Any Tesla users here? Suggestions? Any recommended Tesla forums?
Thanks.

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Asheville, NC Area

Go for it!

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

A good general Tesla forum: [www.reddit.com]

General electric vehicle et al news: [electrek.co]

I say go for it. I'm still driving gas vehicles, but my next auto will be either full electric or hybrid (only one charging station in all my state, but maybe by the time I'm able to get one...)

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2021 09:14AM by Zoidberg.

Thanks so far for the feedback. We just sold our 11 year old Toyota Highlander for an outrageous sum and we have a 2020 Prius which gets around 60 in town. On a recent 1600 mile trip we got 55 mpg. I realize we'll have to wait a bit to get a Tesla as they're slow being produced now.

There must be a few Tesla users here, no?

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Asheville, NC Area



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2021 09:17AM by MartyStickle.

I've had my Model 3 for about 2.5 years and love it.

It's a great driving car, fast as all get out.
Zero maintenance in that 2 years (except to have the main computer upgraded- but that was free).
I only have a 10 mile commute to work (back when we used to drive to work), so never really had much range anxiety. My wife has been driving it a lot during the pandemic since I'm working at home, and we feel better using the electric car over her ICE car. I can get about 300 miles out of it, and have taken it on a few trips longer than that.

PM me if you have any specific questions.

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MartyStickle
We just sold our 11 year old Toyota Highlander for an outrageous sum and we have a 2020 Prius which gets around 60 in town. On a recent 1600 mile trip we got 55 mpg.

Too bad you can’t get a Toyota EV.

[www.nytimes.com]

“The Toyota Prius hybrid was a milestone in the history of clean cars, attracting millions of buyers worldwide who could do their part for the environment while saving money on gasoline.

But in recent months, Toyota, one of the world’s largest automakers, has quietly become the industry’s strongest voice opposing an all-out transition to electric vehicles — which proponents say is critical to fighting climate change.

Last month, Chris Reynolds, a senior executive who oversees government affairs for the company, traveled to Washington for closed-door meetings with congressional staff members and outlined Toyota’s opposition to an aggressive transition to all-electric cars. He argued that gas-electric hybrids like the Prius and hydrogen-powered cars should play a bigger role, according to four people familiar with the talks.”

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

It seems like Model 3's make up 25% of the car population around Tahoe these days, people like them.

Thoughts:

- You absolutely should take one for an extended test drive. I would suggest renting one on Turo for a day or two to get the full experience. Just riding with friends a couple of times, i quickly decided I did not like having absolutely everything controlled by the iPad thing. I also didn't like not having a display centered in front of the driver.

- A lot depends on the level of support in your area. Are there plenty of superchargers around? Where is the nearest service center?

As I have said before, we chose to go with the Chevy Bolt EV. At the time it was half the cost of the Model 3 (comparing 2WD versions). We now have the 2020 version, which is not prone to the spontaneous combustion battery issue. Beside being much more affordable, it also feels much more like a standard car with mostly standard controls. The price differential is no longer quite as strong, as Bolt EV sales were up like 300% in Q1 of 2021.

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“Live your life, love your life, don’t regret…live, learn and move forward positively.” – CR Johnson
Loving life in Lake Tahoe, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2021 09:30AM by Markintosh.

What is the easiest way to tell the difference between a 3 and an S? Serious question. Tesla doesn’t put model info on its vehicles. Size is one way but unless they are side-by-side I can’t tell the difference between the two - which might be the idea.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

Not a Tesla, but I’ve been enjoying my leaf for six months. No complaints about electric vehicles at all. It is the way of the future. As long as you are near a supercharger, or can charge at home, I say go for it.

The S and the 3 are a LOT different. The S is a larger sedan, and WAY pricier. There are a lot of cosmetic differences as well.

Now the 3 and the Y, those are almost identical in every way, except the Y is a little larger.

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Speedy
What is the easiest way to tell the difference between a 3 and an S? Serious question. Tesla doesn’t put model info on its vehicles. Size is one way but unless they are side-by-side I can’t tell the difference between the two - which might be the idea.

If size difference isn’t sufficient for you to identify between them, what type of info are you looking for; exterior styling differences, interior differences, technical specification differences, performance specs?

Visually the biggest tell, aside from the size differences, is that the current, larger Model S (and Model X) have a thin, horizontal opening (looks a bit like a pencil mustache) on the front nose. The Model 3 (and Model Y) have a completely smooth, rounded nose instead.

Installing a dedicated home charger is a great convenience; highly recommended!

friend bought a used one some years ago and he loves it.
the only bad thing he has found is parts cost. And of course, don't have a fender bent. yeow!

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!#$@@$#!

never do yesterday or today what you can put off til tomorrow or next year.

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Speedy

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MartyStickle
We just sold our 11 year old Toyota Highlander for an outrageous sum and we have a 2020 Prius which gets around 60 in town. On a recent 1600 mile trip we got 55 mpg.

Too bad you can’t get a Toyota EV.

[www.nytimes.com]

“The Toyota Prius hybrid was a milestone in the history of clean cars, attracting millions of buyers worldwide who could do their part for the environment while saving money on gasoline.

But in recent months, Toyota, one of the world’s largest automakers, has quietly become the industry’s strongest voice opposing an all-out transition to electric vehicles — which proponents say is critical to fighting climate change.

Last month, Chris Reynolds, a senior executive who oversees government affairs for the company, traveled to Washington for closed-door meetings with congressional staff members and outlined Toyota’s opposition to an aggressive transition to all-electric cars. He argued that gas-electric hybrids like the Prius and hydrogen-powered cars should play a bigger role, according to four people familiar with the talks.”

Yeah. I've had Toyotas since I could drive. Unless they change their tune, I'm done with them.

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Markintosh
- You absolutely should take one for an extended test drive. I would suggest renting one on Turo for a day or two to get the full experience. Just riding with friends a couple of times, i quickly decided I did not like having absolutely everything controlled by the iPad thing.

This

The lack of 'affordance' (physical relationships to controls that do not require taking my eyes off the road to find the right button) is a deal-breaker for me.

YMMV

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Embarassing myself on the Internet since 1978.

We have an appointment at a Tesla place in Charlotte next week and will take a test drive for sure. Charlotte is about 2 hours from Asheville, but we'll make a day of it there and also visit friends.

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Asheville, NC Area

Everyone I know that has one just plain loves it. Up here in NE Ohio they all buy dual motor (AWD) models because snow and ice. And they get the driver assistant add-ins.

My commute is now 10 feet, so I don't really drive except to get groceries and such. And hoo boy do they hold their value. Wow.

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p8712
Not a Tesla, but I’ve been enjoying my leaf for six months. No complaints about electric vehicles at all. It is the way of the future. As long as you are near a supercharger, or can charge at home, I say go for it.

Another leaf fan here. Is a Tesla better? Probably in most ways. I think going with any EV is a good idea, just beware of the Chevy Bolt EV battery fires!

Yes definitely get a home charger. I have never needed to charge up at a station.

I'm probably more of a hybrid customer b'c of where I live (Central AR; only one supercharger station) though I see Teslas and Leafs around a lot.

A home-install charger would be item 1 on the do list if I did go for a full electric vehicle.

A friend has an older Prius and she loves it, except she has on several occasions just let it run out of all power (i.e., let the tank go empty and then ran out of battery).

My wife and I are going to look next year after the Ford Maverick has been out for a bit; that might satisfy a handful of needs and be a good first step. Plus I can get it in orange.

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mikebw

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p8712
Not a Tesla, but I’ve been enjoying my leaf for six months. No complaints about electric vehicles at all. It is the way of the future. As long as you are near a supercharger, or can charge at home, I say go for it.

Another leaf fan here. Is a Tesla better? Probably in most ways. I think going with any EV is a good idea, just beware of the Chevy Bolt EV battery fires!

Yes definitely get a home charger. I have never needed to charge up at a station.

Tesla is better, aside from the price, having to deal with only one company, and features that don’t necessarily do what they are claim to do like auto pilot. That said, they are obviously the nicest EV And are great for long trips.

Regarding a Model 3 test drive; if you’ve been driving a Prius or similarly sized car, be forewarned, the Model 3 is significantly larger and heavier.

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jonny

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Speedy

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MartyStickle
We just sold our 11 year old Toyota Highlander for an outrageous sum and we have a 2020 Prius which gets around 60 in town. On a recent 1600 mile trip we got 55 mpg.

Too bad you can’t get a Toyota EV.

[www.nytimes.com]

“The Toyota Prius hybrid was a milestone in the history of clean cars, attracting millions of buyers worldwide who could do their part for the environment while saving money on gasoline.

But in recent months, Toyota, one of the world’s largest automakers, has quietly become the industry’s strongest voice opposing an all-out transition to electric vehicles — which proponents say is critical to fighting climate change.

Last month, Chris Reynolds, a senior executive who oversees government affairs for the company, traveled to Washington for closed-door meetings with congressional staff members and outlined Toyota’s opposition to an aggressive transition to all-electric cars. He argued that gas-electric hybrids like the Prius and hydrogen-powered cars should play a bigger role, according to four people familiar with the talks.”

Yeah. I've had Toyotas since I could drive. Unless they change their tune, I'm done with them.

In my observations over the last ten years, the only time a professional lobbyist mentions Hydrogen, is when they are getting money from an oil company. There is a small chance that they are just baiting battery manufacturers to step up with a sponsorship or larger investment than the oil companies.

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

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Zoidberg
My wife and I are going to look next year after the Ford Maverick has been out for a bit; that might satisfy a handful of needs and be a good first step. Plus I can get it in orange.

The Maverick has my interest as well, but I'll likely wait until my son moves and we can sell his trailer. That will free up a 50amp line for the charger. A Ford VP also strongly hinted that both a full EV Maverick and Ranger are in the works. There will also be used options at that point.

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“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld

"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias

The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late

We were talking to the GM at the big Toyota dealership in Charlotte/Stallings, we've known him for a long time. He's actually starting a small cattle herd on a farm he bought and is buying calves from our son.

Anyway he said the Telsa dealer in Charlotte right up the road from his dealership is delivering around 20 cars per day and every car on the lot is sold just waiting for delivery. His wife wants one and that's how he found out all this. They test drove a fully self driving model.

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Grateful11

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MartyStickle
We have an appointment at a Tesla place in Charlotte next week and will take a test drive for sure. Charlotte is about 2 hours from Asheville, but we'll make a day of it there and also visit friends.

I think you can return the car within 7 days (and some mile limit) if you did NOT take a test drive. So my recommendation is to gets a test drive in a friend's car, and if you like it, order and once you get the car, you have 7 days to change your mind, in case you find something you missed the first time.

At least I think that's how the policy was a while back, I am not sure what it is now.

Good luck.

I am also thinking of getting one, when I need to replace the Volt. Either a AWD Tesla (probably model Y) or an F150 Electric

I have two hybrid vehicles (Hylander and RX450h) and really like them both. But my family is expanding in side, physically. 3 kids all getting bigger. I am looking toward a minivan. For the longest time Chrysler has been the only minivan with a hybrid. However, this is year one with Toyota minivan hybrid. I am still leaning towards the Chrysler Pacifica, given it has been out for 4 years, now. It gets 30miles to a battery pack. More than enough for around town driving. It will take 14 hours to fully charge the pack by conventional wall socket. That is perfect for me.

Otherwise? I'd be looking at a Tesla X.

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Spiff
I have two hybrid vehicles (Hylander and RX450h) and really like them both. But my family is expanding in side, physically. 3 kids all getting bigger. I am looking toward a minivan. For the longest time Chrysler has been the only minivan with a hybrid. However, this is year one with Toyota minivan hybrid. I am still leaning towards the Chrysler Pacifica, given it has been out for 4 years, now. It gets 30miles to a battery pack. More than enough for around town driving. It will take 14 hours to fully charge the pack by conventional wall socket. That is perfect for me.

Otherwise? I'd be looking at a Tesla X.

Get the level 2 charger if you can. there will be days when you run an errand in the morning, recharge during lunch and run again in the afternoon. Unless you or spouse have an L2 charger at work.

I am thinking about letting one for my Volt, but wife has [free] L2 charger at work so most of the time she comes home with 75% charge on the battery and by the time we go to bed the car is usually fully charged. The only time time I wish I had L2 is during weekends. Sometimes during the week she won't even plug in, why use a few kWh at home if she can fully charge for free at work the next day. So I am still on the fence about L2. I know I will probably need one if I get another car with larger battery.

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Zoidberg
My wife and I are going to look next year after the Ford Maverick has been out for a bit; that might satisfy a handful of needs and be a good first step. Plus I can get it in orange.

That is an interesting option that I didn't know existed.

Looking at it closer, I think it's a swing and a miss. The cabin is too small with what appears to be totally insufficient leg room in the back seat. Also, the bed is really small. If the bed is going to be so small, at least give the rear passengers some leg room.

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space-time
So I am still on the fence about L2. I know I will probably need one if I get another car with larger battery.

i had my Volt for two years with L1. Work commute was 20 miles RT and I was fine. But, as a treat to myself, I finally got an L2 and it was a joyful Damn, why did I wait so long! for the days when you have more than one outing.

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If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

I have three close friends with Teslas (Model X and Model S) and have put in a lot of time driving them (especially the X on long trips). They are simply phenomenal vehicles and the autopilot feature makes driving much more relaxing and safer that cars not so equipped. The massive advantage that Tesla has over all of the other EVs is the charging network. Weekend trips to the mountains are totally doable, and charging time at Tesla Superchargers is pretty quick (we usually stop for a 20-30 minute charge and snack/coffee at about the 200 mile mark). The only use case that doesn't work for the Tesla is trips deep into the back country of eastern California and Nevada. The nice thing about that though is that my Model X owning friend trades cars with us when she goes deep into the wilderness so I get to use her shiny Model X for a week or so while she drives our old SUV.

My brother has a Leaf Plus that he uses for commuting. It is not nearly as nice as a Tesla but does the job. Also it has a similar (but not quite as good) feature to Tesla's autopilot that he really likes for use in stop-and-go traffic. He would rather have a Tesla but the Leaf was much cheaper (they're selling for far below retail).

I have another friend with a Chevy Bolt. Similar to the Leaf, it does the job but is not particularly inspiring or enjoyable to drive.

Both the Leaf and Bolt suffer when it comes to taking long trips. Planning and dealing with various commercial charge stations is a PITA and charging takes vastly longer than Tesla Superchargers. I would go so far as to say that long trips in those cars are just not practical.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

I agree with everything you said, but on this I need to rebut-

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davester
... charging takes vastly longer than Tesla Superchargers. I would go so far as to say that long trips in those cars are just not practical.

There are many L3 charging stations around, not as many as Tesla probably, and not all Leafs or Bolts have the ability, but I would bet that charging under the right conditions is comparable to a Tesla. Speculation, I know. What I also know is my Leaf does have a CHAdeMO port, and can utilize up to 100kW DC to recharge the 62kWh battery up to 80% in 30min, so there's that.

I hear their catalytic converters get stolen all the time.

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********************************************
“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand.” Seneca the Younger

The police have no duty to respond. See Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 545 U.S. 748 (2005) or Warren v. District of Columbia[1] (444 A.2d. 1, D.C. Ct. of Ap. 1981)

Judge Lee wrote that “we cannot jettison our constitutional rights, even if the goal behind a law is laudable." 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

[www.youtube.com]

Just another thought, personally I would be tempted to get one of the cheaper EV options (and by that I mean upfront cost). However I suspect that the Tesla is going to be far more reliable in the long term compared other makes (the cynic in me is tempted to believe the traditional auto makers and their dealer henchmen are going to ensure you will need to service your vehicle much more often).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2021 07:17PM by Carnos Jax.

Tesla Model S here - motoring reliability has been OK, but every one of the automatic door handles has had to be replaced (a frequent complaint). A chip had to be replaced in the main screen (also a frequent complaint - and now they're repairing for free). Goes through tires sooner than their ICE counterparts - the weight of the batts - tires have been replaced twice in 70K miles, driving on set 3 now.

Also have free lifetime supercharging, but that's not offered anymore. So if you take any trips greater than range, that'll be a consideration. Prices vary, even when looking online. Under 60kW charges cost less per kW than charging more than that. (though most times you probably won't charge more than 60kW/stop).

Some SCs have on and off peak rates. If most of your charging is done at home, you'll want Level 2 EVSE, so that could create another expense if you're not currently wired for 240v. If you're in an older home, it might mean changing out your service panel to a 200A panel since you'll probably want at least 50A to the 240v outlet.

Things to think about.

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raz

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Markintosh
- You absolutely should take one for an extended test drive. I would suggest renting one on Turo for a day or two to get the full experience. Just riding with friends a couple of times, i quickly decided I did not like having absolutely everything controlled by the iPad thing.

This

The lack of 'affordance' (physical relationships to controls that do not require taking my eyes off the road to find the right button) is a deal-breaker for me.

YMMV

My wife loves her Model 3. I won’t drive it for the reasons above. For me it’s got great potential but right now it’s a really fast golf cart with an iPad and a cheaply made interior. I like controls I can physically handle without looking at a screen so I still drive my 2012 Highlander. I advise you read up on all the positives and negatives and read the Tesla groups for the discussions there. Be advised repairs are quite expensive if you need body work done. You don’t need to put the Tesla charger in if you want to charge at home. I had an electrician add a line to my A/C box for about $600. Here’s a couple of support group:

[teslamotorsclub.com]
[teslaownersonline.com]

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JoeM

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Racer X
I hear their catalytic converters get stolen all the time.

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“Live your life, love your life, don’t regret…live, learn and move forward positively.” – CR Johnson
Loving life in Lake Tahoe, CA

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DeusxMac

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Speedy
What is the easiest way to tell the difference between a 3 and an S? Serious question. Tesla doesn’t put model info on its vehicles. Size is one way but unless they are side-by-side I can’t tell the difference between the two - which might be the idea.

If size difference isn’t sufficient for you to identify between them, what type of info are you looking for; exterior styling differences, interior differences, technical specification differences, performance specs?

Visually the biggest tell, aside from the size differences, is that the current, larger Model S (and Model X) have a thin, horizontal opening (looks a bit like a pencil mustache) on the front nose. The Model 3 (and Model Y) have a completely smooth, rounded nose instead.

Thanks DeusxMac, I’ll look for the mustache! I would simply like to be able to tell if it’s a 3 or an S when I see one in the wild.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

How about the Model S Plaid.

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3?

That's a lot of Teslas.

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bazookaman
How about the Model S Plaid.

Thanks Bazookaman for setting up a gofundme so I can get the plaid!

Seriously, we're actually now thinking of a Y instead of a 3. Only a bit more and like a smaller SUV.

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Asheville, NC Area

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Spiff
I have two hybrid vehicles (Hylander and RX450h) and really like them both. But my family is expanding in side, physically. 3 kids all getting bigger. I am looking toward a minivan. For the longest time Chrysler has been the only minivan with a hybrid. However, this is year one with Toyota minivan hybrid. I am still leaning towards the Chrysler Pacifica, given it has been out for 4 years, now. It gets 30miles to a battery pack. More than enough for around town driving. It will take 14 hours to fully charge the pack by conventional wall socket. That is perfect for me.

Otherwise? I'd be looking at a Tesla X.

I'd get the Sienna unless you MUST have a plug-in hybrid.

I love my Dodge Grand Caravan, but frankly the Pacifica has had a number of reliability issues...and they don't sell many hybrids (IIRC, around 1 in 10) versus gas-only models.

So if there's an issue with the hybrid system you'll have to wait until a tech that is trained on the hybrid powertrain can come to your local dealer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2021 02:25PM by Bill in NC.

I'd install a charging station at home, but I don't think the Tesla will fit into my building elevator.

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MartyStickle

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bazookaman
How about the Model S Plaid.

Thanks Bazookaman for setting up a gofundme so I can get the plaid!

Seriously, we're actually now thinking of a Y instead of a 3. Only a bit more and like a smaller SUV.

I think that's a good move. The 3 and Y are almost identical mechanically and the Y is much more practical in terms of carrying capacity. The only advantages of the 3 are that it is slightly sportier (i.e. more tossable) looks sleeker, and is a bit less money.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Go to youtube.com and search for Tesla Model 3. Lots of good information on there.