I placed an order for a blue M3 LR AWD on November 13. When I ordered, I got a text from Tesla that orders are on a first come, first served basis. So far, I still have no VIN or delivery date. I was looking at the new inventory at my local SC and was surprised to see they have 7 brand new 2021s in stock, but none of my configuration. It got me wondering that with so many people on different boards patiently (or not) waiting for their cars, how could there be so many unsold ones at the SC? So I did a quick search, and sure enough, I found my exact configuration at the Miami SC. How can they tell me it's first come, first served when they are shipping unsold cars to other locations before shipping ones that are already sold? I'm trying to be patient. It's been four weeks since I ordered. I know a lot of people have waited longer, but I'm also seeing people order one day and get a VIN the next. This ordering process is a joke. meanwhile, my trade offer is set to expire and I will lose money on the next offer. Tesla may build amazing cars (although I don't technically know that yet), but they have a LONG way to go when it comes to customer service.
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Delivery Process
- Thread starter Bnskap
- Start date
Tesla builds cars in bunches, and those cars that are being shipped to those locations and showing "in stock" are usually not actually available for purchase.
Meaning, if someone called in and said "I want that car right there thats in stock", they would find out, that in almost all cases, they cant have it, because its already sold to someone else (who likely placed an order a while ago. This usually has to do with how logistics tends to work, along with keeping track of inventory. Traditional auto makers also do something like this.
Tesla does not actually "special order" any cars, or "build to order" any cars, unlike some other manufacturers who actually do this (like BMW, Merc, Audi for example). They simply build cars in bunches, and they dont have that many options. 5 exterior color choices, 2 interior color choices, a couple wheels, choice of Long range or Performance, or Standard (short) range. Thats it. So they build "white / white Long range, white / white / performance, white white standard range.
They then ship those cars across so they can maximize deliveries in the quarter. The closer you are to the fremont factory, the later in the quarter you tend to get your car.
The TL ; DR answer to your question is " Those cars you see on the website are not actually there for sale, they show up due to logistics, but you couldnt buy one of those if you wanted to in almost all cases. You simply have to wait.
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(moderator note: Welcome to TMC. Corrected spelling in thread title)
Meaning, if someone called in and said "I want that car right there thats in stock", they would find out, that in almost all cases, they cant have it, because its already sold to someone else (who likely placed an order a while ago. This usually has to do with how logistics tends to work, along with keeping track of inventory. Traditional auto makers also do something like this.
Tesla does not actually "special order" any cars, or "build to order" any cars, unlike some other manufacturers who actually do this (like BMW, Merc, Audi for example). They simply build cars in bunches, and they dont have that many options. 5 exterior color choices, 2 interior color choices, a couple wheels, choice of Long range or Performance, or Standard (short) range. Thats it. So they build "white / white Long range, white / white / performance, white white standard range.
They then ship those cars across so they can maximize deliveries in the quarter. The closer you are to the fremont factory, the later in the quarter you tend to get your car.
The TL ; DR answer to your question is " Those cars you see on the website are not actually there for sale, they show up due to logistics, but you couldnt buy one of those if you wanted to in almost all cases. You simply have to wait.
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(moderator note: Welcome to TMC. Corrected spelling in thread title)
Just to add to @jjrandorin reply. I picked a car from "inventory", it was still in the US, I'm in Norway.
Needless to say, it's not being delivered very fast.
Also, you get a VIN and delivery estimate around the same time. You are probably matched to a car, but the VIN won't show up before you're past the "date of no chance to find a match with earlier delivery"
Needless to say, it's not being delivered very fast.
Also, you get a VIN and delivery estimate around the same time. You are probably matched to a car, but the VIN won't show up before you're past the "date of no chance to find a match with earlier delivery"
This is actually not correct. I called my SC to find out what is going on. I was told that every one of the 3's they have listed is available. I was even asked if I would rather switch to one of those. Unfortunately they don't have what I want, so that won't work. But the new cars listed on the Tesla site are there to buy. It's not just a logistical thing.
So the question remains, why are they shipping my exact configuration to Miami, when they have a buyer who already put down a deposit and is waiting for the car? The manager at the SC didn't have an answer, and he agree it seems wrong.
"Available" doesnt mean its actually there on site for you to go and pick up in the next day or two. Even if you switched to one of those cars, it is unlikely you would get it before you get the one that you have ordered, in almost all cases.
Just because the SC told you the car is "available" doesnt mean its actually there, at least not for as long as I have been following tesla which is a couple years now.
Its absolutely true that they build the cars in bunches, which is the answer to your question of "why is there cars not of my spec available to swap to", as well.
I can only speak to what the manager told me. He said there are 7 brand new model 3's on their lot right now. And they are all available right now. I could switch to one and pick it up tomorrow. Maybe he is wrong but I asked the specific question because I thought it very odd.
Understood. I am only relaying what we have learned about how tesla operates over the past couple years I have been here. One thing about tesla though, is they change course all the time.
Another thing I am absolutely 10000000% sure on, though, is they never really build a car " for you " like other manufacturers you can order a car from. They simply match you to a car that has the specs you ordered, when they build that batch of cars. That, I am 100% sure of. That also explains why you would see cars "not of your build" locally.
The fact that they ship cars around the country to maximize quarter deliveries, I am also quite certain of. That answers why you would see some car "with your build" father east (or slated to go farther east).
Where you were lied to by tesla is, they do NOT build cars, nor deliver cars on a "first come, first served basis". No evidence of that has ever come forth. People that order their car at the beginning of the quarter end up getting their car the same time someone who ordered near the end of the quarter.
That "first come, first served basis" thing sounds good to a customer, but is not (and hasnt ever been, as far as we know) how tesla operates.
I understand your point. And I know they don't build to order. There are only so many possible configurations, and they build in batches. I just think it's very poor customer service to have a customer waiting for a product that they have paid a deposit on, and then sending that exact product somewhere else. Whether or not there is a reason, it's just bad optics. They flat out lie to customers, which is a shame. For such a great car, they can do better
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
It may simply be that the car you wanted was sent to another delivery center to make a full truckload. There is no way to be a fly on the wall and know the reason any specific vehicle was sent to where it ended up.
Tesla will do what ever they can to get as many cars delivered before EOY to make their numbers. They will find a way to get you the car you want. Last year they even were willing to free upgrade buyers to premium colors or upgraded wheels to get those cars delivered. Sometimes a car will be indicated to be en-route, but will not be released until final inspection and quality checks.
Best bet is to let your delivery specialist know you are eager to take delivery. If you can be a little flexible that might make it even quicker to get you in a car.
If you are firm on your chosen configuration you are best to let your delivery specialist know. Constantly checking websites for inventory can be frustrating as I believe employees have access to even more specifics.
Buyers are often frustrated when trying to manage their deliveries themselves. They also wonder why something or other is happening and they are not getting accurate information. They get frustrated by not being able to move things around to fit their own individual circumstances.
Tesla will do what ever they can to get as many cars delivered before EOY to make their numbers. They will find a way to get you the car you want. Last year they even were willing to free upgrade buyers to premium colors or upgraded wheels to get those cars delivered. Sometimes a car will be indicated to be en-route, but will not be released until final inspection and quality checks.
Best bet is to let your delivery specialist know you are eager to take delivery. If you can be a little flexible that might make it even quicker to get you in a car.
If you are firm on your chosen configuration you are best to let your delivery specialist know. Constantly checking websites for inventory can be frustrating as I believe employees have access to even more specifics.
Buyers are often frustrated when trying to manage their deliveries themselves. They also wonder why something or other is happening and they are not getting accurate information. They get frustrated by not being able to move things around to fit their own individual circumstances.
Nobody lied to you. You simply didn’t understand the text that was sent to you. It’s referring to the tasks you needed to do online (credit app, trade-in info etc) and that you would be put into the pipe according to when you finish those tasks. This has absolutely nothing to do with you getting your car before someone on the other side of the country or other spec’d cars arriving before yours.
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That's one way of looking at it. It says "Customers will receive first come, first served priority, based on when these tasks are completed". That absolutely, 100% means that I get my car before someone else anywhere in the world with the same config. Sorry, it's plain English. That's what first come, first served means. You can make excuses for them all you want, but it's a flat out lie. Otherwise, they should say "you will be placed in the pipeline and get it when we determine its the right time" If your walked into a restaurant and put your name in a list to be seated, and were told you were next, and then another group the same size as yours walked through the door and got sat ahead of you, you'd be mad. I'd be mad. You wouldn't think, "next in line doesn't mean you get sat ahead of people coming in after you,". No, next means next. Does it mean that I should get my car before someone who ordered a SR, white with white interior? Of course not. But it does mean that they should send me my configuration before sending it to another part of the country to sit on a lot unsold.
I love the cars. I loved driving it, and I can't wait to get it. But damn, the amount of people who defend every single bad decision this company makes just because they are Tesla is crazy to me.
Nobody is defending Tesla here. You asked a question about how Tesla operates and the forum members are explaining it to you. They are not justifying how Tesla does it. They are just telling you their experience on how it works.
There are a myriad of reasons why a car with your configuration may be shipping to Miami. The cars ship from Fremont. A truck picks up a bunch of cars with a Miami destination. Once that destination is set they are not going to drive thousands of miles off the route to Miami to drop off one car in Kansas. That would be a logistical nightmare.
As for the first come, first served, there is some history of Tesla doing this. If a car shows up in your configuration they will email you to let you know it’s ready and give you a short window (generally a few days) to pick it up. If you are not ready to take delivery they will move on to the next customer who can purchase the car right away. This process gets more intense as they get close to the end of the quarter because they don’t want to get stuck with cars in inventory because they waited around for one customer to show up while another customer was immediately ready to place the order.
Tesla has offered you cars with other options that do not suit your interests. So now you have to wait until one that matches your spec shows up. We all had to go through this process. They might produce 1,000 white Model 3 LR AWDs in one day and distribute them across the country. Then they move on to another color, and it might be another week or two before they run their next batch of white cars again. Your car will come, and it will be delivered before the end of the quarter. But nobody here, nor at Tesla, can tell you exactly what date that will be until manufacturing produces a car with your specs and makes it available to match to your order.
Exactly!
If a potential buyer reads this thread from the beginning, they would quickly understand how tesla operates. Every quarter, the angry posts occur - "where is my car?", "tesla keeps changing my delivery dates." , "tesla screwed me - I sold my car already", "tesla lied to me", "why are cars delivered last to california?"....
Before I placed my order, I did read this thread (and many others). I was taken aback and decided to hold off. After a few weeks of thinking about it, I accepted that is was the new way of car buying - and placed my order. Yes, my delivery date was changed (several times) but then I expected that anyway.
This phrase should be posted at the top of this website page. It might reduce some of the angry posts.
Even better, it should be posted on the Tesla order web page...
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