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Opting out of the Performance Edition

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I got my test drive a few weeks ago, and yesterday I got my "finalize your order" email! I'm extremely excited about getting my car, but after some thought I'm starting to think the performance edition might not be worth the price tag.

I ran the numbers on the car I configured, and it looks like the performance edition is an $8,478.00 option. The car is wicked fast, but is that extra 1.2 seconds really worth $8,500? I know you get grey rims and a spoiler, but it just doesn't feel worth it. Zero to 60 in 5.6 is damn fast. When I test drove the performance edition it blew my Mom's glasses right off her head and into the trunk (I'm not kidding!). When I let my Dad give it a go, and I sat in the back seat it was almost like someone rammed into the back of the car when he floored the throttle (excuse me... accelerator). As cool as that is, I would love to know drive a standard edition for some comparison. Something tells me the standard edition will have more than enough performance.

Idk, am I missing something? does anyone else think it's not worth it?
 
This is completely subjective. For example, if your current car has a slower 0-60 than 5.6s then, yes, the standard 85kwh pack will likely feel more than fast enough. If you have a need for speed and enjoy the thrill of acceleration and/or your current car is faster than 5.6s then in that case, it might be something to shoot for.

It really comes down to what YOU want. BTW, the grey wheels can be had without the performance option.
 
I opted out easily. Wasn't too keen on 21-inch wheels either way, and for me this is a family car. Plus I still have sticker shock without it being performance. And like you said, 5.6 is plenty fast.

So price and usage were the reasons I never seriously considered it. The acceleration is a bit like the door handles - a bit of a party trick. But I can't say I wasn't tempted. If money hadn't been an issue and the car had been just for me, I might have been singing a different tune...
 
AnOutsider - I enjoy the thrill of acceleration, but I don't the difference of 1.2 seconds is going to lessen my thrill. But you make a good point. I've never had a car that does 0-6 in under 7 seconds before, so to me anything will be fast. How do you get those grey rims after market? Who sells them?

Trnsl8r - I'm with you on that. The one year waiting list was actually a bonus for me because it gave me time to save up for my down payment. This car is 4 times the price of any car I've ever bought. But the gas savings are what's going to make up for it. The Performance was tempting, but us mere mortals must make cut backs when necessary.

Zextraterrestrial - Yes, I'm getting both. Thats a good idea, but do you have any takers so far?
 
Zextraterrestrial - Yes, I'm getting both. Thats a good idea, but do you have any takers so far?

there are several interested people - but not sure of the price anyone would pay. If Tesla charges $3500 to upgrade or $5200 for a new full set I was thinking something like $2k for a swap to 19"s / sell them for $4k and get some 20" wheels maybe

..or sell single wheel/tire combos for 1k or so to anyone who needs a new wheel due to curb damage
 
If you have ever modified a car to make it go faster, get the Perf. If, when passing cars on the freeway, you sometimes push pedal to the floor, get the Perf.

Speed/perf is relative and your perception adjusts quickly--- in a month it won't seem so fast. If you enjoy speed, get the Perf. Otherwise, save your money.
 
The Tesla folks were nice enough to get me some time (street and highway) on both perf and standard. I went with standard and I'm used to driving RWD cars with power and sports suspensions (BMW 330i, 328i, 5 liter Mustang GT, etc.).

The Perf accel is great. It's violent. The standard accel is really really good. It feels like more accel and power than any car I've had. I think it handles better than anything I've had with the perf/air suspension. And the ride is better.

I think if you have the Perf, you need to watch the accel. It's violent enough that it can really take you by surprise and not in a good way. You need to be really on your toes when you floor the perf.

I'd use standard accel or close to it fair bit. Full perf accel in real driving should be really really rare other than "just for fun".

The Perf is an extra $12K that comes with 21" tires that are really expensive to replace. It also comes with the alcantara roof lining that I really love and alcantara accents the kids are more likely to trash. And I'm not a real fan of the grey piping on the tan interior. I'd have gone with brown, bronze or copper or something :).

So I just couldn't justify the extra $12K. I took that money and put it towards a solar install instead. Solar City. So Elon got my money anyway :).
 
The Perf upgrade was the thing I was least happy with. The 21" tire thing bugs me, though I got them and even got the grey wheels though I'm ambivalent at best on their appearance, but I got them figuring they gave me the best value when trying to arrange a swap with a 19" owner. The performance was hard to judge because I didn't get to drive a non-Perf, so I'm not really sure if I'll notice it much or not. I did, however, like the Alacantra and I liked the CF interior far more than the other options.

At the time, I thought TSLA would be higher when I needed to finally purchase and I was doing well saving. Now, of course, I've had a leaking pipe cause water damage, my RX8 is requiring some expensive maintenance, and my fence blew down in the recent storm. Several thousand $ just disappeared from my Model S fund :(
 
Looking over the specs, I imagine it would be super hard to judge if 'its worth it or not' without driving the two side by side. I do understand the production limits currently, yet know i would need to drive both to make a decision, as I am more interested in the performance differential between the two, rather than the aesthetic differential. Not upgrading would allow room to get all the options I would want as well, leather, air suspension, pano roof, tech package, sound studio package, and parcel shelf (total cost of options=9 450, .....total cost for performance -cost of options that would be included =12 000)...hence i have just changed my mind while typing this. for 2500 bucks difference (2.5% of total cost) i think i would upgrade.
 
If you're on the fence, here's another way of looking at it: the thrill of every full-performance standing start lasts longer in the standard S than the Performance. :biggrin:

Which is my tongue-in-cheek way of saying, 0-60 in 5+ seconds is plenty fast enough for this correspondent. Full disclosure: my Roadster wasn't a Sport model, and my S isn't a Performance. And with the 19" wheels I'm hoping I won't have to replace rear tires every 5000 miles, either.
 
Went standard, but not as a step-down from Performance: I just had to keep myself from upgrading yet again, after moving from the base model ($49,500 40kWh) to adding...tech package, then sound, then pano roof - and, yes the air suspension - of course. Did I mention paint Armor? - heck's it's New England here. And I better upgrade to a 60kW hour battery - no, hmm - 85kWh - yes. Oh wait, Performance is only 12K more? PLEASE tie me up and hold the heel of your boot over my trachea until my NON-performance well-appointed 85kWh Model S arrives.
 
There is no need for a Performance version of this car. 0-60 in 5.6 seconds is already very fast... a twin-turbo 300HP BMW convertible can hit only 5.9, for example. And the electric drivetrain with its gobs of low-end torque is going to FEEL and RESPOND significantly faster than even an ICE car with equal acceleration times. So I repeat: there is no need for a Performance version of this car.

But I'm getting it, and wouldn't have it any other way. Why? I want it, and I can afford it without making undue sacrifices. I can think of no other reason to get it... but that one is enough, if you feel that way too.
 
The perf upgrade is actually quite reasonable when you consider it's 25% faster 0-60. That is a HUGE difference for not that much money (if you're already getting the 85kWh battery). But that's why it's an option - people can spend their money where they want :)