5 ms·

Definitely this. I used to think I preferred manuals for the sense of control. When I got a Tesla, I realized what I was really looking for was responsiveness.

by Zanni 8y ago

Definitely this. I used to think I preferred manuals for the sense of control. When I got a Tesla, I realized what I was really looking for was responsiveness. I also have an Audi TTS which is automatic but has a "manual" mode. Apparently it can shift faster than a human being, which makes it much quicker to leave it on auto if you're going for a fast 0-60 time. Just stomp on the gas and it'll shift at the optimum moment. But since that's rarely what I actually want to do, I find the auto-shifter too conservative for my taste most of the time and drive it in (no clutch) "manual." But the Tesla is just better: faster off the line, perfectly responsive, never in the wrong gear. I don't miss manual at all when I drive my Model S.

Sohcahtoa82 8y ago
> When I got a Tesla, I realized what I was really looking for was responsiveness. Yup. The responsiveness of an EV makes even a Nissan Leaf feel surprisingly zippy. When I drive my wife's CRV (which has a CVT), it feels bad when I floor it to pass someone and I have to wait for the RPMs to increase before it actually really begins to move. Even in my manual BRZ, it takes me a second to clutch in, give it gas to rev match while moving the shifter, and release the clutch. And I've had times dropping to second where I rev-matched poorly while releasing the clutch too fast, causing a bit of wheel spin, which made the traction control hit the brakes a bit. Feels bad, man. Looking forward to getting an EV in about 5 years. Planning on getting a Tesla Roadster if I can afford it. The wife would rather see me settle for a Model S P100D though.
- Zanni 8y ago
  My lust for the Roadster is at least partially offset by my desire not to be the kind of guy that drops $250K on a car. We'll see which wins out ...
  - Sohcahtoa82 8y ago
    It's only $250k for a "Founders Series" Roadster. The base model Roadster is only (hah..."only") $200k. So far, there haven't been any features announced for the "Founders Series" other than being one of the first 1,000 Roadsters to come off the line. Not exactly a feature I give a damn about. Hell, by the time I'm ready to buy a Roadster, there will probably be some used ones available that I will pick up.

by Zanni 8y ago

Sohcahtoa82 8y ago

> When I got a Tesla, I realized what I was really looking for was responsiveness. Yup. The responsiveness of an EV makes even a Nissan Leaf feel surprisingly zippy. When I drive my wife's CRV (which has a CVT), it feels bad when I floor it to pass someone and I have to wait for the RPMs to increase before it actually really begins to move. Even in my manual BRZ, it takes me a second to clutch in, give it gas to rev match while moving the shifter, and release the clutch. And I've had times dropping to second where I rev-matched poorly while releasing the clutch too fast, causing a bit of wheel spin, which made the traction control hit the brakes a bit. Feels bad, man. Looking forward to getting an EV in about 5 years. Planning on getting a Tesla Roadster if I can afford it. The wife would rather see me settle for a Model S P100D though.

Zanni 8y ago
My lust for the Roadster is at least partially offset by my desire not to be the kind of guy that drops $250K on a car. We'll see which wins out ...
- Sohcahtoa82 8y ago
  It's only $250k for a "Founders Series" Roadster. The base model Roadster is only (hah..."only") $200k. So far, there haven't been any features announced for the "Founders Series" other than being one of the first 1,000 Roadsters to come off the line. Not exactly a feature I give a damn about. Hell, by the time I'm ready to buy a Roadster, there will probably be some used ones available that I will pick up.