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Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

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Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#111
post #54

Just my 2 cents: I've driven both a P85D and a 2014 Porsche 911 4S cabriolet fairly extensively. Guess which one I decided to buy? The Porsche. These might not be two cars that are commonly cross-shopped, and the Tesla does beat the Porsche to 60 mph. Still, the Porsche was clearly the winner in just about every other way in my estimation. Anyone else have a similar experience?

> the Tesla does beat the Porsche to 60 mph

I wonder if it would do it 60 times in a row. http://www.thesmokingtire.com/2014/see-how-good-porsche-laun...

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#112
post #33

This is offtopic but the video of peoples reaction using the 'insane' button in the Model S P85D was some really great marketing for Tesla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLgF1uLB8 The feature is a novelty but it makes for great social media bait. I never share links about cars with family/friends but I felt compelled to this time. It's entertaining because the car is completely silent while it pins them back in t…

One thing that bugs me about that video - are they really going 60-70 mph on normal city streets?

Also, that kid in the back seat should at least be in a booster seat. The seat belt is way too high on him.

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you must live in the bay area...

even worse, i live in LA.

Yeah SoCal has some really short on-ramps. I'm in Santa Barbara, and regularly see people hit the end of some of the sorter ones at about 35 when the freeway is going 70.

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#115
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a Tesla fan but the 7 series still wins in "recharge" time.

True, and in the abundance of "charging" stations. But it is the _only_ advantage left (see disclaimer at the end). - Reliability should be much higher with Tesla, as the engine is much simpler. - Ride quality. The 7 is a boat, does not have the agility of smaller, sportier BMW models. - Looks. Obviously subjective, but 7's styling is very conservative and has not changed much. Disclaimer: These two cars are targeted…

People are always touting the "reliability" of electric cars, but that argument mostly falls flat if you're comparing it to any car built in the last 20 years. Internal combustion engines are incredibly reliable. They require basically no maintenance other than oil changes every 5K to 7K miles, and they'll run for 500K miles with no problems.

If you're having any sort of engine failure in an internal combustion car built this century, someone is being malicious and trying to break your car.

Tesla, on the other hand, has had to recall a percentage of their electric motors because they were ripping themselves apart after 10K miles.

All the other parts of the car - the parts that actually still fail on modern vehicles - suspension, electronics, climate control, brakes, drive train, etc. are more complicated in a Tesla than in a regular car. The tesla has an electronically adjustable suspension, remotely upgradable electronics, climate control that doesn't get to run off of excess engine heat and belt driven compressors, two drivetrains (two transmissions and differentials), and regenerative braking. These systems are more complex than normal and only time will tell if they're more reliable than their legacy auto industry equivalents, but my feeling is they won't be.

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#116
post #33

This is offtopic but the video of peoples reaction using the 'insane' button in the Model S P85D was some really great marketing for Tesla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLgF1uLB8 The feature is a novelty but it makes for great social media bait. I never share links about cars with family/friends but I felt compelled to this time. It's entertaining because the car is completely silent while it pins them back in t…

The way the little girl's phone sticks to the back seat after pulling out of her hands is just priceless.

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#117
post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a fan of "fastest Laguna Seca Lap". But I know a bunch of "American Muscle" guys who only care about 0-60. But I prefer statistics that include a combination of good turns, tight handling, AND strong acceleration. Tesla performs horribly on Laguna Lap, but so do all the American Muscle cars. You basically need a low-weight car with high acceleration to do well. Other raceway times are also interesting. But that's…

The list, if anyone's looking for it http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/laguna_seca.html

I'm surprised to see the Viper in several spots in the top 10. I think of it as more of a muscle car than as known for handling well.

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#118
post #65

I get that the Tesla is awesome, but it seems pretty frigging ridiculous that to give a car 103 out of 100 when it only has a range of 200 miles.

How ridiculous would it be for a car company to give you a lifetime unlimited supply of gasoline along with the purchase of your car? Absolutely ridiculous. Guess what? That's exactly what Tesla does. http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger Unlike gas cars, you start off with 200 miles of range EVERY MORNING since you charge overnight. Most Americans also only drive an average of 40 miles a day. And for those long tr…

Yeah, but do they do the home charger installation free? (I'm seriously asking; I don't know.)

As someone who doesn't have power to his 1927 garage, this would represent a pretty huge cost for me and was a major reason for my choosing the hybrid Fusion over the Energi plug-in.

I mean you just plop out "you charge overnight" as if it happens by magic. Someone has to come and install that appliance. And it's gonna cost money, perhaps a significant amount of it.

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#119
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, that depends. Are you counting the sum of all of the time you spend waiting for the car to recharge/refill? If so, and if you're a typical driver, then the Tesla wins. In an average month, you might spend a total of 15 minutes gassing up your car, and zero minutes charging your Tesla (because it's charging while you sleep). On road trips, it will depend on how well charging stops coincide with bathroom/meal/cof…

I understand that argument and the stats suggest most people don't need to charge on the road aside from road trips. By the time the Model S would need charged I'd be ready for a 30 minute break anyway. I still have range anxiety when my commute (before going remote) was a minimum of 120 miles per day. I'm not sure how accurate the 200 mile number is to know if it would be enough.

Real-world range can vary based on temperature, elevation, speed, etc. Without knowing the details of that 120 miles, it's hard to say. But you can calculate what you'll actually use with the car's navigation system or a third-party site like EVTripPlanner, and that's pretty accurate. I'd probably be comfortable with a 10% buffer for getting home. Your 120 miles might take 150 "miles" of range, which would still leave you with plenty of margin. Note that the lowest-range model they sell currently is the 70 at 230 miles official range. The maximum is the 90D with about 290 miles official range.

Exterior 120V outlets are pretty common, so another option would be to plug into one of those while at work. That makes for slow charging, but you could add another 40 miles or so of range while you're there. (Understanding this is a hypothetical for you at this point.)

Re: Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Reports’ Ratings System

#120
post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The list, if anyone's looking for it http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/laguna_seca.html

I'm surprised to see the Viper in several spots in the top 10. I think of it as more of a muscle car than as known for handling well.

According to comments here http://fastestlaps.com/cars/dodge_viper_srt-10_acr.html the massive rear spoiler is responsible for the improved handling of that model.
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