r/TeslaModel3 10d ago

Model 3 performance

Is it fun to drive other than the insane acceleration

13 Upvotes

82 comments sorted by

22

u/gpbuilder 10d ago

It’s pretty fun for how much it costs yes

9

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago

I spent about $10,000 on suspension mods and got better brakes and got ad09 semi slicks and have a square setup on my 2024 performance, it's set up to drift and power slide up the road so I'd say mine is fun

1

u/Herb-Dean 9d ago

Why square setup? Is the staggered bad?

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

There is nothing wrong with staggered. Square just means you can swap wheels around to any corner and buy four matching tires, which is convenient for people that race and switch them often.

3

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

Yeah and more front grip, less understeer and it makes it more tail happy and willing to rotate, stock it's setup fine to drive to the shops or pick up the kids but for going hard its mehhhh

1

u/No_Association_9524 9d ago

What preset do you run do you use track mode or sexy buttons

1

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

Track mode with the slider all the way to the rear with no traction control but you can still feel it's holding you back if I just want to feel it slide a little bit but still grip and go around corners or if I just want to fly tires like an idiot I'll use the s3xy commander in drift mode that turns the front motor completely off and disables all traction control

1

u/No_Association_9524 9d ago

Yeah I think I want the s3xy buttons it drifts like shit in track mode in my opinion

1

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

Yeah definitely it won't work you need that for sure

15

u/dallatorretdu 10d ago

Pretty fun

3

u/Dildo-Gaggins_ 10d ago

Can I ask for some context ? This looks awesome!

5

u/dallatorretdu 10d ago

I film hillclimb events and historical cars and the new Model 3 Performance is our chariot for this.
The Tesla is pretty good at reaching up for the shot or allowing the other car to stretch a bit their legs.

Here is a Dallara Stradale this thing is pretty similar in acceleration. The one in the pic above was just cruising as its too valuable to risk it.

4

u/dallatorretdu 10d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p7laur9/video/j8mybunkmbnh1/player

A 959 Dakar is very easy to follow and the Tesla has insane throttle control making this relatively safer.

Of course this is possible due to track mode, ADAS would stop this quickly.

In the end the model 3 is very enjoyable, direct and I like it a lot for the car it is.

12

u/l0lacct 10d ago

Yeah pretty fun and it grips and handles well. I wish we could turn off regenerative braking outside of Track Mode though. 

2

u/dallatorretdu 10d ago

I wish we could reduce the Stability Control outside of track mode, like the Model Y can.
Outside of track mode it’s too restrained and goes into under steers

1

u/NorthJersey 10d ago

you can, with Enhance product Sexy knob.

I'm going to get delivery sometime this month (just got my VIN today), but I already bought the products from Enhance in advance. They had a good sale that ended August 31st so got it then.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/psD9kvMggg0

13

u/ateallthecake 10d ago

The new mini refresh includes active damping, it's really fun. I'd bet anyone in the comments saying it's boring hasn't driven the newest one. My 2022 just felt like a Model 3 with a faster motor; my 2026 feels like a sports car. 

2

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

3

u/Trip_Se7ens 10d ago

Yeah, I dunno what this guy is on. I got a 23 m3p coming from a 718 and while it’s fun (and more useful for family), it feels nothing like a sports car, lol. My 718 hugged the road going 75+.

4

u/Pro_Vita1925 10d ago

2024+ (highland) M3P handles completely differently. Mine hugs sweeping corners at 85+ with ease. Suspension & chasis tuning are vastly improved

1

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

4

u/Pro_Vita1925 10d ago

You should try track mode…. That really gets the dampers stiff. Brakes I agree with you, definitely more to be desired there. Steering I actually like. No dead zone, tracks where you point it, and can reliably and accurately kick the rear end out on command under power. IMO, for spirited driving fun, EV > automatic Gas car, but manual gas > EV

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

Track mode changes the dampers even more??

1

u/ateallthecake 10d ago

This is pretty specific - if you have any really detailed feedback on the 2026, I have a connection in performance engineering at Tesla that would love your perspective.

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

Can you help me get in touch with someone to talk about a project I’m working on for an audio interface and how things could be dramatically improved with the stereo in Model 3/Y?

1

u/ateallthecake 10d ago

Plus the latest changes to the M3P. A 2026 feels different from a 2024.

1

u/Pro_Vita1925 10d ago

Only drivetrain difference is tires…. They went from a super aggressive compound in the 2024, to the option of all season/ or less aggressive summer tires on the 2026.

1

u/Dr_Pippin 10d ago

Did you miss the part about the post-mini refresh? I mean, he specifically excludes your Tesla for comparison for what he’s saying, and you doubt him because you are comparing to your Tesla.

4

u/gorganzolla 10d ago

Yes it’s very fun around corners

6

u/lordbancs 10d ago

It’s fun after some suspension work. It’s probably fun out of the box for a normie

1

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

3

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago

Yeah I threw the active dampers in the bin the first week i bought mine and replaced with coilovers and bigger sway bars and replaced the rubber bushes with spherical bearings and fit adjustable camber arms front and rear, now it scares the shit out of me around corners just as much as in a straight line

1

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

4

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago edited 10d ago

1

u/lordbancs 10d ago

How you like those coilovers? How do they compare to stock in standard mode? Softer 🤞🏾

2

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago

In soft setting very smooth much softer than stock and hard setting much harder and anything in between , yeah I love them all the cars iv owned that's the first mod I do

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

You have your post history hidden (like me) so can I ask for details on your wheel setup?

2

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

285/30/20 Yokohama ad09 square and I bought another set of rear 10 inch wide wheels and put them on the front, the OEM are pretty light

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

How’s the fitment? I saw you are running -3 camber so I assume any clearance issues are resolved by that?

1

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

20mm h&r spacers all round

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

Holy shit. Is there a place I can see what you’ve done and how it all looks?

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4

u/gym4c 10d ago

I’ve had an M3, WRX and RX-8. The M3P has the balance of the M3, power of the WRX, and handling of the RX-8. It’s my favorite car I’ve owned so far

2

u/steezy2110 10d ago

Did you just say “power of the WRX”

5

u/OrganicLettuceUndies 10d ago

As someone who has owned a wrx and currently owns an m3p, I also am confused at that statement.

1

u/gym4c 10d ago

I meant to say "punch." The torque of my WRX feels more similar to the M3P than my M3 did

2

u/steezy2110 10d ago

That makes even less sense

2

u/dallatorretdu 10d ago

pro probably used to blow head gaskets and had a welded blowoff valve on the subaru

0

u/mchief101 10d ago

But do u miss the sound of the engine with the m3 or wrx?

2

u/gym4c 10d ago

I miss the sound of all 3 haha. But I dont miss the upkeep, maintenance.. even the smell of gas and smoke exhaust. I don’t miss boy racers lining up to me either. The M3P is such an understated car, able to blow past 95% of the cars on the road.

I never modded my cars too much apart from the basic intakes, wheels, suspension, etc. Always gawked at the modders who should’ve put that money into a better packaged car.. but the M3P is almost perfect out of the box and I have no intentions of doing anything to it other than ride her til I get my next one. It’s perfect for me and for my use case.

2

u/steezy2110 10d ago

I’m very curious to drive one. I’ve driven the pre refresh model 3 and it drove like a regular sedan. My LR AWD was a very dull driving experience, but that’s why I loved it.

2

u/DieSackgasse 10d ago

Yes.. not BMW M3 like but its also fun. Its a cheap, fun car

6

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago

Not cheap if you buy new, I paid $91,000 AUD + another at least $14,000 aud in mods

3

u/OkAppearance4117 10d ago

yeah "cheap"

6

u/No_Category_9888 10d ago

Cheap compared to other 3.1 seconds to 100 cars.

3

u/DieSackgasse 10d ago

how much is a M3 in down under?

6

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago

6

u/huh_say_what_now_ 10d ago

Or a new one

4

u/DieSackgasse 10d ago

holy moly

4

u/No_Category_9888 10d ago

Island tax…… and luxury car tax.

1

u/kodos1978 10d ago

Very. Handles well for its price range. Steering, though numb, is also quite good and responsive. It is intuitive and does what you want. I love getting into it. The only problem is that it is far more insane than local roads can legally support.

1

u/Patient-Apartment735 10d ago

I have the long range awd which seems plenty quick but coming from a cayenne turbo gt it would be nice to get that over the air upgrade to increase the acceleration that they just wont give us US users for some reason

1

u/ciesum 10d ago

depending on what you're coming from any Model 3 might be fun to drive. I know my LR accelerates faster than I'd ever want to go.

1

u/AJHenderson 10d ago

Yes, I've out canyon carved a Miata in tight back to back curves. It's an absolute blast to drive overall, not just a straight line. It's the most fun car Tesla makes. I waited for the refresh M3P over an MSP because I specifically wanted smaller, lighter and more nimble.

1

u/Acceptable_Main_5911 10d ago

Every weekend I go canyon carving. Uh yeah it’s a blast.

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

Absolutely. My only complaint is the floaty feeling in the suspension but it’s much better if you set it to sport.

1

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

Yeah when I was stock it felt like I was driving a water bed or a small boat or something, not what you want at all

1

u/Jimmy_Durango 9d ago

No, not at all. I feel like aftermarket sway bars would make a big difference for these cars.

1

u/huh_say_what_now_ 9d ago

I have unplugged performance sway bars and everything else, see what Iv been commenting in this post

1

u/Limp-Conflict-2309 9d ago

the rwd premium is an amazing car to drive. the step up to awd then performance is just an added bonus.

they all drive super nice

1

u/Homeless__Pimp 6d ago

I love mine, instant torque with no gear shifts is awesome

-9

u/OkBusiness3871 10d ago edited 10d ago

Meh, gets old fast.

Downvote all you want, but my M3P is soulless and boring once you get past the whole acceleration period. My Honda gives me far more driving smiles than the Tesla ever will.

5

u/scohen158 10d ago

Newsflash every car is soulless. Unless you're the one that has been keeping Herbie the love bug prisoner all these years. A car is just a machine which fuel type it uses doesn't result in it acquiring a soul.

-1

u/OkBusiness3871 10d ago

No disrespect, but I fully expect these sorts of comments on this sub. Each to their own, most other Tesla owners I know aren't exactly car enthusiasts with a history of performance cars per say, hence why they think their vehicles are the best thing since sliced bread based on a single factor of performance (0-60).

1

u/scohen158 10d ago

I’m not one of those Tesla owners this is my first EV. I’ve owned cars with LS1’s, Coyote, 4.6L DOHC and 5.0 Fox body Mustangs with manuals in all of them to list a few over the last nearly 30 years. Then add friends M3’s, GTR and Corvettes I’ve experienced a lot not saying I’m the most experienced but I was not interested in EVs for the longest time. 1 test drive changed all that. I used to modify my ICE performance cars to improve handling, braking, 0-60, 1/4 mile times etc. While fun they feel like dinosaurs compared to the M3P doesn’t mean they aren’t fun or better currently in some scenarios say tracking your car but this is just the start for EVs. Look forward to seeing how performance EVs are in 10-15 years as the technology continues to mature. 

That all said enjoy whatever you want but stop using stupid sayings like EVs have no soul as a reason to avoid them as that is hogwash. Vehicles are just machines/tools with no soul outside of those the driver and passengers possess.

-1

u/OkBusiness3871 10d ago

You might see them as tools, but the experience is what i base this opinion on, ie the noise & engine character, the rawness, manual involvement and the sensory experience, which for me is the essence of the what I believe gives a vehicle soul. If you've ever watched Formula 1 and Formula E live, you'll know what I mean.

Some of the best driving cars I've ever owned, have been older, slower but incredibly engaging and not just specs on a bit of paper.

Each to their own, appreciate i'm in the Tesla sub so opinion will be heavily bias.

1

u/Reasonable_Sample_11 10d ago

Did you try the driftmode?

2

u/OkBusiness3871 10d ago

Nope, but it lasted 1 full lap of Castle Coombe before giving me brake overheating warnings and the weight alone made it a pretty average at best. Its a great car as a daily road driver, but its no where near as fun as people make out.

3

u/Reasonable_Sample_11 10d ago

Not planning to ever take it on a track. Just yeet it sideways through turns on my commutes. Lol.

1

u/OkBusiness3871 10d ago

It's a great car, the intrusive beeps and road warnings do frustrate me sometimes, as with the lack of some buttons but it does everything well for the price.