First ride in a Tesla..my 2 cents

[Buzzrush]

Sorry it's a long post but you don't have to read it if you don't want to lol. My wife and I were at a family party on Saturday and my cousin just purchased a new long range Model 3. He pulls up into the driveway and of course everyone was checking it out. We parked the Stinger in a separate parking lot next door so no one has really seen it. He asked if we wanted to take a ride and of course we said yes! I got into the passengers seat after 20 seconds or so of trying to figure out how to open the door lol and my wife jumped into the back. Off we went.

First things first...that thing is FASSSSSST! We pulled outta the driveway and he punched it and my head SLAMMED into the head rest lol. I knew it would be fast but this was crazy and it's not even NEAR the fastest Tesla! I couldn't believe it. I consider the Stinger a pretty quick car but this thing is on a whole other level. Not surprising I know but the speed of this thing kinda shook me a little bit to the point I thought should I have bought one of these instead? He kept saying how it will destroy 99 percent of cars on the road and how its "by farrrr the best car value for under 50K ". That being said, I slept on it and came to the conclusion I wouldn't buy one and I'll tell you why.

First off, the center mounted tablet controls everything. Zero buttons. No cockpit feel whatsoever. I personally want a tactile driving experience as well as a exhilarating one. Sorry but I enjoy clicky buttons and having little lights on the dash that blink and beep and the little click the air vents make when I open/close them and having a frickin tachometer lol. Little things I would miss with an electric.

By far the biggest reason I wouldn't buy one is one of the reasons people love the car and thats the lack of engine sound. One of the things I absolutely love about driving my Stinger is the hearing the engine. I barely listen to music anymore because I love the sounds that eminate from this car. The upshifts, downshifts, gurgles when decelerating(Borla exhaust), the intakes (Injen short ram) sucking in all available air, the turbos spooling up, the blow off valves...All of it! None of this with the Tesla. Good thing it has autonomous driving because I'd fall asleep driving that thing. No wonder people have been seen sleeping while the Tesla takes them down the highway lol. But Its fast!

After the ride was over, my cousin decided to park the Tesla in the same parking lot that we were in. It was dark at this point and the Stinger was the only car in the lot. He turned in and his lights hit this beautiful, shiny Hichroma red four door hatchback with Stinger script on the back and he said "Whoa! Is that yours??" I replied yeah we got it around 4 months ago....he says nothing. Just idled slowly past staring at her (rear 3/4 view..you know the one) Still nothing..staring. Gets outta the car and goes to the front of the Stinger to check the badge(Black chrome Loden K badge with Stinger script on the grill)...still not a word. Steps back a few feet staring at the front...one word quietly comes out from under his breath..."wow". Thats it. I have a feeling the look of the Stinger shook him as much as the speed of the Tesla shook me. To each his own and the Tesla is a nice, fast car...but not for me.

 

[CKeeler]

I was seriously considering a Tesla Model3 before I heard about the Stinger

 

[Karl Davlin]

I mostly agree with you. I too had a ride a few months ago. The power is insane (insane+ to be exact). I liked the instrument cluster and the big display in the Tesla. Tesla's autopilot is incredible. However, the overall interior of the Stinger GT2 is better IMHO. I agree, I don't like everything through the one display. I like the climate controls to be separate.

I'm comparing the $50k Stinger to the 100+k Tesla S. Even though the Tesla is much quicker, for the money I'd take the Stinger. Also, I couldn't let myself spend that much on a car at this point in my life.

 

[Gargamel]

I have heard that teslas are fast off from stand still, but "thats all it got", low top speed and batteries risk running hot if pressed too much.

 

[Kamauxx]

I have heard that teslas are fast off from stand still, but "thats all it got", low top speed and batteries risk running hot if pressed too much.

The top speed is over 150mph. More than enough for the driver to kill himself and several innocent commuters.

 

[NS_Stinger]

The lack of feel and sound is what kills the idea of EV's for me too, I hate the idea of a car driving for me or numbing the experience down too much. As far as accelleration the Stinger and the Model 3 long range both put down the same 0-60 times, but I bet the Tesla feels faster because torque is instant and it probably has a better 0-30 time. Model 3 performance...yeah that's another story at 3.4secs to 100kph...

 

[Revvdmedia]

I don't think Tesla's overall quality is anywhere near a good mainstream brand yet. I've heard horror stories, at least in the past, that Tesla had customers signing NDA's to not mention quality issues...not 100% if that is true or not, but if it is...

Also, I really don't like the way the Model 3 looks. The Model S looks decent, but for another 50+ grand...

 

[Cyrus Duong]

Roommate has a long-range AWD model 3 (runs about $55k with his options and when he got it - I think it's slightly cheaper now). As far as straight-line performance. There is no better value. I was interested in the base model since the AWD is quite a bit of a price jump and long-range doesn't matter if you're still stuck at charging stations for quite some time. You may be able to skip 1-2 charging stations if your trip crosses a few states but other than that no point IMO.

But as I came familiar with his car the more and more I disliked it. You've already listed a few reasons but here are a few more.

1. For rear-seat passengers - the car is no good on a road trip (maybe ok if they are kids). The floor sits extremely high for the rear passengers due to the battery pack in the floor so if you're an adult, your legs are completely unsupported while sitting in the rear seats. Any longer than 30-40 minutes and I could not stand it. The NVH is also much worse in the rear seats than the front. I'm not sure if it's the shape of the car, sitting that much closer to the motor in the rear, but back there - it is almost as bad as my girlfriends 2002 honda accord at highway speed. Just tons of wind, and tire noise. Some will argue thats because you don't have an engine to cover that noise up... But I think a lot of these people haven't sat in a car that costs $40K+. The NVH is considerably better in my Stinger. Even with the engine. The only thing it loses out on is idling. But at highway speeds or cruising around town. I'm very much more comfortable in my car's rear seats than his.

2. The car gets HOT even with the climate control. We didn't have it at full blast (maybe part of how uncomfortably loud it would be). In the dead beat of sun and all that glass, without tinted windows, the climate control does not feel as strong or as good as the Stinger. I can keep my car cool and without the AC being too noisy. Part of that may have to do with having cooled seats. I'm not sure... In his car I had to cover myself in my jacket to prevent the IR from the sun burning me... In the car with the AC on...

3. Charging times. This one is maybe more of a nit with my roommate, but on our recent road trip of 600ish miles, he had severe battery anxiety. We often stayed 20-30 minutes more at each supercharger station after the car confirmed we would be good to make it to the next one REALLY increasing our trip time. An 9.5hr drive turned into a 12 hour one (compared to an 8-hour drive in an ICE vehicle). Unless/until the charging is as convenient or maybe only slightly worse than the time spent at the pumps, this is NOT a road trip car in my eyes. Unless you have the time to blow/waste just driving/waiting... The only real bonus was the autopilot being able to navigate the few highway interchanges... But honestly, there were only like 3-4 along the whole route. Most of it was along one interstate. So you still had to do the city driving yourself.

4. Lastly, are some of the crowd surrounding the car and its software bugs. Some people buy the car in support of the technology and investment that Tesla is doing - to revolutionize the industry into the battery/electric era. That's fine. But then there are other's that treat it like an Apple product. Using it as a sign of prestige and not seeing the value/issues there are with it. They see their car and don't notice these flaws above because 'it is perfect and doesn't have any problems.'

I was absolutely blown away not once, but TWICE when my roommate was driving and the car would just reboot its infotainment or black screen on him and HE SHRUGGED IT OFF. "Oh, that happens." THE F**K YOU MEAN THAT HAPPENS?! YOU PAID 55K FOR THIS CAR AND IT JUST "STOPS WORKING" SOMETIMES? Granted since he now has/owns the car I guess he has no option but to put up with it and keep making payments... I wouldn't want to be locked into a car that just "Sometimes works" though...

Thank goodness it's separate from the car's critical systems - it continued to drive and reboot fine, but the loss of all indications of speed, no ability to control climate or radio. Everything hooked to that screen just... black. Can't tell what state the car is in (auto-pilot on or off). It's just ridiculous to pay that much money and have stuff like that happen. (Granted it may be better now since they get free OTA updates and may have addressed some of those issues.) I still think it shouldn't have happened to begin with.

And, that wasn't the only bugs that happened either. Sometimes the reverse camera takes 30 seconds to load up. Other times he has to point his butt at the car to get it to unlock because it doesn't correctly detect his phone. Stupid silly things that show that Telsa missed the QA and rely heavily on the marketing and willingness of their customers to be the guinea pigs.

I appreciate what Tesla is trying to do (and successfully) in getting other car manufacturers engages in the market of electric vehicles. However, I do not appreciate how they treat their customers often as beta testers/QA, the quality of their vehicles, and the stigma behind the vehicle. Now I see them everywhere and they are no longer 'special' to me. My roommate has even complained he only sees older people driving teslas (because they can afford it) and he no longer feels "cool". (He's 28 now - so getting of that age himself though).

Glad I didn't get one. I've even convinced my girlfriend and she's started to notice these things as well. Both she and I are expecting generation two of electric vehicles will solve a lot of this. Noise and quality will be better because of the competition of other options in the market. Technology is going to be better so fewer bugs and faster charging. And lastly, they will be commonplace enough that people stop giving Tesla the benefit of the doubt and traing their cars as 'perfect'.

End rant.

Overall I think the Stinger is a much better value. AWD, similar performance beyond 50mph, more fun for curvy roads, modifiable, more comfortable (COOLED SEATS FTW), more utility space, better NVH, cheaper (compared to his model). The list goes on and on. The only downside is I have to pay the price of gas... Which if I'm saving 15k in the purchase price. I'm quite ok with paying a little more for gas until better electric cars come out.

But as a commuter, I'd consider the base model Tesla Model 3 is fine for most people. More power than they'll ever use. Front and rear trunks. Minimalistic and cheap on gas. I didn't get one now because I know in 5-10 years they'll be that much better. . It'll be hard to decide if I trade the stinger or keep it as a fun car for weekends...

I've my own personal problems with the stinger, but nothing as large as these.

 

[Gleis25]

The lack of feel and sound is what kills the idea of EV's for me too, I hate the idea of a car driving for me or numbing the experience down too much. As far as accelleration the Stinger and the Model 3 long range both put down the same 0-60 times, but I bet the Tesla feels faster because torque is instant and it probably has a better 0-30 time. Model 3 performance...yeah that's another story at 3.4secs to 100kph...

If it’s the Awd Model 3 Long Range, it’s running 4 secs to 60. Not quite the performance model, but still tops a stock Stinger significantly.

 

[MisterMac]

Aside from the concerns cited already, I wouldn't buy an EV such as this because of the intrusion into privacy and the reliance on electricity. In the U.S., our power grid is antiquated and fragile: susceptible to mass outages from all sorts of mischief. Have fun charging your car without electricity... I need a 1970's car and a large underground fuel reserve....

 

[turboAWD]

Base model 3 isn't THAT fast - I outran one from 2nd gear on in my Legacy GT..

Edit: 2 stoplights in a row. Even until end of 1st, once torque multiplication hit in 2nd gear, he had no chance. The Stinger in 2nd is faster than my LGT. We probably can't touch the performance model (until we do jb4, etc), but even stock, pretty sure we beat the base model 3.

I can't stand the "everything in the center" setup. And with all the self-driving features, it's basically the "turn drivers into passengers" car - I don't want to become a passenger in my own car - I want to DRIVE.

 

[NS_Stinger]

If it’s the Awd Model 3 Long Range, it’s running 4 secs to 60. Not quite the performance model, but still tops a stock Stinger significantly.

I thought a stock Stinger was 0-100km/hr in like 4.9secs. Below is directly from the Tesla website for the AWD Model 3 long range.


.2 seconds is hardly what I'd call significant and the Stinger has a higher top speed.

 

[Revvdmedia]

I suspect that the off-the-line "seat of the pants" acceleration feels more substantial than the Stinger's, especially considering the Stinger's overly soft launch control. The Tesla likely hauls ass right off the get-go, whereas the Stinger should in theory feel just as quick once at full boost (about 1 to 2 seconds from launch).

 

[Gleis25]

I thought a stock Stinger was 0-100km/hr in like 4.9secs. Below is directly from the Tesla website for the AWD Model 3 long range.
View attachment 31859

.2 seconds is hardly what I'd call significant and the Stinger has a higher top speed.

Got it from Motortrend

 

[Legendsk]

...(He's 28 now - so getting of that age himself though)....

Yeah, him and my great-grandkids. ROTFLMAO

 

[Aarvix]

Lots of good discussion here.

I too cross-shopped a model 3, but couldn't stand the interior. I despise the touchscreen-for-everything trend, no tactile feedback forces you to look away from the road. I think it's dangerous, even with all the modern safety features, and the model 3's lack of a gauge cluster (or even a HUD) earned it a solid NO for me.

I just feel more engaged driving the stinger, even if it's a worse stoplight racer. No ragrets.

 

[twig2121]

I'm hoping Kia's investment in Rimac will mean the next car I buy is a stinger version of the model S. They're both about the same size, shape, etc. I'd love the simpler drivetrain, not stopping for gas stations (charge at home everyday), quiet ride (though I enjoy listening to the sound of turbocharged cars), less maintenance and what will come in time - the ability to power your house with the battery in your car when there's a power outage (with the proper transfer switch).

 

[Buzzrush]

I dunno he said it was Long Range but maybe it was the performance model because this thing was fast! Maybe it was just fast off the line as we only got up to 40 or so but we got there quick I know that. Said he paid 48K. It reminded me of driving an electric golf cart. I didn't even think about the sun coming in through all that glass but I could definitely see that as a problem.

 

[Cyrus Duong]

From what I can gather the top window should have some coating to help fight heat. Tinting it shouldn't improve the heat rejection. But its still letting some heat in compared to a solid piece of metal or a closable sunroof. But does feel more 'open' to each their own I guess. And no offense on the age thing haha jusy older people here can afford them - family man kinda people who are mature and responsible unlike me.

 

[Mesmorino]

I'm a bit surprised at how many people here cross shopped a Model 3, of all things. I cross shopped a Honda Accord! Then again, the Accord never really had a chance, from the first time I saw the Stinger (two years ago!) I knew I was going to get one. The only thing the Accord had going for it was the manual transmission, but hatchback + sheer looks beats a manual. The overall lack of charging infrastructure around me is one reason I would hesitate about buying an electric car, but I would sooner buy an electric Stinger than a Tesla.

I like haptic feedback, I like the tactility of mechanical switches and buttons, I like knowing where a given button is (and more importantly what it will do), and I don't care about 0-60 times.