I'm a Production, and here's my story (Sublimaze1 - P188)

[sublimaze1]

Will she ever drive an ICE, or will she be solely EV?
Otherwise, she will not be able to discern the difference/better quality of the MS.

In keeping with the traditions handed down to me by my forefathers, her first vehicle with have either:

100K miles
two inch thick iron bumpers* (think 1976 Chevy Malibu)
an engine bay through which you can see grass (think 1976 Chevy Malibu)
or all the above.

True, our world is a-changing, but our heritage is not. If I could find a GM pickup with three on the tree, she'd be all up init.

If she goes to school in SoCal (as she is planning), I may spring for a GenIII, leaf, or similar. For right now, she can jump in daddy's car and enjoy the silence whenever she wants.

*illustrative purposes only

 

[Jason S]

Although it took a bit of effort for me to break bad habits, I love how the Model S steering column encourages properly modern hand placement on the wheel (9-3, not 10-2).

You'll need to go collector's item to get a pickup with three on the tree. A step-side short bed maybe.

The modern starter is prolly something like an Altima with 100K miles. Good luck!

 

[sublimaze1]

A blessing to be able to pre-cool.

 

[TurboZo]

View attachment 26532
A blessing to be able to pre-cool.

That is cool ;-)

 

[Plug Me In]

I watched the video. Daddy is very brave and very calm. Don't let her drive the S too much, it'll ruin her for driving anything else (How come this stupid ICE doesn't stop on it's own?).

 

[sublimaze1]

I am out of lurk mode here as I have a free moment of coffee time where my pager is silent, my phone is not ringing, the kids have other things to occupy them and my wife is watching the Today show and studying Helicopter protocols. Freedom is MINE!

At least, temporarily.

Di has been working in Grand Prairie for the last two weeks and had, therefore, been awarded BadA** as her mode of transportation. It is about 105 miles round trip, so we are looking at $4.00 in electrons versus $17.00 in gas for the Armada. Plus I can stalk here with my phone app.

We have about 13K miles on the odo now, and I am noticing that the whine of the electric motor (particularly during regen) is a little more noticeable. I don't know if it is age, the Texas heat, or whether or not she is in the car every day and I am not ... lending to me noticing little things after having been away for a while.

Going to head down to Austin next month (Sept 6th, to be exact). Have plans of stopping at the Domain around 10:30 am and grabbing some electrons then departing for a 1:30 meeting near Bastrop, hdeading down to San Marcos to feed DC style, and then to our hotel in downtown Austin for some nightlife. AndyStJ and CheetahExpress and I have all done long roadtrips without a supercharger available. I'm thinking of creating a badge for anyone who has done a 600+ mile roundtrip roadtrip without superchargers: give it a snappy name. Any graphic designers out there? We are soon going to have SC in our midst, so this is the last trip I will make without one. Even though I am heading to San Marcos to experience it, the one-way will be without, and the total one way is 280 miles, it still requires some planning.

Got the rear window tinted for the kids. They still refuse to sit in the back. It is too hot (I know this is discussed on another thread) and I just don't see it being useful in the summer here in Texas. We are planning a trip to Colorado to ski, but we will probably take the Armada or the Ford Freestyle.

Tires seem to be holding up well. Car gets really dirty in the dry dusty summer ... so does any blue car. Olivia has driven it a handful of times. She really likes the car. Who wouldn't.

Uh Oh, The Today show must be over. Gotta go.

 

[sublimaze1]

<out of lurk again>

I did some math today. Don't worry, I took some Tylenol, so I am good.

My wife just got a new job about 6 weeks ago (maybe 7) and has been driving the Armada. Based on gas mileage, the price of fuel and electricity, and the distance she is traveling, here are the numbers.

Round trip from the house to Grand Prairie airport is $3.50 in electricity (it is almost exactly 89 miles). The cost of the Armada to make the same trip is $26.95. It is terrible on gas mileage. The round trip from the house to Ft Worth (Harris Methodist) is $8.15 in electrons and $62.75 in fossil for the behemoth. As she works ten shifts total at FW and another half dozen in GP, the total savings (FW alone) is $540. Add GP and it's another $250 +/-. This, over two months time.

I was aware there was going to be some savings, but to actually calculate it is very encouraging.

Extrapolating this ... that's $4500 over a year's time (if she were to keep up this demanding schedule ... which she probably won't, since she is relocating bases to Frisco in a few weeks)

But it is still good mental maneuvering.

Okay, enough of that. More Tylenol. And a Rocky Patel, maybe.

 

[sublimaze1]

(looks like this is more a blog than a thread now - but - I consider it an alternative to laundry, so here goes)

I am a bit ashamed that I have only driven about 1000 miles in the last three months. But that shame is an indirect result of Diana's driving the car about 70% of the time - just simply out of conservation. It works nice for her and I am glad to see the car getting used for what it should.

We did a trip down I-35 last weekend. Full bore supercharging in Texas. Gotta love it. The San Marcos one was already open, but the Waco one had not experienced ribbon cutting ... but was still operational. I find it quasi-interesting that the supercharger system is growing so rapidly in a state that does not allow the sale of the Tesla Brand.

I replaced the incandescent bulbs on the license plate with some LEDs ... like $5.95 on ebay. They are cooler (not, word-to-your-mother cooler but the light is softer) in appearance and I am sure that if I got a slide rule out, it would save me on the magnitude of one mile of range per decade. Whatever.

Di was talking about getting a new vehicle when her Armada lease runs out in Nov of 2014. Guess who secretly wants her to get the X ... but I am afraid she has her heart set on a Panamera. Oh well.

And it is thinking about getting a little cooler here in Dallas, so I may be able to re-deploy the third row seats for the little 'uns.

Other than that, I am almost at 15,500 miles on BadA** and going strong.

 

[dsm363]

Congrats. There is a blog format on TMC as well. Each post has a comments section. Might be worth checking out.

 

[brianman]

I am a bit ashamed that I have only driven about 1000 miles in the last three months. But that shame is an indirect result of Diana's driving the car about 70% of the time - just simply out of conservation. It works nice for her and I am glad to see the car getting used for what it should.

...

Di was talking about getting a new vehicle when her Armada lease runs out in Nov of 2014. Guess who secretly wants her to get the X ... but I am afraid she has her heart set on a Panamera. Oh well.

This sounds like an interesting development. Why is she driving the S instead of the Armada? Gasoline? Overall cost? If she bought the Panamera, wouldn't she still be driving the S for the same reasons?

 

[sublimaze1]

This sounds like an interesting development. Why is she driving the S instead of the Armada? Gasoline? Overall cost? If she bought the Panamera, wouldn't she still be driving the S for the same reasons?

Pretty much.

She has been working in Ft Worth (temporary) and we live in McKinney. about a 140 mile round trip. It is temporary while she is in training. After that, she will be primarily at the Frisco (mainly) and Denton bases, so the distance will be much less.

Then I get BadA** back to thrash about.

 

[sublimaze1]

Well, today started nice enough. I was alive when I woke, which is a bonus these days. Got a call from the wife around lunch. Apparently it's ~$2300 if you rip the front bumper off your model S by backing over a concrete parking curb.

I haven't seen it in person, and apparently she "snapped" whatever piece back in place. No sensors were damaged. I told her to handle it. She agreed.

I guess I'll see it tomorrow when I get home post call.

<sigh>

 

[kalikgod]

Ouch. Sorry about the damage.

Just curious, do you have Active Air? If so, do your wife know what setting it was on when the incident occurred?

 

[purplewalt]

Well, today started nice enough. I was alive when I woke, which is a bonus these days. Got a call from the wife around lunch. Apparently it's ~$2300 if you rip the front bumper off your model S by backing over a concrete parking curb.

View attachment 31313View attachment 31314View attachment 31315View attachment 31316

I haven't seen it in person, and apparently she "snapped" whatever piece back in place. No sensors were damaged. I told her to handle it. She agreed.

I guess I'll see it tomorrow when I get home post call.

<sigh>

Any update on the extent of the extent of damage?

I had a very similar experience.
It sucks, having the front nose off and chin hanging splayed.
I HIGHLY recommend air suspension to all new buyers that live and drive in urban ares that have all those nasty curbs and concrete parking wheel stops.
The front of the car is very low and vulnerable to damage from them.

Was your wife able to retrieve all the little plastic pins that hold everything in place?
Jack @ Farmers Branch SC should be able to get it at least partly remedied.

Hope it can be repaired without excessive cost associated with it.

 

[sublimaze1]

- to revive and answer the above issue ...

Apparently when you park (at least my) car with the wheels angled, the air suspension lowers the car ... don't know how far or what setting. But if the wheels are straight, the car does not settle.

Nonetheless, I set the height to highest possible and keep the wheels straight from that point on, if I ever park near (on top) of an object like a concrete chock.

Now ...

I decided to do a burn run in BadA** last night. I have very little time and I wanted the relaxation ... the 45 minute transit time proved perfect.
Windows down and roof open. This morning, the car has not residual and is just fine. Certainly worth another venture in the near future.

(Liga Privada Dirty Rat, BTW)

 

[Lerxt]

Tell me you don't smoke cigars in your car! What a way to destroy the resale value!

 

[galangg]

Tell me you don't smoke cigars in your car! What a way to destroy the resale value!

I wasn't even thinking resale.

 

[sublimaze1]

Tell me you don't smoke cigars in your car! What a way to destroy the resale value!

That would be a lie.

And you are correct, it is my car.

 

[sublimaze1]

Just happened to look down at the right moment at a stop light. Listening to the Moose, out of Yellowknife.

 

[sublimaze1]

Another milestone. 40K+ … be two years since my delivery 8Dec2012.