So, what's the latest thinking for Model S wait times for those getting their deposits in now? Fall 2013? Later? Finally have the wife interested, but she likes her instant gratification.
Assuming they make 5000 this year and 20,000 next year, and there are about 14,000 total world wide, you're looking at the end of Q2 or beginning of Q3 2013. However, the type of battery and options chosen will play a part so it may be much sooner or later. You can also request to be on the waiting list for a Signature, though it's unlikely that you would get one.
Unless you buy a certain house (Buy this house, get a free Model S...), I think you are looking at 2013. Exactly when will depend on how Tesla can ramp up production, and how many reservation holders cancel their purchases. As Jerry pointed out, battery choice may also have a significant impact. Your wife may have to shop for other things for a while... :wink:
Funny...when my wife and I met I lived just a couple miles from that house. And to your last point, no! Need to prevent, rather than encourage, more shopping. Easier said than done, however....
Signature #121 is available providing your wife is willing to part with $350K. No seriously, mos t signature people have been waiting at least a year and some two for delivery. I doubt that anyone will be giving those slots up.
Some have been waiting since March 2009. You're going to have to up the number from $10,000 most likely to get someone waiting that long to jump back a year. While a 25% return on the deposit over 3 years is great, it's not unheard of in the stock market.
Once Tesla starts delivering signature cars this summer, I'm sure that some of them will end up on eBay. Mine probably will. I expect the premium to be more than $10k.
Not for these mid-2013 deliveries. The "build big batteries first" will affect delivery order this year, but not next.
I'd be kind of surprised if they prevent you from giving your reservation to somebody else at the time of purchase. Perhaps they won't technically allow the reservation to be reassigned, but I bet they allow someone other the reservation holder to pay for the car, and someone other than the reservation holder to be the registered owner. Just a hunch, though.
Yup, I think some Nissan LEAF sales might have happened this way. I had reserved a LEAF last May (just for the heck of it as I was getting bored with the wait for the Model S) and when it arrived at the dealership about four months later, I worked with the dealer to have my coworker friend (who was convinced by my EVangelism!) do the actual buying, no issues at all. I hadn't asked for any premium from my friend but, any such deal between the person with the reservation and the person doing the actual buying at the Tesla store should technically not be Tesla's business. It's not as if Tesla's trying to enforce that only certain vetted high-profile buyers ought to be able to buy their cars a la a McLaren.
It makes sense when you think about it. Even my $5k that has been sitting at TM for 2+ years could have been invested in stocks and other investments and would have doubled or more by now.
Do me a favor - PM me when Tesla contacts you. I should be right around the same time as I'm only 20 slots behind you. Thought I would throw some humor in the waiting time. At this point, the anticipation has grown to a level that I check the forum eight or ten times a day. It would be almost impossible for me to give away my Sig at this point.