How fast did Model S ruin you for ICE?

disillusioned · Dec 22, 2015

So I picked my P90DL up a week ago. I hadn't driven anything else for the first 5 days, but then drove my wife's X5 diesel, which has been a great car for us. Annnnnnd ruined. It's such an immense difference in so many small driving dynamics ways that it's already ruined driving my very nice other vehicle for me. The instant power, the lack of gears, the overall response... honestly, just the feeling that I can command the car and it'll MOVE... it's so impressive (and perhaps more so in ludicrous mode even at higher speeds) and so effortless that it just feels like an enormous drag to drive the diesel. Which is too bad because again, she's a great car.

At first I was almost talking myself out of how cool the car was. Not quite buyer's remorse, but just "how much better is this really?" And then I went back to the X5 and it's... transformative. It's simply so much better a ride than anything I've ever driven, so much faster and more fun. It's wild. I love this thing.

How long did it take you to be completely ruined by this ride? (And if you still occasionally have to drive an ICE vehicle, what's been ruined for you?)

AndersH · Dec 22, 2015

Not only has it ruined driving ICE cars for me, it has evaporated any interest in new ICE cars for me. Whatever BMW, Porsche, Audi, etc are doing that is NOT electric has no interest at all. It seems old already. When a beautiful new ICE car is announced at some trade show, I can't help but think that it's a pity that it's not an EV. It's like Apple announcing a beautiful new device that uses a command prompt.

Zybane · Dec 22, 2015

I've sold both of my ICE cars now. Once you drive full electric it's very hard to go back. The simplicity and driving dynamics of electric motors completely destroys ICE vehicles. I just wish the electricity it uses was made more from nuclear, hydro, solar and wind than coal.

pmt32577 · Dec 22, 2015

For me it was as soon as I got back in my ICE car after the test drive. The quiet and peace in the Tesla was masked somewhat by the nervous tension of the test drive itself. As soon as I got back in my car the droning, the vibration, the hesitations and lurching about as the gears changed were immediately obnoxious.
I've told Tesla that getting the customer back in their own car with the salesman should be part of the test drive.
Now, the problem I've got is that it is about another 2 1/2 months before my P90D arrives in the UK!

jerry33 · Dec 22, 2015

I didn't drive any ICE for a month after I got mine. Then the car that I really liked previously, was just bad by comparison. Now there are no ICE cars at our house.

tstafford · Dec 22, 2015

It's ruined me completely. I'm a car guy and Porsche, BMW and Audi no longer have much appeal for me. I still love seeing 911s but I can't see buying one again. At this point the only ICE cars I'd consider are a total toy (Ferrari or the like) or a people carrier such as our Sienna.

I'm sure early, early adopters of the iPhone felt this way too - nothing else would work for them. Now we have some competition via Android. Hopefully other long range EVs will emerge but I suspect I am in a Tesla for this lease cycle and one more before I have any viable choices.

mguw · Dec 22, 2015

My electric motorcycle Zero FX ruined all ICE motorcycles I loved so much in one week...
One month later it ruined my ICE car and I had to order a Tesla way more expensive than what I would ever have put into a car...
Delivery is in 2 days!!! [emoji3] [emoji3] [emoji3]

swengl · Dec 22, 2015

It didn't take long at all for me. The handling, the quiet, auto-pilot, and not having to stop for gas were all factors that killed any future interest in ICE vehicles for me. I'm just biding my time until I can replace our second vehicle (SUV) with a Model X.

jaguar36 · Dec 22, 2015

Seems like I'm an outlier here. It hasn't ruined ICE cars for me. While I'm happy to drive the Tesla, I'm also quite happy to drive my BMW too. The Tesla is great, but its a very big, very heavy car, and while it hides its weight well physics gets in the way with over an extra half ton on board. I also love being more involved in the driving with my 3 pedals and the great engine note. Having a quiet car is nice, but the sound from a good engine is wonderful.

Finally of course, there is the fact that I can still do a 500 mile roadtrip much faster in my ICE than in a Tesla, even if there are convenient superchargers.

tstafford · Dec 22, 2015

jaguar36 said:
Seems like I'm an outlier here. It hasn't ruined ICE cars for me. While I'm happy to drive the Tesla, I'm also quite happy to drive my BMW too. The Tesla is great, but its a very big, very heavy car, and while it hides its weight well physics gets in the way with over an extra half ton on board. I also love being more involved in the driving with my 3 pedals and the great engine note. Having a quiet car is nice, but the sound from a good engine is wonderful.

Finally of course, there is the fact that I can still do a 500 mile roadtrip much faster in my ICE than in a Tesla, even if there are convenient superchargers.

Good points. The size/weight of the MS is the only thing I don't like about it. I'm sure it contributes to the smoothness, quiet, rock solid feel, etc. but it is not nimble. That issue is enough to create a little itch for me to own a "weekend car" such as an F-car or Porsche GT3.

widodh · Dec 22, 2015

AndersH said:
Not only has it ruined driving ICE cars for me, it has evaporated any interest in new ICE cars for me. Whatever BMW, Porsche, Audi, etc are doing that is NOT electric has no interest at all. It seems old already. When a beautiful new ICE car is announced at some trade show, I can't help but think that it's a pity that it's not an EV. It's like Apple announcing a beautiful new device that uses a command prompt.

Same here, exactly the same. I really don't care anymore about ICE cars.

artsci · Dec 22, 2015

The imminent and disastrous impact of climate change made me instantly pleased that I'm driving a zero emissions car. The sooner we all feel that way the better. If we don't stop burning fossil fuels the life ahead for all of us will not be comfortable.

thx1139 · Dec 22, 2015

Actually our Chevy Volt ruined ICE for me. Our Model S just obliterated any interest.

Zythryn · Dec 22, 2015

The drive home from the test drive

The instant response, smooth and effortless power delivery.
I can't stand the delay between hitting the throttle and power in all ICE cars now. Sure, some hide it well.
The noise from any ICE basically just reminds me how they are pretty good heaters that happen to deliver a little bit of motive power.

No more hesitation as the car shifts, no gap in power delivery.

And, no standing outside in a January blizzard to refuel.

I can't say I will always drive a Tesla, although I believe so, however I will always drive electric.

gavine · Dec 22, 2015

I'm a gear-head/petrol-head and used to laugh at electric cars. Tesla piqued my interest and after a test drive, I was hooked....I was coming from a car with a 6.0L V8 engine (no slouch).

We used to like our 2014 SUV a lot but now it feels junky, clunky and outdated, to the point that we are getting a Model X to replace it. My daughter will be driving soon so a Nissan Leaf for her. Next step is to move-on to replacing all of the ice in my shed (mower, weed whacker, etc.). "LOL OIL", right?

So "ruined" is a good word. I used to love fixing gas engines and learning about them. Not anymore. Kind of a bummer in a way, but progress is a good thing.

tinm · Dec 22, 2015

ICE was ruined the second I did a test drive in a Model S in 2013. Never looking back.

tomas · Dec 22, 2015

It was three years ago. My prior car was Jaguar XF, which I had enjoyed. After first week of driving S, I had to drive XF 30 miles to sell to carmax. I expected to be a little sad, but all I could think about on the ride was how slow, clunky, loud, and unresponsive it was. By end of drive, I couldn't wait to drop it off. Adios ICE.

Xenius · Dec 22, 2015

Zythryn said:
The drive home from the test drive

That was it for me. Not yet an owner (I have a perfectly working ICE now, so it's unreasonable) but my next car will be an EV, hopefully a model 3, but a model S if it must be.

Gwgan · Dec 22, 2015

I don't have my own EV yet and the test drive did start a change in my appreciation for electric driving but reading this forum has really altered my perspective. The drive turned the light on in the room but the forum brought in the furniture. Now when an ad appears for some fancy fast car my only thought is "boy, that's loud". Now I notice, and am disgusted by, tail pipes spewing gases when just sitting at idle at a light. I wonder how long it will be before school buses and trash trucks go electric and how much nicer that will be for those riders and the rest of us on the road behind them. I am sensitive to all the vibrating drama when I drive my own car and truck. I never had these worries before reading people's stories on this board (and watching Bjorn videos). Book knowledge may not ruin ICE as fast as driving but it does have an impact.

lolachampcar · Dec 22, 2015

Likely never another BMW but the McLaren still works for me once or twice a week

How fast did Model S ruin you for ICE?

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