My 2023 model S is set to be delivered end of the month. After seeing how the demo I took home’s frunk wouldn’t open and the problems with quality and the decline with Tesla’s service I was wondering if new owners would overall recommend the model S. I’m a big fan of my model 3 but just looking for more room and range and with the price drop seemed like a good idea. I’ve never purchased a car this expensive before. Thanks for your thoughts!
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Refresh Model S. Would you purchase again?
- Thread starter reddogva99
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The M3 and the MS both have the same problems. Initial quality is good, and you should inspect the car for hard to fix issues or issues that can't be fixed at all. If you get a good Tesla, hopefully you wont't need much service, which will continue to be a problem until Tesla invests heavily in servicing all the cars they manufacture, and quits assigning non qualified people to service these vehicles.
Short answer: Yes.
Longer answer: I still think the MS (especially now) provides the most value for money when compared with competitors in its class. You're getting significantly more power and more range for less money than a similarly-spec'd Lucid Air, Mercedes EQS, or Porsche Taycan. Granted, those competitors do beat MS on overall comfort (but in my view, the incremental gains in comfort don't provide enough of a marginal benefit to change my purchase decision). And, as you mentioned, the build quality can be hit or miss. My 23 MS came with a paint run, but that was promptly fixed by Tesla Service and the car looks fantastic. Service is still a growing pain for Tesla, but I've had positive experiences from my past few visits. At the end of the day, I'd buy another MS because I value range, power, and technology more than incremental gains in comfort and better customer service.
Longer answer: I still think the MS (especially now) provides the most value for money when compared with competitors in its class. You're getting significantly more power and more range for less money than a similarly-spec'd Lucid Air, Mercedes EQS, or Porsche Taycan. Granted, those competitors do beat MS on overall comfort (but in my view, the incremental gains in comfort don't provide enough of a marginal benefit to change my purchase decision). And, as you mentioned, the build quality can be hit or miss. My 23 MS came with a paint run, but that was promptly fixed by Tesla Service and the car looks fantastic. Service is still a growing pain for Tesla, but I've had positive experiences from my past few visits. At the end of the day, I'd buy another MS because I value range, power, and technology more than incremental gains in comfort and better customer service.
Not sure if the technology is a plus anymore, as other cars may have passed Tesla. BMW for example, has pretty much everything Tesla including (hands free highway assist, HUD, Parking overhead display, phone key, etc). I think really the Telsa has the SC network (and range) and power now.
I looked at every option I feel like and the MS seemed like the best choice. Lucid seems promising but no service centers near me and too new for my liking. No one else has the range that would make it worth an upgrade from my model 3. I wish Acura or Lexus would come up with a long range luxury EV. I’ve loved my model 3 despite annoying minor issues that tesla can’t figure out like phantom range loss in vehicle standby and moldy hvac smell needing me to clean the coils once a year. Hopefully I’ll love the S even more!
I disagree with this take. BMW may have an overhead parking display, but they are not ahead of Tesla on tech. Tesla's integrated approach towards a software-defined car allows the car to be updated in almost every way with updates. Many features have come to all Teslas and specifically the S (track mode is a significant example that comes to mind) because of this software-forward approach. BMW still has a large number of small non-integrated controllers around the car. I recently had to change a failed little controller inside my X5's steering wheel. Sheesh. BMW has no appreciable ability to bring updates to their cars much beyond UI/infotainment. There are simply too many disparate un-updateable controllers.
Your point is well taken. However, until Tesla can implement a change-control and adequate testing process, their "advancements" sometimes regress with problems corrected in earlier versions, and implementation of features that are not well implemented or understood by the programmers tasked with implementing them. It is very disheartening to get an update that screws up something that was working perfectly in previous versions.
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That's fair. I think it depends upon what you value. I have been looking at an I5 and MSLR for a few weeks. There's a lot of tech to go thru and lots of components to the tech to consider. I think I am pulling the trigger on an I5 today. For me, its coming down to the tech features of the BMW and refinement vs the range/SC and practicality of the Tesla. I think 90% of my days the limited range will be fine, but that 10% is concerning for sure.
It is a tough choice for sure, but I think I like the BMW tech and refinement (and the ambient lighting is cool) more.
Thats true too. And, it's also frustrating to hear the things that are supposedly coming but never do.
I guess I don't disagree, though I can't recall an update screwing up something that was working perfectly, but it's conceivable. But I've gotten far more value from the new features they've brought through updates. On balance, it's been wins and a major advantage for Tesla.
ATPMSD
Active Member
I drove an MS LRP for three years, loved the car. When the lease ended I needed to replace it and looked to acquire another S. I drove both a new S and a Y. Both cars seemed to have the same comfort factor and the Y still drove like a bad out of hell. Still I preferred the exterior lines of the S and also preferred having a display in front of the driver. But I went with the Y owing to a lower price point, ability to tow, and the $7,500 tax credit. I did add a 3rd party HUD to get over the missing driver’s display.
My suggestion is to drive both and then pick the one that best meets your needs. As noted about, just carefully inspect at delivery.
My suggestion is to drive both and then pick the one that best meets your needs. As noted about, just carefully inspect at delivery.
After 3 decades of BMW's (first one a 1991 318is - loved it) I'm completely over BMW, partly because of their options pricing, partly because of the arrogance of their dealer network, partly because of their hideous BimmerBeaver styling direction, partly because their drive for growth have led them far from the Ultimate Driving Machine. We still have one in our 5 car garage, but we've agreed it's the last.
I think perfect example is auto-wipers but one could argue they haven't worked correctly since day 1
Second is auto-high beams.
Both could be improved to be sure. Tesla can actually do that. BMW cannot.I think perfect example is auto-wipers but one could argue they haven't worked correctly since day 1
Second is auto-high beams.
Focusing on things like panel gaps, often misses the whole point of a Tesla.
No, the point is Tesla will not do that. Tesla is run like software organization and like all big software orgs it runs forward, forward, forward. There is no incentive to fix old bugs. Its all about new stuff. I mentioned auto-wipers as perfect example because in Musk's biography by Ashlee Vance they were mentioned as a problematic item that they were fixing back in 2012! Here we sit almost 12 years later and guess what? They ain't working and they ain't getting fixed.
You are wrong, but you probably know that already. Headlights are better than when I bought in 2021. Wipers aren't yet. Autopilot and FSD are both far better. Apple Music was a nice add for me. Greenlight notification was nice for the non-FSD crowd. I liked Joe mode. I liked the theatre apps improvements. I liked the change for left button custom control for 3/Y. I like the many, many control features for the car that have come to the mobile app. Summon is far improved for those who use it, but still not great I'd say. These and all other improvements have been retroactive to the installed base. But maybe your goal was a Musk-bash. Whatever.
Your answer is why they sell cars like they do, they can get away with it and people buy smoke and mirrors. I am pointing out simple things like auto-wipers that haven't been fixed in 12 years. This is low hanging fruit, what does that tell you?
BMW at least does not pretend they will make car "better" with software updates. You bought what you bought.
You like to harp on the wipers, when so many other systems have been improved. Yes I'm happy with the product, and I'm glad they've tackled a number of harder problems than your "low hanging fruit."
I've had more BMW's and Mini's than I can count on two hands. They are NOT a better, more virtuous company. I've been screwed by them more than Tesla. Of course BMW doesn't pretend they can do software updates, because they can't. But don't fool yourself that BMW hasn't oversold their cars. Look at their latest disastrous XM launch. What a dud.
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