Delivery without test drive

[efusco]

Perhaps I'm the only one, and maybe that makes me foolish, but is there anyone else expecting NOT to drive (or even see for that matter) the Model S prior to taking delivery? I live at least 8 hours from the closest Tesla store and unless I happen to be traveling to a city with a Tesla store I fully expect that the first time I see or drive a Model S will be the moment I take delivery next fall.

I essentially did the same thing with the Prius in 2003. I'd driven a first gen Prius, but bought the Gen II sight unseen and it couldn't have worked out better. Even before that I bought my Ford Expedition from an out of town dealer and I don't think I'd done a test drive in one of those before hand either.

While any "how to buy a car" article will tell you to take a test drive, I'm not sure I'm as convinced that it makes a huge difference. You might find some quirk that's different than you're used to, but it seems like a modern vehicle built to sell to the masses is likely to have any flaws so huge that one couldn't live with them for the sake of the rest of the vehicle.

 

[Mycroft]

I'm with you Evan! A test drive isn't necessary for me, merely highly desirable!

 

[efusco]

I'm with you Evan! A test drive isn't necessary for me, merely highly desirable!

Indeed, given the opportunity I'll definately take the test drive. At this point I've ridden, very briefly and pretty slowly, in a Roadster as it did the cross-country trip and oddly enough spent a couple nights in Nixa, MO of all places. Other than that I've never driven a Tesla, and probably won't.

 

[WhiteKnight]

In locations where you already have a store, I'm sure you can get a test ride. In Atlanta, the nearest store is Washington DC which is 650 miles away. I'm guessing they're going to tell me I have to travel to California (or DC) to test drive the car. It's possible that they have a Beta (or 1.0) tour that stops here in Atlanta and they allow the 8 of us reservation holders to test drive at that time.

I don't want to take delivery of the car until they have a service center here in Atlanta. I'm probably going to swap my Model S reservation for a Model X reservation, but if I don't I'll get the 40 kWh so I've probably got until Spring 2013 before I could even take delivery.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

While any "how to buy a car" article will tell you to take a test drive, I'm not sure I'm as convinced that it makes a huge difference. You might find some quirk that's different than you're used to, but it seems like a modern vehicle built to sell to the masses is likely to have any flaws so huge that one couldn't live with them for the sake of the rest of the vehicle.

Precisely my logic in making my last 4 car purchases without a test drive! I did do extensive research beforehand on the web (consumerreports and several other review sites) and had my heart set on a particular car (based on looks, features, etc.) - unless the Model S drives like a pig (you sig holders will let us know :smile, I'm getting it no matter what!

 

[NigelM]

In Atlanta, the nearest store is Washington DC which is 650 miles away.

It's only 640 miles to Dania Beach (Tesla FL). :wink:

In locations where you already have a store, I'm sure you can get a test ride.

Here's a quick go at the math as of today:

* There's some 8,000 reservations on the forum tally in the U.S. today
* That tally does not include list compression so let's say 7,000
* There are 16 Tesla locations right now
* Average >400 test drives per Tesla store

If you think about it, there's likely to be quite a number of us that don't get to do test drives. I'm not worried about it personally, but I'm a Roadster owner experiencing Tesla not for the first time. (Although if our FL store manager reads this post - I would LOVE to get a test drive....:biggrin

Slightly tangential, Tesla must be preparing to ramp up a completely new delivery structure. The customer service around my Roadster delivery was outstanding but they were happy if they were delivering a handful of cars per month; it's going to be different delivering cars every day, even if we go to pick up from the store.

 

[Sparrow]

I'm more worried about picking the right colors and options site unseen than the actual test drive.

 

[WhiteKnight]

It's only 640 miles to Dania Beach (Tesla FL). :wink:

Thanks! Much better than DC - no stench rising over the Ft. Lauderdale area.

 

[Arnold Panz]

It's only 640 miles to Dania Beach (Tesla FL). :wink:

And only about 2 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale Airport, which has 1000 flights/day from Atlanta (all numbers estimated).

I don't think you need a test drive, especially these days because you'll have tons of people videoing and providing their impressions of test rides/drives for the next several months. Having gotten a test ride at the Factory Tour in October, I'd be OK without a test drive (not to say I don't want one!). I bought my RX400h without a test drive and I've loved driving that car for the past 5+ years. If enough people say driving the car is awesome, you'll probably feel the same once you get the car.

 

[efusco]

I'm more worried about picking the right colors and options site unseen than the actual test drive.

Again, for me it's essentially a non-issue. Red and the various ranges around red are still 'red' to me. I just don't see a single color there (unless brown looks like "poo") that I'd be disappointed with. i'd like to see the interior options, esp. since I'm probably going to try to save a few bucks and stick with the microfiber, but I hate black and I want to make sure it's fairly soft and durable appearing, but I'll take a chance there. But that would be the biggest thing, comparing the seat coverings. As far as the driving experience and such, though, I think that'll be fine or we'll hear about it very early on.

 

[Iz]

I would like a test drive prior to any decision making. Definitely need to see the jump seats and have my kids sit in them to gauge head room and how much longer the seats will be viable for them.

 

[efusco]

I would like a test drive prior to any decision making. Definitely need to see the jump seats and have my kids sit in them to gauge head room and how much longer the seats will be viable for them.

That makes sense, particularly if you have a family of more than 5 or often carry extra kids or adults and will be dependent upon those jump seats for extra passengers.

 

[WhiteKnight]

And only about 2 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale Airport, which has 1000 flights/day from Atlanta (all numbers estimated).

I don't think you need a test drive, especially these days because you'll have tons of people videoing and providing their impressions of test rides/drives for the next several months. Having gotten a test ride at the Factory Tour in October, I'd be OK without a test drive (not to say I don't want one!). I bought my RX400h without a test drive and I've loved driving that car for the past 5+ years. If enough people say driving the car is awesome, you'll probably feel the same once you get the car.

For me I need a test drive because I am 6' 4" and 245 pounds. There are lots of cars that claim to have good headroom and legroom that I still can't fit into. Sitting in the passenger's seat does not cut it. I am holding out hope though since Franz Holzhausen is 6'5" that I can fit.

 

[Robert.Boston]

I don't need a test drive, but my wife will. :wink: Definitely need to see the colors with my own eyes, though, and preferably on a vehicle, not just the paint chips. As we all know from painting rooms and houses, the paint always looks different on the chip than on the wall.

In the best of all worlds, I could side-by-side some options, particularly the air suspension, stereo, and pano roof. How does the car feel, sound, and look with or without these options? I realize that it's pretty unlikely that each store will have a parking lot full of testers, but it would be nice to have one fully loaded (performance, pano, stereo upgrade) and another "plain" (85kWh but no options).

btw, Tesla plans to add new stores in 12 new North American markets (according to its Q3 Company Overview). These appear to my eye to be:

• Boston
• Philadelphia
• Charleston SC (?)
• Atlanta
• Tampa
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Phoenix
• Las Vegas
• San Diego
• Portland OR
• Vancouver
• Toronto

I could easily be wrong about these, as I'm just squinting at the map! Nonetheless, with these stores open, more reservation holders will have reasonable distances to get to a test drive, and the per-store load won't be overwhelming.

 

[goyogi]

Three of the four cars I've bought in my life I never test drove. All of them I researched extensively in magazines or online before buying.

If I didn't have a chance to drive the Model S I'd buy it regardless. I'm res # 5163. I'm sure there will be plenty of reviews as well as personal experiences I can gather from this forum to help me choose.

 

[clea]

I am under the impression though that they will do a Model S tour where test drives will be offered for reservation holders. I know that some of the previous Model S tours were in cities that have neither a store nor a service center and so should make the access easier for people like me.

 

[ElSupreme]

I would never buy a car without test driving it. Well I always thought that. I really have no problems purchasing a Model S without driving it. I just have problems securing funds.

I am driving a Nissan Leaf tomorrow to make sure electric cars are what I imagine them to be. I can't see having a car with 100% torque at rpm, and a single speed being bad. And with decent tires and a CG that low it will handle well. My only real concern is its size. I drive a GTI and a Dodge Neon before that. This thing is really big. I was fine driving my parents Avalon for a summer so I think I can get used to it.

But in reality I was going to buy a Subaru Impreza STI 2 years ago, but test drove it and preferred my 4 year old GTI to the brand new STI. So test drives do mean something. That said this is competing against ... Nothing!

Now I need to find out if I can afford the 85kWh, with heated seats, nav, air suspension, and the second charger, and a new 100A service to my house. Or just buy a 40kWh stripped and pull a 40A circuit from my existing service.

 

[Mycroft]

ES, you really don't need the second charger. Just pull a 50A circuit from your existing service. That will save a LOT of money!

 

[ckessel]

I'd absolutely have to test drive it. More over, I'm fairly adamant that I'll need to have some way to tell the value of certain upgrades or I won't get them (basic sound vs. premium, no air suspension and with). I'm not sure how they're going to handle the latter part. I suppose that'd require a couple cars for each test drive, a base model and a maxed out model.

 

[user497]

I took a test drive for the Roadster in NYC but it was pouring (as in you couldn't see 20 feet in front of you) so I am not sure that really counted. I then bought the car same day and ordered the color (Thunder Grey) sight unseen (they had to get the car from another location and didn't have that color in the store). I think based on the reviews, you are going to know what to expect. I'm not interested in the model S (too big a car) but I would probably by the 3rd generation (not the model X) sight unseen as well based on the reviews.