So...something we did in September that I haven't mentioned yet was get a Tesla Model Y. We weren’t really planning to buy one just yet, but the EV tax credit ended September 30, so we wanted to go ahead take advantage of that while we could. Switching to an electric vehicle has quite the learning curve, some hidden costs, and whole lot of coolness.
In order to charge the Tesla, we had to install a charging port in our garage, which required installing a 220 outlet. That was a chore, but Philip is very handy and was able to get it done. He did consult an electrician, but he was advised to save us some money and do it himself because they talked it through and he felt like Philip could do it. Not having the electrician do it saved about $500, but it wasn’t without issues, as just about any home project brings.
I will preface the rest of this by saying, our previous vehicles were/are a 2017 (we traded in) and a 2018, so I'm not that versed in new vehicle features. Some of these may be pretty standard things that I have been oblivious to and aren't all that novel to you. But compared to my Jeep, this thing is like the Batmobile 😂.
At the very core, driving a Tesla is the same--you press the gas pedal and you steer the wheel. However, there is no gear shifter or speedometer or gauges on the dash. Everything is operated on the computer screen in the middle of the dash. You slide an icon forward or backward to go, and you tap the P to park. There is a brake pedal, but it's only necessary if you need to stop quickly. Otherwise, backing off of the gas pedal automatically engages the brake. If you like getting whiplash, you should've ridden with me the first couple of days that we had it, while I got used to that feature 😂.
That screen has real time updates, so it shows cars and big trucks passing you, but sometimes it gets glitchy and it looks like the passing vehicles are about to crash into you. It's best not to watch the screen while driving or you may hyperventilate 😂.
Another oddity is the key, or rather, lack of one. We were given two credit card shaped “keys” that power it via the MagSafe charger, but we primarily use our phones. The Tesla app allows us to access the car, and each of our settings are saved to our profiles, so whenever I get in, the interior lights turn pink, and the driver seat and mirrors are adjusted to where I set them, automatically.
I don’t love all of the controls being on the screen. I couldn’t figure out how to open the glove box or turn off the a/c at first. Admittedly, all of the information about how to do things is readily available on the interwebs, but researching how to do things isn’t how I live my life. I rely on my husband to learn the things and then tell me the pertinent details 😂. He’s very good at it 🥰. He also tells me I should utilize the voice controls, and then I don't have to find where things are, and he's probably right 😂.
I do like being able to control the climate in the back of car with a flick of my finger. The boys will tell you the best part of the back seat is the built in screen, which streams all of their favorite YouTube shows. Once Quinn can spell, he’ll be able to work it, but in the meantime, it’s nice being able to do it from the front. They only get that luxury on long trips with all four of us. They get mad when I refuse to turn it on for a trip to Walmart 🙄. They lived without a screen in the car before, they’ll survive.
The front and back seats are equipped with heating and cooling, a feature they can’t yet enjoy because of their car seats. I’m sure this isn’t exclusive to Tesla, but this is quite an upgrade from our stick shift, 2017 Jeep Wrangler, which required a physical key be inserted into the ignition to start. We always joked we had to get our keys out like an animal 🤪.
I really wish there were half degrees on the climate controls. Seventy-two is too cold and seventy-three is too warm. I need a 72.5 degree setting to satisfy me. First world problems, I know.
I was at Book Club a few months ago when someone mentioned that their vehicle yelled at them if they got too close to the white line while driving. I had no experience with that because both of our vehicles were made before that technology was available (well, probably. I don't actually know that, but let's assume). Not only does Tesla yell at you, it will drive FOR you. It engages steering control if it registers danger. Cruise control will brake and slow you down if someone is in front of you, but if you pass them, it will speed back up to where you set it. It even has full self driving, but I am not a fan. We had a 30 day free trial, and it’s cool, in theory, but it leaves lots to be desired. Like, not hydroplaning, or maybe slowing down while taking an exit, or being able to recognize construction zones.
I like that it dings at you to get your attention when the light turns green, but I don't like how it beep-beep-beeps all dramatically if it thinks you're coming up on a vehicle in front of you too quickly. It is also dramatic when I try to parallel park, like, just let me curb it in peace, damn it 😂. I tried to open the door one day when I was dropping Ashy off at school, and it wouldn't let me because a car was coming behind me. I'm sure you can manually override that, but again, I don't know how 🤪.
Being able to see the oncoming vehicles is thanks to the plethora of cameras all around it. They allow sentry mode, which records while you're parked. If someone dings our doors, we'll have proof, which is nice. If someone bends over to check their tires while they're parked beside us, we get a nice recording of that as well. Ask me how I know 😂.
The navigation leaves a little to be desired. It doesn't acknowledge that Kroger has a parking lot, and it can't get to the alley behind our house. I also hate the console, which is just a bottomless pit. Our water bottles are too big for the cup holders, so they have to sit down in there, so I had to find some containers to be able to hold the other things we need to keep in there to still be able to sit the cups. I know they make adaptors for cup holders, but I feel like they would stick up too tall and be in the way of the screen.
Allegedly, the trunk will open on its own, if you're patient enough. I'm not, so the only time it ever engaged for me was when I didn't want it to while I was washing the car 🫠. That was the incident that sent me looking for a car wash mode, the first thing I learned about the Tesla on my own 😂. It has one and I'll try to remember to use it next time.
I like the pre-heat mode that I can control from my phone, and I like being able to choose what I want turned on. I don't like a heated steering wheel because of my sweaty hands, so I like being able to opt out of that. It has a Keep mode, which does what you expect, and a Dog mode, too. I feel like that's what inspired those notes I've seen on the internet that people leave so others don't break their windows to "save" their dogs.
Since there is no engine, it has tons of storage, with both a trunk and a frunk (front trunk). The frunk has a drain plug, so it can be used as a cooler. That's one of the features that lets me know it was designed by a team of men. I imagine tailgating isn't a typical consideration for most women automotive design engineers. Others include the fart noises that come standard, and that you can tell it to open the butthole, and the charging port will open 🙄.
There are some cool features for the kids, like how it does a light show to music, there's a built in doodle pad on the screen, and the Tesla technology, called Grok, will tell the kids stories and roast people, if you ask. Apparently, there's an unhinged mode that's NSFW, but I haven't tried it yet. We asked it to roast Sophie and told her (our voice is named Ava) that Sophie is a Dalmatian and she can't jump very well, and she said Sophie has the athleticism of a sack of potatoes, which is pretty accurate 😂.
I don't care at all about speed, so I can't quote you the stats of how fast it goes from zero to sixty, but I know it's pretty impressive for a not sports car. Pulling out in front of people is slightly less dangerous because I can get up to speed with traffic super quick.
There are many things to love about it, and a few not to, but I'm very happy with it overall. Our electric bill hasn't skyrocketed, but the outrageous tax bill at the DMV was an unpleasant surprise, cost wise. Hopefully it continues to be a good investment!
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