Had my first EV experience….(Tesla)

[Atipical]

Could you explain what you mean here? Every video on the Model 3's steering says the complete opposite. Even Misha Charoudin said it was TOO direct when he did a run on the ring with one. I myself found it quite firm (heavy?) when I test drove one a few weeks ago.

I'm currently awaiting delivery of a red M3P that I ordered after that test drive.

No problem. So the steering was indeed direct, I took a lot of hairpin turns and it was more or less point and shoot. However I got zero feedback as to what my tires were doing, various undulations in the road, resistance during hard turns, etc. and it was difficult for me to determine where my tires were on the road. I’m used to driving my 911 and the fenders are always a telltale sign as to where I’m pointing, but the model 3 isn’t a sports car nor is it trying to be so I wasn’t surprised. I was however surprised at the directness of the steering so you won’t be disappointed by that.

 

[Oink]

No problem. So the steering was indeed direct, I took a lot of hairpin turns and it was more or less point and shoot. However I got zero feedback as to what my tires were doing, various undulations in the road, resistance during hard turns, etc. and it was difficult for me to determine where my tires were on the road. I’m used to driving my 911 and the fenders are always a telltale sign as to where I’m pointing, but the model 3 isn’t a sports car nor is it trying to be so I wasn’t surprised. I was however surprised at the directness of the steering so you won’t be disappointed by that.

Thank you! I will try to look out for this when it arrives.

 

[daveo4EV]

it grows on you - it still has issues but it grows on you - it also helps if you compare it at 50k out the door to anything else for similar price for 50k…charging/range is less of an issue when charging at home every night - public charging isn't a thing unless you're road tripping.

for the price point as a 4 door sedan in my opinion the Model 3 is hard to beat vs. simliar priced 4 door sedans…there are better cars than the 3 - but not in it segment in my opinion.

so first off I was wrong - it's 60k not 50k - but still

honest question: what car would you choose instead of a Model 3 $60k? I know there are cheaper 4 door sedans, but nothing quite as quick or functional as a Model 3 - please nothing that takes more than 5 seconds 0-60…

what are you suggestions with a 60k budget 4 door sedan instead of a Model 3 (new car please, no comparing used car prices with new)
NOTE; I'm comparing long range - not performance version (3.1 sec 0-60)

 

[TDinDC]

Not sure how this turned into an AC/volume thread, but to get back to the model 3. I took it on some mountainous backroads (CA HWY 130 is incredible by the way) and was very impressed with the suspension and the “tossability” of it. The steering was completely numb but it outperformed my expectations on that front. The lack of sound really affected me more aggressively driving than it did just cruising through town though, so I’ll be interested to compare to the GTS sports sound when it comes to backroad blasting.

Additionally, I got to experience first hand how driving aggressively up to 4,300ft obliterates range (25 miles ended up costing me about 45 miles), but also how driving downhill can substantially increase to that range. I must’ve driven about 25 miles or so downhill and actually added 3 miles of range. Incredible.

Overall, I get why people DD these cars. I had a lower-trim model 3 so the range annoyed me (210 miles at 95%, yuck). I felt like I was driving to a charger at the end of each evening, so I’ll be excited to get 280-300 miles of range on the newly updated Taycan. However, charging is simple and easy, the ride isn’t luxurious but it’s relatively compliant, and while I personally don’t care for the “iPhone-like” approach the car takes to everything, it’s approachable for some people. The car is still not my cup of tea, but as far as an introductory experience to driving an EV, I think it went well all things considered. I’m more pumped for the refinement and sportiness of a Porsche stacked on top of the smooth power delivery of an EV!

I love my '22 Taycan 4S Cross Turismo and I love my Tesla X with Ludicrous.

I hear all of these debates comparing the cars, and I don't understand them. They are targeting different experiences. Porsche does some things better, and Tesla does other things better.

Apparently based on so many online comments, the Teslas handle like sh*t. That is not my experience. My X with 22" rims and performance tires handled pretty well. Does the Porsche handle better? Of course, but that doesn't mean that the Tesla was bad. I also thought the interior design was nice (but I didn't have, and didn't want, the yoke steering wheel).

The user interface on the Tesla and the software is more intuitive and in that sense better. It would be great if Porsche would take the best of their system but focus on intuition and convenience more like Tesla has.

And, honestly, having a vehicle that handles well (not Porsche like but not bad), is very fast (0-60 in 2.7s), carries 7 passengers, and has double the luggage space of every other three row SUV on the market isn't bad . . . it was pretty darned good. The only thing that truly sucked on the Tesla was the windshield wipers. and they were criminally bad.

Now that I am learning how to dial in the Porsche, I like it for many of the same reasons that I like my other Porsches: it is made with a sense of balance -- a Burgundy rather than a Shiraz -- that truly connects you with the road and the driving experience. There are other vehicles that have better specs in one way or another, but few who put them together in such a harmonious way as Porsche.

Still need to get used to rear axle steering as I (barely) curbed my rear passenger carbon-fiber rim turning into a driveway in heavy traffic (ouch). At least I got it over with as it is inevitable in urban environments.

 

[TDinDC]

so first off I was wrong - it's 60k not 50k - but still

honest question: what car would you choose instead of a Model 3 $60k? I know there are cheaper 4 door sedans, but nothing quite as quick or functional as a Model 3 - please nothing that takes more than 5 seconds 0-60…

what are you suggestions with a 60k budget 4 door sedan instead of a Model 3 (new car please, no comparing used car prices with new)
NOTE; I'm comparing long range - not performance version (3.1 sec 0-60)

Considering price is also important. My X was 149K. The fact that people are even comparing it with the Taycan, which was more expensive, is a victory for Tesla. But that comparison is silly. The comparison should be between a Tesla X and, for example, a Yukon, Denali, Escalade, Navigator, LX, or other three row SUV. when you make that comparison, the merits of the Tesla shine through in my book.

 

[daveo4EV]

Considering price is also important. My X was 149K. The fact that people are even comparing it with the Taycan, which was more expensive, is a victory for Tesla. But that comparison is silly. The comparison should be between a Tesla X and, for example, a Yukon, Denali, Escalade, Navigator, LX, or other three row SUV. when you make that comparison, the merits of the Tesla shine through in my book.

having owned a Tesla X (P100D) I agree - comparing a Tesla SUV (X or Y) to any other SUV is hands down better - the low CG and acceleration outcall virtually ALL SUV's at any price.

 

[buruburu]

I had the chance to drive a friend's Model 3 and there was a few things that stood out to me.

1) I could not find a comfortable driving position no matter how I tried to adjust the seats. The seating position is somewhere between a bench style truck seating and what I consider to be a normal car. I couldn't get the thigh support that I preferred and to me that's a major issue as I don't get the amount of feedback from the car that I'm used to. The cushiony seats didn't help either. Now I will admit that my car history may have had something to do with with. The cars that I've owned over the past 2 decades includes, an NC MX-5 / Genesis R-Spec / FRS / ATS-V / F-150 / Bolt. The Bolt had what I consider as bench seating position that's close to a truck.

2) Steering wheel is too thick. I have large hands and I couldn't get a comfortable grasp around the wheel at the 3 and 9 positions. The shape of it of an issue as well as only portions of my hand was contacting the wheel and I wasn't getting the amount of feedback that I was used to.

3) I think the power steering on the Model 3 might be over boosted and not calibrated to the car. Wouldn't be surprised as I would guess that Tesla just source the part, throw it onto the car, and call it good.

4) Road noise was crazy loud. I would saw louder than the Chevy Bolt that I had before.

5) Tip in on the throttle pedal is too sensitive. Don't like it since it makes throttle modulate very difficult. It also explains why Tesla drivers are burning thru tires. I know for example that the throttle pedal on a CTS-V is tuned differently from a Corvette even when they have similar engines and power outputs. There's reasons for this. Had a friend that dropped an LS3 into his NC MX-5 and used a throttle pedal from a CTS-V. It did not go well. Things got much better once he swapped throttle pedal to a pedal that came from a Corvette.

6) Not having a speedo where a speedo is normally didn't work for me. I didn't feel comfortable with the time it took for my eyes to refocus back and forth as I was shifting my vision from the road to the tablet. When you change your focus from the road to the screen, you're now using your peripheral vision to view the road which is not good cause you have less depth perception so now you can't gauge distance as well. I would say that looking down is not as bad both of your eyes still have sight on the road even though it's peripheral. Essentially, you lose depth perception when you lose sight of what you're looking at with one of your eyes. You need two eyes to sense depth. This is also why I hate digital side mirrors or rear view mirrors and that's because you are only seeing the imagine from one angel, thus no depth perception. I'm dreading the day that manufacturers switch over to digital side mirrors just the sake of minuscules amount of aero at the cost of what I would consider a safety issue.

7) Stock dampers are not properly tuned for the weight of the car. It is what is it. Probably off the shelf parts from a supplier without someone that took the time to tune the damper for the weight and balance of the car. It's why the car feels bouncy and what I would consider as artificially communicative. In reality, it's not. Not many people that drive Tesla has actually been in a car with properly tune communicative suspension. My 2,160 lb NC with 1.5" solid sway bars and 800+ lb springs on all 4 corners riding on properly matched and tune Ohlins DFV feels way better. Not a fair comparison, but it shows how important suspension tuning is.

8) Biggest annoyance? I was using my friend's phone to operate the car and because it was his phone, the seats and mirrors would adjust to his settings every single time I opened / close the door / start driving the car, etc etc. After having to readjust the seats and mirrors over 5 times, I gave up and just resigned from getting out of the car until I wasn't going to drive the car anymore. But that's really a me thing.

 

[YLA G]

I call this topic bullshit. This needs to be in another subforum. If you want to bash a brand.. go elsewhere.

@Administrator

 

[buruburu]

I call this topic bullshit. This needs to be in another subforum. If you want to bash a brand.. go elsewhere.

LOL. No, this is not bashing, this is people expressing their perspectives on the different vehicles and indirectly showing what aspects of a car is important to them and what their criteria are in what they think is a good car to "them". Everyone has different views and perspectives and what is important to them. Just because someone's view different from another's, it doesn't mean that it's bullshit.

The most important part to expressing one's opinion is to be able to also at the same time be able to eloquently explain why they came to such a conclusion. Else we can't have a proper discussion and learn from each other.

Simply put, Tesla are good for some people, but not all. Porsches are good for some people, but not all. For some people, they fall in both sides. For some, they may only fall in one and not the other.

 

[YLA G]

Was talking about the OP

 

[outie]

The fact that someone bashing a different manufacturer (Tesla) on a Porsche Taycan forum, but received no support from other members, says a lot about Tesla.

 

[TDinDC]

The fact that someone bashing a different manufacturer (Tesla) on a Porsche Taycan forum, but received no support from other members, says a lot about Tesla.

And about members of the forum

 

[Atipical]

Was talking about the OP

no one is bashing a brand. If you read some of my earlier comments I commended the car on handling and the suspension. It’s just not my cup of tea.