CA Tesla orders picked up in Freemont Idea - Thinking past the delivery truck

[rexki]

If I were Elon and Team - I would setup a delivery location at the plant in Freemont in a huger party tent, Have a PPF specialized application area and swap delivery charges for a 1/2 cover job (giver or take a couple of Hondos). Then more transport trucks and trains could be used to get the cars out of California to other states. Is the SpaceX science?

 

[jjrandorin]

Delivery charges have to be charged to everyone, even if you pick up at the factory (across all brands, on a new vehicle). Either everyone, or no one I believe.

 

[rexki]

Delivery charges have to be charged to everyone, even if you pick up at the factory (across all brands, on a new vehicle). Either everyone, or no one I believe.

Is this a Federal Law you are basing that on or just historical practices? I am in the later camp of belief until someone says Tesla can be different - Rivian is allowing pickup at factory in Normal IL - 115 miles down the road from me.

 

[jjrandorin]

Is this a Federal Law you are basing that on or just historical practices? I am in the later camp of belief until someone says Tesla can be different - Rivian is allowing pickup at factory in Normal IL - 115 miles down the road from me.

If you check that, you will find that it also includes a destination charge. Let me back up just a bit and say that when I said " delivery charge" in my first post in this thread, I intended to type "destination fee" which is actually the delivery charge.

 

[rexki]

Source
"Consumer Reports noting that transportation charges have increased by almost three times the rate of inflation over the last 10 years."

Jominy does point out that the fees aren't clear-cut, with automakers aiming to set them at the same level across the country, regardless of how far any individual car may need to be delivered from the factory. ""You want to have the same number for all consumers because you don't want to be more or less competitive in one region of the country just because your plant's on the other side of the country," says Jominy.

Actuality is that shorter distance runs subsidize the longer runs to the opposite coast. I am guessing $300-400 for CA deliveries and 2,500 for Maine?

Jeep (Stellantis) is now charging a $2000 shipping fee on every Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer sold.
BMW has held destination charges steady at $995 for some time now
Light-duty full-size pickup truck you want to buy, from any manufacturer, you'll be paying $1,695 for delivery.

 

[rexki]

The law governing the declaration of destination fees is known as the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958.
But it was just about 30 years ago when the auto industry adopted equalized freight charges.
That means there were true variable delivery charges for more than 32 years!
Appears the law changed and forced manufacturers to equalize the delivery charges and penalize those that wanted to come to the factory for pickup - How un American!

Another Source: “equalized delivery"

Section 1232a. Repealed. Pub. L. 92–178, title IV, § 401(g)(7)(A), Dec. 10, 1971, 85 Stat. 534 - this appears not have language changing the 33 year old law on delivery charges being equalized ??

My reading so far makes it look like Tesla could un-adopt and follow the original tradition that the politician Mr. Mahoney of Oklahoma envisioned, codified and passed as federal legislation standing today.

 

[jjrandorin]

"Destination fee" is one of those things you cant negotiate on a car deal at a traditional car dealership. They all charge destination (as you pointed out in later posts). Now, some dealerships ALSO will tack on a "delivery fee" which is just an add on fee they are taking on there. The destination charge IS the delivery fee, and cant be negotiated out.

If you are buying a car at a traditional dealership, and find both a "destination charge" (which everyone will see) AND a "delivery fee" that second one can be taken out.

Its not like I am "pooh poohing" your transportation idea, but your idea basically boils down to "People who pick up from the factory should not have to pay destination charge, how about giving us PPF or something else for that fee instead" and that isnt happening.

 

[rexki]

Exactly - that is how the European manufacturers do it with factory pickup, vacation incentives, etc. I am not negotiating the fee, I am asking to think outside the box or as it stood the majority of the Law still the same law as it is today - industry side swiped it for the last 30 years contra to the code.

US Auto industry is currently violating the letter of the law with not disclosing the actual method of transportation and the actual cost. Now I can see why the lawsuits are cropping up.

 

[Wonderful88]

If I were Elon and Team - I would setup a delivery location at the plant in Freemont in a huger party tent, Have a PPF specialized application area and swap delivery charges for a 1/2 cover job (giver or take a couple of Hondos). Then more transport trucks and trains could be used to get the cars out of California to other states. Is the SpaceX science?

I already had one M3 LR delivered on December 2021 and want to buy another one but when I see Destination fee $1.125 I paused a little bit because every quarter Tesla goes up around -/+ $2000.

It’s getting more and more expensive I should have bought M3 Performance because it looks more elegant.

@elon musk needs to consider about Destination fee.