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I test drove a Tesla

wilshipley.com

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Re: I test drove a Tesla

#41

Post by kirse »

PStamatiou wrote: post #20
cbrinker wrote: post #19

I love my 335i coupe, but I think I would trade it for a Tesla in a heartbeat. I am so excited that a company is embracing alternative fuels (electricity especially) in aims of making a supercar. Gear shifting slows down a vehicle, regardless of how fast it is, since you're disconnecting the engine from the powertrain. It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving.

"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." I think that's what makes driving fun.. you have greater control of your cars actions and are in touch with it. I could never see myself driving something where I never have to touch the shifter once its in a forward gear. As for the speed issue, you're right, it is slowing it down. (granted new paddle systems make that 60 milliseconds like the F430 Sc…

I agree wholeheartedly. There's nothing like the thrill of attacking some twisties and pushing it to the limit.

Nobody here is Michael Schumacher, but a manual car with a good sound will damn sure make you feel like him.

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#42

Post by iigs »

PStamatiou wrote: post #17

As a car nut that has spent time on a race track (exhibit a: http://flickr.com/photos/pauls/sets/72157594286920410/ ) in various sports cars, I see a strong dichotomy between Tesla owners/gawkers and real car guys. Yeah the Tesla accelerates faster than most people will have ever experienced before and it's neat with its whole 1 gear thing, instant torque and of course being all electric. But it will be the laughing…

I agree that it's not going to hang with a lot of normal gasoline cars, but considering how far electric cars have come in such a short time (momentarily exclude the fact that there were electric cars in the early 1900s that were an evolutionary dead end), I think that may change before too long.

Also, I believe that monkeying with a manual clutch is a misfeature (witness twin clutch type sequential manuals) and that loud engines are also just a matter of opinion, or only so popular because of the fast cars they represent, not the other way around. I think if/when electric cars are the fastest thing around there will be a lot of car guys who want nothing to do with the current side-effect of performance.

(Also, big ups for track time. I haven't worked up the courage to get out there with mine yet.)

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#43

Post by run4yourlives »

mtw wrote: post #33
nazgulnarsil wrote: post #4

If one of my startups is ever successful this will be one of my very few "I'm rich bitches" purchases.

I'm not sure about the point of having a car I'd drive only 10 days in a year. Why not creating a company that leases Tesla cars? and the company would also have a racing circuit nearby. Now, that would be fun.

Hence: "I'm Rich, Bitches".

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#44

Post by run4yourlives »

vaksel wrote: post #27
corentin wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I assume smug geeks are immune against bad driving?

when a guy crashes its because he is in the process of doing something stupid. When a woman crashes its because she isn't paying attention. Women are just horrible drivers from my experience. I've been hit 5 times and members of my family were hit 3 times. In ALL but one cases the other person was a woman. And that doesn't count the hundreds of times I had to scramble to get out of the way because some woman suddenly…

See, this is one of those cases where an anecdote does not render fact.

If women actually did cause more accidents; hence they are worse drivers, they wouldn't be paying less for insurance than us males now would they?

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#45

Post by cmos »

a-priori wrote: post #28
vaksel wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when a guy crashes its because he is in the process of doing something stupid. When a woman crashes its because she isn't paying attention. Women are just horrible drivers from my experience. I've been hit 5 times and members of my family were hit 3 times. In ALL but one cases the other person was a woman. And that doesn't count the hundreds of times I had to scramble to get out of the way because some woman suddenly…

I don't drive, but when I'm out cycling -- and I do a lot of cycling (something like 900km this summer) -- I behave like a car on the roads. I've never been hit myself, but I've had many close calls: 1) About two months back I saw a girl on a bike get hit by a guy who "didn't see her" because, as he claims, he was watching me (I was about 10m back). He was on a minor street crossing a major street. We were on the maj…

I can't tell you how many times a large truck accelerated up behind me with the horn blaring and guys yeehawing in a not so pleasant manner interrupting a nice, quite bike ride in the countryside. Sometimes they throw can's or cigarettes.

Never had this happen with a truck full of females.

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#46

Post by DabAsteroid »

run4yourlives wrote: post #44
vaksel wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when a guy crashes its because he is in the process of doing something stupid. When a woman crashes its because she isn't paying attention. Women are just horrible drivers from my experience. I've been hit 5 times and members of my family were hit 3 times. In ALL but one cases the other person was a woman. And that doesn't count the hundreds of times I had to scramble to get out of the way because some woman suddenly…

See, this is one of those cases where an anecdote does not render fact. If women actually did cause more accidents; hence they are worse drivers, they wouldn't be paying less for insurance than us males now would they?

Males drive more miles than females.

...Yet another reason to charge insurance by the mile and/or minute.

  .
By the way, this is interesting (though I don't know how accurate it is):

http://christianparty.net/womendrivers.htm

Women Drivers: Hidden Health Risk To Men

Women drive only 30% of miles driven but are in 37% of the fatal accidents ...

NHTSA data suggests that ... if only women drove:

There would be 23,879 more traffic fatalities each year.

There would be 7,674 more women killed each year.

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#47

Post by vaksel »

run4yourlives wrote: post #44
vaksel wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when a guy crashes its because he is in the process of doing something stupid. When a woman crashes its because she isn't paying attention. Women are just horrible drivers from my experience. I've been hit 5 times and members of my family were hit 3 times. In ALL but one cases the other person was a woman. And that doesn't count the hundreds of times I had to scramble to get out of the way because some woman suddenly…

See, this is one of those cases where an anecdote does not render fact. If women actually did cause more accidents; hence they are worse drivers, they wouldn't be paying less for insurance than us males now would they?

Thats because most of their accidents are less severe. A guy's accident usually happens when they go beyond their limit and they end up totalling their cars. For women most of their accidents are due to carelessness and usually happen at a much lower speed. All of the accidents I had, were done at less than 10 mph.

+ I think the whole insurance industry is lagging, it'll probably be another decade before they adjust women's rates.

I mean right now the whole thing is unfair as hell when it comes to insurance. When I was in college, a girl I knew had 8 at fault accidents. She totaled 3 cars and the rest were fender benders. Her insurance paid out close to $150,000. And her insurance was STILL lower for full coverage for a new 330ci than what I paid for liability on my old Civic. And I had a clean record, no at fault accidents or points on my license. Not exactly fair.

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#48

Post by jefffoster »

vaksel wrote: post #16

The whole quiet thing creeps me out about the Tesla. Its a sports car you are supposed to hear the engine roar. + the whole quiet thing greatly increases your chances of some soccer mom side swiping you

Don't you just plug in the audio and a big speaker system? You could choose the engine to imitate and make any noise you want. (sure I've read that in an article somewhere, though can't find the link!)

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#49

Post by HeyLaughingBoy »

axod wrote: post #21
cbrinker wrote: post #19

I love my 335i coupe, but I think I would trade it for a Tesla in a heartbeat. I am so excited that a company is embracing alternative fuels (electricity especially) in aims of making a supercar. Gear shifting slows down a vehicle, regardless of how fast it is, since you're disconnecting the engine from the powertrain. It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving.

"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." It still surprises me how few manuals you see in the US, It's as if people aren't interested in driving + getting the most out of the car. If you don't enjoy driving, why not get a driver. If you enjoy driving, you want a manual. Nothing worse than speeding up an on-ramp, and the car refusing to budge out of 2nd.

In about twelve seconds from a standing start, my 350Z will get me to "lose your license" speeds. Even if I had an automatic transmission, I would still never be able to get the "most" out of the car without taking it to the track. Anyway, I agree that manual transmissions are outdated and sequential shift should be standard equipment on sports cars. Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever, why not cars?

OTOH, I live out in the country and about 5 miles of my commute is on winding gravel roads. Turn off Traction Control and I have a blast without ever exceeding the speed limit!

Re: I test drove a Tesla

#50

Post by DabAsteroid »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #49
axod wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." It still surprises me how few manuals you see in the US, It's as if people aren't interested in driving + getting the most out of the car. If you don't enjoy driving, why not get a driver. If you enjoy driving, you want a manual. Nothing worse than speeding up an on-ramp, and the car refusing to budge out of 2nd.

In about twelve seconds from a standing start, my 350Z will get me to "lose your license" speeds. Even if I had an automatic transmission, I would still never be able to get the "most" out of the car without taking it to the track. Anyway, I agree that manual transmissions are outdated and sequential shift should be standard equipment on sports cars. Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever, why not cars? OTO…

Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever

There is a motorcycle model with clutchless shifting?

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