving comment was compared to how most people would drive on a test drive, I certainly wasn't hanging about when I test drove one and while you may not get the quoted range (just like you never get quoted fuel economy if you drive fast) you will get more than 150 miles very easily without going to the Greenpeace forum.

MaxFromage

1,881 posts

131 months

Friday 16th April 2021
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272BHP said:
I was pretty disappointed with performance of the M3P.

Try and overtake from 50-80 and it wouldn't live with BMW M3s, C63 etc
Really? They look similar to me and that's before you factor in kick down. A DB11 on an overtaking mission couldn't leave my Long Range the other day. It's very easy to get 100% out of. Dull for some I accept.

SWoll

18,333 posts

258 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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Did a 60 mile trip in ours last night, mixture of motorway and B roads and wasn't hanging about. Used 30% battery so 200+ easily achievable if you aren't driving like a loon everywhere constantly.

18 months in and the acceleration both from standstill and whilst on the move still makes me smile. Suggestions that a C63 or M4 are just as quick from 50+ have been disproven on numerous occasions even with a cold battery and lower charge rate. Above 100 I don't doubt it but then that's not a real world scenario if you want to keep your license in the UK.

Its far from perfect and doesn't give you the same emotional connection as a good ICE performance car, but I do read some rubbish on these forums.

And nothings fallen off in the last 12k mile BTW, unlike the Mercedes that proceeded it. smile

ETA - Here's a comparison with the current RS6 from 50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKT-x1wJpTY&t=...

Edited by SWoll on Sunday 18th April 09:40

272BHP

5,024 posts

236 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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I can only think that I have a dodgy one then.

I took my 88 yr old Dad out in it the other day and floored it from 5mph on a quiet road. His reaction? "so is it faster than that BMW you had? (i3s) that was quite quick". Maybe the i3 felt quick as it was so small and maybe the expectations for the Model 3P were too high.

All I feel is a gentle push in the small of my back. Certainly no G forces, neck snapping or throwing up happening from driving in mine.


hyphen

26,262 posts

90 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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stef1808 said:
I think the lack of drama and noise made the car feel slow on the motorway...
Different price range, but are you aware of 'Porsche electric sports sound' that Porsche offer on the Taycan. Would you think that would help?

SWoll

18,333 posts

258 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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272BHP said:
I can only think that I have a dodgy one then.

I took my 88 yr old Dad out in it the other day and floored it from 5mph on a quiet road. His reaction? "so is it faster than that BMW you had? (i3s) that was quite quick". Maybe the i3 felt quick as it was so small and maybe the expectations for the Model 3P were too high.

All I feel is a gentle push in the small of my back. Certainly no G forces, neck snapping or throwing up happening from driving in mine.

Are you driving in chill mode perhaps? It'll do 60 in 3 seconds or so in standard and should have pinned him to his seat so definitely an issue based on your description? Ours is brutally quick below 100mph and in another league entirely to the i3 we had previous to it.


272BHP

5,024 posts

236 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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No, I was in the correct mode. charged to 80% warm day, just came off a supercharger an hour before so everything should have been good.

But certainly no pinned back in seat. I remember a motoring journalist once saying that his measure of a truly fast car is when under full acceleration the passenger should not be able to reach forward and touch the dash board - I would have no problem doing that in mine.

SWoll

18,333 posts

258 months

Sunday 18th April 2021
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272BHP said:
No, I was in the correct mode. charged to 80% warm day, just came off a supercharger an hour before so everything should have been good.

But certainly no pinned back in seat. I remember a motoring journalist once saying that his measure of a truly fast car is when under full acceleration the passenger should not be able to reach forward and touch the dash board - I would have no problem doing that in mine.
Doesn't sound right at all. No way you are doing that from standstill in ours, or indeed at 30-50. You're talking about performance to basically match a McLaren F1, Lexus LFA, Gallardo Superleggera or Murci LP640 over a quarter mile.



NDA

21,559 posts

225 months

Monday 19th April 2021
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272BHP said:
No, I was in the correct mode. charged to 80% warm day, just came off a supercharger an hour before so everything should have been good.

But certainly no pinned back in seat. I remember a motoring journalist once saying that his measure of a truly fast car is when under full acceleration the passenger should not be able to reach forward and touch the dash board - I would have no problem doing that in mine.
As above, that doesn't sound right.

If you're in Surrey, you're probably not too far from me... you'd be welcome to compare with mine.

SWoll

18,333 posts

258 months

Monday 19th April 2021
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NDA said:
272BHP said:
No, I was in the correct mode. charged to 80% warm day, just came off a supercharger an hour before so everything should have been good.

But certainly no pinned back in seat. I remember a motoring journalist once saying that his measure of a truly fast car is when under full acceleration the passenger should not be able to reach forward and touch the dash board - I would have no problem doing that in mine.
As above, that doesn't sound right.

If you're in Surrey, you're probably not too far from me... you'd be welcome to compare with mine.
Let us know if he turns up in an SR+. wink

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

254 months

Tuesday 20th April 2021
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272BHP said:
Try and overtake from 50-80 and it wouldn't live with BMW M3s, C63 etc
https://youtu.be/FFUutdqUMC4?t=171

really.