First experiences with our Model S (Dadaleus' story)

[Citizen-T]

Totally fair point. BTW, I run product management for a pretty good sized software team. I've very familiar with agile development.

To be clear, I wasn't intending to give "credit" but rather use them as a very familiar example to just about anyone. People are used to Apple products coming out with little complexity. Also, while agile may call for a minimal first version (even internally creating a minimal viable product, although we don't usually release those), that doesn't necessarily mean hiding complexity from the user (and on that point I suppose I am giving some credit) which I was also intending to convey.

But regardless, for the fellow tech folks out there, yes, I believe agile development including getting a bulletproof but less feature rich version out there must have been part of the deal here.

I'm preaching to the choir then I guess. Off my soap box now. =)

 

[vfx]

...In fact (flames from Roadster owners possibly coming), dare I say I think it may actually hold the road on a corner better than the Roadster does. ...

Pete in his LA test drive video and I in my LA test drive both commented in the same place on the freeway onramp. "Better than the Roadster" coming out of the turn.

This is why I think the Model E will be superior to the S when it comes out.

 

[pxy]

That's too bad. Many/most of the time you'd get a month or 3 months free to mess with it and decide if you want it. Perhaps, now, they now feel that most people are familiar and if they want it they'll get it.

This was by coincidence actually. SiriusXM was running a campaign with select channels free for the past 2 weeks that ended Sept. 11.

 

[ChrisHenryOC]

We picked up our Model S (VIN #70) at the factory yesterday:
View attachment 9536

Delivery was at the factory was wonderful. A great team took us through the process and gave us an amazing tour of an amazing factory. (No pictures inside the factory allowed, sorry.) When we toured the factory a year ago at the S unveiling event it wasn't yet operating but the equipment was installed, so it felt more like a museum. Now it's a humming machine churning out cars (at a measured pace now but you can see what's coming given the large number in production). Lots of people at work on a Saturday afternoon.

........

Dadaleus,
I know you've received many laudatory comments in this thread already, but I wanted to take a minute as well and thank you for posting this. As one of the more frequently updated threads right now, it's a nice alternative to the consternation I'm reading about in the service thread.

Your real-world account has good detail and back story, as well as good, constructive feedback for our friends at Tesla.

Ironically, I think we may have passed each other on the Freeway (going opposite directions) as I was heading North up I5 the day you drove home. Too bad I missed you. :smile:

Thanks again, and happy charging,
-Chris

 

[brianman]

Yeah, when I bought my Infiniti I hardly listened to the satellite radio during the free trial period. Then Sirius spent the next two years hounding me to "renew my subscription". :scared:

I'm usually fairly polite, but it was starting to get annoying with all the letters, free trials, phone calls, etc. I even asked them to stop, but they didn't. That's when the gloves came off.

They called me at 9am every day for two weeks. I called on day 2 and told them turn off whatever the f they had in their system. They said "ok, but it will continue automatically for 2 weeks." I unplugged the phone for two weeks (I use my cell anyway) and swore I'll never send them a cent ever.

I should have tried redirecting my number to 9-1-1 to see how that would pan out.

 

[Jason S]

They called me at 9am every day for two weeks. I called on day 2 and told them turn off whatever the f they had in their system. They said "ok, but it will continue automatically for 2 weeks." I unplugged the phone for two weeks (I use my cell anyway) and swore I'll never send them a cent ever.

I should have tried redirecting my number to 9-1-1 to see how that would pan out.

I think E911 would out you. Redirection does nothing but annoy the operators because they hafta ask which location you are calling from.

- - - Updated - - -

So a general update: On day 5 with this car, I can't get over how much I love it. Unbelievably, it seems like every day I like it more than the day before. Now that I'm getting settled in to it, the controls are feeling very intuitive. The two biggest things that keep jumping out at me:
1. Wow this car is just HUGE. I've never owned a car this big before, and not that I had particularly small cars. (Before the Roadster I had a Prius and a Passat.) This thing just seems gi-normous (as my son says).
2. What's amazing is how well it drives despite being so big. This is probably the experience people with those huge BMW's and such have, but counter intuitively it drives a lot like the Roadster despite it's size. In fact (flames from Roadster owners possibly coming), dare I say I think it may actually hold the road on a corner better than the Roadster does. (I could be wrong--but it certainly feels glued to the track.) Really surprises me what I can do... I haven't even really pushed it yet--I'm going to have to figure out what it can really do somehow.

NOT HELPING ME BE PATIENT. :tongue: :crying:

Very much looking forward to new updates too. Thanks for posting!

 

[dadaleus]

Thanks Chris and everyone else. Didn't expect such a response! As a product manager at heart, I have a compulsion to give feedback and dissect new products (especially tech) so I'm in heaven here!

dadaleus - will you consider a meet-up some time for San Diego area TMC members to see the car? There is free ______ in it for you! Name your vice, I will deliver.

Love to. No vice necessary! How about this Sun at 12:00? Maybe North end of the Solana Beach train station parking lot. Then anyone who wants can go to Claire's for lunch after.

 

[ModelS1079]

We drool in your (Model S's) general direction. Just great.

 

[AnOutsider]

We drool in your (Model S's) general direction. Just great.

I lol'd

 

[ggr]

Thanks Chris and everyone else. Didn't expect such a response! As a product manager at heart, I have a compulsion to give feedback and dissect new products (especially tech) so I'm in heaven here!



Love to. No vice necessary! How about this Sun at 12:00? Maybe North end of the Solana Beach train station parking lot. Then anyone who wants can go to Claire's for lunch after.

Maybe (and maybe not) we'll get to join you.

 

[clmason]

Gah! I'm drooling just knowing that an S is so close! Sadly on Sunday I am committed to attending a b-day party from 11-2 with my son. I could make myself available by 2:30 if you are still available.

 

[FalconNinetyD]

If I was to make it, later would be better for me as we, Daughter has softball from 9a-1p.

Wow, we could possibly have *2* Model S's together in the wild? That could be a first!

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Photos please after the meetup!

Great stuff, dadaleus; please keep it coming. Looking forward to you mentioning uptaking a software update or two from Tesla...

 

[dadaleus]

Okay, let's make it 2:30!

- - - Updated - - -

Maybe (and maybe not) we'll get to join you.

I hope so! (If things don't pan out for you by Sun, bring the Roadster?)

 

[calsailor]

Okay, let's make it 2:30!

- - - Updated - - -

Sweet!
I'll be there.

 

[vfx]

Then anyone who wants can go to Claire's for lunch after.

Maybe you can have a conversation with Claire about putting in a Charge station.

Our Tesla SCGS drive to SD stopped there and I talked to her about it. Too expensive (at the time).

 

[dadaleus]

Maybe you can have a conversation with Claire about putting in a Charge station.

Our Tesla SCGS drive to SD stopped there and I talked to her about it. Too expensive (at the time).

Absolutely. And if a bunch of us have lunch maybe we can add emphasis then.

- - - Updated - - -

General update:

Driving a Tesla (Roadster or S) is like being a minor celebrity. I was driving down I5 today and I realized the car next to me was honking. I looked over and the guy gave me an over enthusiastic thumbs up.

I wasn't sure S would get the same attention as the Roadster. I was wrong.

 

[ddruz]

dadaleus--Does your car have the little cubby shelf under the 17" screen which they said would now be standard?

 

[dsm363]

Driving a Tesla (Roadster or S) is like being a minor celebrity. I was driving down I5 today and I realized the car next to me was honking. I looked over and the guy gave me an over enthusiastic thumbs up.

I wasn't sure S would get the same attention as the Roadster. I was wrong.

I've even had a guy stop me and thanked me for buying the car saying it was the right thing to do for energy independence and that it is the future. That was cool as well.

Do you think you could measure what this company is asking for in the link to see what size front bracket might work for the license plate?
Skene Design License Plate Mount

Did you end up installing a front license plate bracket from Tesla and if so, do you like the look? Also wondering if it only drills through plastic.

 

[RubberToe]

Okay, let's make it 2:30!

Dadaleus,
I'm up in Pasadena, Amtrak 774 happens to arrive in Solano at 2:31pm. My wife is out of town on vacation so I may come down for this if it is OK with you. I would just like to take a look at the car and sit in it. I go to the races all the time at Del Mar, so am familiar with the Solano Beach area. If you end up not doing this for some reason, please let us know in this thread. Too bad the Del Mar meet is over, seeing a Model S and hitting the races the same day would have been quite the Exacta :biggrin: