Referenced in the ICE thread, but picked up a new Model S Plaid on Wednesday (they did a great job accommodating my schedule and purchase/delivery was totally painless) as I was leaving on a 1,000 mile road trip early Thanksgiving morning to drive from DFW to Corpus Christi and back Sunday. So, getting to do that in a new Tesla made the trip a lot of fun.

So, I am surprised with how quiet, smooth, and comfortable it is. I wouldn't say the suspension is the most sophisticated in the world, but the comfort mode genuinely has some nice squish to it. I like the software logic too where you can check a box in the settings to have the suspension in "auto" mode, so in FSD or normal highway cruising or around town, it's in comfort, but if it detects aggressiveness or excessive speeds, it firms up the suspension automatically. There's also a setting to default to "low ride height" so when conditions permit, it will roll down the road pretty low for a stock car. Makes it look mean. Then, if there is a rough road, I saw a message pop up on the dash where it was raising ride height due to road conditions when I was driving through a bumpy section.

The software is basically flawless now, very easy to configure everything to your liking, then having the phone as the key and all the app functionality makes it even better. Came with 3 months of free supercharging and 3 months of FSD if you take delivery before end of year. So, I enjoyed both of those on the drive. Drove just over a 1,000 miles and didn't pay a dime for fuel or energy. Supercharging is painless nowadays. 15-20 minute charge stops to the next step then another 10 minutes and boom I'm in CC. So, maybe 30-40 minutes for a 400 mile drive (presuming I'm leaving the house at 90% battery charge). FSD is getting scary good. Drove two segments of around 50 miles with zero interventions. Just keep hands in your lap or arms folded and the interior camera makes sure you're "paying attention" and the car just drives itself down the road, changing lanes, braking, accelerating, going around corners. Really nice for higher traffic situations. Only downside is gap is a bit much between car in front, so people can squeeze in. Also, max speed in FSD is 85mph, so that is why I drove most of the way as 85mph just won't cut it on the super speedway Texas highways I was on. 100-110mph feels utterly quiet and effortless.

Interior space and comfort is great. I got the sport seats and they were supportive and comfy (sorry no interior pics, I'll add later). Stealth paint was free as was the 19" tempest wheels. Stereo thumps, carbon fiber interior trim and spoiler look great, screen is huge, playing games for 15-20 minutes while supercharging is always fun.

Best part? It was roughly a $90k build and it had an $8,100 inventory discount because it had 40 miles on it and was a "demo." It sells as new though. Basically Tesla's way of doing discounts. It's also eligible for a $7,500 commercial EV credit if you quality. So, for $81k or less, I can't think of a more comfortable or capable sportish sedan on the market. It makes other cars feel obsolete in many ways. Build quality, paint quality, panel fitment, interior fitment is all solid. Surprisingly so with zero squeaks, rattles, etc. so far. Only issue is a minor bit of wind noise at the "triangle" window at the front of the driver door window. Mobile service is coming to my house tomorrow to tweak the seal. Literally only issue and hope repair is painless and easy.

Acceleration? Y'all know it, but it has MASSIVE thrust. Like, I set the left wheel button 1 second push (it's configurable) to adjust drive mode between chill, sport, and plaid, and sport is plenty fast for 99% of driving scenarios. But, if I push that left scroll wheel for one second on the steering wheel (I didn't get the yoke) and scroll to Plaid mode and nail the throttle, it just totally pins you back hard and doesn't let up. Allegedly on one stretch of private road I blasted up to 150 mph before lifting and it did not let up at all. I regen braked back down to speed and it was uneventful. Car is a mid to low 9 second car at 150+mph off the floor with minimal or no slip or drama. So, less than 10 seconds to 150mph. It's relentless and very addicting and very scary. Why scary? Well, the brakes need to be accounted for as the car can go more than whoa. They aren't bad, especially the new brake pads are supposed to be better, but the car accelerates a lot faster than it slows down. They are competent and good brakes, but not otherworldly like the acceleration. Yes, the carbon brakes and upgraded wheels/tires are a $20k option, but I don't need them. I'll just be smart on when I accelerate.

I was besides one of my family members on the highway and they were in a little Mercedes SUV. I was doing 70mph and I nailed it and I literally felt all 4 wheels scratch for traction for a half second as it rocketed down the road. Crazy stuff.

So, this isn't a replacement for anything, but just a comfy, very fast, family sedan with great interior room for zipping around town, etc. with the family or by myself. Room for improvement in the next model is a bit more steering feel (it's direct and good, but isolated), license the magnetic suspension from Delphi/BWI, add standard carbon ceramic brakes to the Plaid, maybe a bit more aggressive exterior styling, interior pipe adjustable lighting, little more range, little faster charging, cooling system that can do 20 minute lapping sessions (for those crazy enough to track a 4,800lb sedan) and that should be about it IMHO.

 

Yeah as I said in the other thread, the Plaid really changed my brain chemistry. It was the first time I thought that maybe this shouldn't be available to anyone with a checkbook to just purchase, it's seriously fast and can get you into trouble quick. Consider what the barriers of entry were in the past to have a sub 10 second car from the factory, cost, comfort, a ton of work, etc, all factors that generally kept the general populace away. Now a person who is shopping for say a Lexus LS can easily cross shop this thing and not sacrifice really anything other than not being to fill up quickly. It's kinda scary.

IMO this rendered large performance sedans obsolete especially now that they're all pretty uninsipiring. BMWs don't sound particularly great for their pricing and their marketing position. Does the M5 even have a manual available, and even if they did BMW shift feel always left a lot to be desired. It's kinda hilarious that people fixate on track capabilities in an over two ton full luxury yacht. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather DD an M5 than a regular 5 series, but that's sorta my point, I would be DDing it, not replacing a Porsche for track duty, or even a Miata for that matter. I mean sure for novelty maybe take it once or twice, or a back road that I happen to be on, but it's not going to replace having a more dedicated (i.e. lighter) sportscar.

So to me the Plaid makes alot of sense given its consumer segment and use case.

 

I always thought he S looked the best of any Tesla, and even most EVs.

Also remarkable that what is essentially a 12-year old car is still fetching buyers, but they are less money than they used to be. I agree that for $80k, there just are no comparative EV sedans, which is mildly amazing. Maybe a Taycan.

Congrats!

 

If you drive a luxury sedan the way most luxury sedans are driven and like straight line thrust and don't need 3 minute refuels on your frequent cross-country drives, the Model S is very hard to beat. compared to ICE and other EV luxury sedans. Then, as you said, Don, in mot use cases, it's more convenient and cheaper to just plug it it every few days at your house and never have to go to the gas station again. No oil changes, coolant changes, other maintenance, etc. Rotate tires and add windshield wiper fluid and go.

Then, based on my personal experience (and maybe data on reliability), I feel safer owning a Tesla for 5-7 years moreso than a late model BMW or Mercedes from a repair/reliability standpoint. There is just less maintenance and stuff to break period. Not saying that if you go long term and have a battery or motor go out of warranty outside of the standard 8yr/120k warranty for that stuff, that it's going to be cheap because it won't. Just dump it before 8 years or 120k miles.

 

very cool. We have a Y and i absolutely love it, i'm a big tesla fan after owning one. By far, my favourite car i've ever owned

 

I kinda wonder how many people are like Quickag in the general car market. I want to introduce the new "3 month lease" as the standard for automobiles.

 

Outside of your ZR1 and Blackwing and maybe some other special sports car, I can't see you owning anything for more than 4yrs - certainly not any luxury family hauler.

 

Just curious, is this an addition or a replacement of a vehicle you traded/sold? Did you get rid of the Model Y? How many cars do you have now?

C6 ZR1, C8, pickup truck, Blackwing, Model Y, Model S? Six?

You have a glorious disease.

 

That isn’t a Plaid feature, or even a Tesla feature, that’s EV’s in general. In 11 years all I’ve done is in-cabin air filters, tires, 12v battery changes, and we flushed the brake fluid for new fluid.

 

Addition, I still have the other vehicles. Will maybe trade Y for an updated version or a Cybertruck down the road. Trade C8 for ZR1 when I can get one. I think I’m done for a while at this point.