I apologize for violating the forum etiquette of cross posting, but this thread welcomes it; I suppose. I would also me remiss if I did not add that my kids love the Falcon Wing Doors. Here is what I wrote in two other threads:
Another positive point from my delivery, two day experience: Falcon Wing Doors. There was justifiably much talk and speculation surrounding the Falcon Wing Doors: Many questioned the timing of opening/closing, whether it was a gimmick vs. a practical feature. Others questioned how they would operate in inclement weather. My expectations were very low. I thought the Falcon Wing Doors looked cool and probably would not add much utility and would need service out of the gate.
I was wrong.
The last two days in Michigan have been very cold (ranging from 13 degrees to 34 degrees), windy, and slight rain. I have two young daughters (10 months and 4 years old) and found the convenience of the Falcon Wing Doors to be invaluable. My wife and I ran errands today, and the FWDs made getting the girls in and out of the car easier than we could have imagined. It was simply awesome to have unobstructed clearance getting our 10 month old in and out of the rear facing seat (open the FWD, unlatch the car seat, remove the car seat - no small opening to awkwardly maneuver). As mentioned before, the weather was undesirable (cold, windy, rain, snow flurries, etc.), and the time for the Falcon Wing Doors to open and close was fast: if the driver manually closes the door from the outside, or if the passenger closes the door on the inside, there was no time wasted waiting for the doors to close (no one was unnecessarily exposed to the harsh elements any more so than in any other automobile). I found the timing a non-issue.
If memory serves, we opened both doors 20 times today in tight parking spaces or in our garage (which is a pretty tight fit), and the FWD worked flawlessly. With that said, I know there is a contigent of people that will attempt to crush their hands, feet, and whatever body part they are willing to put in harms way because "hey, these are Falcon Wing Doors and we must prove that Tesla can not engineer every imaginable scenario." Well, that contingent is correct. Historically, I never placed my hand(s) inside a car as the doors were closing or stood as close to a car door when someone exited the vehicle. And I did not start with my Model X. Yes, there is potential for doors to pinch hands or the FWD to hit someone, but the probablity is much lower in an X than any other automobile because of the X warning beep, and the X door sensors. Tesla currently has the door sensor sensitivity high to err on the side of caution. If you approach a falcon wing door like any other door, it works as advertised. If you are willing to stand in the same position to open a FWD as you would any other door, there will be no problem.
I am now a strong advocate for Falcon Wing Doors, and I welcome Tesla to have FWD on the Model Y.
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My 6 days worth of experience:
I find the falcon wing doors extraordinarily useful. I thought they'd be a gimmick, but I was wrong. They are very useful for me - I have two daughters: a 10 month old and a 4 year old. Previously, I could not get the kids out of my Model S if both cars were parked in our two car garage. I would take the kids out of my Model S prior to entering the garage. Now, I can enter the garage and take the kids out of the car (very useful in the winter and when it rains). I also find getting the kids in and out of the car (anywhere) to be a breeze - the amount of space for entering and exiting the Model X is awesome. The weather in Michigan the last six days has been well below freezing (anywhere from 10 degrees to 30 degrees), snow flurries, and high winds. The doors do not close or open slower than any traditional doors. And as noted by others, you can open or close the doors in advance with the key fob.
Overall, the Model X has exceeded my expectations (I have not experienced any notable "fit and finish" issues), but I do believe the delays caused by the FWDs and their necessity (coupled with the "artisan" 2nd row seats) are worthy of discussion (and criticism) for Tesla's long-term goal(s). Now that the Model X is here (for a few hundred owners at least), and the FWD are part of the design, I would purchase the Model X again. Minimally, the 2016 and 2017 sales numbers will ultimately answer these larger questions.
It would be interesting to know the breakdown of features-to-time causing the delay: FWD, artisan seats, etc.
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My short-term, inclement weather feedback: Falcon Wing Doors are tremendously valuable, and I'm glad I have them. I would purchase another Model X or a Model Y with Falcon Wing Doors.
Two thumbs up. 11 out of 10.
