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Soon-To-Be Roadster Owner in 2015

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DeedWest

2008 VP & 2011 2.5 Sport
Feb 5, 2014
937
1,154
Dallas, TX
Hello all! I've been somewhat of an active reader of these forums over the past two years since I've been heavily researching & planning for one of my biggest dreams: owning a Roadster. The company & especially the Roadster have been an overbearing obsession of mine since 2008, & I never thought I'd be able to own one until recently.

I've nearly 100% decided I'd like to wait for an Electric Blue in any year/trim, but would prefer a 2.0 due to the interior updates. At the same time, I would also consider any color for the right price, but with the market rarely having more than 20 for sale at a time, it seems like the most painful waiting game possible.

Regardless, it is finally in my plans to make it happen this year, and I was hoping I could have a few questions answered by real owners with real experience.

- I am located in the Dallas, TX area, where for the better part of five months out of the year, it's very humid, & very hot; at times up to 105 degrees in the summer. Should I be at all worried about overheating? I've read that most 2.0 & above have two fans as opposed to one in the 1.5's, but am still skeptical. Is holding out for a 2.5 worth it due to the PEM update for spirited driving in harsh conditions?

- I have test driven two Roadsters (1.5 #169 and 2.0 #606) but didn't get to experience the car for more than fifteen minutes. Do you all find that the seats are comfortable for long drives? I will be coming from a 2011 CR-Z that is one of the most comfortable seats for long drives I've experienced, so that factor is important to me.

- Are there any other required aspects/improvements I should know to plan for when I finally receive my dream car?


Thank you so much in advance to anyone willing to help a new guy out!
 
Hello all! I've been somewhat of an active reader of these forums over the past two years since I've been heavily researching & planning for one of my biggest dreams: owning a Roadster. The company & especially the Roadster have been an overbearing obsession of mine since 2008, & I never thought I'd be able to own one until recently.

I've nearly 100% decided I'd like to wait for an Electric Blue in any year/trim, but would prefer a 2.0 due to the interior updates. At the same time, I would also consider any color for the right price, but with the market rarely having more than 20 for sale at a time, it seems like the most painful waiting game possible.

Regardless, it is finally in my plans to make it happen this year, and I was hoping I could have a few questions answered by real owners with real experience.

- I am located in the Dallas, TX area, where for the better part of five months out of the year, it's very humid, & very hot; at times up to 105 degrees in the summer. Should I be at all worried about overheating? I've read that most 2.0 & above have two fans as opposed to one in the 1.5's, but am still skeptical. Is holding out for a 2.5 worth it due to the PEM update for spirited driving in harsh conditions?

- I have test driven two Roadsters (1.5 #169 and 2.0 #606) but didn't get to experience the car for more than fifteen minutes. Do you all find that the seats are comfortable for long drives? I will be coming from a 2011 CR-Z that is one of the most comfortable seats for long drives I've experienced, so that factor is important to me.

- Are there any other required aspects/improvements I should know to plan for when I finally receive my dream car?


Thank you so much in advance to anyone willing to help a new guy out!

The 2.0 and 2.5 have the same PEM and cooling system. It blows more cooling air than the 1.5 but is more prone to dirt and clogging. The PEM is very unlikely to overheat in any version unless you use it on a track, and even then it's usually the motor that overheats first. The other differences between the 2.0 and 2.5 are the 2.5 has a double din nav/radio/cd/dvd player in the dash with a backup camera. The 2.5 is also a little quieter than the 2.0 and has slightly different bumpers. The differences between the 1.5 and 2.x are much bigger - too many things to list here - but I'll mention that the 2.x Roadsters had a better HVAC system for cooling the battery. The same AC system is also used to cool the cabin and it takes better care of the battery than the passengers if there's not enough A/C for both.

You don't have to worry about living where it's hot. If you leave your car in the sun on a hot day, you might be surprised to walk by it and hear the cooling system working even if the car is turned off. It does this automatically and if you haven't read the PIA Roadster battery study yet, you should because one thing they determined is that the batteries are holding up just as well in AZ as they are in VT (where it's -20F tonight).

As for the seats, it depends on your size and shape. You can adjust the padding a little bit. I personally find them to be the most comfortable seats for long trips of any car I've ever driven. Better than the Model S. But that's just me - you might be different.

Good luck finding your car!
 
... I personally find them to be the most comfortable seats for long trips of any car I've ever driven. Better than the Model S. But that's just me - you might be different.

Good luck finding your car!

Ditto on the seats. I drove my Roadster from the Canadian border down to the Mexican border and home - about 3300 miles over most of 3 weeks summer before last, and found the seats to be very comfortable over 6+ hours of driving a day.

Good luck on your hunt! I was looking for Very Orange when I was looking for a used Roadster, but a good deal that happened to be black is what came along. Oh the suffering and sacrifice :)
 
I use my roadster a lot, now 9000km in last 45 days.. That means I am in the car for 3 hours or more each day. The seats are more than OK, but I do struggle with the position of the left leg sometimes. I notice that I push it against the left side, and that is not so comfy after a while..

But, before you ask: NO, I'm not swapping it for your CRZ :D
 
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The seats themselves are comfortable for me even in the 1.5 version. My problem is that my legs are kind of long and as m0rph said I can not find a comfortable position for it. The dead pedal is too close and eventhough I can get my large feet past it to stretch a bit, once my left foot is past the dead pedal there is nothing for it to rest against so that too is a tiring position. One hour of this for me is about all I can take.
 
I've done a lot of Roadster traveling too including trips with recharging in between. Seats are fine. You might want to add some extra lumbal padding, though. The seats allow for you to do that. I'm not familiar with the CRZ seats though, so can't really help you with comparing.
 
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Wow. Thanks so much for all of the great help right away! This really is the best forum on earth.

Anyway, that's killer news about the seats long-term. When I test drove both Roadsters, I didn't seem to have any issues that I noticed right away, and I'm 6'1". I could even see the instrument panel, which I had read was a complaint from some tall owners. Thank you guys for easing my worries about that!

I keep thinking of questions I've had: I am also an audiophile, and appreciate a decent audio system. Most Roadsters I've seen for sale have Electronics Group with the upgraded system, but I've always been curious how great (or not) it really sounds. Any owners here with Electronics Group have opinions on it? I wouldn't mind upgrading down the road depending on how I feel towards the quality, but it'd be nice to not have to worry.

Oh, and m0rph: I wouldn't dare ask such a thing!!! I'd probably consider you insane if you wanted to trade.
 
I am another guy that has taken road trips and been happy with the seats. I've been on 8 trips from 1600 to 3500 miles. Note, however, that my wife only came with me on one of those trips. It was OK, but not so good for her that she wanted to do it again. It all depends on the person.

I know a couple of 6'5" owners that love the cars. They do have real problems seeing stoplights, though.

As for the sound system...I just have the base system (which is definitely not high quality). The car is so noisy I don't know that it's worth having a really nice system in it. I do know a few people that have done upgrades, but mostly to get a unit with better UI, navigation or something like that...I don't think better sound is typically the driving force.

After more than 5 years, I still find the Roadster more fun to drive than anything else I've ever driven, including a P85D. You will love it when you get one.
 
Where the seats are great, the Electronics Group is just complete @#$. Seriously. Don't expect much of it. I have the Roadster 2.5 Alpine Nav upgrade with extra speakers and highest Wattage but seriously. It's just lousy. I can listen to the radio, or play something from my iPhone... but with 1981 walkman sound-quality

Sorry to disappoint you on this one.

However... there's lots of noise in the roadster, it being a roadster as it is, so in practice, I got used to it and accept that I miss out on the subtleties of the music played at any moment using the roadster-standard Alpine Nav set.

I'm 6'2" and actually adjust the seat to sit closer to the wheel, whereas I've always drove as far away from the steering wheel as I could in any other car. It's the racy feel of the car that makes me do that. Legs high up, almost touching the wheel, but man, the steering and agility just gets even better that way. Also gives some better view at stoplights. My opinion. So don't worry about your size.

Edit: And further as ChadS said. You'll just love the roadster. Really its such a blast to drive.
 
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I've nearly 100% decided I'd like to wait for an Electric Blue in any year/trim

Excellent choice in color! I recently purchased a 2.0 Electric Blue, and it looks incredible. :biggrin: Pictures really don't do it justice. Regardless of color/trim, you will love your Roadster. Just be patient, and the right one will pop up. Zero issues with seat comfort, and I have a bit of a commute every day.
 
Excellent choice in color! I recently purchased a 2.0 Electric Blue, and it looks incredible. :biggrin: Pictures really don't do it justice. Regardless of color/trim, you will love your Roadster. Just be patient, and the right one will pop up. Zero issues with seat comfort, and I have a bit of a commute every day.

I am infinitely jealous! Was it #678 by chance? I would LOVE to see some photos, if possible. Pardon my raging obsession, but photos of Electric Blue Roadsters (and all Roadsters in general) are my favorite thing. It's becoming apparent to me why this color is so difficult to find. In my opinion, it's the most beautiful.

GVTesla - Ah. Well, I certainly appreciate your honesty about Electronics Group. I very briefly got to experience the radio in the 2.0 I test drove back in September, and it sounded...decent. I mainly use my iPhone with an EQ through iTunes, so I'm sure my uses will sound slightly better than what I heard. Overall, it isn't a huge deal-breaker for me, because regardless of sound quality or any other minor issues, I'm 1,000% set on this car, and get goosebumps just thinking about having my own to drive every day. And as for sitting close to the wheel - YES. I couldn't agree more. That's exactly how I'm accustomed to driving and I don't plan on changing that experience with the Roadster, which I'm assuming is far more exhilarating.

Last I checked, the Roadster High Power Wall Connector system was out of stock on the Tesla site. Being able to charge the car from zero to full in less than four hours with a 70AMP current would be ideal for me, when I take delivery. Does anyone have any insight on when they might be available? Other than that, are there any alternatives to the system that Tesla sells? Thanks again to everyone for being extremely helpful!
 
I would get a HPWC from Tesla, and the S-CAN Model S to Roasdter adapter from hsharp. The HPWC is a great deal for only $750, and has a 25' cord.

If you also get Tesla's J1772 adapter for the S, then you can use Roadster, Model S, and J1772 charging stations with just these two small adapters.

GSP
 
I would get a HPWC from Tesla, and the S-CAN Model S to Roasdter adapter from hsharp. The HPWC is a great deal for only $750, and has a 25' cord.

If you also get Tesla's J1772 adapter for the S, then you can use Roadster, Model S, and J1772 charging stations with just these two small adapters.

GSP

The Model S HPWC is not even close to the quality and durability as what the Roadster HPWC is. Also having to use the CAN all the time when you charge at home would be a big pain, plus your chances of leaving the CAN at home when you need it on the road is very high.
 
For me, my typical use of the Roadster is that it gets me virtually anywhere but at the same time I will almost always have 60 Miles ideal range or more left, before I start recharging. To me getting below 60 doesn't feel quite comfortable because the battery sign turns yellow soon after and I try not to stress the cells too much. My assumption would be that this might be quite typical use of a Roadster; to avoid being too many times below 50 Miles ideal range. If so, charging at 32A/230V gets the battery full in approx. 4 hours too.

However, a HPWC does the job even faster of course :)
 
I am infinitely jealous! Was it #678 by chance? I would LOVE to see some photos, if possible. Pardon my raging obsession, but photos of Electric Blue Roadsters (and all Roadsters in general) are my favorite thing. It's becoming apparent to me why this color is so difficult to find. In my opinion, it's the most beautiful.

It is! To be honest with you, I was on the fence about getting a Roadster, but when I saw this color, I was sold! I sort of warmed up to the idea of getting a Roadster at the right time, right when #678 came onto the market. I'll snap some pics when I get a chance, and be sure to post them. Hopefully you'll find one too. Good hunting!
 
Good choice! Electric blue is my favourite colour too. :)

image.jpg
 
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My home charger is 40A (it's actually the old Roadster Foundry charger, not the one from Tesla). I've had the car for about 5.5 years and 80K miles, and maybe twice I've wished that I had > 40A charging. I'm perfectly happy I didn't get the HPWC, and if I had to do it again I'd make the same decision.

Where I've wanted higher power charging is when I'm on road trips. I'm still a little bugged that Tesla never bothered to install 70A Roadster chargers at the supercharger sites. It would have cost them very little and been really helpful.
 
For me, my typical use of the Roadster is that it gets me virtually anywhere but at the same time I will almost always have 60 Miles ideal range or more left, before I start recharging. To me getting below 60 doesn't feel quite comfortable because the battery sign turns yellow soon after and I try not to stress the cells too much. My assumption would be that this might be quite typical use of a Roadster; to avoid being too many times below 50 Miles ideal range. If so, charging at 32A/230V gets the battery full in approx. 4 hours too.

My opinion is that when driving in Standard mode the lower portion of the battery capacity is already protected by the firmware, so I don't worry about running the Ideal range down to below 20.

I have a 145 mile roundtrip that I do several times a month. I do a Standard charge, which gets me about 170 Ideal miles, and on the way home I stop at the San Rafael Service Center with about 30 miles of Rated Range left, charge up to 50 miles of Rated Range, and get home with 15 to 20 miles of Rated Range remaining.
 
I have a 145 mile roundtrip that I do several times a month. I do a Standard charge, which gets me about 170 Ideal miles, and on the way home I stop at the San Rafael Service Center with about 30 miles of Rated Range left, charge up to 50 miles of Rated Range, and get home with 15 to 20 miles of Rated Range remaining.

Sounds deliciously familiar :) those trips with a small stop somewhere to juice up just to get those precious 10 or 20 extra miles desired :) :)

You probably are right that the firmware does a good job protecting at the lower ranges as it even in Range Mode almost certainly reserves some capacity to keep it from 'bricking'.

Guess its a personal habit. I guess I try to keep my remaining charge higher, somehow remembering a comment on TMC from Henry Sharp where he states he tries not to put the pedal to the metal below 50% charge.

@Deedwest. Not sure on the sizing of your area of search, but in Europe there are actually 2 electric blue cars for sale right now. If located close enough to me I'd be perfectly happy to take a first look for you and take some pictures and do a first inspection. Keep in mind though that those will be EU-spec cars. Not quite sure if or what the main differences are compared to the US spec cars. I do know you'll probably be able to buy most cars with the VAT deducted when shipping it to the US. The advertised prices are usually including VAT here.