For those who are a little hesitant to pull the trigger, what are some of your concerns?

[AustinPowers]

1. High cost (LR+PUP+AP is ~$23k more out-the-door than a new, loaded 2018 Volt (and AP is needed for TACC))
2. Unreliable keyless entry
3. No heated steering wheel
4. High vampire drain compared to non-Teslas
5. No blind spot detection feature
6. Many other various dumb/annoying design decisions (IMO, at least): No physical wiper controls and crappy auto wiper implementation, no way to change audio sources from the steering wheel, no AM radio, poorly designed phone docks, no driver-centered display, no way to engage cruise control at a current speed below the speed limit, no way for rear passengers to control their heated seats, etc., etc., etc.
7. General concerns about quality/reliability
   
8. A general distaste for Tesla's business practices/hubris/dishonesty and tendency to prioritize minimalist design over functionality.

Of course, there are many other positive factors pushing me towards getting one: Supercharger network, long range, performance, styling, efficiency, great forward visibility, Autosteer (and hope that it will improve in the future), etc.

+1 on all of the above.

Add 9. the terribly long wait time.
Reserved April 1, 2016, estimated delivery according to MyTesla: about three years after I reserved, and about one year after they initially gave me as the estimate, which was "Early 2018", now it's "Early 2019".

My only reason for still keeping my day one reservation: there just isn't any viable alternative - yet. If there was an e-Golf with the range of the LR Model 3, I'd already be driving that. I like almost everything in the e-Golf better than the Model 3, especially the UI, but the still quite limited range is the dealbreaker for me currently.

 

[SageBrush]

Car forums always have visitors looking for affirmation of their decision to buy a car. OP wants affirmation of his decision to NOT buy the car. One of his more popular threads on the LEAF forum asked for reasons to buy a LEAF rather than a Tesla.

 

[internalaudit]

I did (and still do) have some of your concerns, but it didn’t stop me from pulling the trigger. The smart move for you is to buy a Honda or Toyota. Low risk. For me, I want to buy some nice for myself for a change.
Life is short.

I only have Honda's and Toyota and they're so reliable (02 Civic, 11 Accord, 16 RAV4) I am able to wait this BEV ordeal out. No kidding, I'm actually considering the iX3 and i4 because little did I know that my wife's dream car is a BMW.

OP I could spend the next 5 minutes debunking each of your point. Judging from your post though I don’t think the model 3 is for you. You should go for a Honda Civic or something like that.

Please debunk each point. Take your time, I'm sure you will need more than a day to come up with really good arguments. I'm not sure anyone would disagree that a company burning cash (at an increasing rate) is going to be in business for a long while and how the lack of Right to Repair and availability of original parts outside Tesla Service Centers are going to make the cars cheap to maintain post-warranty.

I already have an 02 Civic and the new ones (1.5T) are having issues with gasoline getting mixed into the motor oil. This is one reason why I want to go for a BEV for the next car -- engines and transmissions are getting notoriously complex due to CAFE requirements. I'm actually happy Trump wants to dial that 50 MPG by 2025 down.

 

[internalaudit]

Dude if Tesla went broke they would be snapped up by another company, including all their liabilities (warranty, servicing etc).
In fact, they can't really go broke. All that would happen is their share price would fall until the shareholders accepted a takeover.

Cool story. For distressed companies (I'm not saying Tesla is), the only time the assets will be snapped up is after creditor protection. No way is someone going to buy a company with accelerating cash burning and all those liabilities unless the buyer wants to go out of business too.

Tesla should just do more secondary offerings while the stock price is pretty reasonable and give itself more time to properly execute its corporate strategies. Equity dilution is better because it is able to play its cards right, maybe the company will indeed be a $360b juggernaut in a decade.

 

[Evoforce]

OP, you don't appear to want one. We can (all) talk ourselves out of something. You are doing a good job of just that and are searching for like minded people to bolster your "glass half empty" position. I own 3 electric vehicles with one of them being a Tesla. The Tesla is the best. I own many many gas cars... The Tesla is still the best. For some reason, you don't want to give it the chance to be "the best" in your life. I hope you don't disadvantage yourself like that. I want you to experience a Tesla like I have.

 

[acentre]

I will postpone my purchase, based upon the the poor experiences reported with the cpo experience, There are to few SC in NY, and all are based downstate, I wonder how long the wait will be for service, and warranty repairs which seem likely to occur, when many thousands of model threes are sold in NY.

 

[Evoforce]

I will postpone my purchase, based upon the the poor experiences reported with the cpo experience, There are to few SC in NY, and all are based downstate, I wonder how long the wait will be for service, and warranty repairs which seem likely to occur, when many thousands of model threes are sold in NY.

The CPO experience doesn't even apply to you. In fact, if they aren't going to be detailing the Certified Pre Owned cars like they previously had, it will leave them more time to work on possible problems at the SC with servicing new cars. What is your real reason? The only good reason, it seems to me, is maybe waiting for the $35,000 version or some variants that aren't being produced yet.

 

[nvx1977]

No HUB is my concern. Elon said we won’t care. But he was wrong. If the HUB was a $600 option 99% of all m3 buyers would order it. Considering it would probably only cost Tesla $30 extra manufacturing cost per car it’s a missed business opportunity. With a HUB you can have a lot more screen realestate and the nav info on the driver side not to mention it’s cool and alot more convenient checking your speed. Worse thing of all I think the m3 is never going to have one because Elon had to defend himself on twitter for not installing them. This makes me sad because the car would be a lot better with one.

If that's true, count me in as the 1% who wouldn't buy the head-up display option. I thought similarly during the reveal: "oh man, the final version must have a HUD." And when it didn't, I was like, "hmm not sure if...." But now that I'm driving it, I get it. It's the most unnecessary thing ever.

 

[P85ATL]

Toyota puts all its eggs in hydrogen fuel cell technology. Have you checked the price of hydrogen lately?

 

[internalaudit]

OP, you don't appear to want one. We can (all) talk ourselves out of something. You are doing a good job of just that and are searching for like minded people to bolster your "glass half empty" position. I own 3 electric vehicles with one of them being a Tesla. The Tesla is the best. I own many many gas cars... The Tesla is still the best. For some reason, you don't want to give it the chance to be "the best" in your life. I hope you don't disadvantage yourself like that. I want you to experience a Tesla like I have.

You are still under the warranty period and maybe you have a money tree sprouting in your back yard.

If you can read minds, maybe you can tell us each day what Trump is going to tweet so we can go long or short the equities market.

Only people who bought loads of TSLA at $300 or higher like to put words in people's mouth.

 

[Shock-On-T]

You are still under the warranty period and maybe you have a money tree sprouting in your back yard.

If you can read minds, maybe you can tell us each day what Trump is going to tweet so we can go long or short the equities market.

Be nice dude...

 

[Phrixotrichus]

• PUP and EAP. Those contain 90% of stuff i really don`t want and 10% that I consider must have....which means I´d need to pay 10k+ for features I get for ~1k in other cars.
• Build and software quality as well as reliability. I´m picky, and something like the misaligned A pillar from another thread here with the seals flapping all around is an absolute no go for a 50k car. I also see the amount of issues my colleagues still have with their model Xs.
• Innovation just for innovation`s sake. The reportedly unreliable key-less entry, the pointless over complicated door handle redesign, the absence of physical controls for some frequently used functions, the absence of physical door openers in the fond etc etc etc.
• Battery. The reported vampire drain would be an absolute deal breaker for me if it turned out to be a general issue.
• Tesla itself. I still have doubts about the long term stability of Tesla as well as their policy concerning repairs etc.

 

[dhrivnak]

Please debunk each point. Take your time, I'm sure you will need more than a day to come up with really good arguments. I'm not sure anyone would disagree that a company burning cash (at an increasing rate) is going to be in business for a long while

. I really believe we have seen the peak cash burn as it costs money to bring up a new line and plant. That is now done and on the revenue side the model 3 are coming out in volume.

 

[SmartElectric]

It is valid to have concerns, but there's no point claiming those concerns are the reason you aren't buying when the real reason is that the monetary risk is too great.

If he could afford to accept some risk, he'd have one in his driveway.

5 years ago I wasn't willing to accept the risk of buying a model s. So we bought a Mercedes SUV instead. Worse decision ever. Delayed us getting a Tesla by 2.5 years and cost us more money in the long run.

Worrying about right to repair is just another way of saying you need to amortize the purchase over a longer timeframe.

Worrying about Tesla the company is just another way of rationalizing why the product is out of your price range.

Suggesting BMW might be an alternative is another way of saying you want a status vehicle and not a Nissan Leaf.

This is hundreds of posts where the OP has claimed all of these concerns on multiple forum sites.

I don't see an EV in his driveway. The advantages of an EV are not compelling enough for him to buy a new car.

 

[AUSinator]

If that's true, count me in as the 1% who wouldn't buy the head-up display option. I thought similarly during the reveal: "oh man, the final version must have a HUD." And when it didn't, I was like, "hmm not sure if...." But now that I'm driving it, I get it. It's the most unnecessary thing ever.

By what you just said you just confirmed that you would of ordered the HUB. You just told me that you were not sure not having one until you got your m3. This basically means : 100% chance you would of ordered the HUB. Also I think You have absolutely no idea how awesome a HUB is. Because in the M3 everything is on that touchscreen its crying out for 1 big time more than any other car on the planet. Lastly please be more honest next time! Not cool!
Regarding the hub I sick of all the reviews complaining about the car not having a hub and even the you tubers like Trever or Ben complaining and finding some schitty aftermarket way to solve the problem.

 

[voip-ninja]

Car forums always have visitors looking for affirmation of their decision to buy a car. OP wants affirmation of his decision to NOT buy the car. One of his more popular threads on the LEAF forum asked for reasons to buy a LEAF rather than a Tesla.

 

[nvx1977]

By what you just said you just confirmed that you would of ordered the HUB. You just told me that you were not sure not having one until you got your m3. This basically means : 100% chance you would of hot the HUB. Also I think You have absolutely no idea how awesome a HUB is. Because in the M3 everything is on that touchscreen its crying out for 1 big time more than any other car on the planet. Lastly please be more honest next time! Not cool!

I think it's natural to question a decision (no instrument cluster behind the wheel) when it's a big change from what you're used to. Maybe you're right; if the option for a HUD had existed from the beginning, I might have paid for it. But my point was that after experiencing the car, I realized I don't need it, and I would be regretting the decision to add on the HUD option.

While I don't mean to speak for everyone, I do think as someone who has now driven the car extensively, my feedback on HUD necessity carries a bit more weight, because it's a more informed decision. You are of course entitled to your concerns that you must have a HUD for the 3.

 

[voip-ninja]

It is valid to have concerns, but there's no point claiming those concerns are the reason you aren't buying when the real reason is that the monetary risk is too great.

If he could afford to accept some risk, he'd have one in his driveway.

5 years ago I wasn't willing to accept the risk of buying a model s. So we bought a Mercedes SUV instead. Worse decision ever. Delayed us getting a Tesla by 2.5 years and cost us more money in the long run.

Worrying about right to repair is just another way of saying you need to amortize the purchase over a longer timeframe.

Worrying about Tesla the company is just another way of rationalizing why the product is out of your price range.

Suggesting BMW might be an alternative is another way of saying you want a status vehicle and not a Nissan Leaf.

This is hundreds of posts where the OP has claimed all of these concerns on multiple forum sites.

I don't see an EV in his driveway. The advantages of an EV are not compelling enough for him to buy a new car.

You might be right but I don't know that it's helpful to have the hubris to smirk that a $56,000 (Model 3 + AP + delivery) purchase would give most people pause.

Many of us here, including myself, can write a check for one, but that doesn't mean that we don't examine the financial risk of such a purchase. Tesla resale values have not been great.

I drive a BMW not because of status but because I really like the way it drives & BMW financial guarantees crazy high residual value on the lease of their product and insulates me 100% against risk of the product resale tanking a few years after I acquire it.

My final point is that you somewhat smirkingly comment that if he could really afford a Tesla there would be one sitting in his driveway already. I know quite a few people who can pay cash for multiple TSLA vehicles but wouldn't do so if they weren't given the opportunity to even sit in it, let alone test drive it. In many Tesla locations there is still no Model 3 on display and no ETA on when a test drive might be possible.

 

[P85ATL]

AUSinator: Regarding the HUB (?HUD) having driven ours for 3 weeks, I see no need for a HUD. The screen is so close by and easy to see that IMHO a HUD would be redundant. As I have said before if Tesla can produce Model 3's for 35K expect to see a lot of these on the road. It handles, rides, looks fantastic. Even giving up several features like extended battery, premiums, glass front roof, EAP it will still be a tremendous value. Would suggest a third wheel option and maybe adaptive cruise, emergency braking as separate option.

 

[davidc18]

I am just not sure I want to own another Tesla.