End of Quarter Deliveries

[Jeff Davlt]

I was on the phone with a Tesla sales rep today and he told me that I could order a Model 3 now and have delivery end of June, but if I waited then it’d be end of September. July or August are really my ideal months for delivery and I know Tesla has big end of quarter pushed but never thought that was an intentional plan. This seems inefficient and strange. What’s the purpose or goal to this strategy. Why wait until the end of the quarter to push through so many deliveries?

I just want a basic white AWD.

 

[DBV1]

It is strange. Do they make for other Countries the other months?

My sales person told me the same thing, that if I get my order in before June 4th, then I would more than likely get in June before end of quarter and if not it would not be until Sept. Strange...

 

[Knightshade]

Why wait until the end of the quarter to push through so many deliveries?

Because apart from China, they're all made in California for orders all over the world... so usually early in the quarter they build for other countries since they have the longest to travel, and US deliveries come later since they're shorter delivery times.

 

[jjrandorin]

because the first month or two of each quarter, production is sent internationally. the closer to the end of the quarter they get, the closer to the factory they deliver, so they maximize car delivery each quarter.

What they told you both has been true. Its likely that if you order anytime near the beginning of june, you will get the car before july 1st. If you order beginning of july, you will likely get the car near the end of that quarter (september). unless they end up matching you with existing produced cars somewhere, that is likely what will happpen.

EDIT: was typing this at same as @Knightshade and its basically the same message just with more words (I tend to be wordy, lol)

 

[SMAlset]

Pretty much as your rep said. See you are in Seattle. West coast deliveries typically happen in last quarter. It’s easier for them to reach those states in short order from the factory in last weeks of quarter than for them to try to arrange for transportation to other parts of the country at that time and make to destination in time so it’s about the logistics. So West coasters are typically the last scheduled deliveries. My end of June 2018 order was delivered 9/23. There might be some overstock of inventory cars that become available and can be delivered before third month but it can be hit or miss on version, color and features.

Since the push this year is for the Model Y production they also may have cut back on production of Model 3s, similar to how MS and MXs were cut back to up production for the Model 3 when it was the newest release.

 

[Jeff Davlt]

Well all this makes total sense, but I certainly don’t like it.

 

[SMAlset]

Well all this makes total sense, but I certainly don’t like it.

Yep no car dealership lots to wander through. Mostly fresh from the factory on a made-to-order basis. You’ll get orders cancelled sometimes due to finances, change of mind, switching to another model, occasionally rejected cars too, but you’ll also see people sometimes compromising on their dream car if for one reason or another (car totalled, other car too expensive to repair and sink more money into) they need one right now and can’t/don’t want to wait.

With EVs having cost more to produce, Tesla attempts to keep costs down so you’ll likely see manufacturing scaled to made-to-order with some excess inventory. Manufacturer/dealerships don’t want to have cars on the lots that can’t sell especially now and then there is the unfavorable position that I think it was Volkswagen with their new electric car that sits in the thousands parked unable to be sold because of poor software causing driving issues and now just waiting all to be updated in their overage lot.

 

[BK31]

I'm looking to take delivery of my SR+ in NY at the end of July. I spoke with a sales rep and he put a production delay on my order so it will go into production first week of July, and I'll receive it towards the end of July. Didn't seem to be an issue at all.

 

[jjrandorin]

I'm looking to take delivery of my SR+ in NY at the end of July. I spoke with a sales rep and he put a production delay on my order so it will go into production first week of July, and I'll receive it towards the end of July. Didn't seem to be an issue at all.

Let us know how that works out (if you actually receive it "toward end of july" or if you end up getting it late august / early september). I am betting you wont take delivery before August 15th at the earliest, and more likely the last couple of weeks of August. Would be happy to be wrong though.

 

[Jeff Davlt]

Let us know how that works out (if you actually receive it "toward end of july" or if you end up getting it late august / early september). I am betting you wont take delivery before August 15th at the earliest, and more likely the last couple of weeks of August. Would be happy to be wrong though.

Yes, I’m totally curious. In an ideal world I’d take delivery early or mid August, but I’m anticipating late August or September. We’ll see.

 

[ScoGold]

I have a M3 on order since February 2020 that I have been pushing out since I am working from home due to COVID-19 and don't need a car living in a city.

I get a call every 3 weeks from Tesla asking when I want it delivered but I keep pushing it out. Since I am going to be working from home likely August, I asked him to push it out another month. So far this has worked to my advantage because the price dropped $2k last month.

I was shocked when I got the same story as everyone above saying that if I did not accept delivery within the next 2 weeks it would likely be September 2020 before I can get a M3SR+. Wish me luck as I gamble on whether or not a car will be available to purchase when I need it.

 

[BK31]

Let us know how that works out (if you actually receive it "toward end of july" or if you end up getting it late august / early september). I am betting you wont take delivery before August 15th at the earliest, and more likely the last couple of weeks of August. Would be happy to be wrong though.

Just followed up with my sales advisor and he said we are still on track for end of July delivery even though the website states 8-12 weeks.

 

[Mattopotamus]

Just followed up with my sales advisor and he said we are still on track for end of July delivery even though the website states 8-12 weeks.

I feel pretty confident that the 8-12 weeks is something preprogrammed on the website for this time of the month/quarter. Due to the economy, I would be surprised if 8-12 weeks is actually a real wait time. I would expect much earlier.

 

[jjrandorin]

Just followed up with my sales advisor and he said we are still on track for end of July delivery even though the website states 8-12 weeks.

Thats great! Let us know when you actually take delivery at the end of july. Like I said, I would love to be proven wrong. I understand what your sales advisor is telling you. I believe that is what they are telling you. With that being said, there are plenty of examples of tesla sales advisors being "misinformed" and misinforming their customers of "what will happen".

Hopefully, yours isnt making a mistake, but neither of us will know until you actually take possession of your car in the end july.

 

[jjrandorin]

I feel pretty confident that the 8-12 weeks is something preprogrammed on the website for this time of the month/quarter. Due to the economy, I would be surprised if 8-12 weeks is actually a real wait time. I would expect much earlier.

Well.. remember the factory had to re start, as it was shut down, and all teslas for the US are made in one place in fremont california (including model Ys etc).

Tesla also has (for the past 1.5 years at least) been shipping almost all model 3s produced at the beginning of a fiscal quarter internationally, and not starting domestic production until later in the quarter, to maximize deliveries in a specific quarter. The way they have operated in the past was, the closer you are to the fremot factory, the later in the quarter they actually produced your model 3 because it would take less time for it to reach you, logistically.

So, for the past 1.5 years, unless you took delivery of a car before the end of the quarter, or were lucky enough to snag one that was still "in transit" near the beginning of the next quarter, all US deliveries of model 3s took place in the 2nd and 3rd month of the quarter (because all cars made the first month of the quarter were shipped internationally as I said.

That would mean that "end of july" is a very difficult time to actually receive a tesla model 3, since the quarter ends june 30th, and any left over cars would be gone by then, but new production would not be shipping to the US yet.

Tesla changes how they operate frequently, so its not out of the realm of possibility for them to have changed how they are going to deliver cars this quarter into next quarter due to Covid-19. They dont "hold" cars longer than a few days though, and if someone wants to delay receiving a car, they just put you on a "do not deliver" list until they take you off of it.

As I mentioned, this is "what they have done before" since they started delivering model 3s internationally, to Europe, Australia, etc.

Since @BK31 is in New York, under teslas "normal" shipping, their car would be made near the beginning of when production for US deliveries starts, and then shipped from Fremont CA to new York by whatever combination of logistics tesla does that. Thats where I got my "mid august, to late august" timeframe.

Hopefully, tesla does it different this year, and we dont end up with another in a long line of people posting something to the effect of "Tesla told me XXX but now YYYY is what is happening! I am mad!!!" (and there are plenty of those).

Maybe I sound anti tesla and I am certainly not. I have a model 3, tesla solar on my roof, and tesla powerwalls in my garage. I just know that, for as wonderful as their products are, their communication, especially "front line" communication on all sides (both cars and energy products) is not great.

 

[dmurphy]

I feel pretty confident that the 8-12 weeks is something preprogrammed on the website for this time of the month/quarter. Due to the economy, I would be surprised if 8-12 weeks is actually a real wait time. I would expect much earlier.

I actually expect that to be fairly accurate. July starts Q3, and usually Tesla kicks off each quarter making vehicles for Europe and overseas. The US vehicles that aren't leftover inventory from Q2 start showing up in the back half of the quarter.

Gigafactory Berlin can't get online fast enough!

 

[BK31]

I wouldn't be shocked if it did end up being late August or September but it was really my only choice since I still have my lease. Waiting an extra month won't be the end of the world.

I'm actually surprised they haven't tried to push me to take delivery before the end of the quarter, possibly with an extra incentive or something. I would probably agree to that if they threw in a free upgrade on the rims or interior.

 

[Jeff Davlt]

I wouldn't be shocked if it did end up being late August or September but it was really my only choice since I still have my lease. Waiting an extra month won't be the end of the world.

I'm actually surprised they haven't tried to push me to take delivery before the end of the quarter, possibly with an extra incentive or something. I would probably agree to that if they threw in a free upgrade on the rims or interior.

I’m planning on placing an order mid July, and ideally would take delivery late August. I’m curious to see what actually happens. August would be nice as I’d like to be able to go on a couple long end of summer drives with it. Either way I’ll be excited.

 

[tslm3]

I ordered June 13th and was told 6 weeks by the sales rep. Now I'm starting to get scared its going to be 12 weeks (sigh)

 

[eye_see_better]

I ordered June 12 blue ext/blk int with 19". Got matched with an inventory vehicle 2 days later. I was offered a delivery date 6.17 but due to my work schedule I asked for 6.14 date or 6.21 and was called by an advisor. He was able to confirm with me that the vehicle that was to be delivered would not include the updated wireless charging. Wanting the wireless charging, I decided to wait on delivery for a custom order. I'm hoping I haven't delayed my order even further by declining this passed weekend! Btw time frame given when ordered was 1-3 weeks.