Anyone on the waiting list for a Tesla Model 3?

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WoodyIsGoody

WoodyIsGoody

Minister of Fire
Jan 16, 2017
1,437
Pacific NW Washington
My wife reserved one during the unveiling last spring so she thinks her spot might come up in January-February. Today I recommended she put a deposit on another one in case she wants to sell her introductory model with a single motor and upgrade to the dual motor when it's available.

Anyone else waiting on a Model 3?
 
A relative is on the list, but I'm not. I don't expect to be in the market for a new vehicle for 3-4 more years, and a Model 3 is out of my likely price range.
 
I would love to get one. However, with my younger son starting college next couple of weeks that's not going to happen.
 
I am not a fan of the 3's lack of a dash. The center screen requires taking one's eyes off the road for basic functions. The center control panel might be ok when cars are autonomous, but they are not at this point. We're going to stay with the Volt at least until the next generation of batteries show up on the market. Then we'll see what the options are at that time.
 
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begreen said:
I am not a fan of the 3's lack of a dash. The center screen requires taking one's eyes off the road for basic functions. The center control panel might be ok when cars are autonomous, but they are not at this point.
Click to expand...

Yes, I thought that also until I saw photos/videos of the cockpit in motion and read reviews from people who had driven one. Turns out the large screen extends above the dash and the speedo is in the upper left hand corner. So you can see your speed as you're looking down the road. Unless you have this or a heads up display, you're going to have to take your eyes off the road. All my current vehicles have traditional speedometers and they require me to adjust the steering wheel, not for optimum comfort/control, but so the speedo isn't blocked. And I have to take my eyes off the road to check my speed. The Model 3 solves that nicely.
 
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How, at 70mph, in a rainstorm do you adjust the heat and turn on the defroster without taking your eyes off the road? Want to redirect the air blowing in your face to the side? Got to bring up the screen and move the icon.
 
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I've got rather definite opinions about things that are and aren't a good idea to handle through a touch screen, but I wasn't going to try to rain on the parade of anybody buying a Model 3 with my thoughts on that topic. On the whole, I think the Model 3 looks like a very interesting car despite the touch screen, and I'm starting to get used to the idea that a lot of people like the sense of them as high tech.
 
begreen said:
How, at 70mph, in a rainstorm do you adjust the heat and turn on the defroster without taking your eyes off the road? Want to redirect the air blowing in your face to the side? Got to bring up the screen and move the icon.
Click to expand...
My guess is they're banking on folks using the autopilot or self-driving features enough that nobody cares it's clunky to use.
 
Tesla is not alone in trying to show off futuristic features that sell the car as high tech. The original Volt has this same issue. Fortunately Chevy listened to owners and fixed this in the gen2 version.When people are in driving in public there is no substitute for good ergonomics and safe UI design.
 
That is one thing I like about the Ford Focus Electric (2017) - Transmission shifter is a traditional center console, not goofy alternative design like the Leaf, the parking brake is a traditional lever (although I have nothing against the electronic variety), turning audio on/off is simple with a power button, changing sources and changing sound settings is doable with a physical button and volume control has a rotary dial (which can be pushed left/right to rewind/fastforward), all while the steering wheel controls seem concise enough (and the right-side instrument cluster "Nav" view with just a compass, current street and the current speed limit is a nice touch).
 
begreen said:
How, at 70mph, in a rainstorm do you adjust the heat and turn on the defroster without taking your eyes off the road? Want to redirect the air blowing in your face to the side? Got to bring up the screen and move the icon.
Click to expand...

My three current vehicles all have typical climate control systems and I always take my eyes off the road if I need to adjust them. But generally I just leave them on "Auto".

Having observed a number of other drivers adjusting the climate controls, I recall that most people take their eyes off the road. So I'm not convinced that's a real deal killer. A good driver knows when they can safely look away and when they can't. And a good climate control system doesn't need constant adjusting anyway.
 
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