If you’re bored sometime - go test drive a Model 3

[Jhenson29]

Bought the FSD - worst purchase of my life. Without FSD, all Tesla's have adaptive cruise control which is what you really need..... Agree with white interior and non-standard color. That gets you to $59,900

I’m not arguing which options to get. I wouldn’t get the car at all in the first place.

I’m arguing what the price is for fully optioned.

 

[svp6]

Well, without the FSD it is still $61,990, don't forget that Red Paint is a super premium $2k option ?

Forgot about that. I was never interested in a red car -missed on this extra special

 

[PorscheCH]

model 3 is visually catchy (from inside, though fit&finish is...ehm...). power and control are good, brakes and suspensions are a joke and will get you in serious trouble if pushing hard on twisty B-roads or mountain passes around Europe - that's what I call fun.

not sure what "not too bad" means. doing 8+ mins at the Ring is Audi RS4 territory...15 years ago, nothing so special. Plus, to be able to use the UI or the charging network you have to be still alive and conscious

Time is short. If I am bored I'll go test drive a Cayman GT4 RS or a GT3.

That being said, the model 3 feels substantially faster and substantially more nimble - it helps being a lighter car.... I do not track the cars, but judging from those who do model 3 does not come up too bad, so it is not just about straight line acceleration... Agree 100% with @daveo4EV on Tesla user interface.

My ideal car: Taycan looks and quality, Taycan brakes (I thought I would miss regen, but I actually prefer the coasting implemented in the Taycan), Tesla UI, Tesla charging network.

 

[RingoDingo]

My Dogecoin investment far eclipsed the performance of your Tesla stock Everyone doubted the ??, but doge proved everyone wrong. I sold too early partially due to the FUD unfortunately.

I could also hit the lottery and say I was a good investor, but that's an argument for another time
There's a more than healthy amount of speculation and frothy wackiness inherent in all of it right now - crypto, Tesla, real estate, etc. whatever. I'm no investing genius and there were plenty of times the company almost went bankrupt....

 

[buhhy]

I could also hit the lottery and say I was a good investor, but that's an argument for another time
There's a more than healthy amount of speculation and frothy wackiness inherent in all of it right now - crypto, Tesla, real estate, etc. whatever. I'm no investing genius and there were plenty of times the company almost went bankrupt....

That’s what I say about TSLA investors too

Hitting the call option gamma goldmine is hardly a measure of the underlying fundamentals. Like you said, TSLA did almost go bankrupt multiple times despite the supposed “cash” on their balance sheet. Elon is a hustler of epic proportions however, and raised money to save the company, so credit where credit’s due.

 

[svp6]

not sure what "not too bad" means. doing 8+ mins at the Ring is Audi RS4 territory...15 years ago, nothing so special. Plus, to be able to use the UI or the charging network you have to be still alive and conscious

As I said, I like the Taycan better. But that does not mean Model 3 is bad. Plenty track videos on model 3 out there... Apparently a modified model 3 did 7:44 on Nordschleife, but I don't think that is official.

 

[kort]

Model 3P is quicker than a Taycan Turbo?

some of the teslas are indeed straight line faster, for a bit and they also do not drive well and braking isn't up to par from the speeds the car can do. so while a tesla may be a bit faster it is not anywhere as good as driving car as a taycan. then we can start comparing interiors.

the only great thing going for tesla is that their tech is far better than the glitchy taycan tech.

 

[philbur]

Remember GM did go bankrupt and we all bailed them out. Elon is all about keeping them running without handouts. He is doing amazing work and no one should knock him. Innovation and crazy is how he is changing the world. And the only number that matters is how many cars he is shipping and how many teslas are on the road (I see them all the time in Seattle). I think of them as cool looking American cars. Porsches are like a Swiss watch in comparison. Each has their own place and main goal is to get to sustainable energy. Breaking all the old school monopolies like oil and auto is also really cool - I’m all in!

 

[PorscheCH]

Yes Luis Ramirez did 7:44 on (wet) Ring with heavy mods/upgrades to its suspension, brakes, wheels and tires (they run Cup2 I think), i.e. the ugly bits. So it can't be official (it's far from a stock car, which is above 8 mins). Charoudin, one of the Ring's veteran who lives in front, also had a lot of fun apparently.

I'm not saying you can't track the Mod3 and even post good times with heavy mods, though you'll still be behind fast German sedans. You could pull out a (stock?) Plaid for that and a top driver and do 7:30 but you are still hitting times done by sedans with half the horsepower, 5 or so years prior.

In "real" life though (unmodded car, no frequent access to track) my definition of fun is European twisty roads, demanding turns, many changes of speed, inclination etc. which I prefer vs straight line acceleration.

I also like the Taycan better or its smaller versions (e.g. 992 turbo s

As I said, I like the Taycan better. But that does not mean Model 3 is bad. Plenty track videos on model 3 out there... Apparently a modified model 3 did 7:44 on Nordschleife, but I don't think that is official.

 

[RinOC]

No.

 

[DanielCA92563]

I would also add the Ford Mach-e in the list for those who need SUV-ish functionality. The Mach-e currently has a lot of software bugs (based on forums reports) just like the Taycan but Ford is releasing fixes much faster.

I look fwd to test drive the Mach-e GT in 2 months.

I test drove a Model Y, no thanks. I have a Mach E GT scheduled to come in next week and just ordered a CT4 for the wife. The CT4 seems to be in a class of its own when it comes to a sporty electric vehicle- not even comparable to a TESLA or Ford.

 

[Helixer]

no question the Taycan looks and drives better - but again I'm just saying "if you're bored" you should test drive one - they are a hoot - they have their drawbacks - but also their charms - personally I'm done with Tesla for now - we'll re-evaluate in a few years - but as a car person I like to sample all comers and know first hand what is what…

a lot a lot a lot of people do not have the option to "upgrade" to a Taycan - and for $59k or less the Model 3 offers a LOT of value - the non-performance is still pretty quick and it's even less money.

to be quicker than a Model 3 you have to option a Taycan Turbo - not even a GTS is quicker…and BMW and AMG - don't make me laugh - that's outside the budget of most Model 3 victims…

it's a value package if you balance a number of factors…again I'm not suggesting anyone buy one, I'm suggesting you experience it for your self and then walk away.

It's very difficult to fault your logic. Assuming one has a convenient showroom nearby, why wouldn't you test drive one.

I hear ya. Model 3/Y: made for the masses.

Said Louis XVI (LOL).
While it is clearly a high volume car, especially here in SoCal, is far from junk...in fact, it's very impressive, IMO. Apple computers, i Phones, Levi's, Seiko, Bosch, and Callaway, among many, many more, are all arguably mass market products. The VW Beetle was never the finest German car manufactured, but it was a resounding success for several obvious reasons.

 

[4sCT21]

Well I decided that since I’ve never driven an EV, I’d shut up and take a model 3 out.

Conclusions Following 40 min drive in a Model 3 Performance.

Positives

1. Build quality far better than my wife’s uncle’s model S (it’s an older one)
2. Love the roof
3. One pedal drive is great
4. ITS OBVIOUSLY FLAMING QUICK
5. Steering quick and direct although heavy
6. Absolute tech fest
7. Suspension smooth

Bad points

1. Feels clinical and soulless
2. Not enough thigh support (for me) from front seats
3. Rear seating position is weird as is mentioned on reviews
4. PUT A HUD IN IT!!!
5. Start looking closely and it still looks cheap on the inside
6. Don’t like the wheels

Totally understand why they sell so well, as a stopgap car I’d be happy enough no doubt, but I wouldn’t want one for longer than 2 years.

obviously all just imho

 

[Tsingtao]

Well, from my perspective, who cares. If straight-line acceleration for the cheapest price is someone's goal then they should buy Tesla Performance Models. Of course, that is a fool's game since you can be sure that there will be a new faster version coming soon.

IMHO anything under 4.0 0-60 is in what used to be the SuperCar range and is certainly faster than 90% of the vehicles on the road. Personally, I doubt I'll use launch control or max speed starts of any kind more than occasionally. I'm much more interested in the driving experience, comfort, and yes, the cachet of the car I'm driving. I believe it will be many years, if ever before Tesla catches up to Porsche in those areas.

I'm not even sure that Tesla really cares. They are making most of their money on the less expensive models. Yes, I could buy two Model 3 performance cars for what I'm paying for my Taycan, with money left over. Doesn't matter, I don't want a Model 3, I do want a Porsche.

I agree. It is all about the driving experience and the feeling of sitting in a masterpiece of teutonic design. Coincidentally, this morning a couple gym buddies (who arrived in a Model 3) asked if they could see the inside of my Taycan. I did them one better and took them for a ride. As I dropped it into sport mode and did a launch control, I felt compelled to apologize for the Taycan's lack of a jumbo-sized iPad on the dash -- as I could sense that 2 minutes in a Taycan had already given the Model 3 owner a serious case of EV/penis envy and I was trying to make him feel better by praising him (and Elon) on Tesla's wonderful UI. But once we got back to the gym after our invigorating spin around the block, I made the mistake of pulling into the space next to my buddy's Model 3. Yikes! When parked side by side, it is painfully obvious that there is no comparison worth making between a Taycan and a Tesla. If Tesla's were free, I'd probably like to have two or three of them. But if I have to spend money, I'll stick with the Porsche.

 

[Kingske]

I agree. It is all about the driving experience and the feeling of sitting in a masterpiece of teutonic design. Coincidentally, this morning a couple gym buddies (who arrived in a Model 3) asked if they could see the inside of my Taycan. I did them one better and took them for a ride. As I dropped it into sport mode and did a launch control, I felt compelled to apologize for the Taycan's lack of a jumbo-sized iPad on the dash -- as I could sense that 2 minutes in a Taycan had already given the Model 3 owner a serious case of EV/penis envy and I was trying to make him feel better by praising him (and Elon) on Tesla's wonderful UI. But once we got back to the gym after our invigorating spin around the block, I made the mistake of pulling into the space next to my buddy's Model 3. Yikes! When parked side by side, it is painfully obvious that there is no comparison worth making between a Taycan and a Tesla. If Tesla's were free, I'd probably like to have two or three of them. But if I have to spend money, I'll stick with the Porsche.

All very true, but one can buy two or three Model 3's for the price of one Taycan, so that needs to be factored in any comparison as well. For anyone who can afford it, the Taycan is the no-brainer choice, but not everybody can afford it or wants to spend money on cars.