Tesla Model S Review
85 kWh Performance Series Model S Signature Edition

Tesla Model S Quirks

Here are some things that we've found which were unexpected, interesting, or just worth noting ... if you have a question, ask it on the contact us form:
- Every time you drive by a gas station you get a little smirk on your face (and it hasn't stopped yet), really quite liberating to 'gas up at home' 
- Driving is incredibly peaceful given there is no noise (a bit of rushing wind sound) and no gear shifting. When passing or speeding up there is instant feedback between your foot and your chest ... but no drama. Hard to explain and great to experience
- The best view of the car for the others on the road is unfortunately directly in your blindspot on both sides ... and they don't drive through your blindspot - they will sit there for a good 20-30 seconds admiring the car and taking pictures so make sure to actually look back when changing lanes
- If you give the turn signal stalk a very quick gentle press in the up or down direction, you will get a three click lane change signal that doesn't need cancelling. You can gently push it and hold it there for a longer cycle manually
- Although there aren't any handles for passengers to hold on to, placing your forearm (driver or passenger) on or should I say in the door rest is the perfect spot to provide support ... this is obviously one of the most subtle design details I have ever seen and didn't notice it until banking on a long gentle curve and my arm fell in there and I thought 'that's a perfect fit' :)
- When you pull up to pick up someone that has never seen the car, the look on their face is priceless when they go to grab the recessed door handle and stop ... because it's recessed
- The heater works instantly as it doesn't require an engine to heat up before it starts blowing hot air
- The regenerative breaking is strange for the first 10 minutes you own the car and then you enjoy the fact that the car automatically slows itself down and recovers some mileage while saving your breakpads. It appears that the regenerative breaking needs the 'car' to warm up a bit before it starts working. I've noticed when drving after it's been sitting in the parking lot during cold weather, it doesn't regen for the first few minutes like it does coming out of the garage 
- The windshield has some form of a coating that prevents some 'radio signals' from passing through (either direction) the implications are:
       - Use of an electronic toll collection device from inside the car will not be consistent, there is a spot on the windshield next to the base of the mirror where signals are supposed to be able to pass through, but this only works 25% of the time and is very dependent on the position of the toll collection reader and driver speed
       - Some say signals from Police radar don't make it into the car either, I have a V1 mounted high on the windshield with the iPhone app and have verified that all bands (X, K, Ka low, Ka mid, and Ka high come through
- when driving with your left leg in the 'seated position' (versus outstretched on the dead pedal/foot rest next to the brake), and it lays a bit to the left - the window switches on the passenger side can get pressed and the windows go down a bit. Startled me a bit the first time it happened - thought maybe someone from Tesla was testing the Tesla Model S iPhone app
- There isn't a coat hook above the rear seats, but the drivers seat does make for a nice suit coat hanger. Just take the coat off the hanger, and put it over the back of the seat like it was person
- Homelink setup was easy after installing new batteries in the garage door opener