[Closed] Tesla Model S is now the quickest production car in the world. 2.5 sec. 0-60!

I'm sorry, but I think Elon Musk has the brain power of a head of cabbage.

Or he had an ego the size of a blimp. This ludicrous mode is ridiculous IMO. 95% of American drivers don't know how to handle that kind of speed/power and there are few roads in this country that you can drive like that anyway. We have seen TOO many pictures/videos/stories of Mr. Rich Kid buying a powerful exotic(or not so exotic) car and crashing and burning on their way home from the dealership. In Illinois, the roads are so poor you risk your life and your cars tires and suspension driving at 70mph.
And I wonder what kind of mileage range you could achieve with the 100kw battery if the computer limited the performance to 6-8 sec to 60mph and a top speed of 90mph. This would be equal to or better than most family sedans on the road today. I would take an electric car with a range of 400 miles in a heartbeat(come on lottery). That is about the limit of my body's ability to travel in a day anyway. Just one opinion from an old fuddy duddy.

Ahhhh..... you obviously have never driven the car. The Tesla Model S can be driven by anyone...

... and doesn't require racecar driver skills to get it to perform the way it does. You simply stomp on the throttle and the electronics in the car handles all of the power without any drama or lack of control. No smokey wheelspin, no fishtailing, no drama. The car just takes off like a bat out of hell while you are in full and total control. Bottom line is that unlike every other performance car on the market, to get maximum performance out of this vehicle ANYONE can drive it and special skills are not required. However, that said, why have all the power and annihilating performance? You already know the answer to that one. Because we can.

The P100D has a 300 mile range.

+1

OK, yes, the control is there. BUT, Tesla doesn't priovide ......

diapers for the average driver..... :)) 😉
And some of the other points I stated are still valid.

Yes, I learned the diaper lesson when I drove the car. And yes, all of your other points...

... have merit too.

I have been to Tesla Amsterdam and talked to a sales-rep there.

Seems like they all have it under control, except when you are in need of a new battery.
That will set you back about E30,000 ....but they expect it to get cheaper in the near future.
I also talked to a man who went to Austria to go skiing...
It gave him no problems at all...
Using the free-supercharger at all MacDonalds-restaurants gave him about 40 minutes to drink his coffee and off he was...

About Tesla being the fastest, well...sometimes a good image-boost is all we need....

My understanding is the battery should last 6 - 8 years.

<Yawn> It would be nice if he made a car that was actually successful and made a profit. And one that didn't count on government subsidies, tax breaks and incentives, either.

Interesting numbers......

Current exchange rate E30,000 = $33,840 ......
Lets say battery does last 8 years ......

My T&C Van is a 2008 - 8 years old - "New battery time" .....
Current odo reading on T&C is 75,000 miles ......
Given an average of 20 mpg, that's 3,750 gallons of gas .....
Gas at average of $2.50(current) per gallon = $9,375 ......
And about 20 oil changes at $35 a pop = $700 ......

Total For T&C for 8 years is about $10,000 ......

Now, HOW MUCH does that battery cost again????

The battery is guaranteed for 8 years and currently the replacement cost is $12,000. However...

... the $12k price is based on you purchasing the battery when you buy the car. There are also statements that the battery will cost $22,000 with trade-in and $45k outright with no trade-in. Tesla is claiming like all things that get mass produced, the cost is expected to drop significantly.

Also, comparing your T&C to a Model X is like comparing a Corvette to a Cobalt. The performance differential is ENORMOUS! A more appropriate comparison would be the Model 3.

If I elect to pull the trigger on the Model X (which I'm leaning toward) the battery replacement will be irrelevant because I would not keep the vehicle for 8 years.

I think your numbers are a bit off too. There is virtually no maintenance on the Tesla. There is an OPTIONAL annual check which cost $600. Even brakes last longer because the car is slowed with regenerative braking. No replacement of water pumps, fuel pumps or lines, transmission maintenance, or u-joints. There's no antifreeze or radiator maintenance, and if fuel goes up again, the Tesla can be topped off free of charge. I'm wondering how are your oil changes so cheap? My last oil change was $87.00.

Furthermore, I don't think the typical Tesla buyer is overly-concerned about battery replacement

He's an early-adapter and part of the buying motivation is to be cutting edge and high-tech. Let's face it, anyone spending over $100,000 on a car is probably not quibbling over $10,000, plus or minus, in maintenance. Most high-end owners are spending that much on up-keep anyway and trade much sooner than the average life-span of a battery like the one in the Tesla.

I was not comparing performance but general maintenance costs.

As far as cost of the Tesla battery, it looks like it has not been determined, $12K to $45k is a big stretch. I did not include normal wear on the body/suspension/brake components as both autos will need similar service. I do not believe the Tesla brakes will last any significant amount longer as the driving style of the "Ludicrous Mode Driver" will likely need to use more brakes to haul his arse back down to normal speed limits. They say, "If you got it, flaunt it". And as for brake replacement costs, I spent about $300 for brakes all around at 65K miles and that included new rotors also. I have not had any issues with the other items you mentioned in the 8 years of ownership. It did cost $90 to drain, flush and replacement the coolant one time. So my additional maintenance costs has run around $400 to date. That is a LOT LOWER than the Tesla's annual inspection schedule ($600 x 8 = $4,800). I'm not including tire replacement because they will wear out on both vehicles and probably a lot faster in that there "mode" on the Tesla. Granted, if the Tesla is driven conservatively, it could be a very low maintenance vehicle.
All I'm saying is that the Tesla is a very expensive auto to purchase AND maintain over a long period of time. Definitely NOT for the low to middle income family.

Oh, by the way, I also have a lifetime, unlimited power train factory warranty on my '08 T&C and have had several minor items repaired or replaced at NO cost to me.

Oil change costs????? See attached..... If my dealer does it, add $10..... 😉

photo no longer available

You hit the nail on the head when you said Model X isn't for a low or middle income family.

That isn't the target market for the vehicle. Neither is the Mercedes Benz S Class. You're comparing a pedestrian low cost Chrysler T&C to a high end luxury car. As John K pointed out, people in the market for such a car aren't going to be concerned with tne ancillary costs of the vehicle. If they are, then the vehicle isn't for them. The appropriate comparison should be the forthcoming Model 3. That is going to be the entry level car priced at around $35,000 and with incentives should come in at around $27,000.

BTW, the $600 check is OPTIONAL and not required. The T&C has optional and required checks too. I think my wife's Mercedes is around $450 per required maintenance check every 10,000 miles.

Well, again, the Tesla X and S are for the high income person.

The tax incentive ONLY works if you are paying more income tax than the incentive amount. For me (on S.S. and small pension) the incentive is NIL. It is a tax deduction, not cash back.... As for the T&C inspection, there is only one required at the 5 year anniversary (and 10 year) to maintain the lifetime unlimited warranty.