After an 11 month wait and a fair amount of whining from me, I also picked up my Nov 22 built Vanilla RWD delivery earlier this week.
My delivery prep: new 15A socket installed in garage, insurance sorted (NRMA was best for me), final payment 3 days prior (allow time to rego etc), recall my Spotify log in.
Collect: 5 or so of us picking up at same time slot, stacks of 3s in the shed, not at all rushed, SA happy to answer any big or small question, no obvious quality issues, UMC in boot, Michelins on, USS on the bumpers, mats in, 90%+ charge (I did politely pre-request), phone connected…. less than an hour and off we went.
The drive: I describe it as effortless, like steering from a comfy lounge chair - it just seems to coast with ease. Your choice to cruise or to flog it, but so far, I can see the direct correlation to conservative driving = battery % conservation (obvious, but I was scratching my head early on how quick the battery seemed to drain and I think I still have some efficiency tactics to learn). Just love the traffic/green light change notification chime.
Single pedal driving, stalk gear shift, no hand brake and centre positioned display/speedo have each been a way easier transition than I expected. Enjoying all, and don’t think I would invest in any HUD. Travelling with just a phone as key, digital wallet and licence is nice. Even with black interior, it feels spacious with great visibility. For me, the RWD seems to have plenty of power and the audio system is brilliant so the higher priced variants must be sensational.
Things I may miss: Apple CarPlay with Google Maps, and blind spot indicators on mirrors, but they are not showstoppers. The Tesla nav, maps and traffic do not blow me away, so I am TBC on Premium Connectivity after the trial finishes. To me the obvious miss is 3D / Birds Eye camera view - it would be such a great enhancement if possible.
Autopilot calibration seemed to take forever (140km), but all initial driving was in built-up areas. It finally completed once I found some long 3-lane stretches. Re: home charging, the 15A tail kicked-in to full swing (vs an initial 12A) after a second test charge. Reading earlier posts, likely firmware related.
Things I need to sort/understand more in time: sentry, charging tracking, DAB favorites, cabin pre-cooling (I did it once from home and walked out to find the motor sounding like it wanted to take off), and of course, removal of the old Energy label. There is a stack of details to get your head around if you want to go deep in data, settings etc, or just charge and go have fun. I thought I had watched enough YouTube videos over 2022, but I still have lots to master. Pleased I pre-purchased the console tray, all weather mats, silicon cup holder, bag hook and performance pedal covers (all from eBay).
Worth the nearly one year wait? Not 100% sure just yet TBH. I am still perplexed over the whole odd saga, and Tesla never gave a crumpet (yes, just get over it and fill in the survey). However, I think I made a good choice sticking it out - it is a super comfortable, unique, fun drive and overall terrific value for what you get. Maybe the test will be my thoughts in few months from now, but as many have said prior, these EV's are only going to get better and ICE makers need to pivot and excel with speed.
Thanks to all Forum contributors for both the banter and the useful insights… especially to those who have slogged it out since Q1 2022 and only collected in the last month or so. Safe travels, enjoy, and I do hope those awaiting wait way less than me. Time to buy some mud flaps and claim a NSW rebate!
