Scared to ask... anyone tempted by Model S Plaid?

[Tiredoftesla]

Having driven Model Ss [2013 S85, 2017 S100D] for 8 years and dealing with non stop issues, and a horribly unresponsive Fremont, NO. Everyone hates the Yoke, the new MS has no Sat radio, no CTW, no heads up, horrible BSW, WAY overstated range. Test drove a Taycan Turbo for 400 miles and it performed range wise equal to the S100D. Quality orders of magnitude better. Tesla is consistent with one thing: They over promise and under deliver.

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[felixtb]

Just curious, if you are drawn to Porsche for the driving experience, does Tesla have anything to offer? I've never driven a Tesla so I have no idea, but others describe it as more about being driven, and drag race bragging rights.

Teslas are getting better in the handling department but still not quite there compared to the Tyacan... However, if you want the car to work more of the time than the Taycan and accelerate faster than most anything that exists then sure its tempting. The new interior is a LOT better than the old both in fit and in luxury feel..... so Yah definitely tempting but I still ordered a new Taycan and am hoping it will be better in quality than the first........ also ordered a new model X for my wife so will keep on having both flavours in the stable.

 

[JustLooking]

This was an interesting read from an admittedly biased crew - not a negative, but all forums have selection bias. You probably wouldn't be here if you didn't own or like Taycans

My opinion will probably be an unpopular one, but I'll throw it in here to get torn apart. First of all, agree with Dave, the Plaid is a new benchmark for Tesla and previous experience shouldn't apply. They've revamped the interior, suspension, drive units and improved safety. Heck, they've chopped a few hundred pounds off the weight with the new version!

Let me start out by saying I think the Taycan is beautiful and I was a little upset that Plaid, to the untrained eye, essentially looks like another Model S. I wanted the Taycan because it's more unique, you don't see many of them on the road. To feel "special" as it were. Saw one at my local mall a few months ago and told my wife we have to get it. I mean, it's electric, it's a Porsche, the interior will be nicer, the exterior is nicer, etc.

The test drive was disappointing however. It does not drive like any other electric car I've driven in the past, it drives more like a traditional car, which is to say I wasn't a fan. Porsche doesn't even give you options for single-pedal driving, which was surprising. The transmission and electronics killed the deal for me. This is one place where Tesla excels and why the Plaid doesn't use transmissions. I won't go into all the details, as not to write a book, but the low-part-throttle response was twitchy, the tech seemed like lipstick on a pig. Now keep in mind, I don't care about how the car handles in a corner, I'm not racing it. I'm using it in city traffic to essentially go from A to B, a daily driver. I'm also an expert racer, but I don't 'race' on the street and don't really understand the intrigue of racing EV's (sorry @daveo4EV). Horses for courses.

As far as the Plaid, I appreciate the achievement, but I'm also not sure I'll own one. It's $50k more than the standard Model S, which will supposedly be the same car, minus a few carbon fiber bits, upgraded motors and upgraded brakes. Basically nothing I care about in a daily driver. The $80k Model S would be my only consideration from a practicality perspective. My wife wants it to replace the Model 3 and she'll probably get her wish. I'm not sure if I like the steering wheel and the haptic buttons, especially for the blinkers and horn. Also not sure how I feel about the drive mode selection being on-screen. I feel like that's going a bit far, but will reserve judgement until I get to try it.

I'm personally going to wait for the Roadster. I feel like that's the car for me. It'll have the visual sex appeal and uniqueness I'm looking for; still semi-practical with a 4-seater option. It'll have the driving experience I'm used to with Tesla's. Only question is when (and if) it'll be released.

Having said all of that, if I HAD to choose a car today, between the Model S Plaid and a similarly spec'd/priced Taycan 4S, I'd choose the Plaid. As much as I like the styling of the Taycan, I just couldn't live with it. The tech in Tesla's is just second to none, absolutely everything is electronic and automatic. The sound quality is on another level. Love the range/autopilot/superchargers for long trips, etc. If someone reads this and doesn't understand, you have to live with a Tesla to get it. There's too much to list, but things like not needing keys and my backup key is a credit card. It opens/closes my garage for me. The backup camera is awesome. Sentry mode/constant recording is useful. Navigation is the best I've ever used. It knows when I'm driving or my wife is driving and adjusts absolutely all settings automatically. Proximity sensors show how far you are from anything in inches (useful in a tight garage or parking in town) and just too many other stupid things that you get used to and miss when you get into any other car. Maybe if I weren't spoiled by all the tech I'd have a Taycan in my garage, but the things the Taycan excels at give me nothing in the way of daily usefulness - outside of looking like a beauty queen. Practicality over looks, I guess.

Don't shoot me

 

[vaelin]

Don't shoot me

*bang*

I can't disagree that the transmission does add a bit of 'jerkiness' that when you've been driving a Tesla for a while, makes it a bit less smooth. And yes, the technology advantage Tesla has is light-years ahead of Porsche (and everyone else in the market). But both my X and 3, I chose not to buy FSD since I prefer to drive 99% of the time. EAP was more than sufficient for my use cases.

The charging infrastructure however, is a bit problematic. While there's an order of magnitude more Superchargers everywhere... there's also an order of magnitude more Teslas, at least in CA. I just did a weeklong vacation in the X, and every major Supercharger station also had an Electrify America nearby if not right next to it. While I had to line up at times for the Supercharger, the EA stations were almost always empty. If it weren't for the minivan-capacity of the X (family of 4's worth of stuff for a week) I longed to have brought the Taycan. But I've also, on the flip side, would go to a DC-fast charge station and find that one or two were out of order. Superchargers are generally brainless.. drive up.. plug in.. wait.. go.

With all that said: Your logic is sound for someone who wants a conveyance from point A to point B, without having to think much about it. Which I find odd when you state that you'd likely want a Roadster later, if/when it came out. I had a Roadster reservation for well over two years, for some of the reasons you listed. It will be a 'loud, look at me' car. It had the promise of semi-usable backseats where I could throw my 3 & 6 year olds in. But it's by no means a 'conveyance'. It's what Elon called a smackdown for ICE. Rimac style (for a lot less). But it's not something I'd daily drive.. and it seems like that's what you're looking for?

 

[Heinekennut]

I don't think anyone is going to cancel their Taycan and order a Tesla right now. I ordered a Model S on January 7 and gave up a couple of weeks ago and bought the Taycan. Tesla has only shipped a handful of the Model S this year. At least that's what it looks like in California.

Despite waiting for several months longer than when the car was promised, I never received a call or email from Tesla to let me know what was going on. So with no car and zero customer service I spec'd a 4S and found exactly what I wanted on the lot at the Porsche dealership.

This is my first Porsche. Although Porsche is far behind Tesla with their technology, I love driving this car!

Thanks to the folks who run this forum for all their hard work. I have to say this forum is a lot more civil than the Tesla forum.

Jeff

I agree with everything you said Jeff. Porsche is way behind in technology and stability. Taycan is way more fun to drive and this is a super friendly forum.

 

[feye]

This was an interesting read from an admittedly biased crew...

Biased how?

My MS90D is a piece of junk, by far the worst car I ever had including buggy and hard to use software (completly unusable navi and AP) with a range of hardware quality issues.

My Taycan is amazing so far.

Buy a Taycan drive it for a year and then come back...

 

[JustLooking]

*bang*

?

But it's not something I'd daily drive.. and it seems like that's what you're looking for?

Why not? It's not like it has the complexities/maintenance of a traditional supercar/hypercar. It's the same electronics as their other cars in different packaging.

Biased how?

I literally explained it in the part you didn't quote

My MS90D is a piece of junk, by far the worst car I ever had including buggy and hard to use software (completly unusable navi and AP) with a range of hardware quality issues.

The 90D was released in 2017, which may as well be 1997 in Tesla years. Not defending Tesla, you're entitled to your experience and opinion, but this thread is about the Plaid, which resembles the same body but is nothing like what you used to own. IMO the Model 3 is a better car than the previous Model S anyway.

 

[Swissbob]

first off this is great and I loved it - literally LOL

Porsche is for sure an old mans brand. The wife thinks I’m having a mid-life crisis ?

I still chuckle at my mates kids opening the stupid X rear doors and exclaiming to their old man “This car is so much cooler than yours dad”. His 911 wasn’t impressed…

As an old man I’ve still gone for the CT though…

 

[Kingske]

first off this is great and I loved it - literally LOL

but you've got to realize for the newer generation their _DO_ spend their youth wishing they could own a Tesla - Tesla's has been extremely successful at placing itself as an "aspirational" brand - we may see through it - but this ad says more about the Porsche customer base than it does about today's youth…

I do indeed think that the words "Leaf" and "Tesla" pluck different strings with people today.

 

[NC_Taycan]

It's interesting how much better the Tesla experience was prior to the release of the model 3. My P85 was #1043 manufactured and was delivered December 2012. In the first three years I had a few early-model issues, all of which were fixed by the local Tesla service center who set a new and exceptionally high standard for customer service, convenience and friendliness. After 8+ years and 100,000 miles, the car never left me stranded and I had a relatively low number of days without a car, plus a few days with loaners where I could try Ludicrous mode and autopilot. All in all, it was a great ownership experience. The only thing that was truly disappointing about my car from day one was the super thin paint job.

Then Model 3 arrived. Tesla's service went to shit. The shift to app-only service booking plus demand for service from the higher manufactured volume of model 3s really killed the service experience. As the car aged and more things (but not an unusually large number of things) went wrong, the service experience turned me from a loyal buyer into a never again buyer. And that's before their fit and finish and quality control became worse on later year models (again, most likely from high volume manufacturing).

All that said, I am grateful that Tesla demonstrated that electric cars do not have to be wuss mobiles - not to knock Priuses and Leafs and other low cost save the planet green vehicles, but I want to enjoy driving. Tesla demonstrated that an electric motor drivetrain is better in nearly every way compared to an ICE drivetrain (except range and refill time), and that if you offer a great drive, those like me who value the drive will pay for it. It took the other automakers 5 years to take notice but they have, and now we have the Taycan.

 

[KensingtonPark]

@NC_Taycan I totally agree about gratitude to Tesla for showing the potential of EVs. I really liked my Tesla, and I am quite confident that my Taycan does not exist today without Tesla blazing the trail.

 

[Scandinavian]

I just did a weeklong vacation in the X, and every major Supercharger station also had an Electrify America nearby if not right next to it. While I had to line up at times for the Supercharger, the EA stations were almost always empty.

That is where we have a great advantage here in Europe. If there should be an Ionity, Allego or Fastned or other HPC station beside Tesla, we just move over to it. It might be more expensive to charge but having the CCS2 connector makes the choice greater.

Now if we also could get the possibility to move the Taycan across to a Tesla Supercharger…..

 

[XLR82XS]

Then Model 3 arrived. Tesla's service went to shit. The shift to app-only service booking plus demand for service from the higher manufactured volume of model 3s really killed the service experience. As the car aged and more things (but not an unusually large number of things) went wrong, the service experience turned me from a loyal buyer into a never again buyer. And that's before their fit and finish and quality control became worse on later year models (again, most likely from high volume manufacturing).

+2. And yes, their paint is thin and junk.

 

[epirali]

Besides all the other points, and the fact that to me the drive of the Tesla is well, boring, there is always this. Tesla is always overselling what they do, and push the car past what I would say the normal limits to "show off." While the Taycan to me is a drivers car, and all the components seem to be running well within the normal engineering tolerances. Case and point is the article below about the 2 second 0 to 60 time. Sure if you pre-cool the motor, optimize the battery while sitting for 15 minutes, put sticky stuff on the track you can get the number. Wooohooo. I can just flip the knob on the taycan and launch, it doesn't require "special" treatment. And I have a sneaky suspicion it could easily do that faster but it would be putting the components under stress (which I don't think Elon Musk really cares about much).

Then there is the report of the air bag falling out from the new yoke steering wheel (don't get me started on that one). Yup definitely tempting.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla/model-s/2021/2022-tesla-model-s-plaid-first-test-review/

 

[JustLooking]

Besides all the other points, and the fact that to me the drive of the Tesla is well, boring, there is always this. Tesla is always overselling what they do, and push the car past what I would say the normal limits to "show off." While the Taycan to me is a drivers car, and all the components seem to be running well within the normal engineering tolerances. Case and point is the article below about the 2 second 0 to 60 time. Sure if you pre-cool the motor, optimize the battery while sitting for 15 minutes, put sticky stuff on the track you can get the number. Wooohooo. I can just flip the knob on the taycan and launch, it doesn't require "special" treatment. And I have a sneaky suspicion it could easily do that faster but it would be putting the components under stress (which I don't think Elon Musk really cares about much).

Then there is the report of the air bag falling out from the new yoke steering wheel (don't get me started on that one). Yup definitely tempting.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla/model-s/2021/2022-tesla-model-s-plaid-first-test-review/

The prereq's are needed to ensure you get the 'advertised' result on the drag strip and prep isn't uncommon if you race on the track, which ironically the Plaid is too fast for

However, even without any prep, it's still going to be faster than the Turbo S.

Listen, you can hate the car because it's boring or for whatever other reasons, but we have to look at the performance achievements objectively.

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