Thoughts on Ford's dedication to updates (Tesla vs Ford)

[yirdboy]

I was mostly in the same position, but I really like the way the MME looks versus the MY.

If you're only driving 30 miles a day, range isn't going to matter much. Honestly, for the few times you do want to take a road trip, you're probably not going to want to go more than 200 miles on a charge in either of them.

I would also hesitate to just throw Tesla the nod in infrastructure. They may have the most robust network, but I'd rather road trip on the EA network. (Electrify America) If your road trips only use the new V3 superchargers, then sure Tesla is just as nice as EA. But, their older stations split power between charger cables, (meaning you share that 120kw or 150kw with the guy next to you) and they don't have thermal management. (Meaning on warmer days the cable gets very warm and throttles how much power it can provide your car.) But again, if it's not something you plan on doing a lot of, none of what I just said matters too much. Oh, and Tesla is offering one free year of supercharging for free with M3 and MY right now.

I would do a little research if you're planning on doing any trips and see what's in your area. Then, take them both for a test drive and see which one you like the most.

Ooh interesting, I definitely need to do more research because I just assumed Tesla had the advantage. In the coming years that could shift significantly as well if the market transitions. Test drive is going to be key for sure. Do you know when the free year ends? Not that it matters too much because I will be charging from home. Road trips just seem so convenient with a Tesla as well, like map integrated stops on the nav, is that going to be available on the Mach E? I know there are apps that can do that, but do they play nice with apple car play?

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[timbop]

like map integrated stops on the nav, is that going to be available on the Mach E?

yes.

 

[Dan G]

Gotta be honest with you here. Your perception of OTAs is excessively optimistic, to the point that it sounds like you're uncritically trusting marketing materials. Yes, OTAs can offer some nice perks. Yes, Ford will offer OTA updates to expand on some features, just like Tesla does. But ultimately cars are hardware, and software updates can't give you new tires or a new motor or a new battery pack. The notion that newer cars will be better than older cars won't be killed by OTAs, because OTAs can't undo corrosion or metal fatigue.

Other words, your 2021 Ford will "keep up" with your 2021 Tesla in 3 years, but NEITHER is going to "keep up" with the 2024 iterations of their own models. Regardless of what they say, Tesla does update and redesign their hardware and will continue to do so. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by believing too much in OTAs.

I agree and somewhat disagree. The difference between a 2018 M3 and a 2021 M3 is a lot of hardware. (Heat pump, wireless charging, double pane windows, etc.) Obviously that can't come in a software update, but there is no difference between the two infotainment systems and what they offer. For example, dog mode came to all cars, regardless of the year model.

It's really yet to be seen if Ford will keep older models as up to date as Tesla does. Not saying they won't; just we don't know yet.

 

[yirdboy]

I think it's worth pondering your quoted statements above and determine which one is correct. "How important is range to you really?" If it's not a big deal like you say then you have your answer already. Get the Mach E for less money.

Both models have the ability for updates over the air so there might not be much difference between the two over the next several years.

One thing that wasn't mentioned is service and parts support. The Mach E is likely to have a huge advantage compared to the Model Y when it comes to maintenance, service and repair. All things mechanical have a need for maintenance and repair at some point. Something to consider.

Good luck with your decision. You have a couple of good choices in mind it seems. No matter which you choose....going EV is a great choice.

Do you think that all ford dealerships will be equipped to service these models? There certainly will be more dealerships than Tesla, but I also wonder if they will be able to actually work on them. I definitely am keeping this in mind though, the ford I'm assuming will have better build quality from the start and better service, which is definitely important.

 

[Dan G]

Ooh interesting, I definitely need to do more research because I just assumed Tesla had the advantage. In the coming years that could shift significantly as well if the market transitions. Test drive is going to be key for sure. Do you know when the free year ends? Not that it matters too much because I will be charging from home. Road trips just seem so convenient with a Tesla as well, like map integrated stops on the nav, is that going to be available on the Mach E? I know there are apps that can do that, but do they play nice with apple car play?

The free supercharging is only to the end of the year, I believe.

Road tripping on a Tesla is super easy and convenient. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow when the embargo is lifted and hopefully someone tries to plan a trip on the MME.

 

[yirdboy]

I agree and somewhat disagree. The difference between a 2018 M3 and a 2021 M3 is a lot of hardware. (Heat pump, wireless charging, double pane windows, etc.) Obviously that can't come in a software update, but there is no difference between the two infotainment systems and what they offer. For example, dog mode came to all cars, regardless of the year model.

It's really yet to be seen if Ford will keep older models as up to date as Tesla does. Not saying they won't; just we don't know yet.

Yeah I guess just because its all so new to me like having all these silly modes and the updates all the time is very exciting and inviting to me. It feels so next gen and modern, and while the mach e may have lots of updates, will it have kooky stuff like dog mode that just makes the car feel so much more like a piece of tech, or will they focus more on making it more familiar feeling to try to get more typical car buyers interested.

 

[Blinkin]

I agree and somewhat disagree. The difference between a 2018 M3 and a 2021 M3 is a lot of hardware. (Heat pump, wireless charging, double pane windows, etc.) Obviously that can't come in a software update, but there is no difference between the two infotainment systems and what they offer. For example, dog mode came to all cars, regardless of the year model.

It's really yet to be seen if Ford will keep older models as up to date as Tesla does. Not saying they won't; just we don't know yet.

Sooner or later Tesla WILL update that infotainment hardware too. Relentless improvements in processors and touchscreens basically guarantees that. Point is that when that time comes, eventually those newer Teslas will have features that just won't work on the older ones.

I agree that I hope Ford does as much as possible to keep the MME experience fresh. I think the infrastructure is in place for it, and they're certainly SAYING they will, but as you say the proof is ultimately in the pudding.

 

[agoldman]

Clearly tesla's formula has something going for it. Other manufacturers like Ford would do well to figure out what that is, and then just leave out the bad stuff, like no quality control..

 

[yirdboy]

The free supercharging is only to the end of the year, I believe.

Road tripping on a Tesla is super easy and convenient. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow when the embargo is lifted and hopefully someone tries to plan a trip on the MME.

Oh that's sick, i didn't realize it ended tomorrow. ok I am stoked to watch more reviews tomorrow then. Yes I will definitely be looking forward to that, because Tesla definitely seems to make it as easy as possible.

 

[Dan G]

Sooner or later Tesla WILL update that infotainment hardware too. Relentless improvements in processors and touchscreens basically guarantees that. Point is that when that time comes, eventually those newer Teslas will have features that just won't work on the older ones.

I agree that I hope Ford does as much as possible to keep the MME experience fresh. I think the infrastructure is in place for it, and they're certainly SAYING they will, but as you say the proof is ultimately in the pudding.

I think we're dancing around the same bush here. If Ford can do enough to keep my car feeling relevant for five years, then I would have no problems getting a new one for the improved processing power or new tech of the day, whatever that may be.

 

[yirdboy]

I think we're dancing around the same bush here. If Ford can do enough to keep my car feeling relevant for five years, then I would have no problems getting a new one for the improved processing power or new tech of the day, whatever that may be.

Agreed, I mean realistically car shopping usually happens around that mark if not before, you don't keep a new car forever so I think the expectation is that eventually we will all be buying the next best thing out there, but like you said Ford has a big task in front of them of trying to keep it relavant, because with the new world we live in, it's not enough just to make a car that lasts 5 years, it also needs to not be outdated 1 year into it's life. I really hope that they can keep it relevant but only time will tell, all I know is that Tesla's crazy stuff that I'd only ever use maybe once (romance mode, games, etc) is dumb but it makes it feel like so much more than just a car, and that is very attractive to me

 

[Dan G]

Agreed, I mean realistically car shopping usually happens around that mark if not before, you don't keep a new car forever so I think the expectation is that eventually we will all be buying the next best thing out there, but like you said Ford has a big task in front of them of trying to keep it relavant, because with the new world we live in, it's not enough just to make a car that lasts 5 years, it also needs to not be outdated 1 year into it's life. I really hope that they can keep it relevant but only time will tell, all I know is that Tesla's crazy stuff that I'd only ever use maybe once (romance mode, games, etc) is dumb but it makes it feel like so much more than just a car, and that is very attractive to me

Yeah, what would rub me the wrong way was if the 2022 MME came out and had Dog mode or camping mode or something else that doesn't get pushed to my 2021 model.

 

[timbop]

Tesla's crazy stuff that I'd only ever use maybe once (romance mode, games, etc) is dumb but it makes it feel like so much more than just a car, and that is very attractive to me

The word you're looking for is "gimmick". As an example, everybody wants the Samsung fridge with a tablet on it until they get one and the reality that they are built like sh!t and break within a couple of years sets in. Neither the model Y nor the Mach E will be that bad, but the point is that you don't want gimicks that you'll never use more than once to make your decision. You're going to be spending a lot of money, so you should make sure the fundamentals are covered first.

It is unknown how gimmicky Ford's apps will be, but you have a LOT to look into and learn about the MME's capabilities if you want to make an informed decision. As of right now Ford doesn't have some of those gimmicky apps, but neither did Teslas when they first came out. Tomorrow you'll get a lot of info, but some of it will be repetitive because they'll all cover the basics.

 

[timbop]

Yeah, what would rub me the wrong way was if the 2022 MME came out and had Dog mode or camping mode or something else that doesn't get pushed to my 2021 model.

I don't think they'll do that

 

[Dan G]

I don't think they'll do that

I don't think they will either.

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