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Impressions of the Oct.28, 2016 event... (Surprise Model ≡ in person appearance)

12K views 30 replies 6 participants last post by  Red Sage 
#1 ·
As promised, I wrote my impressions of the Model 3 in the flesh.

Bottom line... The party that Tesla throws might be free, but it's pricey on the back end.

We left it with reservation for 3 PowerWall 2s, not sure if I'll ever need all three, but what the heck...

...and we're looking forward to taking delivery of our 2 Model 3 reservations.

Blog post here.

IMG_0547 by Dennis Pascual, on Flickr

IMG_20161028_180824 by Dennis Pascual, on Flickr

IMG_3676 by Dennis Pascual, on Flickr

IMG_3678 by Dennis Pascual, on Flickr

IMG_20161028_181032 by Dennis Pascual, on Flickr

IMG_20161028_192509 by Dennis Pascual, on Flickr
 
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#3 ·
@AEDennis , sorry for the late reply. You mention the Model 3 was bigger than you had hoped. Would it be a fair assumption based on your experience with the S and seeing the 3 in person that you'd estimate the car to be about 90% of the exterior dimensions of an S??

That's Motor Trend's estimate, I'm curious if your corroborate that number? Not going to hold you to it though.
 
#4 ·
@TrevP... I would put it closer to 80-85% the size of an S...

It's a big car... then again the S is a huge car and the X is even bigger.
 
#8 ·
Well...

That's firmly between the 85% on the high side of my estimate and the 90% figure that @TrevP first provided...

Either way, it's not at the "smaller" size that would have been a home run for me.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the input. Tesla has only ever said it was close to an A4 , I don't recall Elon ever mentioning a 3 series specifically but they're all in the same category. I used to have a 328I and it was fantastic car, it was my favourite by far and I've owned a lot of cars of the years ;)
 
#13 ·
Elon's funny that way... He likes to compare the cars to Benz S class and Audi.

However, as former BMW faithful, the rear wheel drive S and Roadster drive more like the BMWs that we've owned in the past.

As for 3 series, we used to have a 323Cic and 328i (both convertibles) and they were great cars. Just lost their status with me when I started driving the ActiveE.
 
#15 ·
An aspect I haven't read till now, is that the Model 3 has different dimensions than we are used to. Larger cabin, shorter sloping front, short trunk, bigger wheelbase than most cars.
So the car will be roomy inside, due to the big cabin. Making it look smaller on a picture and bigger close up.
I kind of like that.
 
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#16 ·
An aspect I haven't read till now, is that the Model 3 has different dimensions than we are used to. Larger cabin, shorter sloping front, short trunk, bigger wheelbase than most cars.
So the car will be roomy inside, due to the big cabin. Making it look smaller on a picture and bigger close up. I kind of like that.
@MichelT3 , we kinda did start going there (cf. #5 & 11), yet you're adding interesting elements ('shorter sloping front, short trunk...''). So, yes, it will be a very different experience than what we have known so far in this category...
And noooo, you won't like that! You'll (We'll!) loooove it ! :)
 
#17 ·
I like the aspect that Model 3 will look different from 'normal' cars.
Where Model S looks like a huge luxurious sedan, somewhat like a Jaguar. With an 'unnecessary' long front, as if there is a V8 under the bonnet.
Model 3 on the other hand 'shows' that there is no huge ICE inside.
I will LOVE the car mostly for the technology that it carries.
 
#19 ·
WOW! @MelindaV you'd like to be tucked in and cozy three times? :cool:
Maybe we should get you a warm blanket? :p:D
It may be even more comforting :) that the roominess will be most apparent in the back seat.
 
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#24 ·
All that obsession with size and what the neighbors have! Most important is that it functions well... :p
 
#30 · (Edited)
@Red Sage - my boss (that I'd previously mentioned)) just traded in a Genesis for a new car. On multiple work road trips he always drove (stating his car is safer because it has 11 speakers, and mine has 5 speakers - yeah, that's the sort of reasoning I deal with at work...). The car itself was fine for a large sedan, but the UI for the infotainment/navigation was horrible. It was like a bad version of the early 2000s iPod click-wheel controls except with a knob (try entering an address or album name with a rotary wheel....) That alone turned me off of ever having Hyundai on my list of potential cars.
 
#31 ·
In video reviews I've seen for cars that use the rotary click wheel/mouse shuttle thingamabob, all of them are rated poorly by professionals, regardless of publication. Some are reviewed perhaps as 'improved' or 'better than others', but they are universally torturous to the sensibilities of any tech minded person. It seems the only point in their favor is that it allows for tactile feedback in 'the real world' for anyone who can't quite fathom using a touchscreen for EVERYTHING. The system in your Boss' GENESIS is likely copied from one of those that 'needs improvement'.

In particular the reviews I've seen that criticized the automotive infotainment rotary wheel systems most prominently were posted by either MOTOR TREND or c|net on YouTube.

In a recent video Robert Llewllyn of Fully Charged was right in the midst of praising the ease of using one of those rotary dial systems and was suggesting that maybe Tesla should consider adding similar controls to compliment the touchscreen -- when he ran into a problem of some sort and said, "Nevermind."
 
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