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Yet Another Help Me Decide on Which Model S Thread

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I read TMC voraciously, as some of you know. However, I still don't know which variation to get. What's odd is that given the base spec I pretty much know which options (as in all). The table below pretty much convinces me that I made the right choice not to get Signature. (Regular Performance is $4200 more, which is worth it, IMO, and Sig Perf is too much more). I do really like the Sig Red, but it's just too pricey for me.

So, I need to ask myself (and you since you're reading this) if it's worth $12K more for Performance? Fast is fun, and CF accents are cool. The Perf interior seems to be better than the non-Perf interior, but maybe I'm parsing the Options + Pricing page too closely.

I also want to ask about the 21" Hi-Performance tires. Does anyone have details on them, and what the treadwear ratings are likely to be, compared to the all-season tires on the 19" aerodynamic wheels? If I get the Perf model, will I just be engaging Traction Control every time I stomp on the pedal if I choose the 19" aero wheels instead?

Thanks for letting me think out loud - and feel free to nudge my thinking as you see fit.

Option / BaseBaseSigPerformanceSig Performance
Price$69,900$87,900$84,900$97,900
Paint$750$750
Roof$1,500$1,500$1,500$1,500
Aero Wheels$1,500
Leather$1,500
Infotainment$3,750$3,750
Stereo$950$950
Air Suspension$1,500
Shelf$250$250
2nd Charger$1,500$1,500
Total Price$83,100$89,400$93,600$99,400
Differential From Base$6,300$10,500$16,300
 
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I think you'd like the performance model from what you've said. It's tough to say if the performance is worth it of course since 5.6 seconds is still pretty quick. The 21" wheels will likely last a much shorter time that the 19" wheels and cost more. If you're paying for the performance upgrade, I think sticking with the 21" wheels makes sense. If you're thinking about the 19" wheels, I think getting the fully loaded 85 kWh car might be the way to go. You're also saving the $2,000 you would lose by picking the performance version and downgrading to the 19" aero wheels (since it looks like Tesla is not willing to refund you the difference in wheels).
 
The place where the sport tires/wheels help is in the turns. If you don't take turns hard and fast, then you don't "need" the performance wheels. High performance tires are stickier than normal all-seasons and thus they will wear faster by their nature. I figure it as an entertainment expense. The tires on my SLK55 and Goldwing don't last nearly as long as the tires on my Escort station wagon. Hmmm, wonder why...

As for whether the $12k is worth it, that's completely up to you. It's worth it to me because I want the zippiest takeoff possible in my new electric sport sedan. For more sedate drivers, it's not so important.

There are two big benefits to Perf. 1. Acceleration and 2. Alcantara bolsters and probably headrests.

I'm pretty sure the Alcantara will be available in contrasting colors to the "normal" leather. Alcantara is grippier in tight turns and aesthetically pleasing with the contrasting colors.

So you pays your moneys and makes your choices.
 
You're also saving the $2,000 you would lose by picking the performance version and downgrading to the 19" aero wheels...

OTOH, maybe someone who didn't want to pay for Performance but liked the 21" look would be willing split the $2K difference. They save $1K on the wheels and I lose $1K less.

The problem for me with the 21" wheels is mostly tire replacement cost. On the Roadster, fueling costs less than $0.02/mile. Rear tires cost about $0.04/mile.
 
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If you don't like the cost of 21" tires then either don't get them or don't accelerate like there's no tomorrow at every stop. I don't get it all why people consider buying a >>60k €/USD car and complain about running costs. And I don't get the "all season tires" thing also. I mean that's beyond rediculous on a performance car. They are neither fish nor flesh and perform worse than dedicated summer or winter tires the whole year. That point is completely beyond me. Sorry for the rant.
 
I don't get it all why people consider buying a >60k €/USD car and complain about running costs.

"Tastes great; Less filling!" is part of what makes America great, IMO. :smile: We don't settle, we want it all.

With an EV I can run cleaner AND quicker AND cheaper per mile. At 10% the cost per mile of an ICE, spending $60K on a Model S is economically comparable to spending $30K on an ICE car (150K miles, $0.20/mile differential). So, if tires increase those running costs significantly, then I want to factor that in. And, even if I don't accelerate quickly ever, high performance tires will wear out more quickly than all season tires, and cost more at each replacement.

As for "fish nor flesh," that's a ironic mixing of metaphors, isn't it?
 
Be wary of the sorry state of Bay Area freeways and roads in most cities here; the 21" wheels will be subject to much brutality :frown: I'm concerned about the 19" tires and wheels themselves given my daily commute on the beautifully-pockmarked carpool lane on 101 South mid-peninsula!
 
Besides the upfront cost of the performance option, there is the additional insurance premium you will pay for the car being more expensive than the non-performance version and I suspect an additional "premium" for the faster 0-60 times. CA also bases it's license fee on purchase price so there is the extra cost for that and is an ongoing extra annual cost.. Now before I get hammered for pointing out these additional running costs, I am aware that anyone able to purchase a car in this price range probably can afford these extra costs. However, it is nice to get good news when receiving a bill and see that insurance costs and licensing fess aren't too out of whack with other cars.

The other concern is theft. In my early twenty's I had a Porsche 914 4 cylinder version, very fun to drive but a bit of a slug compared to the 6 cylinder version; those were an open invitation to steal.
 
As for "fish nor flesh," that's a ironic mixing of metaphors, isn't it?
Off-topic alert!
John Heywood's 1546 glossary, "A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue" includes the expression:

She is nother fyshe nor fleshe, nor good red hearyng.

Fish was eaten by the clergy, flesh by the rich, and the dried and smoked herrings by the poor. So this list of the foods eaten by all classes of society was a metaphor for 'encompassing all eventualities'.
-- The Phrase Finder
 
I'm making the same decision between the perf and not. The car it will replace has about a 5.7 0-60 and I'm quite happy with that. So I don't know that I need the 4.4.

But it will come down to the interior for me. I want the extended leather like you see in the sig. Assuming that will not be an option in the non-perf even in 2013, that would push me to get the perf.

But I will probably downgrade to the 19" wheels. I'm guessing they weigh less and have less rotational inertia. And I need the additional sidewall for the roads around here.
 
Be wary of the sorry state of Bay Area freeways and roads in most cities here; the 21" wheels will be subject to much brutality :frown: I'm concerned about the 19" tires and wheels themselves given my daily commute on the beautifully-pockmarked carpool lane on 101 South mid-peninsula!

Totally agree with this. The harshness of extreme low profile 21" tires is why I would prefer 19s. If they offered the 19s with the turbine pattern that would be very compelling, but I am leaning towards the aero wheels unless they are too ugly. You can always get high performance tires on the 19s.
 
The harshness of extreme low profile 21" tires is why I would prefer 19s. You can always get high performance tires on the 19s.

Yeah, I'm leaning that way, too. That 35 aspect ratio is more like a rubber band than a tire on those 21" wheels. And, good point about the hi-perf tire option - that might make getting the Perf model not so bad.

Maybe I've just become too sensitized from the Roadster's tire situation, which is that non-sticky tires result in lots of TC enablement, which is no fun and maybe even dangerous if you were counting on it not engaging. It might not be as bad on Model S, but then they did mention breaking a dyno or two.
 
For a lot less than 10k, you can take your Model S to a custom shop and get the interior reworked.

Well, that's not to say I wouldn't mind the higher power motor. Let's say the higher power motor and $10k have equal utility to me. If I can't get the full leather otherwise, then that tips the scale away from the $10k if that makes sense.

Also, I've never had custom interior work done. Not even sure where I would begin with that here. I think I'd rather the factory take care of that.