Tesla Model S: On add-ons and upgrades

For most people, to even start considering the purchase of a Model S is a daunting prospect. Even with incentive programs, they are not cheap. They also come with a fairly large list of optional add-ons and extras. Which ones to pick, and which one to leave by the wayside? I believe this comes down to answering two questions:

1. Is the utility of the add-on worth the money it costs?
2. If I didn’t get a given add-on, would I miss it?

One of the add-ons I didn’t get, was four-wheel drive. On the one hand, I didn’t feel the cost justified the additional power and range. I also felt that I would rather have the large front trunk than the smaller one you get with four-wheel drive. Having driven the car a fair amount, I can say that I don’t miss the four-wheel drive, and the utility of the large storage space easily trumps that of the four-wheel drive. Another upgrade I didn’t get was the sound package. Again, I didn’t feel it was worth it, and I’m not enough of an audiophile to miss the sound.

On the other hand, I did opt for the panorama roof upgrade. I did this primarily because I wanted to have the option for a roof rack in the future, but also because I like having a sunroof. There is an unforeseen problem with it though; it reduces the insulating qualities of the model S significantly. This can be solved with the judicious application of audio foam. On balance, I’m not sure I would have chosen it, knowing then what I know now. I do not, however regret it; and the upgrade is one of the less expensive ones.

I also opted for both rear-facing child seats in the trunk, and the auto-pilot functionality; both of which I would whole-heartedly recommend. The auto-pilot is awesome, and getting better with each upgrade. As for the seats; the ability to transport seven people at a time is pretty cool. All in all, I am very happy with the add-ons I opted for, and I cannot say I miss any upgrade I didn’t choose.