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I hate Tesla fanboyism as much as the next person, but I bought a Model 3 as a midlife crisis car (joking, I think?) and it’s the best car I’ve ever driven. Pro

I hate Tesla fanboyism as much as the next person, but I bought a Model 3 as a midlife crisis car (joking, I think?) and it’s the best car I’ve ever driven. Probably most of this is the improved acceleration and handling of an electric car in general, meaning that it isn’t Tesla-specific — except that when I tried to buy another brand there was nothing comparable. But elements of the Tesla experience really are light years beyond and other car, electric or not: the supercharger network is ubiquitous and it “just works”. I can’t imagine buying another electric car and having to worry about where I’ll charge on longer trips. The UI and navigation makes other cars (including my friend’s newish BMW) look like a 2009-era Blackberry. Last week I scheduled a computer upgrade, and Tesla showed up at my house yesterday and did it in my driveway. Yes: the interior is more basic and probably it doesn’t have the excellent build quality of a BMW. But I wouldn’t trade back. In fact, I’m never buying another ICE car again, which means other brands had better get their act together and start shipping something that competes. The TL;DR here is: people who rave about finish are like people who complained about the iPod based on storage capacity. Tesla really is doing something very right, and ignoring that based on the (very real) perception of fanboyism is cutting off your own nose.

pwinnski 6y ago
I traded my Prius for a used Fiat 500e, even trade, and it was the best decision I ever made about a car. I love my electric car, and hope to never own a gas-powered vehicle ever again! (After my wife's car eventually dies.) Sure, for rare longer trips we have to take her car, but all of the benefits you mention for your Tesla are also true for my cheap, limited-range Fiat. The acceleration, the handling, it's a thing of beauty and a joy forever!
Corrado 6y ago
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a fanboy but I do recognize that there are some things on my MY that are not where I would like them to be. Regardless, the upsides of the car more than outweigh any downside I have experienced. I feel like most people who say things like "Yea, it's nice, but what about all those problems?" would change their tune if they actually owned one. After the first test drive my view on other vehicles instantly changed to "How do people continue to drive those covered wagons?"
ghgdynb1 6y ago
The iPod analogy is so perfect. Gotta love how it rhymes with the Jobs reality distortion critique while also striking at the heart of the argument. There is definitely a difference between the value generated by excellent attention to detail and that generated by sweeping an industry with transformative technological dislocations, and the impact of the latter can dominate that of the former.
rainyMammoth 6y ago
Did you ever try a 45k$ sedan car before or are you comparing your tesla M3 to a couple years old Toyota Corolla? I also drove a tesla for a while and it didn't impress me. The acceleration is nice but it's not something you realistically care about in the long term (also acceleration kills your battery) It seems pretty common that people compare Teslas with the car they had before. It's like comparing an entry dell laptop with a MacBook pro. I think it's an immature car and most buyers are attracted to the brand appeal, and use it to appear next gen to their neighbors. As usual, no owner will recognize this but it's a well known phenomenon that manufacturers use against us.
- matthewdgreen 6y ago
  I've owned a couple of BMWs. They were nice cars, and I particularly liked the interiors. Did not particularly enjoy the clunky entertainment system and navigation, or the relatively slower pickup and constant on/off cycling of the engine every time I came to a stop.
perl4ever 6y ago
These days, cars are generally scrapped at about 15 years. Do you think Tesla has a commitment to that sort of longevity? People are always talking about theoretical reasons why electric cars should be more reliable. But if a Tesla is like a smartphone on wheels, who is using a smartphone from 2006?

pwinnski 6y ago

I traded my Prius for a used Fiat 500e, even trade, and it was the best decision I ever made about a car. I love my electric car, and hope to never own a gas-powered vehicle ever again! (After my wife's car eventually dies.) Sure, for rare longer trips we have to take her car, but all of the benefits you mention for your Tesla are also true for my cheap, limited-range Fiat. The acceleration, the handling, it's a thing of beauty and a joy forever!

Corrado 6y ago

I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a fanboy but I do recognize that there are some things on my MY that are not where I would like them to be. Regardless, the upsides of the car more than outweigh any downside I have experienced. I feel like most people who say things like "Yea, it's nice, but what about all those problems?" would change their tune if they actually owned one. After the first test drive my view on other vehicles instantly changed to "How do people continue to drive those covered wagons?"

ghgdynb1 6y ago

The iPod analogy is so perfect. Gotta love how it rhymes with the Jobs reality distortion critique while also striking at the heart of the argument. There is definitely a difference between the value generated by excellent attention to detail and that generated by sweeping an industry with transformative technological dislocations, and the impact of the latter can dominate that of the former.

rainyMammoth 6y ago

Did you ever try a 45k$ sedan car before or are you comparing your tesla M3 to a couple years old Toyota Corolla? I also drove a tesla for a while and it didn't impress me. The acceleration is nice but it's not something you realistically care about in the long term (also acceleration kills your battery) It seems pretty common that people compare Teslas with the car they had before. It's like comparing an entry dell laptop with a MacBook pro. I think it's an immature car and most buyers are attracted to the brand appeal, and use it to appear next gen to their neighbors. As usual, no owner will recognize this but it's a well known phenomenon that manufacturers use against us.

matthewdgreen 6y ago
I've owned a couple of BMWs. They were nice cars, and I particularly liked the interiors. Did not particularly enjoy the clunky entertainment system and navigation, or the relatively slower pickup and constant on/off cycling of the engine every time I came to a stop.

perl4ever 6y ago

These days, cars are generally scrapped at about 15 years. Do you think Tesla has a commitment to that sort of longevity? People are always talking about theoretical reasons why electric cars should be more reliable. But if a Tesla is like a smartphone on wheels, who is using a smartphone from 2006?