2015 Texas Legislative Session Discussion Thread

[jerry33]

I haven't met one person at a car show that thinks Tesla shouldn't be allowed to sell. However, there are a large number of people who believe you have to go to California and pick up the car. Correcting this perception now takes up about 25% of the car show day.

 

[redi]

I haven't met one person at a car show that thinks Tesla shouldn't be allowed to sell. However, there are a large number of people who believe you have to go to California and pick up the car. Correcting this perception now takes up about 25% of the car show day.

This is my experience as well. But I am probably in the minority thinking that ordering and buying a car online and having it come to me, with no option for going to any sort of a dealer/store experience at any time during the transaction is a plus.

It feels like Tesla's plan is to act more and more like they're selling cars until someone sues them -- and let a (supposedly Federal court) sort it out.

Once someone (TADA) files or obtains some sort of an injunction in Texas, they would then likely be prevented from selling cars in... Texas? Any publicity is good publicity maybe.

 

[jerry33]

But I am probably in the minority thinking that ordering and buying a car online and having it come to me, with no option for going to any sort of a dealer/store experience at any time during the transaction is a plus.

That's true only until they purchase their first car at a dealer.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

That's true only until they purchase their first car at a dealer.

Strongly disagree.

I bought three cars from dealers and one Tesla during 2013-14, and the more I did online, the better the experience. The balloons just don't do it for me any more.

The dealer keeps you hostage so long that I think Stockholm Syndrome becomes a factor.

 

[jerry33]

Strongly disagree.

I bought three cars from dealers and one Tesla during 2013-14, and the more I did online, the better the experience. The balloons just don't do it for me any more.

The dealer keeps you hostage so long that I think Stockholm Syndrome becomes a factor.

Either you or I aren't reading correctly, because we're saying the same thing. (Dealer experience is poor--to put it nicely.) And it looks as if it's me :-(

 

[Shaggy]

Since Sen. Ted Cruz announced his candidacy for president today and because he supports the free market, I wonder if we could somehow take advantage of that and get him to help make a push in Texas to help Tesla promote the free markets and unban Tesla.

Ted is WAAAAAY too busy running for president to represent Texans without a nice check.

 

[Stenn]

(Dealer experience is poor--to put it nicely.)

You ain't just whistling Dixie! I've enjoyed the Dealer Experience with Honda, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz. They're all about the same. Once you're out the door, you're their friend no longer. If your car does anything weird, they have one of two replies. Either: 1) "Gee, I've never seen one do that before!" or 2) "Yeah, they all do that."

 

[brkaus]

Remember - it's preliminary election time. Start asking the folks that are looking to be elected their view on direct auto sales.

 

[bhzmark]

Does someone have the key talking points on this issue . especially talking points that appeal to conservative or libertarian types.

 

[jerry33]

Does someone have the key talking points on this issue . especially talking points that appeal to conservative or libertarian types.

The key talking point is that the market should decide, not a cartel. However, based on the electorate and the gerrymandering, the only thing that counts is dollars to politicians. The lowest polls show over 80% of the population is in favour but that means nothing to the politicians.

 

[bhzmark]

I guess make them admit that they favor socialist gubmint regulation instead of the glorious christian cowboy free market.

 

[brkaus]

It's not up to regulations to tell customers how to get the best car buying experience? Anymore than it is up to the government to tell consumers from whom they are to purchase their tea.

Now if only there was a dock we could throw all the dealers off of...

 

[supersnoop]

I guess make them admit that they favor socialist gubmint regulation instead of the glorious christian cowboy free market.

Despite the "glorious christian cowboy free market" image, Texas has some of the strongest consumer-protection laws in the nation. In theory, the dealership structure offers consumers an advocate who has the power to negotiation and force the manufacturer to make things right. If you want this law changed, you need to address/refute that viewpoint.

 

[redi]

I am happy to be able to purchase all my future (Tesla) cars online and have them come to me. I'll put my $1K on a 3 in the coming weeks also.

The above works just fine in Texas despite the TADA lobby and their political payola - if they want to keep the pay-offs going for nothing, so be it. I'll keep buying online anyway.

I suspect it is going to take a whole lot more money from Tesla than it is worth to change anything here, and I suspect they wisely accept it as one of the things they can't change.

Isn't Texas a runner-up state in Tesla sales already?

 

[brkaus]

Sadly, I have had to go to the manufacturer to get the dealer straightened out more than the other way around.

 

[jerry33]

Sadly, I have had to go to the manufacturer to get the dealer straightened out more than the other way around.

That has been my experience too. It was somewhat entertaining when the "certified Prius technician" didn't know how to start the Prius.

 

[TMC Bubba]

I suspect it is going to take a whole lot more money from Tesla than it is worth to change anything here, and I suspect they wisely accept it as one of the things they can't change.

Isn't Texas a runner-up state in Tesla sales already?

TADA seems to have bought key politicians. The leadership of both parties support changing the law, but it failed last time because a key Democrat from Houston kept it bottled up in committee. She has been re-elected over a dozen times and is on record as having taken money from TADA. I'm surprised that Rick Perry says he favors direct sales, but he's no longer governor. Sadly Abbott sides with the dealers.

Yes, Texas was the #3 state in new Tesla registrations last year, behind California and Florida.

Although I support direct sales, I'm don't think the current situation is impeding sales. I bought my MS online, and it was the smoothest car purchase I've ever had. When I bought my previous vehicle, a Prius, I had to argue with some douche in a cubicle about him trying to charge me a $300 fee for a lifetime supply of "dry air" for my tires. If the dealers are protecting us from the manufacturers, who the hell is protecting us from the dealers???

The only quirks I noticed in the process was that Tesla has to do a little do-si-do around regulations. You go to the web site for prices, and you call California for test drives. Financing is done though 3rd party referral. When your car arrives, you have to register it yourself rather that pay a dealer a fee to do it for you. I'd say that anybody that can afford a Tesla has the brainpower to complete the process. It might be different if they sold $20k cars, but they don't.

 

[Chris TX]

TADA seems to have bought key politicians. The leadership of both parties support changing the law, but it failed last time because a key Democrat from Houston kept it bottled up in committee. She has been re-elected over a dozen times and is on record as having taken money from TADA. I'm surprised that Rick Perry says he favors direct sales, but he's no longer governor. Sadly Abbott sides with the dealers.

Yes, Texas was the #3 state in new Tesla registrations last year, behind California and Florida.

Although I support direct sales, I'm don't think the current situation is impeding sales. I bought my MS online, and it was the smoothest car purchase I've ever had. When I bought my previous vehicle, a Prius, I had to argue with some douche in a cubicle about him trying to charge me a $300 fee for a lifetime supply of "dry air" for my tires. If the dealers are protecting us from the manufacturers, who the hell is protecting us from the dealers???

The only quirks I noticed in the process was that Tesla has to do a little do-si-do around regulations. You go to the web site for prices, and you call California for test drives. Financing is done though 3rd party referral. When your car arrives, you have to register it yourself rather that pay a dealer a fee to do it for you. I'd say that anybody that can afford a Tesla has the brainpower to complete the process. It might be different if they sold $20k cars, but they don't.

I think the TADA machine will be in full swing once they figure out what the M≡ is all about. GM is giving TADA ammunition with the Bolt EV that's being released right before the 2017 session. They'll pour it on with "This is a direct, apples-to-apples product and Tesla is going to take our sales! Think of the Easter Seals and Little League Baseball teams that will be affected!"

Seriously, I think the Texas area Tesla owners groups need to come together and have a fundraiser just to poke TADA in the eye. It can't be too much to sponsor a few Little League teams, and a big/cartoon-ish check is always a great photo-op.

 

[TexasEV]

TADA seems to have bought key politicians.

Seems?

 

[brkaus]

I'm curious -

I believe the law for tax on new vehicle registrations is that if the tax was paid by the buyer elsewhere, and it was greater than TX tax, the buyer wouldn't have to pay tax in Texas. If the tax elsewhere was less, they would have to pay the difference.

Is there a way they could structure the deal that tax was paid elsewhere and TX cut gets reduced?

Of course it risks pissing someone off, but reduced state income may pressure change?