Taycan vs Telsa M3P thoughts?

[17QV]

Hello,

This is my first official post, and wanted to say hello, as well as introduce my dilemma.

I've been a big fan of course of Porsche, but never actually owned one. I always thought BMW M was the way to go (more for your money, etc thoughts of someone unfamiliar with the brand). As I grew and had various BMW, Mercedes and Audi models, I naturally started thinking of Porsche.

The current stable is a Tesla M3P, and an Alfa Romeo Giulia QV which I absolutely love, but felt like the Tesla took the fun away. I've added bits over the years, - added CF Intakes, Exhaust, ECU tune, lighter wheels, Suspension including ST Springs, camber kit, and rear upper camber arms, etc... so she's fully maxed out to slightly over 600 hp but I can't get over the feeling that I'm not excited anymore.

Maybe it's the fact that I don't drive her from October til 55-60 degree weather here in the Chicago area and she sits in the garage plugged into a trickle charger.

More than that though I think it's the fact the Tesla torque has made me numb to the Alfa. I still look forward to driving the Alfa hopefully soon and appreciate the extra power at higher speeds, but until about 100mph, the Tesla is very quick. I also feel the acceleration from the Tesla feels like it's a 1 trick pony and you get tired of it eventually.

Hence my dilemma - The quality of the Tesla with wind noise, body panel gaps, etc are just something I have "overlooked on purpose". I want something built like a bank vault - taking me back to the Mercedes quality feel when you shut the door. The Alfa certainly does not have this as I get some rattles and wind noise, but I enjoy the shake of the engine when she's running, and the raw feeling of the shifts hitting your back as you bang thru the gears via the paddle shifters.

I also want something that handles great. So with that, I want to ask how the Taycan compares - again I'm targeting either a Base or 4S (dealers have much more base inventory)... not looking into spending more to get into GTS or Turbo trim yet.

How is the handling of the Taycan vs M3P - The M3P can be a bit jerky but certainly handles well - just not as confidence inspiring as the Alfa at high speeds.

Is the Taycan good enough to get rid of the Alfa and have both EVs? My wife is the primary driver of the Tesla and is not a car person at all so losing the Tesla is not an option. Or do I keep the Alfa and add the Taycan later - most likely around a year out if the Taycan won't fully scratch my itch?

Any responses are much appreciated!

 

[Wilson]

I would say you have to be considering a 4S or above if you currently have an M3P, I have one too and have ordered a 4S which is definitely slower from a standstill but very similar when on the move.

Handling wise the Taycan is far superior, it is more compliant over uneven surfaces and is tighter and more confidence inspiring in corners. The Tesla has lots of grip due to low centre of gravity and the Taycan is the same but does have more mechanical grip and much better damping on air suspension.

Build quality there is no comparison at all, the Taycan is lovely and feels far more solid.

 

[minstril]

I currently own a M3P and a Taycan GTS, which has replaced the Tesla as the daily. General “niceness” on the Taycan is miles better to no one’s surprise. Suspension in particular is vastly superior, and with sport chrono you can decide how much harshness you want with a twist of a knob - normal when cruising on the freeway, sport+ when a fun road presents itself. Porsche has gone to some lengths to make the Taycan feel more like a normal car in the way the throttle and brakes behave, which I’ve come to prefer over Tesla’s one-pedal driving and sometimes brutally sharp/digital throttle.

I’d recommend a test drive.

 

[mystermykee]

What is worth comparing about the two besides the fact they're both battery powered? I feel like they're not even the same class of cars. Is it even fair to compare?

I've had a GTR and F82 M4 both FBO--power gets old (or I just got older heh). Taycan is a pleasure to drive at all speeds, and all drive modes.

 

[17QV]

Correct - both from a battery-powered perspective and a performance perspective. I'm not worried about on the road charging as I would of course charge from home, but Tesla's Supercharging offerings for the Tesla are of course amazing compared to others offerings when traveling.

 

[Redhot2474]

I just sold a model 3 P and just took order of my GTS. I really enjoyed my M3P. Not the best car I’ve owned BUT It’s the best car I’ve owned when taking into account price point. The Taycan is more than 2x the money so it it’s not fair to compare. Ride quality, build quality, curb appeal, driving engagement, obviously goes to the Taycan. Is it 2.5-3x the price point better? Probably not, but if you have $ to burn it’s an awesome car. I miss Slacker radio, not having to carry a key around, and miss not caring where I park. The sweet spot is the Tesla, if you have $ to burn and want one car that does everything well , you won’t be disappointed with the Taycan

 

[Hanny]

I just sold a model 3 P and just took order of my GTS. I really enjoyed my M3P. Not the best car I’ve owned BUT It’s the best car I’ve owned when taking into account price point. The Taycan is more than 2x the money so it it’s not fair to compare. Ride quality, build quality, curb appeal, driving engagement, obviously goes to the Taycan. Is it 2.5x the price point better? Probably not, but if you have $ to burn it’s an awesome car. I miss Slacker radio, not having to carry a key around, and miss not caring where I park. The sweet spot is the Tesla, if you have $ to burn and want one car that does everything well , you won’t be disappointed with the Taycan

I think that’s probably one of the best posts I’ve read giving a view point on both ?

 

[AV7]

Is it even fair to compare?

Agreed, tired of the taycan being compared to the M3P!

To the OP, you will be better off with minimum 4S, albeit a used one, you need dual motors. Have a look at this for comparison. If you can stretch it the GTS is the real winner!

 

[RingoDingo]

I had an M3P for 2 years. It's one of the few of my former cars I'm not the least bit nostalgic for. Nothing about owning it excited me once I got past the initial novelty of owning an EV (which was still somewhat novel in 2019) and its quickness. There was pretty much nothing else on the road (other than another Tesla) that it couldn't beat off the line while I owned it. but that got old pretty quick. If you want to own a car that looks like every other car on the road and you want a do-it-all and think of it never transportation appliance, you could do worse than to keep it and run it into the ground. If you want a car that you think about when you're not driving it and can't wait to get back from vacation to drive again - buy a Taycan. I'm a year into ownership and the best part of my day is usually getting into the driver's seat.

 

[RingoDingo]

What is worth comparing about the two besides the fact they're both battery powered? I feel like they're not even the same class of cars. Is it even fair to compare?

I've had a GTR and F82 M4 both FBO--power gets old (or I just got older heh). Taycan is a pleasure to drive at all speeds, and all drive modes.

It's fair in the sense that the Tesla is quicker than a 4S and in track mode probably handles its own on a track head-to-head for 1/2 the cost and with way better technology.

If you were thinking solely with your head, the Tesla is a very obvious choice. But it's a toaster of a car.

 

[BMonte13]

If you want a car that you think about when you're not driving it and can't wait to get back from vacation to drive again - buy a Taycan. I'm a year into ownership and the best part of my day is usually getting into the driver's seat.

A year into ownership as well and I'm glad that I'm not the only one who misses their car when on vacation ?

 

[Hanny]

Agreed, tired of the taycan being compared to the M3P!

At the end of the day they are both just EV’s, the thread is just comparing ’living with’. I’m a Tesla owner, am I a fan? it was okay but I’m not fanatical of the brand, I just use it, now decided a change and gone back to Porsche.

EV’s are still relatively new in a general sense, I see no harm with a comparisons, my personal view is that Tesla’s are butt ugly but technology wise, the nearest competitor is about 5 yrs behind. The Porsche has a unique look and Porsche does have a good history of driver feel/handling but they have never been class leading with any of their technology and the brand is definitely over priced.

But is one ‘better’ than the other, I don’t think so, it’s all down to right car for the right job and how someone feels about ownership….the rest is down to how deep your pockets are.

 

[outie]

I've read the post few times and I think this is more a Taycan vs Alfa problem? You said "losing the Tesla is not an option" and you are trying to replace the Alfa w/ a Taycan?

I'll give you some different prospectives. I've had the M3P since it came out in 2018, along with a Model X since 2016 then subsequently replaced in 2018 and 2022 with a newer Model X. So we've been a full EV household since 2018. The M3P was replaced by the Taycan GTS in 2022. My wife, like yours, is not a car person and she has grown to love the M3P (originally refusing to drive it because it's newer, and faster). In her word it's so much smaller than the Model X so it's easier for her to park.

She is not a fan of the Taycan because
1) she has to lock it
2) she has to operate the lift multiples times a day on every single drive
3) it feels too big for her
4) the backup camera is shit
5) the PCM infotainment/navigation is shit, even with CarPlay etc. that sometimes doesn't even load
and the list goes on.

She has resorted back to driving the Model X, but in her heart she'd rather have the Model 3 or even a Model Y. I did ask if she wanted to keep the M3P when I got the Taycan but she said no because we don't need that many cars and we don't have the garage space. She said she'd give the Taycan a try and she can always go back to the Model X. In the end, that's what happened. Gotta give credit where it's due. The Model 3 is a great car for what it does.

As a car guy, like yourself, I finally got bored of the silent after few years of all-EVs in the household, and got myself a McLaren 600LT in 2020. It was one of the best moments in my life, despite the year of COVID. I sold it early 2022 because value was good and my Taycan GTS was arriving in a few months. Instead, I couldn't sleep for a week, discussed with my wife, and ordered another McLaren 720s spider, which I finally received end of 2022. This is the car that gets me really excited when I drive it. The Taycan, not so much, but it's a great car too just like the M3P, better in some ways (handling, quality, unique/exclusive) and worse in others (tech, not my-wife friendly). The Taycan is a much smoother car, even in terms of acceleration. The M3P has that punch when you floor it which the Taycan doesn't have.

 

[Moonstone]

Both cars run on electricity. That's the only thing they have in common. Why are people comparing them?

 

[Wilson]

Both cars run on electricity. That's the only thing they have in common. Why are people comparing them?

I think comparing them is a natural thing, they are the two main high performance EV’s available on the UK Market. In a few months time we will see the same comparisons with the EV6 GT when they start delivering.

I agree they are very different cars but you only have to look at the number of people going from an M3P to a Taycan on this forum to see that it is a stepping stone to a Taycan so both cars must appeal to a similar group.

This is potentially most relevant among the first time Porsche buyers who are simply looking for a step up in EV ownership after living with a Tesla, this is definitely the camp I am in.