Why did I choose a domestic Model 3? Three car owners say so.

This is the third edition of “Car Owner’s Reputation“.

In the previous two editions, I interviewed the owners of NIO ES6 and Li Xiang ONE respectively. Friends who are interested in these two cars can check out the real evaluations and feedback of the owners through the links at the bottom of this article.

This edition features Chinese-made Tesla Model 3 owners.

Since the domestic production of Model 3, many friends have shown interest in it. The price is also relatively affordable. However, because it is domestically made, some friends are still hesitant to try it. Therefore, in this edition of Car Owner’s Reputation, I will provide some reference by sharing the real evaluations and feedback of three owners.

Among them, one of our owners is quite considerate, and he even made a special chart of the car-buying process for everyone to use as reference. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the topic.

“I have no expectations. A car is just a product. Tesla should understand what consumers need and do it well with extreme and grounded approach.”

When asked about his expectations of Tesla’s future, Pipi said so.

Pipi works in the conference equipment industry and is also one of the first domestic Model 3 users. He usually likes products related to technology, and he bought a domestic Model 3 because of his interest in it.

Pipi told me that there is already an Audi Q7 in his family, and the Model 3 is an additional purchase. He likes the technology of Model 3, so he wanted to experience it and made a down payment.

Pipi said: “I prefer the large screen of Model 3, which integrates most of the basic control functions of a car. I mainly focus on software real-time updates (OTA), automatic lane keeping, automatic lane changing, automatic parking, blind spot warning, pedestrian sensing, etc. When driving, safety is the most important thing, and these features have added a lot of safety points for my regular driving.”

Pipi’s Model 3

Pipi values safety, and the technology of Model 3 can help him achieve some of his expectations.Actually, Pipi was paying attention to Model 3 at the beginning. As for why he didn’t choose the import version first, Pipi said that the price was too high and there were no subsidies, so he didn’t consider it. Therefore, after the domestic price reduction of Model 3, Pipi immediately placed a deposit and became one of the first domestic Mode 3 car owners.

Before considering buying Model 3, Pipi often watched some news and videos about Model 3 online. After being attracted, Pipi and his wife went to the Tesla experience store for a test drive.

When it comes to the test drive experience, Pipi said that the push back effect of Model 3’s acceleration and the 360-degree imaging system impressed him. “It feels like sitting on a roller coaster and suddenly accelerating, very exciting. The central control screen can display all the surrounding cars, pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles in 360 degrees, and can identify them basically. It feels very safe.”

In addition, the salesperson also brought them to experience the automatic parking, and Pipi and his wife said that the automatic parking function was very impressive.

However, Pipi’s wife and Pipi had different choices. In addition to the technology, Pipi said that his wife really liked the appearance of Model 3. “She thinks Tesla’s design is very beautiful, especially the whole piece of glass on the roof, which is very attractive to her. She said that what I said before was right, and she will listen to me in the future. Honestly, this is the most impressive thing to me.”

In fact, before experiencing Model 3, Pipi’s wife was not very interested. “She felt that what I said was a bit mysterious, and I didn’t really believe that Tesla was like Apple’s iPhones (technology-wise). After the test drive, I realized that it was really easy to use, and various technologies and safety functions were especially suitable for them as girls. Plus, a central control screen integrates all the functions of controlling the car, which is still very attractive to girls,” Pipi said.

Pipi placed a deposit on January 20th and received the car in February.

During the waiting period, Pipi said that he joined the official group of 42HOW and chatted with group members every day, exchanging knowledge and hot topics about cars, and sharing some of his own experience with group members.

However, the day of getting the car was more calm, and not as exciting. “After all, everything that needed to be known was learned beforehand. My wife likes it very much, because the test drive car is blue, and she chose white. I remember she said white is beautiful, exquisite, and delicate.”

I asked him if there were any unexpected or exceeded expectations after receiving the car.

Pipi said that because it has not been driven for long, there are currently no unexpected or exceeded expectations, but he can talk about some advantages and disadvantages.## Advantages:

Safety is excellent.
Automatic assisted driving is excellent.
Hazard warnings are useful for beginners.
The car will automatically adjust its direction to avoid accidents such as rear-end collisions.
Model 3 has a quick acceleration, fast charging, and convenient maintenance.

Disadvantages:

The sunroof is closed and cannot be opened.
The interior quality is poor and the seats are not very comfortable.
The tailgate is not sensor-controlled, which makes it inconvenient to load and unload items.
Battery consumption is still difficult to evaluate.

In terms of the quality of domestic Model 3, Pippi expresses complete confidence in the quality of Tesla made in China. “China’s manufacturing capabilities are currently flourishing, and there are no problems whatsoever. In terms of workmanship, the stitching is better than the imported ones.”

When I asked him how people around him viewed his purchase of Model 3, Pippi said, “Those who understand electric cars are okay with it. For those who don’t, their first reaction when they hear that I bought a Tesla is, ‘An electric car? It’ll run out of power after driving for a while and it’s a hassle to find a charging station.’ It can be said that most people think this way. There are only a few people around me who own electric cars, and most of them still use gasoline cars. People are still skeptical about electric cars.”

However, for Pippi, he hardly ever experiences mileage anxiety on a regular basis. “I use Model 3 for commuting every day and driving around the city. Since my residential area has a charging station and my workplace parking lot also has a charging station, I am not worried about the range issue at all. I can drive about 300 kilometers on a single charge.”

The farthest distance Pippi has ever driven is from Nanjing to Hefei, which is approximately 198 kilometers. “I charged the battery once during the trip, and the experience was great. In recent trips to Hefei, I’ve charged the battery directly at the place where I was working. It’s very convenient, as charging stations are everywhere now,” Pippi said.

Overall Satisfaction of Model 3

If you were to rate “Overall Satisfaction of Model 3” and “Would you recommend it to family or friends?” on a scale of 5 stars, how would you rate them?

“My overall satisfaction is 4 stars, with 1 star deducted due to uncertainty about battery consumption. My understanding is that with a new battery at 100%, it may decrease to 90% after use. The other deductions are due to the aforementioned disadvantages,” Pippi said.

“I would also give a 4-star rating for recommending Model 3, as it is ideal for young people commuting to work. The 1-star deduction is to encourage Tesla to continue to strive for perfection like its system.”

Some words for friends who want to buy Model 3

Model 3 is an excellent choice for commuting to work.
Charging station coverage is becoming more and more comprehensive.
Electric car technology is constantly improving, and you will experience increasingly convenient and efficient travel with Model 3.For friends who want to buy a Model 3, in my experience, don’t just follow the crowd. You should book a test drive yourself to determine whether the Model 3 is suitable for you. Booking a test drive is now very convenient, and through physical contact, you can more directly see whether the Model 3 is right for you.

There are no noteworthy precautions, after all, Tesla is quite mature. In terms of the purchase process, you just need to pay a deposit and then wait for the car. If you want to cancel, the deposit will be refunded unconditionally.

Expectations for Tesla

There are no expectations. To put it bluntly, it’s just a product. Tesla should understand what consumers need, and do it extremely well with down-to-earth methods. If Tesla does not continue to develop, a new “Tesla” may emerge in the future to compete with it. If the new “Tesla” does better, we consumers will go buy it.

“I am not a big fan of Tesla, but I admire its transformation of the automotive industry. Nonetheless, I hope Tesla can spend more money to improve its service system.”

Speaking of expectations for Tesla, Zhou Jin said he is not very satisfied with Tesla’s service.

Zhou works in Shanghai and is a financial product manager. Unlike Pipi, he did not buy the Model 3 because he valued its technology. As for why he bought the domestic Model 3, Zhou gave three reasons.

“The first is that it’s difficult to get a license plate in Shanghai, but buying an electric car can entitle you to a green license plate. The second is that electric cars do not need maintenance, which is more convenient. The third is that he had two choices of electric cars, Model 3 and Nio ES6, but the ES6 was too big, so he gave up.”

“My parents think there are too many people and the roads in Shanghai are crowded, so they suggest buying a smaller car, like the Smart car. So my family is more inclined to the Model 3,” Zhou said.

Before buying the car, Zhou read various comments and reviews online and said he understands the car’s situation. Before paying the deposit, he test drove both the Nio ES6 and Model 3 twice.

Zhou said the handling of the Model 3 during the test drive was not significantly different from that of the ES6, but after buying it, he felt that the handling of the Model 3 was even better.”I am actually 90% biased towards ES6. I thought that if I have a child in the future, choosing ES6 might not require changing the car, because variables are like family.

Family values brand, Tesla comes with an aura, while people feel that NIO might go bankrupt. Although I said that at most it will be acquired, at least it won’t die, they don’t quite understand. Apart from the survival issue of NIO, I think ES6 wins, besides parking may be a bit more troublesome.” Zhou Jin said about his choice.

Zhou Jin also added, “The good thing about Model 3 is that Tesla has a big brand, many AP data, and many supercharging stations. The bad thing is that the sales service is average, the car quality is average, and the high-speed noise is loud.

ES6 has received a lot of criticism online, but I have seen good reputation from actual car owners, good sales service attitude, free battery replacement, much better texture of the whole car than Model 3, higher configuration, and faster acceleration than Model 3. The disadvantage is that NP data is relatively small and needs to be purchased additionally. Our community is crowded and it is not convenient to park a car that is too large.”

Zhou Jin pre-ordered Model 3 on December 14, 2019, and picked up the car on February 28, 2020.

Zhou Jin’s Model 3

On February 22, Zhou Jin took his wife to test drive ES6. “After the test drive, she actually agreed to buy ES6, and wanted the gray one, but there was no stock, so she needed to pre-order, and it could only be delivered in two months. After much hesitation, I still picked up Model 3 directly and missed ES6.” Zhou Jin said.

I asked him, what if you could choose again?

“I would choose ES6, if there is someone kind enough to switch cars with me.” As for why he had such an idea, Zhou Jin said it was difficult to describe Tesla’s service.

“Before placing an order for a test drive, the salesperson urged me to order quickly, and said that the policy will change later. There was no certainty during the waiting process. The salesperson also said that if you pay a deposit of 20,000 yuan, you can transfer it to someone else if you don’t want it. The feedback and attitude of communication with the salesperson were average. We joked in the 42nd car owner group that we’ll delete the salesperson’s WeChat after picking up the car.” Zhou Jin said about the sales service.

Zhou Jin continued to say, “There was also an episode in which I actually wanted to pick up the car before the new year, and my friend happened to not want it. I wanted her to transfer her order to me. But the sales manager of Tesla said before in the group that our two orders were in the same batch and there was no need to switch. So we believed it and didn’t switch. My friend then started to apply for a refund.”

At that time, there was a temporary policy that said changing to 19-inch wheels could accelerate delivery, and during the refund process, the delivery staff called her and asked if she wanted to change to 19-inch wheels for early delivery. My reply at the time was to cancel the refund, change to 19-inch wheels and take delivery. The sales manager said in the group chat that we don’t need to worry about this order being refunded.

On the day when it was my turn to receive a call about my order, nearly all the 19-inch wheel cars had been matched. That day, the company rolled out a policy to cancel the option to switch configurations for early delivery, so I missed out on the chance to switch configuration and take early delivery.

Looking back, her order happened to be able to take delivery before the end of the year. I was quite upset at that time, and I deleted the sales manager and left that group. But in the end, I still managed to get the car.

After taking delivery, Zhou Jin expressed that he didn’t have a “really awesome” feeling. He said, “It’s just an everyday commuter car, but recently Tesla supercharging is free, and there are Tesla charging stations installed by the property downstairs, so it’s still pretty happy to take advantage of these benefits.”

When asked if he had range anxiety on a daily basis, he said that he didn’t in the city. He travels about 45 kilometers round trip to work every day. It used to consume more power during cold weather, and he had to charge the car about once every four days. Shanghai has many charging stations, which is quite convenient.

Regarding the range, Zhou Jin said that he could drive about 230 kilometers from 90% to 30% battery remaining. So he feels somewhat worried about long-distance driving. “I plan to go back to my hometown in Anhui in April. I will be traveling about 600 kilometers, so I will be concerned about charging.”

If you were to rate the overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommending Model 3 to your family or friends on a scale of 5 stars, how would you rate it?

“I would give it a passing grade, 3 stars overall. If you break it down, the car is 3.5 stars, and the service is 2.5 stars. Although it is a domestic Tesla Model 3, its cost-effectiveness is mediocre. In addition, the noise is quite loud. It’s tolerable under 80 km/h, but it’s quite noisy over 80 km/h. Moreover, the Model 3 has almost no interior design to speak of. OTA is a good way to update, but the speed of updating is a bit slow.”

“As for recommendations, for license plate-limited areas, it’s 3.5 stars. If you’re not short of money and don’t care about workmanship, you can buy it. In non-license plate-limited areas, it’s 3 stars, because there are too many cars to choose from.”

To those who plan to buy a Model 3, Zhou Jin had this to say:“`markdown
“I think the key is to test drive more and consider your own real usage scenarios. Do more comparisons before choosing a car and be more attentive to it after placing an order. I wrote a guide to picking up a car in Shanghai, which covers the whole purchasing process, hoping it can serve as a reference for everyone.”

Chart from Zhou Jin

Expectations for Tesla

“I am not a big fan of Tesla, but I admire their revolution of the automotive industry. From the perspective of an individual consumer, I think while aiming for ambitious product design, product manufacturing and services need to be more down-to-earth. The phrase ‘it can still be driven’ may be a joke among car owners, but it should not be a reference for any aspect of the auto industry. Spend some money on improving the service system.”

“I can save two or three thousand yuan in fuel and maintenance fees every year, which is enough to buy my son milk formula.”

Shi Jun said that he purchased Model 3 primarily because it’s an electric vehicle and it saves money.

Since graduating, Shi Jun has owned a total of 4 cars, and Model 3 is his 5th car, with the previous one being a BMW 3 series.

“When I learned that Tesla Model 3 would be made in China and the price would definitely drop, I sold my 3-series that I had driven for more than 2 years. After the price reduction on January 3, I ordered it on the same day. The main reason is that the operating cost of electric cars is too low, and it can save me one or two thousand yuan in fuel costs every month.

Electric cars require less maintenance, and if I had a gasoline car, I would have OCD and go to maintain it every time. Maintaining the car makes me feel relieved, but it costs money.” Shi Jun said.

The Model 3 after she is Jun’s color film modification

In addition, Shi Jun is a fan of technology products and is very interested in technological aspects of things, including Model 3. He said, “It can be controlled remotely with a phone, the central screen integrates control, automatic assisted driving is very comfortable, and the acceleration is also satisfying. All the features are too unique.”

Shi Jun has been following Model 3 since it was released, but he thought that the imported version was too expensive, so he didn’t consider it. He regained interest when he heard that Model 3 would be made in China.
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After the release of the Model 3 (imported version), Jun took his child to the Tesla Experience Center to test drive the car.

Jun and his child

He told me, “It was an unprecedented feeling. It’s too quiet and smooth, and the acceleration is too extreme. The handling is similar to the 3 Series. At first, I didn’t expect the handling of an electric car to be good, but it’s not bad. The Autopilot system at the sales display is impressive and advanced, suitable for someone like me who loves digital technology. I know I will buy it, but it will be the domestic version.”

Regarding the decision to buy the Model 3, Jun’s family had doubts because they didn’t understand it well, but Jun ultimately convinced them. “My parents said that it would be expensive to replace the battery in the future, but I told them it could run for over 600,000 kilometers. My wife also test drove it for the first time and fell in love with it because I often raved about the features of the Tesla.”

After paying the deposit, Jun went to the Experience Center to try out the domestic Model 3 and tested the sound system. “It feels similar to the imported version, and the workmanship looks good. I don’t see much difference. The sound system is not as good as the imported one, but I am an audiophile. I have also tried the imported version, but it is not as good as the Harman Kardon system that I chose for my 3 Series before.”

Model 3 before changing the film color

I asked him what exceeded or fell short of his expectations after taking delivery of the car.

As for what fell short of his expectations, Jun said, “The doors are too hard to close; you have to use force, and the leather seats are easy to scratch. When using Autopilot on congested roads, the car follows too far behind and can easily be cut in on. In addition, when driving in the rain, the car prompts you to clean the camera. The automatic rain wipers need improvement, and the automatic headlights remain on during the day, but sensitivity adjustment would fix this issue. The air conditioning system should not remember its previous state and should start from scratch when you get in the car because it consumes more electricity.”

As for what exceeded his expectations, Jun said, “I don’t feel the sun when sitting underneath the panoramic roof, and the insulation is excellent. The acceleration is very smooth. The Autopilot system is easy to use on the highway, and I no longer need to worry about fuel consumption because of my heavy foot. In terms of safety, if I happen to get distracted while driving and am about to hit something, the system will warn me, and the computer calculates faster than humans. It’s perfect for commuting in the city. I can save two to three thousand dollars on fuel and maintenance costs per year, which is great for buying milk powder for my son. Now, I drive my Model 3 for every occasion, even to pick up deliveries.”I asked him about the range of the domestic Model 3 and whether it causes any range anxiety. Jun replied, “Since I can charge it every day, I don’t care much about the range. The range is acceptable, with a full charge showing 385 kilometers on the battery, and the actual range is about 370 kilometers on average driving. I basically have no range anxiety. I can drive within a radius of 100 kilometers without any problem, and the standard version can even run well in the Pearl River Delta with plenty of Tesla Superchargers. Besides, I have a home charger and the company also has Superchargers. Now during the pandemic, I get free supercharging and use it more often at the company. When it’s not free anymore, I will just charge at home with 380 volts. After midnight, it’s 0.31 yuan per kilowatt-hour, and it takes about 3-4 hours to fully charge.”

Regarding how Jun’s friends view his purchase of the Model 3, he said, “Most people ask how much it costs. When I say it’s more than 300,000 yuan, they say, ‘Isn’t Tesla much cheaper now?’ Some friends also intend to buy one, with many opting to trade in their gasoline cars and keep them for business trips only, using the electric car for daily commuting. Some people hope to buy a Tesla for about 300,000 yuan with a range of 400-500 kilometers, while others are attracted by the advanced driver assistance functions that are fun to play with. So far, none of my friends have spoken out against it.”

If you were to rate the overall satisfaction level of the Model 3 and whether you would recommend it to your family or friends, how many stars would you give it out of 5? Jun rated it 4.5 stars for overall satisfaction. Aside from the advantages mentioned above, the Model 3’s chassis is not easy for mice to get into. The only reason for the 0.5 deduction is that Tesla has room for improvement, such as more advanced battery technology, more user-friendly driver assistance, and more Supercharger stations. As for the recommendation, he gave it 5 stars for being easy and intelligent.

Jun suggests that when deciding whether or not to buy an electric car, first consider the convenience of charging and then determine the range version based on personal usage needs. When test driving, ask the salesperson to explain the functions and then focus on more than just the acceleration, but also try the steering and sudden lane changes. On the freeway, try the Autopilot feature and feel the temporary freedom of hands-free driving.

Regarding his expectations for Tesla, Jun hopes for more advanced battery technology, more humanized assistance driving, and more Supercharger stations.I hope the price won’t drop too quickly and can be maintained for one or two more years. I heard that the after-sales service is often unsatisfactory, and car owners hope that they will try their best to solve problems instead of avoiding them. Also, I hope there will be battery replacement services in the future, and the price should not be too high.

Jun’s Model 3 is charging.

Final Words

After talking with these three car owners, I can feel that they are different from NIO and Ideal car owners that I interviewed before.

The difference is mainly reflected in the degree of love for the brand, which is not as high as that of NIO and Ideal car owners. This love actually comes not only from the manufacturer’s powerful technology and ability but also more from the manufacturer’s service to users. Because only with more recognition from car owners, can better synergy be achieved, which is what Tesla needs to work hard on.

We all hope that brands at the forefront of the times can go further and bring greater value to society. But at the same time, we need to think about what we are creating all these values for.

Returning to the original intention is to bring better services to people.

Come on, Tesla.

Written by Bai Long

Edited by Da Ji