The Tesla does do Laguna Seca fairly well!

It's not too scary actually! Just none of them do it with stock brakes and stock pads. The Performance Model has bigger brakes and pads as stock and even those guys change them to something even more aggressive.
Here's a commercial link (sorry) to what the non-performance model drivers use, they just change the front brakes (pads and rotors) and most people are fine after that. This is the front rotor a lot of guys use.
www.mountainpassperformance.com
The thing is this... I use my Tesla as a commute car. I've never commuted with a car that is on 700 treadwear tires with such awful brakes that's tuned for efficiency. My AMG Mercedes is more focused on performance and less on efficiency. My V8 BMW was focused on luxury. And my sporty little Mercedes C Class also had high performance tires and huge front Brembo brakes. All my previous ICE cars had Z-rated W or Y tires and big brake discs and big calipers and the tires could really grip the road to handle the braking. The Tesla is not under-tired (the Mustang Mach E is a bigger car than the Model 3 yet has a skinnier tire, that car is under-tired). but the model 3 isn't over-tired neither. So I'm dealing with eco-friendly tires, a heavy car, less capable brakes, which is why I don't feel comfortable in the car on a windy road and I definitely wouldn't take it to the track. Sure, I could put on stickier tires, and the Mountain pass Performance brakes. But then the tires would kill the range! Something's gotta give! Oh! and this is the first commute car that I've owned without a spare tire! While I've never used the spare in my other cars, it was nice to know they were there. I had a flat in the Tesla and I was stranded for 4 hours on a bridge only 10 miles from my home!

New Tesla Model 3 Is Out!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-02:10

After a lot of waiting... The new Tesla Model 3 "HIGHLAND" is out! I think it looks a lot better than my Tesla Model 3! Mine has what I call a platypus front. Full disclosure: I am a Tesla stockholder. ...

Full disclosure I’m a stock holder as well..

By: jp884 : September 1st, 2023-02:34

But hate electric cars😉 But I think Elon is a genius, so far ahead of his time.

They are soul-less but competent!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-02:52

Elon is definitely a genius. That's a fact. Definition of a genius is to be of exceptional intelligence - usually top 1%. He's definitely up there! But every genius has his good moments and his bad ones! I can only hope that Elon has more good ones than b...

+1

By: Blue and White : September 1st, 2023-04:17

Elon also needs to be of this time...

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-06:23

Elon is sometimes way too far ahead of the times. And that doesn't help him nor society. He is definitely ahead of the times, but he can't be so far ahead that society can't adapt. Small steps! A few years ahead of today is good. But not one or two decade...

I don’t want to crash the party but electric cars weren’t exactly new and Elon didn’t found Tesla either.

By: Pour le Mérite : September 1st, 2023-14:42

He has visions and is good at selling things, much like Jobs.

True and good points...👍

By: India Whiskey Charlie : September 1st, 2023-15:41

True!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-17:39

Absolutely true! Although Elon has kind of "stolen" the title as Founder now. Much to the original Founder's chagrin. Elon was probably a bully to Martin Eberhard. Nobody knows the full story, but the two are not happy with each other.

🤣 They honestly both look very very similar to me, but I don’t have your sophisticated eye to see the differences…

By: ArmisT : September 1st, 2023-02:40

however, I like the 3 ever since I first saw it, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Note that I’ve never driven it, but you have previously shared some great insights and opinions based on your hands on experience. Interestingly, I was just reading about Ni...

I like the suspension on my Tesla. Absolutely abhor the brakes.

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-02:57

The brakes are so bad. And I've never had a car with bad brakes. And I've never had a car with brakes smaller than 13.6" front rotors. My first car was a Mercedes and it had these big Brembo brakes with super aggressive rotors. Second car was a V8 BMW 5 s...

Just to set the record straight…

By: Cpt Scarlet : September 1st, 2023-08:48

A Tesla Model 3 Performance has lapped Laguna in an impressive 1:37.566. You could always take a visit to Mountain Pass Performance who will modify your Tesla if you’re not satisfied or alternatively just try to use regenerative braking more effectively. ...

Yes! Mountain Pass Performance does offer some excellent solutions!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-17:23

I've never made major modifications to any of my cars - even the race car was almost entirely stock. So just not used to this idea. But yes, with some modifications, a better rotor that's larger with directional vanes, and wider temperature pads, the Tesl...

And I'm certain the cars setting records at Laguna Seca...

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-17:25

All the Tesla Model 3s that are frequenting Laguna Seca are definitely not on the stock brake rotors nor on the stock pads. Those pads only work in low temperature settings. The pads overheat before the brake fluid overheats! That's how bad the pads are!

I agree with the Cpt

By: cazalea : September 1st, 2023-13:47

Tesla and many other electrics ( & hybrids) use less aggressive braking systems because when driven sanely for best range, the regeneration does much of the work of stopping, leaving the pads and rotors less burdened. On my 2006 Honda Insight, I went over...

The Tesla does do Laguna Seca fairly well!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-17:37

Looking good

By: Aquaracer1 : September 1st, 2023-20:17

Like this better than previous generation. I read recently that Tesla is now the second most popular vehicle of any kind in the US, only behind the F 150, which has been the most popular for decades in the US. That’s some crazy growth right there. It also...

Try a Tesla!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-20:34

BMWs are a lot of fun to drive! But you have to try electric cars to give them a fair shot. Don't get me wrong. I still miss my V8 BMW 5er. Which was the most luxurious car I ever owned (but was sadly also the most unreliable car I ever owned). I felt the...

I think it looks good. That’s a nice deep colour as well

By: nasseriq : September 1st, 2023-20:21

Looks so much better than my Tesla Model 3 in my eyes!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-21:08

I like my Tesla Model 3 overall. But I do have to say, it's the ugliest car I've ever owned!

I just cannot understand buying a Tesla giving the wild price changes happening.

By: Jay (Eire) : September 1st, 2023-22:48

What’s $105k today is $75k tomorrow. I mean, it’s not like us here are unfamiliar with differences between list prices and real selling prices, but this is not something that car buyers are used to. How does one buy a new Tesla and reconcile these prices ...

I hear you!

By: patrick_y : September 1st, 2023-22:53

Honestly, this is actually how the normal car market works too! It's just that Tesla actually changes the MSRP so it's much more visible. At a BMW dealership for instance, they give a bigger discount some months and no discount some months. SO it's just n...

But surely not this wide.

By: Jay (Eire) : September 2nd, 2023-00:13

I get promotions etc but they don’t impact resale values in the same way a cut to msrp does. Or maybe I’m wrong.

Yes! Exactly. You are correct.

By: patrick_y : September 2nd, 2023-17:31

BMW doesn't change the MSRP because that would screw up all their residuals. And this does help owners who buy as their values won't be changing as much. But on the other end of the spectrum, Bentley does have a very dynamic price. The price of a Bentley ...