Back in March, I wrote about reserving a Tesla Model 3, and how excited I was to own one. Well, in August I got the email to schedule my delivery! We started prepping the garage to have another car in it, organizing all the stuff that was just hanging out in that bay, and I had a garage door opener and a new circuit for charging installed. We even taped an outline of the car to see how it would fit.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2018 challenge. Make sure to click on the photos!

In late September I took our little Civic on its last drive as a member of our family, down to the Tesla Service Center in Portland to pick up the car. Tesla is completely overwhelmed with the scale of Model 3 sales, so my appointment was almost two hours late. They finally called my name, and after a 5-minute tour of my car, I drove it away!

I don’t know if I’ve ever actually seen this scene in a movie, but you know that trope where the 60’s family comes home with a new car, and the whole neighborhood comes out to admire it and talk about it? That’s what it feels like with this car. Teslas (and especially Model 3’s) are still rare and weird enough that people notice it, and ask me how I like it. My answer is probably a bit longer than they bargained for.

I’ve bought cars before. I’ve spent weeks doing research, reading reviews, agonizing over every little choice. I’ve gone to the dealer, haggled, signed the papers, and said goodbye to my old car as I climbed into a new one. I’ve experienced that excitement when the disorientation about where all the controls are and how to open the door gives way to familiarity and comfort. I’ve also been through the “shine wearing off,” when it’s no longer a new car, but just the car.

I’ve owned this car for 2½ months now, and the shine is still there. I still love it every time I climb inside, every time I turn on the autopilot, every time I park it in the garage and plug it in for the night. This is new for me, I’ve never had a thing where the new-thing excitement sticks around like this.

It truly is a great car. It’s so clear that this is where cars are going, and it feels like going 20 years in the future when I climb in. I couldn’t be happier with a vehicle than I am with this one.