2012 Model S Signature Cars

[tccartier]

White seats were not an option back in 2012
Unless they were added aftermarket, they are tan colored

White seats were not an option back in 2012


Unless they were added aftermarket, they are tan colored

@gaswalla I can assure you that white seats were available in 2012 signature cars because I have them I know it's difficult to tell in pictures but I do know the difference between white and tan and I can assure you my seats and interior trim panels and such are white. This picture was taken at the Tempe service center on the day I took delivery you can see through the windshield the color of the walls in the service center are also painted white it gives you a reference to the color of the dash panel on my car and also the right a pillar is also visible along with the seats.

@anothersilver all of the seat belt buckles in my car match the interior trim and the seats they are white as well including the buttons that you push to release the seat belts on the buckles. I have only seen those on early signature cars such as mine. My car is VIN number 162

 

[tccartier]

Another view. Maybe I've got a unicorn. Lol!

 

[gaswalla]

8 years later, and still stunning

 

[tccartier]

8 years later, and still stunning

107,000 ish miles and counting. 100% charge is now about 242 mi. 90% is usually around 218/221

I don't think I'm going to give this one up probably going to give it to my daughter when the new S with the better battery chemistry and the touted 500 Mile plus range hits the market might have to pick one of those up and add to the fleet.

 

[AMPd]

View attachment 608150
Another view. Maybe I've got a unicorn. Lol!

Stop! You’re really tempting me into buying one!

maybe I should get one for a few years, until a plaid version hits the used market ...

 

[tccartier]

Stop! You’re really tempting me into buying one!

maybe I should get one for a few years, until a plaid version hits the used market ...

Below or a few pics from my last cross-country jog. The top picture is in New Mexico near Tucumcari I believe. The other is in Blue Earth Minnesota had to use my Chademo adapter up there. Came up short trying to get to the Albert Lea supercharger.

The prices on the early cars are fairly reasonable you will have free supercharging for whatever value that offers. And you have a small slice of history I think having an early signature car is like having a 1953 Corvette. I know most have moved on from these cars and just consider them to be old and hardware limited compared to all the new tech and self-driving and so forth but I can tell you that this is still a pleasurable daily driver and I have no problem driving my own car at least at this point, autopilot you say? Perhaps when my driving skills deteriorate such that I could no longer do it then I may appreciate a self-driving car but by then I probably won't know what I'm doing or where I'm going anyway.

Don't be shy get yourself one of these early Signature cars they're are a lot of fun.. And there is only one number one. You'll probably like it so much you'll keep it then you'll wind up with two when you can get a plaid version.

 

[tccartier]

@AMPd just in case you need more convincing

 

[AMPd]

@AMPd just in case you need more convincing

View attachment 609421

I don’t but my wife does! Sending this photo to her now

on a side note is that the fort Stockton TX Supercharger?

 

[tccartier]

I don’t but my wife does! Sending this photo to her now

on a side note is that the fort Stockton TX Supercharger?

The supercharger is in Tucson Arizona along I-10 at the Rita road exit. Well if there's anything I can do to grease the wheel just let me know. No one should be deprived of the pleasure of having one of these. Didn't you have a Sig before?

 

[AMPd]

The supercharger is in Tucson Arizona along I-10 at the Rita road exit. Well if there's anything I can do to grease the wheel just let me know. No one should be deprived of the pleasure of having one of these. Didn't you have a Sig before?

I did not, the earliest model I had was 2013, just as they introduced the parking sensors.

 

[anothersilver]

@gaswalla I can assure you that white seats were available in 2012 signature cars because I have them I know it's difficult to tell in pictures but I do know the difference between white and tan and I can assure you my seats and interior trim panels and such are white. This picture was taken at the Tempe service center on the day I took delivery you can see through the windshield the color of the walls in the service center are also painted white it gives you a reference to the color of the dash panel on my car and also the right a pillar is also visible along with the seats.

@anothersilver all of the seat belt buckles in my car match the interior trim and the seats they are white as well including the buttons that you push to release the seat belts on the buckles. I have only seen those on early signature cars such as mine. My car is VIN number 162

View attachment 607622

Cool, thanks for clarifying this!

 

[SigRed12]

Upgraded steering wheel controls w/ heater ecu installed and working ... next is headliner work: wiring for monocam, cam heater pwr, rear view mirror adapter, and sunvisor with vanity lights. I'm gonna take this 2012 car and convert it to a 2016 pre-AP2.0 car.

 

[Guvnah]

Upgraded steering wheel controls w/ heater ecu installed and working ... next is headliner work: wiring for monocam, cam heater pwr, rear view mirror adapter, and sunvisor with vanity lights. I'm gonna take this 2012 car and convert it to a 2016 pre-AP2.0 car.

Are the new sunvisors larger than your original ones? What is that install like?

 

[SigRed12]

The wiring is in the headliner, just need to make a short adapter cable to plug into new visors (plug style changed since original design). The visors themselves are just exact fit from old to new. If you aren't interested in the visor lights and you still have the original slim version, ask your friendly service center representative about SB-15-15-001 for details on how to get them replaced with the larger style for free, sans the lights I imagine.

 

[irish26]

I'll be taking delivery of a 2012 Signature P85 on Monday. SN 00078. Black and black with the red trim in the seats. It's my first tesla

 

[SigRed12]

I'll be taking delivery of a 2012 Signature P85 on Monday. SN 00078. Black and black with the red trim in the seats. It's my first tesla

Welcome to the club. If there is anything you want to know, we've probably been through it. So feel free to ask anything. Also, do you have your Tesla buyer's checklist? There isn't an official one, just things a new buyer should be aware of when taking delivery.

 

[irish26]

Thanks! I found one on this thread here that seems pretty solid. CPO delivery checklist ?

I bought through Carvana. Mostly because they had them in my budget, I paid $29k, but also because of the 7 day return policy. That gave me some peace of mind for me buying into a completely different automobile. This isn't just my first Telsa. It's my first EV and my first Sedan. I've never owned anything other than a truck.

I'm also a sucker for the VIN 78. While it may not add value, I really think its cool to own one of the very early editions of a car that will likely go down in automobile history, just behind the original Roadsters.

 

[SigRed12]

Is this car being used for family road trips or just driving to/from work, city/suburbia errands, etc. If road tripping, just be aware, free super charging or not, the recharge rate on these older cars sucks ass and one can only play Backgammon so many times. So don't be in a hurry and roll with it because there is absolutely NOTHING we can do about it. Same with the range, it is what it is and the warranties are finished. So the biggest thing you have to decide within your 7 day window is, does it have enough range, can you live with the super charging speeds on road trips, and does the drive unit (DU) make any noise when driving at ANY speed. If those three questions pass your standards, the rest of the car can be fixed; be it door handles, side mirrors, heated anything, MCU issues, screen bubbles (CID or IC, big or small screen, respectively), or literally anything else, it can be fixed, many DIY. My 2012 Sig was also my first EV and I still love it.

 

[irish26]

Is this car being used for family road trips or just driving to/from work, city/suburbia errands, etc. If road tripping, just be aware, free super charging or not, the recharge rate on these older cars sucks ass and one can only play Backgammon so many times. So don't be in a hurry and roll with it because there is absolutely NOTHING we can do about it. Same with the range, it is what it is and the warranties are finished. So the biggest thing you have to decide within your 7 day window is, does it have enough range, can you live with the super charging speeds on road trips, and does the drive unit (DU) make any noise when driving at ANY speed. If those three questions pass your standards, the rest of the car can be fixed; be it door handles, side mirrors, heated anything, MCU issues, screen bubbles (CID or IC, big or small screen, respectively), or literally anything else, it can be fixed, many DIY. My 2012 Sig was also my first EV and I still love it.

I appreciate those tips! I'll pay extra attention to the drive unit. Would that be a big enough red flag to think about returning the car? I haven't read much on this issue.

I don't plan on using this car for trips. We have 3 boys so my wife's tahoe is for trips. And I'll still have my truck as well. This car should make for a fantastic 3rd car in the household. This might be the most excited I've been about a Monday in my life!

 

[SigRed12]

I appreciate those tips! I'll pay extra attention to the drive unit. Would that be a big enough red flag to think about returning the car? I haven't read much on this issue.

Yes, a failing drive unit is about $6K to replace, not the end of the world, but not chump change either. The battery is still THE single most expensive thing on these cars, and for good reason. But if you do have the issue and you are handy, you could fix the motor noise yourself: 2013 Model S DU replacement. Extra charges