To EV or not to EV, that is the question....

[willni]

With a couple of revisions I think that would make lovely car, like SRGTD I always wanted a mk1, but now it's a struggle to get a good mk5 

Still on the hunt for a mk2 to rebuild though.

[joe6]

Front view needs a couple of spots but generally has the mk1 retro look. I wanted a mk 1 after a test drive in Germany in 1978 but out of my price range . Eventually got a new escort xr3i with efi and after fitting decent bilsteins really enjoyed it with 60 in just over 9secs and reasonable handling. It is still around locally but being refurbished at present.

[Yusee]

What a great design. 40 years on and people still look at it and think “ I want one “

[Splashalot]

What a great design. 40 years on and people still look at it and think “ I want one “

Agree 100%. Clean and timeless.

[Splashalot]

Took a Tesla Model 3 for a fairly brief test drive last night.

The Drive: 

Surprisingly good.  I probably had low expectations, but was very pleasantly surprised.  In short, I'd describe it as a refined, smooth sports saloon.  Ride was very absorbent of larger bumps on the std 18" wheels, giving quite a plush feeling.  Although paradoxically, cats eyes crashed through alarmingly. I'd hate to imagine what 19" wheels would be like. But overall, a very smooth, comfortable ride.  Accelerating and braking was also very smooth and well graduated, with regen braking bleeding in very smoothly and progressively.  Handling was flat and turn-in good.  The steering was very quick off-centre - a little alarmingly at first.  It took a while to acclimate.  Visibility is outstanding, with a very low scuttle in front of the driver - there is an unimpeded view straight down to the road.

The Touchscreen:

As most will know, nearly everything is actuated through the touchscreen.  Things like air-recirc require going into the climate menu then selecting that option.  The menu then reverts back to the "home" screen, which is 1/2 to 2/3rd map with various icons scattered about in the remainder.  The only speed display is a small icon, maybe the size of my fingernail, in the top right corner.  Too small for these old eyes, although the location was fine after a short while, surprisingly.

But my main beef with the screen was the multitude of text within the menus, which was too small for me to read.  I'd guess maybe 10pt font?  I would need to pull over and put my reading glasses on.  I guess it might work if you have bifocals, but those don't work for me.  I'm really not sure it would work for me.  Which is a shame, as I loved the drive.

In short - Fred would love it! Tech heaven.  Go buy one mate, you won't be disappointed.  But for us older, focally-challenged people - do not buy one without trying it first to see if you can live with that touchscreen.

Edit:  Found this very thorough demonstration of the screen and functions which illustrates the too-small (IMO) font.  You can skip to the various chapters.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIEHUC_3D8Q&ab_channel=Sibs%2FAlexSibila

[fredgroves]

LOL I love tech as you know but I find stuff hard to read without my reading glasses.... on my MK8 luckily I have a HUGE speedo display and the HUD put the text at a distance i can read easily.

Not so much the audio and I randomly stab at songs or radio stations.

Sounds like a tesla would be a nightmare.

[Splashalot]

LOL I love tech as you know but I find stuff hard to read without my reading glasses.... on my MK8 luckily I have a HUGE speedo display and the HUD put the text at a distance i can read easily.

Not so much the audio and I randomly stab at songs or radio stations.

Sounds like a tesla would be a nightmare.

Yep, a really stupid oversight.  In terms of usability, it would probably be a deal breaker for me.

Reading through some owners' forums yesterday, there were a number of gripes about software updates which change the format of some menus and location and size of icons.  For example, they made the digital speedo reading smaller in the latest update!  WTAF?! 

Another issue I discovered was the lack of service post-sale.  If you bingle the car and need parts, good luck:
a.) getting the part;
b.) getting the correct part or without key bits missing; and
c.) good luck getting any form of communication from Tesla.

It seems Tesla's standard response is to blame the bodyworks.  There were plenty of owners with cars off the road for 6 months plus, with basically no idea when they will get it back repaired.

Those two issues are enough to cross the model 3 off my list, which is a shame, as it drives really nicely.

I would expect EV post-sale support would be way better with one of the larger, existing marques.  For example, we had the windscreen cracked by a stone on our Mazda 3 when only days old.  A new OEM screen was freighted to Hobart from Mazda Aus and fitted within a week.  There are people on that Tesla forum waiting for a windscreen over 6 months with no communication.  Stuff that!

[Exonian]

Very interesting to read your thoughts on the Tesla.

I have huge respect for Tesla and their cars, I’ve read much on how good the cars are from people that know about such things over the past however many years, and there’s no denying some of them are bloody quick. Superbike quick.

But I’ve never really gelled with the styling, their size is all wrong for me and, well I’ve just never quite *got* them.
Kudos for their performance.
  for the farting.
Admiration for their dedicated charging network which was well ahead of the game.


I’m genuinely quite surprised to read that about their aftercare and lack of spare parts.
We can forgive a lot for a fledgling company that found they had a runaway sales success on their hands, but the after sales sounds like it’s lagging way behind and naively run.
Maybe the Tesla vision was to sell cars that never went wrong or got crashed in their brave new utopian world.

[Splashalot]

Maybe the Tesla vision was to sell cars that never went wrong or got crashed in their brave new utopian world.

I'd hazard a guess that Tesla are either totally focused on profits from sales up front, or were, as you say, quite naive about this car making business - in terms of supporting their customers post-sale.

[fredgroves]

Most of the Tesla horror stories I've seen relate to software "upgrades" that are delivered without consent...

The software model they have adopted is akin to things like Facebook or Gmail - one day you switch on to find they have "improved" something and you hate it.

I'd rather not have that with my car thank you.

The other blinder they pulled is that their automated driving thing is subject to change at whim, even as far as removing capability... oh and they licence it only to the first owner of the car.... it doesn't stay when you sell it on - much like some software licences aren't transferable. Buying one second hand, you have to pay again for it.

I suspect VW might well do the same for any things bought through the shop in a current VAG model. Its tied to your VW account, if you logout (when you sell) its no longer available to a future owner. Which is nice.

Equally, I don't suppose if you replace it with an identical vehicle that magically your previously purchased things work - which they would if you bought a new Iphone or Android phone...