Delivery questions

[Michelle_eriw]

How much advance notice should I expect (on the average) for the delivery date?

Do I make the down payment when the car is delivered, or do I have to pay in advance?

What forms of payment do they accept? Can I write them a check? Use a debit card? Cashier's check? Anything else?

I've already filled out the credit app (and TransUnion dinged my credit score) and sent my proof of insurance.

 

[dhrivnak]

I brought a cashiers check I gave to them after we saw the car. A credit card usually does not have a high enough cap unless you are just paying a balance. And I got the impression a personal check would have worked as well.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

Well, if they can take two credit cards, I can do that, and then pay both of them off the next day. if they take a debit card, there will be no problem. But I'm not going to try to pay them thirty grand in cash.

 

[acarney]

When I purchased last year I think they only allowed me to put $2,500 on my credit card. They pay processing fees on that and stuff. I think they’ll want wire transfer, certified check, or possibly personal check. I’m not sure about the debit card because I believe there is still interconnect fees for the merchant associated with using them, just lower than credit cards.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

Thanks. I guess I'll find out in due time. I just hope there's enough notice to close my CDs in time.

 

[Mattopotamus]

When I purchased last year I think they only allowed me to put $2,500 on my credit card. They pay processing fees on that and stuff. I think they’ll want wire transfer, certified check, or possibly personal check. I’m not sure about the debit card because I believe there is still interconnect fees for the merchant associated with using them, just lower than credit cards.

This is pretty common for all dealerships. They do not want credit card fees. I personally went ahead and paid as soon as the option was available. The Tesla website had me login to my bank and took the money from there.

I bought at the end of the quarter so delivery time is not the norm, but it was 3 days from order to delivery. I got a text telling me what the delivery date/time was, and it worked so I just left it at that.

 

[XLR82XS]

How much advance notice should I expect (on the average) for the delivery date?
-- About 1.5 weeks (for both of my 3's)
Do I make the down payment when the car is delivered, or do I have to pay in advance?
-- You do not have to put anything down if you don't want to. I paid balance at delivery after inspection via online transfer.
What forms of payment do they accept? Can I write them a check? Use a debit card? Cashier's check? Anything else?
-- Bank transfer, (easiest), CC, check.
I've already filled out the credit app (and TransUnion dinged my credit score) and sent my proof of insurance.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

[
i think what I called down payment is what you called balance. The part that is not financed.

 

[XLR82XS]

[

i think what I called down payment is what you called balance. The part that is not financed.

No finance for me as well. I just electronic transferred the whole amount due at delivery. (less CC deposit)

 

[Michelle_eriw]

No finance for me as well. I just electronic transferred the whole amount due at delivery. (less CC deposit)

I'm financing about $26,000. I'm getting a long range with self driving.

 

[OCR1]

You can’t use a credit card for anything beyond the $2,500 deposit.

Never give Tesla any money until you do a thorough inspection of the car and determine it to be satisfactory. They will try to get you to send the money in advance. Just ignore them. You can either bring a check or do an electronic payment right before driving off with the car.

And never accept a car that has “issues” that you are not happy with. The delivery advisor will lead you to believe that Tesla will fix things. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. Once they have your money the burden is on you to chase after them.

 

[stonelance]

I think there is often only 2-3 days notice for delivery, but it probably depends on location and timing within the quarter. I also recommend expecting the delivery date to change at least once from the original one they give you, especially outside California.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

I think there is often only 2-3 days notice for delivery, but it probably depends on location and timing within the quarter. I also recommend expecting the delivery date to change at least once from the original one they give you, especially outside California.

Thanks.

 

[XLR82XS]

You can’t use a credit card for anything beyond the $2,500 deposit.

Never give Tesla any money until you do a thorough inspection of the car and determine it to be satisfactory. They will try to get you to send the money in advance. Just ignore them. You can either bring a check or do an electronic payment right before driving off with the car.

And never accept a car that has “issues” that you are not happy with. The delivery advisor will lead you to believe that Tesla will fix things. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. Once they have your money the burden is on you to chase after them.

Exactly - thoroughly inspect the car. I had an issue with the 2020 at delivery. LR wheel had a mark that seemed to be from transport. They immediately swapped it with a new wheel - then I paid.

 

[swb2734]

When I purchased last year I think they only allowed me to put $2,500 on my credit card. They pay processing fees on that and stuff. I think they’ll want wire transfer, certified check, or possibly personal check. I’m not sure about the debit card because I believe there is still interconnect fees for the merchant associated with using them, just lower than credit cards.

I thought I saw on the Tesla website that they only credit card payment they currently take is for the $100 order fee, and not for the purchase of the car.

 

[acarney]

I thought I saw on the Tesla website that they only credit card payment they currently take is for the $100 order fee, and not for the purchase of the car.

This might be true now, I placed my order in July 2019 where the deposit was much higher... $1,500 maybe? Then they allowed me to make another $1000 down payment or something with a credit card. I know it wasn't very much compared to the total cost of the car though...

 

[Michelle_eriw]

When the lease on my previous car expired, I bought the car. The dealer limited me to $3,000 on a credit card. They accepted a personal check for the rest.

 

[acarney]

When the lease on my previous car expired, I bought the car. The dealer limited me to $3,000 on a credit card. They accepted a personal check for the rest.

A many dealers will allow Amex Platinum (and above) card holders put at least $5,000 on the card, but I don't know of ANY that will allow the whole amount on the card, even with charging a processing fee and I have no idea if Tesla does.... they're not a traditional dealer and thus not in Amex's car buying program network...

 

[OCR1]

You can dispute charges on a credit card. No car company is going to expose themselves to that on a vehicle sale. It would directly conflict with the terms and conditions of the vehicle sales agreement.

 

[Delray]

Although I paid the balance due online via ACH bank transfer, I was assured by several Tesla folks that a personal check at Delivery would be perfectly fine.