Drop-In Center Console now in the Tesla Model S online store

[RobinF]

Yes I was tired of waiting for the Obeche wood fragment and just ordered the piano black.

I was also thinking about switching from my Obeche Matte to the Piano Black, then realized that 90% of the time, I keep my phone mounted on the dash so as to use Waze, etc. I therefore will likely keep the cover closed. I decided to email TM again, and received a response within 1 minute. I am sure it's a canned response, but here it is:

 

[SteveW25561]

@RobinF: Can you post a picture of the piano black and obeche interior? I have gloss but still keen to see what this looks like.

 

[TSchaefer]

Here is a photo of our CCI from Tesla with the piano black. See, the compartment that is open just in front of the cupholders? Well, that is all that is covered with piano black.

@RobinF: Can you post a picture of the piano black and obeche interior? I have gloss but still keen to see what this looks like.

 

[Andyw2100]

thanks rlang59 - that was not clear to me from the pictures. Does the shiny arey cover the whole "dark" area or only half ?

There are good pictures of the console, as well as a video of it here:

Tesla Gear Shop Premium Center Console - Piano Black

 

[chickensevil]

For those looking for non-simulated pictures with the cover down (so you can see the part that has the trim on it) I refer you back a few posts to some pictures posted by another forum member. Hopefully their set of photos helps explain this. They have one with everything closed, and one with everything open.

Drop-In Center Console now in the Tesla Model S online store - Page 59

As I said, even without sticking my phone down there, I tend to keep just the trim panel flipped down (I like keeping the rest closed when cups are not needed since it makes the car look cleaner) so I never see the black decor (even though my trim is actually black, so it wouldn't matter either way). It is a handy little open shelf area to stick things in that I like using more than the current shelf under the screen. I tend to keep loose things like pens and change and such there, whereas on the shelf under the screen I keep my garage openers and such (which is one of my few gripes about the car... sometimes the homelink button just will not transmit a strong enough signal to open my garage door...)

 

[artsci]

Production of the Tesla center console is on TeslaTime in slow motion. I'm on the list for one in carbon fiber. How many years is this going to take

 

[liuping]

There are good pictures of the console, as well as a video of it here:

Tesla Gear Shop Premium Center Console - Piano Black

The video from that page shows the lip open trim covered part very nicely: http://pdl.vimeocdn.com/00142/375/2...5a60d3707c260872&aksessionid=bcfd19cad42ee100

It looks nice in Obeche Matt in the video, which is why I decided to wit for it.

 

[wamochi]

The video from that page shows the lip open trim covered part very nicely: http://pdl.vimeocdn.com/00142/375/2...5a60d3707c260872&aksessionid=bcfd19cad42ee100

It looks nice in Obeche Matt in the video, which is why I decided to wit for it.

i'm on the list for obeche matte and got the same message from Tesla - available Spring 2015 and then will work their way down the list.

still using the Rubbermaid bentos which are fine for now, but getting tired of them. i have the medium and small in the gray linen and it's not terribly out of place but definitely embarrassing to say oh yeah, these are my extra cupholders and place to put baby wipes. :frown:

 

[tliving]

Does anyone know how much storage is left in the console with 2 drinks in it? Also do the holders hold a large dunkin donuts ice coffee cup? These are the important things in life.

 

[bigdomer]

Does anyone know how much storage is left in the console with 2 drinks in it? Also do the holders hold a large dunkin donuts ice coffee cup? These are the important things in life.

Essentially no space that is accessible. I keep some stuff in the very front (frunk side) in front of the cupholders. However, I could never access any of that with large drinks in the two cup holders. The cup holders will hold the largest drinks you can buy anywhere. They are massive.

 

[skilly]

Yes the part that is behind the phone. When there is no phone in the dock that part flips down to cover the little open area. That is the only part that is piano black.

edit:
Here is a pic from the website. The shiny area at the back by the cup holders is the only part that is in piano black and that is the part that flips up.


View attachment 69696

it drives me crazy that they only offer Piano Black yet the video in the advertisement on the TM website is the wood trim matte finish (exactly what I need!).

 

[chickensevil]

it drives me crazy that they only offer Piano Black yet the video in the advertisement on the TM website is the wood trim matte finish (exactly what I need!).

The other trims will exist soon.

 

[Owner]

I owned one in theory for a couple of months. Just returned mine when the service driver told me it will unlikely work with my iphone case on!

Tesla Center Console | TESLA OWNER

 

[Andyw2100]

I owned one in theory for a couple of months. Just returned mine when the service driver told me it will unlikely work with my iphone case on!

Tesla Center Console | TESLA OWNER

I read your blog post.

I don't have an answer for the water bottle issue. But if the phone charging while in the case was really the deal breaker, you may want to read the post below, and then consider the Tesla console again.

To adjust the charging cable in the Tesla console to support phones in cases, the change is relatively easy to do.

Remove all connections to the USB and charging ports. The "floor" of the phone charging area should slide out, exposing the USB cable.

Using a screwdriver, you can remove the plastic part containing the charging cable where the smartphone docks.

Remove the USB cable from that part, and shave a small amount of plastic from the post that holds the USB connect for the dock, allowing the connector to slide out a little further, so it can make connection with the smartphone in it's case.

To prevent the USB connector from sliding back into the consoler (after everything's assembled), put something inside that plastic part underneath the USB connector for padding. I used a small amount of electrical tape.

Re-assemble everything, and if the smartphone still doesn't connect, repeat until it does make contact.

Don't go overboard on having the USB connector into the phone protrude too much from the console - because you still want the bulk of the weight of the phone to be riding on the console - and not solely on the USB connector (which could risk damaging the phone).

As an extra step, I have a high-speed USB charging adapter plugged into the power port, and I routed the Tesla console USB wire to plug into that - significantly increasing the power going to my phone.

 

[Owner]

Thanks Andy

Yea, the charging cable was the last straw. I don't really want to self remove plastic etc... Not for a 600 console plus 96.25 installation costs.

I'm also thinking a permanent charging cable is a bad idea. Will Apple keep the same charging cable for the life of the car? doubtful.

I'm keeping my eye open for a nice "reasonably" attractive black box that I can just leave there and hide my stuff.

I read your blog post.

I don't have an answer for the water bottle issue. But if the phone charging while in the case was really the deal breaker, you may want to read the post below, and then consider the Tesla console again.

 

[Andyw2100]

Thanks Andy

Yea, the charging cable was the last straw. I don't really want to self remove plastic etc... Not for a 600 console plus 96.25 installation costs.

I'm also thinking a permanent charging cable is a bad idea. Will Apple keep the same charging cable for the life of the car? doubtful.

I'm keeping my eye open for a nice "reasonably" attractive black box that I can just leave there and hide my stuff.

I just wanted to make sure you knew that it was possible to charge an iphone in its case.

As for apple changing the adapter / cable, I would expect that if they were to do that, Tesla would come out with a compatible dock. It might take them a year or three, but they'd have one eventually. They'd have to.

 

[tliving]

Thanks Andy

Yea, the charging cable was the last straw. I don't really want to self remove plastic etc... Not for a 600 console plus 96.25 installation costs.

@owner: They charged extra for the install?? That could push me over the line (in addition to the 10 month wait so far) to the CCI one..

 

[Owner]

Well I'm not 100% sure on that as I did not complete the transaction. The paper work does say "Total Labor Amount: 96.25" Pay Type: Customer Pay

I got the idea that this might be negotiable. But that is an unconfirmed vague impression on my part. Do not want to start a rumor ​but I may have inadvertently.

@owner: They charged extra for the install?? That could push me over the line (in addition to the 10 month wait so far) to the CCI one..

Its those smallish things that push us over the line / edge.

I wonder where Elon keeps his sunglasses?

 

[markb1]

Per the web site:

Professional installation at a Tesla Motors Service Center is included in the price.

So it's supposed to be $600 installed.

 

[4SUPER9]

Thanks Andy

Yea, the charging cable was the last straw. I don't really want to self remove plastic etc... Not for a 600 console plus 96.25 installation costs.

I'm also thinking a permanent charging cable is a bad idea. Will Apple keep the same charging cable for the life of the car? doubtful.

I'm keeping my eye open for a nice "reasonably" attractive black box that I can just leave there and hide my stuff.

The center console comes with a blank to fill in the spot if you don't want to use it as a dock. If Apple was to change their cable again, Tesla could easily make a new adapter. Sure, it may take 2 years, but they could!