Why I am so happy not to own a Tesla model 3

[Gadget Geek]

I can imagine the reaction I would get from my wife if she had to go through the infotainment screen to open the glove box.

Now that, is a deal breaker.

 

[SimonS]

I can imagine the reaction I would get from my wife if she had to go through the infotainment screen to open the glove box.

Now that, is a deal breaker.

Well said and that is one of the things that explains why we now have a BMW i4 after owning an MG4 and test driving a Model 3. There are lots of physical buttons, stalks etc in the i4. Tesla seems to have got together a bunch of designers and used 'clean sheet' principles to design a car. Unfortunately they didn't stop to consider why current cars are built the way they are which is why we now have the idiotic situation where you have to go through the touch screen to get the wipers to work how you need them to.

My working career has been in aviation. This is an industry that spends a huge amount of time analysing incidents and accidents to ensure that they are not repeated. Regulations are written to ensure that new designs avoid previous mistakes. This relates not just to the 'nuts & bolts' but also to the procedures that cabin crew follow in the cabin. If you've ever been irked by a request to put your seat back upright or the window blind up these and many others are all things that have happened in the past that cost lives. In the case of the window blinds, in the British Airtours accident at Manchester in 1985 many of the passengers put the blinds down on the left side of the aircraft due to the low sun from that side in the early morning. This stopped the fire service being able to see if there were any trapped passengers still in the aircraft and lives were lost as a result.

So what I'm saying is that while Tesla make a good car their desire for minimalism and price control risks undoing much of the progress that has been made by the industry over many years. The position of stalks and buttons can be memorised and actioned without taking your eyes off the road. Tesla's desire to have everything in a touch screen makes perfect sense it you have a certified self driving car but no sense with the current laws in the UK. Indeed I read that the UK accident rates recently stopped falling and has now started to increase again. I wonder why

 

[johnb80]

I can imagine the reaction I would get from my wife if she had to go through the infotainment screen to open the glove box.

What about looking at another viewpoint, charging. You have to mess about with apps and pay 50% per kwh more for charging AND it takes a lot longer. Access to the glovebox seems trivial then.

Now that, is a deal breaker.

I'm not a fan of everything on the touchscreen and when I do get a Tesla I will be adding buttons under the touchscreen that are now available from 3rd party sources. There are so many plus points to Tesla that far outweigh these trivial 'problems'

 

[jeanloup]

I did a test drive on a Model Y last year at Fully Charged Live North (Now "Everything Electric Show") and I wasn't really impressed. The car felt like a tank, the speedometer was really hard to see as a small font in the corner of the central screen. I didn't like the fact that the indicators don't give you a proper haptic feedback that they're engaged.

The driving itself was fine and relatively smooth, I liked the zillions of cameras they have to show you hazards all around the car, which is useful for bicycles in particular. My wife liked it (she doesn't like the MG for some reason) but even if I could afford the base price of just the Model 3, I'd rather spend it on a car with actual buttons on the driver console and a speedometer in front of me.

 

[tsedge]

Yes. Tesla needs to realise that when consumers have a choice, many will not opt to put up with its idiosyncrasies and won't overlook them for the benefits it offers.

The problem is other EVs are good enough. Teslas are better in some ways: efficiency, charging network, some of its tech*.

But for many people those advantages don't add a lot and they will look at the competition and find cars that don't put them off with weird and wacky changes and buy them instead.

If I had to drive long distances for work daily, I might get a Tesla for efficiency and charging network alone. But I don't and few people do. In the USA and maybe Australia, longer range might well be essential but not here.

*A fair bit of the tech is actually worse - eg auto wipers, self parking, parking sensors, because Tesla want to recreate these with a novel technology approach that isn't there yet.

 

[johnb80]

*A fair bit of the tech is actually worse - eg auto wipers, self parking, parking sensors, because Tesla want to recreate these with a novel technology approach that isn't there yet.

Yep, just like MG4 with its floppy distorted undertray, odd auto lighting behaviour and the X-Powers vibration between 65 and 70 mph. They all have their weaknesses. The last 8 weeks I have been driving a Model Y doing some survey work all over the UK and it has been a complete revelation. I have been driving EV's for the last 6 years (BMW i3) and in addition an MG5 from Sept 23. Having had this somewhat extended test drive my initial 'I'm not impressed' feelings about it have completely changed to 'I'm going to have one of these'. I can fully understand people simply not accepting the Tesla way of doing things and condemning them, a test drive isn't long enough to really appreciate the car.
In terms of the MG5 'v' Model Y is the Model Y better? yes it is beyond any shadow of a doubt, it's better in every aspect. Is the Model Y £15000 better? No, not even close.

 

[tsedge]

Yep, just like MG4 with its floppy distorted undertray, odd auto lighting behaviour and the X-Powers vibration between 65 and 70 mph. They all have their weaknesses. The last 8 weeks I have been driving a Model Y doing some survey work all over the UK and it has been a complete revelation. I have been driving EV's for the last 6 years (BMW i3) and in addition an MG5 from Sept 23. Having had this somewhat extended test drive my initial 'I'm not impressed' feelings about it have completely changed to 'I'm going to have one of these'. I can fully understand people simply not accepting the Tesla way of doing things and condemning them, a test drive isn't long enough to really appreciate the car.
In terms of the MG5 'v' Model Y is the Model Y better? yes it is beyond any shadow of a doubt, it's better in every aspect. Is the Model Y £15000 better? No, not even close.

It is good to hear you had a positive experience with the MY, what I am taking from this is that it is worth going beyond an initial test drive experience to live with the car for a week or more, before forming a full judgement.

Unfortunately the common experience for getting a new car is a 20-30 minute drive, not a proper evaluation process.

 

[Gadget Geek]

What about looking at another viewpoint, charging. You have to mess about with apps and pay 50% per kwh more for charging AND it takes a lot longer. Access to the glovebox seems trivial then.

I don't use any apps to charge and I don't have any RFID cards in the easy to open glove box.

I rarely make any journeys beyond the full range of the car, so public charging prices don't really affect me.

 

[johnb80]

It is good to hear you had a positive experience with the MY, what I am taking from this is that it is worth going beyond an initial test drive experience to live with the car for a week or more, before forming a full judgement.

Yes, absolutely, I was a good few days before I really felt positive about the model Y for sure. I had the pleasure 4 years ago of working in America and had a Model X for 3 months so I was sort of pre conditioned.

Unfortunately the common experience for getting a new car is a 20-30 minute drive, not a proper evaluation process.

Agreed, exactly how it was when we looked at the MG5, an hours test drive and we placed the order. I was talking to the dealer about an X-Power but said I would want one on loan for a week before I would place an order, they wouldn't do it so I didn't buy. I have spoken with Tesla and they will do an extended demonstrator for me anytime I want for a month! I'm about to put my i3 up for sale and may well take Tesla up the offer whilst i decide what route to go.

 

[johnb80]

I don't use any apps to charge and I don't have any RFID cards in the easy to open glove box.

You and me both BUT rarely do I need to open the glovebox anyway so it's irrelevant really

I rarely make any journeys beyond the full range of the car, so public charging prices don't really affect me.

And you would be even less likely to drive beyond the full range in a Model 3 or Y.

 

[Grriff]

I think the general conclusion is that if a Tesla 3 or Y fulfills your fundamental requirements (price, size, boot opening) don't reject it without an extended testing period.

 

[ARealHuman]

Opening glovebox - push the speech button on the steering wheel, say "open glovebox" and guess what happens! Works for wiper on/off/speed, heater, heated seats and a few other things I've tried, including music although that can sometimes be hit and miss (comes with Spotify Premium as standard). Yes, using a screen for most things does take some getting used to, it took me a while but I'm getting there ;-)

Speedo - you can enlarge the font.

I have stalks on my M3 and I'm thinking it'll be weird without them as the latest model has gotten rid of them. No plans to go down that road just yet.

When I enquired at Tesla about buying one of their cars, used or new, I was offered an overnight test drive which I accepted. I agree some of these test drive periods or ridiculous - for my ZS EV I was offered 20 minutes and it wasn't until I said I'd go elsewhere they offered me a longer time. It worked, I bought the car.

 

[tsedge]

Opening glovebox - push the speech button on the steering wheel, say "open glovebox" and guess what happens! Works for wiper on/off/speed, heater, heated seats and a few other things I've tried, including music although that can sometimes be hit and miss (comes with Spotify Premium as standard). Yes, using a screen for most things does take some getting used to, it took me a while but I'm getting there ;-)

Speedo - you can enlarge the font.

I have stalks on my M3 and I'm thinking it'll be weird without them as the latest model has gotten rid of them. No plans to go down that road just yet.

When I enquired at Tesla about buying one of their cars, used or new, I was offered an overnight test drive which I accepted. I agree some of these test drive periods or ridiculous - for my ZS EV I was offered 20 minutes and it wasn't until I said I'd go elsewhere they offered me a longer time. It worked, I bought the car.

While voice activated systems are a lot better these days, there is a significant number of people who dislike the whole idea and don't use them. So, good to hear it works for you, but really having to speak a command to the car isn't a better substitute for a simple glovebox button!

 

[siteguru]

A simple glovebox button would be cheaper than the motorised/solenoid-activated system they currently use.

 

[Grriff]

But, if you have bad arthritis in your fingers, a voice activated glovebox is a good idea. However, I think it's a bit over the top but then I'm not being forced to drive a Tesla...

@johnb80 Are you using voice commands? How well do they work?

 

[Gomev]

But, if you have bad arthritis in your fingers, a voice activated glovebox is a good idea. However, I think it's a bit over the top but then I'm not being forced to drive a Tesla...

@johnb80 Are you using voice commands? How well do they work?

But, if you have bad arthritis in your fingers, should you be driving ?

 

[tsedge]

But, if you have bad arthritis in your fingers, should you be driving ?

That's a really sensitive question.

Stopping driving takes away people's independence, especially if they are without good public transport.

I agree that as eyesight, reactions and physical infirmity become problems, people tend to keep driving for too long at raised risk.

But when (or if) I reach that stage, I will probably cling on to driving too long myself if it is the way I can be independent.

 

[johnb80]

@johnb80 Are you using voice commands? How well do they work?

Yes I am and they worked straight away, I just needed to learn the commands

 

[Gomev]

That's a really sensitive question.

Stopping driving takes away people's independence, especially if they are without good public transport.

I agree that as eyesight, reactions and physical infirmity become problems, people tend to keep driving for too long at raised risk.

But when (or if) I reach that stage, I will probably cling on to driving too long myself if it is the way I can be independent.

It wasn't a comment about anything other than voice operated gloveboxes.

However as you bring it up and I agree with what you say, I don't think it a sensitive subject at all, it is a very serious and concerning one. if anyone carries on driving beyond their ability to do so safely then they risk not only their own safety but the lives of others, maybe one of yours or my family.

 

[johnb80]

But when (or if) I reach that stage, I will probably cling on to driving too long myself if it is the way I can be independent.

I think with the automation that Tesla has (voice, self drive etc), theres a strong argument for lower power versions that would give say 0-60 in 9 seconds or so to help the elderly with cheaper insurance and a more manageable car.