After 10 crashed Tesla Model 3 Performances, I needed to see what it was all about...

Ben is on a road trip this week, so things are a bit slow in the Wham Baam editing studio, so I decided to head out and do something really fast! I test-drove the new Model 3 Performance!

Coming from Wham Baam Teslacam - this is how you expect the test drive to end, right:

or like this:

No, this was an ordinary 60 minute drive with a car that was limited to 80 mph. BUT, we have already received 10 submissions from owners who have had their new Model 3 Performances totaled… So I needed to test this out, what’s this all about! So here it comes, the quickest car review you have ever read, and I’m going to compare it to my current Model Y Performance.

2022 Model Y Performance VS 2024 Model 3 Performance

I was actually coming in to this test drive expecting to be completely blown away by the acceleration. I thought it would be stomach-wrenching-plaid-fast! But driving a Model Y Performance to the test drive, I didn't find the acceleration to be much different. I know the 3 is faster, but I didn't 'feel' it being quicker.

Driving:
You sit so much lower in the 3 compared to the Y. (I used to have a 2019 Model 3, and I can't remember it being so low.) This adds to the overall sporty feel. I loved how the car felt in the corners. It was much more fun to drive than the Y, and I can imagine it's a blast on track days!

Interior:
I love the new interior. It feels more modern than the wood panels in the Y. The Performance has the new sport seats—ventilated! That was really neat. Even though the sales rep told me the seat size is exactly the same in the Long Range and in Performance, the Performance seats was really narrow and squeezed my thighs (which bucket seats are supposed to do per design, I know!). Honestly, I did not really like that. But, I have never seen anyone complain about this before online, so I might be the first…

Economics:
Is changing from a 2022 Model Y to a new Model 3 worth it? With Tesla's current campaign of 1,99% interest, I understand why people are doing it! Running the numbers for myself, I would save around $200 USD per month trading in my Model Y Performance for a Model 3 Performance. But then, I'm not taking into account the car's depreciation, which in the last couple of years has hit Tesla owners extra hard?

Exterior:
The car looks so fast! The ultra red color is gorgeous. Here’s a full walkaround video posted on the Wham Baam channel:

Conclusion:
Score: 9/10

While I am tempted to trade in my Y for a Quicksilver 3, I just can’t justify it, for two resons:

- Depreciation, in the trade-in offer I got from Tesla, my Y had lost 52% of it’s value in 26 months. Will the value of the 3 drop as fast?

- The difference isn’t really that much for how I use the car.
However, I will be doing my first track day in a couple of weeks with TeslaCorsa, which I will be doing in the Y. Do you think I will change my mind after that?

Ps.
See you all on Sunday! In this weeks episode we will feature a CRAZY story about a Range Rover driver who started road raging, crashing several cars - then started lying to the police - and ultimately being busted by the Teslacam footage! You don’t want to miss it! Here are some frames from the video:

Don’t trust stairs, they are always up to something…