EV general discussion

Went into Chester Tesla today to drop my car off for some work... they have a reception desk now which is great. They said there's a desk in the Liverpool branch too.
I've got a 2020 Model 3 Performance for a week as a courtesy car so an upgrade in performance over my 2021 M3LR but is missing some helpful things like a powered boot and the phone holder bit doesn't fit my S24 Ultra whereas my car i can fit it on the wireless charging pad fine. It also doesn't have double glazed windows so a fair bit of wind noise.
Was parked next to a 2024 M3P at the services that looked really nice.
 
My first Tesla test drive was a 2020 Model 3 and it was a terrible car.

Poor suspension, terrible wind noise, terrible build quality and all for a very premium price. And here in N. Ireland there is no supercharger network, so that is not remotely a factor.

I tried an early 2022 model a few years later and it had improved to at least half decent build quality, but still an objectively poor car due to lower comfort, noise and not as premium as the price would warrant.

Great EVs, terrible cars is still how I view Tesla.
 
ICDP said:
My first Tesla test drive was a 2020 Model 3 and it was a terrible car.

Poor suspension, terrible wind noise, terrible build quality and all for a very premium price. And here in N. Ireland there is no supercharger network, so that is not remotely a factor.

I tried an early 2022 model a few years later and it had improved to at least half decent build quality, but still an objectively poor car due to lower comfort, noise and not as premium as the price would warrant.

Great EVs, terrible cars is still how I view Tesla.
Click to expand...
Yup certainly not issue free! Mines in for paint defect on the bumper thats been replaced already along with a rattle on the door. The loan car centre console bit takes a bit to close and the voice command is slow.
The nearest Tesla supercharger for me is over an hour away at Preston unless I went north on the M6 but that wouldn't make sense as all my trips out are down south.

For the performance, features and charging network for a lot of England they do seem pretty good value.
 
I guess I just never got the love for Tesla and felt it was all a bit of a cult love in. I tried to view the cars objectively and was never impressed with them at any level that mattered to me.

- Performance was great in a straight line
- The more mainstream models had efficiency no better than a Kia Niro
- Build quality worse than pretty much every brand I had ever experienced
- Premium price for a very mediocre car

By the time Tesla caught up on build quality, other manufacturers have caught up on the EV part. Even that was not as far ahead as the myths implied.

So now we have Tesla finally has half decent build quality, but their mascot is a Nazi. It takes years to build a reputation and seconds to destroy it. Well done Elon I guess.
 
Last edited:
I retrofitted the highland dampers to my 2022 3.
Definitely improved ride quality and you only need to do the rears for 80% of the benefits.
Cost £120 each direct from Tesla and I fitted them on my drive with a jack and two stands.
Although any competent garage can do it in less than an hour.
 
chanjy said:
Not even great EVs any more, they are falling behind
Click to expand...

I would recognise they are incredibly efficient but contrary to popular belief the majority don’t actually worry about efficiency. When you are within 10% efficiency it becomes almost moot for the overall running costs.

Similarly the supercharger network is not the USP it once was and the majority of people don’t even use rapids that regularly at all. So when I use a rapid once a year, I don’t care that its costs as much as an ICE per mile. The rest of the year I have cheap EV tariff at 16p kWh and even here in N. Ireland that works out about 120 mpg in my inefficient I-Pace.
 
Last edited:
Tiamat21 said:
I retrofitted the highland dampers to my 2022 3.
Definitely improved ride quality and you only need to do the rears for 80% of the benefits.
Cost £120 each direct from Tesla and I fitted them on my drive with a jack and two stands.
Although any competent garage can do it in less than an hour.
Click to expand...

Yeah, was in a Highland recently and it had a level of comfort that I was getting in my BMW 4 Series 10 years ago. Tesla finally caught up with the levels of build quality and comfort that has been standard for decades in other much cheaper brands. In fact other “premium” priced EVs have managed to keep their comfort advantage with air suspension as standard etc. In the meantime the EV advantage Tesla arguably had has evaporated to the point that Tesla is overall a worse car.

Where Tesla still wins is in the infotainment and tech side*

*No I’m not talking about their terrible autopilot.
 
A Tesla isn’t a premium car, it’s priced similarly to a VW, Kia, Hyundai etc.

Which cars have air suspension as standard at the same price point at Model 3/Y (e.g. start at ~£40k)?
 
ICDP said:
Yeah, was in a Highland recently and it had a level of comfort that I was getting in my BMW 4 Series 10 years ago. Tesla finally caught up with the levels of build quality and comfort that has been standard for decades in other much cheaper brands. In fact other “premium” priced EVs have managed to keep their comfort advantage with air suspension as standard etc. In the meantime the EV advantage Tesla arguably had has evaporated to the point that Tesla is overall a worse car.

Where Tesla still wins is in the infotainment and tech side*

*No I’m not talking about their terrible autopilot.
Click to expand...
Totally get you. Don’t get me started on the wipers.

I absolutely don’t think the older generations are worth anywhere near their original price tag.

But for 12-18k you can get a Model 3 and apply the OEM+ treatment to it for circa £500(dampers, control arm upgrades, sound dampening, etc.)

And I think it’s hard to beat them at that price point.
 
Simon said:
What’s air suspension mean if it still rides badly ? Don’t really understand these strawman points
Click to expand...

It’s a matter of fact is it not?

The poster I was responding didn’t suggest the latest model had a bad ride either.

I’m sorry you have to take it upon yourself to attack every post I make on this thread… I’m sure one day you’ll get over yourself.
 
Just you defend everything slightly anti Tesla. Why does air suspension matter? Why does the price point matter?

Much better cars out there. No need to apologise
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
It’s a matter of fact is it not?

The poster I was responding didn’t suggest the latest model had a bad ride either.

I’m sorry you have to take it upon yourself to attack every post I make on this thread… I’m sure one day you’ll get over yourself.
Click to expand...
Interested what EVs you have tried for more than a quick test drive ?

Don’t confuse challenge with personal attacks please. I have nothing to get over. I’m a simple guy reading what’s on the screen and replying succinctly to stuff I disagree with. By chance it seems to be your pro Tesla stuff. Why does that hurt you ?
 
Last edited:
b0rn2sk8 said:
A Tesla isn’t a premium car, it’s priced similarly to a VW, Kia, Hyundai etc.

Which cars have air suspension as standard at the same price point at Model 3/Y (e.g. start at ~£40k)?
Click to expand...

You need to look at the prices more than just right now. Back in 2020 the Model 3 was not a cheap EV and was priced a lot higher than a Kia, VW, or Hyundai. They are still considerably more expensive for base entry models. It should also be noted that those are only the starting prices. Also leasing is a popular option.

So when I was looking at leasing I was able to get HSE I-Pace with air suspension for the same price as a Tesla Model Y. In the end I opted to save some money and go for the stock suspension and it was still more comfortable drive and sportier than a Model Y.
 
ICDP said:
You need to look at the prices more than just right now. Back in 2020 the Model 3 was not a cheap EV and was priced a lot higher than a Kia, VW, or Hyundai. They are still considerably more expensive for base entry models. It should also be noted that those are only the starting prices. Also leasing is a popular option.

So when I was looking at leasing I was able to get HSE I-Pace with air suspension for the same price as a Tesla Model Y. In the end I opted to save some money and go for the stock suspension and it was still more comfortable drive and sportier than a Model Y.
Click to expand...

Most manufacturers around the same price point as a Tesla don’t really have an equivalent car to a Model 3, the Hyundai Ionic 6 was more expensive on tick or cash when I bought mine.

Taking Kia as an example, back in 2020/1 the Nero was cheaper but wasn’t that much cheaper and wasn’t really feature/quality competitive (outside the ride/suspension). The EV6 was more expensive.

The Model 3 is cheaper today in real terms than it was back then. The only time you could get one cheaper is when the government were handing out money to buy an EV.

When I leased my Model Y, I’d narrowed it down to the Y and EV6 based on my needs. Ultimately picked the Y as it was cheaper unless you went for entry level trim which wasn’t feature competitive with my old Model 3.

The Polestar 2 or XC-40 would have also been nice but they were a good chunk more expensive. You’d expect them to be given they are very much a step up in quality.

Depending on when you leased, the Model Y has been very expensive, particularly in its first year. Not so much these days.
 
Simon said:
Just you defend everything slightly anti Tesla. Why does air suspension matter? Why does the price point matter?

Much better cars out there. No need to apologise
Click to expand...

I don’t.

Of course the price point matters when you are comparing different cars and their respective features and quality. What a nonsense statement.


Simon said:
Interested what EVs you have tried for more than a quick test drive ?

Don’t confuse challenge with personal attacks please. I have nothing to get over. I’m a simple guy reading what’s on the screen and replying succinctly to stuff I disagree with. By chance it seems to be your pro Tesla stuff. Why does that hurt you ?
Click to expand...
It’s not ‘challenge’ when you go out of your way to berate certain posters in this thread almost regardless of what they write.

There was no strawman being put forward in my post despite your accusations of one. There was me thinking you are only about facts as you have pronounced in the past.

Your follow up question is just an attempt to assert that your opinion is ‘superior’ because you think you have driven a larger verity of cars for longer, otherwise why else would you ask it.
 
You made a claim that a Tesla is not a premium priced EV and was no more expensive than an equivalent VW, Kia, or Hyundai EV. That is objectively not true, not now and not ever.

I made the very valid point that once you compare some actual premium cars, the Tesla’s are nowhere near as premium. BMW i4 has rear air suspension as standard and when spec a Model 3 to similar spec and battery size it costs roughly the same but without the air suspension.
 
Last edited:
ICDP said:
You made a claim that a Tesla is not a premium priced EV and was no more expensive than an equivalent VW, Kia, or Hyundai EV. That is objectively not true, not now and not ever.
Click to expand...
This is what I don’t get. It’s like there only one EV out there and it begins with T
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom