We Bought a Tesla Model 3 and Love It! I'll answer questions, if you're interested.

[F14Scott]

As a lifelong car and motorcycle guy, I am blown away by the performance and technology of this thing.  It is ridiculously fast, quiet, roomy, and economical.  Charging at home and starting every day with 251 miles of range (battery charged to 80%) and skipping our weekly gas station stop is awesome.  Supercharging on a road trip was fast, cheap, and easy.  And its self-driving prowess makes commuting so relaxing.  It's like buying a car with a built-in chauffeur.

I don't see myself ever buying another ICE car, again, unless it is in an anachronistic, hobbyist kind of way. I'm sold on the electric vehicle.

Glad to answer questions and gush about it, if anyone is wondering what they're like.  Mine is an April 2019 build, Model 3 AWD (two motor) LR (long range) with the newest computer (aka HW3, hardware 3), 19" Tesla factory upgraded wheels, and FSD (full self drive, which means that it is capable and unlocked to do every advanced driving thing Teslas do.  It came in right around $60K, but I'll get $3500 back in federal tax credits.  I'll also spend about $25 per month on electricity to drive 1000 miles (vice the $175 it cost in the SUV it replaced).

 

[F14Scott]

 

 

 

 

I don't follow Teslas, or EVs in general, very closely in technical terms - so forgive my lack of basic knowledge: 1) Tesla's "Supercharger" network of charge stations is distinct to Teslas, right? So owners of other EVs can't use them, and vice versa?

2) What kind of charger did you have installed at home? What are it's capabilities, and it's demands on the electric system?

I know these are basic questions, but I haven't kept up. It makes some sense for my next car, in a few years, to be an electric, but I live in a townhome. Although it has a garage, extensive upgrades to panel capacity could be a deal breaker.

Oh.. and congratulations! Drive it in good health.

 

 

Happy to pontificate.

1) Yes. Teslas Level 3 (like 100+ kW, direct DC delivery) Superchargers are for Teslas only. On the highways, Tesla seems to have a healthy lead over the competition, with more locations, more chargers per location, and more kW per charger. The Superchargers can dump 150 miles of range into your car in 15 minutes, enough to get to the next Supercharger. You pay Tesla directly to use the Supercharger on your credit card on file; in use, you just pull up and plug in, and it knows who you are. Slick.

 

Now, in town is different. L2 chargers are everywhere, mostly the "J-1772" standard, for which a little adapter is provided with the Tesla. They provide around 10kW AC, which your car's internal charger uses to charge the car at between 20 and 35 MRPH (miles range per hour). There are also Tesla L2 chargers around, mostly at hotels. All these L2 chargers might be free, or you might have to pay to use them, depending on their vendors or owners.

 

2) At home, you have two options:

 

A) The car comes with a portable connector (thick 20' cord) that includes a detachable 5-15 male plug (standard 120VAC wall plug). You can use that, and depending on your Tesla model and battery size, you'll get about 4 MRPH, very slow, but if you drive under 50 miles per day, it's viable. But you can buy other plugs (each about $40) that go to other, bigger outlets, such as a 30amp 240VAC dryer outlet and a 50 amp 240VAC electric stove outlets (the latter are also at every RV park - handy backup). Assuming you have the capacity, you can have one of these outlets installed in your garage for about $500. Any of the 240VAC outlets will fully charge the car overnight, ranging in speed from 11 to 30 MRPH.

 

B) I had the Tesla wall connector (a box with a 24' cord that mounts on the wall) installed in my garage on a 60amp 240VAC breaker for $1000. It charges at 44 MPH, enough to fill the tank from completely empty in under 6 hours. Buying it means I can keep the car's included cord and a few adapters in the car, for emergencies. One could also by a second portable connector (so you don't have to keep plugging and unplugging the portable cord to have it with you) with option (A), but if you're going to do that, you might as well do (B).

 

For your condo, if you have a single 120VAC 15amp or 20amp outlet on its own circuit breaker, like for a fridge, it's very easy to change the breaker to a two pole 240VAC, using the existing wiring. You'd then either change the outlet and buy a 6-15 or 6-20 adapter for the portable cord, or mount the Tesla wall charger and use it. That setup yields 11 to 15 MRPH, plenty for all but very unusual situations, such as coming home after a long commute and wanting to turn around and immediately depart on a road trip while not living within an hour of a Supercharger.

 

At home, I add 80 miles of range, in two hours, for under $2.00 in electricity.

 

Here's a good chart:

https://www.tesla.com/support/home-charging-installation/mobile-connector

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

[Wyzz Kydd]

I've heard a lot about how fast the Teslas are.  I have a doctor friend who has a Model S with the ludicrous option.  He likes to talk trash, but it's hard to get specifics from him and I can't get him to line up against me, so to me his talk is all just that, talk.

 

I'm curious about the horsepower drop off as the battery charges.  I know when the batteries are topped off those things can run really quick 0-60 times.  What I would like to know is how fast those times are when it isn't topped off, say at 50% charge for example.  I know it will be slower, but how much slower?

[Moshe]

So, if you crash it, does it still light on fire, or did they fix that?

[tadbart]

Nice ride! Congrats!

I'm still not quite there, emotionally, to buy an EV. The announcement that Tesla is making a truck has softened that resolve a bit, though.

[Wyzz Kydd]

1 hour ago, tadbart said:

Nice ride! Congrats!

I'm still not quite there, emotionally, to buy an EV. The announcement that Tesla is making a truck has softened that resolve a bit, though.

At the rate Tesla moves they'll start taking orders for those trucks in about 5 years and start delivering them about 3 years after that.  Parts will become available about 5 years after the first truck ships.  Don't get in an accident!

[TeaDub]

Very cool Scott. I was able to ride in my brother's model 3 a month or so ago. The acceleration was impressive. The whole package was pretty cool. I'll probably just stick with my Corolla for now. I can still throw a leg over my Yamaha V-Max when I feel the need for speed. 

[tous]

Good for you, amigo.

Thank you for the information.

Do you sit in the back seat and have someone else drive? 

Enjoy your automobile.

[F14Scott]

I've heard a lot about how fast the Teslas are.  I have a doctor friend who has a Model S with the ludicrous option.  He likes to talk trash, but it's hard to get specifics from him and I can't get him to line up against me, so to me his talk is all just that, talk.
 
I'm curious about the horsepower drop off as the battery charges.  I know when the batteries are topped off those things can run really quick 0-60 times.  What I would like to know is how fast those times are when it isn't topped off, say at 50% charge for example.  I know it will be slower, but how much slower?

I have the all wheel drive, dual motor model. Numerous other Model 3 owners get 4.1 second 0 to 60 times at the drag strip with this car. From what I have read, those times are pretty consistent between 100% charged down to about 70%. Below that, the times get slightly slower according to the clock, but not according to the seat of your pants; in other words, the difference is negligible. Below 20% battery, a place I have never taken the car, the computer is supposed to limit performance to protect the battery.

In my experience, between 100% and 30%, the car feels the same all the time. It is a strange, awesome acceleration, completely linear. I've seen a chart and the car snaps to about 0.6 eyeball back Gs and stays there 'til well above a 100 miles per hour. No buildup. No shift points. It's just an amusement park ride or, something I'm familiar with, a quarter power cat shot.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[gwalchmai]

Have you driven a CVT, Scott? If so, how does the EV compare?

[F14Scott]

So, if you crash it, does it still light on fire, or did they fix that?

From all I've read, the fire thing is a media sensationalism invention. By every measurable objective metric, Teslas burn about a tenth as often as ICE cars.

Because it's so rare, and because news organizations like to promote fear, Tesla fires make good copy.

Not to mention the big oil conspiracy angle...

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[F14Scott]

Have you driven a CVT, Scott? If so, how does the EV compare?

Two of my kids now have Subarus with CVTs. It's nothing like it.

 

My best two analogies:

It's an electric golf cart from hell.

It's like driving a sporty car (say, a Camaro SS, 450 HP) in second gear, all the time, with no upper RPM limit, just instant snap acceleration. On the way up it just pulls like crazy. Let off, and it is very draggy (because of the regenerative braking). I almost never touch the brakes; only to bring it from about 5 mph to 0 are they necessary in normal driving, unless some emergency stop event takes place.

 

ETA: CVTs feel, to me, like Constantly Slipping Clutches. They just never feel "locked in," I guess because they aren't.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[TeaDub]

2 hours ago, F14Scott said:

Two of my kids now have Subarus with CVTs. It's nothing like it.

 

My best two analogies:

It's an electric golf cart from hell.

It's like driving a sporty car (say, a Camaro SS, 450 HP) in second gear, all the time, with no upper RPM limit, just instant snap acceleration. On the way up it just pulls like crazy. Let off, and it is very draggy (because of the regenerative braking). I almost never touch the brakes; only to bring it from about 5 mph to 0 are they necessary in normal driving, unless some emergency stop event takes place.

 

ETA: CVTs feel, to me, like Constantly Slipping Clutches. They just never feel "locked in," I guess because they aren't.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Yep. I do remember him letting me feel the "braking" thing. Something to get acclimated to, but not a big deal.  My driving habits would probably do well with an EV. It's my checkbook that the Missus has other plans for. 

[kerbie18]

I've ridden in a Tesla a couple of times. They are very impressive machines, for sure. 

I'm never going to realistically afford one on a cop's salary, so I'm not in the market for one. I also live in a condo where I park in a shared parking lot, so I'm not sure how the hell I would ever charge an electric vehicle. 

But anyway, congrats on the new ride.

[willie-pete]

Have you " broken in " the Autopilot yet ?

 

https://www.inverse.com/article/55729-tesla-autopilot-porn-interview

 

“It’s scary! It’s a little scary … My ass hit the steering wheel and knocked it out of autopilot for a while,” Jackson says.

 

 

[F14Scott]

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that.

A 30 or 50 amp 240 line would be viable in my garage, and just fine for daily use. It's funny, I live in an area with very high Tesla (and EV in general) market penetration. I "see" Superchargers and EV chargers all the time, but I've never really taken the time to process what I'm looking at, and the various types.

On a day to day basis, are you comfortable just plugging in at night, or do you try to charge at public chargers while doing daily driving? It seems like, if your daily driving is less than 100 miles or so, you could just plug in at night and start each morning without ever giving a thought to range anxiety or filling up. More or less the equivalent to starting each day with a full "tank", and never running it below about 50%.

My car has 310 miles of range. I charge to 80% (251 miles) because that's the consensus for keeping the battery the happiest.

 

Other than road trips, I have never used a charger other than my home, except a couple of tests to prove to myself they would work. In those tests, my home charger was faster than the L2 chargers I tested. As an aviator who was always thinking about scarce gas, I started out with some pretty good range anxiety, but a couple of months of seamless home charging and I am totally over it.

 

If you can get a 30 or 50 amp [ETA: or, ideally, a 60 amp, which maxes out the connector's output to a Model 3 yet doesn't need a separate disconnect, per code] circuit, I'd recommend putting the Tesla wall connector on it and keeping the portable in the car. Longer cord. No plugging and unplugging. Built in cord storage. Heavier duty cord. More water resistant. Breaker doesn't need to be GFCI, per code.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[F14Scott]

I've ridden in a Tesla a couple of times. They are very impressive machines, for sure. 
I'm never going to realistically afford one on a cop's salary, so I'm not in the market for one. I also live in a condo where I park in a shared parking lot, so I'm not sure how the hell I would ever charge an electric vehicle. 
But anyway, congrats on the new ride.

The entry models begin at $35K before the $3,500 tax credit. Supposedly, Teslas will run to a million miles (not sure if the paint and upholstery will make it that far). I'll bet there will be some very nice used ones in the mid twenties, soon.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[KWalrad]

Interesting. A couple of co-workers and I were discussing these a couple of days ago. The performance side sounds good, but it'd take a while to manage the distance/charging thing in my head.

I noticed the Texas plate, were you able to buy in state or did you have to go out of state for your purchase?

[F14Scott]

Interesting. A couple of co-workers and I were discussing these a couple of days ago. The performance side sounds good, but it'd take a while to manage the distance/charging thing in my head.

I noticed the Texas plate, were you able to buy in state or did you have to go out of state for your purchase?

The charging thing is such a new way of thinking (or, not thinking, really).

 

The old way was that for the first half tank, I was free from thinking about gas at all. Nice. For the next quarter tank, I had a growing, nagging feeling that I was going to have to get gas in the near future. In the final quarter tank, it was time to stop what I was doing and stop for 10 minutes, and hope that the station I used was nice, that the pumps worked, and, in my wife's case, that there weren't criminals or bums around.

 

Now, unless I'm going on an out of town road trip, I simply do not think about range or fueling. When I arrive home, it takes 10 seconds to plug in, and the next morning I have a full tank again. It's very liberating.

 

Yes, we bought it here in Houston. We could have done it all online, ourselves, but there is a Tesla showroom in the Galleria mall about 10 minutes from our house, so we went and kicked tires, took a trest drive, and used *their* laptop to order it online, ourselves. For delivery, the Tesla rep drove it to our house, got our phones and keys set up, answered questions, and took an Uber away.

 

The order process is crazy easy; I could order another one in about one minute. There are only 5 choices (battery size/power level unlocked, color, wheels, interior color, and self driving level) and then entering your credit card for the deposit.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[Silentpoet]

[KWalrad]

21 hours ago, F14Scott said:

The charging thing is such a new way of thinking (or, not thinking, really).

 

The old way was that for the first half tank, I was free from thinking about gas at all. Nice. For the next quarter tank, I had a growing, nagging feeling that I was going to have to get gas in the near future. In the final quarter tank, it was time to stop what I was doing and stop for 10 minutes, and hope that the station I used was nice, that the pumps worked, and, in my wife's case, that there weren't criminals or bums around.

 

Now, unless I'm going on an out of town road trip, I simply do not think about range or fueling. When I arrive home, it takes 10 seconds to plug in, and the next morning I have a full tank again. It's very liberating.

 

Yes, we bought it here in Houston. We could have done it all online, ourselves, but there is a Tesla showroom in the Galleria mall about 10 minutes from our house, so we went and kicked tires, took a trest drive, and used *their* laptop to order it online, ourselves. For delivery, the Tesla rep drove it to our house, got our phones and keys set up, answered questions, and took an Uber away.

 

The order process is crazy easy; I could order another one in about one minute. There are only 5 choices (battery size/power level unlocked, color, wheels, interior color, and self driving level) and then entering your credit card for the deposit.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Very cool. I remember hearing that there was some stupid regulation in Texas that barred sales in state. I guess it expired.

 

What are the long term thoughts regarding maintenance and associated costs? 3 years, 5 years, 10 years down the line? Is there an expected life span for the battery?

[F14Scott]

Very cool. I remember hearing that there was some stupid regulation in Texas that barred sales in state. I guess it expired.
 
What are the long term thoughts regarding maintenance and associated costs? 3 years, 5 years, 10 years down the line? Is there an expected life span for the battery?

Zero scheduled maintenance. Not hyperbole, there is nothing to do.

I imagine the brakes will need flushing at some point. Given the 90% braking done by the regenerative magnets in the motors, the pads and rotors will go for hundreds of thousands of miles. I'm sure wheel bearings and suspension springs and struts will wear out. Tires. Wiper blades.

The high mileage fleet Teslas are clocking 400,000+ miles and are still going strong. Their batteries have lost about 20% of their original range, but still work fine, otherwise. We hear the term "million mile cars" getting thrown around.

I'm 50. At 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year, to make 400,000 miles, I may have to learn how to drive while dead.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[tous]

That's only 33.33+ years at to low range, 26.66+ years at the upper range; 83 to 76 years old.

You'll make it that long.

Yes, I have a slide rule.

[F14Scott]

That's only 33.33+ years at to low range, 26.66+ years at the upper range; 83 to 76 years old.
You'll make it that long.
Yes, I have a slide rule.
[emoji3]

Back when I was in sales, I used to like to say, "This will outlive you, if you die when you're supposed to."

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[KWalrad]

Color me ignorant (amongst other things), but isn't there a theoretical means of regenerating electrical power through the braking system. (Thinking hydro-electric generators here... use the spin of the rotors to generate electricity. I don't know... I lack knowledge of slide rule prowess.)