Dilemma: 90D vs P90D?

[RogerHScott]

Another data point from someone who only owns one of the two: in the test drives I've given people in my 90D, no one has said
"Don't they make something that goes faster?" The off-the-line acceleration of the 90D is so much faster than "normal" cars that
it will take yours and others' breath away. If you're going to go P90D, can you really stop short of P90D? I mean, anyone who knows
the difference between a 90D and a P90D is going to ask "Did you get Ludicrous Speed?" and when you say no even if their
response is "ok" you know they're really thinking "oh..."

Also, Tesla hasn't yet come out with the AP update than can take advantage of any trans-90D power

 

[RAW84]

P85D owner here....if I were buying today, I'd buy the 90D without hesitation.

 

[eyespii]

Even though it's completely insane (ludicrous?) and illogical, I wish I had gotten the P85D over my 85D. The 85D is fast - way way way faster than anything I've ever driven, much less owned. No one that has ever been in my car asks why it feels too slow. In fact, most of the time, people beg me not to go "insane", and I have to remind them that my car wouldn't go insane even if I wanted it to.

No one needs the power of the P, unless you're tracking it or whatever. But if you want it, and have the cash, I say go for it. YOLO.

 

[bhzmark]

P85D owner here....if I were buying today, I'd buy the 90D without hesitation.

I agree. But if you are tempted, try getting an inventory to split the difference in cost.

 

[msnow]

Figure out what is more important to you more range or more speed.

 

[theslimshadyist]

I mean, anyone who knows
the difference between a 90D and a P90D is going to ask "Did you get Ludicrous Speed?" and when you say no even if their
response is "ok" you know they're really thinking "oh..."

LOL, so true my man! I think I'll stick with the 90D just so I don't have to answer that question! haha

 

[theslimshadyist]

P85D owner here....if I were buying today, I'd buy the 90D without hesitation.

Really? I'm curious as to why that is the case.

 

[John Stuckey]

We have a P90DL. We would do a 90D next time. The range is worth it.

 

[SSD420]

I can certainly afford the P but then again, I'm not going to be wasteful either. If the only difference is speed then I certainly can't justify the difference in cost. I'm trying to figure out if it offers anything besides a $20K speed bump.

I had a hard time with this decision as well. I spoke to lots of different people at Tesla. I was fighting my own brain swapping back and forth for the entire week after I confirmed the 90D.

Several people at Tesla recommended that I do not take the P90D and stick with the 90D.

I took a Model S out to test drive just to play around with ludicrous mode a few more times and to feel the difference.

I am confident that I made the right decision to get the 90D, although I really wanted the active spoiler. Save your money and buy yourself another fun toy!

 

[tstafford]

P85D owner here....if I were buying today, I'd buy the 90D without hesitation.

Me too.

 

[sorka]

Indeed, I do still believe you're right. Which as I said is one reason I was willing to pay more for the P. It's just funny how many different accounts you can hear even from people who work at tesla. But since the motor is hidden, I can't say I've seen the differences for myself!

The OP should perhaps ask the sales person what is different hardware-wise between the 90D and P90D and let us know

Actually, to add to the confusion, a P85 and 85 do have the same sized rear motors which is why their rated range is the same.

 

[mark80908]

It's just funny how many different accounts you can hear even from people who work at tesla.

Yes this is discouraging. Perhaps unavoidable at Tesla's growth rate, but I hope they will make an effort to get their employee's better informed.

 

[mark80908]

That Tesla employee is just wrong. A P90D has a bigger reare motor than a 90D.

Previous versions of the Tesla design studio page had illustrations that showed a bigger rear motor for P options than non P.

 

[TimsRunnin]

I'm like you, Scott; I derive a lot of enjoyment from having capacity, even if I don't use it. Especially, oh-yes-I-can acceleration capacity when edgy LA drivers respond to a turn signal request with oh-no-you-won't denial.

Put another way, if the P came free, I would not get it. Now, if it included an extra 5 kWH capacity to offset the range hit, that would be another story ...

Speaking as someone who went thru the same decision process as the OP when ordering my MX last month. Like the OP, I always buy cars fully loaded for the same reasons.

After a few days of going back and forth on the P90D vs 90D decision, it was this exact thought experiment that finalized the decision for me. If the P90D upgrade was free, I'd still prefer the extra range of the 90D. In essence, I eventually realized that I wanted the P90D because it was an option and I always get every option. Not because I preferred the additional acceleration of the P90D over the additional range of the 90D.

I'm sure many of us eventually come to this same conclusion, and so I personally think Tesla is leaving money on the table here. That is, if I could have gotten the P90D with no tradeoffs, even if I didn't need the additional acceleration ever, I still would have bought it ( and a 2nd test drive basically confirmed that ... I didn't need the additional acceleration, the 90D is incredible quick already).

For example, Tesla could add a few more KWH in the performance version to make up for the lost range. This would have made the P9?D a no-brainer for me.

 

[msnow]

Speaking as someone who went thru the same decision process as the OP when ordering my MX last month. Like the OP, I always buy cars fully loaded for the same reasons.

After a few days of going back and forth on the P90D vs 90D decision, it was this exact thought experiment that finalized the decision for me. If the P90D upgrade was free, I'd still prefer the extra range of the 90D. In essence, I eventually realized that I wanted the P90D because it was an option and I always get every option. Not because I preferred the additional acceleration of the P90D over the additional range of the 90D.

I'm sure many of us eventually come to this same conclusion, and so I personally think Tesla is leaving money on the table here. That is, if I could have gotten the P90D with no tradeoffs, even if I didn't need the additional acceleration ever, I still would have bought it ( and a 2nd test drive basically confirmed that ... I didn't need the additional acceleration, the 90D is incredible quick already).

For example, Tesla could add a few more KWH in the performance version to make up for the lost range. This would have made the P9?D a no-brainer for me.

That's a great idea!

 

[sorka]

Previous versions of the Tesla design studio page had illustrations that showed a bigger rear motor for P options than non P.

...which is true when comparing S xxD vs S PxxD but not 85 vs P85 (which do have the same size motors).

 

[Lyon]

Those stinkers did that to me too! I was all set to order a 90D and they gave me a P90D for the day to try out.....

I ordered the P90D even though there's no objective reason to do so.

 

[P85DEE]

P85D with Ludicrous here.

If the range difference between the two is not going to be a sticking point, then I'd get the P90D.

With or without Ludicrous you'll get a performance increase over the 90D.

 

[SCDrJ]

Right, I get it trust me. I just looked at the cash price of both configs with identical options. The 90D comes to $111K and the P90D is $131K, a hefty $20K difference WITHOUT ludicrous mode. So, am I only getting a slightly faster car for the $20K difference????

It's just the speed. That's it. Before ordering my 90D, I drove 85D, P85D (insane), and P90DL (ludicrous) back to back to back. Each one is faster off the line than the other. And the ludicrous is just that. I was blown away by the off the line acceleration of the faster models, but also blown away by how all three felt identical underway until you got to the stop light.

I just got my car this week and it's amazing. The kids giggle from the rear facing seats every time I by the "gas" pedal. It's become so refined it doesn't almost seem real.

It's just the money. Most advice here is that 90D is the best bang for buck in terms of range and performance, and I agree. If the 30k isn't a big deal, knock it out. Maybe in 5-10 years I would too. But if you don't spring for it, don't think you are getting less car without the P.

 

[sorka]

The PDL is not faster off the line than the PD. Acceleration is the same up to about 45 MPH. Ludicrous is faster than Insane at all speeds after 45 MPH.