As much as I admire Elon and Tesla, Consumer Reports rated Audi clean diesel at a cheaper cost per mile than Tesla. So the comparison I'd really like to see is Tesla against the Audis.
Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
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Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#12What's up with the font on this site? In Google Chrome on Windows 7 it's nearly unreadable. Most of the internal horizontal strokes are just missing from the letters.
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#13As much as I admire Elon and Tesla, Consumer Reports rated Audi clean diesel at a cheaper cost per mile than Tesla. So the comparison I'd really like to see is Tesla against the Audis.
What exactly did they measure for "cost per mile"? I have an audi tdi and it's a great machine for trips, but tesla is much more expensive up front :)
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#14I'm pretty skeptical about resale value on the Model S at 5 or more years out just because their newer models will have major technical advances and the cost of a battery replacement. It's hard to speculate on that right now since the car is too new.
That's an excellent point but I would just temper it with the fact EVs should have lower long term maintenance issues for all non-battery parts. As an aside, I wonder if in 5 years you will be able to upgrade into a more powerful battery.
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#15Why exclude all North American manufacturers? I was hoping the author would address the exclusion.
Well, generally the North American car manufacturers produce cars of much poorer quality compared to the Japanese, Korean, and European car makers.
You're not looking at accurate data. Try again.
And if it's anecdotal quality you're speaking of, try again there too.
I drive a German car, I'm not an American car apologist, but there's no question that the "big 3" have stepped-up their game.
Not to mention, all the Japanese, Korean and even some European cars you mention are actually built in the US.
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#16As much as I admire Elon and Tesla, Consumer Reports rated Audi clean diesel at a cheaper cost per mile than Tesla. So the comparison I'd really like to see is Tesla against the Audis.
What is the value of not participating in a retrograde technological movement ?
What is the value of not having a car that looks brand new and modern with your eyes, and sounds like a chitty-chitty-bang-bang set piece with your ears ?
I just got back from Zurich where I saw brand new MY 2014 A6 and A8 cars driving around ... with TDI ... and they sounded like props from an old railroad farce.
(full disclosure - I own a gasoline powered A8 currently, so there's no hating going on here ... except against diesel)
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#17I'm pretty skeptical about resale value on the Model S at 5 or more years out just because their newer models will have major technical advances and the cost of a battery replacement. It's hard to speculate on that right now since the car is too new.
That's an excellent point but I would just temper it with the fact EVs should have lower long term maintenance issues for all non-battery parts. As an aside, I wonder if in 5 years you will be able to upgrade into a more powerful battery.
Whenever I'm sitting around waiting for oil change/tuneup/etc for my 2 cars in the family, I am tempted to look into Tesla. Having to sacrifice a Sat/car every few months for oil change really bugs me. Of course oil change itself is quick and cheap, but it’s the time I have to spend.
EDIT: I should've clarified that I don't spend a WHOLE Sat for a car oil change. But for a 30min work on the car, you have to go there, wait to drop off car, listen to dealership clerk going on and on about expensive 'preventive' repair I should get (any my family friend mechanic tells me none needed), wait a few hours (because of other customers at same dealership), and get a ride back dealership to pick up the car. That's like 2-5hrs.
As for going to non-dealer mechanic, well it is hard to find a good mechanic you can really trust. And such mechanics are usually booked.
On my very 1st car last oil change, I got an oil change at a shop I hadn't gone to before, for lack of time. Later I learned the mechanic had jammed the cap to the bottom of the motor oil tank at an odd angle and had just jammed it on, destroying the thread on the tank. One more oil change and it would've meant having to replace the motor oil tank.
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#18I'm surprised a Prius V was not included in this matrix. It would seem to fit favorably within the range of features the OP was looking for, but also is efficient, low maintenance, and safe.
I love Tesla, but they are just not there yet on cost.
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#19Why exclude all North American manufacturers? I was hoping the author would address the exclusion.
Well, generally the North American car manufacturers produce cars of much poorer quality compared to the Japanese, Korean, and European car makers.
I think this is a dated perception. JD Power shows a fair showing of American cars in its 2013 initial quality study:
Re: Tesla Model S – Cost of Ownership vs. Honda Odyssey
#20As much as I admire Elon and Tesla, Consumer Reports rated Audi clean diesel at a cheaper cost per mile than Tesla. So the comparison I'd really like to see is Tesla against the Audis.
What is the value of not participating in a retrograde technological movement ? What is the value of not having a car that looks brand new and modern with your eyes, and sounds like a chitty-chitty-bang-bang set piece with your ears ? I just got back from Zurich where I saw brand new MY 2014 A6 and A8 cars driving around ... with TDI ... and they sounded like props from an old railroad farce. (full disclosure - I own…
In the early days of the automobile, both electric and non-electric propulsion systems were actively researched and developed - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electric_vehicle
So Tesla stands as the most recent and the coolest of a long line of electric cars. Just as they have refined the concept of an electric automobile, the latest diesel technology that Audi is incorporating is a refined clean-buring diesel technology without the baggage of the old smokers.
So I'm not sure which retrograde technological movement you have in mind.