2013 Tesla Model S

Best car ever, faster than my Porsche 911 60-80mph

By Kling (CA) on Monday, July 22, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,500

Pros: "Great fun to drive, great value, beautiful looks!"

Cons: "Had to pay $1100 to get a 240V outlet"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I waited for 11 months to get a Model S (60kWh); but it certainly is worth the wait! Talk about the great performance, looks, technology, and guilt-free driving experience since it produces zero emission. I have driven it 2500 miles and I have just thoroughly enjoyed it. I did a cost of ownership estimate and came up with $0.35/mile over 7 years, which is cheaper than the Honda CR-V (cost $0.52/mile over 7 years) that it replaced! And, I get to use the HOV lane, which saves me $400/yr on express lane toll. Not having to get gas every 5-6 days has been so wonderful - I didn't even figure the amount of money (people say time is money) that I save over 7 years not getting gas. PG&E's PEV rate makes it very cheap to charge during off peak hours."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you?  yes | no | report abuse

Truly AMAZING

By JohnNAtlanta (GA) on Saturday, July 13, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 5,000

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"My only complaint in driving a Tesla Model S is the endless looks and sometimes crowds that it attracts! The styling and design are top rate. Acceleration is instantaneous and much more linear than an ICE vehicle. It is super quiet. The active air suspension is excellent. The interior space is well designed and roomy. I have the premium sound package and the tech package....both function flawlessly. The 17" iPad like control panel is a huge wow factor, very easy to use and intuitively designed by one of the original iPad designers. The 85kW hour battery system has a practical range of 250-265 with my driving style. Does better on the highway. This is the type of car that makes you want to take the long way home!"

3 people out of 6 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you?  yes | no | report abuse

There are far better cars for your money.

By underwhelmed (TX) on Thursday, July 11, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 8,000

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"Hey, Just got the S and and underwhelmed. for the price, you get a lot of hype and some "feel good green" points, but on the automotive front, it is lacking. The thing is heavy- and on bumpy roads around Dallas-Ft Worth, the suspension is suspect. I am already budgeting $5-10k to redo the suspension sometime. The interior space is nice (novel) and the silence during acceleration is cool. I would say that the Audi A8 or BMW 7 series are far superior cars, and you'll not have to worry about the range, the future repairs, or the company going out of business (when the government subsidies stop, when Wall Street guys dump the stock, etc.) The idea of the car is cool, but the actual car is UNDERWHELMING."

5 people out of 21 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you?  yes | no | report abuse

Not just a car that happens to be electric

By HenryT2 (WA) on Wednesday, July 03, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

Pros: "Power, handling, quiet, FUN, cargo, tech, ETC."

Cons: "range, no cup holders"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car was designed from the ground up to be an electric car, so if it looks anything like you're familiar with, that's a conscious design decision. They could have made it look like a sci-fi pod, and had nintendo steering. Basically, unlike all the other electric cars out there which were designed to fit into their megacorporation factory lines, or parts bin, this car was designed to be the best that it could be but yet still remain familiar. Consequently, it drives differently from a regular car. Smoother, more responsive, quieter. Basically, better in almost every way. It's so much better, it will change your view on what a car is supposed to be. I could list a hundred things, but it's much easier if I list what it's bad at. Assume that if I didn't list it, I think it's not just good, it's as good as it gets. First the faults: First, it's expensive. If you can't afford $60-100K on a car, you're out of luck. Is it worth it? Is any car worth $60-100K? That's up to the individual. Second, you really don't want to drive more than 180-240 miles (depending on the model) from home very often. The superchargers are great technology, and may work as an adequate solution much of the time in the next few years, but for now, and as a 100% effective solution, it's not really a good solution. However, most of us don't drive more than 180-240 miles in a day except a few times a year. During those times, you can take your second car if you have one, or a rental. Honestly, if you don't drive more than 180-240 miles more than six times a year, it's a minor fault. If you do, don't buy this car. However, if you don't drive more than 180-240 miles, you're in for a whole different experience. How often do you look down and notice you're at a 1/4 tank and have to schedule a gas station detour? With the Model S, if you plug in every night, you never worry about it. Unless you have a life that causes you to somehow end up hundreds of miles from home in random situations, you'll never worry about running out of gas again. You'll always be full in the morning. Finally, the interior is spartan. Not cheap looking, just "minimalist". Only 2 cupholders in the whole car. No lighted vanities. No coat hooks. No folding armrest for the back seat. The back seat is he little weak for a car of this caliber. The headroom for back seat passengers is not great. The view out the rear view mirror is a little crowded. The frunk is a little heavy and hard to close. The floor mats ride up. And, well, that's about it. Everything else about this car is about as good as it gets. The range factor for some is a dealbreaker. And if you're planning to use your car as a taxi, or you are a door-to-door salesman and cover 3 large states, look elsewhere. For almost anyone else who can afford this car, it's better in almost every way than the competition. I own a Model S 60. And I'd have to be a poet to put into words the effect this car has had on me. Not since I turned 16 have I had these kinds of feelings about driving. It's not an exaggeration to say that this car has actually changed me as a person. P.S. Environmentally, if you plug this car in at home, it's GREENER than a similar car of this size, but as long as most of the power in the country is coal and/or oil, it can't be completely environmentally friendly. If you load up with solar, you're GREEN. If a ton of these get sold and the country starts putting in greener power plants, these will be much greener, but for now, they're mostly just an improvement, not a solution."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you?  yes | no | report abuse

Not just a car that's electric

By HenryT2 (WA) on Wednesday, July 03, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

Pros: "Power, handling, quiet, FUN, cargo, tech, ETC."

Cons: "range, no cup holders"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I own a Model S 60. And I'd have to be a poet to put into words the effect this car has had on me. Not since I turned 16 have I had these kinds of feelings about driving. It's not an exaggeration to say that this car has actually changed me as a person. This car was designed from the ground up to be an electric car, so if it looks anything like you're familiar with, that's a conscious design decision. They could have made it look like a sci-fi pod, and had nintendo steering. Basically, unlike all the other electric cars out there which were designed to fit into their megacorporation factory lines, or parts bin, this car was designed to be the best that it could be but yet still remain familiar. Consequently, it drives differently from a regular car. Smoother, more responsive, quieter. Basically, better in almost every way. It's so much better, it will change your view on what a car is supposed to be. I could list a hundred things, but it's much easier if I list what it's bad at. Assume that if I didn't list it, I think it's not just good, it's as good as it gets. First the faults: First, it's expensive. If you can't afford $60-100K on a car, you're out of luck. Is it worth it? Is any car worth $60-100K? That's up to the individual. Second, you really don't want to drive more than 180-240 miles (depending on the model) from home very often. The superchargers are great technology, and may work as an adequate solution much of the time in the next few years, but for now, and as a 100% effective solution, it's not really a good solution. However, most of us don't drive more than 180-240 miles in a day except a few times a year. During those times, you can take your second car if you have one, or a rental. Honestly, if you don't drive more than 180-240 miles more than six times a year, it's a minor fault. If you do, don't buy this car. However, if you don't drive more than 180-240 miles, you're in for a whole different experience. How often do you look down and notice you're at a 1/4 tank and have to schedule a gas station detour? With the Model S, if you plug in every night, you never worry about it. Unless you have a life that causes you to somehow end up hundreds of miles from home in random situations, you'll never worry about running out of gas again. You'll always be full in the morning. Finally, the interior is spartan. Not cheap looking, just "minimalist". Only 2 cupholders in the whole car. No lighted vanities. No coat hooks. No folding armrest for the back seat. The back seat is he little weak for a car of this caliber. The headroom for back seat passengers is not great. The view out the rear view mirror is a little crowded. The frunk is a little heavy and hard to close. The floor mats ride up. And, well, that's about it. Everything else about this car is about as good as it gets. The range factor for some is a dealbreaker. And if you're planning to use your car as a taxi, or you are a door-to-door salesman and cover 3 large states, look elsewhere. For almost anyone else who can afford this car, it's better in almost every way than the competition. P.S. Environmentally, if you plug this car in at home, it's GREENER than a similar car of this size, but it's not a huge plus. If you load up with solar, you're GREEN. If a ton of these get sold and the country starts putting in greener power plants, these will be much greener, but for now, they're mostly just an improvement, not a solution."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you?  yes | no | report abuse

Not just a car that's electric

By HenryT2 on Tuesday, July 02, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

Pros: "Power, handling, quiet, FUN, cargo, tech, ETC."

Cons: "range, no cup holders"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car was designed from the ground up to be an electric car, so if it looks anything like you're familiar with, that's a conscious design decision. They could have made it look like a sci-fi pod, and had nintendo steering. Basically, unlike all the other electric cars out there which were designed to fit into their megacorporation factory lines, or parts bin, this car was designed to be the best that it could be. Consequently, it drives differently from a regular car. Smoother, more responsive, quieter. Basically, better in almost every way. It's so much better, it will change your view on what a car is supposed to be. I could list a hundred things, but it's much easier if I list what it's bad at. Assume that if I didn't list it, I think it's not just good, it's as good as it gets. First the faults. You really don't want to drive more than 180-240 miles from home (round trip) depending on the model you buy. The superchargers are great technology, and may work as a decent solution much of the time in the next few years, but for now, and as a 100% effective solution, it's not really a good solution. However, most of us don't drive more than 180-240 miles in a day except a few times a year. During those times, you can take your second car if you have one, or a rental. Honestly, if you don't drive more than 180-240 miles more than six times a year, it's a minor fault. If you do, don't buy this car. However, if you don't drive more than 180-240 miles, you're in for a whole different experience. How often do you look down and notice you're at a 1/4 tank and have to schedule a gas station detour? With the Model S, if you plug in every night, you never worry about it. Unless you have a life that causes you to somehow end up hundreds of miles from home in random situations, you'll never worry about running out of gas again. You'll always be full in the morning. Second, the interior is spartan. Only 2 cupholders in the whole car. No folding armrest for the back seat. The back seat is he little weak for a car of this caliber. The headroom for back seat passengers is not great. The view out the rear view mirror is a little crowded. And, well, that's about it. Everything else about this car is about as good as it gets. The range factor for some is a dealbreaker. And if you're planning to use your car as a taxi, or you are a door-to-door salesman and cover 3 large states, look elsewhere. For almost anyone else who can afford this car, it's better in almost every way than the competition. P.S. Environmentally, if you plug this car in at home, it's GREENER than a similar car of this size, but it's not a huge plus. If you load up with solar, you're GREEN. If a ton of these get sold and the country starts putting in greener power plants, these will be much greener, but for now, they're mostly just an improvement, not a solution."

Was this review helpful to you?  yes | no | report abuse