3 ms·

I've had a Model3 for three and a half years now (very early VIN). It's been our primary and for much of the time, only car. It's been fantastic, and I've recom

I've had a Model3 for three and a half years now (very early VIN). It's been our primary and for much of the time, only car. It's been fantastic, and I've recommended it to everyone, and three people I know have purchased 3s/Ys as well and have also been super satisfied. Is it flawless? No - upon delivery the read badge was missing and the glove box had a gap. Went to get it fixed. Year after that the front arms needed replacing. A few months ago the charge port actuator stopped working (you can still lift it manually) - clicked a few buttons in the app and a guy came by to fix it on our driveway. We have a secondary ICEV and we both hate it and mock it. It is actually one the best ICEVs in its class, but fundamentally, all ICEVs are irredeemably terrible. It needs replacing soon and I've been through every single EV out there considering alternatives, but in the end we have to replace it with a Model Y. Teslas are not flawless cars, but they are, simply, the best cars.

Marazan 5y ago
My car doesn't randomly apply the brakes for no reason.
- martythemaniak 5y ago
  Neither does mine.
- danw1979 5y ago
  Mine - a UK Prius plug-in 2013 - still, after all the recalls and software updates, skids forward uncontrollably if you’re braking and hit a drain lid, because the traction control goes loopy somehow. I’m not defending Tesla here, but let’s not pretend the established manufacturers don’t run into safety issues when it comes to the clever software under the hood.
  - vesrah 5y ago
    These kind of ABS issues (braking over a big bump, normal braking to an extremely slippery surface with just one wheel, etc) are pretty common among many cars. They basically all use one of a few ABS systems from Bosch or Continental with the parameters set to match the chassis / tire / etc setup.
- ericd 5y ago
  Keep in mind that the ones with radar don't really have that problem. This seems like it was a large performance regression.
ozzythecat 5y ago
Best by what metric? I have a six year old Corolla. No issues at all. We put gas in it and have tire rotations and regular oil changes. My Corolla is like my AirPod Pros. It just works, every time, consistently. Personally, I just want a car that has no hassles and is dependable above all else. I’d like a cold A/C on hot days and a good heater on cold days. I guess my point is - I’d love to drive an electric car and not have to go to the gas pump. But I’m not willing to deal with all the myriad issues I so often hear about from Tesla owners. I’m not interested in paying a premium for some auto maker to alpha, beta, and pre-prod test their product before getting it to modern manufacturing and reliability standards.
Amezarak 5y ago
Can you elaborate on what makes ICE vehicles "irredeemably terrible"? I can never understand what I'm missing. I have two: One is the cheapest car made by a major manufacturer, and the cheapest trim model. I have no complaints about how it drives, I actually enjoy it. But on very hot days, the AC has trouble keeping up, and an electronic display has been only intermittently functional for some time. Naturally, being a special electronic display, it costs some $600 to replace, so I haven't bothered. On very long drives (5+ hours), it does wear me out more than the second car. The other is a crossover. It is slightly more comfortable than the hatchback. The AC is definitely powerful enough, even on hot days. It is much more pleasant to drive on long trips, I think primarily due to the lanekeeping and automatic cruise control. My only real complaint is too many controls are on the touchscreen - basically any AC controls other than temperature and fan speed. When I ask other EV owners, it seems like all they can say are "it's really quiet" and "it has amazing acceleration." But my cars are already very quiet (sometimes I am not sure if they are on) and I never need any more acceleration than I have - I avoid accelerating hard in general, since it wastes gas and I'm sure also battery. And given the problems I do have with my cars, it seems like the average EV is going to be worse - if I don't like touchscreen controls, surely buying a Tesla is not going to make me happy. So what is the factor EVs have that just blows ICEZs away for the average Joe? I just don't get it. EDIT: I guess another one they frequently mention is "not having to go to the gas station", but a five minute trip once a week isn't really causing me much hardship, especially if I'm going in to buy lottery tickets anyway.
- downut 5y ago
  Also, for example a Prius has an solid 450 mile range, takes less than 10 min to refuel to max range, which generally coincides with the passengers need to refuel and/or pit stop. Someone told me that a Prius can drive all day at 85-95 mph, 40+ mpg. A multi-state trip across the US West sounds ghastly in a Tesla, logistically speaking. My Tundra has many times been days out in the bush w/o a gas station, because I carry cans. I look at a Tesla as a lower functioning, and obvs from all the comments, much less reliable machine. People love them! Guffaws. (I have nothing against EVs as a technology: when I can buy a 450 mile range, 10 minute refuel, as reliable as my Prioids and Tundra EV, for a similar price, I will.)
ohgodplsno 5y ago
>Teslas are not flawless cars, but they are, simply, the best cars. Pffffrt. By what metrics you would measure that aside, it does feel like you've never been into high quality cars. A Mercedes Class S is a veritable massive step up compared to a Tesla, for similar prices. Recent EVs like the Ioniq 5 are very much matching the Teslas in everything
boppo1 5y ago
Your experience of multiple things failing in just a few years is not what the average person would call "fantastic".
- nouveaux 5y ago
  At least the average Tesla owner disagrees with you. "With historic reliability concerns but an intensely loyal following, Tesla took the top spot for overall owner satisfaction among the 27 brands mentioned in survey responses."[0] [0]https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/most-satisfying-cars-on-the-market-car-owner-satisfaction-a8149304159/ https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisf...

Marazan 5y ago

My car doesn't randomly apply the brakes for no reason.

martythemaniak 5y ago
Neither does mine.
danw1979 5y ago
Mine - a UK Prius plug-in 2013 - still, after all the recalls and software updates, skids forward uncontrollably if you’re braking and hit a drain lid, because the traction control goes loopy somehow. I’m not defending Tesla here, but let’s not pretend the established manufacturers don’t run into safety issues when it comes to the clever software under the hood.
- vesrah 5y ago
  These kind of ABS issues (braking over a big bump, normal braking to an extremely slippery surface with just one wheel, etc) are pretty common among many cars. They basically all use one of a few ABS systems from Bosch or Continental with the parameters set to match the chassis / tire / etc setup.
ericd 5y ago
Keep in mind that the ones with radar don't really have that problem. This seems like it was a large performance regression.

ozzythecat 5y ago

Best by what metric? I have a six year old Corolla. No issues at all. We put gas in it and have tire rotations and regular oil changes. My Corolla is like my AirPod Pros. It just works, every time, consistently. Personally, I just want a car that has no hassles and is dependable above all else. I’d like a cold A/C on hot days and a good heater on cold days. I guess my point is - I’d love to drive an electric car and not have to go to the gas pump. But I’m not willing to deal with all the myriad issues I so often hear about from Tesla owners. I’m not interested in paying a premium for some auto maker to alpha, beta, and pre-prod test their product before getting it to modern manufacturing and reliability standards.

Amezarak 5y ago

Can you elaborate on what makes ICE vehicles "irredeemably terrible"? I can never understand what I'm missing. I have two: One is the cheapest car made by a major manufacturer, and the cheapest trim model. I have no complaints about how it drives, I actually enjoy it. But on very hot days, the AC has trouble keeping up, and an electronic display has been only intermittently functional for some time. Naturally, being a special electronic display, it costs some $600 to replace, so I haven't bothered. On very long drives (5+ hours), it does wear me out more than the second car. The other is a crossover. It is slightly more comfortable than the hatchback. The AC is definitely powerful enough, even on hot days. It is much more pleasant to drive on long trips, I think primarily due to the lanekeeping and automatic cruise control. My only real complaint is too many controls are on the touchscreen - basically any AC controls other than temperature and fan speed. When I ask other EV owners, it seems like all they can say are "it's really quiet" and "it has amazing acceleration." But my cars are already very quiet (sometimes I am not sure if they are on) and I never need any more acceleration than I have - I avoid accelerating hard in general, since it wastes gas and I'm sure also battery. And given the problems I do have with my cars, it seems like the average EV is going to be worse - if I don't like touchscreen controls, surely buying a Tesla is not going to make me happy. So what is the factor EVs have that just blows ICEZs away for the average Joe? I just don't get it. EDIT: I guess another one they frequently mention is "not having to go to the gas station", but a five minute trip once a week isn't really causing me much hardship, especially if I'm going in to buy lottery tickets anyway.

downut 5y ago
Also, for example a Prius has an solid 450 mile range, takes less than 10 min to refuel to max range, which generally coincides with the passengers need to refuel and/or pit stop. Someone told me that a Prius can drive all day at 85-95 mph, 40+ mpg. A multi-state trip across the US West sounds ghastly in a Tesla, logistically speaking. My Tundra has many times been days out in the bush w/o a gas station, because I carry cans. I look at a Tesla as a lower functioning, and obvs from all the comments, much less reliable machine. People love them! Guffaws. (I have nothing against EVs as a technology: when I can buy a 450 mile range, 10 minute refuel, as reliable as my Prioids and Tundra EV, for a similar price, I will.)

ohgodplsno 5y ago

>Teslas are not flawless cars, but they are, simply, the best cars. Pffffrt. By what metrics you would measure that aside, it does feel like you've never been into high quality cars. A Mercedes Class S is a veritable massive step up compared to a Tesla, for similar prices. Recent EVs like the Ioniq 5 are very much matching the Teslas in everything

boppo1 5y ago

Your experience of multiple things failing in just a few years is not what the average person would call "fantastic".

nouveaux 5y ago
At least the average Tesla owner disagrees with you. "With historic reliability concerns but an intensely loyal following, Tesla took the top spot for overall owner satisfaction among the 27 brands mentioned in survey responses."[0] [0]https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/most-satisfying-cars-on-the-market-car-owner-satisfaction-a8149304159/ https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisf...