[PandaM3]

Originally Posted by nars3000

Congrats on the new M3! I'm glad to see you didn't cancel your reservation. As I've said before, Tesla and other EV/PHEV car owners like to refer to the Tesla Model 3 as "M3" as if the real BMW M3 never existed before

Thanks I am glad I didn’t as well.

Btw I was goona get personalized plates that say NTAV8M3... but going a different tongue and cheek route on the plates

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by PandaM3

I was worried about the build quality as well at first. Another friend of mine got one a few weeks before me and his has been horrible.
- so many paint defects (areas that was touched up, areas with actual pain drops) that it needs a full repaint under warranty... which will be done at a body shop
- none of his autopilot features will activate... keeps saying still calibrating and he has over 150 miles on it (supposed to calibrate within first 50). He probably gets irritated when I text him to say... btw my autopilot is working... then btw my auto lane change is working now... then btw the car parked itself
- his phone as key has been glitchy as hell too... we both have iPhoneX... and mine has been working great.

My theory is that his vin# is 10,000 cars below mine. Some things happened which they tried to fix hoping that the new owner won’t notice. Some of the body fixes may have misaligned the autopilot sensors so it won’t calibrate. Unfornately they sold it to a very very meticulous owner.

Since his car the factory went through a shutdown and retooling which is my vin.

I had my friend who is an automotive engineer look over my car To spot anything I would need to bring it back for as far as build quality. He works for a large local car company. Before this company he previously use to work on quality control in another large local car company. He is the kind of person where when we go to things like the LA Auto show and I get really excited over the horsepower and specs and he gets facinateded by things like panel gaps, paint quality, door seals.

Anyhow he mentioned the panel gaps where pretty good on mine and paint quality was great. Everyting was aligned properly. He did mention where the front fender meets the front bumper was a bit close and stuck out oddly (but then again that same spot sticks out in myM3 as well). He also did mention that the door stamping could’ve been twicked a bit better to match the rest of the body panels. But overall it was much better than he expected he said... essentially there are many far worse cars. He also mentioned the chassis engineer at his company was also impressed with the suspension tuning. He also mentioned that a certain german automaker is trying to use Tesla’s drivetrain and computer as a benchmark for their EV.

As a far as autopilot... it’s an assist.

Very honest and good write up... one thing I will note is that when I drove a mode S... it would indeed veer into other lanes, that was inly 2 months ago. Not sure if the updates have been made since, but that was on a near perfect freeway. It seemes to force itself into the lane insteaf od being smooth about it.

[PandaM3]

I didn’t get any veering into other lanes... so far it’s been very smooth and intuitive. This is on Orange County and inland empire freeways. Will be interesting to see how it does on LA’s freeways.

On autopilot one odd behavior that did stand out was while in line to get to the car show at the Fontana Autoclub speedway. We where creeping along in Autopilot. There is a part where the road splits gently to the left and right... a Y in the road. I was curious what it would do... it didn’t follow. The lanes to the left... and there where no lanes on the right since it turns to the right... the car went straight towards the curb. This was at 3 mph in the access road for the Autoclub speedways parking lot. In fact a few evenings before that on the toll road as lanes split from the roadway onto the exits... if you where in the slow lane with the other lanes splitting... the car would start gently centering between the split... then gently go back to the original lane. If one was not paying attention or aware of that you could easily hit a barrier as the lanes split.

That being said need to be alert while in autopilot especially when lanes are coming in and out.

When used properly... sitting in traffic in the middle of the freeway going to and from work it is the best luxury to have.

[jmg]

Congrats OP, I have an F80 and an i3 DD and I think the M3 and EV combo go very well!

[SalsaMan]

Autopilot feature alone almost worth the purchase imo if you daily drive in slow/stop n go traffic. I commute to OC and SD regularly and the constant traffic is much easier with adaptive cruise control, autopilot would be even better

I had a new Toyota rental with ACC while my car was in the shop and was astonished at how much more relaxing my drive was once I got the hang of/trusting the car's braking and accelerating.

Was looking intensely at the Model 3's, but more likely will wait for a while until the kinks are ironed out in the early production runs.

[roastbeef]

congrats man, that really is a fantasstic combo.

[Takumi587]

Congrats on the Model 3!!! I saw one on the road about a month ago and pulled up next to them to give a thumbs up. After test driving a Tesla Model S and using the autopilot I was sold on the technology. IMO the Model 3 looks much better than the Prius, Chevy Volt, Fiat, and i3 etc...

I’m not too happy about no heads up display or speedometer but I have a feeling it will be offered 2-3 years from now as an option (only the head up display).

Congrats again and enjoy it!

[martin mustang]

This way you will appreciate and value your M3 forever

[Sedoy]

PandaM3 do you have a youtube channel? I thought I saw your Tesla on youtube...

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

First, congratulations on the new car.

Respectfully... Why did you decide on a Model 3? Seems like it isn't a cost effective way to save on fuel; or a cost effective direction I'd go for a daily driver. Tailpipe emissions don't seem to be a concern for you either... Genuinely curious as to what inspired you to buy a Model 3. No disrespect implied.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

Respectfully... Why did you decide on a Model 3?

Can't speak for the OP, but for what it is worth, the biggest reason I am interested in an electric car (in general, not necessarily a Tesla) is the time saved on maintenance. This covers both day to day use, such as the ability to "refuel" at home instead of stopping at the gas station every few days, as well as the elimination of longer-term ICE consumables such as oil and spark plugs.

[PandaM3]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Can't speak for the OP, but for what it is worth, the biggest reason I am interested in an electric car (in general, not necessarily a Tesla) is the time saved on maintenance. This covers both day to day use, such as the ability to "refuel" at home instead of stopping at the gas station every few days, as well as the elimination of longer-term ICE consumables such as oil and spark plugs.

This... less wear & tear and less maintenance on my gas/ice cars plus having a car that is ready to go since I can keep my TM3 charged at home.

My previous EV (Spark EV) truly was the economical choice and what hooked me on the benefits of having an EV. Was cheap to own, cheap to drive, and its size made it great for commuting and driving around the city.

The other reasons for the TM3 was
- autonomous driving especially in south OC traffic. My drive has been much more relaxed. I just pick a lane, activate autopilot, and sit there enjoying my coffee and breakfast sandwich while the guy in the fancy luxury car next to me is juggling his phone and coffee and texting (I know extreme example but I'm trying to paint an extreme picture. There's nothing more luxurious than a car that can drive itself
- the interior is just so different... very minimalistic and relaxed. My wife hates hates hates the wood dash... I love it because it reminds me of an eames lounge chair (one day I'll have one). I love midcentury modern design in the home and this car just echos that.
- after driving the Spark EV I wanted something that was both EV, self driving, and felt like a near luxury sedan I can share between me and my wife. I didn't want to acquire a fancy luxury + another EV cause that would mean a lot of cars... 4 is my max and I want to leave room for other fun cars on my list like a Porsche 911. (I'm planning on maybe getting lowering springs on the TM3 so I know my wife can drive a 911 without damaging it... her commute is short anyhow then I can get rid of her car)

Pleasant surprises
- the TM3 audio system is one of the best I've heard in a car hands down. I'd say it's just as enjoyable as my bowers and Wilkins home theater at home (for comparison it's not any home theater... I've got dual subs and separate amps to each speaker)... just makes my commute in autopilot so much more enjoyable
- the more I push the handling the more I feel it's similar to Porsche than M3... low batteries, and rear engine make the front end quick to input and gets the rear end to stick on throttle out of turns
- not being a performance model and it's still quick... in fact I've found a hack to have quick access to programmed drive modes... kinda like M modes in my M3 so I can quickly change settings and go from chill mode to race mode.

[NCThreePedals]

Congrats! If I could walk in and get one now I totally would and leave my F82 as a garage queen since I have solar at home so it would net me no cost to drive it

[jpdchicago]

Nice but for about the same price as the Tesla with options in the pictures I would have bought an M2...
Tesla model 3 with long range batt and a few options is $50,000+
Looks good though...

[jmg]

Originally Posted by jpdchicago

Nice but for about the same price as the Tesla with options in the pictures I would have bought an M2...
Tesla model 3 with long range batt and a few options is $50,000+
Looks good though...

Op already has an M3. Why have two high performance cars? I have an i3 to supplement my M3 as well. I got an EV to save on fuel, ride the carpool, take advantage of active cruise (which the F80 doesn't come with), and just to have the convenience of an additional car. The F80 is my weekender, the i3 is my commuter and both do really really well for their intended purposes.

[jpdchicago]

I believe it is a V8 M3. Fun but huge gas guzzler.
I could totally imagine keeping it for weekend fun and getting a manual M2 for commuting to work. Gas mileage is not bad on it and a lot of fun. Tesla is way overpriced and totally boring to me. I borrowed a Tesla model S and could not wait to get back to my M3 at the time. To each his own...

[jmg]

Originally Posted by jpdchicago

I believe it is a V8 M3. Fun but huge gas guzzler.
I could totally imagine keeping it for weekend fun and getting a manual M2 for commuting to work. Gas mileage is not bad on it and a lot of fun. Tesla is way overpriced and totally boring to me. I borrowed a Tesla model S and could not wait to get back to my M3 at the time. To each his own...

A manual M2 for commute? That's not bad, I commuted with my F80, but at 80 miles round trip I started to see the advantages of a secondary car. I've come to appreciate the instant torque and quiet, serene driving experience of an EV with semi-autonomy or adaptive cruise in city traffic. I certainly can't blast my way through stop-and-co traffic in a 400+ hp beast, so why carry that baggage when I don't need it. I certainly don't see the point of an E90 M3 and an M2 both in the garage.

Additionally, I'd rather get an M2 CS for the weekend and an EV for the commute. Actually, my F80 might get replaced with a 2 seater full on sports car like a Cayman GTS or something, so I wouldn't even bother with an M2 CS.

[SteveinArizona]

I am intrigued by the Tesla but from the description and pictures I have seen, I am concerned by the big screen on the side. I like to keep my eyes on the road...hence a HUD is essential to me.

From the pictures, it looks like there is no dash screen at all and I have not seen a reference to a HUD.

Can you tell us what the driving experience is like from inside in terms of seeing speed, speed limit info, gas, oil temp, radio stations, etc.

Thanks.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

I am intrigued by the Tesla but from the description and pictures I have seen, I am concerned by the big screen on the side. I like to keep my eyes on the road...hence a HUD is essential to me.

From the pictures, it looks like there is no dash screen at all and I have not seen a reference to a HUD.

Can you tell us what the driving experience is like from inside in terms of seeing speed, speed limit info, gas, oil temp, radio stations, etc.

Thanks.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that it does not have any display of oil temp.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

I can tell you with absolute certainty that it does not have any display of oil temp.

Pretty sure there's no gas gauge either.

[PandaM3]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

I am intrigued by the Tesla but from the description and pictures I have seen, I am concerned by the big screen on the side. I like to keep my eyes on the road...hence a HUD is essential to me.

From the pictures, it looks like there is no dash screen at all and I have not seen a reference to a HUD.

Can you tell us what the driving experience is like from inside in terms of seeing speed, speed limit info, gas, oil temp, radio stations, etc.

Thanks.

Like the others have said, no oil temp or oil level is seen... I think in this car those are lifetime fluids

I don’t need to carry an extra quart of BMW Twin Turbo Power 10w60 oil in the trunk

But srsly... you get use to it pretty quickly.

I do wish there was some kind of HUD or even a small LED info bar accross the dash where the air vent is (the vents are actually on either side of that opening... nothing in the middle. If that little strip displayed speed + turn signal then I’d be all set. I’ve heard HUD doesn’t play well with polarized sunglasses as well.

That being said when you are racing along the roads you don’t need the speedometer. Some performance cars just have a small speedometer and a big RPM display like an S2000. Just like in InitialD you drive by how the car feels... I’ve gotten used to it pretty quickly.

The rest of the interface is pretty easy to use
- you can set it to ding everytime you go over the speed limit.... I tried that and it gets annoying fast... but it does update speed limit info where ever you are which is nice. I honestly don’t see myself driving fast in this because I want to save my electric energy for increased range. Plus there is just too much traffic to go fast anyhow.
- entertainment is easy as well. The voice control works very good at controlling the radio or inputting nav desitnations. You can pick radio stations, stream from tune in, or stream from slacker radio, or bluetooth audio. The free slacker radio only picks songs inspired by your first pick however. Iphone bluetooth audion however only lets you choose songs via the iphone itself... there is no onscreen menu... but I just call it out via siri just fine.
- outside visibility from the front is very nice... since there is no dash to get in the way.

[Questofthetune]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

I can tell you with absolute certainty that it does not have any display of oil temp.