Collection location variances

[stonecoldrmw]

Just wondering out loud here.

If you chose to collect from a larger/easier collection location e.g. Heathrow rather than a smaller/further away location e.g. Stockport, are you more likely to get a car sooner?

My logic tells me no, but from reading up on these forums for a while, I've noticed that with Tesla, anything is possible.

My closest collection points would be Brum or MK but I'd be happy to head to Heathrow if it means I'm likely to get a car earlier.

 

[aTwonk]

I dont think they offer Milton Keynes. I'm in Peterborough and was offered Solihul Touchwood, or Brent Cross. (Took Brent Cross - its easier to get to on the train).

 

[Durzel]

I'd say you'd be certain to get a car sooner from Heathrow, with all things being equal. Smaller locations can only manage a certain number of handovers per day, have limited space, etc. That will factor in on when your car can ultimately be delivered to you.

I'm curious about the Southampton cars I keep seeing on inventory though, no one seems to talk about Southampton as a pickup location?

 

[aTwonk]

...

I'm curious about the Southampton cars I keep seeing on inventory though, no one seems to talk about Southampton as a pickup location?

When I ordered an inventory car on Feb 14th, I chose one that was listed at "London". I was still offered Solihull or Brent Cross as the pickup location.

 

[Boggle]

I'd say you'd be certain to get a car sooner from Heathrow, with all things being equal. Smaller locations can only manage a certain number of handovers per day, have limited space, etc. That will factor in on when your car can ultimately be delivered to you.

I'm curious about the Southampton cars I keep seeing on inventory though, no one seems to talk about Southampton as a pickup location?

There is no centre at Southampton.

I think this just refers to that vehicle actually still being on a boat and will first enter the UK there. You still have to select a delivery location (as I did with mine)

 

[Durzel]

Wish I'd known you could change the pickup location when buying an inventory car! I just assumed the location it was already at would be where you'd have to collect it from.

 

[aTwonk]

Wish I'd known you could change the pickup location when buying an inventory car! I just assumed the location it was already at would be where you'd have to collect it from.

I assumed the same thing, but was surprised to be offered the same locations as when I placed the original order.

 

[stonecoldrmw]

I'd say you'd be certain to get a car sooner from Heathrow, with all things being equal. Smaller locations can only manage a certain number of handovers per day, have limited space, etc. That will factor in on when your car can ultimately be delivered to you.

I'm curious about the Southampton cars I keep seeing on inventory though, no one seems to talk about Southampton as a pickup location?

I see the logic there which makes total sense so I understand the limit on handovers/collections from smaller places. Solihull is obviously only a shopping centre with a carpark unless you go to Digbeth.

I think that if Heathrow (or any other larger location) can cover more handovers, then I think I'd choose one of those (again presuming that the car was available).

 

[WannabeOwner]

If you chose to collect from a larger/easier collection location e.g. Heathrow rather than a smaller/further away location e.g. Stockport, are you more likely to get a car sooner?

Yes. Don't lease either. Maybe paying cash, no part-ex, and perhaps ordering FSD gets you allocation sooner [I'm doubttul on FSD. Might have made a difference originally, back in June]. Skip the tow-hook, and white seats.

I ordered an M3 the moment that UK orders opened (I did not have a prior deposit). I ordered FSD, White (which at the time was £1,000 extra), and turned out to be an unpopular colour, but Tesla made lots, and coupled with Heathrow-Handover I got the car in the first shipment, back in June.

I ordered a replacement MS and took delivery last November. From memory that was less than a month start-to-finish. By then they had the Model-3 Group Training PowerPoint Preseation Up and Running ... and that was all I got for the MS ... (as a former MS owner I didn't need anything, but I doubt a Newbie would have been impressed !)

Picked up an M3 a few days ago, (White again, Heathrow again), that was 1 day under a month from ordering.

But ... Heathrow is 100 - 200 cars a day, straight-off-car-transporter-wash-and-handover. If it needs some snagging-fettling you will have to be very lucky to get it done there-and-then, and whilst a come-back-latter appointment will sort it, that might be a month .. or even two

There aren't many Superchargers stalls there, and they are blinking tight to manoeuvre into, and someone else who rocks up wanting Service is very likely to block you in for 5 minutes just as you want to leave ... (my first M3 was charged to 50% or so, this one was charged to 90%, so pot-luck on that).

... but there is a big Supercharger at Heathrow Hilton, and they give Tesla owners a discount - so if you need some grub that's a better solution.

The Provinces are much more likely to give you love and attention.

If you are buying something for teh first time, and it isn't an M3, maybe skip Heathrow.

I think the PowerpPoint is fine, and someone else sat watching may well ask the question that you never thought to ... but Group PowerPoint may not be everyone's bag.

 

[stonecoldrmw]

Yes. Don't lease either. Maybe paying cash, no part-ex, and perhaps ordering FSD gets you allocation sooner [I'm doubttul on FSD. Might have made a difference originally, back in June]. Skip the tow-hook, and white seats.

I ordered an M3 the moment that UK orders opened (I did not have a prior deposit). I ordered FSD, White (which at the time was £1,000 extra), and turned out to be an unpopular colour, but Tesla made lots, and coupled with Heathrow-Handover I got the car in the first shipment, back in June.

I ordered a replacement MS and took delivery last November. From memory that was less than a month start-to-finish. By then they had the Model-3 Group Training PowerPoint Preseation Up and Running ... and that was all I got for the MS ... (as a former MS owner I didn't need anything, but I doubt a Newbie would have been impressed !)

Picked up an M3 a few days ago, (White again, Heathrow again), that was 1 day under a month from ordering.

But ... Heathrow is 100 - 200 cars a day, straight-off-car-transporter-wash-and-handover. If it needs some snagging-fettling you will have to be very lucky to get it done there-and-then, and whilst a come-back-latter appointment will sort it, that might be a month .. or even two

There aren't many Superchargers stalls there, and they are blinking tight to manoeuvre into, and someone else who rocks up wanting Service is very likely to block you in for 5 minutes just as you want to leave ... (my first M3 was charged to 50% or so, this one was charged to 90%, so pot-luck on that).

... but there is a big Supercharger at Heathrow Hilton, and they give Tesla owners a discount - so if you need some grub that's a better solution.

The Provinces are much more likely to give you love and attention.

If you are buying something for teh first time, and it isn't an M3, maybe skip Heathrow.

I think the PowerpPoint is fine, and someone else sat watching may well ask the question that you never thought to ... but Group PowerPoint may not be everyone's bag.

That's a really useful reply so thanks for that!

I am yet to order, essentially because I'm waiting on confirmation of a new job at work which potentially means a significant step up in salary (between £7-12k potentially) and additionally may also include a car. If all goes well, the minute I have confirmation of the car and of the new wage and it's signed in blood then I will be placing my order for a M3P/Red/Black. Deffo not going to lease, will be PCP looking at £4k dep/10k miles/£687 pm

So I'm trying to get as much knowledge in the bank to get the swiftest process. I realise even if I order today, I'm looking at June realistically for delivery.

 

[Mr H]

Just wondering out loud here.

If you chose to collect from a larger/easier collection location e.g. Heathrow rather than a smaller/further away location e.g. Stockport, are you more likely to get a car sooner?

My logic tells me no, but from reading up on these forums for a while, I've noticed that with Tesla, anything is possible.

My closest collection points would be Brum or MK but I'd be happy to head to Heathrow if it means I'm likely to get a car earlier.

I waited only 6 weeks and collected from Stockport so it's anyones guess really

 

[Durzel]

The reason I was not keen on Heathrow collection was principally because it is over 110 miles from me (Birmingham is equidistant), which would mean I would have to inspect the car fully in whatever weather & condition it is in, with however much time I'm given to do it, otherwise I'll be over the 7 days/100 mile threshold for reporting issues just by driving home. I don't know how stringently Tesla stick to that threshold, but I didn't want to risk it given the occasional issues people are reporting.

I also felt, probably wrongly, that the volume Heathrow would do would mean that I wouldn't really get much of a personal touch service (not that there isn't anything I couldn't find out online. I basically didn't want to be rushed.

 

[WannabeOwner]

inspect the car fully in whatever weather & condition it is in

Tesla Heathrow is a very well lit warehouse. I reckon it is pretty much ideal for examining the car (under artificial light, you can obviously drive it outside if you want to also check in daylight)

basically didn't want to be rushed

You definitely won't be rushed at Heathrow, there is plenty of space in the warehouse (probably 50 cars in there at any one time, if they are busy they "refill" it a couple of times a day; other people will leave in good time, I can't believe they will be in any hurry for you to vacate your specific slot). There are people on hand, they will spend time with you if you need it, the knowledge and "customer service" is friendly and good.

I'm doubtful they have capacity to handle a lot of workshop-throughput for fixes (i.e. relative to the 100+ cars they handover each day ...), but there again they of course are aiming not to have faulty cars in the first place I've picked up 5 cars from there; 4 of them had zero faults, on the car this week the rear door was slightly out of alignment, they took it to workshop and sorted it out and when they brought it back they said they had found a chip on a rear wheel so they had replaced that with a new one ... but I would also say that I was there early, I skipped the PowerPoint as already familiar with the 3 and so I was "first and only" in the warehouse, so I might have got lucky for that reason.

That's all after you've joined the group PowerPoint presentation Before that there is coffee / biscuits, and they have a "show" car parked there which you can sit in and figure it all out, if you are in good time ahead of the PowerPoint. (They had one each of 3, S and X this week. Last time I went I think there was just a 3 there, but over in the Sales Showroom they definitely have cars so you could always go over there if you wanted some pre-PowerPoint familiarisation).

So don't let me put anyone off Heathrow ... but I'm pretty sure it is a conveyor belt, in comparison to any of the provincial stores. But on the other hand they are tooled up for high-turnover.

 

[Durzel]

Thanks, that's very interesting

I've discovered since ordering that Bristol is only tooled up to do 8 cars a day (apparently more soon) and the cars are parked outside, so could actually be worse for inspections if it's a particularly bad day.

 

[MrBadger]

You definitely won't be rushed at Heathrow,

Erm, quite a few of us reported being rushed out - my whole in car handover was covered within 10 minute and I was told I couldn't get out the car. I did get out and was unceremoniously told off for holding people up - I was literally out the car for a minute and considering that I had already been stuck there for 6 hours due to car problems (they lost access to my original car en-route from Southampton and replacement 'needed work' some of which is still outstanding nearly 5 months later and counting), I thought that 60 seconds to check the underside jack points of the car was not unreasonable. So definitely not definitely.

 

[Mr Miserable]

So don't let me put anyone off Heathrow ... .

....unless you prefer fresh coffee and biscuits other than ginger nuts..

Coffee at Heathrow Hilton SuC is excellent.

 

[Jez_GB]

That's a really useful reply so thanks for that!

I am yet to order, essentially because I'm waiting on confirmation of a new job at work which potentially means a significant step up in salary (between £7-12k potentially) and additionally may also include a car. If all goes well, the minute I have confirmation of the car and of the new wage and it's signed in blood then I will be placing my order for a M3P/Red/Black. Deffo not going to lease, will be PCP looking at £4k dep/10k miles/£687 pm

So I'm trying to get as much knowledge in the bank to get the swiftest process. I realise even if I order today, I'm looking at June realistically for delivery.

Good luck with the promotion! When ordering don’t forget to ask someone for a referral code, I’ve got one that could do with a bit of use

 

[Chanser]

Good luck with the promotion! When ordering don’t forget to ask someone for a referral code, I’ve got one that could do with a bit of use

So do I!
PM me for code.

 

[WannabeOwner]

So definitely not definitely

Thanks, yes you are quite right, I've only got my own experience to go on. I'm surprised though as all the times I've been there they haven't seemed to be rushing anyone, that includes the M3 back in June pre PowerPoint when they were still doing 1:1 in the car and 100 cars a day.

PM me for code.

Just put it in your profile, then anyone can use it.

 

[stonecoldrmw]

Good luck with the promotion! When ordering don’t forget to ask someone for a referral code, I’ve got one that could do with a bit of use

Thanks!
Yes, i'll deffo be using a referral code. Gotta maximise those benefits for everyone involved.