Towing with Tesla Model X

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Lol. I have traded it over time and done pretty well. No current holdings. I've also, gasp, traded Ford.

I could say that others here must be short.

P.S. please point out one thing I've said that isn't true. Again, I'm providing experiential data for those who are interested. If you aren't, then why read it?

I honestly haven't read everything. No offense but you sound like a desperate salesman here. You are pushing the Tesla hard to people where it just doesn't make sense, whether it be lack of infrastructure, range, power outages, or any other reason. It's a great option for some, and not even feasible for others. I am intrigued by the Model 3 even though it is hideous in photos, and seriously lacks comfort features found in a Kia, but as mentioned we could possibly benefit financially by buying one. With that being said, if we both hate it in person, it won't have a home in our garage, and Tesla does not make anything, and probably will not have anything for 3 years that can replace a pick-up, let alone something with a 800-1000 mile range.

 

[thefortunes]

I honestly haven't read everything. No offense but you sound like a desperate salesman here. You are pushing the Tesla hard to people where it just doesn't make sense, whether it be lack of infrastructure, range, power outages, or any other reason. It's a great option for some, and not even feasible for others. I am intrigued by the Model 3 even though it is hideous in photos, and seriously lacks comfort features found in a Kia, but as mentioned we could possibly benefit financially by buying one. With that being said, if we both hate it in person, it won't have a home in our garage, and Tesla does not make anything, and probably will not have anything for 3 years that can replace a pick-up, let alone something with a 800-1000 mile range.

Lol, no offense taken.

Not a salesman (and certainly not for Tesla), in fact I am answering a PM from someone on here right now where I am asking questions to ensure that a EV or a Tesla (his choice) makes sense for his situation.

What I am trying to do here is provide real world info to counter the FUD from people who have no clue what owning and driving an EV is like. (Such as that you need 1000 mile range, or that you will run a beat up extension cord across your mom's lawn and people will laugh at you). You don't (to either). Not going to rehash the entire argument again, but how often do you drive 1000 miles without stopping?

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I don't often. But come a storm where I have decided to stay home in and ride out - and it turns to a Cat 5 overnight and changes paths to a direct hit and I need to make it to Atlanta or somewhere way out the way quickly - it becomes clutch. Especially when the whole state would have gas and charging stations lines over an hour.

No idea on the extension cord thing. If ended up with an EV I would install a nice charger at my home. If the garage was full for whatever reason, I could careless about running one, hell we have cords all over our yard right now for our halloween stuff.

We will probably test drive the 3 (AWD Extended Range) in the next week or two so I can provide some feedback on how it feels compared to a RWD muscle car.

 

[thefortunes]

I don't often. But come a storm where I have decided to stay home in and ride out - and it turns to a Cat 5 overnight and changes paths to a direct hit and I need to make it to Atlanta or somewhere way out the way quickly - it becomes clutch. Especially when the whole state would have gas and charging stations lines over an hour.

No idea on the extension cord thing. If ended up with an EV I would install a nice charger at my home. If the garage was full for whatever reason, I could careless about running one, hell we have cords all over our yard right now for our halloween stuff.

We will probably test drive the 3 (AWD Extended Range) in the next week or two so I can provide some feedback on how it feels compared to a RWD muscle car.

Yep, makes sense for an evac.

Your charger would have a 24' cord itself so you can park outside and still charge (I have had others use ours when they visited).

Not sure if the 3 is a good comparison to a muscle car - I think of it more as a competitor to an Audi A3-A5 or a BMW 3-4 series. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts from the drive. Hopefully you get a chance to really open it up (I actually got pulled over on my S test drive - the LEO liked the car though, and let me off with a warning).

I think the interior will take time to get used to. VERY unconventional and it takes a few days to "unlearn" a long history with buttons. Although I do like most things being controlled via steering wheel buttons and the big screen, I'm not a fan of the choices Tesla has made for the interior materials. Feels too "budget" to me.

Last piece of advice - drive a performance model. If it is like the S, they can "detune" it (via a couple clicks) to feel like a base AWD so you can feel the difference. You can get a performance version for about $3k more than the base AWD.

ETA Oh, one more thing. DO NOT ride along on a test drive of a performance S (2.4 seconds) right after eating lunch. Don't ask how I know.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

My wife would probably stretch it to the performance knowing her. Can you adjust the mode on the fly? That is good advice. We like the S a whole lot more from a cosmetic perspective but its not in the budget, and the used ones all look like crap. I don't mind buying used but it needs to be in perfect condition. Blows my mind how bad people beat up cars.

 

[thefortunes]

My wife would probably stretch it to the performance knowing her. Can you adjust the mode on the fly? That is good advice. We like the S a whole lot more from a cosmetic perspective but its not in the budget, and the used ones all look like crap. I don't mind buying used but it needs to be in perfect condition. Blows my mind how bad people beat up cars.

For the S test drives, there is a "hidden" login that the salesperson uses to change how much output the motor is allowed (to make it feel like a non-performance). Not sure if that is the case on a 3 - just ask.

The cars themselves have a "chill mode" that you can put them in (think for teenagers) that limits acceleration and top speed. There is also a valet mode that, I believe, also restricts access to the glove box and trunk among other things.

 

[Dean P]

I have the LR AWD Perfomance model 3. It does have a chill mode that makes it handle like an average car (very boring). The valet mode also de-tunes the car and you can limit top speed. You'll have to enter your access code to get out of valet mode. You can also set it up to always enter a code every drive. I keep it set up for performance just in case you need it. Just because you can doesn't mean you should or you have to. I nice to know I can. Also nice to know that I am quicker than 95% of the cars around me.

The Tesla app (for the phone) is great. Lot's of nice features. Use it a lot.

 

[tabbibus]

Who's had time to try the come to me option? I haven't tried it yet because I'm usually in a hurry to get going

 

[thefortunes]

Who's had time to try the come to me option? I haven't tried it yet because I'm usually in a hurry to get going

Not available on my (older) models.

I don't see a ton of value - in fact, if I buy another Tesla I probably will not get Full Self Driving, just the Auto-Pilot that comes standard.

 

[ripler]

I will never own an electric vehicle, but I do have a question. Do EV drivers get pissed when I park in those prime parking spots that just so happen to be a charge station?

 

[Liftr]

The Model X Tesla (Long Range) CAN NOT accomplish my desired routing.
My desired route goes thru Irvine, Jackson, and Hazard. Same return.
It turns my 296 mile, 6 hour round trip into 413 miles and 10 hours duration.
I deleted my usual errands just to illustrate the point.
It forces the routing through London, which would then encounter 50 miles of Interstate construction (each way, ands adds another hour).
The cherry on top, is the $54 Gas savings. My current trip only cost me $51 in diesel.
This is not FUD.


ETA: I’m currently doing this in cushy leather seats, AND, could turn around and do it again without refueling.
With the ability to tow 20,000 pounds if the need arises.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I will never own an electric vehicle, but I do have a question. Do EV drivers get pissed when I park in those prime parking spots that just so happen to be a charge station?

LOL - If I see a prime parking spot in small car parking or EV/Green car parking (granted no charger there) - I take it. My truck is more economical compared to older trucks

 

[thefortunes]

I will never own an electric vehicle, but I do have a question. Do EV drivers get pissed when I park in those prime parking spots that just so happen to be a charge station?

Would you be "pissed" if you went to use a gas station and people were parked there?

How about if you were handicapped and people parked in those spots?

I'll never understand the hostility some people have toward others.

 

[thefortunes]

The Model X Tesla (Long Range) CAN NOT accomplish my desired routing.
My desired route goes thru Irvine, Jackson, and Hazard. Same return.
It turns my 296 mile, 6 hour round trip into 413 miles and 10 hours duration.
I deleted my usual errands just to illustrate the point.
It forces the routing through London, which would then encounter 50 miles of Interstate construction.
The cherry on top, is the $54 Gas savings. My current trip only cost me $51 in diesel.
This is not FUD.
View attachment 107207

We've beaten this to death.

You would have to charge at one of your parents' while you are visiting (or take the preferred Google Maps route and stop at the London supercharger for 5 minutes). If not, then no, it doesn't work for you.

 

[2kwik4u]

(Such as that you need 1000 mile range, or that you will run a beat up extension cord across your mom's lawn and people will laugh at you).

OK, you got me......I'll only really need a 75' cord to get from the parking area to the closest plug, and I'll probably toss out the broken/rundown/damaged cord and get a nice one. Unless I park in the grass, it's a solid 50ft to the paved area. And my relatives will laugh. Misguided as that might be, they'll laugh and ask why I didn't get a generator on wheels with my $80k purchase.

Here's a google maps shot with a "measure distance" of my mothers house. It's legitimately 50ft from the closest power outlet to the car.



There is a SINGLE supercharger in the Louisville Metro area. ONE. It is neither on my home, nor my way to work, nor between any two places I frequent on a regular basis. I would be relying completely on home charging for my use. On my most common 200+ mile trips there are no superchargers on route. Georgetown IN to Benton, MO or to Charleston, IL. So I'll have to leave with a full charge, and hope I don't need to detour, reroute, or simply change my mind. There is a single supercharger in Mt Vernon, IL, which could make the Benton, MO trip work.....maybe.....Ever travel with toddlers? The ability to quickly and easily change course, plans, or even abandon the trip is critical. So the long distance doesn't even work well for me, it just kinda works, assuming everything goes well.

I will NOT sacrifice flexibility, and IMO there are few EV's that can make that happen for me.

SO, with all the above said.......STOP calling others situations FUD. We aren't spreading disinformation, we aren't making this stuf up just to fight the evil EV's from taking over, it just doesn't work for us. We might be exaggerating on some of the minor details to make a point, but the premise remains constant. EV's don't work for us. This is the condescending attitude others pointed out previously. The blatant dismissal of "our side" isn't appreciated.

 

[thefortunes]

OK, you got me......I'll only really need a 75' cord to get from the parking area to the closest plug, and I'll probably toss out the broken/rundown/damaged cord and get a nice one. Unless I park in the grass, it's a solid 50ft to the paved area. And my relatives will laugh. Misguided as that might be, they'll laugh and ask why I didn't get a generator on wheels with my $80k purchase.

Here's a google maps shot with a "measure distance" of my mothers house. It's legitimately 50ft from the closest power outlet to the car.

View attachment 107208

There is a SINGLE supercharger in the Louisville Metro area. ONE. It is neither on my home, nor my way to work, nor between any two places I frequent on a regular basis. I would be relying completely on home charging for my use. On my most common 200+ mile trips there are no superchargers on route. Georgetown IN to Benton, MO or to Charleston, IL. So I'll have to leave with a full charge, and hope I don't need to detour, reroute, or simply change my mind. There is a single supercharger in Mt Vernon, IL, which could make the Benton, MO trip work.....maybe.....Ever travel with toddlers? The ability to quickly and easily change course, plans, or even abandon the trip is critical. So the long distance doesn't even work well for me, it just kinda works, assuming everything goes well.

I will NOT sacrifice flexibility, and IMO there are few EV's that can make that happen for me.

SO, with all the above said.......STOP calling others situations FUD. We aren't spreading disinformation, we aren't making this stuf up just to fight the evil EV's from taking over, it just doesn't work for us. We might be exaggerating on some of the minor details to make a point, but the premise remains constant. EV's don't work for us. This is the condescending attitude others pointed out previously. The blatant dismissal of "our side" isn't appreciated.

Never called others' situations FUD. Called comments FUD.

You have gone to a lot of work to prove me wrong in your situation. Kudos.

Oh, by the way (and I can't believe I'm fueling this, pun intended) what about your inlaws'?

 

[OrangeTJ]

Lol, no offense taken.

Not a salesman (and certainly not for Tesla), in fact I am answering a PM from someone on here right now where I am asking questions to ensure that a EV or a Tesla (his choice) makes sense for his situation.

That would be me. I'm pretty sure it makes sense for my situation. Where we live, and on the way to just about everywhere we go, charging is readily available. Teslas are about as common as Honda Accords in my town...well maybe not quite, but close. There seems to be one at just about every other stoplight I come to. I'll be keeping my Dodge 2500 for towing and hauling duties and we have a Jeep Wrangler for fun running around and exploring. A used Tesla will replace a nice SUV we currently have which gets driven about 20K miles, primarily on surface streets, per year and averages a very not nice 11 mpg. Aside from the cost of keeping gas in it, the time spent at the gas station every 3 days or so is a major drag. Sure, I could save more more money by buying a used econo car or even just a cheaper EV, but I want a nice car for my wife to spend all those hours in that add up to those 20K miles each year!

 

[2kwik4u]

Never called others' situations FUD. Called comments FUD.

You have gone to a lot of work to prove me wrong in your situation. Kudos.

Wasn't much work. I've looked at this extensively before doing my own research.

Oh, by the way (and I can't believe I'm fueling this, pun intended) what about your inlaws'?

What about them?

They're from the old school where "they know how to get things done, and don't need all this new technology stuff". Throw some racism in there, maybe add an open carry for good measure and you get the idea. Often appear wearing a white tank top, ripped jeans and work boots upon arrival and disembarking whichever farm implement they happen to be driving that day.

For some more backstory, you should hear the jokes that a particular uncle got for buying a used pickup that he thought was 4wd, only to learn it was really 2wd by getting it stuck in wet grass in his front yard. It was an honest (and expensive) mistake on his part, but boy do we not let him live that one down. We give each other a RIDICULOUSLY hard time over little things like that, however we all know that a 2am wake up call will get answered, and we'll have boots on the ground in minutes working to solve whatever prompted the call.

It's very much generational, and the wife and I are raising our boys to be some of the first to break away from the mold that has previously been set. We let logic, common sense, and data drive most of our decisions, but don't completely discount the value of "feeling good about your decision", and sometimes that isn't logical. This is where we land on the EV fence so to speak. We want the data to work, and for some instances it does. For her car, an EV would work IF.....the Model 3 was a bit larger in the back seat, OR if the Model X was a little less expensive (neither of us like the Model S styling) We're both tall, and felt the Model 3 was cramped for a rear facing car seat and our frames. The model X is too much money for our fleet. Maybe if we sold the boat, but that isn't on the table. Our neighbors have a Model 3, and it's nice, just not for us. With our current stable of one car for her, one for me, and a boat. I get the tow vehicle, she needs room for the car seats, and the boat gets garage priority. We don't have a model x for the same reason we don't have a 242XE; money.

When the dust settles over all this, I really want you to understand that I'm not against EVs. They just don't work for us yet. We're watching them, and are ready for them. They just aren't there yet. We have friends and neighbors with them. They love them, and tell us that every time we see them (seriously this is almost as bad as Vegans, and Coss-fitters), but I get it. When you have something that you are passionate about, you want everyone to know, and everyone else to enjoy the same feelings you are enjoying. I get it, I really do.

Cheers!

 

[MattFX4]

I've been following this thread because I have been interested in Tesla's and EV's for a while now. I live in Metro Atlanta, with short commutes to most everywhere I go so it would work for our situation. The issue for me is price and current EV options. I have a paid for 2013 F150 with low miles, and no way am I interested in getting rid of it for a $70,000 vehicle. Also, I love driving a truck. I will never have a car as my daily driver. I'm interested to see what Ford does with the electric F150, and Tesla's truck option too, but it comes back to price. I am sure they will be insanely high. Maybe one day it will be an option, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[Ancient canoe]

Tesla makes cars cheaper than 70k and there are other makers of EV, but yeah you aren't buying an EV errand run vehicle unless have some cash to spend.