# First full ("normal") day with my Model 3



## SoFlaModel3

I know many are upset with the recent delays, so hopefully this post will help reaffirm that if its possible in your personal situation you should wait at all costs and do not hastily get something else. This is *THE* car!

Overnight I found myself in the garage a few times "checking in". I couldn't help myself 

At work, the car was the talk of the office. People came out in waves to take a look at it. There was a consistent response of "dropped jaw silence" . From figuring out the door handles, to wondering where everything went inside, to looking at all that glass... people were astounded.

Let's start with some quirks as you have to consider the bad with the good when trying to give a fair review.

The sun visor does a great job with head on sun, but it's rather poor when flipped to the side. I found that the sun was routinely just beneath the visor and shining right into my face.
The frunk isn't that easy to close -- I know how to close it, but still have a fear of damaging it and don't bother trying to do it while holding groceries. I suspect (assume) it's intentional design for safety in the event of an accident but it's a bit rough.
The trunk also isn't that easy to close -- not like the videos you've seen where people slam it shut only to have it reopen (that hasn't happened to me), but the trunk really wants to be open, so if you have a double move (pull down, let go for a second, push down) you'll find the trunk quickly jumps back up as soon as you switch your hand position.
The rear view mirror is a little small. I don't actually have any issues with visibility at all, so it's more of a comment that it literally just looks too small.
No blind spot detection built in. I know they're "idiot lights", but even still I think this is a poor omission. P.S. thanks to @TrevP for the walk through on proper mirror position. A bit awkward to adjust to, but really works perfectly!
Ok so that's it, nothing major right?

On to the things I love!

My plan from the start was to use Apple Music and Waze hazard/police alerts in the background. This plan executes flawlessly in Model 3. To expand, let me step back to my old Hyundai Sonata. I would get in and the phone would take about 15-30 seconds to connect to Bluetooth. While waiting the radio would play the SiriusXM preview station and then require me to change the source. First world problems right? Anyway, not with Model 3. My guess is that because your phone is your key and the Bluetooth is always active, you obviously connect as you approach. As soon as the door opens my music starts playing right where I left off. Awesome! Then tuck the phone in the dock, which I'm getting better connecting to (still will get the Qi pad when it launches in April though) and away we go! Waze alerts for police and road hazards quietly play in the background as they occur and I couldn't be happier!
Homelink with GPS = win! As you approach your gate or garage door Homelink automatically activates and tells you how close you're getting to the trigger point you set. 50 ft, 40 ft, 30.... and go! Perfect accuracy and the gate to my neighborhood and garage door open like a champ. I'm a bit nervous to play with auto close -- just have this likely irrational fear of the garage closing on my car.
Sound system is phenomenal. I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, but it's by far and away the best OEM system I have ever had.
Driving feel and view. The steering wheel feels great in your hands and it's maneuvering a car that feels so connected to the road you would swear it's driving on rails. I am thoroughly impressed at how nimble this heavy car is. I floored it with my friend/co-worker and he screamed 
Pre-cooling! I checked the app before I walked out of the office and it said the interior of my car was 105F. Parking in the Florida sun will do that. Pre-cooling the cabin worked like a charm and the car was perfectly cool when I got! This isn't natural for me yet, so I do need to make sure I remind myself to do it until it does. Window tint goes on Saturday which should help a lot as well.
The size! It's small and big at the same time. It's an amazing triumph that this car is much smaller than Model S and certainly smaller than my old Hyundai Sonata as well yet from the inside with the design and glass, it just feels huge!!
Autopilot reduces stress! I did about 70 autopilot miles today. Obviously I was paying close attention to my reaction to it, but wow its impressive in rush hour bumper to bumper traffic on the highway. It was solid the whole way. We have one of those speed lanes where half of the day it goes with traffic east and then the back half of the day it goes with traffic west. I was prepared to take over as there are lines all over the place and it literally never wavered for a second (note I have seen many human drivers fail badly in the same place). I love that you can preconfigure your default speed -- relative or absolute and how fast. I have gone with 7 MPH above relative to posted speed limit. It works really well. I also tested enabling it at low speed, so it immediately kicked in with a max speed of 72 MPH, but with the car in front of me fairly close it didn't jump and then brake -- it read the situation and kicked into autopilot rolling at 20 MPH!
It's fast! At the interchange from one highway to another it's a long sloping ramp to the left with a decent height increase and sharp decrease. I was alone on the ramp and got to see what she could do. The car is fast, silent, and planted to the road. Literally a dream!
No key is much better than having a key! I was cautiously optimistic with the whole phone key idea and wow it's so cool. My sample size is small of course, but it hasn't failed me yet. The doors unlock with perfect timing on approach. Also, again comparing to my old Hyundai Sonata, I had the BlueLink app where I could remote start the car, unlock and a few other things. The issue -- after choosing a command the time it took Hyundai to beam it from the app to the cloud to the car was literally anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Also, their remote start had a limit and would turn the car back off (horrible for the environment after all). Well, again Tesla got it right. The time from selecting the command to the resulting action is literally the blink of an eye!
Easy entry that you can configure. It's one thing to have easy entry and it's a whole different thing to have it configurable so you control where the steering wheel and seat go. Simply put the car in park and unbuckle your seatbelt and you're on the move to your more comfortable exit and re-entry position.
Supercharger status built right into the navigation. I won't use them a lot, but when on road trips with the family, it's huge that we'll know before arriving at the supercharger how many stalls are available.
Charging at home and having a "full tank" when you wake up removes the stress of not getting gas after work telling yourself it's ok you'll get it in the morning only to get off to a slow start and forget you had an early morning meeting that you'll be late for if you stop.
I love Midnight Silver! I will say the Model 3 basically looks great in ever color, so fear not you can't make a bad decision here. I do love the range of Midnight Silver though. It glistens in the bright South Florida sun, looks almost blue in my garage under LED light, and looks great still in the dark. It's going to help hide the bugs on the front and attempt to stay clean though I'll still be washing weekly and removing bugs as often as they appear.
I keep staring at the 19" sport wheels. My jaw dropped seeing them as 20s with the carbon fiber inserts at the prototype reveal. I still absolutely love them as 19s even with the black insert. I think the design really complements the lines of the car flawlessly.
I have run out of superlatives, but I just wish you all well in what is hopefully not much longer of a wait. This car will be worth it as there is nothing else close when it comes to the combination of price, range, design, performance, and wow factor! Hang in there TOO, soon enough these cars will be everywhere.

That's it for now. More miles to log tomorrow and days, weeks, months, and years of adventures to come! 










*EDIT*

2 more things I love about the car but forgot to mention

One pedal driving is absolutely great! I have barely touched the brake pedal so far in 3 days. I would say it takes half a day to get used to regen and then you'll never want to "creep" again. I have barely touched the brakes (really just to complete the stop).
It fits in my garage nicely! I'm not sure a Model S would fit. In the picture you can see my Model 3 next to my wife's Hyundai Sonata (which is my previous car as well). The garage is definitely roomier and I'm happy about that!


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## 3V Pilot

Great write up, thank you for the encouragement that we all need right now! I must say that your picture above shows off the true lines of the car better than any other photo I've seen, looks stunning in that color and lighting! Congrats on the car, the rest of us will just be jealous... At least for a few more months.....


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## Quicksilver

Thanks for the great write up! Every time I read someone's write up, I learn something new...this time it's regarding Homelink. I thought you were going with the aero wheels and I am glad you selected the sports wheel, which is my preference all along. 

As my estimate has now shifted like everyone else, I was depressed and disappointed especially when I have to return the i3 at end of March. Your write up helps me keep the faith and I am going to do my best to not give up on getting my Quicksilver 3. My wife said that I've waited this long for it so just hang on a bit longer. 

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and I am definitely jealous!!


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## MelindaV

have you taken it over to show your Dad? what's he think of it compared to his S?


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## SoFlaModel3

MelindaV said:


> have you taken it over to show your Dad? what's he think of it compared to his S?


I hate to say he hasn't seen it yet. He's been really busy the last 2 days with work. I think we're both washing cars Sunday morning and then setting up for some pictures.


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## Quicksilver

Forgot to ask, did you take your time inspecting the car at delivery? How’s the fit and finish? Gaps, etc... also, did you end up financing with Tesla? My loan is locked in at a local credit union until May 1st. I hope they will extend it if I don’t get to configure before then.


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## Sandy

Cool! Great review. I agree about 19" wheels. I'd really like the real CF center caps. I'm not a big fan of vinyl stickers all over the car at all but I may try this and see if it lasts:

https://www.rpmtesla.com/product-page/model-3-center-hub-carbon-fiber-wrap-for-19-set-of-4

I personally would leave the T uncovered in the natural stainless. Less gaudy to me.


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## SoFlaModel3

Quicksilver said:


> Forgot to ask, did you take your time inspecting the car at delivery? How's the fit and finish? Gaps, etc... also, did you end up financing with Tesla? My loan is locked in at a local credit union until May 1st. I hope they will extend it if I don't get to configure before then.


Fit and finish is very good. My hood does have the challenge where it sits a pinch low in the center on the left and right side while the top and bottom are perfect so there is no fixing that as it's the curve of the hood. Otherwise everything is really close. Another plus for Midnight Silver though is that the gaps blend in nicely rather than a stark constrast identifying a bad spot.

My one miss on delivery inspection was damage to the glovebox door. It was on the left side essentially impossible to see as the car is delivered inside and it's kind of dark and the interior being black makes it hard to notice. They're going to repair of course. Beyond that there is a glitch with my charge port door. Technically speaking it works fine, but there is an error on the screen that won't clear. Fortunately Tesla is right across the street from my office so these will be quick fixes. Here is a shot of the glovebox door...



















Sandy said:


> Cool! Great review. I agree about 19" wheels. I'd really like the real CF center caps. I'm not a big fan of vinyl stickers all over the car at all but I may try this and see if it lasts:
> 
> https://www.rpmtesla.com/product-page/model-3-center-hub-carbon-fiber-wrap-for-19-set-of-4
> 
> I personally would leave the T uncovered in the natural stainless. Less gaudy to me.


I'm very tempted, though would be concerned about the durability of the vinyl on the wheel caps versus say covering the black gloss trim inside, which in also interested in looking at.


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## SoFlaModel3

Quicksilver said:


> also, did you end up financing with Tesla? My loan is locked in at a local credit union until May 1st. I hope they will extend it if I don't get to configure before then.


Just realized I missed the back half of your question. I did end up financing through US Bank via Tesla. Locally speaking the rates were comparable and better than everything I could find.

I'm at 2.9% for 72 months with a principal loan of $53k (~88% of the all in price of the car).

A few credit unions seemed to have marginally better rates, but annoying requirements for joining and maintaining a relationship that the savings of a few dollars a month didn't seem worth it.

My own bank of 20 years (Bank of America) was over 3%, so I feel pretty good. Money is still cheap.


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## Quicksilver

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Just realized I missed the back half of your question. I did end up financing through US Bank via Tesla. Locally speaking the rates were comparable and better than everything I could find.
> 
> I'm at 2.9% for 72 months with a principal loan of $53k (~88% of the all in price of the car).
> 
> A few credit unions seemed to have marginally better rates, but annoying requirements for joining and maintaining a relationship that the savings of a few dollars a month didn't seem worth it.
> 
> My own bank of 20 years (Bank of America) was over 3%, so I feel pretty good. Money is still cheap.


I am also going to try Tesla US Bank when I configure but will hold my CU as a back up. Appreciate the feedback!


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## Quicksilver

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Fit and finish is very good. My hood does have the challenge where it sits a pinch low in the center on the left and right side while the top and bottom are perfect so there is no fixing that as it's the curve of the hood. Otherwise everything is really close. Another plus for Midnight Silver though is that the gaps blend in nicely rather than a stark constrast identifying a bad spot.
> 
> My one miss on delivery inspection was damage to the glovebox door. It was on the left side essentially impossible to see as the car is delivered inside and it's kind of dark and the interior being black makes it hard to notice. They're going to repair of course. Beyond that there is a glitch with my charge port door. Technically speaking it works fine, but there is an error on the screen that won't clear. Fortunately Tesla is right across the street from my office so these will be quick fixes. Here is a shot of the glovebox door...
> 
> View attachment 5577
> View attachment 5578
> 
> 
> I'm very tempted, though would be concerned about the durability of the vinyl on the wheel caps versus say covering the black gloss trim inside, which in also interested in looking at.


Thanks! Great that you're just across the street from the Tesla place.


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## KarenRei

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Sound system is phenomenal. I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, but it's by far and away the best OEM system I have ever had.


You have PUP, so you have the premium sound.



SoFlaModel3 said:


> I am thoroughly impressed at how nimble this heavy car is.


It's not a heavy car. Yours is 1730kg. (3814 lbs). SR is only 1609kg (3549 lbs). Contrast: BMW 330i (same accel as SR) is 1588kg. BMW 340i (same accel as LR) is 1662kg. So weight is very close to its gasoline competition, particularly the SR.


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## TrevP

@SoFlaModel3 funny you mention the damage on the glovebox. I remember seeing something weird there when I was sitting in the front but didn't pay it any mind to mention it.

I can attest to everyone his car is very well made. I went over every inch of his car and the gaps are consistent, even in the troublesome spots like the front A pillars that meet the fenders and the trunk C pillar overhangs.

The one area I've consistenlty noticed on Model 3s however is the trunk lip line doesnt match up with the tailing housing. Next time I'm close to a car I'll take a picture to show you want I mean. It's a minor issue but I keep coming back to it and thinking "why didn't they design it to line up perfectly. Seems so obvious to me"


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## John Slaby

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I know many are upset with the recent delays, so hopefully this post will help reaffirm that if its possible in your personal situation you should wait at all costs and do not hastily get something else. This is *THE* car!
> View attachment 5565


Thanks for the post. We become so passionate about every little frustrating thing that we sometimes lose perspective on the bigger picture. It really helps to have someone anchor us back to reality and what really matters. Waiting for this car has made me excited about something in a way I haven't been for many years. It has motivated me to look at installing solar (much to the chagrin of my HOA), become politically active for green energy, and it has started a conversation with my friends about issues that we would not have talked about otherwise. I know it's just a car, but, for me it has turned out to be much more. Alcantaragate, delivery sequencing, and production delays are frustrating in the narrow view of this, but the bigger picture is still awesome, amazing, once-a-generation kind of stuff. I can be patient and positive for the remaining time it will take for me to get my car. (and congratulations, by the way)


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## SoFlaModel3

TrevP said:


> @SoFlaModel3 funny you mention the damage on the glovebox. I remember seeing something weird there when I was sitting in the front but didn't pay it any mind to mention it.
> 
> I can attest to everyone his car is very well made. I went over every inch of his car and the gaps are consistent, even in the troublesome spots like the front A pillars that meet the fenders and the trunk C pillar overhangs.
> 
> The one area I've consistenlty noticed on Model 3s however is the trunk lip line doesnt match up with the tailing housing. Next time I'm close to a car I'll take a picture to show you want I mean. It's a minor issue but I keep coming back to it and thinking "why didn't they design it to line up perfectly. Seems so obvious to me"


Panel gap (or lack thereof) picture time...


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## Quicksilver

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Panel gap (or lack thereof) picture time...
> 
> View attachment 5581
> View attachment 5582
> View attachment 5583
> View attachment 5584
> View attachment 5585
> View attachment 5586
> View attachment 5587


The rear hatch meeting up with tail lights don't look too bad...unless I missed something there.


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## Skione65

@SoFlaModel3,

Awesome Writeup! Can you address your opinion of the 'ride quality'. Especially as it relates to your Dads S? (Is his coil or SAS). This is my only concern based on the numerous complaints. Albeit I'm waiting for AWD/SAS. I like a sporty ride but I guess I'm getting old (lol) according to my kids and prefer a 'softer' (geezer type-lol) ride.
What is your honest opinion on the ride quality and how firm or harsh it is per complaints "feeling every rock/seam/bump in the rose". Frame of reference...I'm coming from an '07 Civic on 16" wheels and a '16 Odyssey. Love the sportiness of the Civic (feel every rock, seam and bump) love the cushiness if the Ody for long grueling road trips with the family.

Ski


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## SoFlaModel3

Skione65 said:


> @SoFlaModel3,
> 
> Awesome Writeup! Can you address your opinion of the 'ride quality'. Especially as it relates to your Dads S? (Is his coil or SAS). This is my only concern based on the numerous complaints. Albeit I'm waiting for AWD/SAS. I like a sporty ride but I guess I'm getting old (lol) according to my kids and prefer a 'softer' (geezer type-lol) ride.
> What is your honest opinion on the ride quality and how firm or harsh it is per complaints "feeling every rock/seam/bump in the rose". Frame of reference...I'm coming from an '07 Civic on 16" wheels and a '16 Odyssey. Love the sportiness of the Civic (feel every rock, seam and bump) love the cushiness if the Ody for long grueling road trips with the family.
> 
> Ski


My dad's S has the the 21" turbines and coils. For comparison sake, I don't find his suspension to be harsh.

On my 3 with the 19" wheels, I think the ride is "just right". We hit a horribly paved road right outside of the showroom with @TrevP in the backseat and it was pretty bumpy/bouncy but any car would have been. On normal driving it's as smooth as can be. Now take with a grain of salt that our roads happen to be pretty good here, but I don't regret the 19s for a second and have no intention of touching the suspension.


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## Skione65

SoFlaModel3 said:


> My dad's S has the the 21" turbines and coils. For comparison sake, I don't find his suspension to be harsh.
> 
> On my 3 with the 19" wheels, I think the ride is "just right". We hit a horribly paved road right outside of the showroom with @TrevP in the backseat and it was pretty bumpy/bouncy but any car would have been. On normal driving it's as smooth as can be. Now take with a grain of salt that our roads happen to be pretty good here, but I don't regret the 19s for a second and have no intention of touching the suspension.


@SoFlaModel3,

Awesome! Just what I needed to hear. As you know opinions have been all over the map. I'm going with 19 Sports as well. I think I love them more than you do! (If that's possible). It'll be interesting to see what SAS does and the resultant reviews.

Ski


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## SoFlaModel3

Skione65 said:


> @SoFlaModel3,
> 
> Awesome! Just what I needed to hear. As you know opinions have been all over the map. I'm going with 19 Sports as well. I think I love them more than you do! (If that's possible). It'll be interesting to see what SAS does and the resultant reviews.
> 
> Ski


Agree on all accounts and certainly suspension and ride comfort opinions are very personal so it's hard to go apples to apples unless you've driven other comparable cars with the reviewer.


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## Skione65

@SoFlaModel3,

This is what scares me: these kinds of reviews,

"rented a Model 3 on Turo for 2 days recently (52xx) so not an early build, it only had 107 miles on it, My wife and I put approx. 340 miles on it and the car definitely is the stiffest riding stock vehicle I have ever driven, 18" wheels with 50 psi (I was not going to play with air pressure on a rented car and I left my air gauge behind anyway)

Let me tell you right off that I like cars to handle well and have even made changes to my cars that gave up comfort for handling, Recent cars I've owned were 2007 750i with sport package, 2014 535d with sport package, 2010 Accord with 
Tien coil overs, large front and rear sway bars and several chassis braces, my current car is a 2013 Passat TDI and i put ST coil overs on with large front and rear sway bars and made the car handle great while also sacrificing ride quality but i felt the performance was worth it.

After 2 days in the 3 we got back in my modified stiffer than stock (by a good margin!) Passat and it felt like a Cadillac! My wife had always complained about what I did to the Passat and felt it rode stiffer than her 535d with the sport package, she complained about the ride quality a lot!, we both loved everything about the 3 except the ride and went to several car dealerships test driving many cars and ALL seemed to boring to drive after getting out of the 3!

We REALLY want a 3 but with a softer ride, I feel the suspension could be softened quite a bit and still allow the car to handle well with just a bit more body roll, I'm all for the handling of this car but would gladly give up some to get a more compliant ride!

We are torn between getting the LR on coils vs. waiting for the dual motor with air, mainly because I feel it would probably be close to a 15k difference in price as we may not get the $7,500 federal tax credit by the time a dual motor with sas would be available to us.

I know that the shocks with different valving and longer progressive rate springs would make this closer to what we want but its still a big gamble to us as the way it rides now is a deal breaker for us.

One last thing that may help, I changed the tires and wheels on my Passat to lighter wheels OZ Ultraleggera hlt's in the same 18" size to save 6 lbs. each over stock and went with a little bigger tire as stock tire size is the same as model 3, I chose the Michelin premier as in a 245/45/18 and the weight rating is over 1700 lbs so it would work well with the 3 I believe and ride should soften with that change alone.

sorry for the long post but just wanted to share MY experience.

P.S. my wife now says if we can get the suspension as compliant as the modified Passat then she would gladly take the 3 as she loves everything else about the car so much!

Ski


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## SoFlaModel3

Skione65 said:


> @SoFlaModel3,
> 
> This is what scares me: these kinds of reviews,
> 
> "rented a Model 3 on Turo for 2 days recently (52xx) so not an early build, it only had 107 miles on it, My wife and I put approx. 340 miles on it and the car definitely is the stiffest riding stock vehicle I have ever driven, 18" wheels with 50 psi (I was not going to play with air pressure on a rented car and I left my air gauge behind anyway)
> 
> Let me tell you right off that I like cars to handle well and have even made changes to my cars that gave up comfort for handling, Recent cars I've owned were 2007 750i with sport package, 2014 535d with sport package, 2010 Accord with
> Tien coil overs, large front and rear sway bars and several chassis braces, my current car is a 2013 Passat TDI and i put ST coil overs on with large front and rear sway bars and made the car handle great while also sacrificing ride quality but i felt the performance was worth it.
> 
> After 2 days in the 3 we got back in my modified stiffer than stock (by a good margin!) Passat and it felt like a Cadillac! My wife had always complained about what I did to the Passat and felt it rode stiffer than her 535d with the sport package, she complained about the ride quality a lot!, we both loved everything about the 3 except the ride and went to several car dealerships test driving many cars and ALL seemed to boring to drive after getting out of the 3!
> 
> We REALLY want a 3 but with a softer ride, I feel the suspension could be softened quite a bit and still allow the car to handle well with just a bit more body roll, I'm all for the handling of this car but would gladly give up some to get a more compliant ride!
> 
> We are torn between getting the LR on coils vs. waiting for the dual motor with air, mainly because I feel it would probably be close to a 15k difference in price as we may not get the $7,500 federal tax credit by the time a dual motor with sas would be available to us.
> 
> I know that the shocks with different valving and longer progressive rate springs would make this closer to what we want but its still a big gamble to us as the way it rides now is a deal breaker for us.
> 
> One last thing that may help, I changed the tires and wheels on my Passat to lighter wheels OZ Ultraleggera hlt's in the same 18" size to save 6 lbs. each over stock and went with a little bigger tire as stock tire size is the same as model 3, I chose the Michelin premier as in a 245/45/18 and the weight rating is over 1700 lbs so it would work well with the 3 I believe and ride should soften with that change alone.
> 
> sorry for the long post but just wanted to share MY experience.
> 
> P.S. my wife now says if we can get the suspension as compliant as the modified Passat then she would gladly take the 3 as she loves everything else about the car so much!
> 
> Ski


My wife would be the first to complain if the car didn't "feel right" and she hasn't done anything but smile. Well to be fair she cried at first because she was so happy for me 

The suspension is stiff, don't get me wrong. However I don't get out of the car feeling beat up by it. It couldn't be more comfortable.

My guess is that we continue to see reviews toward each extreme.


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## SoFlaModel3

Updated OP with 2 more thoughts.


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## cab

keep in mind we are now seeing owners report that Tesla has replaced suspensions with a later redesign. One owner indicated cars made before 12/27 had the original tightest suspension. One owner on TMC reported that afterward the suspension still felt firm, but w/o the excess jiggliness it had before. He also seemed to indicate bumps were a bit more rounded off. This would seem to account, at least in PART, for owners reporting different experiences...they legitimately could BE different.


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## Michael Russo

SoFlaModel3 said:


> (...)Well to be fair she cried at first because she was so happy for me
> (...)


We men can be so naive!! 
That wasn't it at all, buddy! It was all about that new purse she knew she'd get within the hour


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## Quicksilver

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Updated OP with 2 more thoughts.


Interesting that it looks more narrow than the Sonata in that picture. Maybe it's the angle of the camera when the picture was taken. Nice garage by the way! Like the Tesla flag


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## SoFlaModel3

Quicksilver said:


> Interesting that it looks more narrow than the Sonata in that picture. Maybe it's the angle of the camera when the picture was taken. Nice garage by the way! Like the Tesla flag


Thanks!

The car is definitely smaller overall than the Sonata and shorter length wise as well, but inside the car feels huge.


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## Brokedoc

Michael Russo said:


> We men can be so naive!!
> That wasn't it at all, buddy! It was all about that new purse she knew she'd get within the hour


That's not it.
She was shedding a tear because she knew the Model 3 was like having another woman in your life!!!!!


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## Quicksilver

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> The car is definitely smaller overall than the Sonata and shorter length wise as well, but inside the car feels huge.


Agree, when I sat in the display 3 here in the Dallas area, it did feel airy inside.


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## MichelT3

John Slaby said:


> Waiting for this car has made me excited about something in a way I haven't been for many years. It has motivated me to look at installing solar (much to the chagrin of my HOA), become politically active for green energy, and it has started a conversation with my friends about issues that we would not have talked about otherwise. I know it's just a car, but, for me it has turned out to be much more.


Exactly! I feel the same. Thank you!
It's incredible how this car and the Tesla company as a whole stimulate both my passion for groundbreaking cars and technology, as well as for green energy and environmental awareness. I feel that choosing and preparing for my Model 3 puts me at the forefront of society and gives me hope for the future of our planet.
All the hiccups, changes and delays we experience are disappointments, but every time a step forward that is taken, fills me with joy. Making me realise what's the most important, that we eventually will get a great car. It has also made me prepared to spend far, far more than I ever would.
Emotionally (and rationally too) there is no other new car (not even any other BEV) that I can take serious any more. Even though I probably still need to wait another 2 years to get mine. 
Let's all keep this in mind and things in perspective.


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## teslarob

Congrats on the car, and great writeup @SoFlaModel3! I'm really loving the Midnight Silver now, it is a wonderful color for the Model 3. Still love my blue though


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## SoFlaModel3

teslarob said:


> Congrats on the car, and great writeup @SoFlaModel3! I'm really loving the Midnight Silver now, it is a wonderful color for the Model 3. Still love my blue though


I finally saw blue in person while taking delivery and thought it was stunning!


----------



## The Big Bobowski

Were you able to move the Model 3 to a separate account or are you connected to your dad's account as well (access to both cars through the app)? I am wondering if I should have my dad (an S owner) put in a reservation now to see if I can get my Model 3 earlier, but I want to be able to move it to my own account.


----------



## SoFlaModel3

The Big Bobowski said:


> Were you able to move the Model 3 to a separate account or are you connected to your dad's account as well (access to both cars through the app)? I am wondering if I should have my dad (an S owner) put in a reservation now to see if I can get my Model 3 earlier, but I want to be able to move it to my own account.


You should transfer your reservation not add a new one.

The car is fully registered in my name since delivery.

The car is still under my parent's Tesla account. The transfer takes 3-5 business days, so it'll be under my email by Tuesday.


----------



## The Big Bobowski

SoFlaModel3 said:


> You should transfer your reservation not add a new one.
> 
> The car is fully registered in my name since delivery.
> 
> The car is still under my parent's Tesla account. The transfer takes 3-5 business days, so it'll be under my email by Tuesday.


I didn't think it was possible to transfer reservations.


----------



## Bokonon

The Big Bobowski said:


> I didn't think it was possible to transfer reservations.


Officially, reservations are transferable between immediate family.


----------



## Bokonon

SoFlaModel3 said:


> You should transfer your reservation not add a new one.
> 
> The car is fully registered in my name since delivery.
> 
> The car is still under my parent's Tesla account. The transfer takes 3-5 business days, so it'll be under my email by Tuesday.


Dumb question, but: will you need to re-pair your phone-key with the car after the car transfers back to your account? Presumably, you'll need to log out of the app and log back in as yourself. Just wasn't sure whether this would affect the phone-as-key association in any way.


----------



## SoFlaModel3

Bokonon said:


> Dumb question, but: will you need to re-pair your phone-key with the car after the car transfers back to your account? Presumably, you'll need to log out of the app and log back in as yourself. Just wasn't sure whether this would affect the phone-as-key association in any way.


I don't know the answer to this, but can confirm for sure in a few days. It takes about 2 seconds to pair the phone key though so no big deal.


----------



## spudnik187

I didn’t realize Homelink would work with multiple devices, i.e. gate and garage. That’s awesome. I was worried I’d have to keep the remote for one or the other in the car.


----------



## SoFlaModel3

spudnik187 said:


> I didn't realize Homelink would work with multiple devices, i.e. gate and garage. That's awesome. I was worried I'd have to keep the remote for one or the other in the car.


Yeah, it works very well!

Most cars with home link have 3 physical buttons but this appears to unlimited...


----------



## spudnik187

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Yeah, it works very well!
> 
> Most cars with home link have 3 physical buttons but this appears to unlimited...


Awesome. I've never seen the screens for that in the UI. Do you mind posting some if you get a minute? or is it part of one of the standard menus and I've just always overlooked it in the screenshots people have posted?


----------



## ng0

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I love that you can preconfigure your default speed -- relative or absolute and how fast. I have gone with 7 MPH above relative to posted speed limit. It works really well. I also tested enabling it at low speed, so it immediately kicked in with a max speed of 72 MPH, but with the car in front of me fairly close it didn't jump and then brake -- it read the situation and kicked into autopilot rolling at 20 MPH!


This was such a great post!!! I can't believe I hadn't seen it until now. And I even learned something new! I didn't know you could set the relative speed. So cool! Also, I must say that I've been swaying back and forth between midnight silver, silver and white and you're once again convincing me at how beautiful midnight silver is.


----------



## SoFlaModel3

spudnik187 said:


> Awesome. I've never seen the screens for that in the UI. Do you mind posting some if you get a minute? or is it part of one of the standard menus and I've just always overlooked it in the screenshots people have posted?


Very easy to miss as it's not in the menus. It's the "home" icon in the top row of the screen.

It's exactly the same as Model S, so check this out (too lazy to go in the garage right now )

https://cdn.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/IMG_6333.jpg



ng0 said:


> This was such a great post!!! I can't believe I hadn't seen it until now. And I even learned something new! I didn't know you could set the relative speed. So cool! Also, I must say that I've been swaying back and forth between midnight silver, silver and white and you're once again convincing me at how beautiful midnight silver is.


This was new to me as well. I was always confused in my dad's S that it showed....

Current speed
Speed Limit
Speed in a circle (matching the speed limit)

I scratched my head wondering why it showed the speed limit twice. I never bothered to look into it as I really never drove the car frequently enough or for long enough duration to bother researching it. So in the autopilot setting screens you can set your speed limit "absolute" or "relative". I went with "relative" and "7 mph", so basically what I see on the highway...

Current speed = xx MPH
Speed Limit = 65 MPH
Speed in Circle = 72 MPH

Double tap the stalk down and autopilot is engaged at 72 MPH. From there you can manually adjust up or down using the + and - on the left third while in autopilot. I saw a negative review before getting the car, but must admit my experience is nothing but positive after 3 full days of commuting to and from work!


----------



## TrevP

Thought some of you might want to see @SoFlaModel3 take delivery of his Model 3...

Enjoy!


----------



## Michael Russo

TrevP said:


> Thought some of you might want to see @SoFlaModel3 take delivery of his Model 3...
> 
> Enjoy!


OMG! This Founding Father can't go to sleep now... 

Edited after viewing : Ok, that's it... I don't think I'll be able to sleep for 18+ months now... the car is sooo right. And it's great to see the grin & joy on @SoFlaModel3 's face...

@TrevP ... suggest you plan a trip to Southern France next year to do the same when Midnight S≡R≡NITY (finally) gets here...


----------



## theishu

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I know many are upset with the recent delays, so hopefully this post will help reaffirm that if its possible in your personal situation you should wait at all costs and do not hastily get something else. This is *THE* car!
> 
> Overnight I found myself in the garage a few times "checking in". I couldn't help myself
> 
> At work, the car was the talk of the office. People came out in waves to take a look at it. There was a consistent response of "dropped jaw silence" . From figuring out the door handles, to wondering where everything went inside, to looking at all that glass... people were astounded.
> 
> Let's start with some quirks as you have to consider the bad with the good when trying to give a fair review.
> 
> The sun visor does a great job with head on sun, but it's rather poor when flipped to the side. I found that the sun was routinely just beneath the visor and shining right into my face.
> The frunk isn't that easy to close -- I know how to close it, but still have a fear of damaging it and don't bother trying to do it while holding groceries. I suspect (assume) it's intentional design for safety in the event of an accident but it's a bit rough.
> The trunk also isn't that easy to close -- not like the videos you've seen where people slam it shut only to have it reopen (that hasn't happened to me), but the trunk really wants to be open, so if you have a double move (pull down, let go for a second, push down) you'll find the trunk quickly jumps back up as soon as you switch your hand position.
> The rear view mirror is a little small. I don't actually have any issues with visibility at all, so it's more of a comment that it literally just looks too small.
> No blind spot detection built in. I know they're "idiot lights", but even still I think this is a poor omission. P.S. thanks to @TrevP for the walk through on proper mirror position. A bit awkward to adjust to, but really works perfectly!
> Ok so that's it, nothing major right?
> 
> On to the things I love!
> 
> My plan from the start was to use Apple Music and Waze hazard/police alerts in the background. This plan executes flawlessly in Model 3. To expand, let me step back to my old Hyundai Sonata. I would get in and the phone would take about 15-30 seconds to connect to Bluetooth. While waiting the radio would play the SiriusXM preview station and then require me to change the source. First world problems right? Anyway, not with Model 3. My guess is that because your phone is your key and the Bluetooth is always active, you obviously connect as you approach. As soon as the door opens my music starts playing right where I left off. Awesome! Then tuck the phone in the dock, which I'm getting better connecting to (still will get the Qi pad when it launches in April though) and away we go! Waze alerts for police and road hazards quietly play in the background as they occur and I couldn't be happier!
> Homelink with GPS = win! As you approach your gate or garage door Homelink automatically activates and tells you how close you're getting to the trigger point you set. 50 ft, 40 ft, 30.... and go! Perfect accuracy and the gate to my neighborhood and garage door open like a champ. I'm a bit nervous to play with auto close -- just have this likely irrational fear of the garage closing on my car.
> Sound system is phenomenal. I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, but it's by far and away the best OEM system I have ever had.
> Driving feel and view. The steering wheel feels great in your hands and it's maneuvering a car that feels so connected to the road you would swear it's driving on rails. I am thoroughly impressed at how nimble this heavy car is. I floored it with my friend/co-worker and he screamed
> Pre-cooling! I checked the app before I walked out of the office and it said the interior of my car was 105F. Parking in the Florida sun will do that. Pre-cooling the cabin worked like a charm and the car was perfectly cool when I got! This isn't natural for me yet, so I do need to make sure I remind myself to do it until it does. Window tint goes on Saturday which should help a lot as well.
> The size! It's small and big at the same time. It's an amazing triumph that this car is much smaller than Model S and certainly smaller than my old Hyundai Sonata as well yet from the inside with the design and glass, it just feels huge!!
> Autopilot reduces stress! I did about 70 autopilot miles today. Obviously I was paying close attention to my reaction to it, but wow its impressive in rush hour bumper to bumper traffic on the highway. It was solid the whole way. We have one of those speed lanes where half of the day it goes with traffic east and then the back half of the day it goes with traffic west. I was prepared to take over as there are lines all over the place and it literally never wavered for a second (note I have seen many human drivers fail badly in the same place). I love that you can preconfigure your default speed -- relative or absolute and how fast. I have gone with 7 MPH above relative to posted speed limit. It works really well. I also tested enabling it at low speed, so it immediately kicked in with a max speed of 72 MPH, but with the car in front of me fairly close it didn't jump and then brake -- it read the situation and kicked into autopilot rolling at 20 MPH!
> It's fast! At the interchange from one highway to another it's a long sloping ramp to the left with a decent height increase and sharp decrease. I was alone on the ramp and got to see what she could do. The car is fast, silent, and planted to the road. Literally a dream!
> No key is much better than having a key! I was cautiously optimistic with the whole phone key idea and wow it's so cool. My sample size is small of course, but it hasn't failed me yet. The doors unlock with perfect timing on approach. Also, again comparing to my old Hyundai Sonata, I had the BlueLink app where I could remote start the car, unlock and a few other things. The issue -- after choosing a command the time it took Hyundai to beam it from the app to the cloud to the car was literally anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Also, their remote start had a limit and would turn the car back off (horrible for the environment after all). Well, again Tesla got it right. The time from selecting the command to the resulting action is literally the blink of an eye!
> Easy entry that you can configure. It's one thing to have easy entry and it's a whole different thing to have it configurable so you control where the steering wheel and seat go. Simply put the car in park and unbuckle your seatbelt and you're on the move to your more comfortable exit and re-entry position.
> Supercharger status built right into the navigation. I won't use them a lot, but when on road trips with the family, it's huge that we'll know before arriving at the supercharger how many stalls are available.
> Charging at home and having a "full tank" when you wake up removes the stress of not getting gas after work telling yourself it's ok you'll get it in the morning only to get off to a slow start and forget you had an early morning meeting that you'll be late for if you stop.
> I love Midnight Silver! I will say the Model 3 basically looks great in ever color, so fear not you can't make a bad decision here. I do love the range of Midnight Silver though. It glistens in the bright South Florida sun, looks almost blue in my garage under LED light, and looks great still in the dark. It's going to help hide the bugs on the front and attempt to stay clean though I'll still be washing weekly and removing bugs as often as they appear.
> I keep staring at the 19" sport wheels. My jaw dropped seeing them as 20s with the carbon fiber inserts at the prototype reveal. I still absolutely love them as 19s even with the black insert. I think the design really complements the lines of the car flawlessly.
> I have run out of superlatives, but I just wish you all well in what is hopefully not much longer of a wait. This car will be worth it as there is nothing else close when it comes to the combination of price, range, design, performance, and wow factor! Hang in there TOO, soon enough these cars will be everywhere.
> 
> That's it for now. More miles to log tomorrow and days, weeks, months, and years of adventures to come!
> 
> View attachment 5565
> 
> 
> *EDIT*
> 
> 2 more things I love about the car but forgot to mention
> 
> One pedal driving is absolutely great! I have barely touched the brake pedal so far in 3 days. I would say it takes half a day to get used to regen and then you'll never want to "creep" again. I have barely touched the brakes (really just to complete the stop).
> It fits in my garage nicely! I'm not sure a Model S would fit. In the picture you can see my Model 3 next to my wife's Hyundai Sonata (which is my previous car as well). The garage is definitely roomier and I'm happy about that!
> 
> View attachment 5597


First of all, great post, man! Very happy for you, and thanks for encouraging the rest of us! Was this delivery based on your dad's current ownership of a Model S? I can't recall.

Two quick questions:
1. When you said Waze, I assume you meant using Waze on your phone, and not on the car's computer, correct?
2. @TrevP is there a video of the mirror positioning walkthrough mentioned here? Pardon my ignorance; I don't know how I missed that, if it's been posted before


----------



## TrevP

theishu said:


> First of all, great post, man! Very happy for you, and thanks for encouraging the rest of us! Was this delivery based on your dad's current ownership of a Model S? I can't recall.
> 
> Two quick questions:
> 1. When you said Waze, I assume you meant using Waze on your phone, and not on the car's computer, correct?
> 2. @TrevP is there a video of the mirror positioning walkthrough mentioned here? Pardon my ignorance; I don't know how I missed that, if it's been posted before


We went through everything on the Model 3 in our deep dive video some months ago including the mirror adjustments


----------



## SoFlaModel3

TrevP said:


> Thought some of you might want to see @SoFlaModel3 take delivery of his Model 3...
> 
> Enjoy!


Thanks again @TrevP, the video came out great! Awesome to have a permanent memory of being completely speechless over the car 



Michael Russo said:


> OMG! This Founding Father can't go to sleep now...
> 
> Edited after viewing : Ok, that's it... I don't think I'll be able to sleep for 18+ months now... the car is sooo right. And it's great to see the grin & joy on @SoFlaModel3 's face...
> 
> @TrevP ... suggest you plan a trip to Southern France next year to do the same when Midnight S≡R≡NITY (finally) gets here...


That's the Tesla grin you hear about. It gets stuck on your face and there is no cure for it 



theishu said:


> First of all, great post, man! Very happy for you, and thanks for encouraging the rest of us! Was this delivery based on your dad's current ownership of a Model S? I can't recall.
> 
> Two quick questions:
> 1. When you said Waze, I assume you meant using Waze on your phone, and not on the car's computer, correct?
> 2. @TrevP is there a video of the mirror positioning walkthrough mentioned here? Pardon my ignorance; I don't know how I missed that, if it's been posted before


Yes, this was an "owner priority" under my dad's current ownership of a Model S.

On the Waze piece, yes I meant on the phone. I load Waze and then close the app leaving it running in the background and I get the audible alerts on road hazards, police, and red light cameras.


----------



## theishu

TrevP said:


> We went through everything on the Model 3 in our deep dive video some months ago including the mirror adjustments


Thanks! I guess I was drooling over the car too much to remember back then.


----------



## TrevP

Michael Russo said:


> OMG! This Founding Father can't go to sleep now...
> 
> Edited after viewing : Ok, that's it... I don't think I'll be able to sleep for 18+ months now... the car is sooo right. And it's great to see the grin & joy on @SoFlaModel3 's face...
> 
> @TrevP ... suggest you plan a trip to Southern France next year to do the same when Midnight S≡R≡NITY (finally) gets here...


Your kind offer to stay at your place is still on our plate. We're going out East this summer but next summer should be our first trip to Europe and to the South of France of all places!


----------



## Michael Russo

TrevP said:


> Your kind offer to stay at your place is still on our plate. We're going out East this summer but next summer should be our first trip to Europe and to the South of France of all places!


Well, please pass on the message to Elon when you see him, I need Midnight S≡R≡NITY by June-July '19 then!! :france::rainbow:


----------



## MichelT3

TrevP said:


> Your kind offer to stay at your place is still on our plate. We're going out East this summer but next summer should be our first trip to Europe and to the South of France of all places!


I hope for @Michael Russo that he will have Midnight Serenity by then ... but I very much doubt that ... which is an understatement. Maybe you get here a year later, then we both can show you our Model 3 cars. 
Come and visit The Netherlands too @TrevP!


----------



## Michael Russo

MichelT3 said:


> I hope for @Michael Russo that he will have Midnight Serenity by then ... but I very much doubt that ... which is an understatement. Maybe you get here a year later, then we both can show you our Model 3 cars.
> Come and visit The Netherlands too @TrevP!


To be clear, I like your invite extension to the Netherlands (@TrevP would end up collecting the visits to Midnight Silver owners ), not your over conservative projections aimed (I know & understand) at not being disappointed... 

I think they will produce at least 180k in the first half of 2019 which means Trev's full European vacation that summer is a good plan! :rainbow::rainbow::rainbow:


----------



## Brokedoc

MichelT3 said:


> I hope for @Michael Russo that he will have Midnight Serenity by then ... but I very much doubt that ... which is an understatement. Maybe you get here a year later, then we both can show you our Model 3 cars.
> Come and visit The Netherlands too @TrevP!


I wouldn't be so negative on the timeline of European rollout. It's no secret that Tesla has been looking for European Gigafactory sites but many have forgotten about Tesla Tilburg, Netherlands. They recently installed a MASSIVE solar array on the building and have an INDOOR test track. With the acquisition of Tesla Grohmann in Germany, I easily imagine them making more assembly robots and shipping them to Netherlands (maybe tear up the test track and move it outside) for expanding the production line there for European orders.

https://electrek.co/2018/01/16/tesla-tilburg-factory-new-massive-solar-array/

Edit: P.S. - That would be a GREAT factory tour for anyone in Europe.


----------



## MichelT3

Brokedoc said:


> I wouldn't be so negative on the timeline of European rollout. It's no secret that Tesla has been looking for European Gigafactory sites but many have forgotten about Tesla Tilburg, Netherlands. They recently installed a MASSIVE solar array on the building and have an INDOOR test track. With the acquisition of Tesla Grohmann in Germany, I easily imagine them making more assembly robots and shipping them to Netherlands (maybe tear up the test track and move it outside) for expanding the production line there for European orders.
> 
> https://electrek.co/2018/01/16/tesla-tilburg-factory-new-massive-solar-array/
> 
> Edit: P.S. - That would be a GREAT factory tour for anyone in Europe.


Sorry: no.
I have been at that factory tour in Tilburg last August. Even posted about that here. But it's not really a factory. It's an assembly plant for pre-produced parts of Models S and X; rolling body shells, motors, battery packs. All imported from Fremont. This way Tesla saves import taxes and transport costs. After assembly cars are being tested - indoors, in different ways.
The Tilburg plant has been extended and gotten a solar roof this past year. Probably because they also will assemble Model 3's there. But those will definitely not be produced there. That's completely impossible.
There isn't room for a real GF at that site either.

I've said it elsewhere, a second gigafactory in Europe is an unavoidable next step for Tesla. To produce cars, batteries, power packs, solar, etc., for the European market. In fact, I believe that it's impossible to start producing Model Y in the US without a running GF in Europe. Making it possible to get production capacity for Model Y in Fremont and producing 3 and Y in the European GF.
However, even if the location of that GF will be announced this year, it will take years to get permits, building plans, building realisation, start producing. In Europe that's less simple than in other countries (US). Building regulations are strict in our densely populated countries. So, my expectation is that the first car won't leave a European GF before 2022/2023.

I'm not negative or pessimistic, but I try to be realistic. To prevent disappointment. Of myself and of people who read this. Till now I've been about right.


----------



## LUXMAN

SoFlaModel3 said:


> My wife would be the first to complain if the car didn't "feel right" and she hasn't done anything but smile. Well to be fair she cried at first because she was so happy for me
> 
> The suspension is stiff, don't get me wrong. However I don't get out of the car feeling beat up by it. It couldn't be more comfortable.
> 
> My guess is that we continue to see reviews toward each extreme.


To piggyback here, I drove a 3 due to an extremely nice guy and loved the ride and handling. There was even some washboard road. That said, my wife said thr back seat seemed like a harsher ride. But probably due to fact that she was sitting almost over the wheel.


----------



## LUXMAN

Brokedoc said:


> That's not it.
> She was shedding a tear because she knew the Model 3 was like having another woman in your life!!!!!


And she was glad for the relief


----------



## wheelers

SoFlaModel3 said:


> gate to my neighborhood


I know this post is a bit 'old' but I am curious how your neighborhood gate was programmed. Our homelink works perfectly for our garage, but we're having troubles with the gate signal. Can you help explain how you programmed yours? Thanks!


----------



## SoFlaModel3

wheelers said:


> I know this post is a bit 'old' but I am curious how your neighborhood gate was programmed. Our homelink works perfectly for our garage, but we're having troubles with the gate signal. Can you help explain how you programmed yours? Thanks!


Mine doesn't have rolling codes, so this was the easiest possible setup (only the remote needed).


----------



## wheelers

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Mine doesn't have rolling codes, so this was the easiest possible setup (only the remote needed).


hmm. We have a gate remote & when pointing it at the bumper (like we programmed the garage) it would never find the signal. :/ We also have a code we can punch in, but haven't tried using that yet...


----------



## SoFlaModel3

wheelers said:


> hmm. We have a gate remote & when pointing it at the bumper (like we programmed the garage) it would never find the signal. :/ We also have a code we can punch in, but haven't tried using that yet...


Quick thing to try - change the batteries in the remote (even if it works).


----------



## 3V Pilot

wheelers said:


> hmm. We have a gate remote & when pointing it at the bumper (like we programmed the garage) it would never find the signal. :/ We also have a code we can punch in, but haven't tried using that yet...


The gate may not be compatible with Homelink but if it is you might have to get in touch with the company that installed or services the gate. I did that at my last house, called the association to find out who they contract for the gate. That company was able to authenticate my Homelink to work on the gate.


----------



## wheelers

SoFlaModel3 said:


> Quick thing to try - change the batteries in the remote (even if it works).





Mike Land said:


> The gate may not be compatible with Homelink but if it is you might have to get in touch with the company that installed or services the gate. I did that at my last house, called the association to find out who they contract for the gate. That company was able to authenticate my Homelink to work on the gate.


Thanks for the advice- we will try these out & see! We LOVE how the garage auto opens/closes- it's be so sweet for the gate to auto open!


----------



## John Slaby

Since I brought my Tesla home and set up Homelink, I have been seeing random garage door events (opening/closing) that I can only assume must be coming from the car. Has anyone else seen this kind of thing? As an example, this morning my wife and I are having coffee and talking when all of a sudden the garage door opens. I'm going to try disabling auto-open (I have already disabled auto-close) to see if this makes a difference, but it seems clear it is somehow related to the car.


----------



## SoFlaModel3

John Slaby said:


> Since I brought my Tesla home and set up Homelink, I have been seeing random garage door events (opening/closing) that I can only assume must be coming from the car. Has anyone else seen this kind of thing? As an example, this morning my wife and I are having coffee and talking when all of a sudden the garage door opens. I'm going to try disabling auto-open (I have already disabled auto-close) to see if this makes a difference, but it seems clear it is somehow related to the car.


Wow really? That's never happened to me. Only issue was closing the garage on approach when it was already open because my wife just beat me home


----------



## 3V Pilot

John Slaby said:


> Since I brought my Tesla home and set up Homelink, I have been seeing random garage door events (opening/closing) that I can only assume must be coming from the car. Has anyone else seen this kind of thing? As an example, this morning my wife and I are having coffee and talking when all of a sudden the garage door opens. I'm going to try disabling auto-open (I have already disabled auto-close) to see if this makes a difference, but it seems clear it is somehow related to the car.


I've not had any problem like that either. Took me a few times to get it setup but once it's done it works perfect.


----------



## LUXMAN

John Slaby said:


> Since I brought my Tesla home and set up Homelink, I have been seeing random garage door events (opening/closing) that I can only assume must be coming from the car. Has anyone else seen this kind of thing? As an example, this morning my wife and I are having coffee and talking when all of a sudden the garage door opens. I'm going to try disabling auto-open (I have already disabled auto-close) to see if this makes a difference, but it seems clear it is somehow related to the car.


No, I haven't had that problem either. I only have it set for Auto Open as I wouldn't want it close on accident if I wasn't all the way in. Paranoid like that I am.

Do you use other handheld remotes in your other cars? It might be a low battery in one of those. Coincidence I know but you could see if that stops it


----------



## John Slaby

LUXMAN said:


> No, I haven't had that problem either. I only have it set for Auto Open as I wouldn't want it close on accident if I wasn't all the way in. Paranoid like that I am.
> 
> Do you use other handheld remotes in your other cars? It might be a low battery in one of those. Coincidence I know but you could see if that stops it


That's a good idea. I'll give it a try.


----------



## 3V Pilot

LUXMAN said:


> No, I haven't had that problem either. I only have it set for Auto Open as I wouldn't want it close on accident if I wasn't all the way in. Paranoid like that I am.
> 
> Do you use other handheld remotes in your other cars? It might be a low battery in one of those. Coincidence I know but you could see if that stops it


I use the auto close and it works great. It closes the garage after to pull out and counts down how many feet before sending the signal. It does not close the garage when you pull in, just clarifying in case that is what you were thinking.


----------



## LUXMAN

Mike Land said:


> I use the auto close and it works great. It closes the garage after to pull out and counts down how many feet before sending the signal. It does not close the garage when you pull in, just clarifying in case that is what you were thinking.


Ok. Duh! Yes I use auto close and auto open. Don't know why I was thinking he was saying auto close after you get in. Must be cuz I got up at 230 again 
I feel dumb. 
Mine works great going both ways


----------



## 3V Pilot

LOL, well, I guess getting up at 230 make you talk like Yoda also......



LUXMAN said:


> Paranoid like that I am.


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## Rick59

I have the last 6 digits of my VIN (30***) but I need the full VIN for the insurance people. Can someone please post their full VIN, except the last 6 digits? Needs to be a 2018 Model 3. Thanks.


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## ColoradoModel3

Rick59 said:


> I have the last 6 digits of my VIN (30***) but I need the full VIN for the insurance people. Can someone please post their full VIN, except the last 6 digits? Needs to be a 2018 Model 3. Thanks.


Try this: 5YJ3E1EA1JF000000

Type it in at this site: https://teslatap.com/vin-decoder/

Replace the 0's at the end with your number, and then the site should tell you what position 9 should be (the 1 in position 9 will probably be incorrect).


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## Rick59

ColoradoModel3 said:


> Try this: 5YJ3E1EA1JF000000
> 
> Type it in at this site: https://teslatap.com/vin-decoder/
> 
> Replace the 0's at the end with your number, and then the site should tell you what position 9 should be (the 1 in position 9 will probably be incorrect).


Thanks. The check number (9th) changes based on the sequential number. Confirmed a valid VIN using 4 as the check number, compared to your "1".


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## Quicksilver

I have Homelink setup and can manually open and close with no issues. I have been unable to use auto open and have tried changing the settings (20ft, 30ft, etc...) and have no luck. Any tips you all can give me? I just want auto open and not auto close (paranoid like @LUXMAN)


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## 3V Pilot

Quicksilver said:


> I have Homelink setup and can manually open and close with no issues. I have been unable to use auto open and have tried changing the settings (20ft, 30ft, etc...) and have no luck. Any tips you all can give me? I just want auto open and not auto close (paranoid like @LUXMAN)


I had trouble at first also but I fixed it using "reset location". Park in front of your garage, go into homelink settings and hit reset position. The auto close feature only works after you pull out and it gives a countdown before sending the signal, works well and no chance of it closing on your car.


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## SoFlaModel3

Quicksilver said:


> I have Homelink setup and can manually open and close with no issues. I have been unable to use auto open and have tried changing the settings (20ft, 30ft, etc...) and have no luck. Any tips you all can give me? I just want auto open and not auto close (paranoid like @LUXMAN)


I agree with @Mike Land it can be that simple. Does the house light up green as you near the home at least?


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## Quicksilver

Mike Land said:


> I had trouble at first also but I fixed it using "reset location". Park in front of your garage, go into homelink settings and hit reset position. The auto close feature only works after you pull out and it gives a countdown before sending the signal, works well and no chance of it closing on your car.


Thanks @Mike Land and @SoFlaModel3. Yes, the house lights up green but nothing happens. I'll try Mike's suggestion tomorrow.


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## SoFlaModel3

Quicksilver said:


> Thanks @Mike Land and @SoFlaModel3. Yes, the house lights up green but nothing happens. I'll try Mike's suggestion tomorrow.


That's good news - it means the GPS is picking up the location!


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## wheelers

I finally got our gate to program! I'll post how just in case someone else has the same problem. I noticed when pushing our gate opener, the teeny light on the opener itself would go off after a second or two- not long enough for the tesla to 'find' the signal. So I took both of our gate remotes & pushed each button about a second or so apart so that the signal was longer/stronger. The tesla found it & it works perfectly now! The auto open option is pretty awesome- at first we had it set too far away & the gate didn't get the signal, but after adjusting it a bit- it works wonderfully!


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## Quicksilver

@SoFlaModel3 and @Mike Land, it worked! it worked! Resetting the location worked! Thank you!


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## SoFlaModel3

Quicksilver said:


> @SoFlaModel3 and @Mike Land, it worked! it worked! Resetting the location worked! Thank you!


Hands free for the win! You're welcome!!


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