signdetres

copied from my post in the 4GS forum...


Guys I cheated on my GS again... this time with a Tesla Model Y Performance and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to come back from this... A buddy of mine came by with one that he just picked up and I got to drive it around for an hour or so.

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Everything you've ever heard about the poor build quality is true. If you looked for it, the issues are there. Runny paint, bubbly paint, adhesive bonding material that leaked and dried during the manufacturing process, slightly uneven panel gaps, etc. These were only found in the trunk jams, frunk jams, etc. Nothing like this could be seen just by looking at the car from inside/outside with everything closed, but if you know where to look, like I do since I frequent TeslaMotorsClub off and on, you'll see it.

I've always said there's NO WAY IN HELL I'd be able to drive a Tesla knowing about all these flaws, because frankly, on a $68,000 car like the one I drove, it's unacceptable... It would still be unacceptable and probably unheard of on a $15k Chevy... and when you're coming from a Lexus where everything is perfect and no detail was left untouched, it's a hard pill to swallow... but that said, I don't know who I am or who I'm becoming, but I think I can find it in me to look past all that.

I think there are so many reasons NOT to get one but I can't even think about my drive with it yesterday and not smile or laugh when recalling how much fun we had in it. I can't remember the last time a car made both my passenger and I laugh our heads off. I can't remember the last time I had that much fun behind the wheel of a car or as a passenger. And when you're not doing 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and want to drive it calmly and smoothly, I hate to say this, but it certainly has the GS beat. In city/low-speed driving, an area I always thought the GS excelled at in terms of driving refinement and comfort, it has the Lexus beat. You just can't get any smoother than an electric powertrain.

It definitely has the "cool factor" too. We had people approach us to ask about it and the amount of people who stop and stare as we're driving is unreal. As we'd pass by people dining outside, they would literally get out of their seats as we drove past them to check it out and this was in an area where there are Rolls Royce Cullinans, Lamborghini Huracans, S-Classes by the boatload, etc. and I've never seen anyone give those cars even a passing glance. It's unreal, especially considering almost everyone here already has a Model 3/Model X/Model S, so Tesla's aren't a rare sight here. You see more Teslas than you do Lexuses here.

I will say, in photos, I was never a fan of the interior of the Model Y. In person though, I actually really liked the clean and minimalist design with the slab of wood that spans across the whole dash, the almost invisible air vents, etc. The build quality of the interior was surprisingly good and felt really solid with no rattles, creaks or anything of that nature. The simple nature of the interior made it easy to focus on just driving and nothing else. I barely tried AutoPilot for all of 10 seconds. It's too much fun to drive yourself.

Don't get me started on all the tech though. I played with the self-parking feature, which worked fantastically and being able to Summon the car to us via smartphone was epic.

Hopping back into the GS though, the immediate thought that came to mind was "oh wow, this is a real interior." If you ever find yourself under-appreciating the interior of your GS, you need to step back for a minute and have a refresher. Go spend time in something else and then go back and sit in your GS. Everything from the look of the interior, the materials, the seat adjustability and comfort, the buttons oh the buttons, etc. It made me realize how much the GS spoils you, though I can't say I felt the same about the driving experience of the GS afterwards. I was worried the way the Tesla drove would ruin me in all aspects and it did... handling, ride comfort (despite being on 21" wheels, rubber band tires, no adaptive suspension), road/interior noise, performance, just about everything.

I really wanted to hate this car. I really really did.

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I can't stop thinking about it.

LeX2K

The quality issues at times are bizarre, seam sealer (I think) randomly splashed about. How does that not get corrected? But as you found out the overall appeal is so strong you don't really care, other auto makers if they are thinking straight should be very afraid of this.

EZZ

Honestly, people in the forums have learned that first year models are kinda a disaster. 2nd years are much better. The best strategy is to get one with minimal issues and then ask the service center to correct them all. After that, you'll probably won't see the service center for 3 years or longer. Nothing compares to the responsiveness of an electric drivetrain. Even V8s feel laggy comparatively to instant torque, instant response. Keep in mind, the motors lose their oomph past 110 mph.

It's the other trade offs that determine whether you'd like your Tesla long term. It's not for everyone but many love it. The best part is no fuel and no maintenance on a car that does 0-60 in 3 seconds. I'm probably never going back to ICE as my daily.

rogerh00

Living in Ca I assume that is easy for you to say. Service centers in other states are difficult to find if at all. When one does find one hours away from your home no one at the service center will answer the phone. You must make an appointment over the internet weeks or even months away. Hopefully you won't need any parts because that would be another delay while parts are ordered. Service is the Achilles heel to Tesla ownership which is never mentioned.

EZZ

If that is the case, then it's not the right car and company for you. I said it isn't for everybody as people on the coasts have much more service access. I have just as many Lexus dealers as Tesla service centers around me but doesn't really matter as I haven't seen my service center in a year as this thing requires no drivetrain maintenance. If I lived that far away from a major metro, I'd probably just have a truck

rogerh00

It's not just about me it's about other areas besides California. Tesla even says they need to improve their customer service. So yes with that it's not the car for me. It's going to years before Tesla catches up in the rest of the country. So for now I'm eyeing a Ford Mach-e not a pick up.

EZZ

The Mach-E looks much better in person. I saw saw many at the LA auto show last year. You should get the Performance one...looks like a compelling car.

92 SC400

I agree about the Mach-E's appearance, I saw one in person at an auto show earlier this year and thought it looked pretty good. For giggles I was looking at them on the Ford site the other day, they do seem to be an interesting option for someone who wants an EV and not a Tesla - especially if you live in CA and see 100s of them everyday on the road!

MattyG

^^^ There's no going back to regular gas/diesel once you experience some form of electric, even in hybrid form. Tesla's big draw is styling/tech and blazing fast electric torque. Not to mention the handling. It's going to take some time for infrastructure to catch up. But once it does, there would be a cost/benefit shift in many major towns and cities. The herd will always take the smart and quick path. You have to make it viable for car buyers.

One thing Tesla needs to fix is the integrated smart screen control UI. You don't need to dive into multiple menus just to change the airflow of the vents or change the heat/ac.

FatherTo1

Just retuerned from a roadtrip to Yellowstone and it really opened my eyes to the lack of EVs in middle America. Sure, there are Superchargers spread out to make a cross-country trip, but I rarely saw a Tesla or any EV while driving through Nevada and Idaho. I saw tons of trucks though, usually towing travel trailers. Also saw a huge lack of ethnic diversity. People are very courteous and friendly though. I love the wider lanes in other states and how much better the drivers are outside of California. Drivers actually let people merge in and no one ever honked impatiently. I also didn't realize how much open land still exists in America! But back on point...i averaged seeing one Tesla per day in my 80-150 miles of daily driving inside Yellowstone, and saw zero Teslas for 600 miles on the trip home until I got near Reno, NV. Once I hit California then Teslas popped up left and right. I guess most of the sales truly are concentrated along the coasts.

I'm starting to see several Model Y appear in our neighborhood. I still have trouble recognizing it as a Y or 3 from afar, but the sharper and more curved trunk edge is a dead giveaway. OP's experience reminds me of my first ride in a Model 3. I got back into my LS 460 and suddenly felt so dissatisfied...I could not believe my change of heart. But after 11-months of owning a Model S, I considered selling it...to upgrade to a Model S Long Range Plus, lol. Didn't go through with it.

Fizzboy7

I still can't get passed the goofy, Jetson's styling of the Y. I would not want a car with this shape, no matter how well it drove. But that's my personal thing, and I am happy for the company's success.
Thanks for the interesting read.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Thanks for sharing! Love that color.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

So you have a Model S and an LS460?

FatherTo1

Not anymore. I sold the LS last year to get the S . Similar to OP's experience, after test driving a coworker's Model 3 I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and had to get a Tesla. Model S and LS are both phenomenal cars, but at opposite ends of the spectrum.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Ok, your sig still says 2013 LS...

and yeah, Tesla S and LS460 are VERY different, lol.