Author Topic: Does anyone own a Tesla?  (Read 9207 times)

StartingEarly

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Does anyone own a Tesla?
« on: March 29, 2015, 12:19:07 PM »
I was just wondering. I have been looking at them since before the roadster was out on the roads, but they haven't gone down enough in price on the used market for me to justify one here.

gaja

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2015, 12:45:26 PM »
I have tried them (roadster and S) a few times, but it is not the car for me. The S is too big, and you can't really feel the acceleration. Kind of like a big sofa. But then, it is an American car. The roadster is just a toy.

There are a lot of them on the roads here, and with the introduction of the D, there is an increase on the second hand market of the S. I think I have seen them down to $65 000, but the lowest right now is at $67 000: http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/result?carmodelmake=0%2F8078&enginefuel=0%2F4&sort=2

libertarian4321

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2015, 08:29:01 AM »
The S is too big, and you can't really feel the acceleration. Kind of like a big sofa.

Compared to what?

If you compare it to a high performance sports car, yeah, the standard Tesla Model S won't seem all that quick.

But it'll blow the doors off just about anything other than a high powered sports car.  It will leave a BMW 328 eating dust, and that ain't a "slow" car.

I suspect most people looking at the Model S are NOT 22-year old males looking to drag race.  They want a well built, practical (can actually carry passengers, something most high performance vehicles can not do very well), high mileage vehicle.  For those folks, the Model S is more than fast enough.

So if you are looking to DRAG RACE your (standard) Tesla, you'll probably be disappointed.  But for normal folks, it has plenty of acceleration (more than you'd ever need).

There are plenty of reasons someone might not choose a Tesla (price, anxiety about battery performance, long term reliability, etc), but I doubt most people in the market for these vehicles will consider "lack of acceleration" one of them.

gaja

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2015, 09:20:08 AM »
The S is too big, and you can't really feel the acceleration. Kind of like a big sofa.

Compared to what?

If you compare it to a high performance sports car, yeah, the standard Tesla Model S won't seem all that quick.

But it'll blow the doors off just about anything other than a high powered sports car.  It will leave a BMW 328 eating dust, and that ain't a "slow" car.

I suspect most people looking at the Model S are NOT 22-year old males looking to drag race.  They want a well built, practical (can actually carry passengers, something most high performance vehicles can not do very well), high mileage vehicle.  For those folks, the Model S is more than fast enough.

So if you are looking to DRAG RACE your (standard) Tesla, you'll probably be disappointed.  But for normal folks, it has plenty of acceleration (more than you'd ever need).

There are plenty of reasons someone might not choose a Tesla (price, anxiety about battery performance, long term reliability, etc), but I doubt most people in the market for these vehicles will consider "lack of acceleration" one of them.

I'm not saying it is slow, I'm saying you can't feel how fast it is. It is not an electric car issue, it's an American car issue. I think I've driven all electric car types on the marked in a large range of conditions (icy roads, 12 degree slopes, long distance, highways, dirt roads, etc), except the new Mercedes. My favorite is the E-Golf. It is a normal family car, with all the positive sides of an electric car (including good acceleration), and an OK range. And it is small enough to be easy to park and drive in cramped environments. If the Renault Zoe didn't have all those charging issues, that could also be a good car for everyday use.

I know it is me being weird. I also didn't like the BMW i3, but love the old Buddy. DH would like the Tesla, because he likes driving big old Mercedeses and other "comfy sofa" cars. I don't think you'll ever get me into a SUV or truck...

forummm

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2015, 11:04:49 AM »
I own a Tesla.....share of stock....in my index fund.

I actually have 2 Leafs. Electric is great. I would love a Tesla if it were affordable. They are pretty sweet cars.

I have tried them (roadster and S) a few times, but it is not the car for me. The S is too big, and you can't really feel the acceleration. Kind of like a big sofa. But then, it is an American car. The roadster is just a toy.

There are a lot of them on the roads here, and with the introduction of the D, there is an increase on the second hand market of the S. I think I have seen them down to $65 000, but the lowest right now is at $67 000: http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/result?carmodelmake=0%2F8078&enginefuel=0%2F4&sort=2

I haven't ridden in one. But your impressions are very different than everyone I've ever heard talk about the car. It's instant torque.

Nothlit

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2015, 11:20:07 AM »
I am hopeful about Tesla and electric cars in general. But I'm glad that my current gas powered car should last another decade or so, because in that time, I hope someone solves the problem of ubiquitous rapid (i.e., 10 minutes or less) charging. Otherwise people like me who live in apartments or other situations without garage parking and their own dedicated power outlet or charging station are out of luck.

dragoncar

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2015, 04:59:34 PM »
looks like these people can feel it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLgF1uLB8

couponvan

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2015, 05:13:50 PM »
I think most of what a Tesla can provide other than status symbols is covered by a Nissan Leaf.  The cheapest alternative that will get you safely from Point A to Point B is the way to go in cars 99% of the time.  In the MMM forum I don't think anyone would be willing to take the face punches.  My DH has tried to sell me on the "value" of a Tesla, but NO WAY AM I PAYING FOR THAT CLOWN CAR!!!

forummm

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2015, 07:49:25 AM »
looks like these people can feel it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLgF1uLB8

Yeah, the instant torque is surprising. My $13k Leaf isn't nearly as powerful, but it still pushes me back in my seat immediately--great for jumping into traffic flows to get from behind a bus.

See how long it takes the Lamborghini to catch up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQl9OjPFDdc

More fun videos showing the torque.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8-S7FghyEA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQl9OjPFDdc

forummm

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2015, 07:53:26 AM »
I am hopeful about Tesla and electric cars in general. But I'm glad that my current gas powered car should last another decade or so, because in that time, I hope someone solves the problem of ubiquitous rapid (i.e., 10 minutes or less) charging. Otherwise people like me who live in apartments or other situations without garage parking and their own dedicated power outlet or charging station are out of luck.

Yeah, the cheaper cars aren't for everyone yet. But it's super convenient if you have a place to plug it in at home. I'm saving a lot of money too.

The Teslas do have the Supercharger network available, so you can charge it for free pretty quickly (not 10 minutes yet), and the network covers almost the entire country now. You could go on just about any road trip across the country and charge only at the Supercharger stations.

gaja

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2015, 01:02:57 PM »
Electric cars are fun, and Tesla is an electric car. If you really wanted to see grimaces, you should film someone in an old Buddy, and ask them to put it in reverse. Since there are no gears, electric cars can in theory go equally fast in both directions. Since that is not a good idea, modern EVs have put speed limits on the reverse.

I would definitely recommend everybody to test drive different types of electric cars before deciding on what vehicle to buy. For every day use, they are just as good as fossil fuelled cars. Depending on your needs and the local market, they can be just as cheap too.

How is the second hand market for leaves in the US/Canada? Can you get some good deals? Here you can get some very nice deals on the triplets (Mistubishi i-Miev, Citroen C-Zero, Peougot Ion) on the second hand market, but their range is a bit short (60-80 km in winter).

ysette9

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2015, 02:27:46 PM »
I haven't driven one myself, but being that I live and work practically next door to the headquarters and the first showroom, there are plenty around my neighborhood. Just to provide some context, I live next door to an extremely affluent area. I find it interesting to observe what the truly rich choose to drive. Around here the "normal" professional-type person (well off compared to the rest of the country) drives a Lexus or a BMW. The "real rich" drive Maseratis, Alfa Romeros, the occasional high-end Mercedes, and Teslas. I am so used to seeing these things around now that my gut reaction to seeing a Maserati is "you fool, why would you buy that when for the same money you can get a kick-a$$ Tesla??). ~shaking head~

Syonyk

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2015, 03:01:57 PM »
I would definitely recommend everybody to test drive different types of electric cars before deciding on what vehicle to buy. For every day use, they are just as good as fossil fuelled cars. Depending on your needs and the local market, they can be just as cheap too.

They're radically cheaper, in the Seattle area.  People who were paying $150+/mo in gas on an older vehicle are getting Leafs at $200/mo leases for 2-3 years, and power costs are either near zero or zero (if you can charge at work, which is common here).  I also hear they're excellent vehicles for sitting in the slow crawl that is the Seattle traffic most days.  It works out to something like $3k/yr (total) for a commuter vehicle, and it's someone else's problem at the end of the lease (which, given the rapid development of technology and issues with some of the early battery packs, is a good thing).  Most of the people I know doing this have other vehicles as well, and lease a Leaf as a "commuter and around town car," after having done the math to show that the lease is saving them a good amount of money.

Quote
How is the second hand market for leaves in the US/Canada? Can you get some good deals? Here you can get some very nice deals on the triplets (Mistubishi i-Miev, Citroen C-Zero, Peougot Ion) on the second hand market, but their range is a bit short (60-80 km in winter).

No idea.  Everyone I know who is coming up on the end of lease can get them extended at the same rate for another year or two, and so far, everyone I know in that situation has done just that.

gimp

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2015, 03:16:56 PM »
From a frugality point of view, there's no way to justify a tesla today. It's a luxury car.

With that said, of course they are fantastic. If you're looking to drop $80k on a car, though, this might be the wrong place to ask.

StartingEarly

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2015, 03:23:50 PM »
I've just been watching them from afar. I would probably consider a higher mileage 85kw version in a few years. The 8 year unlimited mileage warranty on battery, inverter and motor is pretty enticing. I don't think I would pay more than $20k for one, so it will be some time off.

Syonyk

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2015, 03:36:46 PM »
From a frugality point of view, there's no way to justify a tesla today. It's a luxury car.

They /do/ hold value very well, though.  At least right now, with supply being constrained.  "Used Tesla, right now" is worth almost as much as "New Tesla, in a few months."

But, from a cheap transport perspective, it's really hard to beat a Leaf for commute distances outside bicycle range right now (you can do 20-30 miles on the highway each way, which, while not ideal, is better done in a Leaf than an ICE vehicle).

Plus, you get to be super-smug.

Le Poisson

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2015, 04:00:06 PM »
I found one for sale in Toronto. A model S (I think?) with 30,000 km on it. $89,000 CAD - thats $70,594 USD. Maybe we should start moving them across the border and making money on the exchange rate.

forummm

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2015, 06:00:32 PM »
How is the second hand market for leaves in the US/Canada? Can you get some good deals? Here you can get some very nice deals on the triplets (Mistubishi i-Miev, Citroen C-Zero, Peougot Ion) on the second hand market, but their range is a bit short (60-80 km in winter).

You can get a brand new Leaf for $18k after the federal tax credit. Some states have tax credits that bring the cost down even more. $6k Colorado, $5k Georgia, etc. So mine was $13k to me--cheaper than a gasoline powered car. And electricity is about 1/10 the cost of gas. And no maintenance or emissions testing.

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/nissan-leaf-almost-paying-me-to-drive-it/

Wupper

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #18 on: April 01, 2015, 06:45:02 PM »
I almost bought a Model S. Literally within seconds of signing the paperwork. Pen in hand and decided to sleep on it.

Agonized over the decision for the next week, and decided it wasn't for me. You see, when I finish a beer while driving my Honda Accord, I toss the empty can in the back seat before I snap open another one. Just doesn't seem right to do that in a Tesla.
 

Indexer

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2015, 09:04:06 PM »
Current car:  paid off.
Tesla:  $90,000 car.

At $2.00 a gallon that will buy me 45,000 gallons of gas.  At 30mpg that will take me 1.35 MILLION miles. 

Now not even figuring in the cost of electricity the break even where this electric car becomes worthwhile is more miles than I plan on driving in my entire lifetime... and likely more miles than a Telsa could go before breaking down.

MATH >  Tesla

StartingEarly

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Re: Does anyone own a Tesla?
« Reply #20 on: April 01, 2015, 10:03:51 PM »
I don't think many new cars are a great financial option. I guess I just look at Tesla with a lot of hope for the future.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!