[BadgeringWeasel]

Hi All,

I'm looking to get either the Mach-E California Edition or Model Y long range. With each having 300 mi range, it's hard to decide which I would want. Here are my thoughts to the advantages of both right now:

Mach-E

• Price with tax credit is about $3k less than Model-Y
• There's a Ford dealer in my town (though the Tesla dealer is only 45 minutes away)
• There seems to be a lot of anti-Tesla sentiment out there, though not sure if that's overblown with sentry mode being able to post more videos
• Repairs will probably be quicker and cheaper

Model Y

• They are established as THE electric car manufacturer. Though they had some growing pains, I think I would trust an electric car from Tesla with 10+ years vs Ford's first serious electric entry
• Supercharging network: both speed of charging and availability. I don't plan on taking a lot of road trips, but I don't want the stress of driving with my family to find EA chargers broken and run out of juice
• OA updates, not sure if Ford has the same plans as Tesla with all of the added features. This one may be a tie.
• Dealer experience. Again, not sure Ford's plan but I've heard the Tesla buying experience is amazing. I've heard the stories of dealer major markups for the Niro EV and Kona EV. We'll see whether or not Ford follows suit.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Model Y but I'd love to hear others thoughts if those are your choices. I'd love the Niro EV but I live in the Midwest and I don't see them coming out here any time soon.

 

[Torque Monster]

Disclaimer: I own a Model 3 long rang all wheel drive.
Download the PlugShare app and look for chargers and check the pricing. Tesla Superchargers have been absolutely reliable and the least expensive option of even level 2 chargers in my area. I home charge now, after the curiosity of the testing of superchargers and public charging wore off. If you "need" public charging at top speed, get the Tesla. I thought I might need Tesla's charging speed (range anxiety). But I don't really "need" it; home charging is good, actually better. My Model 3 gets 44 miles of range per hour of home charging. If the Mach E can get 30 miles of range per hour of home charging, it would not make much of difference when charging over night or for a couple of hours charging after work, before running evening errands.

If you don't need the car now, wait until you can test drive them and check your insurance pricing.
I've only seen the Mach E unveil video, but suspect the Mach E interior may be a nicer place to be.

The Tesla buying experience is not bad, but it is not amazing, other than the fact you can order it online. That 1-day buying experience should not influence a $50K purchase for something you will use for years.

Yes, Tesla is 'the' EV manufacturer. But the Mach E uses the Mustang name. Ford, with all it's might, will NOT let Mach E owners have bad experience for issues that come up.

OA updates are over-rated in my opinion. I've received nothing game changing. I got games installed...I don't care. I got a mysterious 5% power bump installed...If no one told me, I wouldn't notice because it already blows the door off almost all cars. I got Spotify installed...meh, where is CarPlay. I got one-pedal driving installed....it was one pedal driving down to 5mph before; not much of a change. OA updates are nice but did not/will not influence any future EV purchase

 

[BadgeringWeasel]

Thanks for the really good response! I will definitely like to test drive both when they come out, that will probably be the primary determining factor. Like you, I'm planning to do most of my charging at home but just hope that my one or two 300+ mile trips a year wouldn't become overly complicated by an EA network that is allegedly really unreliable. Guess we'll see what happens with it at the release gets closer.

Just wanna make sure if I get the Mach-E that I can get it early enough to get that tax credit!

 

[Billyk24]

Some states do not have Tesla sales and service centers. Good luck if you live in far rural area with the ranger service. Tesla build quality remains an issue and if you need replacement parts, one could wait several..months! Supercharger sites? All highpowered D/C charged compared the current Electrify America which composes of multiple level 2 charging sites and known issues with malfunctioning units. The upper Midwest is a dead zone for any high powered D/C charging. sites.

 

[BoltPride]

A major manufacturer that has been there and done that informed my decision.

 

[rboardman]

I was ready to put down a deposit on a Model Y and then I started reading all the customer service horror stories. Tesla is a great car to drive, but the company is just a nightmare to deal with if you need service of any kind. They build and sell cars faster than they can service them, sacrificing build quality and service for volume. The reviews on my local service center are awful.

The Mach E is better looking in my opinion. I think it will drive just as well. The interior is much better (I was able to sit in the GT at the LA Auto show). I trust the Ford dealer network for service. I currently own a BMW i3 and a Chevy Bolt. I have a deposit down on a Mach E. I have cross-shopped the Model Y, the Jaguar iPace, the Mercedes EQC, the VW ID4, the BMW i4, and Audi Q4.

Right now, the Mach E checks every box for me.

 

[Zerogas]

I put a deposit on the Mach E 2 days ago. I test drove the Model 3 last week. Reasons I prefer the Mach E:

1. It has buttons. It has a driver display. Could not stand the way everything in the Tesla was through touch screen menus.
2. Major tax credits. Not for Tesla. Not even for the model y which is very similar to the Mach E
3. Service. Ford actually has a service network.
4. Looks. The Mach E has a bit of style, unlike the bland Teslas or the even blander Leaf or Kona. (I test drove a Kona and there was NO rear leg room)
5. Charging network. Tesla has one, but so does Ford.
6. Nicer looking interior, from the pictures.

So I will not make a final decision until I actually drive a Mach E, but I am looking forward to owning one. Red, rear drive, extended battery.

 

[BadgeringWeasel]

The replies on here made a lot of really good points. I've reserved my California Rt 1 Edition, on the fence between blue and black.

 

[5BEE]

All things considered, servicing and have Ford network is what gets them past the finish line for me.

 

[Torque Monster]

I'm changing my opinion that was made in my prior post in this thread. I have a Model 3 and wished I waiting for the Mach E. The reason is the interior and interior/general build quality. I have software issues, interior rattles/squeak, window seal/door seal issues that have crept up. Maybe it is because of the cold and the issues are minor; but it is still inexcusable for a car in this price bracket. Oh, and buttons are the best way to control common functions in the car because they are tactile, meaning eyes stay on the road. If the Mach E is built as good as a Mustang or Camry, it will be better than my Model 3 and probably the Model Y

 

[Zerogas]

I'm changing my opinion that was made in my prior post in this thread. I have a Model 3 and wished I waiting for the Mach E. The reason is the interior and interior/general build quality. I have software issues, interior rattles/squeak, window seal/door seal issues that have crept up. Maybe it is because of the cold and the issues are minor; but it is still inexcusable for a car in this price bracket. Oh, and buttons are the best way to control common functions in the car because they are tactile, meaning eyes stay on the road. If the Mach E is built as good as a Mustang or Camry, it will be better than my Model 3 and probably the Model Y

You should have no problem selling it.

 

[timbop]

I bought my current ride in 2015 (mustang convertible that I'd wanted for 30 years) when I was working 8 miles from my home, and had intended to use it as my main driver for 10+ years without question. I ended up changing jobs, with a 100 mile a day commute that has racked up the miles way too fast. I'd intended to get the tesla model 3 when my pony is paid off, but now I'm in on the mach-e. Not wanting to strap myself financially, the $7500 on the base model is a HUGE advantage. Ford's dealerships and long term experience with customer service also far outstrip Tesla's scheme. The only real advantage to tesla IMHO is their charging network of purely high voltage DC in useful locations; the third party chargers in new jersey/delaware are almost exclusively lower voltage (50vdc) and in odd locations. Since we'll have 2 gas vehicles for long trips, I'm not concerned about charging on the road.

 

[Red Dog]

I would get a Model Y over the Mach e for sure.
Tesla has the name and the experience for building EV’s.

Ford has copied the pricing and specs for the model Y and that is to be applauded however my biggest concern is whether the EPA rating is anywhere near the claimed 300 miles. Remember the Taycan got “shocked”with a 201 mile rating. It’s 50% less efficient than the Model S and 100% less efficient than Model 3. Really keen to see the EPA rating of the Mach e gets. Would be nail in the coffin if it fails like the Porsche. But Hyundai managed it, so let’s see

 

[WaterDR]

Well, this is a Mach E site so I am sure most of us are biased.
I was ready to buy a Model 3. Then decided to wait for the Y. However the Tesla insiders were not too excited about the Y for some reason. The issue being that you don’t get much more but have to spend more.

i was unaware of the Mach E until recently. To me the Mach E seems ok every way to be a better implemented version of the Y. While the comparisons will certainly take place and the cars will look very similar on paper, there are reasons why I think the Mach E is not only a better way to go but a much better way to go:

- Ford has a much more expansive network.

- The quality of the exterior and styling of the interior is a lot better on the Mach E. Ford knows how to assemble cars. Tesla is still learning. The Tesla paint is horrible. It has about as much quality as a toy.

- Parts availability and modification willmuch better from the Mach E

- ford has had a chance to learn from Tesla’s mistakes while Tesla seems to be ignoring and burying most of theirs.

 

[Billyk24]

The fast charging network is the only downfall for "me" living in northern Wisconsin where the closest fast EA charger is 200 miles away! The number of fast charging stations is limited (3) in the state and in UP of Michigan there is exactly zero! which is true for Tesla too. The EA network does not show any future fast charging locations for the state or the UP of Michigan. We wish Tesla would open their system to others for a fee.

 

[silverelan]

I would get a Model Y over the Mach e for sure.
Tesla has the name and the experience for building EV’s.

Ford has copied the pricing and specs for the model Y and that is to be applauded however my biggest concern is whether the EPA rating is anywhere near the claimed 300 miles. Remember the Taycan got “shocked”with a 201 mile rating. It’s 50% less efficient than the Model S and 100% less efficient than Model 3. Really keen to see the EPA rating of the Mach e gets. Would be nail in the coffin if it fails like the Porsche. But Hyundai managed it, so let’s see

Dave Pericak, the guy who headed up the Mach-E's development, said unequivocally on Autoline After Hours that the Mach-E will do 300 miles.

 

[Bob]

I'd like to see what GM comes up with next if they'd ever get off their butt and announce something. I love my Volt but it's just been a gateway drug to something more.

 

[Cowherd.J]

The EPA released the range number for the Model Y Performance AWD and according to them it will get 315 miles of range.

The Model Y also receives an official efficiency rating of 121 MPGe for combined city and highway driving (129 MPGe in the city and 112 MPGe on the highway).

Now on the surface this is better than the Mach-E but I usually take EPA numbers with a grain of salt.

 

[jksu]

not that i'm not impressed with tesla's efficiency and range - it's still industry leading. but many stories have now shown that other car makers (porsche especially) are more conservative in their EPA testing and so their real-world, especially at highway speeds or cooler temps, is actually better than EPA, whereas, typically tesla's range seems to fall under their EPA under those conditions. in other words, i think there's less of a gap under real-world usage, although tesla still has a significant lead

 

[Mark360]

I would go with the Mach E as a fellow model 3 owner. As long as the technology and specs meet what Ford is claiming, I would steer you away from Tesla. Don't get me wrong, the car is amazing and I love driving it. But as others have said, for build quality and fit and finish it's just not up to spec. My car had no rattles or issues when I bought it. 24,000 miles later my wheel well carpeting is coming off, there is a terrible dashboard rattle that I've been to the service center three times to fix to no avail, and the wind noise is loud in the interior compared to other vehicles.

When I bought my car, it had paint issues that Tesla never fixed. I was delivered the car in a parking lot and my delivery schedule was two hours late. They gave me 30 minutes to look over the car and then said if I needed anything just to email, I didn't even get a service rep's name. When I bought the car online I had to email to get any answers. Not very appealing when you are spending 60k on a car.

Tesla doesn't loan cars out anymore at their service center, the three times I've been there over the last year they give me uber credits which are not very valuable when the SS is 2+ hours away. They can't do state inspections at their service center. They can't take you same day majority of the time, they are way overbooked.

Sure, the car is fantastic and I love driving it. But their fit and finish is just not good and service is awful. That is what you get when you go direct to consumer, less customer service, less reps, less people to help you. I prefer the dealership model. At least I can pick up the phone and call the guy that sold me my car or the manager, and get something done if anything is wrong.

If I had to do it over, I would have waited for Ford to release there vehicle. I thought all legacy car makers were 7-10 years behind Tesla, but with the Mach E that has been disproved. Ford has a great offering that will sale like wildfire once word gets around and people starting driving EV's for the first time.