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Choosing Model 3 configuration options when it’s your second Tesla

Published

9 years ago

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In case any of you have heard me both praise my Tesla and bash my Hyundai, here’s the scoop: “My” Model S is really “our” Model S. In fact, it’s mostly “his” Model S. Depending on the week, I get to drive the Tesla 1-3 days. I feel a lot more connected to the car than most people would in my situation but there is good reason. I’m a lifelong car enthusiast who first saw a Model S in November of 2012, read more about it on vacation in 2013, and convinced my husband we should test drive it in early 2014. As many of you know, once you test drive it’s game over. It took nearly 3 months to decide whether to take the plunge or not, with incessant research and meeting fellow owners needed before finally clicking reserve. It took another 3 months for the car to be delivered, and already I was hooked. My new obsession didn’t fade once delivered and in October of 2015 when I rushed out to make a video at 7am after receiving the Autopilot update, it got even stronger.

Needless to say, I am counting down the gas fill ups until our household becomes a fully Tesla household. What will need to happen before that date, however, is deciding which options to order for my (really mine) Model 3. Here is my opinion, as of today, on what I think I will want. I’m basing the costs on the following two assumptions: battery and motor upgrades will cost 50% of what they are on a Model S and feature upgrades will cost roughly 75% of what they are on a Model S. These are wild guesses of course, as are my proposed battery sizes.

  • Model 3 base (45 kWh, rear wheel drive): $35,000
  • Model 3 60D (+15 kWh range/duel motor upgrade – prerequisite for P): $7,500
  • Model 3 P60D (adding P to the above): $10,000
  • Supercharger access (free with 60D upgrade): $0
  • Piano black interior: $0
  • Black textile seats: $0
  • Standard 18″ slip stream wheels: $0
  • Matte Gray paint: $1,200
  • All glass roof (stationary): $1,000
  • Autopilot convenience features: $1,875

Total price excluding destination/doc fees: $56,575

That, folks, is my dream car. I actually dislike leather seats and wood trims, care not for premium sound or special interior lighting, and will get by just fine without a heated steering wheel. What I really want is for it to be the Performance version. Insane mode is just fine, I have no need to shave off another few tenths and won’t upgrade beyond that. There’s one big problem though – it’s a bit more than I want to spend. Our Model S is a of the 85 variety. Its RWD handles wonderfully in the wintry mix or snow situations we get a few times a year where I live. I also adore the larger frunk. For that reasons, I’d opt for a RWD Model 3 if available, but I fear that the P version will only be offered in a dual motor configuration. I also fear that it will only be offered with the largest battery option. That being said, the P upgrade over the base model in my estimation costs as much as a Corolla. Ouch! If Tesla pulls of a manufacturing miracle and it looks like I will be eligible for the full tax credit on this car, I will probably go P. The same holds true if my estimates are wrong and it costs much less. My better half also advocates for a P, since we may very well end up sharing the two cars 50/50.

If, however, I’m correct about the above prices and the tax credit happens to be already gone, I’ll probably skip the P. That’s a bit disappointing to think about, but it also begs the question whether or not to upgrade beyond the base at all. If that model gets 215 miles of ideal range and costs $35,000, it’s way more than enough to be a second car. I could very easily get to and from work 4 times on a single charge and we’d just opt to take our Model S long distance trips. It has more room for luggage anyway and is the more appropriate car to bring a dog. (My preference is not to have dogs in the seats.) My configuration would probably look something like this:

Model 3 base (45 kWh, rear wheel drive): $35,000

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  • Supercharger access: $1,500
  • Piano black interior: $0
  • Black textile seats: $0
  • Standard 18″ slip stream wheels: $0
  • Metallic blue paint: $1,000
  • All glass roof (panoramic opening): $1,500
  • Autopilot convenience features: $1,875
  • Subzero cold weather package: $750

Total price excluding destination/doc fees: $41,625.

You’ll notice I treated myself to the panoramic roof (if that’s a thing) and cold weather package. We know access to Superchargers will cost something and even if I plan not to use this car for road trips, I will enable Supercharging. I believe in the network and am happy to contribute to its cost as one time fee rather than pay-per-use. I’ve also decided that only a performance version is worthy of the sick matte gray color I saw at the reveal, so blue it is. Make no mistake that this car as configured is amazing. I expect it to still have head-whipping acceleration and sturdy handling like our S85 does. I expect it to be beautiful and uniquely Tesla. It will turn heads on the street and draw crowds at car shows. It will make a BMW 3-series look like a foolish car choice. (In fact, it’ll make any sedan over $35,000 look like a foolish car choice.) It will save me from keeping a glove in the car to handle nasty gas pumps, spare me getting oil changes and rescue me from the time consuming and infuriating process of buying a car at a dealership. Even more than when I wrote the first paragraph, I can not wait for this car.

But Tesla, if you’re listening, let them eat cake! If you truly want to annihilate the competition, please uncouple the performance upgrade with a mandatory range and D upgrade. I’ll let you figure out the logistics, but upgrading to a single, larger rear motor for $5,000 would be a no-brainer.

What options do you hope to order? Tell me in the comments! 

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"I'm Electric Jen

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Lifestyle

Elon Musk seemingly confirms Cybertruck gift to 13-year-old cancer fighter

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, the teen has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12.

Published

2 weeks ago

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March 6, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed that he will be sending a Tesla Cybertruck to 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a 13-year-old Houston boy fighting brain cancer. The teen was recognized as an honorary Secret Service member by U.S. President Donald Trump during his address to Congress on Tuesday. 

A Chance Meeting

The Tesla CEO’s Cybertruck pledge was mentioned during DJ’s short interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. When Collins asked the 13-year-old what he told the Tesla CEO, DJ answered that he asked for a Cybertruck.

“I said, ‘can you do me a big favor, when you get back to Houston can you send us a Cybertruck down there?’” the cancer fighter stated.

Daniel noted that Musk responded positively to his request, which was highlighted by Collins in a post on X. Musk responded to the post with a heart emoji, suggesting that he really will be sending a Cybertruck to the 13-year-old cancer fighter.

Teen’s Cancer Battle Inspires

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, Daniel has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12. During his speech, Trump highlighted the 13-year-old’s long battle with his disease. 

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“Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true,” Trump stated.

Daniels officially received an honorary badge from U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran, to much applause during the event.

Surprisingly Partisan

While Daniels’ story has been inspiring, Trump’s focus on the 13-year-old cancer fighter has received its own fair share of criticism. MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace, while referencing Daniels’ love for law enforcement, noted that she is hoping the 13-year-old never has to defend the U.S. capitol against Trump supporters. “If he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide,” Wallace stated.

Anti-Musk and Trump accounts on X have also thrown jokes at the cancer fighter’s honorary badge, with some dubbing the 13-year-old as a “DEI hire” that should be looked into by DOGE.

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Tesla owner highlights underrated benefit of FSD Supervised

Published

1 month ago

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January 31, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.

If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.

FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:

  • But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
  • This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
  • As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
  • For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States. 

FSD user’s tale:

  • As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
  • During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
  • In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous. 
  • “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
  • “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Tesla Optimus “stars” in incredible fanmade action short film

Published

2 months ago

on

January 14, 2025

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Credit: @SoKrispyMedia/YouTube

There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products. 

The video: 

  • Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver. 
  • The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
  • While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
  • Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.

Cool inside jokes: 

  • The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it. 
  • From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
  • The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
  • The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.

Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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