New to Tesla: 2016.5 Model S P100D

[Blue Eclipse]

44 years old coming from a background with owning Lotus, Porsche, Multiple Corvettes and have never even stepped foot into a Tesla before.

So yeah, I went ahead and took the plunge:

2016.5 P100D Ludicrous 65,000 miles
Deep Blue Metallic
Hard top (No sunroof or Pano)
Premium Upgrades Package
Power and Lighting Package
Full Self-Driving Capability (Hardware upgraded by Tesla from PO)
Updated MCU to Atom processor
Battery charges to "290" Miles on 100% charge
Battery, Powertrain and "Extended" warranty still covered until December of this year
Pay per use supercharging (Boooo!)
$33,900 TOTAL, off the lot.


First impressions after my first 250 miles:
1.) HOLY S#!T this car is FAST from 0-115 and then it seems to run out of steam. That works for me!
2.) Range estimate seems to be more of a suggestion... though to be fair, I have been (mostly) driving it like I stole it...so there is that.
3.) Supercharging wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be. 50 minutes charging from 23% to 90%... not great, not horrible. Closer to 30 minutes would be nice but it's tolerable as-is.
4.) This car evokes emotions and responses from people! While charging, I was fortunate enough to meet a veteran Tesla owner who was very friendly and eager to tell me about our cars. While getting the run-down, there were no less than 3 separate walker-by's who came along to chat along with one drive-by rizzing!
I haven't experienced that outside of the racing scene or car shows. It was cool, just unexpected!
5.) WHOEVER approved putting chrome on the side mirrors??!!?? That designer needs a beating. Those stupid things blinded me for 9/10's of my day-time driving. The chrome delete kit can't get here fast enough for those mirrors.....
6.) Stereo system needs an upgrade. What are my options, anything special I should look for?
7.) Car handles like it's on rails but WHOA the understeer!!
8.) Turn radius of a school bus. My Expedition flips a U-turn tighter than this car.
9.) Exterior and Interior surprisingly GOOD. I think I got lucky and got a car someone actually took pride in building. No gaps, paint swirls, crappy welds, squeaks or creaks. This car is SOLID.
10.) HOLY S#!T this car is FAST! I chewed up and spit out a newish Audi rs3 & a Mercedes AMG GT 63 just putzing around with zero effort.

For what I'm wanting out of the vehicle for Date night / Booty call(s) commute for at most 200 miles a week driving, It appears to be a viable option.

For the $$$, the performance can NOT be beat and people see & treat the car like it's still $140,000.

I'm happy, GO TESLA!

Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail
"Tesla Model S P100D" by JayUny is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

[bmah]

Great first post, welcome to TMC!

Bruce.

 

[brainhouston]

Welcome.
Do look into coolant delete for LDU
Just so u ready when warranty ends

Totally agree with 5

 

[MichaelP90DL]

44 years old coming from a background with owning Lotus, Porsche, Multiple Corvettes and have never even stepped foot into a Tesla before.

So yeah, I went ahead and took the plunge:

2016.5 P100D Ludicrous 65,000 miles
Deep Blue Metallic
Hard top (No sunroof or Pano)
Premium Upgrades Package
Power and Lighting Package
Full Self-Driving Capability (Hardware upgraded by Tesla from PO)
Updated MCU to Atom processor
Battery charges to "290" Miles on 100% charge
Battery, Powertrain and "Extended" warranty still covered until December of this year
Pay per use supercharging (Boooo!)
$33,900 TOTAL, off the lot.


First impressions after my first 250 miles:
1.) HOLY S#!T this car is FAST from 0-115 and then it seems to run out of steam. That works for me!
2.) Range estimate seems to be more of a suggestion... though to be fair, I have been (mostly) driving it like I stole it...so there is that.
3.) Supercharging wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be. 50 minutes charging from 23% to 90%... not great, not horrible. Closer to 30 minutes would be nice but it's tolerable as-is.
4.) This car evokes emotions and responses from people! While charging, I was fortunate enough to meet a veteran Tesla owner who was very friendly and eager to tell me about our cars. While getting the run-down, there were no less than 3 separate walker-by's who came along to chat along with one drive-by rizzing!
I haven't experienced that outside of the racing scene or car shows. It was cool, just unexpected!
5.) WHOEVER approved putting chrome on the side mirrors??!!?? That designer needs a beating. Those stupid things blinded me for 9/10's of my day-time driving. The chrome delete kit can't get here fast enough for those mirrors.....
6.) Stereo system needs an upgrade. What are my options, anything special I should look for?
7.) Car handles like it's on rails but WHOA the understeer!!
8.) Turn radius of a school bus. My Expedition flips a U-turn tighter than this car.
9.) Exterior and Interior surprisingly GOOD. I think I got lucky and got a car someone actually took pride in building. No gaps, paint swirls, crappy welds, squeaks or creaks. This car is SOLID.
10.) HOLY S#!T this car is FAST! I chewed up and spit out a newish Audi rs3 & a Mercedes AMG GT 63 just putzing around with zero effort.

For what I'm wanting out of the vehicle for Date night / Booty call(s) commute for at most 200 miles a week driving, It appears to be a viable option.

For the $$$, the performance can NOT be beat and people see & treat the car like it's still $140,000.

I'm happy, GO TESLA!

View attachment 1040550
Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail
"Tesla Model S P100D" by JayUny is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

I bought a 2015 P90DL in 2018. Like you, I also wanted to see what it was like. Back then, Tesla's very survival was in doubt. I put an aftermarket refresh front end on it. Like you, it was wow all the way. Sold it, got a '20 MS Performance. Then the Plaid came out. Sold the '20 and put silver racing stripes on the sides of Pippi Plaidstocking, upgraded the brakes...and I love the thing. License plate reads: 9PT2SEC. Nobody challenges this thing on the street. Drag strip, different story (Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, CA. 1,000-foot drag strip is actually the straight on the Big Willow road course). A track official asked me to stay at the starting line until the other guy is far enough down the track so when I leave it'll be close at the finish. This is the kind of car I wanted when I turned 16 but daddy said: "AREYOUKIDDINGMEH**LNO!" Enjoy your ride.

 

[Gospel]

MichaelP90DL, you're inspiring man. I'm in my 50's and only got into a Tesla in the last 2ishyears. I'm full throttle getting a Plaid before I drop dead that's for damn sure. I refuse to test drive one because I know damn well what's gonna happen lol. Anyway, I told my wife as soon as all our kids aren't kids anymore I'm getting a Plaid. One down two two go with the youngest being 14. congrats Blue Eclipse. Car's looking good bruh bruh.

 

[KerrySkates]

3.) Supercharging wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be. 50 minutes charging from 23% to 90%... not great, not horrible. Closer to 30 minutes would be nice but it's tolerable as-is.

You’ll get better at figuring out the most efficient way to charge your car over time.

Once your car hits 80%, the curve dips and it’s a very slow process getting to 90% and even slower from 90-100%. Watch the kW value while you charge. You will see how it behaves and get used to it.

Make sure you put the SuperCharger into the navigation on your way so the battery preconditions. This will decrease your time at the charger as the battery will be prepped for faster, more efficient charging. In my 1 year of Tesla ownership and 23k+ miles driven, I’ve rarely spent more than 30 minutes at a charger.

It’s unclear if you plan to only use SuperChargers. You will save money and time by charging at home with a Wall Connector or the mobile connector (using 240V outlet). Charge overnight and have a “full tank” in the morning.

if you’re already up to speed on all this, then excuse and ignore my ‘splaining

 

[VxA=W]

Congrats, I'm a new owner as well, picked up my P90DL a few weeks ago with 82,000 miles on it. Couldn't be happier so far. Your #1 and #10, I guess these are probably true for all first time L or P owners, it's acceleration I've certainly never experienced, nor have most people. The few people I've had in my car are absolutely blown away by it. On your #4, I've also already experienced that, 95% positive but I've had to discuss with a few never-EV types who can't just be polite and say "nice car, hope it works out for you", they need to diss it. One guy told me not to park it inside, it will burn my house down, that the battery will fail and costs over 30k to replace, blah, blah. People can be strange sometimes.

For me, I'll add a #11 to your list that adds to a few you mentioned. It's FAST. It handles GREAT. But I've driven a ton in the short time I've had it, a 200 mile trip and I think 5 others over 150 miles. The smoothness, comfort, highway ride, one pedal driving all make it this crazy combination of comfort and calmness with a beast hiding inside when you want it to come out. Just an amazing piece of machinery.

 

[TimT]

Awesome post! Thanks. Also very happy with my new to me 2015 70. Two years of uneventful driving pleasure.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

MichaelP90DL, you're inspiring man. I'm in my 50's and only got into a Tesla in the last 2ishyears. I'm full throttle getting a Plaid before I drop dead that's for damn sure. I refuse to test drive one because I know damn well what's gonna happen lol. Anyway, I told my wife as soon as all our kids aren't kids anymore I'm getting a Plaid. One down two two go with the youngest being 14. congrats Blue Eclipse. Car's looking good bruh bruh.

I just wanna go like...crazy...before they throw me in a hole. I'm 78.

 

[prybarczyk]

Congrats, I'm a new owner as well, picked up my P90DL a few weeks ago with 82,000 miles on it. Couldn't be happier so far.

Would love to know about what you paid. I just listed my 2016 P90DL on OnlyUsedTesla, and I'm not sure if asking $29K is too much? She's 87,400 miles and in great shape with free-forever Supercharging, but EV values have been dropping like a rock lately. Drive unit/battery warranty is good until 2024-Sep. Thanks for any advice.

 

[VxA=W]

I paid $24,500. I thought it was a great deal and feel even better about it as I've put miles on the car and so far so good. I'm going to do the MCU2 upgrade and a few minor cosmetic fixes shortly.

When I was looking over a year ago, I was turned off by the used prices, just seemed like too much for me to spend. When I started looking this year I was pleasantly surprised by how much they had dropped. I know some of it is because warranties are running out or already gone on these, some because EV's in general have backed down in price a bit.

Here's what I think - if you are selling an S performance 2015-2016, there aren't many around. I found 3 in my price range within 4 hours of me, one basically same as the one I bought but Insane rather than Ludicrous, one I think around $28,000 basically same as mine. When you find a motivated seller they are thinking by keeping under 25k they can entice buyers who can use the $4,000 ev credit. If I was willing to travel further obviously there were more, but still not a ton. The 2018's are quite a bit more, saw some in high 30's or more.

I know this doesn't tell you whether you'll get 29k for yours or not. I'd list it where you want it, see what happens. Hope this helps.

 

[brainhouston]

Would love to know about what you paid. I just listed my 2016 P90DL on OnlyUsedTesla, and I'm not sure if asking $29K is too much? She's 87,400 miles and in great shape with free-forever Supercharging, but EV values have been dropping like a rock lately. Drive unit/battery warranty is good until 2024-Sep. Thanks for any advice.

Big difference for u is if its AP1 or AP2+
Based on ur warranty its AP1 so these are not highly desired...

 

[VxA=W]

Big difference for u is if its AP1 or AP2+
Based on ur warranty its AP1 so these are not highly desired...

In my case I'm AP1 and warranty runs out 6/18/24.

 

[father_of_6]

@Blue Eclipse - you didn't mention home charging. If you don't already have it, that should be your next adventure.

Charging the car at home takes *zero* time because you'll be sleeping. For supercharging, 90% is *really* high and usually a big waste of time. Most road trips the navigation won't require you to charge past 60% unless there are no other chargers around.

 

[prybarczyk]

I paid $24,500. I thought it was a great deal and feel even better about it as I've put miles on the car and so far so good. I'm going to do the MCU2 upgrade and a few minor cosmetic fixes shortly. ... When you find a motivated seller they are thinking by keeping under 25k they can entice buyers who can use the $4,000 ev credit. If I was willing to travel further obviously there were more, but still not a ton. The 2018's are quite a bit more, saw some in high 30's or more.

Thanks to you and brainhouston for your guidance. I thought the $4K tax credit was only for dealership-sales, so I just googled that. Apparently there's a loophole that allows companies (like KeySavvy, and maybe others?) to facilitate the private-sale (for a fee) in a way that qualifies for the tax credit. Any recommendations on that? If that sounds legit, I may end up dropping my price to $24,999 and recommending that option to buyers. That would still be way better than my other offers from Tesla (~$15K) or dealerships (~$20K).

It sure is crazy that such an awesome 700HP car (that cost someone ~$130K just 8 years ago) is now only worth ~$20K to dealerships. I got it from Tesla in 2019 for ~$55K, which at the time seemed like a steal. Then for the next 2 or 3 years, it's KBB valuation was actually higher than what I paid Tesla, so a lot has changed in the last two years.

 

[VxA=W]

I'm not that well versed in the credit. I did buy from a used dealer, the guy is also an enthusiast and super helpful which I really appreciated.

I get it that Tesla and dealers won't pay what it's worth, kind of just how the car industry works. But if you can't sell that for over 24k I'll be pretty surprised. I'll be honest and say that as a newby I'm not as aware of the value and desirability of AP1 vs. AP2 as Brainhouston mentioned.

I agree with you completely on your comment about it being crazy that you can own a 130k luxury production car capable of sub 3 second 0-60 for mid 20k prices. It's not like my car, and I assume yours, are junkers requiring a ton of work, mine is very sharp and clean and completely turnkey when I bought it.

 

[SO16]

It seems prices have gone too cheap for used Teslas. I have over 113k miles on my 2017 model S and still runs almost like new. Maybe once others realize this and the fear of battery replacement subsides, used Teslas may go up in value a bit.

It was just recently shown on consumers reports that Tesla ranks first for lowest costs after 10 years.

https://insideevs.com/news/717341/tesla-cheapest-repair-maintenance-costs/amp/

 

[mr.breeze]

Thanks to you and brainhouston for your guidance. I thought the $4K tax credit was only for dealership-sales, so I just googled that. Apparently there's a loophole that allows companies (like KeySavvy, and maybe others?) to facilitate the private-sale (for a fee) in a way that qualifies for the tax credit. Any recommendations on that? If that sounds legit, I may end up dropping my price to $24,999 and recommending that option to buyers. That would still be way better than my other offers from Tesla (~$15K) or dealerships (~$20K).

It sure is crazy that such an awesome 700HP car (that cost someone ~$130K just 8 years ago) is now only worth ~$20K to dealerships. I got it from Tesla in 2019 for ~$55K, which at the time seemed like a steal. Then for the next 2 or 3 years, it's KBB valuation was actually higher than what I paid Tesla, so a lot has changed in the last two years.

So exactly what do you have and asking $

 

[VxA=W]

It seems prices have gone too cheap for used Teslas. I have over 113k miles on my 2017 model S and still runs almost like new. Maybe once others realize this and the fear of battery replacement subsides, used Teslas may go up in value a bit.

Well I was really happy with my deal, so no complaints as a buyer about the drop in pricing. Having said that I tend to agree with you. I get it that a non-EV person might go into the battery failure mantra, but you'd think people who do the reading and look at used ones would learn that while there are definitely things to look into, and some risk, that IMO battery degradation is the issue way more than failure and replacement.

A friend just rode with me today, and like most people the first question he asked was "how long do the batteries last." It definitely weighs on people's thoughts and the resale value right now.

 

[VxA=W]

So exactly what do you have and asking $

See his post #10 above.