Best strategy for waiting for new features: delayed delivery or repeated canceling in grace period?

[JoshG]

My mate and I both ordered at the same time last Saturday. Both orders are now confirmed and he has already received his VIN. I chose to delay my delivery since I'm not in any rush and hope a few more features that are currently available on the X are added to the S over the coming months.

This was exactly what I've been thinking of doing. I've got til tomorrow to cancel my new "refresh" Model S.

Does anyone know if there's an advantage to canceling entirely and reordering (so I'm constantly in the "awaiting finalization" status), or in just letting my order go "final" and setting my delivery date out a month or two?

In the latter strategy, is it pretty certain that if a feature comes out during the time I'm delaying delivery, that I'll get to be able to add it?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

This was exactly what I've been thinking of doing. I've got til tomorrow to cancel my new "refresh" Model S.
Does anyone know if there's an advantage to canceling entirely and reordering (so I'm constantly in the "awaiting finalization" status), or in just letting my order go "final" and setting my delivery date out a month or two?

In the latter strategy, is it pretty certain that if a feature comes out during the time I'm delaying delivery, that I'll get to be able to add it?

If you cancel entirely, you could avoid the $500 change fee...however you'd also miss out on the $1500 savings that you got by ordering before the price changed.

If there's something minor added in the coming months, then I would assume you would get it without incurring any additional costs. If there's something major, you might have to pay the $500 change fee, plus the $1500 for the new price book plus the increase in the cost (such as upgrading to a new battery). If I get no new upgrades, I'm not out anything. If I get a few minor upgrades for free, that's great. If there are some major upgrades announced, I have no problem paying the additional fees. I plan on keeping the car for quite some time so I want it to be as "complete" as possible when it is finally delivered.

Anyhow, my order is confirmed so I'm locked in and will most likely take delivery within the next 5 months. I have no plans of canceling my order and losing the $2500 deposit.

 

[JoshG]

I ordered AFTER the new front and new pricing came out, so i'm already paying the higher pricing I believe. So that's not a factor for me unfortunately.

I guess the question comes down to this - when you are confirmed and locked in, but you delay delivery for several months... when do they actually MAKE your vehicle, and therefore they can't change it? I'm guessing they don't make and store yours... pretty inefficient. So you can probably add on new things that come out while you're waiting?

 

[bonnie]

I ordered AFTER the new front and new pricing came out, so i'm already paying the higher pricing I believe. So that's not a factor for me unfortunately.

I guess the question comes down to this - when you are confirmed and locked in, but you delay delivery for several months... when do they actually MAKE your vehicle, and therefore they can't change it? I'm guessing they don't make and store yours... pretty inefficient. So you can probably add on new things that come out while you're waiting?

Why don't you just wait to order until they're offering the features you want? I don't understand the rationale behind what you're proposing. It seems like it would waste both your time and Tesla's time (not to mention that they'll likely charge you a change fee for adding on new items).

 

[Tifa]

Delayed orders sometimes have the opportunity to have their delivery dates moved up. I'm not sure how the priority works in those cases.. When you cancel and reorder, you go to the end of the line.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Delayed orders sometimes have the opportunity to have their delivery dates moved up. I'm not sure how the priority works in those cases.. When you cancel and reorder, you go to the end of the line.

That's what I figured/hoped. Right now, I have it set to late September, early October but if the one or two upgrades that I'm interested in become available before then, I should probably be able to move my delivery date forward.

 

[trils0n]

Perhaps you should wait to order until the car has the features you want. Less chance of being disappointed if you just order the car you want in the first place, instead of hoping it will be changed to your liking. Ordering and cancelling because the features you want didn't suddenly appear seems like a recipe for headaches and stress, both for you, and Tesla.

 

[whitex]

Ok, can someone explain to me what the point is in delaying the delivery? As I understand it, it gives Tesla the option to produce and store your car until you need it (I remember there being something in the order agreement about storing the car), so it doesn't guarantee that you will be getting any new options. Why not monitor the order site, and order when the estimated delivery time meets when you actually want the car?

Also, can what is the "wait for new features" all about? Let's say I could tell you today that the updates schedule will look like this (this is purely hypothetical):
Sept 2016 - air cooled seats
Nov 2016 - 75/100 batteries
Apr 2017 - AP 2.0 sensors, stereo camera, rear camera integration, improved AP
Aug 2017 - new more luxurious seats options, with massage on the back (like from BMW or Merc)
Nov 2017 - P110D - another 0.3s faster 0-60
Dec 2017 - AP 2.5 sensors with surround cameras, ability to record surround view 24/7 to an SD card
May 2018 - P110Q - quad motors with power vectoring rather than differential with electric brakes (current solution)
Oct 2018 - All new body style, very sleek looking, just before first M3's arrive
Jan 2019 - AP 3.0, first fully antonymous highway exit-to-exit driving
May 2019 - new 800V, 130KWhr batteries, charge them in less than 1 hr at designated superchargers
Aug 2019 - P130Q reaches 0-60 in 2.1s
...
April 2022 - 160KWhr battery, AP4.0 fully autonymous driving within covered areas (ones with detailed maps available for).

How long do you wait? Why only that long and not longer? Why EVER buy a Tesla since something better will likely be always be just around the corner?

 

[valkeriefire]

WhiteX pretty much summed it up. No matter when you buy, Tesla will release an improved version within a year or so. You have to accept it. I placed my order just before the price increase. I worry about not getting a 100kw battery. I worry about Tesla going under because big oil is at war with clean energy. I worry about a lot of things. I make almost $200k a year but this car is still an enormous purchase for me, I still can't quite believe I'm doing it. But the time is right for me, I can afford it, I want to support Tesla (and stick it to the man), and I want the safest car I can buy for my wife and kids. I'm not going to wait anymore. It won't be easy. I used to get every new iPhone every year, but I'm breaking myself of that habit. It isn't cost effective. It's more about discipline and learning to be content than anything else. Still, even if you own a 2013 60kw Tesla today, you have a totally awesome car that turns heads and helps make the world a better place. Nothing tesla does in the next year or so is going to change how awesome your car is. You just have to have the right perspective. (I try to follow this advice myself, I know it isn't easy). Good luck.

 

[brkaus]

I'm going to order when I'm ready. Not worth the stress. Everyone's out for the savings and future features free, but it doesn't always work out if they put out something new. Then your repriced anyway and they had your money all that time. Add to it if you forget to push your delivery or they just happen to build it much earlier (they have the right to from what I understand, not that they will), your pretty much toast.

All to "save" $1500 on a $90k purchase. No thank you.