After a couple weeks with a P90D, comparing it to my P85.

[Olds442]

So they say my car is ready for pick up. As much as I like this P90D I'm ready to get my P85 back.

Obviously my P85 is not as fast as this one, but I honestly don't think I'll miss the extra torque. Aside doing "launches" which i will admit is a LOT of fun, its really beyond usable for my personal normal driving and I have a lead foot. (do i want one? abso-friggin-lutely.) But i'm really happy with my car's performance.

The front drive unit makes a fair amount of noise and eats up frunk space. I like the huge frunk on mine and maybe this car just has a bad front DU? I use our frunk whenever possible to freak people out, and I maxed this one out with $58 at wallmart. But it is louder than mine because of the DU. Funny, I used to love the roar of a big block V8, now I get a rise out of pure quiet "whispy" Teslarraleration. I just invented that word but you can use it.

Any color looks like butt when dirty but the dirty MCR was killing me until the weather broke and i was able to wash it. Love it clean but still think Pearl White shows the body lines better and contrasts with darker rims better. Just my personal opinion, I love MCR but think PW edges it by a nose. I also love the unicorn Dark Green, Brown and Goldish ones, but would grab a dark blue in a heartbeat as well. I just don't want any more silver cars, they look great, but my previous three cars were all silver-ish.

A couple other things I noticed and will mention to the SvC, the roof makes the "it's always raining" sound along the front edge which i've read is just a clip that needs some cushion. Also the rear DU makes a noise that may or may not be the "milling" sound at lower volumes. It's low pitched and I've always read the milling sound was more high pitched so not sure there, but I'll mention it. Mine just seems to be a lot quieter to drive, less clunky overall and tighter driving.

When this car goes from loaner to CPO I'm sure it will get everything fixed, based on the condition of my CPO at delivery. I do love the smart cruise control and AP, amazing features I'll want on my next one for sure. I just think I won't want a front DU. So maybe a P85+ with AP in my future? Only time will tell! I'm not saying a front DU is out of the question, but I think I can do without it so long as I get the other cool toys this one has.

But I do miss her.

Anyway, that's worth what you paid for it. As Dennis Miller says, "that's just my opinion, I could be wrong."

Happy miles!

 

[thecloud]

The front drive unit makes a fair amount of noise and eats up frunk space. I like the huge frunk on mine and maybe this car just has a bad front DU? I use our frunk whenever possible to freak people out, and I maxed this one out with $58 at wallmart. But it is louder than mine because of the DU.

I've also had 'D' loaners and found that the front drive unit produces a noticeable whine, definitely louder in comparison with my RWD P85. And if I had to replace my car today with any current flavor of Tesla, I would miss the larger frunk space.

Should I ask what $58 at WalMart did to max out your frunk's freak factor?

 

[Olds442]

It filled up the frunk with $58!

I put $118 of Walmart into mine and had room to spare up in there. Maybe it was toilet paper and paper towels that took up the space in the "D = de-frunked" P90D?

Could be, because it wasn't the bacon and coffee. I'm quite sure of that.

 

[thecloud]

Ah, got it. I was thinking maybe you bought $58 worth of balls to make a ball pit, or something like that.

 

[hpjtv]

If you live where it gets a lot of snow, you’ll appreciated the AWD. Got stuck 4 times last week in my RWD with almost new snow tires. Had to dig out half an hour each time. There should be an option to get out of snow where both rear tires spin at the same time for a short period to get unstuck.

 

[thecloud]

If you live where it gets a lot of snow, you’ll appreciated the AWD. Got stuck 4 times last week in my RWD with almost new snow tires. Had to dig out half an hour each time. There should be an option to get out of snow where both rear tires spin at the same time for a short period to get unstuck.

Doesn't turning off traction control accomplish that?

 

[Olds442]

Honestly I doubt I'll drive this car in the snow much. I've kept my FX35 for the worst weather Chicago brings. Aside the snow, the FX will sit and rot in the driveway or she can drive it. (making a res on a M3 for her at the end of the year.)

But I've read about the benefits of snow tires in colder weather, and that we get plenty of. So it would get a lot of use in, "cold but not snowing," driving.

 

[hpjtv]

Doesn't turning off traction control accomplish that?

No, it makes only one wheel spin uncontrollably. Sort of like in this video,

With traction control on, it alternates between the two wheels at really slow speed even if I fully depress the pedal (knows it’s slipping so won’t increase speed and keeps alternating tires), useless when you are already stuck. With it off, it picks one wheel and smokes it even with the slightest press of the pedal.

 

[Olds442]

I agree that the "D" kills it for snow driving. Having tested the snow/ice driving of the P90D in almost perfect snowy testing conditions (winter 2017-2018 Chicago), it's everything most drivers could ask for. Again, that's my opinion.

 

[Skateboardgolf]

So maybe a P85+ with AP in my future?

I agree! A P85+ with Autopilot will solve all your problems

 

[Olds442]

With cold weather package. That warm wheel stole my heart.

 

[eyedrop]

Aside from launches, would you say the P90D is noticeably more violent feeling than the P85? Seat of the pants wise? Is it in a different realm, or is it a more modest boost?

I think the difference between a 6 sec and 5 sec car is not that great. But going from mid 5’s to mid 4’s is definitely more serious...

 

[Olds442]

Aside from launches, would you say the P90D is noticeably more violent feeling than the P85? Seat of the pants wise? Is it in a different realm, or is it a more modest boost?

I think the difference between a 6 sec and 5 sec car is not that great. But going from mid 5’s to mid 4’s is definitely more serious...

Going from a 4 sec to a 3 sec car is pretty real too, but at some point it's "fast enough" for anything traffic will throw at you. I think the off the line difference is greatest but others disagree from what i've read.
My gal was getting nausea from my driving the P90D and she's fine when I drive the P85. Maybe I was a bit more lead footed with the loaner? Totally plausible. The cars handled very similarly but I didn't push either all that hard through turns etc.
The seats in the P90D were better but only because I could get it to go lower than my "performance interior" seats. I'm tall and like to see under my rear view mirror and I was able to get the P90D seats lower resulting in better visibility. The newer seats are better but I don't find my seats uncomfortable, they just don't "lower" as much.

 

[SSedan]

Knowing what I do now I might have tried to hold out for a P85+ with AP but those are pretty rare aren't they?
I am happy with my 2014 P85 and comparing to the P90D loaner(no ludicrous) I had when in for routine maintenance I really don't think the acceleration is that different but I did not try a full stop launch with the P90D and full sop is where I would think the AWD would help.

The TACC was awesome.
I agree the frunk space loss would be noticed.