Before some of you go all Bat Sh-t Crazy! I am a Oldsmobile man. Here is my daily driver and the rare HP Nascar block be built at BTR. My baby! Fast and handles like a 2010's Corvette. Most of the upgrades built by me.

Picked up the Model Y Long Range. Built in Austin, TX. USA. 10,400+ to be built there. Fit and finish are excellent, inside and out. Horrible plastic smell, like the new Avalon and Camry. Ordered the 20'' wheels to speed up delivery date. Ride is a little harder. But as good as the 85 Cadillacs I had. Going to work out getting the 19'' wheels. Road noise is minimal are 75 MPH. New 2019 Avalon and 2022 Camry, you almost have to yell at 75 MPH. To be heard. My Olds, I drive with earplugs on the highway. No charger plug, gave me a $200 credit to buy one. Superchargers on South Padre Island 11 miles away. One group of chargers are next to a good restaurant. Will let you know the charge times.

A/C ice cold at 60 degrees. 96 in Brownsville today. Roomy in every way, I am a big guy. Heated seats, but no cooling. Toyota's both had heating and cooling.seats A bit of a learning curve to use touch screen for almost everything. But if my old lady can learn it. Anyone can. I do plan on driving the whole east coast in the Y in the spring. If not sooner.




Can not wait to move the needle on the big tach to 8,000 RPM

 

Week one. Car is fun to drive, Fast. But that lowers the range by a lot. But I gone through alot of gas in my Olds going fast also.

Made a mistake by letting A/C run, when parked outside in the hot sun, Hit mileage big time! Now just put the windows in vent mode. Car close window automatically if it starts to rain.

Wipers and driving light.come on and off automatically when driving in rain. Had to get a cell phone for the first time in 20 years. So I can communicate with the car to, opens and locks doors. Turn on A/C before driving, And many other controls. You are kinda driving a computer...Most controls, which are many. are on the cars monitor..

Changing, all superchargers are not created equal. One took 52 minutes to charge from 30 miles range to 296.at one A better one. Took 29 minutes to charge from 36 miles to 300. Ate lunch as it charge. The latter charger cost $16.96. Gas here is down to $2.89. It will definitely pay off if gas prices go crazy again.

Went to a non Tesla charger at first, I am a.newby. Hooked up and said 12 hours to full charge, but free. Unhooked and went to the nearby Supercharger.

Autopilot and cruise control is just ok. Called Tesla about it. Told ''The car has just been born, and needs time to learn the road'' It is getting better. Time will tell. Autopilot was great on the Interstate. But that about it,
California regulator claims Tesla falsely advertised Autopilot, Full Self-Driving. Full Self-Driving.cost have gone from $6,000 to $12,000 now. Still not FSD. Musk is a Modern Robber Baron!!!

https://www.reuters.com/business/aut...ng-2022-08-05/

 

How long does it take to charge at home? What is the cost for that?

 

Did you notice the Exit Sign to the Tesla Plant?

 

Tesla delivery dates keep changing. Was not to delivered until Oct-Nov. No charger cord come with car. $200 allowance was given for charger of your choice.. So I have no charge at home yet. Have cheap elect here, we have windmills all around. Just look on Google. Like 7 cents a kilowatt. How fast it chargers at home, depends on big you can go with amps and wire. 41 mph (60A breaker) - 34 mph off dryer outlet - 2-3 mph 110v outlet.

We do not drive around to much. I have the 110v and dyer one here tomorrow. Long trips superchargers is the only way to go. I need stop every 5 hour or so anyway. At my age. Computer on car plans your stops for charging on you trip.. You can program it for stop at the fastest superchargers. Overnight at hotels 8- 10 hours does not matter. Full Self Driving is $199 per month. I may do that for the long trip, am planing.

Autopilot, like I said before, is real good on the highway. No hands, stays in lane. maintains speed and will slow and stop in bumper to bumper traffic.

You and me maybe the only ones, who ever message on here. But that OK!

 

Thats funny! That factory is huge. How long does it take you to drive pass that place on the interstate? I was offered a job there late last year. Before they saw my comments on Musk on Facebook. I nearby Spacex Starbase,TX. He really screwed the people who live in Boca Chica Beach, TX. And blocks the road to the Beach way too much. He wants to send the tallest rocket into space from here. .

 

That is the biggest drawback for me. Even though I work in a high tech electronics environment, I can't stand the electronics in modern cars when simple mechanical devices work perfectly fine. I dislike even touch screens in vehicles (none of mine have one).

If someone would build a dumb EV then I would consider it, but these days I doubt anyone other than me would want one like that.

 

Most new car are all fly by wire. I was nervous with my 2007 Toyota Tacoma. Brake were by wire, no direct mechanical linkage. But fighter Jets are drive by wire.

 

Don't those cost 10+ million dollars? So the systems on them are not even comparable to what's on a 50K automobile.

 

I think it more like 60+ million dollars. Just saying, All cars ice or ev have headed that way. I feel better knowing my Olds has everything attached in one way to me directly!

 

Not criticizing you in any way just noticing something that is a human condition, we abhor change. The year is 1894 and farmer John is talking to farmer Fred in central Iowa someplace. He says, "I feel better knowing my buggy has reigns attached directly to my hands, makes me feel better. Can't trust those new fangled automobiles." Just saying...

 

Yes, Voice control is in the works. One day maybe in the far future. It can just be brain waves. I am sure some people will complaining about that.

 

Yep.

 

Depends upon which direction the waves are beamed.

 

 

So what was the draw of buying an electric car?
(mild pun intended)

 

AutoPilot and So-called Full Self Driving. Fast, did I say it's fast! Ride is better even then the 85 Caddys have collected over the years. Like the white eldorado above #6. Drove that one from Utah to here. Ride quality is Important to me for long ride around the country. This old body needs a cushion ride on long trips. Or it will be hell on my body! My girl is in the same boat, she has hip problems.

My Olds has a great ride on the highway. But the old lady says it's too loud . Tried to get her to wear ear plugs like I do, she just give me a dirty look. Sold all.the Caddy's. Old lady will not drive my Olds or the Caddy's. She likes driving the Model Y. Happy old lady happy life.. Many of the automatic features are real nice. See #2 .Even sentry mode, records anything getting close to the car. High gasoline prices in the future will have little effect, on running this car.

Resale on these cars are just crazy! I can drive it all round for a year. And sell it for a lot more than I payed! I lock in on the price in April this year. There been two large price increases since. Maybe more increases on the price in the near future. I one of the guys who ordered the Cybertruck, Dual drive FSD.back when Musk showed on stage in 2019. Maybe, just maybe. Mine will be ready next year, From Austin. I really wanted that.

 

In all fairness, how many gasoline cars burn every day?

 

Mike, you are the last person on this earth. That I want to disagree with. Hybrid-powered cars were involved in about 3,475 fires per every 100,000 sold. Gasoline-powered cars, about 1,530. Electric vehicles (EVs) saw just 25 fires per 100,000 sold.

https://www.kbb.com/car-news/study-e...est-car-fires/

 

Times change and I alway have embraced new technology that works. On the 115v 12 amp charger today for the first time. Charging about 5 mile per hour. Was at 199 mile left. When I plugged in at 12;30 PM. Supercharger is the only way to go on long trip. Car does use some power to run computer. Sentry Mode adds continuously monitoring the environment around a car when it's left.. Recording anything that get close to the car. Sending me a text and the ability to view recording on my smart phone.

Told Tesla vehicles charge at about 94% efficiency and discharge at about 90% efficiency.

Went out for groceries, bank and joy ride around the canals in Port Isabel. Open trunk at a touch of the screen, push again automatically closes it. Started raining, car turned on lights and windshield wipers. Wipers work perfectly with how hard it rain.

Stopping at traffic light, pushing the brake a little harder. Turns on the brake hold. Giving some gas(petal) automatically releases the hold. Toyota Avalon you had to push down brake and press HOLD BUTTON. And do the opposite to release brake hold. Tesla is much easier!. Tesla is like a club, people smile and wave at you at lights.

It's not my beautiful Oldsmobile and can never replace it. But I am liking the Tesla more and more! Again did I tell the Tesla is fast!! Johnny likes it!

 

 

Maybe I should have gotten a Ford?

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...ih=800&dpr=1.1

 

My Grandpa, Mom's Dad wax always buying the latest and greatest gadgets. When he bought the just out Ford Taurus, it was such a Lemon. It was the last Ford he bought after he was a life long Ford man. Ironically, my Dad who was also a Ford man, after three terrible 70's Ford's, I got him to buy a used 89 Taurus. I knew the history on it and the 3L V6 were good motors for Ford. I need real world 500 mile range, talking A/C or Heat on. We are lucky to live somewhere with probably the most extreme climate in the world, 90F in the Summer and months of -40 in Winter and everything is far apart. I think electric, if the grids are properly upgraded, are quite feasible in many areas, even with current range. I am glad you are enjoying your Tesla. I had no idea Elon Musk spent a bunch of time living and working up here in Saskatchewan. It is a small world.

 

Had a few new car that were lemons. First was the 1980 Olds Omega two door, 4 speed. Nice riding, good on gas. Horrible brakes with dozen + control to carburetor. Olds never get it fixed right. It tried to kill me a few times. 1986 Ford f350 extended dually, built in Canada. One tough trunk!!! Had two air pumps. For emissions control. Ford tried to fix it a dozen times. I just disconnected it. 2007 Tacoma TRD. Great riding, beautiful truck in Speedway Blue. Brakes just did not work right all time time. And my last Toyota ever. 2022 Camry SE. Rear end slightly wobbled as you drove down the highway, Give it the gas from stop and it would go about 20 feet and stop accelerating. Back up camera was so out of whack. Toyota keep telling me, that how it is.

Fear, fear, fear! That all you hear today. On the news and radio. As soon as I hear or read some BS. About you should be afraid of this or that. I laugh and stop listening or reading most of the time.

Are gasoline cars perfect, no Are lithium batteries perfect, no! Yet there are billions in cell phones and computers. To name a few that have them.

 

Musk and Jay Leno, Here at Boca Chica Beach, TX. (StarBase) #6 Not far from me. I am not a fan of Musk. He destroyed a pristine beach and wildlife area. Again he screwed the locals who had homes there.. Musk is a modern day ''Robber Baron'' He is so thin skin! He go out of his way to destroy anyone who talks bad about him. Who knows, he may send an software update to stop my brakes from working.

https://luxurylaunches.com/celebriti...x-facility.php

 

Yeah, he is a different cat. I was surprised he slept on his cousins couch in Regina and worked for farmers up here. I just looked, the latest Telsa are about 100 to 200 miles short on range and only a few scattered chargers up here, make them currently unfeasible. It will be interesting to see how the big three do with electric.

 

I am NYC boy. But sent summers in upstate NY. Moved up there when I was 14. Worked for the local farmers in summer. Mostly dairy and chicken-egg farms.Hard work, but fun and learn alot about farm life.
Not something I would do for a living. Learn the hard way about AppleJack. I looked on G map. What are the farmers growing by you?

Whitewood, SK Is the closest SuperCharger about a 100 miles away. Home charging 41MPH(60A breaker) - 34 MPH off dryer outlet EV are not for everyone.

 

Musk has autism, and as the parent of a child with autism, I understand him (from afar) better than the average observer. A typical behavior is how direct and unfiltered he often is. People with high-functioning autism do not stop to think about other points of view, and will just let their opinion come out. It's not meant necessarily to offend, but when it does, and is explained to them later, there isn't a disagreement or argument, but rather an, "Oh... well, I didn't think about it that way" moment. What many might see as egotistical or condescending, the person with autism is just presenting their point of view without any ill intent behind it. It also gets Musk in trouble with the SEC, as he will blurt something out on a call or fire off something in a tweet that should have been filtered (discussed with his mgt team, so they could tell him, "Dude, that will get you fined AGAIN").

 

I understand. He can be direct and unfiltered. I am the same way, the first thing that comes into my mind. I say. Without autism.

But I know power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. He has paid off almost everyone in Texas. Rocket explodes, he give 10 million to Brownsville. Another one blows up he give 3 million to Port Isabel school. On and on Pieces of his 3 engine rockets that have exploded. Have landed in the outskirts of Port Isabel and South Padre Island. Now he looking to shoot the tallest rocket ever made. With 35 rockets engines from Boca Chica Beach. And he trying to change its name and the county name to StarBase, TX.

I am not against space travel. Just how the richest man on this planet. Mistreated the residents Boca Chica Beach. Bullying and threatening them to sell their unique, one of a kind real estate location.

Closing over a hundred days per year. A Texas public beach with his Pinkerton like police force. And destroying the most important Wildlife Refuge in the nation!

 

You mean the 60 amp service in my house isn't adequate😱? Yeah, if you stick to major highways, it might be possible to run EV. My Inlaws were Cattle Farmers for over 30 years. They had the huge Semintal breed, until Mad Cow, then a Charlot/Angus cross and sold out in 2009. My Father In Law passed in 04 from Cancer. Cattle has been pretty tough the last how many years. Canola is the big crop, also Wheat, Barley, Oats, Flax, Pea and some oddball crops as well.

 

Most have 100 amp and many 200 amp here. No guess no central A/C, elect heat, water heater, stove,, etc?

Gain feed beef from home farm! Good tasting!. We would toast the wheat on a open fire. Cattle corn, sweet corn and apples were king In Sullivan county. Ate sweet corn raw, right off the stalk. Fresh milk pasteurized but not homogenized. Taste is so much better than today. With at little cream at the top. Old cider mills machine turning on huge old Buffalo skin belt.

 

Yeah, I miss the cheap beef, only had to pay for the cut and wrap. The round steaks on Semental were ridiculously huge, some cows were 2000+ pounds, let alone the bulls. My Father In Law said he was Fred Flinstone on the big outside cook top grill cooking those massive steaks. Yeah, gas heat and water heat with no central A/C at my house. Actually it is 75 amp, still pathetic. Wd plan on selling this place and moving to Lake in 3 years time. I want 200 amp minimum with a bigger garage.

 

As I said earlier. "Autopilot and cruise control is just ok. Called Tesla about it. Told ''The car has just been born, and needs time to learn the road'' It is getting better. Time will tell."

Well, At first I thought it was BS that it would learn. But I was wrong. It did! Look Mom, no hands! Stays in center of lane and handles any turn in the road. My guy Mel’s Detail and Ceramic. Who has done all my cars.

Give me a hard time at first. Saying to me - John I am disappointed in you the getting a Tesla!. Ontill, I took him and his son for a ride in it. Floored it, he could not believe how fast it was. All four tires pulling the car.

And put my hands in the air, as the car took a fairly sharp turn on its own. He wants one now. He made an appointment with Tesla to test drive and order one.

I think the ride quality has also improved. It's a hi-tech rocket!

 

Not me. Winter is coming… a customer wanted a plow on their model Y (yes, we were surprised too) People usually just put a plastic blade on the back of the car and call it a day or better yet buy a beater plowing truck, but he wanted to push snow on his property with one vehicle.

We opted for a Quick disconnect lightweight plow, and custom built extra strength frame for plow mount. No drilling in the front bumper and once it’s removed it looks stock. Installed full air suspension so it’s smoother and has the ability to lift the vehicle several inches over stock. Total weight gained is about is 325, but can be removed in minutes. He also wanted a tow hitch to pull a custom sander in the future . Go big or go home.

 

Well the first part sounds extremely fun, and the second part sounds extremely dull and boring. Imagine if the Indy 500, NASCAR, etc. were run with self driving cars. It'd be about as much fun as watching a golf tournament on TV.

 

It's a grocery getter and vacation car. At my age, it's nice for the car to almost drive itself. Good ride, big brakes. All wheel drive. Low center of gravity. Do not think i could flip this car.

As a child of the 1960's. They talked about self driving car in the 20th century. I am living it now.

Agree about racing. Except drag racing. I was never a drag strip fan. But gladly go street light to street light. My Y is not the fastest EV out there. I am being careful how I drive this car. Learning to drive fast, but safe. But had it to 105 mph. But can go to 150+ mph top speed. It's the big white whale is my name for it. 4,000+ pounds!

But have already out accelerate some mustangs, chargers and a few rice burners. And that is in chill mode! I sure they were not the top HP ones. But I get the thumbs up as we stop at a next light.

Standing 1/4-mile time is about 12.1 seconds. So i am told. $2,000 software upgrade get that down into the 11 sec range.

 

So what’s the top speed, and I suppose it’s software limited (one day there will be a hack for that).

My daily driver / grocery getter is a turbocharged, intercooled, all wheel drive, 6 speed manual transmission, active suspension, big Brembo brakes, estate car. Otherwise known as a station wagon.

I have so much fun driving that I can’t imagine letting the car drive to a destination instead of me having a blast driving the car to the destination.

 

You won! But one question, do you let the old lady and kids drive it??. You know my daily driver! And the engine I am having built! No self driving in my baby.

Have no doubt the Tesla is a blast to drive! I never said. That I use Autopilot all the time.

 

It was the wife's car before I got it - she ordered it new, had to wait 4 months for the special order manual transmission, and drove it for years before I was able to get it and start doing modifications.

 

I don't microwave my bacon or cheeseburgers.