Autoblog: I bought a Tesla. Here's why

Well written.
While I don't agree with the author 100%, I respect his ability to separate personal feelings about the owner of the company and the product.

 

From the article, the best words:

. . . before I go any further, I’d just like to point out that this is a product, not a statement. I bought a car, not a set of values. A means of transportation, not an announcement of my ideals. If you can’t separate those two things, well, you probably already hold a steadfast opinion on the topic, and you may as well stop reading now.
. . .​

I read the rest of the article. Nothing new for me but then I'm a Tesla owner and understand Elon.

Bob Wilson

 

wow, talk about opinionated

 

Elon Musk is an inventor. His brain functions in a way that he is always looking to solutions, much like a scientist or mathematician. That's why his responses to questions seem off the wall. He is not a professional speaker (obviously) so he comes off as offensive. I look at Elon's actions. What is he creating? Why is he getting involved? This seems to help me understand the man.
Inventors will seem quirky to the norm. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington Carver, Howard Hughes come to mind. Heck, read about Nikola Tesla and you will understand what I am saying. Inventors just don't fit the norm, but they seem to change civilization..........for the better.

 

How do you explain Twitter?

As for the OP, I share the article's criticisms of Tesla the product. They are just enough for me to not consider the car. I did once when Tesla was the only viable option, Now there is more choice, and there should be a better supply of new and used when I finally enter the market.

 

twitter will become whatever musk wants it to become, we won't know for some time.

i don't see a better product out there than tesla so far, time will tell.

 

Was a passenger in my son's 3 day old MY this afternoon. Very impressed for what it is.

No obvious assembly issues. My positives were rear HVAC and very huge comfortable back seat sitting behind 6' 4" in the front seat. Obviously quick. Surprise was the small size of the speedometer on the screen.

Rev 4 hardware. He didn't know which assemblies were cast. Charged at home, no supercharger use yet.

He left his house at 78% charge and drove about 50 miles at mostly 69 indicated to my house. Made a 4 block test drive. Stopped at a restaurant on the way home then was going to run a short errand and back home. He was very range conscious, not really anxious.

His major issue is the cabin heat buildup and the amount of battery it takes to keep that under control in 90 degree weather while he works. Adjustable but he hadn't known that yet. Will get a cover. Why does it have a moonroof with its huge front window and large hatch window? Has to add cost. Comment he made was it took as much battery as the drive to work.

My impression of the controls were I could handle them easily, no way my wife could/would and she was adamant about not getting one. It matters not as it doesn't fit the once a week use cases I bought my current Rav4 hybrid for as my car must fill some utility roles that hers doesn't. I want one, just doesn't work for me.

 

Share with your son, the App allows remote cracking of the windows. Rather than keeping the cabin cool all day, use the App to cool it down about 30 minutes before leaving. There is a 'precondition' option that can automate cabin cool down.

This is my homebuilt cover:

It keeps the cabin within 5 degrees of outside air with the windows slightly opened by the App as shown.

Bob Wilson

 

Others have used wraps, tints, and paint on the roof.

 

I want the solar heating effect in cold weather.

Bob Wilson

 

Thanks for the tip.

He discovered the crack the windows from the app trick but will buy one of the covers anyway. I can't wait to see it blow off in the big storms we have around here. Expecting one every evening this week.

 

Quite a heat deflector! Does that sucker roll up so you can take it with you?
.

 

some aftermarket company should have made an interior shade by now. but not all tesla owners admit to it being a heat sink

 

Yes and fits in the trunk easily. Rolled up, it can be squished to fit.

Working on improvements to reduce wind effects and make it easier to put on and take off. Also looking at making it 'freeze resistant' for winter camping to preserve cabin heat.

Bob Wilson

 

They are common in Dixie and I've used them but I don't like them:

• solar light makes two passes through glass heating it up
  • ~2.0% absorbed coming in
  • ~1.9% reflected out
• interior screen reflects light but some is absorbed
  • ~3-5% absorbed (if silvered!)
• typically stiff, they fold into longish, accordion folded shapes kept in the car
• usually just front windshield leaving roof and rear glass unprotected
• cheap ... usually cardboard ... make your own by picking up COSTCO or grocery store boxes

Bob Wilson