An Open Letter to Elon Musk

[TaoJones]

John, sorry to hear about your issue with Tesla. Yes, basically Katherine Kim made a mistake. I'm sure she thought she had
"configured the exact car you have" but failed to fully understand some of the changes in the way options are now packaged. Possibly she was not a Tesla employee in 2014. I hope Tesla does right by you.

Agreed. Tesla management needs to make it very clear to their employees, when communicating with customers, to be very careful with the details, and to be prepared to make it right (and not 3-4 months later) when their statements are found to be erroneous.

"There's nothing we can do" and failing to follow up are almost as indefensible as attempting to justify their behavior or to blame the customer after the fact.

Not surprisingly, the hubris of the apologist minority knows no bounds.

I hope John lets us know how this latest example of failed communication works out. What an unnecessary and avoidable shame.

 

[Tampaukfan]

Did you not inspect your car at delivery? Or wait 3 months to open your hatch? Your issues could have been corrected with a new order, I doubt Tesla would have charged you since it was miscommunication on their part.

 

[Grendal]

There is no way to correct the "chrome." So it comes down to the power liftgate, which is part of the "premium interior" package, and the cornering lights, which is also part of that same package. Tesla will need to either give you that package in a new car or modify your car for those features. If they give you the new car then you should probably pay the $3000 to cover the features you want that Katherine was unaware of. An error is an error. If it is a modification, then Tesla should just make the adjustments to the car you got and eat the cost.

JMHO.

 

[bonnie]

Not surprisingly, the hubris of the apologist minority knows no bounds.

Ironic. Thanks for the laugh.

 

[Ingineer]

There is no way to correct the "chrome." So it comes down to the power liftgate, which is part of the "premium interior" package, and the cornering lights, which is also part of that same package. Tesla will need to either give you that package in a new car or modify your car for those features. If they give you the new car then you should probably pay the $3000 to cover the features you want that Katherine was unaware of. An error is an error. If it is a modification, then Tesla should just make the adjustments to the car you got and eat the cost.

JMHO.

The chrome is super easy to change. The power liftgate is extremely difficult to add. Lots of changes! Several wiring harnesses, even the back hatch stamping is different.

 

[M0DEL³]

An open letter to Elon Musk,

...I called and emailed Katherine Kim several weeks ago. Katherine Kim said she would get back to me but has not. The people at store where the original car was purchased told me there is nothing they can do.

John, you deserve a better response. I've forwarded the link to this message thread to a few email addresses at Tesla including Ms. Kim's email [removed] in the hope it might goose some action towards addressing your situation.

Best of luck.

 

[bonnie]

John, you deserve a better response. I've forwarded the link to this message thread to a few email addresses at Tesla including Ms. Kim's email [removed] in the hope it might goose some action towards addressing your situation.

Best of luck.

Really wish you wouldn't put people's personal emails out there without their permission. That isn't her corporate account. Seems like a bit of a privacy violation, no?

 

[M0DEL³]

It is was not already a published public email address, I would agree, but in this case it is and therefore fair use. But it is a great question and always worth considering. If mods have an issue with this, they are most welcome to remove the post.

 

[bonnie]

It is was not already a published public email address, I would agree, but in this case it is and therefore fair use. But it is a great question and always worth considering.

Only if she was the one who originally published it - otherwise it's just perpetuating the issue. Imo, of course.

 

[M0DEL³]

I think we have very different perspectives regarding assumed usage rights to an email address. At this point the thread is being pulled off-topic, but if you want to continue such a discussion in PM's, I'm happy to do so.

 

[bonnie]

No need to go to pm. But that would have been a preferable way to share a personal email. Spam bots crawl this site (and every other site) constantly.

 

[ggnykk]

An open letter to Elon Musk,

On May 24, 2014 I purchased a Model S. I found it to be the best automobile that I have ever owned. Last November I received a telephone call from Katherine Kim, Tesla North West Pre-Owned Advisor, with an offer to trade in my older Model S for a new Model S. The offer stated that “I configured the exact car you have and added Dual Motor and Autopilot which totals to be $92,500. You’d be paying an additional $34,100 out of pocket. Your reference number is RN6330581.”

As I'm over 80 years old, I thought this will probably be my last car and I wanted to experience and thrill of driving a Tesla S with dual motors and autopilot.

The car was delivered December 10, 2015. Unfortunately, it was not the exact car I had previously owned. The previous Model S had a power liftgate, cornering lights and a chrome rear bumper. The new Model S has a manual liftgate and the opening height cannot be adjusted. The new Model S does not have cornering lights and the rear bumper is black.

I called and emailed Katherine Kim several weeks ago. Katherine Kim said she would get back to me but has not. The people at store where the original car was purchased told me there is nothing they can do.

I find it totally unacceptable that Tesla Motors would treat one of their best customers in this manner. From what I have heard about you, Chairman Musk, I don't think you would find this kind of treatment acceptable either!

I still find Tesla to be the finest, most technically advanced car ever made. . . and as testament to that, I went out and bought Tesla Motors stock!

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,

John Taylor (VIN 5YJSA1E23FF117376)

Maybe it is time to just let go about this kind of stuff. You are already over 80 years old like you stated, do you really care about these little things that make your life unhappy? Just let go and enjoy life. Look at the cup half full instead probably, you are still driving one of the best car in the market no matter what.

 

[ferdboyce]

I think I can understand John's concerns, as I too, traded my '13 85S for a '15 85D with Autopilot, and both my wife and I are 80. I loved my first Tesla, and we drove it from Seattle to Florida via the southern route, thence to Rhode Island and Niagara Falls and back to Seattle through Sioux Falls/Mt. Rushmore.
We're both very happy with our Titanium Bronze 85D, and yet I do miss the 'old 85' . . . it's like coming home with a brand new pair of elegant, perfectly fitted shoes, but then experiencing the "aaaahhh" of slipping into the old, well worn and comfortable ones, and regretting their impending loss. I don't think anything will ever replace the joy of one's first Tesla, and the adventure of driving as an entirely new experience, unlike any before it.
It will be interesting, however, to ask John how he feels in another month or so, when the "new shoes" are broken in.

 

[Joe Vecchio]

I think some of the first Model S had a chrome skid strip when you opened up the rear hatch. It was replaced very early with a black piece. I don't believe the original was actually chrome, but rather had a chrome finish - but I could be wrong. Operating purely on memory here.

Fake chrome is for sissies. Got a concept Tesla 4. No chrome is needed. Less repair costs. That strip comes packaged in plastic, in a box delivered in a diesel or gas delivery truck. Stored in a mearhouse heated with NG or E. Unnecessary component to the car. Same with the chrome door handles. Why so heavy? Aerodynamic? Not true. What is the co2 footprint of ALL the electronic parts, R.E.E.s, rare earth elements, to this over engineered, inefficient door handle? Why no non- fully loaded models? Go Tesla 4.

 

[Joe Vecchio]

I think some of the first Model S had a chrome skid strip when you opened up the rear hatch. It was replaced very early with a black piece. I don't believe the original was actually chrome, but rather had a chrome finish - but I could be wrong. Operating purely on memory here.

who thought of the unnecessary chrome piece? not needed. adds weight, pollution, and productions costs.
Go Tesla 4.

 

[timk225]

"The car was delivered December 10, 2015. Unfortunately, it was not the exact car I had previously owned. The previous Model S had a power liftgate, cornering lights and a chrome rear bumper. The new Model S has a manual liftgate and the opening height cannot be adjusted. The new Model S does not have cornering lights and the rear bumper is black."


Wow, talk about first world problems!

"The chrome strip is now black, whaaaaaa". Let me get you some cheese to go with that WHINE!

Cars haven't had REAL chrome for 20 years. Maybe pickup truck bumpers, but certainly not cars.

OP, I have absolutely no sympathy for the grave injustices that have been done against you, quit being such a whiner.