DMV Registration of your new Tesla

[CSFTN]

Need to say that I am less than impressed by the final purchase process.
I ordered via the Nashville dealership. Car is now ready for delivery to me (I live in the same state, 215 miles away). My delivery specialist, for reasons never explained to me, is in Charlotte NC. She (Shannon Davis) rarely answers emails. When she does, its usually 10 days later. Car is expected to be delivered tomorrow, but she never called or emailed me to tell me. Rather, when I became tired of waiting for her, I first emailed her, then 2 hours later called her, then 1 hour later called California. At that point, she answered my email, telling me car still expected tomorrow but she has not yet arranged transport to me. Furthermore, she would Fedex me the registration paperwork, which I will have to take to my local DMV and register the car myself.

That's not a happy answer. Car was finished with production and in transit 4 weeks ago. Why the wait? Why has transport not yet been arranged? Why do I need to take off 1/2 a day and stand on line at the DMV, rather than the dealership registering for me (yes, they have a license in the state of TN. I should know, I went to the state commission meetings).

I am actually considering canceling my order. Crazy? Not sure but I am sure I don't want to waste my time standing in the purgatory that is the line at the local DMV. Anyone purchase your car in TN, in the past 6 months, and have to go through this? Anyone explain when my delivery specialist is in another state?

 

[jbm2002]

Need to say that I am less than impressed by the final purchase process.
I ordered via the Nashville dealership. Car is now ready for delivery to me (I live in the same state, 215 miles away). My delivery specialist, for reasons never explained to me, is in Charlotte NC. She (Shannon Davis) rarely answers emails. When she does, its usually 10 days later. Car is expected to be delivered tomorrow, but she never called or emailed me to tell me. Rather, when I became tired of waiting for her, I first emailed her, then 2 hours later called her, then 1 hour later called California. At that point, she answered my email, telling me car still expected tomorrow but she has not yet arranged transport to me. Furthermore, she would Fedex me the registration paperwork, which I will have to take to my local DMV and register the car myself.

That's not a happy answer. Car was finished with production and in transit 4 weeks ago. Why the wait? Why has transport not yet been arranged? Why do I need to take off 1/2 a day and stand on line at the DMV, rather than the dealership registering for me (yes, they have a license in the state of TN. I should know, I went to the state commission meetings).

I am actually considering canceling my order. Crazy? Not sure but I am sure I don't want to waste my time standing in the purgatory that is the line at the local DMV. Anyone purchase your car in TN, in the past 6 months, and have to go through this? Anyone explain when my delivery specialist is in another state?

I purchased an inventory car from the Cincinnati store when I was there visiting family, but I live in Nashville. My car was shipped to the Nashville store from the Cincinnati store for delivery and pick-up.

I was assigned a delivery specialist who was located in Florida; my specialist was very attentive initially, but once all of the paperwork was completed / money changed hands, he was less helpful as I recall. I remember thinking that the delivery process was confusing. Long story short, I ended up calling the local dealership in Nashville -- and they were incredibly helpful. Talk to Alex Kiss (sales manager) and he can point you in the right direction.

Here's how the process worked for me:

At delivery, the car came with a small paper strip in the back window -- a temporary California registration registered to the dealer. A few days after I took delivery, I received a FedEx packet from Tesla that included a California temporary registration form (which I signed and returned), a California out of state delivery form (which I signed and returned), and a new temporary ID for the window (another temporary CA registration registered to me this time). Then, about 2-3 weeks later, I received another packet which contained other registration documents (I can't remember what all was in there). Then, you take these documents, along with you bill of sale, to your local DMV. I had to pay the state and local sales and registration taxes directly to the DMV at that time. You have 30 days to complete the process once you take delivery.

I hope this helps -- just call Alex Kiss at the Tesla Store in Nashville if you have questions.

Good luck -- Jason

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Need to say that I am less than impressed by the final purchase process.
I ordered via the Nashville dealership. Car is now ready for delivery to me (I live in the same state, 215 miles away). My delivery specialist, for reasons never explained to me, is in Charlotte NC. She (Shannon Davis) rarely answers emails. When she does, its usually 10 days later. Car is expected to be delivered tomorrow, but she never called or emailed me to tell me. Rather, when I became tired of waiting for her, I first emailed her, then 2 hours later called her, then 1 hour later called California. At that point, she answered my email, telling me car still expected tomorrow but she has not yet arranged transport to me. Furthermore, she would Fedex me the registration paperwork, which I will have to take to my local DMV and register the car myself.

That's not a happy answer. Car was finished with production and in transit 4 weeks ago. Why the wait? Why has transport not yet been arranged? Why do I need to take off 1/2 a day and stand on line at the DMV, rather than the dealership registering for me (yes, they have a license in the state of TN. I should know, I went to the state commission meetings).

I am actually considering canceling my order. Crazy? Not sure but I am sure I don't want to waste my time standing in the purgatory that is the line at the local DMV. Anyone purchase your car in TN, in the past 6 months, and have to go through this? Anyone explain when my delivery specialist is in another state?

Cancel the order and/or push it up the Tesla chain until you get satisfactory answers.

 

[MrSled]

Don't you have to register the car in the TN county you live in? do you really expect someone to travel 200+ miles each way to register your car? I was in an out in 30 minutes at my local RMV and I had six people in line ahead of me. If the state plate didn't have the county printed on it, that would be a different story. My delivery specialist was in Colorado so I don't think out of state specialists are an uncommon occurrence. If you want the real "dealership experience" then by all means cancel your order and buy an ICE car.

 

[CSFTN]

Don't you have to register the car in the TN county you live in? do you really expect someone to travel 200+ miles each way to register your car? I was in an out in 30 minutes at my local RMV and I had six people in line ahead of me. If the state plate didn't have the county printed on it, that would be a different story. My delivery specialist was in Colorado so I don't think out of state specialists are an uncommon occurrence. If you want the real "dealership experience" then by all means cancel your order and buy an ICE car.

No, I expect it to be no different to when I go buy a new car at a local dealer. They file the registration electronically, 2 weeks later a license plate comes to either them or me, in the mail. Done.

Cancel the order and/or push it up the Tesla chain until you get satisfactory answers.

I did in fact email Jerome, who responded in about 2 minutes. They tell me they will in fact register it. I'm a little too busy playing with the car to read the details in the deluge of helpful emails which followed, but I will over the weekend.

Although I was unhappy to be in that situation, it appears that they made it right. Rant over.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

I went to the Main county admin office where I do the yearly renewals of our cars. I didn't see it as a 'situation' but another opportunity to drive Pearlie May... (yes the cars are addictive to play with)
Actually had a couple of Tesla Moments on that errand

 

[flyeyes]

I'm also in Memphis, still waiting on my tags (which they've said they'll take care of) but have had little or no trouble with the delivery specialist. He is based in St Louis, and answers texts immediately or within a few minutes.

The company as a whole is experiencing rapid growth, and sometimes things will get dropped. I have talked to people in Nashville, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Century City (Los Angeles). They will occasionally drop a ball, but make up for it pretty quickly in my experience.

Also, for future reference, the DMV in germantown is close to my home and office, and it rarely takes me half day. Usually 20 minutes and I'm on my way.

 

[CSFTN]

I ended up going to the DMV in Germantown. Took about 4 hours, showed up 15 minutes after they opened.

 

[flyeyes]

I ended up going to the DMV in Germantown. Took about 4 hours, showed up 15 minutes after they opened.

Holy cow.

That kind of stuff makes me completely crazy. My tags did show up in the mail (about two months after the car showed up) but they showed up as promised (if a little late).

i hate hearing that the DMV has deteriorated. I have kids who drive but are too young to rent (or drive expensive new cars imho) and between them and their cousins have a rotating flock of "beaters" at the house. I've probably gone to the DMV 8 or 9 times in the last six years, but not at all in the last two.

 

[CSFTN]

One year later, went back to the Germantown DMV to get new plates. Entire process this time took < 10 minutes.
Also, back when my problem occurred Jerome emailed and then called me, had the sales director for my region call me, who gave me his home phone number. While the whole process was more problematic than it should have been, I am quite sure that a VP of eg BMWNA would never have called me about a delivery problem.