# National News Outlet seeking Tesla Experiences



## kylecars (Jul 9, 2019)

Hi everyone! I'm an auto reporter for a national news outlet and I'm looking into the history of the Models S and X. As I'm sure you saw today, Elon Musk said there will be no redesigns to the Model S or Model X. I'm curious what your experiences have been with these models? Since neither model has had a major redesign in its lifespan, would you still buy a new Model S or X today? Or, would you rather buy the Model 3?


----------



## kylecars (Jul 9, 2019)

Hi everyone! I'm an auto reporter for a national news outlet and I'm looking into the history of the Models S and X. As I'm sure you saw today, Elon Musk said there will be no redesigns to the Model S or Model X. I'm curious what your experiences have been with these models? Since neither model has had a major redesign in its lifespan, would you still buy a new Model S or X today? Or, would you rather buy the Model 3?


----------



## kylecars (Jul 9, 2019)

Hi everyone! I'm an auto reporter for a national news outlet and I'm looking into reasons behind why you bought the Model 3. As I'm sure you saw today, Elon Musk said there will be no redesigns to the Model S or Model X. I'm curious if you decided to purchase the Model 3 because Tesla hasn't made any major redesigns to both the Model S and X since they were first introduced? Additionally, if you own more than one Tesla, I'm curious to hear what your experiences have been with them.


----------



## Frully (Aug 30, 2018)

There was a major visual redesign (facelift) of the S a few years back
...there have been piles and piles of incremental changes to the car over the years. 

Speculation but it seems obvious: The whole point of 'there is no refresh' is so they don't cannibalize their current inventory sales with 'the next one is coming soon'. It will always change and update. Next step is almost certainly the 2170 battery cell architecture update, reluctance motor, etc.

My experience: On a scale of bad to good: Good.


----------



## Frully (Aug 30, 2018)

In before your threads get merged as they're the same question with a false premise.

I bought a 3 because I could afford it finally. I did not choose to buy the 3 because S/X were [allegedly] unchanged. I bought the 3 because it has comparable features to the S for 1/2 the price.

Owning the 3, and having borrowed an S - I love them both. The 3 in my opinion is the greatest thing to ever happen to automobiles.


----------



## kylecars (Jul 9, 2019)

Frully said:


> In before your threads get merged as they're the same question with a false premise.
> 
> I bought a 3 because I could afford it finally. I did not choose to buy the 3 because S/X were [allegedly] unchanged. I bought the 3 because it has comparable features to the S for 1/2 the price.
> 
> Owning the 3, and having borrowed an S - I love them both. The 3 in my opinion is the greatest thing to ever happen to automobiles.


Thank you for sharing your thoughts. This is helpful.


----------



## Ed Woodrick (May 26, 2018)

Come on, get your facts straight to start with. I don't believe that's what Elon said. There will be updates, just not any major ones. I believe that said that because there tended to be a contingent that was waiting to purchase because there was a rumor of a major redesign, just squash it so that sales can recover.
You compare the S, X and 3 as if they were equal options, but the reality is $60k, $90k, and $140k. And then there's the size factor. 

Sure, the Model 3 cannibalized some of the S and X sales. But the reality wasn't that the Model 3 drew from S and X sales as much as the absence of the Model 3 increased S and X sales until the Model 3 was available, then sale normalized. 
Unlike many other cars, Tesla experience the legacy new iPhone effect. There were a lot of Model S and X users that sold cars to get the Model 3. That just meant that even more people had access to Tesla cars.


----------



## NR4P (Jul 14, 2018)

1. EV's are the future, time to get on board.
2. The S and X are too big for my needs, so I waited 2 years for delivery of the Model3. Early reservation holder.
3. Climate change is real, and I do everything reasonably possible help the planet.
4. Tesla is a decade ahead of all other EV producers. It's not just the 300 mile plus range, its all the software. SuperCharger network, AutoPilot, Summon, Dog Mode, Cabin Cooling, Sentry etc. Many of these could have been done by ICE makers but they focused on little things, Tesla/Musk made leaps. Like the iPhone being introduced in a world of flip phones.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Frully said:


> Next step is almost certainly the ... reluctance motor


That already happened. S & X front motors have been replaced with the Model 3's rear reluctance motor. That's how they got the Model S range up to 370 miles.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Ed Woodrick said:


> ...the reality wasn't that the Model 3 drew from S and X sales as much as...


... from Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and BMW 3-series sales.

There, FTFY.


----------



## 3V Pilot (Sep 15, 2017)

I agree with everything said above except I'm not in it to save the planet. As un-PC as that sounds it's just the truth. The Model 3 was the first Tesla I could afford and I stood in line with everyone else and dropped $1000 before a single picture was ever released of the car.

I've always been a car nut and a tech nut, this car is the best of both worlds and Tesla is SO far ahead it's not even funny. The Model 3 is the BEST product I've ever purchased, Period, No questions asked. Even if I could afford an S or X I would not want one, the 3 is the perfect size, range, and performance for all I need. Better batteries, more efficient, faster charging, quicker road trips, and a better interior as far as I'm concerned.

Now if Elon would just get on with taking over the Galaxy so he can be in charge of everything and make all products as good as this then life would be grand!!


----------



## TrevP (Oct 20, 2015)

kylecars said:


> Hi everyone! I'm an auto reporter for a national news outlet and I'm looking into reasons behind why you bought the Model 3. As I'm sure you saw today, Elon Musk said there will be no redesigns to the Model S or Model X. I'm curious if you decided to purchase the Model 3 because Tesla hasn't made any major redesigns to both the Model S and X since they were first introduced? Additionally, if you own more than one Tesla, I'm curious to hear what your experiences have been with them.


Please identify your news association. Your IP address shows as Bloomberg


----------



## Frully (Aug 30, 2018)

garsh said:


> That already happened. S & X front motors have been replaced with the Model 3's rear reluctance motor. That's how they got the Model S range up to 370 miles.


whoops, phrased that backwards now that I re-read it.


----------



## Shaw_DC (Jul 10, 2019)

I bought a Model 3 because I am rarely in the car with more than one other person so it's the right size for a second vehicle. I may follow it up with a Y when it becomes available as it will be time to replace my compact SUV. X and S are nice but were never under serious considerations. I prefer smaller vehicles.


----------



## AutopilotFan (Oct 6, 2018)

I bought a Model 3 because:

I didn't want to buy another internal combustion engine. EVs are simpler, easier to maintain, and better for the planet.
Major car-makers really didn't seem interested in making a usable BEV. Every one I looked into had some sort of flaw that seem designed to be annoying. (Have you seen the strange bump in the cargo section of the Honda Clarity?) They had a 15 year head start on Tesla -- if they _really _wanted to do it, they'd already have done it.
I'm not interested in someone's compliance car, even if I could get my hands on one this far from California. I want a car whose manufacturer cares about its success.
If fuel cell cars were going to happen, they'd be happening. Frankly, they are just electric cars that store their energy in hydrogen instead of a battery. At this point in time, it looks much easier to build a car-charging infrastructure than a hydrogen delivery infrastructure.
Adaptive cruise control was a must-have, given the state of my right knee. The Chevy Bolt _still _doesn't offer it. (See my "fatal flaw" observation.)
Once you understand the driver assist technologies in Teslas, every other car looks so 20th century.
I had my Prius for over 13 years, and at no point did it gain a new feature or function. My Tesla gained its Navigate on Autopilot feature two weeks _after _I bought it -- and it didn't cost me anything extra. Can you name any other car manufacturer that does something like that?
When you buy a car from a regular car company, they're done with you. (Heck, they're done with you once they sell the car to the dealer who sells it to you.) Tesla deals with *me *directly and they're trying to make my car better all the time.
I enjoy the idea of driving a smartphone.
I'm looking forward to an autonomous driving future, where I can send my Model 3 out into the Tesla Fleet to earn some money.
And I bought my Model 3 even though I _hate _the sedan form factor. It's a very comfortable car and I very much enjoy it -- until I need to carry something large or awkwardly shaped.


----------



## B.Silva (Sep 30, 2018)

I bought a Model 3 because I'd heard a lot of great things about Tesla cars from friends of mine. Teslas are very common where I live, the Seattle area. (Indeed I've heard WA is #1 state for Tesla ownership per capita and Seattle area is #1 city per capita). I'm in tech and the tech factor definitely appealed to me. I thought, this is something I need to understand better. OTOH, I didn't want something as big as a Model S or X. And, since my interest in Tesla was kind of a lark, I didn't want to spend as much money as an S or X. I like the size of the Model 3; it's much easier to get around town and park. I would have preferred a crossover/SUV, but didn't want a Model X: too big, too much money. I will strongly consider a Model Y when it's out.

I test drove a Model 3 and wow, it was unlike any other car I'd ever driven. I've owned BMWs, Porsches, Audis, etc. The minimalist interior, the big single screen, the one-pedal driving (with regenerative braking), the instant acceleration, the UI of the screen. I was blown away. It was like a car was re-imagined and re-invented, everything thought through so carefully and simplified.. Rather than one kludge after another added on as with ICE's today (I still have an Audi Q5). For example, I hate the navigation systems on every other car I've ever driven. They're so bad that I just use Google Maps on my phone. But the Model 3 is so easy to use, I use it every time now I need nav and haven't used Google Maps. And if you look something up in Google Maps on your phone, it's simple to send it from the phone to the car and navigate to there. Similarly, I rarely used cruise control in my ICEs over the years. But in my Model 3, I use TACC all the time, and auto steer too (especially on the highway).

Mechanically, the car is dramatically simpler, too, than an ICE. It's a couple of electric motors, a battery pack, and some very smart software. There's very little that needs to be maintained. All I've done is put windshield washer fluid in it.

In so so so many ways, the car is a revelation. It's really a work of genius how they've made things simpler, easier, and better.

The driving experience is also next level. It's the most fun car to drive I've ever had, and that includes a Porsche 911 Turbo.

And it keeps getting better. Software updates over the air add new features (and fix bugs) and they're free. Imagine getting 5% more power with a software update. For free. Major new features, like Sentry mode. For free. Improved autopilot. For free. 

When I get back in my Audi Q5, the dash is a bewildering, dizzying array of buttons, switches, stalks, dials, and gauges. And a pain in the rear to use. Nav, I hate it. The entertainment system, I hate it. Integration with my phone, awful.

The Model 3 has spoiled me for life as to what an automobile should be.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

I've combined kylecars' threads into one, and moved it to the Media & News subforum.
Feel free to answer any of the three questions he's asked within this thread.

Please remember to keep the discussion civil. View this as an opportunity to enlighten in a friendly manner.


----------



## Dr. J (Sep 1, 2017)

AutopilotFan said:


> I enjoy the idea of driving a smartphone.


I enjoy the idea of driving An Intergalatic Spaceboat of Light and Wonder. Except slightly smaller and vastly less expensive.


----------



## JasonF (Oct 26, 2018)

I always liked the Model S as an ideal car, except it was out of my reach due to the price. As soon as I saw there would be a more affordable model (Model 3) I reserved one. I wasn't sure that was _the_ car I'd get at the time, but I didn't want to lose my place and have to potentially wait until after 2020 if I did want one. At the time there was potentially a very long wait for non-reservation-holders. Ultimately I stuck with the Model 3, because at the time (July 2018) it was still the only EV without compromises. And it still is.

So why electric? I guess in my daily life I don't see the point in buying gasoline anymore. Most of the gas stations on my route to work are inconvenient to get to. My daily commute is usually about 30 miles, but if I'm sent to work's stores, it can balloon to 50 or 100 quickly, and if it happens when gas prices are high - which it did, once - then it gets ugly. With an EV it only costs a few cents more to double or triple my commute. And the maintenance cost is almost nonexistent.

I'm also not wealthy enough to "make choices for the environment" unless they also save me money somehow. So far, I've managed to make it work courtesy of Tesla and some really difficult math crunching to make solar panels on the house cost less than the usual electric bill.

I believe that global warming or climate change shouldn't be a reason to clean up our act. Have you noticed the crap that ends up in the air when you're next to a busy road? Imagine a day when the air beside a road is just as fresh and clean as in a park. Or when big cities like Shanghai and Los Angeles have air as clear as an open field in Montana. The environment rebounds _really_ fast, all we have to do is give it the chance to do so. Start small, and let the Earth take care of the rest.


----------



## kylecars (Jul 9, 2019)

Ed Woodrick said:


> Come on, get your facts straight to start with. I don't believe that's what Elon said. There will be updates, just not any major ones. I believe that said that because there tended to be a contingent that was waiting to purchase because there was a rumor of a major redesign, just squash it so that sales can recover.
> You compare the S, X and 3 as if they were equal options, but the reality is $60k, $90k, and $140k. And then there's the size factor.
> 
> Sure, the Model 3 cannibalized some of the S and X sales. But the reality wasn't that the Model 3 drew from S and X sales as much as the absence of the Model 3 increased S and X sales until the Model 3 was available, then sale normalized.
> Unlike many other cars, Tesla experience the legacy new iPhone effect. There were a lot of Model S and X users that sold cars to get the Model 3. That just meant that even more people had access to Tesla cars.


I apologize for the mistake. I did mean to write that he said there will be updates, just not a major redesign.


----------



## kylecars (Jul 9, 2019)

garsh said:


> I've combined kylecars' threads into one, and moved it to the Media & News subforum.
> Feel free to answer any of the three questions he's asked within this thread.
> 
> Please remember to keep the discussion civil. View this as an opportunity to enlighten in a friendly manner.


Thank you for combining them into one -- I wasn't sure how to do that.


----------



## MelindaV (Apr 2, 2016)

and as @TrevP requested, please be transparent about why you are asking, how it will be used and who you are and work for

Specifically, is this in combination with the survey Bloomburg put out a while back?


----------



## bwilson4web (Mar 4, 2019)

kylecars said:


> ... I'm looking into reasons behind why you bought the Model 3 .. I'm curious if you decided to purchase the Model 3 because ... I'm curious to hear what your experiences have been with them.


Retired, the Model 3 meets the requirements of two older folks and my wife's dogs. In 100 days, we've put 10,000 affordable miles on the car. The Model S and X are too much car for us.

Bob Wilson


----------



## FurryOne (Apr 19, 2019)

I'm a long time BMW owner. I've had my current BMW (530i) for over 10 years, and it's getting temperamental, so I said WTF, let's buy a Tesla! Two weeks later my Model 3 was delivered right to my driveway. I love it! It's so fast that I leave it in "Chill" mode most of the time. It's brought back the thrill of driving.


----------



## Skyhir6 (Sep 20, 2019)

I've wanted a Tesla since the 1st day I heard about it. At the time it was just the Roadster, then the Model S came out. I love big, luxurious sedans, I had to have this car. Fast forward to 2018, I was successful, stable, & ready to make this purchase. I figured I wanted a used one to start off with. I knew I had to get a ludicrous model. For months I would stalk the Tesla website, searching the whole country for a P90DL. Everytime I saw one I wanted, I would make a note of it's location & price. I thought I would have time to plan my trip, collect the reservation money, & think a bit longer about pressing the button. Unfortunately, the cars I wanted would sell within a day or two. Bummer!!!
Fast forward a year later....Tesla announced they were removing free supercharging from there used car inventory. Even with this perk removed, I still had a hard time finding a P90DL before someone else clicked the button first.
August 2019. I started looking into getting a new Model 3. My girl has always liked this car, but I just felt it was too small & not luxurious enough. I didn't know much about them & felt they were stripped down Model S's. Whenever I saw one, I made fun of 'em (mostly because my girl like 'em). One day I parked next to a Performance Model 3. Boy was I blown away!!! It's one thing to see it in pictures, it's another to drive past one, but man, when you are in the presence of one, this is one beautiful car. I was parked next to a red with white interior P3D. This was the 1st time I was this close to one. The flatness of the exterior, how the lights blend with the body, the smoothness of the design (I could care less about panel gaps), the bright stock 20's, the red brake calipers, it all just blended so well. I then placed an order for the white on white performance model 3. Took delivery near the end of September. This is the best car I have ever driven in my life. It makes everything else just feel dumb & unnecessary. 
I've only owned this car for less than a month. Besides my house, it is the most expensive item I have ever purchased with absolutely no regrets. I've owned many expensive cars & other misc. items, but always felt a little regret or wasn't fully satisfied. This car doesn't give me those feelings at all, I am completely satisfied with the car (Tesla as a company needs improvement), but I love the car.
My sister in law has a BMW I3. This is roughly a $50,000 car, it could be more but I don't know. What I do know is this car sucks. Why would any one buy this? I'm all for supporting green energy, but c'mon, all these other EV's are doing it half-assed, more like one-eight-assed. I'm so glad Tesla exists. I was convinced the future of green energy was looking like Prius's, Leaf's, I3's.....etc, you know what I mean! I'm so happy this will not be the case.


----------

