Australian Model 3 Highland experiences, tips, tricks

[Jules22]

Figured I'd start a thread to discuss experiences of new Model 3 Highland owners specific to the Australian environment. Any gripes, things that could be improved, work arounds, etc etc.

Has it burst into flames when you try to use the indicator button on a roundabout?

Do you have the new 3d park assist, and how have you found it?

etc, etc.

 

[Max Spaghetti]

I only have one question:

Do the windscreen wipers work?

 

[Murphster]

I only have one question:

Do the windscreen wipers work?

Haven’t had any rain since collecting it, there’s a good chance I will be able to tell you after today.

 

[Murphster]

I haven’t had the “holiday” software update yet.

That is one area I think Tesla have dropped the ball to be honest. Surely you would expect they would make sure any new car is delivered with the latest software update? Seems weird that I have a new car and I know there is better features out there, yet don’t have them yet. Odd.

Had a longer drive yesterday, didn’t have any indicator issues at all. If it is too hard to indicate off a roundabout then I don’t bother tbh. Buttons have become second nature already.

My wife had her first drive yesterday and the indicators were frustrating her on roundabouts. But she just needs more time behind the wheel I think, how often she gets that chance is debatable…

I love the one pedal driving, but can’t find any settings for it, and I swear you could choose between different modes. But will keep looking.

I find the wing mirrors weird, they auto dip for reversing, which is nice, but the left one seems to dip too much. Makes it really awkward for reversing into my garage. As someone who prefers to use mirrors over cameras it doesn’t make me comfortable trying to navigate the junk in my garage. Would love to find a setting for that. Or maybe it is actually something that needs to be looked at by Tesla. Would love to hear what others think about that.

 

[Jules22]

Re the software version, yeah, my understanding is that it's loaded on at the factory, so I'm guessing before the xmas update was released. Also have read it's an .x00 version for new deliveries that they use for some sort of tracking/telematics to ensure everything is working correctly before you get merged into the main branch.

Definitely can understand it's frustrating, but can also understand the logic behind doing it that way.

 

[Hairyman]

I haven’t had the “holiday” software update yet.

That is one area I think Tesla have dropped the ball to be honest. Surely you would expect they would make sure any new car is delivered with the latest software update? Seems weird that I have a new car and I know there is better features out there, yet don’t have them yet. Odd.

Had a longer drive yesterday, didn’t have any indicator issues at all. If it is too hard to indicate off a roundabout then I don’t bother tbh. Buttons have become second nature already.

My wife had her first drive yesterday and the indicators were frustrating her on roundabouts. But she just needs more time behind the wheel I think, how often she gets that chance is debatable…

I love the one pedal driving, but can’t find any settings for it, and I swear you could choose between different modes. But will keep looking.

I find the wing mirrors weird, they auto dip for reversing, which is nice, but the left one seems to dip too much. Makes it really awkward for reversing into my garage. As someone who prefers to use mirrors over cameras it doesn’t make me comfortable trying to navigate the junk in my garage. Would love to find a setting for that. Or maybe it is actually something that needs to be looked at by Tesla. Would love to hear what others think about that.

For one pedal driving you can set the regen to low or normal. I think it defaults to normal. It will bring you to a complete stop. It does take a short while to learn. Past software updates have made small differences to the regen intensity, but it is not enormous.

You can also change the mirror behaviour with reverse - either dip or no dip. I got rid of dip.

When you reverse do the repeater cameras come on screen as well as the camera facing back from the boot?

 

[Vostok]

Figured I'd start a thread to discuss experiences of new Model 3 Highland owners specific to the Australian environment.

I imagine I could get used to the indicator buttons pretty quickly, but how have you found the lack of gear-change selector stalk? How annoying is it doing a 3-point turn having to use the on-screen swipe or dome buttons?

And how do you do a one-push spray & wipe of the windscreen?

 

[Jules22]

I imagine I could get used to the indicator buttons pretty quickly, but how have you found the lack of gear-change selector stalk? How annoying is it doing a 3-point turn having to use the on-screen swipe or dome buttons?

And how do you do a one-push spray & wipe of the windscreen?

Waiting on delivery still here but @Murphster or anyone else who has taken delivery/done test drives may be able to comment.

From test drives I can say it was zero issue for me, I tried several three point turns for that reason and the screen is right next to your hand, as soon as you get used to the location it's easy to swipe up for forward, down for back without taking your eyes off the surroundings. It didn't take long to get used to it enough that you can't make the change while still rolling, the same as you would with the stalk.

 

[Murphster]

When you reverse do the repeater cameras come on screen as well as the camera facing back from the boot?

Yes, they do. I find that view so weird though. But it is just something to get used to and once my head is wrapped around it I assume it will become useful.

 

[Jules22]

Yes, they do. I find that view so weird though. But it is just something to get used to and once my head is wrapped around it I assume it will become useful.

You can change that by flicking up and down on the screen, will toggle between reverse only and all.

 

[Murphster]

I imagine I could get used to the indicator buttons pretty quickly, but how have you found the lack of gear-change selector stalk? How annoying is it doing a 3-point turn having to use the on-screen swipe or dome buttons?

And how do you do a one-push spray & wipe of the windscreen?

Gear change stalk is no issue for me. The only time I have ever used one is on hire cars in the U.S. All my cars have had a gear knob, manual back home and auto since been in Aus. Swiping the screen is easier that using a stick tbh.

** Although, something to be careful about. A couple of times I have swiped it from reverse into drive and not swiped up enough, it bounced back to reverse, and I didn’t realise until I pressed the pedal!! I need to watch that, hopefully it becomes second nature soon.

Windscreen wash is just a long press on the steering wheel button. Works fine.

 

[Murphster]

Other observations from yesterday:

Other Tesla drivers will stare at you, some maybe wondering what you are driving, others knowing what you are driving and trying to work out if they like it, and some Model Y owners who wish they had waited and got the new Model 3. I must say, it maybe isn't very grown up, but it is kinda cool having people look at your car with envy. Never used to happen in my Outlander!

The Ultra Red is absolutely beautiful, and I love how it changes in different light. My favourite look is under the clouds we have today, it looks mean. I found myself behind a red Mazda yesterday for a while, that shade of red I have always loved yet I found myself writing a little song as I sat behind it where the chorus went "my red is better than your red". I am going to look at recording it for my horn sound for next time.

I can confirm that a small to medium sized dog will fit in the frunk comfortably.

Contrary to some YouTuber reviews and drive.com.au articles the car comes with nothing. No cables and certainly no tyre repair kit or air pump.

On the app there is a shortcut to open the frunk, but not the trunk! You have to go into the menu for that. Anyone know if there is a way to change the shortcut buttons on the first page in the app? Can't find anything. Surely the trunk would be most useful?

Set up profiles for the wife and myself yesterday, I love the easy entry mode, fantastic, and feels very futuristic and cool to get in the car and press your profile and just have the seat and steering wheel move around you. However, it is a shame they couldn't include a motorised rear view mirror as part of this experience.

The car is quiet, very quiet. The worst thing about YouTube reviews, and something for everyone to keep in mind, is how much they get caught up in the weeds comparing it constantly to a $200k Mercedes. Some reviews have said it isn't quiet enough. Trust me, coming from a petrol Mitsubishi this thing is damn near silent. It is amazing to be in it.

Cooled seats? Wow. Let me just say that this week, in a horrible humid heatwave in Brissie, my back hasn't been sweaty once in this car. It is so so so comfortable. Love it.

 

[MacTessy]

Gear change stalk is no issue for me. The only time I have ever used one is on hire cars in the U.S. All my cars have had a gear knob, manual back home and auto since been in Aus. Swiping the screen is easier that using a stick tbh.

** Although, something to be careful about. A couple of times I have swiped it from reverse into drive and not swiped up enough, it bounced back to reverse, and I didn’t realise until I pressed the pedal!! I need to watch that, hopefully it becomes second nature soon.

Windscreen wash is just a long press on the steering wheel button. Works fine.

We have two ICE cars. One has indicators on stalks on the right and the other on the left. Swapping cars regularly makes you have to think about what’s going on before you take off or it messes with you. I had a test drive in the M3H and actually found it easier to indicate and change direction with no stalks but that is just my one experience. Changing direction seemed very quick and easy.

Switching cars with different stalk functions is more confusing than switching to no stalks.

 

[MacTessy]

Gear change stalk is no issue for me. The only time I have ever used one is on hire cars in the U.S. All my cars have had a gear knob, manual back home and auto since been in Aus. Swiping the screen is easier that using a stick tbh.

** Although, something to be careful about. A couple of times I have swiped it from reverse into drive and not swiped up enough, it bounced back to reverse, and I didn’t realise until I pressed the pedal!! I need to watch that, hopefully it becomes second nature soon.

Windscreen wash is just a long press on the steering wheel button. Works fine.

Murphs, gotta improve your follow through on the that swipe I guess.

 

[DougalVizsla]

Tip: that rear display gets very hot after a while on - it looks like it is set to 100% brightness. Go into its settings, and change brightness down. Doesn’t look like you can turn it off completely.

The mirror dip - I like it. We used it a lot in Europe for reverse parking next to a kerb. Helped keep the wheel rims in good order. I can understand just going into a garage would be painful. I wish we could geotag the ability so it turns off at your house only, and dips everywhere else. Comon Elon

Windscreen wipers were going on in complete dry a couple of times. Sigh

Yes, waiting on the Holiday update. Thanks for the advice, above.

The autopilot lane and speed seems to work, but was putting highbeam on and off quite a bit when I was dropping family off at the airport last night. Will probably be eliminated as an issue when they allow those matrix lights to do their thing I would say.

Yet to charge the car. Waiting for the sun to come out and get the solar panels working. Want to play with the in car ampage to see if I can reduce the charge rate of the car to match the solar panel output. I have 3 phase at the house so default is 11kwh and that’s a bit too much for the panels I have on the house. Will report back when I try it.

Yes, there are little vents under the seats that I lost my partner’s lipstick into in our Mode Y, which required a service call. I’d try to cover it if you think small items could fall in. It’s quite annoying things rattling around down there. I’d say stocking could work, and note there are Aliexpress or the like covers just for the vents.

 

[ctir]

Anyone got and feedback regarding the mics for phone calls? Apparently they have been improved. Cheers

 

[DougalVizsla]

I’ll check next time I go for a drive.

One other thing I noticed. The charging mats now in the MYP didn’t charge my phone through my quad lock phone case. The new M3H does. So charging mat has been upgraded. Yay!

 

[Jules22]

Yeah, they seem to be larger also. My wife has a massive case on her phone which was a real struggle to fit onto the charging pad in the 2020 M3, fits with ease in the M3H

 

[Murphster]

I know this is something that will be highly subjective but I think the wheels look so much better without the covers. As soon as my wheel nut caps arrive I will be going naked full time.

 

[plucks]

Does the car come with any floor mats for the front seats, back seats, boot or frunk?