Tesla has ruined me for life...

[AMPd]

Why? Put on good snow tires, Set the ride height to high (or very high in some cases), and you're good to go.

Well in that case you can do the same in the M5
I was thinking deep snow that went above your bumper.
I assume the M5 and model s have a similar ride height so I don’t see how one would perform significantly better than the other

My P85D handles snow and ice better than my 4x4 Dodge Durango did...by a significant margin.

Ok ... and?

 

[jerry33]

Well in that case you can do the same in the M5
I was thinking deep snow that went above your bumper.
I assume the M5 and model s have a similar ride height so I don’t see how one would perform significantly better than the other

Snow above the bumper is a problem in any vehicle.
The battery of the Tesla adds weight to the wheels (similar to when we used to put sandbags in the trunk so that the RWD car would go in the snow).

 

[Alset4S]

This is simply false. There’s no sense lying to people.

I started my Tesla experience with a 1150mi road trip (~850 roundtrip open interstate driving). Of the 7 charge stops over the road, 1 was 20 minutes, 1 was 60 minutes, 1 50 minutes, and the rest 35-40. I’ve done this trip more than 20 times in various gas powered cars and the Tesla added over an hour one way to an average 8 hour trip, and 2 on the return as we got stuck in line at Indio for 55 minutes just waiting for a charger.

That doesn’t include the 4 charges I had at my destination. Only 1 was conveniently available in the parking garage I wanted to be that day (although not really necessary at the time), one was a trickle from a “supercharger” giving 18kw that I gave up on after 30 minutes, and one was mercifully at the only 120kw charger we discovered but was still 35 minutes at 12am and 20 minutes round trip out of our way after a long day when we really wanted to be at the hotel sleeping.

Daily commuting with home charging, EV’s are massively convenient. They are TERRIBLE at long distance travel if speed is a priority. And very inconvenient if you don’t have a charger at home/work. My most recent supercharging session added 76 miles in 25 minutes. Anyone can do the math how often you’d have to stop and that’s 67% longer charge time that you’re claiming.

I agree in principle with most of your post. I don't agree that long distance travel is terrible. No doubt it takes longer and can be inconvenient especially if an extra HR or so really makes a difference.

I'm now at an age where my old bones can use a break (maybe I shouldn't use bones and break in the same sentce) so don't mind charges over 30 minutes. The last few trips in an ICE often resulted in gas stops over 30 minutes due to most gas stations not having decent food and coffee. So it was gas up, drive to food, eat, bathroom break and back on the road. None of which you can do while pumping gas but all of which you can do while super charging.

Advanced planning can also make a difference. On April 7th I begin a 1800 plus mile road trip. Two of those nights were in Atlanta. After checking in to the hotel we headed out to charge the car and have dinner. Super charger was 12 miles from motel. We arrived at super charger 50 minutes later. Charged for almost an HR then return to Holiday inn Express after 40 minute commute. Gotta love that Atlanta traffic. Parking in front was full so pulled around back to discover 4 Tesla destination chargers. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. It was that or cry. And no they didn't show up in the moble app or the car or the motel website. Next night it sure was nice to charge while sleeping just like at home.

 

[sorka]

Ok ... and?

Oh and what?

 

[AMPd]

Snow above the bumper is a problem in any vehicle.
The battery of the Tesla adds weight to the wheels (similar to when we used to put sandbags in the trunk so that the RWD car would go in the snow).

The M5 is also pretty heavy, close to 4400 pounds.
I have no experience with their AWD system but I’m sure it’s acceptable for daily driving.

 

[AMPd]

Oh and what?

I don’t know what your comparison between the tesla and Durango was in reference to

 

[Droschke]

EV’s ... are TERRIBLE at long distance travel if speed is a priority.

I'm glad you qualified it with the word "speed". For some people, including me, the need to stop and charge is a welcome bonus since I take a walk, get something to eat or drink and use the facilities. Even sit down and just relax, make phone calls and check the email, or even take a power nap

 

[SSonnentag]

Charging adds only about half an hour to our 600-mile per day driving trips vs. how long it took us to drive in our previous ICE vehicle. We stop for breaks and meals anyway, so the only difference is the location of the stops.

 

[AronAZ]

I don't agree that long distance travel is terrible.

Yeah probably a little harsh. But until the infrastructure catches up, the feeling was pretty helpless waiting in line just short of an hour for a supercharger. Imagine the people around Christmas that waited 3+ hours at multiple stops on that same route. (My normal 8 hour trip could have been 15+ on those days.)

My options were: 1) wait unspecified time. You can’t leave your car unattended or you’ll lose your spot in line. 2) back track 30-45 minutes to the previous supercharger, charge all the way to 100% and drive 55 all the way to the next charger arriving with <10% left. Or 3) go try one of the 6kW Chargepoints in that town, assuming one’s available, and charge for 3–5 hours to get the range to make the next stop.

You can’t just drive across the steet, down a block, or 1 exit further to fuel up in 5 minutes like a ICE car then have 300mi of highway range to use. Until we get there, long distance travel is a sacrifice. Autopilot helps by making the drive less taxing between stops but that doesn’t make up for being a slave to a high capacity plug. I love my car but we have to be honest about the limitations and champion infrastructure investment.

 

[Alset4S]

Yeah probably a little harsh. But until the infrastructure catches up, the feeling was pretty helpless waiting in line just short of an hour for a supercharger. Imagine the people around Christmas that waited 3+ hours at multiple stops on that same route. (My normal 8 hour trip could have been 15+ on those days.)

My options were: 1) wait unspecified time. You can’t leave your car unattended or you’ll lose your spot in line. 2) back track 30-45 minutes to the previous supercharger, charge all the way to 100% and drive 55 all the way to the next charger arriving with <10% left. Or 3) go try one of the 6kW Chargepoints in that town, assuming one’s available, and charge for 3–5 hours to get the range to make the next stop.

You can’t just drive across the steet, down a block, or 1 exit further to fuel up in 5 minutes like a ICE car then have 300mi of highway range to use. Until we get there, long distance travel is a sacrifice. Autopilot helps by making the drive less taxing between stops but that doesn’t make up for being a slave to a high capacity plug. I love my car but we have to be honest about the limitations and champion infrastructure investment.

I guess it depends on where you live. I've driven from St Louis to Chicago and back multi times. Denver to St Louis. St Louis to Destin FL and back and St Louis to Augusta Ga and back. Never have had to wait. Actually the busiest charger had less than half filled. Perhaps I've just been lucky.

 

[MP3Mike]

So having a Model S the past 3 years have been an absolute living hell; I love the car, hate the "charging" part. Again, this is a long and complicated story but has been a lesson learned.

Just pay someone to take your car to a Supercharger at night, or while you are at work, when you aren't using it.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

As far as I'm aware of the only successful EV to ICE transplant that wasn't rejected by the human driver was from an S to a BMW 530E.

He still visits the forums though so there is still some lingering issues, but his prognoses looks good.

 

[r2d2_89]

I am sorry if my suggestion is naive.
Couldn't you use a gas power generator ? You still yave to buy gas bring to generator.
Gas-powered Generator

But then life changes, you adapt more to travel to charge, find other spots or move on or your condo put the outlet you need

 

[Triplett]

I'll give you a great deal on an sl550.

 

[alloverx]

AUDI RS5 sportback

 

[LMarcinelli]

So, my 3-year lease on my Model S ends July 7, 2019. In preparation, I've begun looking for a replacement vehicle. Unfortunately, I cannot get another all-electric EV as I don't have a place to charge at my condo (LONG story). So having a Model S the past 3 years have been an absolute living hell; I love the car, hate the "charging" part. Again, this is a long and complicated story but has been a lesson learned.

What do you drive after having a Tesla for 3 years?! I test drove a few Acuras today but the engines are loud, they're rough as can be, shifting gears is painfully obvious, and there is zero power compared to the Tesla. The sales person was like "Oh, you're going to love this 280hp!" In the back of my mind I was thinking "Yeah, well my Model S has over 500 so, good luck with that..." The Acura RDX had the performance of a dead turtle.

Believe it or not, I might just settle for a fully-loaded Honda Accord Hybrid. The CVT is the closest thing to a smooth transmission, similar (albeit loosely) to the Tesla.

I'd be curious to hear the experience of others who are transitioning from a Tesla to another type of vehicle. I feel like we need to create a support group for "Ex-Tesla Owners" to help each other cope with the PTSD.

 

[LMarcinelli]

So, my 3-year lease on my Model S ends July 7, 2019. In preparation, I've begun looking for a replacement vehicle. Unfortunately, I cannot get another all-electric EV as I don't have a place to charge at my condo (LONG story). So having a Model S the past 3 years have been an absolute living hell; I love the car, hate the "charging" part. Again, this is a long and complicated story but has been a lesson learned.

What do you drive after having a Tesla for 3 years?! I test drove a few Acuras today but the engines are loud, they're rough as can be, shifting gears is painfully obvious, and there is zero power compared to the Tesla. The sales person was like "Oh, you're going to love this 280hp!" In the back of my mind I was thinking "Yeah, well my Model S has over 500 so, good luck with that..." The Acura RDX had the performance of a dead turtle.

Believe it or not, I might just settle for a fully-loaded Honda Accord Hybrid. The CVT is the closest thing to a smooth transmission, similar (albeit loosely) to the Tesla.

I'd be curious to hear the experience of others who are transitioning from a Tesla to another type of vehicle. I feel like we need to create a support group for "Ex-Tesla Owners" to help each other cope with the PTSD.

I would move... easier to find a great place than a better car.

 

[Alset4S]

I would move... easier to find a great place than a better car.

That's what I'm talking about. Where there's a will there's a way

 

[Eclectic]

BMW 530e. It's what we got to replace our P85D and it's an amazing car. Much better usable tech than the Tesla (sure, we don't get fart apps, but we do have gesture controls, HUD, etc.), plenty good performance and it's a plug in, so you get the tax handouts as well as HOV lane access. PLUS, they are very affordable (around $50k new, before the handouts) and much more comfortable and quiet than any Tesla. It's not as fast off the line as the old P85D, but ripping off 0-60 runs isn't really my thing and I actually appreciate the kickdown of the transmission to get moving on the freeway, which provides way better responsiveness than the Tesla had.

 

[seclinton]

I’m driving a Nissan Pathfinder in Maui this week as a rental. It fits the family, is functional, and that’s it. The fit and finish are fine but it’s buttons and its cloyingly annoying to setup a phone to stream instead of FM radio. Acceleration is terrible and braking is normal. MpG I don’t care since it’s a rental and only here 5 days.

I just picked up my CPO MSP85+ two weeks ago. It was 15 months schlepping around in our Nissan Leaf (circa 2014, SL loaded, 75mile range). (I crashed and totaled my 2013 P85) Now there is a reliable EV (the leaf) I think we have counted on despite being relegated to commuter car for me. Honestly, I caged my frustration in having no choice but the leaf (that’s a lie, hang on). It’s an ugly small and dare I say feels unsafe to be in? But nary a problem except that time the brake system FAILED WHILE DRIVING. The whole system was replaced and I assume Nissan did some FA.

It’s difficult to make the transition both physically and through muscle memory to go between vehicles but the learning curve should be quick. The emotional part I can say took me 15 months to get back in a MS.

Side note, the wife drives #725 Signature Model X P90DL (Blue and white 6 seater), I borrowed that maybe 1-2 times every two weeks or so just to feel alive in a car again.