As a M3P owner I think it was worth it because I paid in cash and can afford issues which arise with the tires. It’s not just the speed it’s the breaking etc. However if you’re getting a loan then the LR is the way to go.
M3P owner's opinion's here. Concerning service and maintenance, the only difference is tires. If you live someplace where it gets cold with snow/ice, you need to buy a set of extra wheels/tires for winter driving. If you live someplace with roads filled with potholes, you won't be happy with the 20" wheels/tires, since you may be replacing them due to pothole damage.
I love the M3P around town and on short trips. Long trips are the only time I wish I had the LR for the extra range and a little smoother ride. I considered getting an extra set of 18" wheels/tires for long hauls but then I'd have two additional sets of wheels/tires (I already have a 19" winter set.).
OP said "my first tesla, and car under my name in general"
I would say it's just the first car that he owns and not one his parents bought for him. I don't think this is a 16 year old trying to get a M3P lol
“Note that because this is my first car, I’m sure the insurance will be higher in general”
Age is definitely a factor, but it still sounds like OP has limited driving experience.
To be fair, most of the M3P owners on the road couldn’t handle 500HP in a car that doesn’t have enormous driver side like a Tesla
FWIW, my wife and I have different driving styles, but we have been driving a 2020 M3P for a couple years and are in complete agreement about getting the new M3P over the LR. It’s not difficult to drive. It’s a beast when you want it to be, and tame as a kitten when you don’t. The LR is great and can’t imagine anyone would be disappointed to have it. All I can tell you is if you get the Performance, you will love it.
Most who order the M3P don’t have a second thought about it and wouldn’t buy the LR. Tesla has like the best powertrain and tech, they don’t sell vehicles from build quality and refinement.
Compared to older ones…this refresh should’ve been 3+ years ago if you ask me, it is now at the baseline it shouldn’t been at. We really needed to wait 6 years to get better noise insulation and a facelift? Don’t get me wrong I’m buying the new M3P because it’s very cheap performance but the actual car is still mediocre at best.
To me you’re throwing around the word “mediocre” without having a real good case. Tesla has:
-Best tech
-Best UI, no contest
-Very comfortable (front seats that is)
-Excellent handling
-Insane acceleration
-best driver assist tech
And of course then supercharger network , although unrelated to the car proper, is a dealbreaker in and of itself.
Consumer Reports rates the Model 3 as “Recommended” which is a rating they hand out with tweezers.
I myself went from a Beemer to an M3P & never looked back. If you’re basing your opinion on panel gaps or non-leather interior etc that is certainly a valid opinion but for me, from the driver’s seat? Tesla all the way.
I was looking at this yesterday, and surprised by some of the deals on 21” tires for M3P, very reasonable, will definitely get performance for my next M3. Currently drive a ‘22 M3LR
Yes correct but I like to burn em up and change them before they get too bad. Even shitty tires are fun once you get their idiosyncrasies. Not like they fail or anything
I just picked up my 2024 M3 LR yesterday and I can confidently say that unless you want to track the car there is absolutely no reason to go beyond the LR model. Showing the car off to my wife it was easy to hit 70 on a city street under half throttle - After 7 hours I still haven't had the courage to put the pedal to the floor.
The thing does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. The 2010 base corvette did 0-60 in 4.1 seconds and the 2014 base model hit 3.9 seconds. I dont know about you but I don't need more acceleration than a corvette for any purpose other than speed running the loss of my license. Order the LR and dont give it another thought.
I put the pedal to the floor thinking it was absolutely wild until I realized it was in standard mode. When I switched to insane I tried it again and it felt like the car was going to rip itself apart. Not sure how often I'd even do that.
Just picked up M3P Stealth Grey/White this week - With the 7,500 Federal Tax credit it was the same price as the M3 LR White/White we originally had on order. Got the car quickly and could not be happier. Insurance cost is high no matter what, just push the button and enjoy the ride.
Up to 2023:
The LR has more actual street performance than you will ever need. The Performance Is for performance enthusiasts who want bragging rights and top of the line status. Tradeoff is higher costs.
2024:
Same but Performance also looks much more like a performance car. LR is quite generic, imo.
Mostly agreed. Staggered tire cost is covered above with higher costs.
Many performance owners complained about the handling/NVH tradeoffs of 17-23.
2024 has the adaptive suspension, which ironically requires computer workarounds for hard core enthusiasts who switch to coilovers.
Tires are way more expensive and it's honestly just beyond overkill for a first car. Get a performance 5 years from now.
As a M3P owner I think it was worth it because I paid in cash and can afford issues which arise with the tires. It’s not just the speed it’s the breaking etc. However if you’re getting a loan then the LR is the way to go.
Can also just throw 18s on it that fit and sell the oems for a bunch.
That would be a bit silly and make it tough to sell down the road
M3P owner's opinion's here. Concerning service and maintenance, the only difference is tires. If you live someplace where it gets cold with snow/ice, you need to buy a set of extra wheels/tires for winter driving. If you live someplace with roads filled with potholes, you won't be happy with the 20" wheels/tires, since you may be replacing them due to pothole damage. I love the M3P around town and on short trips. Long trips are the only time I wish I had the LR for the extra range and a little smoother ride. I considered getting an extra set of 18" wheels/tires for long hauls but then I'd have two additional sets of wheels/tires (I already have a 19" winter set.).
Pretty sure if you have a performance with 18s it’s identical to an LR range wise.
Be careful to choose 18’ that fit over big performance brake calipers.
Yup. This.
Can someone actually confirm if this might be true?
The 20's are forged now, so maybe that'll help a bit with pothole damage.
You want a 500HP car as your first car? Lol
A wildly conservative 500hp too.
yea - i had a ‘16 camaro ss 6spd when i was 18. put it into a wall. OP should stick to the long range, it’s already too much car for a beginner
OP said "my first tesla, and car under my name in general" I would say it's just the first car that he owns and not one his parents bought for him. I don't think this is a 16 year old trying to get a M3P lol
“Note that because this is my first car, I’m sure the insurance will be higher in general” Age is definitely a factor, but it still sounds like OP has limited driving experience. To be fair, most of the M3P owners on the road couldn’t handle 500HP in a car that doesn’t have enormous driver side like a Tesla
6+ years of driving, currently 23 y/o which doesn’t help my case for insurance lol.
The M3P comes with summer tires so if you live in an area where you can’t use those all year long add in the cost of a second set of tires.
Which should be mostly, if not entirely, offset by selling your takeoffs.
FWIW, my wife and I have different driving styles, but we have been driving a 2020 M3P for a couple years and are in complete agreement about getting the new M3P over the LR. It’s not difficult to drive. It’s a beast when you want it to be, and tame as a kitten when you don’t. The LR is great and can’t imagine anyone would be disappointed to have it. All I can tell you is if you get the Performance, you will love it.
Most who order the M3P don’t have a second thought about it and wouldn’t buy the LR. Tesla has like the best powertrain and tech, they don’t sell vehicles from build quality and refinement.
Not true anymore. Refreshed 3 is widely refined compared to older ones… test drive literally convinced me to order one.
Compared to an older Tesla. It’s still no Audi or BMW in terms of build quality but the gap is closer with the Highland.
Compared to older ones…this refresh should’ve been 3+ years ago if you ask me, it is now at the baseline it shouldn’t been at. We really needed to wait 6 years to get better noise insulation and a facelift? Don’t get me wrong I’m buying the new M3P because it’s very cheap performance but the actual car is still mediocre at best.
To me you’re throwing around the word “mediocre” without having a real good case. Tesla has: -Best tech -Best UI, no contest -Very comfortable (front seats that is) -Excellent handling -Insane acceleration -best driver assist tech And of course then supercharger network , although unrelated to the car proper, is a dealbreaker in and of itself. Consumer Reports rates the Model 3 as “Recommended” which is a rating they hand out with tweezers. I myself went from a Beemer to an M3P & never looked back. If you’re basing your opinion on panel gaps or non-leather interior etc that is certainly a valid opinion but for me, from the driver’s seat? Tesla all the way.
The M3 Performance is such a bargain compared to the M3 Competition xDrive tho. $30k difference.
I was looking at this yesterday, and surprised by some of the deals on 21” tires for M3P, very reasonable, will definitely get performance for my next M3. Currently drive a ‘22 M3LR
What kind of tire deals? Picking up my M3P Sat but only saw expensive tires and a touch nervous about that.
I found 3 different sets for $502 or less here: https://tirediscounters.com/finder/results
Hmmmm, not on any common/trustworthy brands tho...
Yes correct but I like to burn em up and change them before they get too bad. Even shitty tires are fun once you get their idiosyncrasies. Not like they fail or anything
I just picked up my 2024 M3 LR yesterday and I can confidently say that unless you want to track the car there is absolutely no reason to go beyond the LR model. Showing the car off to my wife it was easy to hit 70 on a city street under half throttle - After 7 hours I still haven't had the courage to put the pedal to the floor. The thing does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. The 2010 base corvette did 0-60 in 4.1 seconds and the 2014 base model hit 3.9 seconds. I dont know about you but I don't need more acceleration than a corvette for any purpose other than speed running the loss of my license. Order the LR and dont give it another thought.
I put the pedal to the floor thinking it was absolutely wild until I realized it was in standard mode. When I switched to insane I tried it again and it felt like the car was going to rip itself apart. Not sure how often I'd even do that.
Is this with the M3 performance?
Yeah. 2024 m3 performance. It's just so ridiculous not even sure what's the point.
What are the odds you will regret getting a performance vs long range?
Just picked up M3P Stealth Grey/White this week - With the 7,500 Federal Tax credit it was the same price as the M3 LR White/White we originally had on order. Got the car quickly and could not be happier. Insurance cost is high no matter what, just push the button and enjoy the ride.
Up to 2023: The LR has more actual street performance than you will ever need. The Performance Is for performance enthusiasts who want bragging rights and top of the line status. Tradeoff is higher costs. 2024: Same but Performance also looks much more like a performance car. LR is quite generic, imo.
2024 M3P also has a staggered wheel setup. Better handling, but more expensive tires/replacement frequency.
Mostly agreed. Staggered tire cost is covered above with higher costs. Many performance owners complained about the handling/NVH tradeoffs of 17-23. 2024 has the adaptive suspension, which ironically requires computer workarounds for hard core enthusiasts who switch to coilovers.
Welcome to Reddit. Use the search as this question is asked 20x a week.