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Yup. They've been having issues with the retractable door handles. These are their second generation door handles so it seems they need further engineering but sometimes in cars things break but if you read the Consumer Reports article Tesla sent someone over next day to fix the door handles on the spot. It's not a special service they offer to Consumer Reports. They do that for all their customers. For minor issues they send "service rangers" to your house to fix minor issues immediately.
Since you brought up the matter of Consumer Reports reliability reports, did you see the latest ranking of 2014 vehicle reliability? Mercedes dropped 11 spots to rank #24 in reliability.
Hopefully both Tesla and Mercedes with get their reliability numbers up. As much as I like Tesla (and Mercedes too, really!!), I wouldn't consider owning either of those two brands out of warranty
No doubt. I guess the thing I am starting to see more and more regarding Teslas are a lot of little things going wrong from a quality standpoint. Rattles, creaks, poor fitting parts, etc. For $100K I expect more. Tesla owners are so into the kool-aid they overlook these things. For $100K I expect the complete experience. Performance, quality, interior, fit and finish etc. and I think Tesla only hits on performance. Not good enough.
No doubt. I guess the thing I am starting to see more and more regarding Teslas are a lot of little things going wrong from a quality standpoint. Rattles, creaks, poor fitting parts, etc. For $100K I expect more. Tesla owners are so into the kool-aid they overlook these things. For $100K I expect the complete experience. Performance, quality, interior, fit and finish etc. and I think Tesla only hits on performance. Not good enough.
Not sure about the Kool-Aid remark as it's not like Mercedes doesn't have quality and reliability issues (their reliability ranking dropped 11 places last year to rank 20-something). Odd that you mentioned rattles and creaks as every Mercedes we had owned with a pano roof had rattles and squeaks that the dealer had to adjust and fix.
Any car can have issues but our P85D has been rock solid. I disagree about Tesla only being about performance but we've discussed the benefits of a Model S so many times I will not revisit what was mentioned in the last several pages.
It seems the people who have the most issues with owning a Model S are those who don't actually own one
Based on the recent Consumer Reports survey of cars, 98% of Tesla owners will buy another Tesla. It's the highest customer satisfaction figure for any car in the automotive industry.
Porsche Taycan, Range Rover AB, Range Rover SVR, S Class, Mclaren 570s, Urus Hybrid (soon), M3, RS6
Originally Posted by WEBSRFR
I doubt all Mercedes owners who may consider a Tesla have already bought one. Not even close. Already a few forum members have chimed in that they decided to get a Model S after test driving one. Some might have leases that they are tied to. Unlike a traditional car that improves every 3-6 years the Model S is being enhanced almost on a weekly basis with major improvements announced about every 6 months.
A Model S available 3 years from now would be substantially more refined and better than what is available today. They'll certainly make the interior more luxurious and offer greater range and honestly these are the only two issues I have with our Model S.
We can agree to disagree on the two vehicles being offered to two different audiences. I'd still opt for an S class if I'm going to be chauffeured in it but not if I'm on the driver' seat
I'm talking about S Class owners. A lot of us don't buy the car to drive it, but for our family to enjoy the back seats. Sure, they may enjoy acceleration but not in 5mph traffic. The S Class would also be better 3 years from now, like the two W221s and the 221 to the 222. People who have decided to get a Model S have already decided. I know that the Tesla would improve but so would the S Class. To get the interior on par with a S Class with options, it would need to cost the same as a S65 which is already fully loaded, according to the price it is now. When they finally do that, the Maybach would be there and the Tesla would have to cost quite a bit above the Maybach to get it like that. By that point Mercedes would likely be making electric batteries, I'd be surprised if they weren't developing batteries as I speak. Apparently, not sure if I believe this, but when I told some people on YouTube who claimed reliability issues that I've only had one major issue which I can't fix within minutes over 16 years, on my 221 where the gears wouldn't change, they claimed that the parts for American models were made in China. Not sure if I believe it, or if all parts were made in China, but I've definitely had a lot less problems with S Class' compared to what some people are claiming.
My Lord this thread continues with the same information. 2 Very different cars for 2 very different buyers people. I drove both and how people compare the 2 is mind blowing to me. No matter what one you like more anyone with all their senses can see, hear and feel that they are very different cars. Quoting consumer reports is a joke and to take anything they say serious is laughable. Nor do I care about the useless stats they provide us. How many people would buy another, average income of the owner and all of that useless keeping up with jones nonsense. Not only for the Tesla but all cars they do it for. Some people like the model however I drove one and I personally did not care for the model S one bit.
Last edited by C280 Sport; 05-14-2015 at 09:30 PM.
My Lord this thread continues with the same information. 2 Very different cars for 2 very different buyers people. I drove both and how people compare the 2 is mind blowing to me. No matter what one you like more anyone with all their senses can see, hear and feel that they are very different cars. Quoting consumer reports is a joke and to take anything they say serious is laughable. Nor do I care about the useless stats they provide us. How many people would buy another, average income of the owner and all of that useless keeping up with jones nonsense. Not only for the Tesla but all cars they do it for. Some people like the model however I drove one and I personally did not care for the model S one bit.
Great then move on.
1)The internet won't run out of space if people post here.
2) I certainly did not quote CR. I pointed out that CR was delivered a car where one could not even open the door. People want to say that Tesla technology is above anything else. In some aspects it is, but in some it is not since I have yet to see a MB S class where one could not open the door. In fact the only car I can remember seeing this was an Orange car called the General Lee. I guess the door technology that MB has is far above Teslas.
Personally I believe more information is always better and am always looking for more insight on any subject I am interested in.
My Lord this thread continues with the same information. 2 Very different cars for 2 very different buyers people. I drove both and how people compare the 2 is mind blowing to me. No matter what one you like more anyone with all their senses can see, hear and feel that they are very different cars. Quoting consumer reports is a joke and to take anything they say serious is laughable. Nor do I care about the useless stats they provide us. How many people would buy another, average income of the owner and all of that useless keeping up with jones nonsense. Not only for the Tesla but all cars they do it for. Some people like the model however I drove one and I personally did not care for the model S one bit.
We would have bought an S class if we didn't test drive the Model S. Already several other forum members have chimed in that they too decided to buy a Model S after test driving one. On the Tesla forums there are many more who disposed of their S class for a Model S or opted for a Model S over an S class. Whether you like it or not (or can understand it) the attributes of the Model S are desirable to a sizeable segment of buyers who would have otherwise bought an S class.
As for you finding this situation "mind blowing," consider your mind blown
It's also a bit odd to hear all this talk about one broken door handle in a Tesla when Mercedes just dropped 11 spots in reliability to rank #24 .
To tesla owners/fans on this thread, we are convinced that you are happy with your purchase and very passionate about your cars. You said clearly and loudly, will you please stop repeating yourselfs?? You don't need to spend more effors on convincing others of your choice.
Go find something more fun to do.
Last edited by alshaikh85; 05-17-2015 at 09:43 AM.
It's also a bit odd to hear all this talk about one broken door handle in a Tesla when Mercedes just dropped 11 spots in reliability to rank #24 .
1) Mercedes has a substantial number of models. A macro statistic is almost meaningless when discussing S Class vs Model S and reliability of 24th vs 11th unless of course the S class moved MB down to 24th from 11th.
2) Any Tesla reliability is pretty much based on Model S only since it is their only mass produced model that has market share of any substantial amount.
3) Tesla is starting to build some volume now and each and every day I see more and more complaints about quality. Obviously you know their boards and I see QA issues quite a bit.
4) Anytime I see a pro Tesla thread vs another car they talk about technology. Well I guess MB has better door technology since I have never ever seen a new MB that the door could not be opened on. Again Tesla has some very good technology in some places and some downright poor technology elsewhere.
5) I will be very interested to see what happens when Tesla moves to 2 or 3 models. Will QA further diminish? Will service suffer? I hope not and hope they continue to improve. Major thing they need to work on IMO is extending range another 100-150 miles through bigger or better battery technology. I love the fact that service is minimal.
Porsche Taycan, Range Rover AB, Range Rover SVR, S Class, Mclaren 570s, Urus Hybrid (soon), M3, RS6
There are also Model S owners who changed their cars for S Class'. Tesla owners either use their cars as daily drivers, or as fun cars they can take their family with. The majority of us use our cars as family cars so they can relax in the backseats, something they do a lot better in the S Class compared to the Model S. You can see on the threads where they switched vehicles, it was because they were the primary user of the vehicle, and some mentioned that S Class was more comfortable, especially in the rear seats. I can't find a reviewer mentioning these problems, whereas at least one has with the Model S. These problems all appear to be from owners, and I'm not even sure about some of them such as this one.
"This car needs to be completely re-worked mechanically, I hate the fact that it shuts down on stop. The hologram that pops up on the windshield is distracting, the navigation system is still impossible to use, I ended up using my i-phone rather than the nag on the $160K car. I could never figure out how to turn the air conditioning on and off without stopping the car."
I mean, they told you how to turn HUD off at the dealership. You can turn off stop start by pressing the eco button. The navigation system can be controlled by pressing navigation, pressing the centre button for destination and enter the address.. The air conditioning can be turned on by pushing a button upwards. Either the dealership that the person bought the car from is the one of the worst, the, or its a phony owner.
To tesla owners/fans on this thread, we are convinced that you are happy with your purchase and very passionate about your cars. You said clearly and loudly, will you please stop repeating yourselfs?? You don't need to spend more effors on convincing others of your choice.
Go find something more fun to do.
Yikes! I regret the fact that we seem to have really hurt your feelings discussing and comparing a Model S to Mercedes' offerings from the perspective of Mercedes customers on a thread created just to discuss this topic
1) Mercedes has a substantial number of models. A macro statistic is almost meaningless when discussing S Class vs Model S and reliability of 24th vs 11th unless of course the S class moved MB down to 24th from 11th.
2) Any Tesla reliability is pretty much based on Model S only since it is their only mass produced model that has market share of any substantial amount.
3) Tesla is starting to build some volume now and each and every day I see more and more complaints about quality. Obviously you know their boards and I see QA issues quite a bit.
4) Anytime I see a pro Tesla thread vs another car they talk about technology. Well I guess MB has better door technology since I have never ever seen a new MB that the door could not be opened on. Again Tesla has some very good technology in some places and some downright poor technology elsewhere.
5) I will be very interested to see what happens when Tesla moves to 2 or 3 models. Will QA further diminish? Will service suffer? I hope not and hope they continue to improve. Major thing they need to work on IMO is extending range another 100-150 miles through bigger or better battery technology. I love the fact that service is minimal.
You make a lot of fair points but I think we can both agree on the point that Mercedes isn't exactly known for building the most reliable cars out there either. So it seems both Tesla and Mercedes has some work to do to improve reliability.
Our E550 has had massive issues to do with the engine and the transmission, both components shared with the previous generation S class. In fact Mercedes was sued for these failures and I just received a class action settlement notice but this does not affect me directly as both of these repairs were covered under the extended warranty.
Incidentally my driver's side door handle on our Mercedes did actually fail due to a well known issue of water/condensation getting into the circuitry and basically shorting out the keyless go circuitry so it's not like Mercedes does not have their own door handle issues.
Basically when shock or outrage is feigned on how another car manufacturer's component may have failed by Mercedes enthusiasts, as a Mercedes owner myself, I am reminded of the story about how people in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks at others.
I am also reminded of a memorable scene from Casablanca... It's like saying as a Mercedes owner, how you are shocked, just completely shocked that an over engineered part could possibly fail. Tesla will resolve this door handle issue. Given all the new and complex technology in a Model S, if this is the biggest issue there is, I think Tesla has done quite well
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
One thing that the Model S has going for it right now is that it its price range, it isn't being diluted down with a fleet of lower segment siblings that are washing out its design idiom (yet, at least, but it'll be a long time before that becomes a tangible factor). The Model S isn't the most unique design as it follows a modern design trend that so many sedans carry right now, but it's less specific.
I'm seeing so many new C Classes that every time I see a W222 now, I assume it's a C. The sides and rear are uncanny aside from scale. It's like A8/A4. I don't know why M-B had to make them that close. I saw one guy post on another forum that his neighbor got a new C, and for weeks he was "jealous" because he thought it was the S, until he got closer.
Wow, I haven't been back to check this thread I started in a while. At almost 300 posts, Might be a record
The door handle thing ... I have had no issues, but sadly they look like they might break at some time. When I drop my daughter off at school, stopping in the drop-off lane where the patrols are and the handles pop out, the kids are all in AWE. This is the coolest car ever...just from those door handles.
I agree... They are pretty cool first time you see them.
Wow, I haven't been back to check this thread I started in a while. At almost 300 posts, Might be a record
The door handle thing ... I have had no issues, but sadly they look like they might break at some time. When I drop my daughter off at school, stopping in the drop-off lane where the patrols are and the handles pop out, the kids are all in AWE. This is the coolest car ever...just from those door handles.
I agree... They are pretty cool first time you see them.
Yeah we've had some exciting discussions while you've been away
I have several friends who are quite affluent and they all have some very nice vehicles but when we visit them their kids always run out to see the Tesla and some want to get in and play with the touch screen.
Yes the disappearing door handles are definitely a cool feature but if you think kids love that, wait until the Model X ships this summer with the falcon wing doors. That's going to make for quite an entrance when they are dropped off at school I have a feeling the Model X is going to sweep clean the premium SUV market just as the Model S is on the verge of taking over the upper end ~$100K 5-seater premium sedan market that used to be reigned by the S Class.
It is disappointing that still there is not a single high performance long range EV offering by any of the German car manufacturers. Audi is trying to bring one to market in I think 2018 that benchmarks a circa 2012 Tesla.
Good thread, I am actually cross shopping between the S85D and likely SWB550 next year. Last time I sat in the model S, the rear room is even tighter than my current W212 E, with much less headroom?
Have to see the second generation seats one of these days..
By the way, is auto remote start available on the S-class? Thanks!
Went for S Class because the interior is 1000x better than the Tesla, aside from the big screen. The S is about cruising like a cloud on the road, and both the wife and I agree that the S definitely calms us and slows down our heartbeats every time we drive. Obviously the Tesla will win the drag race everyday, but where I live, there's no chance for you to open that up at all.
Went for S Class because the interior is 1000x better than the Tesla, aside from the big screen. The S is about cruising like a cloud on the road, and both the wife and I agree that the S definitely calms us and slows down our heartbeats every time we drive. Obviously the Tesla will win the drag race everyday, but where I live, there's no chance for you to open that up at all.
Wow it is only 1,000X better? Why not make that 100,000X
We certainly didn't buy our Tesla to drag race anyone but we do appreciate the absolutely sublime acceleration without any noise, gear shifts, or any other drama.
We live in the DC area with quite a bit of traffic but there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the capabilities of our P85D. The ability to add 20mph to our speed silently and in an instant without having to depend on complex mechanical machinery and linkages is the reason that makes the Tesla such a superlative driving experience. In comparison when we test drove an S class on some occasions we found the acceleration was not what it could have been as the car was not "in gear" for max torque. 90% of the time I drive very sedately so the transmission naturally adapts to that driving style so with my driving style with an internal combustion car with a mechanical transmission, when I need max acceleration, I am not sometimes in the right gear and there is a noticeable lag. The Tesla is always "in gear."
Granted the Model S is not for everyone and I understand that the interior luxury is more important to you than the driving experience so I can understand why the S class made sense to you.
Based on 2015 Q1 sales figures, the Tesla Model S is the best selling 5 passenger 4 door premium sedan available to buy for around $100K. Barely a quarter after the introduction of the all new S Class, the Model S (with a 2012 design) is already outselling the S class so more people looking for a large 5 passenger sedan are opting for the Model S.
This is all the more remarkable given that these sales are generated with Tesla spending zero on advertising and based entirely on the merit of the capabilities of the Model S.
I'm still hoping that Mercedes will eventually stop dicking around with BS hybrids and will build a proper electric car so we can have Mercedes Luxury and Tesla's premium EV performance in one package. In the meantime if and when Tesla improves the interior and makes it more luxurious, that will take away the only reasonable reason I can imagine for someone picking an S Class over a Model S -- well other than the desire to mindlessly drive for 10 hours without stopping .
Porsche Taycan, Range Rover AB, Range Rover SVR, S Class, Mclaren 570s, Urus Hybrid (soon), M3, RS6
Based on 2015 Q1 sales figures, the Tesla Model S is the best selling 5 passenger 4 door premium sedan available to buy for around $100K. Barely a quarter after the introduction of the all new S Class, the Model S (with a 2012 design) is already outselling the S class so more people looking for a large 5 passenger sedan are opting for the Model S.
Just want to correct you, it's outselling the S Class in America. Around the world it appears to be a different scenario. Probably because of the lack of superchargers e.t.c outside of America. Also, it may just be my opinion, but isn't the P85D a competitor the E63 S? The only reason people buy a S Class is for its comfort, which isn't the P85Ds "thing" right now. The only two ways that a S550 is similar to the P85D include the price and the size, as well as the main factors that every car has.
I also agree with your last paragraph. I'd prefer if Mercedes do it first, as Mercedes has that "image" outside of the US, may change in the future, but I'd still get the Tesla if they manage to complete the task first.
Wow it is only 1,000X better? Why not make that 100,000X
We certainly didn't buy our Tesla to drag race anyone but we do appreciate the absolutely sublime acceleration without any noise, gear shifts, or any other drama.
We live in the DC area with quite a bit of traffic but there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the capabilities of our P85D. The ability to add 20mph to our speed silently and in an instant without having to depend on complex mechanical machinery and linkages is the reason that makes the Tesla such a superlative driving experience. In comparison when we test drove an S class on some occasions we found the acceleration was not what it could have been as the car was not "in gear" for max torque. 90% of the time I drive very sedately so the transmission naturally adapts to that driving style so with my driving style with an internal combustion car with a mechanical transmission, when I need max acceleration, I am not sometimes in the right gear and there is a noticeable lag. The Tesla is always "in gear."
Granted the Model S is not for everyone and I understand that the interior luxury is more important to you than the driving experience so I can understand why the S class made sense to you.
Based on 2015 Q1 sales figures, the Tesla Model S is the best selling 5 passenger 4 door premium sedan available to buy for around $100K. Barely a quarter after the introduction of the all new S Class, the Model S (with a 2012 design) is already outselling the S class so more people looking for a large 5 passenger sedan are opting for the Model S.
This is all the more remarkable given that these sales are generated with Tesla spending zero on advertising and based entirely on the merit of the capabilities of the Model S.
I'm still hoping that Mercedes will eventually stop dicking around with BS hybrids and will build a proper electric car so we can have Mercedes Luxury and Tesla's premium EV performance in one package. In the meantime if and when Tesla improves the interior and makes it more luxurious, that will take away the only reasonable reason I can imagine for someone picking an S Class over a Model S -- well other than the desire to mindlessly drive for 10 hours without stopping .
The only thing that keeps this thread alive appears to be your usual condescending remarks.
IMO, it only diminishes your credibility, no matter how much enthusiasms is driving your pitch.
I am fairly certain that the S-Class will outsell the Model S again this year, but that just means that lots of people like the Model S and the S-Class, nothing else...
WEBSRFR - You forgot to include that the US Government is giving every customer of a new Tesla a significant amount of money that comes from each taxpayor. So each Tesla that is sold increases the federal deficit that we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. Even if I thought the Tesla offered close to the ownership experience that an S-Class offers, I wouldn't buy one anyway as I believe in a free market, not government subsidies to try to make something which is inferior, seem competitive.
WEBSRFR - You forgot to include that the US Government is giving every customer of a new Tesla a significant amount of money that comes from each taxpayor. So each Tesla that is sold increases the federal deficit that we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. Even if I thought the Tesla offered close to the ownership experience that an S-Class offers, I wouldn't buy one anyway as I believe in a free market, not government subsidies to try to make something which is inferior, seem competitive.
This is very true. $7,500 tax subsidy and if you register the Tesla in NJ, no sales tax on the Tesla. Take away those subsidies and you'll see Tesla's sales drop like an anchor.
Soon those Tesla's Super Charger Stations will become Tesla parking lots. Waiting hours in line for a charge. Sort of like the gas lines during the oil shortage in the '70's.
05-13-2015, 01:55 PM
Why not make that 100,000X 
