Tesla Model 3 - Finally.

[Rex Kramer]

Late to the party here (y'all talk a lot). Ordered one in late Dec. Picking it up next week. Model 3 Performance in blue.

Tired of black and gray cars. Didn't think the red was worth the premium and thought the blue goes well with the darker gray wheels and door handles.

Skipping the FSD. Not worth $10k to have it fetch itself in a parking lot or still having to watch it like a hawk on the highway.

Not my pic:

 

[Larry in TN]

Tired of black and gray cars.

That's exactly why I ordered blue. I went with the long-range, though. I preferred the longer range, 18" wheels (better ride and protection against tire/wheel damage), and 0-60 in 4.2sec is fast enough.

I really like the look of the red cars, too.

I agree on the FSD. Not worth the price. Might subscribe to it for a month if I'm taking a long drive to try it out.

 

[Rex Kramer]

That's exactly why I ordered blue. I went with the long-range, though. I preferred the longer range, 18" wheels (better ride and protection against tire/wheel damage), and 0-60 in 4.2sec is fast enough.

I really like the look of the red cars, too.

I agree on the FSD. Not worth the price. Might subscribe to it for a month if I'm taking a long drive to try it out.

You posted a pic of the new colors.. or at least Elon's... on our company forums didn't you? That looked good!

 

[Larry in TN]

You posted a pic of the new colors.. or at least Elon's... on our company forums didn't you? That looked good!

Yes, I did. That deep crimson looks very nice!

 

[Rex Kramer]

Yes, I did. That deep crimson looks very nice!

That is gorgeous!

 

[FastEddieB]

As planned, we took delivery this afternoon at the Knoxville location. Even after watching dozens of videos, it was still like drinking from the proverbial firehose.

Drove around a bit. It took a pretty long while for the autopilot to calibrate, but I’m told that’s normal. It will take a while for simple things to become intuitive, but I have no doubt they will. Road noise is a little higher than expected, on par with our Clarity. Getting the music and podcasts to play reliably via Bluetooth may take a while to figure out, making me really miss the simplicity of CarPlay.

Maybe we need to organize a SE POA Tesla owner’s get together!

 

[Cluemeister]

At first I missed CarPlay as well, but that is not an issue. This car handles text messages WAY better than CarPlay. Streaming Apple Music through the phone is not a problem either, it’s just a source choice. Sound system is terrific in the Tesla.

The most fun is taking friends on a test drive and asking them if they are ready for the acceleration demonstration. They are never really ready.

 

[Larry in TN]

it was still like drinking from the proverbial firehose.

Once you learn how it all works, and have all your settings set, it gets becomes much simpler than driving a conventional car. All of your settings are tied to your profile, which is set automatically by you having your phone with you. Most functions are automatic. You don't have to deal with them. You just get in and drive.

Getting the music and podcasts to play reliably via Bluetooth may take a while to figure out, making me really miss the simplicity of CarPlay.

I used Android Auto in my previous car, and would like them to add it to Tesla, but I'm not spending much time streaming from my phone. I spend most of my driving time listening to the car's streaming options.

 

[FastEddieB]

We tried out a Supercharger yesterday. We really didn’t need to at all, just wanted to make sure it worked as advertised.

The station we used was in Turkey Creek, located about 14 miles east of us between our home and Knoxville proper. 8 stations. On a Sunday afternoon there were 1 or 2 in use. Plugged in and got a very quick charge back to 80%, where they setting it for daily use.

That’s some charge rate! And forgive my horrendous parking!

Earlier we had tried out the free charging at Melton Hill Dam, a TVA project. Used the adapter that came with the car, and charged at a rate of about 20 mph.

Handy for picking up a few miles if we happen to go there for a picnic or to walk the dog.

Next time I charge I’ll try out our 240v 50A RV receptacle. Fortunately my friend Trip had an extra 14-50 adapter he gave me, saving me a few bucks!

I predict our most common charging will be via the L14-30 hangar door outlet we have. Tesla doesn’t make an adapter for that, but another company (https://www.evseadapters.com/) does, and the 20+ mph of range should more than suffice for the vast majority of overnight charging.

 

[Velocity173]

Man, charge limit of 289 miles would be great. Doesn’t even look like you have it at the top of the daily limit either. The benefits of having the long range version.

190 miles and not quite set at the top of the daily limit. If I went into trip setting I might get 220 miles out of it. It’s just a daily driver though so it meets my needs just fine for now.

 

[Albany Tom]

These cars are pretty. Does someone make a tow behind color matched generator for these yet? No sarcasm...for long trips. In some states such a thing wouldn't even need a plate.

 

[AggieMike88]

We tried out a Supercharger yesterday. We really didn’t need to at all, just wanted to make sure it worked as advertised.

The station we used was in Turkey Creek, located about 14 miles east of us between our home and Knoxville proper. 8 stations. On a Sunday afternoon there were 1 or 2 in use. Plugged in and got a very quick charge back to 80%, where they setting it for daily use.

That’s some charge rate! And forgive my horrendous parking!

Earlier we had tried out the free charging at Melton Hill Dam, a TVA project. Used the adapter that came with the car, and charged at a rate of about 20 mph.

Handy for picking up a few miles if we happen to go there for a picnic or to walk the dog.

Next time I charge I’ll try out our 240v 50A RV receptacle. Fortunately my friend Trip had an extra 14-50 adapter he gave me, saving me a few bucks!

I predict our most common charging will be via the L14-30 hangar door outlet we have. Tesla doesn’t make an adapter for that, but another company (https://www.evseadapters.com/) does, and the 20+ mph of range should more than suffice for the vast majority of overnight charging.

Congrats on the M3!!!

One thing to do now is to set the max charge level to 80-85% for your daily use. That's a known sweet spot for reducing battery degradation over time.

A good app to have to track battery health (and other things) is the Stats app

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stats-for-model-s-x-3-y/id1191100729

 

[Velocity173]

I’ve never had Streaming or TuneIn before but I’m beginning to really like the service. I’ve got the free unlimited connectivity so I get the basic stuff free. Much better than using CD, USB or even listening to my local FM.

 

[FastEddieB]

Congrats on the M3!!!

One thing to do now is to set the max charge level to 80-85% for your daily use. That's a known sweet spot for reducing battery degradation over time.

A good app to have to track battery health (and other things) is the Stats app

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stats-for-model-s-x-3-y/id1191100729

Thanks!

I set daily charge to 80%, which results in about 285 miles of estimated range - more than enough for any conceivable local driving.

I’ll check out that app right now.

edited to add: not for $50, at least not right now - I’ll wait and see if I see there’s a noticeable Information gap that needs to filled. Right now it’s enough just to drive it and get acclimated to all the existing functions and information available.

 

[Jeff767]

These cars are pretty. Does someone make a tow behind color matched generator for these yet? No sarcasm...for long trips. In some states such a thing wouldn't even need a plate.

Why on earth would you do that when you can just stop at a supercharger?

 

[FastEddieB]

Why on earth would you do that when you can just stop at a supercharger?

It seems analogous to always carrying extra gas in cans. Once you know the real life range of your vehicle, gas or electric, you plan stops so as to never run out.

The present map shows some areas are blessed with a lot more that others:

E TN isn’t exactly lousy with them, but we have lots of options regardless of which direction our trips take us.

I assume the sparsely covered areas are sparsely populated. And the gaps are getting filled at a pretty steady rate. If can charge at home and have a 200+ mile range, you just need your first Supercharger within that range. Hard to tell, but it doesn’t look like many parts of the country don’t meet that standard, though admittedly a few seem to.

 

[Larry in TN]

The present map shows some areas are blessed with a lot more that others:

Tesla is in the process of tripling the Supercharger network but that map is only Tesla Superchargers (SuC).

There are far more chargers out there when you include Level 2 chargers. Level 2 is not DC fast charging so they won't work for a charge-and-go stop on a road trip but they will work when you destination is in those sparsely-populated areas without Supercharger coverage. You Supercharge at the last SuCer on your trip to the destination then use the Level 2 destination chargers while you're in and around your destination.

Checkout the www.PlugShare.com site, and app, to find Level 2 chargers. Stay at a hotel that has chargers, eat at restaurants that have chargers, shop where there are chargers. All are way to charge away from home when there aren't any convenient SuCers.

A CCS1 adapter is coming from Tesla which will allow charging at CSS DC fast chargers in the US which will add a significant number of additional DC fast chargers for late-model Tesla owners.

And, of course, you can charge at any electrical outlet.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Late to the party here (y'all talk a lot). Ordered one in late Dec. Picking it up next week. Model 3 Performance in blue.

Tired of black and gray cars.

Yay #teamblue!

Same thing for me - I've only had one car in my life that wasn't gray, silver, black, or white. Sick of the boring colors... And both the blue and red from Tesla look great, but the blue is cheaper.

Once you learn how it all works, and have all your settings set, it gets becomes much simpler than driving a conventional car. All of your settings are tied to your profile, which is set automatically by you having your phone with you. Most functions are automatic. You don't have to deal with them. You just get in and drive.

This! It takes a day to figure out what you want and get everything dialed in the way you like, and then it's just pure fun.

 

[AggieMike88]

@FastEddieB

Another app/website to explore is abetterrouteplanner.com

To me, it's on level with ForeFlight but designed for EV's

 

[AggieMike88]

but the blue is cheaper.

Almost went with blue.

But when the sales team found a AWD dual motor Long Range M3 Stealth already built and would delivery in less than 7 days... and it was red.... I went with that.

Anyhow, I agree with everyone that the color blue Tesla chose is very nice compared to the blues other manufacturers offer.

 

[charheep]

I went with blue. I hear its the fastest color.

 

[Albany Tom]

Why on earth would you do that when you can just stop at a supercharger?

So you don't have to hunt for quick charge locations, stop for an extra 30 minutes or whatever the time is, and plan for stops around where the chargers are. There was a time when it was a PITA to plan for stops for diesel vehicles, because of the scarcity around non-truck routes, and there were far more diesel locations then then there are rapid charge places now. I'm sure it'll eventually change, but to me it would be a pain.

 

[Larry in TN]

There was a time when it was a PITA to plan for stops for diesel vehicles, because of the scarcity around non-truck routes, and there were far more diesel locations then then there are rapid charge places now. I'm sure it'll eventually change, but to me it would be a pain.

EVs aren't for everyone.

It's a lot easier than the diesels were, though. The cars know where all the charging stations are and they very accurately predict when they will need to be charged. Just enter your destination into the navigation and it's all planned out for you.

Finding charging only matters when you are away from home. At home, your car is always charging/charged. You never have to stop to "refuel" during your daily driving.

The only time you have to search out charging is when you're away from home in an area that isn't near a Supercharger. Then you use destination chargers or plug into any electrical outlet. And there's an App for that.

 

[Salty]

Buying used doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but if one were to do so...

If it doesn't have autopilot already, and you want it, can you add that after the fact to a car without it? Is there a year / model minimum for doing so?

 

[Larry in TN]

If it doesn't have autopilot already, and you want it, can you add that after the fact to a car without it? Is there a year / model minimum for doing so?

All Teslas built from mid-April 2019 have the v3.0 autopilot computer. This link has a lot of information about the versions and how to determine what a car has.

https://www.currentautomotive.com/what-autopilot-hardware-does-your-car-have-its-easy-to-tell-now/

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Buying used doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but if one were to do so...

If it doesn't have autopilot already, and you want it, can you add that after the fact to a car without it? Is there a year / model minimum for doing so?

Every Model 3 and Model Y is autopilot and "full self driving" capable from a hardware perspective... But see the Software section below too.

For the S and X, there are three different groups of vehicles:

1) No autopilot. Model S from its introduction in 2012, through most of 2014, is in this group. It has no cameras and is not upgradable to any version of autopilot. There won't be any cameras inside the top center of the windshield.

2) "Hardware 1" autopilot. Model S and X from 2015-2016 are in this group - Some of the late 2014 models are in this group, and some of the late 2016s will have Hardware 2 since Tesla doesn't really do model years, but 2015-2016 is the general rule. These cars will never be "Full Self Driving" capable. They can do basic Autopilot, plus basic "Summon" (pulling forward and reverse in/out of tight parking spots with nobody in the car). They only have a front camera at the top center of the windshield, and are not upgradable.

3) "Hardware 2" and later, 2017 and later. These have an 8-camera setup. I think they're about up to Hardware 4 now... But anything with at least Hardware 2 is upgradable since it's only the CPU and not the cameras that have been upgraded since Hardware 2, and that upgrade is included if you pay for the FSD package (whether it's already paid for or you buy it later). These can be identified by the cameras pointing aft from the side turn signals just in front of the front doors. They also have cameras in the B pillars.

It's also worth knowing which software a car has. There are a few possibilities here too:

1) No autopilot. Even in cars with the hardware, for a while having any autopilot was optional. A Model 3 purchased in 2018, for example, may have Hardware 2 or 3 but does not have the autopilot software unlocked at all. And, of course, any car without the hardware is gonna be in this group too.

2) Basic autopilot. All Hardware 1 cars are in this group. On newer cars, this was optional for a while and now comes standard. The functionality here is basically traffic-aware cruise control (TACC) that will vary your speed, all the way down to zero and back up if necessary, to keep you from hitting any vehicles in front of you or merging into your lane, plus auto-steer which will stay in your lane and avoid hazards coming from the sides as well. Plus, there are the fairly standard (for new cars) safety features like lane departure avoidance and automatic emergency braking that happen whether autopilot is turned on or off. Finally, the Hardware 1 cars can also do basic Summon as described above.

3) Enhanced Autopilot. This was available off and on starting with Hardware 2, standard on S/X and optional on 3/Y. In addition to the basic autopilot functions, it adds the following: Navigate On Autopilot (NoA) which will automatically change lanes and take ramps as necessary to follow all of the highways on your route, before telling you to take over when it takes the last exit to surface streets. Automatic lane changes - If you want to change lanes, tap the turn signal stalk and it'll check to ensure the lane is clear and move over for you. Autopark - Exactly what it sounds like, will automatically park for you, both parallel and perpendicular. Basic summon as described above.

4) Full Self Driving. This has always been a paid-for option on Hardware 2 and later cars. Includes all the features described above, plus has Advanced Summon which will drive from a parking lot to pick you up at a store entrance for example (not on public roads yet). If you participate in the FSD Beta program, you'll also get (today) "city streets full self driving" which will obey traffic lights and signs, etc allowing you to go mostly fully self driving, though like most of these features started out it's still a bit "drunk teenager" at this point and definitely requires supervision.

Hope this helps!

 

[Salty]

That helped with understanding the versions. I don't think it answered my fundamental question though. If it did, I apologize for my lack of understanding. If it has the hardware, can you enable the software if it's not already? I'm also not sure how you would know if a used vehicle has the hardware or not, since it doesn't seem to be based on model year. I mean as a shopper looking at ads. I understand if you are in the car there are ways of determining it.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

That helped with understanding the versions. I don't think it answered my fundamental question though. If it did, I apologize for my lack of understanding. If it has the hardware, can you enable the software if it's not already?

Yes...

If it has Hardware 1, you can enable Autopilot. If it has Hardware 2 or later, you can enable just Autopilot, OR Autopilot + "Full Self Driving".

I'm also not sure how you would know if a used vehicle has the hardware or not, since it doesn't seem to be based on model year. I mean as a shopper looking at ads. I understand if you are in the car there are ways of determining it.

Yeah, that's why I went through all the models... It's much easier that way. 3 and Y all have Hardware 2 or later, so that's simple.

S could have any of them (none, 1, or 2+).

Probably the first thing I'd look for is the nose cone:

That big black plastic thing that they put there because people couldn't handle a grille-less design 10 years ago. If it *doesn't* have that, it has at least Hardware 1 - The Model S from 2016 onwards did not have the nose cone, and did have at least Hardware 1:

If it has the nose cone, I think there are three ways to tell that it has autopilot hardware:

1) If there are pictures of the Settings screens, there should be an "Autopilot" category there.

2) If there's a well-lit picture of the front, there should be radar in the center of the lower cooling opening as seen here:

Take note that there are a lot of poorly lit pictures where you can't see this, though - If you can see it, it's got HW1. If you can't see it... Look for one of the other clues.

3) If there's a good pic of the windshield you may be able to see the camera housing - Here's the closeup, but on the previous two pictures you can see that distinctive wedge right at the top too:

OK... Now, on the non-nose cone cars, by far the easiest way to tell if it's HW1 or HW2 is by looking at the side turn signals in front of the front doors:

And in searching for the image above, I found another guide that explains a bunch of this too, you probably want to check this link out: https://www.currentautomotive.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-tesla-autopilot/

Hope that clears up the rest for you!

 

[Salty]

Good lord! thanks!

After all that effort, I feel bad telling you I ordered a new one already. But I did warn you that it didn't make sense to buy used anyway.

 

[Velocity173]

A lot of people don’t like the nose cone on the early Ss. I don’t mind it on mine because it doesn’t stand out. I’ve seen those that have gotten it painted though and it looks good. Oddly enough, I prefer it over the “refresh” where they put a whole new bumper on to make it look like the new ones.

 

[bluesky74656]

Every Model 3 and Model Y is autopilot and "full self driving" capable from a hardware perspective... But see the Software section below too.

For the S and X, there are three different groups of vehicles:

1) No autopilot. Model S from its introduction in 2012, through most of 2014, is in this group. It has no cameras and is not upgradable to any version of autopilot. There won't be any cameras inside the top center of the windshield.

2) "Hardware 1" autopilot. Model S and X from 2015-2016 are in this group - Some of the late 2014 models are in this group, and some of the late 2016s will have Hardware 2 since Tesla doesn't really do model years, but 2015-2016 is the general rule. These cars will never be "Full Self Driving" capable. They can do basic Autopilot, plus basic "Summon" (pulling forward and reverse in/out of tight parking spots with nobody in the car). They only have a front camera at the top center of the windshield, and are not upgradable.

3) "Hardware 2" and later, 2017 and later. These have an 8-camera setup. I think they're about up to Hardware 4 now... But anything with at least Hardware 2 is upgradable since it's only the CPU and not the cameras that have been upgraded since Hardware 2, and that upgrade is included if you pay for the FSD package (whether it's already paid for or you buy it later). These can be identified by the cameras pointing aft from the side turn signals just in front of the front doors. They also have cameras in the B pillars.

It's also worth knowing which software a car has. There are a few possibilities here too:

1) No autopilot. Even in cars with the hardware, for a while having any autopilot was optional. A Model 3 purchased in 2018, for example, may have Hardware 2 or 3 but does not have the autopilot software unlocked at all. And, of course, any car without the hardware is gonna be in this group too.

2) Basic autopilot. All Hardware 1 cars are in this group. On newer cars, this was optional for a while and now comes standard. The functionality here is basically traffic-aware cruise control (TACC) that will vary your speed, all the way down to zero and back up if necessary, to keep you from hitting any vehicles in front of you or merging into your lane, plus auto-steer which will stay in your lane and avoid hazards coming from the sides as well. Plus, there are the fairly standard (for new cars) safety features like lane departure avoidance and automatic emergency braking that happen whether autopilot is turned on or off. Finally, the Hardware 1 cars can also do basic Summon as described above.

3) Enhanced Autopilot. This was available off and on starting with Hardware 2, standard on S/X and optional on 3/Y. In addition to the basic autopilot functions, it adds the following: Navigate On Autopilot (NoA) which will automatically change lanes and take ramps as necessary to follow all of the highways on your route, before telling you to take over when it takes the last exit to surface streets. Automatic lane changes - If you want to change lanes, tap the turn signal stalk and it'll check to ensure the lane is clear and move over for you. Autopark - Exactly what it sounds like, will automatically park for you, both parallel and perpendicular. Basic summon as described above.

4) Full Self Driving. This has always been a paid-for option on Hardware 2 and later cars. Includes all the features described above, plus has Advanced Summon which will drive from a parking lot to pick you up at a store entrance for example (not on public roads yet). If you participate in the FSD Beta program, you'll also get (today) "city streets full self driving" which will obey traffic lights and signs, etc allowing you to go mostly fully self driving, though like most of these features started out it's still a bit "drunk teenager" at this point and definitely requires supervision.

Hope this helps!

Do they still sell Enhanced Autopilot on new vehicles, or is it the standard Basic Autopilot or FSD these days?

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Good lord! thanks!

After all that effort, I feel bad telling you I ordered a new one already. But I did warn you that it didn't make sense to buy used anyway.

No worries! Hopefully it'll help someone else who stumbles on this thread later.

A lot of people don’t like the nose cone on the early Ss. I don’t mind it on mine because it doesn’t stand out. I’ve seen those that have gotten it painted though and it looks good. Oddly enough, I prefer it over the “refresh” where they put a whole new bumper on to make it look like the new ones.

They were really trying to make it look more like the Model X after that came out because everyone liked that. The Model 3's front end was not so popular at first.

Do they still sell Enhanced Autopilot on new vehicles, or is it the standard Basic Autopilot or FSD these days?

They don't offer Enhanced Autopilot as an option right now, but it's possible that they could offer it again in the future. There have been times before where they had 3 different options there and effectively split up the cost.

Today, though, I think the cost of FSD is ridiculous. Even if it worked perfectly, I probably wouldn't spend that on it unless I decided to put my car in their robotaxi network. And since I'm pretty sure they want people to buy FSD, I doubt the price of EAP would be less than half the cost of FSD, and I wouldn't pay that much for EAP either, though the likelihood is definitely significantly higher I'd do that than FSD.

 

[Velocity173]

No worries! Hopefully it'll help someone else who stumbles on this thread later.



They were really trying to make it look more like the Model X after that came out because everyone liked that. The Model 3's front end was not so popular at first.



They don't offer Enhanced Autopilot as an option right now, but it's possible that they could offer it again in the future. There have been times before where they had 3 different options there and effectively split up the cost.

Today, though, I think the cost of FSD is ridiculous. Even if it worked perfectly, I probably wouldn't spend that on it unless I decided to put my car in their robotaxi network. And since I'm pretty sure they want people to buy FSD, I doubt the price of EAP would be less than half the cost of FSD, and I wouldn't pay that much for EAP either, though the likelihood is definitely significantly higher I'd do that than FSD.

Yeah I didn’t like the M3’s front end at first but it grew on me. Now I think it looks better than the rest of their cars. The single horizontal center display though?

 

[FastEddieB]

The single horizontal center display though?

After just over a week of ownership, and on our first road trip, I’d say the single iPad-style display works really well. Though first time driving at night was a bit of a shock - it’s just kinda odd having a veritable black hole directly in front of you!

 

[EdFred]

I actually looked at prices on these this weekend.

Do they come with lube? 60k for an AWD model? I can buy a lot of fuel even at $5/gal that I'll never recover that cost delta.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I actually looked at prices on these this weekend.

Do they come with lube? 60k for an AWD model? I can buy a lot of fuel even at $5/gal that I'll never recover that cost delta.

Not sure where you're getting $60K. The Long Range AWD is $50,990.

Yes, that's more expensive than a Corolla. It's also cheaper than cars that are actually comparable.

The price is what kept me away for a long time. Now, I'm glad I decided I didn't need FSD or AWD. It's a really fun car.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Yeah I didn’t like the M3’s front end at first but it grew on me. Now I think it looks better than the rest of their cars.

Same.

The single horizontal center display though?

All kinds of people who don't have one make a big deal of this. I keep forgetting it's even different. I was used to it by the time I got it home, and now it seems perfectly normal.

They kinda broke the mold on cars with the 3, but IMO they did a damn good job on the new one...

 

[brcase]

I have a 2020 Escape hybrid. I'm seeing better than 40mpg overall after 2 years with gentle driving... better in the summer than winter but still better than 40 overall since mile 0. Colder weather lowers the mpg - duh (especially if you don't watch the tire pressure).

One thing I noticed is that the trip computer overstates the mileage by 1 to 2 mpg. The 40+ mpg number is actual, not what the trip computer claims.

I notice optimistic MPG reading on My F150 as well, However the miles remaining indication seem reasonably accurate, but I haven't tried to run it dry.

Brian

 

[EdFred]

Not sure where you're getting $60K. The Long Range AWD is $50,990.

Yes, that's more expensive than a Corolla. It's also cheaper than cars that are actually comparable.

The price is what kept me away for a long time. Now, I'm glad I decided I didn't need FSD or AWD. It's a really fun car.

Model 3 performance is 60K.

Only reason I'd look at one is for mileage/fuel savings, but also AWD because, well Michigan. Driving wasn't even fun in the Vette because the road is littered with idiots. For savings I can get a civic and 300,000 miles in fuel at $4/gal for the same price as a Model 3 perf. Even compared to a 50k model a Civiv gets me 200,000+ miles in purchase price + fuel.

 

[wayne]

Model 3 performance is 60K.

Only reason I'd look at one is for mileage/fuel savings, but also AWD because, well Michigan. Driving wasn't even fun in the Vette because the road is littered with idiots. For savings I can get a civic and 300,000 miles in fuel at $4/gal for the same price as a Model 3 perf. Even compared to a 50k model a Civiv gets me 200,000+ miles in purchase price + fuel.

But then you wouldn't be cool EdFred.

I'm thinking about getting an EV as my next car. My Mustang Convertible is just so impractical. Loads of fun, but it's really a two seater with extra storage behind the front two seats, which is great since the trunk is small. I'm thinking EV largely as I just don't drive far, so the battery range is not an issue. If we go far, we fly. Plug in every few days and I'd always have as much range as I'd need; a 220 outlet would charge it up from zero to 100% overnight.

It won't be cost effective though. I just don't drive enough for there to ever be enough gas savings; I think I drove ~5,500 miles last year. There is just no where near as much maintenance on a contemporary car as there was with one built back in the 70's, so it will be hard to make it up there too. Still have to replace the tires on the EVs. Plus states are now charging extra on tags to make up for the loss in fuel taxes, or they are talking about doing it if they aren't already.