[email protected] is a complete waste of time

[MrBadger]

I wouldn't turn up late if I was you. Plenty of people know your name and will come and collect 'on your behalf' - no ID needed Which collection centre are you and what date Thankyou, its in your signature...

 

[WannabeOwner]

Right now I think the safest course of action may be to just turn up late

I changed my 9AM appointment to 11AM - confirmed emails from both salesman and delivery specialist.

When I turned up, and they couldn't find me on the list, then when they did they said "Ah, you are the 9AM" ... Ermmm ... nope!

I suggest you just email DeliveryGB on the morning before you leave and say "Sorry, unavoidable delay, I'll arrive at 11AM instead of 9AM" ... that must happen anyway for Traffic/whatever. Take a printout copy with you !!!!

If you are going to Heathrow I can't imagine it will make any difference, they can get 50 or 60 cars in the Handover Warehouse, and they are only (Only?!!) shifting 10 - 20 an hour, so between 9AM and 11AM they probably won't even (even?!!) have had to bring any second-batch ones in.

 

[Mr Miserable]

Your car will also likely benefit from some extra charging.
I turned up on time and the car had just 24% charge.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Your car will also likely benefit from some extra charging.

If it is Heathrow then I suspect not, as they don't have enough cables for the cars waiting (not sure they bother to charge any in the Handover Warehouse, but its possible they do.

 

[thegruf]

I have a response from Tesla!!!

SMS +1 916-831-7876 California

Dear Customer, We are sorry to inform you that there is a system error which prevents us from invoicing your car. We are working to have this resolved as soon as possible. We are aiming for your collection to be the beginning of December. We appreciate your patience and look forward to handing over your Tesla.

Somebody please tell me this is a spam text, it can't be for real.

If it is real then I really need to write this up as a Farce for the West End for next season.
As the car is inventory; of course it is steadily depreciating and I haven't even seen it

 

[Mr Miserable]

You couldn't write it.....

 

[madcal]

I sit here in fear of receiving a similar email. I am due to pick up on Friday and no invoice or registration number yet!

 

[Battpower]

I was told day before scheduled handover that my invoice wasn't going to happen, so I said I would still show up to inspect the car (1 year old MS).

Mostly OK. Nice yellow band around MCU, bonnet hinges look like they have been attacked with hammer and chisel. Finger prints photo'd as defefect just needed wiping off, last 20 days energy graph looks like the car run on a track - average 850 wh per mile (may be vampire drain and no real driving?)

After I left SC 2 or 3 hours later I got the same text above direct from US phone number with possible December delivery.

Hilarious.

 

[Dejavus]

I have a response from Tesla!!!

SMS +1 916-831-7876 California

Dear Customer, We are sorry to inform you that there is a system error which prevents us from invoicing your car. We are working to have this resolved as soon as possible. We are aiming for your collection to be the beginning of December. We appreciate your patience and look forward to handing over your Tesla.

Somebody please tell me this is a spam text, it can't be for real.

If it is real then I really need to write this up as a Farce for the West End for next season.
As the car is inventory; of course it is steadily depreciating and I haven't even seen it

1 page back I had the same email and then I had cancellation the next day which I did not request. I wonder how long before a lawsuit. I wonder if Tesla can cancel your order and the relist the item at a higher price?

 

[Battpower]

I saw here that other used buyers were originally told 23rd November (ish) for invoice.

What 'systems issue' can possibly result in business the size of Tesla being unable to raise an invoice, and need a month to take care of it?

Very concerning. May be they lost all or some used car inventory data?!

I'm not sure with Tesla if the payment you make is a legally binding contract. Of course it should be / is supposed to be, but somehow I get the feeling that Tesla would try and make a case that it wasn't actually a deposit, but just a statement of intent to buy a vehicle type. With a new vehicle, I can see that argument because they change VIN's and the physical car may not exist at the time of order, but not the same when you make a payment for a specific used vehicle.

A systems glitch that might take 2 weeks to fix.... then 4 weeks.... I suspect does not have a certain resolution timeframe. I am going to hold out for the car I have 'bought' but if it goes beyond a couple more weeks I will have to consider how to proceed.

Worst thing is how impossible it is to get worthwhile human contact and valid, useful information about anything!

 

[Battpower]

1 page back I had the same email and then I had cancellation the next day which I did not request. I wonder how long before a lawsuit. I wonder if Tesla can cancel your order and the relist the item at a higher price?

Were you able to escalate a complaint? Cancelling the order without your request / permission doesn't sound good at all. I wonder if there is a clause anywhere in an agreement that covers the purchase that gives Tesla the right to cancel at any time and without reason?

 

[WannabeOwner]

I get the feeling that Tesla would try and make a case that it wasn't actually a deposit, but just a statement of intent to buy a vehicle type

In general Tesla behave better than that. For example when price has gone up they have honoured all existing orders, and when price went down they reduce price for all pre-existing orders.

But interaction with them is pure chaos All this work-around rather than grass-roots-fix must be costing them a fortune in Admin, not to mention sour-will.

A systems glitch that might take ...

I don't think its that (although they are in the process of replacing their main systems, so lets hope the new one is better ...)

They did away with phone lines with absolutely no viable alternative in place. Solution for buying Accessories as "Send an Email to PARTS". An online shop has opened since, but with a woefully small catalogue of products. For a software company it is atrocious, and has been for years.

My only conclusion is that they have decided that loss of good-will from chaos-admin is tolerable in favour of prioritising advances elsewhere, and so long as Admin is fixed before you by your next Tesla then they will keep you. Time till tell ...

Installing a new software system, and transitioning over from the old, is a well understood process (not withstanding than government projects, and some big bank rollouts, manage to royally cock it up), but Elon's "I'm fed up with waiting, just turn the old one off to focus the mind on sorting it out" is disruptive!! for sure

 

[Mr Miserable]

The place is run by kids.

 

[Dejavus]

Were you able to escalate a complaint? Cancelling the order without your request / permission doesn't sound good at all. I wonder if there is a clause anywhere in an agreement that covers the purchase that gives Tesla the right to cancel at any time and without reason?

Unfortunately I wasnt able to escalate, as the email came from my direct point of contact and this was after speaking with him on the phone, he was looking into it and came back empty handed said he couldnt do anything about it and to keep an eye on the inventory.

I already have loan approved for the same exact amount I require but not sure if anything else would come into inventory in my price range.

 

[Battpower]

loss of good-will from chaos-admin is tolerable in favour of

..............

The place is run by kids.

Sadly, this all smacks of an approach to business that I have seen with other businesses in the past. When you are a relatively small player in a huge marketplace, there is a business case driven purely by growing sales that you need marketing to generate product image and demand and just focus on shipping new product. At least to start with, any disatisfaction from buyers is a) small compared with new sales (so just try and fix any issues for new sales) and b) easy to dodge any flac based on argument of rapid product development etc etc so reported problems from existing owners won't effect customers buying brand new product.

One element of this approach is to keep problems at bay while still in principle offering a system to address them. Phone conversations are great at taking up staff resources while adding to your obligations and also increasing levels of disatisfaction if you can't follow through on actions agreed in phone calls.

I really have no idea what the next step is with my order and can't engage with Tesla to sort it out.

Likely 2 months between paying deposit and (hopefully) getting car.
Uncertainty regarding insurance / finance as initial arrangements expire.
My cash tied up / unable to persue other vehicles while waiting - and for CPU probably stuck in same situation.
Having inspected 'my car' and identified issues needing attention, if these can't be fixed while waiting for the invoice, it could be 3 months before I get the car!
Actually needing to liaise with Tesla so much and so early on in the purchase process, and finding this to be so impossible, does present a huge issue. Yes, I like the car. Yes, I want their product. But the rest of the future relationship that normally you would just assume will be at least adequate, is already in tatters. Can't even discuss and agree way forward through the lengthening list of issues and I don't have an 'firm' revised revised handover date.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I really have no idea what the next step is with my order and can't engage with Tesla to sort it out

Only option I can think of is to persuade them to give you a Loaner until it is sorted out. Not sure how desperate they will be for YOUR sale ... obviously quite a lot will hinge on that.

 

[Battpower]

Only option I can think of is to persuade them to give you a Loaner until it is sorted out. Not sure how desperate they will be for YOUR sale ... obviously quite a lot will hinge on that.

You mean just complete the purchase whenever they can finally raise an invoice, then try and coordinate service booking with loan vehicle? Well, a) I don't think they care about my business at all (or any other individual's business for that matter) and b) I doubt I could do any pre-booking until I fully own the car.

However, I can check that they would provide loan car or while-you-wait service.

 

[WannabeOwner]

You mean just complete the purchase whenever they can finally raise an invoice,

I was actually thinking along the lines of speaking to Salesperson ....

"My car is on finance, it finishes TOMORROW, can't hang about, if you want the sale you'll need to give me a loaner until the paperwork can be completed"

Something like that

add "Will you be able to send a Ranger to swap the cars? Its a long way for me to have to come, and take time off work ..."

but you might prefer to do Acceptance of the vehicle at a service centre where any minor issues could be sorted there-and-then. Don't give them the keys to the loaner until you've accepted your car, and leave the loaner on Charge whilst you are hanging about ... I had to take the Loaner back-again after one service visit ...

You Never Know ... my reckoning is that Tesla are completely overloaded at present so this is unlikely ... but ... individual staff members have figured out how to to over-and-beyond-the-call numerous times in the past.

 

[WannabeOwner]

If you are buying 2nd hand worth giving R Symons a shout ... unless the geography is hopeless.

 

[Battpower]

If you are buying 2nd hand worth giving R Symons a shout ... unless the geography is hopeless.

I watched several cars with them. Had some good spec's and prices looked about right. Location not great. But I really want the full CPO wty for what it's worth. Just too many potentially expensive issues with these cars.