What comes with the Founders Edition that isn’t available in the standard production version?

[Seashepherd]

Soo, I‘m placing my order right now, but I‘m stuck at selection Founders Edition or not. There‘s no explanation what the FE is, if it comes out first, and why it‘s 50k more expensive. Well, actually a lot more than 50k when you calculate compounding interest on 200k for 3 years (or maybe, most probably 5 years).

Did Musk maybe mention anything about the Founders Edition during the presentation? I‘m not interested to pay an extra 50k for a special color...
Any info on the Founders Edition? Thanks!

 

[Tam]

...if it comes out first...

That has always been the point except for Model 3 for employees first: Time is money. Those who want first must pay much more.

It sounds like you don't want to be the first?

 

[shokunin]

I'm curious about the 50K delta as well.

The driver in Roadster mention in one of the videos about the car having carbon ceramic brakes the same as the LaFerrari and someone else had a rendering of carbon fiber wheels. I'm guessing those maybe performance options that are not standard on the base model.

I guess add in EAP/FSD options and some accent carbon fiber trims and you could hit $50k with those. Possibly even custom PTS colors on Founders Editions?

 

[Seashepherd]

Well, I can‘t wait to drive this thing...especially since I live in Germany now. But living in Germany also means that I will get this car probably a year later than US customers. And by then there might be not a big difference in deliver times between the few founders models that go to Germany and the regular model...

 

[andybm3]

Having owned early an early Roadster (1.5 #414) and an early Model S (#26), you are better off with a later production car. On my original roadster I eventually got a 2.5 Sport (#1453) that had much better seats and better entertainment/drive layout. On the Model S, simple features such as PDC were not available early, not to mention AWD, as such I now have a P90D. As such my deposit is for the non-founder model.

 

[Seashepherd]

Good point, I will go with a non founder, too. Is the deposit refundable? I couldn‘t find info on this either...

 

[drmichaels9]

Good point, I will go with a non founder, too. Is the deposit refundable? I couldn‘t find info on this either...

That's what I'm doing, based on all previous models, it only makes sense to wait until the kinks are worked out/fit & finish is perfected. Going to be an incredible vehicle! Can't wait

 

[mongo]

Good point, I will go with a non founder, too. Is the deposit refundable? I couldn‘t find info on this either...

Hi,

"Until you enter into a Purchase Agreement, your Reservation may be cancelled at any time, in which case you will receive a full refund of your Reservation Payment"
from https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/roadster/TeslaRoadsterReservationAgreement_20171116.pdf

I can't say what Tesla's plans are, or the best option for you, but I would hedge against basing future results on past performance. In this case, Tesla is in a much different position than it was when it made the first Roadster. The new R is not their first car, and the success of the company does not depend on its sale. The technology driving it is much more mature. It will still have new model bugs. But the core features (battery, motor, infotainment) are more mature than previous.

The biggest question to me is whether the Founder's edition will be/ can be the performance version. Note: I am not in place to buy either version, but I still wonder.

If you are thinking you would want a Founder's and have the financial means to do without 250k for the next 3+ years, there is no other downside I am aware of to getting a spot now. When it gets closer to build time, you can back out or I have heard rumors of people who hold off on purchasing until after the bugs are worked out.

 

[TEG]

Based on previous Tesla Founders' models, they tended to be "fully optioned". So you may find that the base price gets you something less than a Founders' series. It may be possible to "option up" a base to match the equipment of a Founders' but then you probably end up at the same price.

Founders' might get you an exclusive color choice, and some special Founders' edition badges / labeling. Note, this is based on previous models. I know nothing of what they plan for new Founders' Roadsters.

 

[HankLloydRight]

It's extra options for sure, you're mostly paying for bragging rights.

 

[andybm3]

It's extra options for sure, you're mostly paying for bragging rights.

100% agreed - from experience, bragging rights only

 

[SmartElectric]

Wondering if founders will have carbon wheels that don't fatigue at 250MPH or something truly special.

 

[strider]

Based on previous Tesla Founders' models, they tended to be "fully optioned". So you may find that the base price gets you something less than a Founders' series. It may be possible to "option up" a base to match the equipment of a Founders' but then you probably end up at the same price.

Founders' might get you an exclusive color choice, and some special Founders' edition badges / labeling. Note, this is based on previous models. I know nothing of what they plan for new Founders' Roadsters.

With the original Roadster, the Signature models were a "deal" in that you actually paid less for the Sig than you would have for an equivalently optioned regular model. However, with Model S this was not the case. If you bought a Sig MS you paid full price for every option and had no choice but to buy every option.

So it's tough to know what they're going to do w/ Roadster 4.0. I am not getting a Founder's car. In fact I'm going to wait until much closer to production before placing my deposit. I want to see what happens w/ the Performance model next year and I need to keep that money working while I wait.

 

[Tam]

Wondering if founders will have carbon wheels that don't fatigue at 250MPH or something truly special.

At that speed, don't the tires need to be replaced fast, like each trip?

 

[Roamer]

Went founder. Swore after two Signature X cars I would never do it again. Short memory.
The SCOTTSDALE AZ Service center fixed every bug on the Sig X cars. So willing to do it again.

 

[SF Fanboy]

I am also repeating my mistake of paying a "signature tax". I suspect (read hope) for paying $250K upfront that there are unique features other than just bragging rights (or that the "base" is really stripped down).

Has anyone figured out the RN cipher? is there a way to decode actual reservation order?

 

[AMN]

And the wire is out.
Went with Base. Don't really care about bragging rights and that extra cash is more useful to both us and Tesla if it's invested in TSLA, so... the wait begins.

 

[Cosmacelf]

My guess is that the extra $50k for founders is fully optioned (options aren’t going to be cheap on this one), and special badging. Would be nice if they included something else, but they haven’t in the past. Given that their prototype was doing 1.9s launches all night long, I don’t think they have too many kinks to work out like they did with the Model X. I suspect they are going to take their time on production of this car and not do their usual hair on fire production schedule.

 

[strider]

My guess is that the extra $50k for founders is fully optioned (options aren’t going to be cheap on this one), and special badging. Would be nice if they included something else, but they haven’t in the past. Given that their prototype was doing 1.9s launches all night long, I don’t think they have too many kinks to work out like they did with the Model X. I suspect they are going to take their time on production of this car and not do their usual hair on fire production schedule.

Ha! Such a short term memory. They'll spend all their time working out the kinks of Model 3 and the semi, probably introduce Model Y, and then in March of 2020 freak out and do their usual hair on fire production schedule.

Although as I write that, at this price point and volume they may just make these by hand. Since most of Tesla's problems are with producing at volume, that bodes well for 4.0 staying on schedule.

 

[Tam]

...250MPH...

Just curious, will continous 250 MPH a problem for an EV?

I might be wrong, but my impression of EV is that it can accelerate quickly like from 0-60 but after that, it has a hard time to maintain a constant high speed.