Early 2019 for Model 3’s, what was the point of an early reservation?

[houdini]

Tesla FAQs confirm early 2019 for the right hand drive model 3’s. This is very disappointing. I was expecting Sept 2018 which is still 2 and a half years but come on. March 31 2016 to March 2019?! When cars are being delivered everywhere else in the world from July 2017! They’re talking about 5000 cars a week this year. 20,000 a month. By July next year at predicted build rates they would have been able to deliver maybe 200,000 cars. So effectively half way through the pre-orders. Where’s the right hand drive love? They’re seriously thinking they’ll deliver 400,000 LHD cars and then squeeze out some RHD vehicles? Disappointing.

It also gives a lot of other manufacturers who are skilled at mixed LHD and RHD production lines a chance to ramp up and get into those markets. The Hyundai ionic when we finally get it here has some pretty good range and we’re seeing lots of positive reviews. It’s close to the model 3 base models range. Love to support Tesla because i love them as a Company and back their mission but I’ll be looking at a second hand Model S or potentially something else if it presents a solid alternative. Buying a second hand model S doesn’t really help Tesla with new cars sales stats. It’s really a sale lost as I won’t buy a 3 if I get a second hand S. A sale lost then.

 

[Tiger]

Buying a second hand model S doesn’t really help Tesla with new cars sales stats. It’s really a sale lost as I won’t buy a 3 if I get a second hand S. A sale lost then.

Tesla is manufacturing at full capacity, so there are no sales lost. Actually they probably will soon have some excess capacity with S/X and thus buying one there would be better. Buying a second hand one is simply good for youself, the previous owner hopefully upgraded to another S/X to keep saving the world.

-- Lewis Litt from the beach

 

[Dakah3]

Tend to agree about whats the point of holding a reservation, as when they start making the Aus RHD version, one weeks production would fill all the Australian orders, so no advantage in leaving $1500 in Tesla's account for 3 years.
Seriously thinking of cancelling reservation and putting an order in when they become available, or who knows what else might come onto the Australian market by then.

 

[Jays200]

Tend to agree about whats the point of holding a reservation, as when they start making the Aus RHD version, one weeks production would fill all the Australian orders, so no advantage in leaving $1500 in Tesla's account for 3 years.
Seriously thinking of cancelling reservation and putting an order in when they become available, or who knows what else might come onto the Australian market by then.

Because it holds your place in the long queue
Zero point in cancelling and reordering later unless you're hard up for the $1500 now
Placing a reservation showed your support for Tesla
It was always going to be the end of 2018 anyway. If you didn't know that you hadn't done your homework
$1500 in a term deposit @ %3pa is $45/year less tax
Buy something else. It won't be a Tesla and you'll be happy at first but regret it later.

 

[houdini]

Because it holds your place in the long queue
Zero point in cancelling and reordering later unless you're hard up for the $1500 now
Placing a reservation showed your support for Tesla
It was always going to be the end of 2018 anyway. If you didn't know that you hadn't done your homework
$1500 in a term deposit @ %3pa is $45/year less tax
Buy something else. It won't be a Tesla and you'll be happy at first but regret it later.

It’s not a long queue actually. In the USA sure as there’s hundreds of thousands of pre-orders and you will get a car potentially a year earlier but estimates/guesses are Australia has about 5000 reservations. Not a lot of point in being in a low number place in a queue if you only get a car two weeks before anyone else.

 

[ggr]

Actually my My Tesla page says Nov 2017 - Jan 2018 (early reserver, early owner, first production).

 

[SPadival]

Actually my My Tesla page says Nov 2017 - Jan 2018 (early reserver, early owner, first production).

That can't be accurate. They are not making RHDs until next year !!

 

[BenT]

My estimate for April 2 2016 model 3 reservation and a Tesla S and X owner is early 2019. I suspect although Tesla will have ramped up production by then, worldwide demand will also ramp up and I don't expect they will be shipping 1000s of Model 3 to Australia each month so I am keeping my place towards the front of the queue. My experience with X order was that the delay to Australian deliveries was beneficial in getting AP2 hardware and learning from some of the initial problems such as manufacturing quality, auto present doors and ventilated seats. More of a concern is that the delay to model 3 orders will be reflected in a delay to supercharger role out as efforts will be focused for 2018 on those countries getting model 3.

 

[Zoltrix77]

Is anyone else disappointed with the technical details and images coming out of Tesla for the model 3 release?

The car looks fantastic in every respect to me, but I just don't understand the lack of detail, or the fact that we can'tuse the configurator. Even the Model 3 page still has the pre-production details???

I needed to go through third party websites to find even the basic pricing details! What a communications fail.

How hard is it to release a spec sheet of what is exactly is included in the premium/standard package, eg, it mentions 12way power front seats, does that mean the standard package has no power seat functions at all? What exactly are the premium surfaces? Are those alcantara door inserts standard? How does the Bluetooth door locking work? What does the steel roof look like? Etc etc etc.

It's just pathetic, however, I am 99% happy with the look of the car, I love the IKEA interior, very impressed with the long range version, if just a little more expensive than I was expecting.

Adam.

 

[baillies]

Is anyone else disappointed with the technical details and images coming out of Tesla for the model 3 release?

The car looks fantastic in every respect to me, but I just don't understand the lack of detail, or the fact that we can'tuse the configurator. Even the Model 3 page still has the pre-production details???

I needed to go through third party websites to find even the basic pricing details! What a communications fail.

How hard is it to release a spec sheet of what is exactly is included in the premium/standard package, eg, it mentions 12way power front seats, does that mean the standard package has no power seat functions at all? What exactly are the premium surfaces? Are those alcantara door inserts standard? How does the Bluetooth door locking work? What does the steel roof look like? Etc etc etc.

It's just pathetic, however, I am 99% happy with the look of the car, I love the IKEA interior, very impressed with the long range version, if just a little more expensive than I was expecting.

Adam.

Specs are on the US model 3 page, not AU yet. Also here
Tesla Model 3 production specs revealed: up to 310 miles range, 140 mph top speed, and more

 

[Murbs]

That can't be accurate. They are not making RHDs until next year !!

Unfortunately it doesn't occur to some of our USA friends that there people that buy Teslas in countries other than their own and that some of those people drive their cars on the left hand side of the road.

 

[doctorwho]

The specs will almost certainly be different by the time they begin RHD production, look at the pace of change for the S/X

 

[Johann Koeber]

Early reservation will get you an early spot in the line when your region comes up. Even if it might be late 2018/early 2019, you will be ahead of those reserving later.

Come to think of it: We non US customers will get a more refined product. All the problems of early production will have been ironed out. We get a better vehicle - a little later.

I want to be one of the first to drive a M3 in Germany. Probably we will have a choice of AWD etc, that early US reservation holders do not have.

So better car, more choices, early spot in the peer group: thats what we are getting.

 

[BenT]

Perhaps those who can't cope with the delay for RHD can get an earlier LHD model for Australia. With full autonomy it shouldn't really matter which side the steering wheel is on. I can also see the day when we all have fully autonomous vehicles when we can finally flick a switch overnight and have everyone driving on the same side of the road all around the world.

 

[Murbs]

Perhaps those who can't cope with the delay for RHD can get an earlier LHD model for Australia. With full autonomy it shouldn't really matter which side the steering wheel is on. I can also see the day when we all have fully autonomous vehicles when we can finally flick a switch overnight and have everyone driving on the same side of the road all around the world.

Good point.
After all, when the machines are driving, who really cares which side of the road they are driving as long as they are driving safely

 

[lonewolf313]

I don't mind waiting a bit longer than I first hoped to.

It will give me more time to save up for my car. Also, less money to borrow if I still come up short by the time the car is available

As a public servant, I do not have an unlimited income stream readily available

 

[alexeiw123]

what was the point of an early reservation?

Even if it only gets you a few months ahead of the rest - the volume of reservations in Australia is a real vote for EVs in Australia when noone else is doing it. Telsa wouldn't roll out superchargers if they didn't think EVs were going mass market here.

I'll be keeping my reservation and being impatient the whole time!

 

[diesel]

Tesla FAQs confirm early 2019 for the right hand drive model 3’s. This is very disappointing. I was expecting Sept 2018 which is still 2 and a half years but come on. March 31 2016 to March 2019?! When cars are being delivered everywhere else in the world from July 2017! They’re talking about 5000 cars a week this year. 20,000 a month. By July next year at predicted build rates they would have been able to deliver maybe 200,000 cars. So effectively half way through the pre-orders. Where’s the right hand drive love? They’re seriously thinking they’ll deliver 400,000 LHD cars and then squeeze out some RHD vehicles? Disappointing.

It also gives a lot of other manufacturers who are skilled at mixed LHD and RHD production lines a chance to ramp up and get into those markets. The Hyundai ionic when we finally get it here has some pretty good range and we’re seeing lots of positive reviews. It’s close to the model 3 base models range. Love to support Tesla because i love them as a Company and back their mission but I’ll be looking at a second hand Model S or potentially something else if it presents a solid alternative. Buying a second hand model S doesn’t really help Tesla with new cars sales stats. It’s really a sale lost as I won’t buy a 3 if I get a second hand S. A sale lost then.

By being a reservation holder you will be in the front of the queue in Australia. I think its a fairly obvious proposition that when you are on the opposite side of the world and drive on the opposite side of the road you arent going to be be getting a car before demand of LHD vehicle was met.

 

[skitown]

Buying a second hand model S doesn’t really help Tesla with new cars sales stats. It’s really a sale lost as I won’t buy a 3 if I get a second hand S. A sale lost then.

I've purchased two used Model S's since the first Model 3 reveal, because we decided life was too short to wait. Believe me, Tesla would love to sell you a used Model S too. It furthers their mission and gets you in a Tesla ASAP. Given the wait for you, it sounds like it might be a viable option.

 

[Chuq]

By being a reservation holder you will be in the front of the queue in Australia. I think its a fairly obvious proposition that when you are on the opposite side of the world and drive on the opposite side of the road you arent going to be be getting a car before demand of LHD vehicle was met.

I don't mind all the other pre-orders (reservations) coming before us, but someone who reserves *today* in the US will get delivered before us. What about Americans who order in late 2018 - and there will be lots - will they push us back for them too?