I recently picked up a new model S! Oddly enough the price increase where you’re forced to buy the Luxe package pushed me in the direction of buying it now vs waiting for a while. There are parts of the Luxe package that appealed to me, FSD and FUSC. https://www.tesla.com/support/luxe-package-protection-plans
4 years of - The Luxe Package includes four years of Protection Plan coverage, including Tesla’s Windshield Protection Plan, Wheel and Tire Protection Plan and Recommended Maintenance Plan, all in one seamless bundle.
One thing on the color- from a distance it appears to be a boring, gray / light blue. Up close you’ll see the glitter. I am hoping it is as good as white or red in the AZ sun.
The FSD, free unlimited (but really it is limited if they think you’re abusing it!) SuperCharing and premium connectivity really entered into it. The FUSC goes away if I sell the car, I believe the others stay with the car. I saw the charging perk as a future-proofing of the price of charging going up.
My 2024 LR Y was fantastic- comfortable, quiet, efficient. There was *no* reason to get rid of it. I figured the S would be all that plus a lot more. As it SHOULD be for the cost.
Here’s my experience so far:
Picked up the after signing a bunch of docs. It felt solid, quiet, new car smell and stuff. One funny thing that happened is the delivery agent picked up the ‘keys’ for a red S Plaid as the VINS were very close, I think that car was made right before mine or after. Regardless I didn’t take the plaid and flee, as tempting as that was to do. I was concerned the paperwork I did had the wrong VIN but it was the LR and I quickly got my car. I’m really into comfort, quiet and efficiency.
The first thing I noticed out of the garage (which felt like a James Bond level workshop)- the glass FEELS better at heat rejection. My 2024 Y didn’t have that new roof glass and I covered it with a motorized shade which was great. The Alcantara interior feels cozy and quiet. Darker than the Y’s gray, feels more upscale. The black and white interior on the S works as a counterbalance to the black. So it doesn’t feel like you’re dropping into a black hole. That said- the interior around the seats feels dated and the LED lighting was just stuck into it. The lights create a couple sides to a rectangle and had I NOT been in a model 3 with the new lights I would not have noticed how this feels weird. The lights in the 3 and new Y flow, they’re larger in height (I think, feels that way). Since they aren’t just straight lines they feel different. in the S they are better placed IMO, and you have some on the console in between the seats but they feel like an after thought. To me they highlight the fact that the dash layout hasn’t changed in a while. Then again- it works as is! There are no shiny bits to reflect the sun in your eyes, unlike previous Tesla models that had chrome T’s on the steering wheel for example. I would really like to see the large center screen a little higher up, if that’s not in the way of airbags or some other safety thing. The tilting the screen right or left is nice, but it’s absolute. All the way right, all the way left or centered. Also- I haven’t figure out the voice control to turn it but it SHOULD be as simple as ‘turn the display to the right.’ Right?
White & black interior- I expected the white seats to be MORE comfortable than the black as that’s how it felt with the 3 & Y before the ventilated seats were introduced. Sadly, not really. Not yet. I do feel like the seats are ‘breaking in’ to my, uh, body. They feel stiffer than the Y’s marshmallows. The ventilation makes a difference in hotter weather, and I’ll give the seats some more time before deciding they aren’t as comfortable. The 2016 90D Model S I had had black seats (that’s the car where the interior was like a black hole, bring a flash light getting into it in your garage) And they were soooo comfortable. Another downside to white- reflections. In a car that has SO MUCH GLASS in a state where I have SO MUCH SUN reflections are gonna be annoying. The passenger seat reflects enough in the main screen that I couldn’t leave it on dark mode which really is a shame as it fits the car. Also- take the protective plastic off the screens and interior bits to reduce reflections. This will be mitigated a little with a roof shade but the bad reflections seem to come through the windows (which I’ll also tint a bit).
The back seats- Oh wow, this car is not for long trips for back seat passengers unless they have great posture and short legs. Well, the leg room is prolly fine if you move the front seats up a bit but the Y spoils back seat passengers. That is my 2024 which had the manual folding seats back there. They leaned back more comfortably IMO, the marshmallow was very comfortable vs stiff and the Y is of course taller. I don’t know about the new Y’s. Leg room was tremendous in the Y vs okay in the S. Ditto for head room probably but I’m not tall enough to notice
. The S has charging mats for phones and a 9” screen for rear seat passengers. The charging mats were fussy with my iPhone 17pro in a case. Out of the case it worked fine. Oh- same for the front ones, I had more luck with putting my phone upside down on the charger up front. There are plenty of USB ports and other perks with that little screen if you have rear seats passengers. Getting in and out of ANY door, particularly a rear door, is so much easier on the Y than an S due to the taller doors and taller stance. Unless you’re a shorter person. The rear seats are NOT powered as they are on the Y. I’m sure that’ll come to cars soon enough but good to know.
Some things that are standard on the S that I didn’t realize:
First- that better glass that seems to be the front roll up windows, roof and windshield. Don’t quote me on that but I see color shift through those and not on the roll up glass in the back.
Sirius XM receiver and Homelink are included. That’s something for those that care. We are using MyQ because it gives us 10 years for close to the price of ONE HomeLink instal. Had I installed HomeLink in my Y it would be gone! Then again, I got it back in the S Without knowing that would happen.
Lumbar support on the passenger seat, ability to shift the passenger seat from the screen.
The sound system is nicer, but I’m the kind of guy that is happy with the LR RWD model 3’s system.
4 years of - The Luxe Package includes four years of Protection Plan coverage, including Tesla’s Windshield Protection Plan, Wheel and Tire Protection Plan and Recommended Maintenance Plan, all in one seamless bundle.
One thing on the color- from a distance it appears to be a boring, gray / light blue. Up close you’ll see the glitter. I am hoping it is as good as white or red in the AZ sun.
The FSD, free unlimited (but really it is limited if they think you’re abusing it!) SuperCharing and premium connectivity really entered into it. The FUSC goes away if I sell the car, I believe the others stay with the car. I saw the charging perk as a future-proofing of the price of charging going up.
My 2024 LR Y was fantastic- comfortable, quiet, efficient. There was *no* reason to get rid of it. I figured the S would be all that plus a lot more. As it SHOULD be for the cost.
Here’s my experience so far:
Picked up the after signing a bunch of docs. It felt solid, quiet, new car smell and stuff. One funny thing that happened is the delivery agent picked up the ‘keys’ for a red S Plaid as the VINS were very close, I think that car was made right before mine or after. Regardless I didn’t take the plaid and flee, as tempting as that was to do. I was concerned the paperwork I did had the wrong VIN but it was the LR and I quickly got my car. I’m really into comfort, quiet and efficiency.
The first thing I noticed out of the garage (which felt like a James Bond level workshop)- the glass FEELS better at heat rejection. My 2024 Y didn’t have that new roof glass and I covered it with a motorized shade which was great. The Alcantara interior feels cozy and quiet. Darker than the Y’s gray, feels more upscale. The black and white interior on the S works as a counterbalance to the black. So it doesn’t feel like you’re dropping into a black hole. That said- the interior around the seats feels dated and the LED lighting was just stuck into it. The lights create a couple sides to a rectangle and had I NOT been in a model 3 with the new lights I would not have noticed how this feels weird. The lights in the 3 and new Y flow, they’re larger in height (I think, feels that way). Since they aren’t just straight lines they feel different. in the S they are better placed IMO, and you have some on the console in between the seats but they feel like an after thought. To me they highlight the fact that the dash layout hasn’t changed in a while. Then again- it works as is! There are no shiny bits to reflect the sun in your eyes, unlike previous Tesla models that had chrome T’s on the steering wheel for example. I would really like to see the large center screen a little higher up, if that’s not in the way of airbags or some other safety thing. The tilting the screen right or left is nice, but it’s absolute. All the way right, all the way left or centered. Also- I haven’t figure out the voice control to turn it but it SHOULD be as simple as ‘turn the display to the right.’ Right?
White & black interior- I expected the white seats to be MORE comfortable than the black as that’s how it felt with the 3 & Y before the ventilated seats were introduced. Sadly, not really. Not yet. I do feel like the seats are ‘breaking in’ to my, uh, body. They feel stiffer than the Y’s marshmallows. The ventilation makes a difference in hotter weather, and I’ll give the seats some more time before deciding they aren’t as comfortable. The 2016 90D Model S I had had black seats (that’s the car where the interior was like a black hole, bring a flash light getting into it in your garage) And they were soooo comfortable. Another downside to white- reflections. In a car that has SO MUCH GLASS in a state where I have SO MUCH SUN reflections are gonna be annoying. The passenger seat reflects enough in the main screen that I couldn’t leave it on dark mode which really is a shame as it fits the car. Also- take the protective plastic off the screens and interior bits to reduce reflections. This will be mitigated a little with a roof shade but the bad reflections seem to come through the windows (which I’ll also tint a bit).
The back seats- Oh wow, this car is not for long trips for back seat passengers unless they have great posture and short legs. Well, the leg room is prolly fine if you move the front seats up a bit but the Y spoils back seat passengers. That is my 2024 which had the manual folding seats back there. They leaned back more comfortably IMO, the marshmallow was very comfortable vs stiff and the Y is of course taller. I don’t know about the new Y’s. Leg room was tremendous in the Y vs okay in the S. Ditto for head room probably but I’m not tall enough to notice
. The S has charging mats for phones and a 9” screen for rear seat passengers. The charging mats were fussy with my iPhone 17pro in a case. Out of the case it worked fine. Oh- same for the front ones, I had more luck with putting my phone upside down on the charger up front. There are plenty of USB ports and other perks with that little screen if you have rear seats passengers. Getting in and out of ANY door, particularly a rear door, is so much easier on the Y than an S due to the taller doors and taller stance. Unless you’re a shorter person. The rear seats are NOT powered as they are on the Y. I’m sure that’ll come to cars soon enough but good to know.Some things that are standard on the S that I didn’t realize:
First- that better glass that seems to be the front roll up windows, roof and windshield. Don’t quote me on that but I see color shift through those and not on the roll up glass in the back.
Sirius XM receiver and Homelink are included. That’s something for those that care. We are using MyQ because it gives us 10 years for close to the price of ONE HomeLink instal. Had I installed HomeLink in my Y it would be gone! Then again, I got it back in the S Without knowing that would happen.
Lumbar support on the passenger seat, ability to shift the passenger seat from the screen.
The sound system is nicer, but I’m the kind of guy that is happy with the LR RWD model 3’s system.
