My New Tesla – The Model S Plaid

I picked up my car on the 23rd of September – about a month later. I financed the car through my bank (not Tesla), and they were not sure how to process the lien, so it took about two hours to get the car. However, they did tell me to play with the car for about an hour to get familiar with it.

My observations:

It’s probably the most automated car on the planet right now.

It has a yoke steering wheel with buttons that control the horn, the autopilot, the turn signals, and the windshield wipers. Plus, you can do everything by pressing a voice command. For example, I said “Navigate to the Van Tharp Institute. The system heard “Van Park Institute,” but it came up with three options and the second was our office. Generally, I can name a place and the intelligence in that system will know the address and how to get there.

There are no stalks coming out of the steering wheel like a normal car for turn signs, lights, wipers, etc. It’s all buttons on the steering column.

It has a 17-inch landscape display (my P85D was a 17-inch portrait display) and everything else is located there.

My new car has a range of 397 miles which means very little chance of running out of electricity no matter where I go.

Imagine picking up a car that is that different and you’ve never driven an electric car before. But you just pick it up and drive it home. I had the advantage of being a prior Tesla owner and knowing what to look for. I’d also watched about 10 videos on the Model S Plaid, and I had printed out the owner’s manual. I had a bunch of questions to ask at the dealership, and no one there had the answers.

I remember when Tesla first introduced Summon and Autopark as a software update to my P85D. I couldn’t figure out how it worked so the next trip to the service department, I asked them about it. They gave me a technician who took me for a ride and demonstrated everything. That was when customer service was 10+ as opposed to what it is now.

I’ve now driven the car for four trips of 20+ miles and learn something new each trip. I haven’t come close to being able to test what the car can do. It has 1020 horsepower and does zero to 60 in 1.99 seconds. If I’m on the freeway and I just touch the accelerator – I’m suddenly doing 90 mph. I wouldn’t dare floor it.

The Bottom Line
I thought the P85D was the best car ever and my reaction to the new one is even more amazing. I bought this car because of the car, despite the customer service.

I’m also on a waiting list to get the Beta version of full self-driving. That means you plug in an address on the navigation system and the car takes you there… but of course, you have to be ready to take over at any time. The navigation signal now recognizes traffic lights and stop signs. And in the display screen, you can see cars in your blind spot on either side, plus obstacles like cones and barrels. My new car is a 10+.

Would you buy a Tesla now? Would you buy Tesla stock?” – Dr. Van Tharp

Profits from games of knowledge: https://www.predictmag.com/