Tesla-The Car

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Biddlin

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Out here in the Bear Flag Republic we've been growing a technology company that builds cars. A few Days ago, the value of the company;s stock surpassed that of GM, making Tesla the most valuable auto maker in North America. I have friends who work there and one of them surprised me with a ride in the Model S recently. On a private road up in Placer county, he showed me the 0-60 launch button and what it does.
It makes a grown man gasp (and I wouldn't care to try it after a big meal) as it hits 60 mph in less than 3 seconds. It ticked off a quarter mile in 10.6. He then showed me the autonomous mode, set a destination and on a snakelike road that meandered through a gated community, with other cars, pedestrians and the normal challenges. It was flawless. Back in the real world, we cruised highways 49 and 16 through the gold country and the MacLaren designed suspension coupled with the instant and nearly silent response of electric motors made this sedan handle like a Porsche 911 with triple the power. After about three hours of fun, we stopped at a station in Folsom with a "supercharger" and in three minutes were fully charged for his trip back to the South Bay.
Now this model is pretty pricey, with the l"Ludicrous Speed" option, yep that's what they call it, around $100k.
But the model X is coming at a very affordable $35k. energy used equals about 77mi/gal fuel cost.
Me like!
 
HAHA "affordable @ $35k"

Bro Bid, not doggin on ya or raining on your enjoyable Tesla experience, but I call "affordable" a car one can buy at auction and it actually costs less than the taxes and insurance your MVA and tax man will collect when you register it. Take my 1983 Honda Civic Wagon I bought for $200 a few years back. Of all my vehicles it is the one I like driving most after my 5.0 Mustang and my 1988 Ford F250 4x4 with 320K miles on it. High gas prices are making the Honda gain significant ground as I can go a long way on a tank plus still get mounted 13 inch tires in quantities of 1-4+ for a buck or 2 at auctions which enable me to swap 4 tires ON the rims in less time than it takes a shop to mount and balance ONE tire on the rims the car rode in on. This is a wonderfully cheap price for a set instead of the prices of newer car tires that cost more just for rubber than my all my passenger cars ever cost me to purchase.

Sadly, I have over paid for work trucks, up until recently. 2 of my trucks I have purchased and driven since 1989 have come at the price of $2000 and $7000. But then again, both worked their butts off and made me money by owning them. In the years since 1989, I also acquired a Diesel GMC van for $600 and my most recent Ford truck for the whopping cost of $1.

NOW That $1 truck is what I call AFFORDABLE!!!!!!!!
Another thing I really like about driving that 2nd Gen Honda is all the thumbs up, smiling faces and compliments thrown my way on my cool OLD ride that not too many are seen on East coast roads any more due to rust we are famous for.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
5.0 Mustang
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As a reference point. I owned a 1996 Mustang GT with a 350hp Cobra motor, purchased used for about $6K. Fun car, 10 or less mpg, if driven for full effect, 1/4 mile times in the high 13s and a high maintenance requirement.
Compared to the Tesla, it was a model T.
 
Bro Bid, I am sorry your Mustang experience was less than stellar. I am more fortunate in that my 5.0 is still stock and mild performance relative to "Built ones" and today's super expensive, super complicated, almost 100% computer controlled cars of today. It still gets good mileage for a V8.
Way better than 10 mpg. But if I get to talking mileage, I still relish the blessing of being able to drive a 34 year old Honda that gets 36-40 MPG on a carbureted 4 cylinder fun filled car.

PS how is your nice comfortable luxury car treatin ya? Hope it is nice, comfy and dependable.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Bro Bid, I am sorry your Mustang experience was less than stellar. I am more fortunate in that my 5.0 is still stock and mild performance relative to "Built ones" and today's super expensive, super complicated, almost 100% computer controlled cars of today. It still gets good mileage for a V8.
Way better than 10 mpg. But if I get to talking mileage, I still relish the blessing of being able to drive a 34 year old Honda that gets 36-40 MPG on a carbureted 4 cylinder fun filled car.
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Excellent! Does the Honda have goodies like points, rotor arm, distributor cap? Stuff you can replace at home?
 
DonP, Honda has Solid State Ignition but still has Cap and Rotor,Plugs and wires. My first car, the 1972 Datsun 510 had points and yet was a trick ride with Independent rear axle, front disc brakes and 4 speed. Racers and car guys soon were taking full advantage of Datsun's great designs that allowed interchanging of bigger and better parts like engines and trannies from 240--280Z Cars or 5 Speed 810's etc. I loved and affectionately called the car, Punkin due to it's Nissan/Datsun Orange color.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Hope it is nice, comfy and dependable.
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The Town Car is great. It gets very good gas mileage for a luxury car. (17/25) and the heated seats are a treat on cold days. My Mustang experience was great! I bought it to relieve the frustration of driving in traffic in a 24 ft flatbed or an enormous lift truck eight hours per day. I burned four sets of Michelin Z rated tires off of the rims before I sold her to the still happy fourth owner. I never bitched about the Mustang's gas economy, I drove it like I stole it, every day. I thought it was a great stop light racer and dead sexy. Complaining about mpg with a high performance car is like complaining you can't fit your kayak in the boot.
 
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Bid, I got really good longevity from the Bridgestone tires I use on my Stang. Still love changing those 13's on my Honda though. Who can beat 4 rims and tires for $.25 per wheel, Haha
 
Biddlin said:
2017%2F02%2F07%2Fbe%2F29d83714d5a24e8bb021658c0ec2a725.ce700.png

Out here in the Bear Flag Republic we've been growing a technology company that builds cars. A few Days ago, the value of the company;s stock surpassed that of GM, making Tesla the most valuable auto maker in North America. I have friends who work there and one of them surprised me with a ride in the Model S recently. On a private road up in Placer county, he showed me the 0-60 launch button and what it does.
It makes a grown man gasp (and I wouldn't care to try it after a big meal) as it hits 60 mph in less than 3 seconds. It ticked off a quarter mile in 10.6. He then showed me the autonomous mode, set a destination and on a snakelike road that meandered through a gated community, with other cars, pedestrians and the normal challenges. It was flawless. Back in the real world, we cruised highways 49 and 16 through the gold country and the MacLaren designed suspension coupled with the instant and nearly silent response of electric motors made this sedan handle like a Porsche 911 with triple the power. After about three hours of fun, we stopped at a station in Folsom with a "supercharger" and in three minutes were fully charged for his trip back to the South Bay.
Now this model is pretty pricey, with the l"Ludicrous Speed" option, yep that's what they call it, around $100k.
But the model X is coming at a very affordable $35k. energy used equals about 77mi/gal fuel cost.
Me like!
Click to expand...

I worked for Tesla as a trained sub-contractor in 2013 before the dealership opened in Cathedral City. They don't really impress me....and we replaced a lot of drive motors and batteries, thankfully, under the 8 year warranty. Yes, they move quick, but they have no soul.

Dodge Challenger HellCat is much more fun to drive...a wild, snarling, nearly uncontrollable beast that even someone with a road racing background (me) has a really hard time controlling.

I've stepped out of GT500's and HellCats at Thermal Raceway shaking...that's a feeling you can't get from an electric motor...even a fast one.

But I grew up driving V8's and I have never owned a car with an automatic... :)

And I've tuned/fabricated/driven 1,800 horsepower Toyota Supras that simply cannot be explained in words...

Supra Race Car.jpg

Custom 6 Inch Turbo on Toyota 2JZ.JPG
 
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chilipeppermaniac said:
Bid, I got really good longevity from the Bridgestone tires
Click to expand...
But I got another .1g of cornering grip and .03 seconds off of 1/4 mile times with those marshmellowy Michelins. ;) I tried Pirellis on it (that's what was on it when I sold it) but the handling wasn't as good as the Michelins. I have Bridgestones on the Town Car and like 'em a lot. They're a couple of years old but show no appreciable wear and handle great on rain slick California roads..I briefly owned a sage green 1973 XJ-12 Jaguar. When tire replacement became a necessity, I bought Seiberling performance tires which at the time cost about $100/ea, a fortune back then, but what my trusted mechanic and sax player recommended. They were the quietest, softest riding tires I've ever had. I have no idea how long they lasted, I sold the Jag at 15,000 miles. The V12 motor was impressive and the big cat would roll along at well over 130 mph without much coaxing. I've driven faster and better handling cars, but the XJ-12's combination of luxury, speed, handling and drop-dead sexy vibe was hard to beat. I sold it in 1977, in favor of economy(I'd spent all the money I'd made with a medicine show band), I lived off of the profits from the sale for awhile, buying and restoring a 1970 VW bug for transportation. I drove that $250 bug until 1994, replacing only wear parts. The engine was still running strong at 300K miles. (Outboard oil cooler and good airflow to it)
 
Here are a couple of photos for you Tesla fans...

Tesla in Cathedral City showroom 2014 with battery compartment visible along floorpan:

Tesla Showroom Cathedral City 2014.jpg

Burned out Tesla main battery - one of many we replaced - showing thousands of individual cells:

Tesla Battery Opend Up Cathedral City 2014.jpg
 
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Biddlin said:
Can you afford such anthropomorphic feelings toward cars and guitars? :LOL:
I don't know about soulless, but they will be our infant nation's second or third biggest employer after Calexit!
Click to expand...

Yes, things speak to me....I mean, you know how particular I am about guitars, and I seldom find one that speaks to me....as do my 885 shares in Tesla, although I would never drive one, I am quick to recognize an investment opportunity... :)
 
Tastes vary, the word expensive is relative. If you like it and can afford it comfortably, and it does not hurt others, play it, ride it, eat it, sail it, and enjoy it. The ride of life is short and there is no need for undue deprivation or the adoptation of the tastes and opinions of others.

As proof of this, after many, many years of resisting, I have adopted the Oxford comma (see above). Now I too am living the dream!


Oh, and that Tesla is cool! And while the autonomy of old car repairs is a perk, perpetual leaks, bad wires, carbonized spark plugs, non-hydrolic brakes and and broken tie rods are not things I miss.
 
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